Christmas – it’s the most wonderful time of the year and that must be true if Andy Williams sang a song about it. But the lead up to Christmas is half the fun, (well that and the Gifts) and there are a variety of ways in which you can plan ahead to ensure that this Christmas is perfect.

Goodwill to all men (and women… and children…)
Christmas tends to bring out the joy in most of us and it can be a great excuse to get back in touch with those people who you don’t see for the rest of the year. Sending Christmas cards is often a good way of telling those distant relatives that you haven’t quite forgotten about them or a good way to butter someone up if you include them on your ‘popularity list’. Why not send your friends and family something a bit special in the way of cards this year and make your own? There are a number of card-making kits available for you to add your own design and signature, and their versatility means that they can also be sent as thank-you cards for those more generous friends and family. Don’t think of them just as cards but as a gift too.

Deck the Halls
Christmas is the ultimate party season and when you’ve put up the tree, hide the gifts below and plug in the fairy lights (and perhaps even an illuminous Santa Claus on the roof), don’t forget about the finer details that will help to crown you as king or queen of hosting. Choose from a selection of luxury Christmas tree decoration Gifts from the delicate and beautiful ‘3 Ornate Polished Glass keepsakes’, to the ‘Snowlace Christmas Decoration’ – an intricate white snow lace ornament for the tree. There are even more personal decorations to choose from such as the ‘Shopaholic’ Christmas Baubles; not quite as festive perhaps, but ideal Christmas gifts for anyone who likes to spend, spend, spend.

We all want some Figgy Pudding!
The food at Christmas seems to play more of a vital role than the occasion and the gifts themselves these days, but then who could really blame us when there are just so many delicious seasonal things around and when Christmas is the only time of year we allow ourselves to just go with the flow and eat whatever might be nearby. For help on making your own delicious treats, then Mrs Manley’s recipe books can give you some top hints and tips. From traditional Christmas recipes to goodies that even the kids could help out with, these little books can make lovely Christmas gifts for yourself or someone special.

Jingle Bell Rock – Christmas Game Gifts
After all that food and mulled wine, you can expect a lull in energy later on in the day so if you find that your guests are starting to close their eyes a bit and you’re bored of watching re-runs on the television, simply give them a shake and let the games begin. The Christmas Game Tin is a perfect gift and contains over 400 cards of parlour games, Christmas trivia and ‘corny Christmas Cracker Jokes’. For the more intimate dinner party gift then the ‘After Dinner Trivia Tin’ may have more appeal. However, if you want to do something a little bit more extraordinary this Christmas, you could get your guests to dress up and indulge in: ‘The Brie, the Bullet and the Black cat’ – a superb murder mystery dinner party game that is sure to keep everyone on their toes. Christmas Gifts don’t come more original than that.

Don’t forget Rudolph
Oh, to be young again! For those lucky enough to believe in the real magic of Christmas, then why not embrace it and make this Christmas a truly special occasion? The ‘Dear Santa Mince Pie and Carrots Plate’ makes an adorable feature for any family Christmas. As tradition states, children should leave out gifts such as a mince pie and sherry for Santa and some carrots for his reindeer on Christmas Eve, this silver aluminium dish leaves a little message for him too and is sure to get everyone in the mood.

Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Don’t forget to record your special day on camera for years to come. Despite new fashion trends for digital pictures, sometimes its nice to just sit and look through an album of memories, and so what better way to present them than in a Christmas Pudding Pocket Photo Album? An ideal Christmas gift, it comes covered in a faux suede colour for the Christmassy feel. It holds up to 40 photographs for you to look back and treasure…but don’t get too comfortable you’ve got next year’s Christmas to start planning for!