Tag: Christmas Gifts

1 in 2 UK homes will host an unexpected guest this Christmas

  • Nearly three-quarters of people are happy to embrace new traditions
  • 1 in 4 people will spend Christmas Day with friends
  • 1 in 2 have had an unexpected guest turn up on the day
  • Dive deeper into the One Roof, One Christmas campaign, here

In a delightful departure from tradition, Christmas 2023 is set to showcase the evolving spirit of British family and social gatherings. New research indicates a heart-warming shift towards inclusive celebrations that blend families, friends, and even unexpected guests into the festive mix.

As part of its One Roof, One Christmas campaign, One4all Gift Cards has surveyed 1,009 UK adults, uncovering some of the new ways families are deciding to spend their Christmas Day – with 74% of people revealing they’re happy to embrace new traditions or guests for the day.

Nearly three-quarters (72%) of people said they typically spend the day with additional guests beyond their immediate family, with their partners’ siblings, in-laws, and colleagues all potentially bagging an invite.

1 in 2 (50%) people revealed they’ve had an unexpected guest turn up for Christmas Day, with 7% of respondents even revealing an ex-partner has still made an appearance at the dinner table.

And with all these extra guests stopping by, it’s no surprise that more than a quarter (26%) revealed they’ve had to change their plans to accommodate another guest’s requests.

From indulging in two dinners to please the in-laws, last-minute dog-sitting duties until the new year, and even a quick trip to the hospital as a guest went into labour, it’s good news to hear that nearly half (47%) haven’t let these changes turn into a disagreement with their family.

More than 1 in 5 (22%) said they’ve introduced new traditions as part of someone’s culture or religion, including a festive bike ride, attending mass, or indulging in cuisines from around the world. 1 in 4 (26%) said they’ve eaten something different to a traditional Christmas dinner to accommodate new guests.

The survey also revealed Christmas traditions which some families have had to adopt from their partners, including door-to-door carol singing and putting up less-than-appealing Christmas decorations.

And whilst 54% of people said they embraced their partners’ traditions, 8% admitted they don’t enjoy doing these at all.

But above all else, the most important traditions families like to stick to on the day were to eat a particular meat at dinner and open their presents at the same time every year.

As part of their campaign, One4all Gift Cards has partnered with TV personality and presenter Ferne McCann to share how she celebrates Christmas with her family.

Ferne, who has recently given birth to her daughter Finty with fiancée, Lorri Haines, who also has a daughter, Sunday from a previous relationship. Discusses how she plans to spend the festive season with her blended family.

“This Christmas is a particularly special one for me and my partner as it will be our first with our newborn Finty. It’s such a special time of year, bringing together our children, friends and family under one roof to celebrate.

“Every year our Christmas morning begins with a tradition that we’ve always stuck to – the whole family has to wait until after breakfast before we can open presents!

“Food is an important part of our celebrations too, growing up I was always on stuffing ball duty on the big day. I’ll be passing this tradition down to Sunday this year so she can get involved in preparing the Christmas dinner and she loves helping my Mum make her famous homemade sausage rolls and mince pies too.

“As it’s Finty’s first Christmas, we’ll be introducing a new tradition to our festivities. I love the old-fashioned traditions and making Christmas about the people who are in your life all year round. So, I’ll be hosting a little Christmas carol get together in my home on Christmas morning, with family, friends and neighbours. It’s a lovely way to bring everyone together on this special day.”

Lou Hickey, Marketing Director at One4all Gift Cards, commented, “Christmas can be a wonderful time of year for many, who love nothing more than celebrating the season with their favourite traditions, spent with their closest relatives.

“But it’s natural that some of us are now adopting new traditions, spending the day a little differently as many families grow and change shape, welcoming extended family and friends under one roof on the big day.

“Whether we are embracing different cultures, inviting our neighbours to pull up a chair, or even carving something other than a turkey for dinner, our survey revealed that Brits are happy to incorporate new traditions and new guests into their day.

“If anything, it adds even more magic to Christmas. Also, with the potential of unexpected guests joining for the day, a One4all Gift Card can easily double up as a last-minute present or be spent on additional food and decorations to accommodate everyone.”

The most common unexpected traditions Brits have had happen at Christmas are:

  1. Spending the day visiting multiple family members (39%)
  2. Having an unexpected guest join the day (35%)
  3. Eat something else besides Christmas Dinner (26%)
  4. Introducing new traditions related to culture or religion (22%)
  5. Having an ex turn up at Christmas (7%)

Give a gift of choice with a One4all Gift Card that can be spent with more than 170 brands in-store or online with participating retailers. Available to buy from your local Post Office, Tesco, selected Morrisons, Co-op, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Aldi, Poundland and Iceland supermarkets nationwide, and online at one4all.com, ranging in value from £10 to £120.

For more info, please visit https://www.one4all.com/

Amazon supports new charity Second Chance Store launch

Ten employees from Amazon in Dunfermline played a key role in the launch of a new Amazon retail shop for Barnardo’s this week, when they packed and shipped more than 3,500 product donations for the Second Chance Store in central London.

The product selection – consisting of returned and refurbished Amazon items put back on sale at a reduced cost – features in-demand Christmas gifts with up to 50% savings on recommended retail prices.

While thousands of items including nearly-new gaming consoles, personal tech, toys and games have been donated to the high street store located at London’s Brunswick Centre, the range reflects the millions of returned, refurbished and open-box items available to buy at a discount all year-round from amazon.co.uk/amazonsecondchance.

The website also provides customers with information about product repair, recycling in their local community and trade-in for electronics.

“Working on the launch of the Second Chance Store for Barnardo’s has been a great opportunity for us to come together as a team, have some fun and support a charity that does great work in our community in Dunfermline, and across the UK,” said Ben Robertson from Amazon’s Dunfermline fulfilment centre.

“It’s also a great way to help customers see the range and quality of returned and refurbished items that are available to buy from Amazon online every day of the year.”

“Amazon is committed to giving more products a second chance – both through helping customers shop pre-loved, and through programmes to recycle, trade-in and repair products, contributing to a more circular economy,” added John Boumphrey, UK Country Manager, Amazon. 

“Our Second Chance Store, with all proceeds going to Barnardo’s, is all about offering customers a great way to shop second-hand this festive season, while supporting a brilliant charity we have been working with for many years.”

Across the UK and Europe, customer demand has driven second-hand shopping on Amazon into a billion-pound business.

In the UK alone, Amazon gave a second chance to more than four million products last year, helping British customers save more than £100 million by buying used or refurbished products at a discount.

In the first nine months of 2023, Amazon’s sales of second-hand goods in the UK increased by more than 15% compared to the same period last year.

So far this year, Amazon has facilitated the donation of more than 13 million products to more than 2,000 charities across the UK through its Retail and Fresh operations, and its Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) Donations, a programme which helps independent sellers using the Fulfilment by Amazon service donate their overstock or returned items automatically.

Charities including Barnardo’s, the British Heart Foundation, In Kind Direct, Scope and The Multibank initiative are amongst the donation recipients.

Product donations form one part of Amazon’s circular economy programme. In 2022, Amazon expanded its partnership with WRAP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to support a global circular economy for products.

The company is also supporting the development of a sorting technology to improve plastic packaging recycling through involvement in the Digital Watermarks Initiative HolyGrail 2.0, driven by AIM, European Brands Association and powered by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste.

The Amazon Second Chance Store is an expansion of Amazon’s existing relationship with Barnardo’s, with millions of products donated to the charity since 2019.

Amazon and Barnardo’s also launched a ground-breaking programme called the JOBS Project (Journey of Becoming Successful) which has supported 65 young people since 2021, with an ambition to help 500 people in the next five years, many of whom are care experienced, develop the skills needed to secure work and develop their careers.

As a signatory of the Care Leavers Covenant, Amazon is one of leading employers of care leavers in the UK.

Christmas Shopping at Fresh Start!

Next week we have the Christmas pop up shop running at the Fresh Start Pantry

Monday 9am-12.30pm

Tuesday 9am-12.30pm

Wednesday 2.30-5.00pm

Friday 9am-12.30pm

*Thursday – Community Wealth Builders Group from North Edinburgh Arts will be in the Pantry 12 – 4pm selling beautiful handmade gifts.

Please come along and shop!

Experiential Christmas Gifting: Weekend  Woodworking Courses

The Chippendale International  School of Furniture’s weekend woodworking courses are the  perfect choice for those seeking a unique and experiential  gift this Christmas. 

Our weekend spoon carving and woodturning courses offer an  ideal introduction to woodworking for the craft-obsessed,  located just 30 mins outside Edinburgh in the beautiful East  Lothian countryside.  

Consumers increasingly value meaningful experiences over  material possessions, with recent statistics indicating that  33% of consumers plan to treat their friends and family with  memorable experiences in 2023 (KPMG). 

Perfect for a DIY-mad partner or crafty parent who has it all,  these courses offer a one-of-a-kind gift that will leave  memories that last a lifetime – and maybe even inspire a new  hobby!  

Where: 

The Chippendale International School of Furniture, Gifford,  East Lothian, EH41 4JA 

What: 

Weekend woodturning course: A fun and informative course  designed for those who want to dip their toe into the world of  woodworking! Students will learn the basics of woodturning and  joinery, and will create a small stool/plant stand over the  two days.

Weekend spoon carving course: Louise Forbes’ renowned spoon  carving classes are the perfect quirky gift for a DIY  enthusiast! Students will carve a small salt spoon and coffee  scoop, plus salad servers or alternative spoon of their choice  over the two days. 

All tools and materials are supplied on both courses. 

Cost: 

Weekend Spoon Carving Course: £295 

Weekend Woodturning Course: £400 

Book here:  

https://chippendaleschool.com/furniture-making courses/weekend-courses/

The Big Issue Shop Christmas Gifts

The Big Issue Shop has your Christmas shopping sorted with a plethora of eco-friendly and socially conscious gifts

The Big Issue Shop has released a whole host of uplifting and unique gifts ideas that make a social impact and are also ethical to boot. With prices ranging from £4 to £65 they suit any budget.

These are Christmas gifts that will make you feel even better about giving to your friends, family and loved ones this holiday season.

You can grab yourself a unique collection of wrapping papers, each design is a highly collectable, limited edition, so do get yours whilst you still can. Artists and designs range from Pure Evil with his highly collectable “Ideas Wheel for Lazy Designers” design and Charming Baker’s arresting “Christmasaurus Rex” design, to the notorious artistic duo, Jake and Dinos Chapman with their bold and bright design “D’You Wanna Be In My Gang”. Plus, many more!

Your creative friends might also like a Bowie and the Big Issue No.1, street art print for £20. And you would also be supporting South London-based artist, ANXTI.

Or maybe you are looking for some Christmassy essentials for yourself. These gorgeous Big Issue Christmas Baubles for just £8 are just the thing to get your house ready for the season. The Big Issue Christmas cards cost just £5 and feature six previous kids cover competition winners – and a 100 per cent of the proceeds go to support The Big Issue’s mission to dismantle poverty.

Friends that are animal mad? How about these adorable save the penguins bamboo socks for £8.99, and to top it off, 10 per cent of all profits will go to the South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds. Or how about Isobel’s dog design bowl for £25 from ARTHOUSE Unlimited: a collective of artists living with complex epilepsy and learning disabilities.

More of a cat person? Perhaps they would like The Big Issue’s special edition magazine paying tribute to the much-loved Big Issue Cat, Bob, for just £4.

Looking for some socially conscious stocking fillers? How about these Jollie Socks for £15, for every pair sold the company also donate a pair to a homeless person. Or this eco-friendly coffee husk travel cup for £10.99 a truly sustainable travel cup made with real coffee husks.

You can also get this William Morris-style cosmetic bag for £10. Not only is it beautiful but it comes from Studio 306 collective, based in Haringey, North London, which is a creative project set up to aid recovery from mental health issues.

Need a present for new parents? They will love this penguin t-shirt for £15.90 or this Love organic muslin baby shawl for £14.90, Both made by Babies With Love, who give all proceeds to support abandoned children around the world. Parents need a treat for themselves? The company also do this Love luxury scented candles for £24.90, which comes in an array of different scents.

If you want something a little more expensive look no further than these beautiful bags. Samantha Renke’s inclusive handbag for £40 comes from disability campaigner Samantha Renke and is designed with the needs of disabled people in mind. It is functional and stylish for everyone.

Or how about this Compact messenger bag for £65. It comes from Dece, a social enterprise with two small production hubs in Northwest Romania where they work to educate, employ and empower families living in real poverty. 

You can also get your hands on this limited edition bespoke gift hamper for £65, created by The Big Issue in collaboration with Social Stories Club. It is packed full of treats made by social ventures, this hamper would make the perfect gift for the festive season.

As a non-profit, every penny we make goes back into the organisation. With a gift subscription, not only will your friend receive an award-winning magazine each week, but you’re also contributing to The Big Issue’s fight to dismantle poverty – from employing our frontline staff, who provide vendors with vital support, to enabling us to campaign for policy change on a national level … each subscription really does make a difference. Buy a gift subscription here –  https://bigissue.com/gift/

To support The Big Issue’s Christmas appeal “The Big Wish”, you can buy a copy of the magazine or a subscription from your local vendor so they receive 50% of the profits. 

Alternatively, you can make a donation to The Big Issue Foundation. Visit bigissue.com/bigwish.

Give the gift of a happy dance by shopping with East Lothian independents this Christmas

Shop smart, shop local – give the gift of a happy dance, by shopping with East Lothian independents this Christmas 

The gift of a happy dance. That’s what you will be giving the owners of Buck & Birch, Seilich and Yummikeys, if you shop with them this Christmas.

Three East Lothian businesses with three real-life stories; stories that took them from kitchen-table ideas to beloved Scottish names, all with the support of a local community. 

And what do they want this festive period? For you to keep it East Lothian. 

Stocked, sold and in many cases, created locally, each brand offers a touch of Scottish magic, intertwining a respect for their hometown with products that keep customers returning again and again. 

These labours of love not only supply the best of the best, but continue to support their East Lothian by connecting and collaborating with other businesses, hiring local talent and promoting seasonal produce. Buck & Birch. Seilich. Yummikeys. The only brands to be shopping if you want to give back to your highland home. 

So, what can Santa bring you from East Lothian this year… ?

Boozy bounty from Buck & Birch 

The ethos of Buck and Birch is to go back to the source, hand harvesting ingredients when they are at their best, just like the old days. The founders are driven by passion and inquisitiveness, constantly exploring the full potential of the enigmatic ingredients found along Scottish shores, and in the local woodlands and hedgerows.  

For those who want a luxurious taste of the wilds of Scotland, the Aelder Amarosa Gift Set (£25 for 2 x 200ml bottles wrapped up in a classic box) contains two delectably fruity liqueurs to liven up any cocktail.

Aelder Elixer Elderberry Liqueur and Amarosa Aromatic Rosehip Liqueur give the sweet and spicy edge to your Christmas day. 

For the gin connoisseur? The Botanist Gin Wild Cocktail Collection (£29). 

A collaboration with Botanist Gin, the Wild Gin Cocktail Collection offers a limited-edition range of three pre-bottled cocktails, just ready for the drinking. Inspired by their shared knowledge and passion for the place they call home, flavours in The Ramble, The Amigroni and The Plants & Quincidence will never fail to transport you back to your Scottish roots.  

Something sweet from Seilich  

Skin-saving botanists, Seilich grows all plants themselves in a meadow in Scotland, creating lotions, sprays and balms utilising flower waters from native produce. Harvested organically, at least 50% of each product comes from the Seilich meadow and the rest from other vegan, organic and natural sources. The first company to gain Wildlife Friendly certification in the UK, each item is nourishing and made to suit every skin care addict, ensuring there is something sweet-smelling for everyone on your list. 

Perfect for those dipping their toe into the natural beauty world, the Complete Cleansing Set (£23) offers everything needed to create the most luxurious cleansing routine. A Wild Carrot and Camomile Cleansing Lotion and Peppermint and Camomile Gel Cleanser are paired with a sumptuously soft Tabitha Eve Organic Bamboo Flannel, to leave your face glowing and rejuvenated. Use the zingy gel morning and night, followed by the soothing cleansing lotion and finish off with a hot cloth to ensure that your favourite part of wearing make-up, will be taking it off.  

Combining Wildlife Friendly floral waters with moisturisers and botanical extracts of oat and comfrey, the divine Face Mist Set (£28) not only smells incredible but offers three skin-friendly additions to your regime. Soothing, hydrating and refreshing, each face mist can be used morning or night to add a delicate sheen and boost your skin’s moisture levels. Containing Rose and Mallow Face Mist, to nourish, Mint and Yarrow to refresh and Wild Carrot and Camomile to calm, the hardest part will be choosing which one to spritz! 

Yuletide calm from Yummikeys 

Created following a bill for lost car keys, Yummikeys is taking on the world of single-use plastic, one family at a time. With over 90% of toys ending up in landfill, founder Elspeth Fawcett’s mission was to make a toy that was not only un-put-downable for baby, but also a treasured keepsake for parents; a family heirloom to be loved from generation to generation. Safe, recyclable, engravable and most importantly, FUN, the stainless-steel teethers have garnered awards and attention along the way.   

A set of three stainless-steel animal Yummikeys interlocked with bright silicone beads, these cooling accessories are perfect for the ‘obsessed with car keys’ stage, but without all the worry. Safe, hygienic and not the predecessor to a large motor bill if lost, these keys offer hours of fun and are perfect for newly emerging teeth. For mamas who want to cherish the memories of baby for a little bit longer, keys can be engraved with name and birthdate too. Dishwasher proof and recyclable – Christmas music to our ears. £24.50 (£34.50 engraved). 

Made with mum in mind, each Ultrasound Scan Necklace is delicately engraved with your personal ultrasound image; a cherished keepsake of the time when it was just you and them. Carefully designed, each elegant disc, which comes with one scan engraving as standard, is available in silver plated stainless steel or rose and yellow 18ct gold plate (all £39.50 each).

On the back, optional dates, names and number of weeks can be added (£10 for up to 20 characters) and each necklace has the option to add more discs (£30 per), meaning you can hold all your babies close to your heart.  

Get all wrapped up, shop local and have a very, merry East Lothian Christmas!

Eco-Kidz 'pop-up' at Christmas!

ECO KIDS logo

Eco Kidz Workshop

Learn a few skills of your own during the first Pop-Up stall where you’ll make your very own Christmas cards and gift tags from recycled materials. The workshop is for kids aged 8-12 years and it’s free to join in.

Find the team at Muirhouse Community Shop between 2 – 4pm tomorrow (Friday 28 November).

gifts

Eco Kidz Pop-Up Christmas Stalls

After a busy few months of designing and creating an inspired range of upcylced products, the Eco Kidz team are ready to take to the marketplace! Fill your Christmas stockings at one of three Pop-Up stalls this festive season. Impress your secret santa with a perfectly hand made, upcyled product! (Muirhouse Community Shop tomorrow (as above), more details to follow).

 

NEA