Xmas 08

Bilibo - Everything, nothing, and much more in between

2008-11-20T20:58:00.000Z

"What is this strange object?", you may ask. This, my friend, is a Bilibo, the unusual award-winning toy for children aged 2 to 7.

It my not look like much, but the Bilibo is the result of extensive research by the Swiss into the playing behaviour of pre-school children. The boffins concluded that modern children's toys with a specific function only stimulate their minds on a purely superficial level - kids prefer to use their imaginations when manipulating objects to create a world of their own.

And I've got to say I entirely agree. Anyone with kids has had that moment on Christmas morning when everything is unwrapped and their Son or Daughter decides that what they want to play with first is the boxes and wrapping paper - no specific function but highly entertaining.

And that is just the niche that the Bilibo fills. It doesn't do anything specific but has unlimited entertainment value.

Put it on your head and you're a knight, a storm trooper or an alien. Sit in it and rock. Carry stuff around in it. Put it on your back and, as if by magic, you're a turtle. The uses are only limited by you and your kids imaginations.

So, if you're looking to keep your kids occupied this Xmas while you dig in to the Sherry and Mince Pies, get them a £15 Bilibo and everybody's happy :)

Perfect Perfume for your Mum

2008-11-19T22:14:00.000Z

This post is especially for the special woman in your life! You cant go wrong with a bottle of perfume or a nice gift set. Women love them and don't very often feel they can treat themselves to some. Here is a great gift set that wont break your budget! You can be sure your mum will absolutely love this perfume set!

Elizabeth Ardens Red Door is the perfect gift for your mum, wife or sister this christmas. At a bargain £12.99 you can treat your mum to a 25 EDT spray, 50ml body lotion and 50 ml shower gel. Packed in a elegant box it looks so much more expensive and you can even choose to have it gift wrapped for you. Smelling refreshing and fruity it will suit all noses, so you don't have to worry that your mum will think it is too strong or overpowering!

Take the stress out of finding that perfect present and order it now, it will go down a treat!

Don't Forget the Batteries This Christmas

2008-11-18T22:35:00.000Z

"Batteries Not Included" is a phrase that will frustrate even the most prepared Christmas organisers on Xmas morning.

Everything has been unwrapped and the kids are ready to play with their new stuff. Mum or Dad spend 20 minutes trying to remove all the little bits of wire that are holding the toy in the display box and once it is released, they realise - horror-of-horrors - it needs batteries.

No matter how prepared we are, the batteries still get forgotten!

So, here is my early warning - order a shed-load of batteries right now before you forget and store them away ready for Christmas. By getting them early, you're also ensuring you get a great discount. For example, at MDS Battery you can get a pack of 10 Duracell AAA and 10 Duracell AA batteries for just £6. Come Christmas morning, you'll be lucky to get a pack of 4 for that price at your local shop!

Executive Shaving 3-Piece Set

2008-11-17T14:57:00.000Z

The Executive Shaving Company presents this smart '3 Piece Shaving Set' making an ideal gift for the discerning gentleman at Christmas.

Included in the set are:

A sturdy 3 piece shaving stand in a Chrome finish
Best Badger hair shaving brush
Gillette Mach3 compatible razor

and, at just £50, you can't go wrong.

The Executive Shaving Company also supply a great many other gifts and a lot of their prices have been slashed in the Christmas sale, so check out their website and see if you can find a bargain.

Talking Dalek Alarm Clock

2008-11-16T23:36:00.000Z

If your husband/boyfriend is a Doctor Who fan, then what better way for him to wake up in the morning than to the sound of Dalek screeching "You are an enemy of the Daleks, you must be destroyed."

If they are anything like me and have trouble getting up in the morning, worry no more. With this Dalek Alarm Clock, he'll be scared out of your bed (and his skin) and be eating his breakfast in a matter of seconds.

An excellent time-saving device based on a time-travelling creature!

Other phrases include "You would make a good Dalek" and the classic "Exterminate".

Designer Sunglasses

2008-11-15T13:23:00.000Z

Typically, at this time of year, a pair of designer shades can be grabbed at bargain basement prices

The shades in the picture can currently be grabbed for just £80 - that's around a third off the normal retail value!

Shade Station have lots of other designer products, including watches, jewellery and accessories, all at reasonable prices.

So, if you're looking for something special for that fashion-concious friend or family member, check out Shade Station.

Branded Beer

2008-11-14T14:08:00.000Z

For a truly unique Christmas gift, check out Branded Beer.

Design your own labels using their simple website tool, where you can pick a theme, upload your own picture and choose your own text. So, you could create your own family brand of beer or a personalized message for a loved one.

Their are loads of options for your beverage including lager, stout, bitter, wine (red and white) and whisky. And you can rest-assured that the taste is great as they use only the finest award-winning beers.

You can even design your labels before purchasing, so you can see just what your beer will look like before you commit.

Take a look at the Branded Beer website for more information.

Batman Light-Up T-Shirt

2008-11-13T14:26:00.000Z

I think this Batman Light-Up T-Shirt is absolutely brilliant!

The traditional Batman logo which has been a classic piece of iconography ever since the first movie is making a comeback in electro-luminescent form for a whole new experience. These high-quality shirts are made from 100% cotton and contain a small battery pack (2xAAA batteries) that powers the flexible panel on the front of the shirt to give amazing effects, ranging from a gentle glow to a pulsing strobe. Great for night time parties, clubbing or to just attract some attention!

Price: £16.99

Air Hockey Table

2008-11-12T14:07:00.000Z

I've always wanted one of these but never had the space at home for it!

If you know someone who has enough free space, perhaps in your garage or a spare bedroom, an air hockey table will provide hours of entertainment. With fold-away legs it is also easy to store when not in use.

This item is 5 foot long and has a laminated PVC playing surface for smooth and fast action. It's solidly built, so "shake" is reduced and comes with 2 pucks and 2 pushers.

Price: £74.99

Anna Sui Secret Wish Perfume

2008-11-11T20:21:00.000Z

My wife recently got hold of a sample of this perfume and we both thought it was a beautiful fragrance. The scent is very sweet and almost 'fruity' and my wife even had a few people (one of them a bloke) enquire about whilst we were in the pub.

Impressed with both the scent and the vial (my wife has a hobby of collecting perfume bottles), she asked if I would get her some more for Christmas.

I bought the 75ml version for £42, however 30ml and 50ml versions are available for £23 and £33 respectively. And by buying from Powderpuff, you won't have to pay any delivery charges.

Digital Photo Frames

2008-11-10T13:40:00.000Z

Share digital photographs with loved ones, even if they do not own a computer.

Upload photographs from your digital camera or computer to one of these digital picture frames and display on your wall or furniture.

You can set up a slide show showing a compilation of pictures and even display videos.

Sprig Kinetic Toys - The Environmentally-Friendly Toy

2008-11-10T13:30:00.001Z

If you've got pre-school kids your home is probably overflowing with planet-hating plastic playthings and landfill-loving batteries. So why not redress the balance and say sorry to Mother Nature with some Sprig Toys.

Totally revolutionary, these eco-friendly vehicles smell like wood but are actually made from a new, ultra durable bio-material called Sprigwood. Once the toys have reached the end of their natural lifespan they are completely recyclable, right down to their rubber tyres. Green Machines? Too right.

But what about the batteries, we hear you ask? No need, because all the lights and sounds are powered by ingenious kinetic push and pump energy. Of course, all this eco business would be pretty irrelevant if the toys didn't cut the mustard funwise, but thankfully they do. Big time.

PRICE: £39.95

Mickey Mouse MP3 Player

2008-11-10T13:23:00.001Z

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages...

iRiver and Disney would like to introduce to you their new creation: The M Player! With iRivers design and performance, and Disneys aesthetics, you struggle to find fault with this little marvel of a machine. With a diameter of only 30mm and a weight of 18g, this player will not only get noticed, but will go unnoticed by you. It won't weigh you down, and that makes it perfect for on-the-go listening!

PRICE: £29.99

Bite the Bullet - Hilarious Confectionary ame

2008-11-09T13:35:00.000Z

Eating sweeties has always been a relatively humdrum experience. Until now. Because by combining one of life's great pleasures (chocolate) with one of death's best buddies (Russian roulette), clever confectioners have come up with Bite the Bullet.

This fiendishly amusing gift box contains twelve delicious chocolate bullets seated in individual numbered compartments. But here's the good bit - one of 'em contains palate-peelingly hot chilli. Nyaargh!! The idea is to throw the special twelve-sided dice, remove the bullet from the corresponding compartment, close your eyes and get scoffing. Is it yummy choc or hellishly h-h-hot chilli? You'll know soon enough because the chilli packs a face-wincingly powerful punch that'll have you gurning like Kenneth Williams getting into a hot bath.

PRICE: £6.95

Decorate your home with Fake Snow This Christmas

2008-11-08T13:45:00.003Z

Dreaming of a White Christmas? Now you can make up to five litres of the stuff with this amazing new Insta-Snow!

Think of Christmas and you immediately think of snow. Unfortunately global warming has all but put paid to the romantic concept of a white Christmas, and most of us now have to make do with the occasional flurry in January.

But even if you're reading this from the frozen wastelands of Siberia with a smug grin on your face, we bet you can't make snow indoors. It melts. And let's face it, you can't beat a dusting of snow for adding a touch of seasonal cheer to your home. Of course you could always buy one of those tins of spray-on snow, but the effect is about as realistic as week-old whipped cream and twice as messy.

PRICE: £5.95

Terry Turtle - Adult Amusement

2008-11-06T13:52:00.000Z

This item is not suitable for children. If you're under 18, click here to go to our home page :)

We all know there's nothing big or clever about swearing, don't we? Actually, scrub that. It's hilarious, especially when the expletives in question are coming from an arm-waving, head-popping plastic turtle.

He's preloaded with over 25 forehead-slappingly funny sweary outbursts. Just activate his motion sensor by walking past, waving your hand or sticking two fingers up and you'll hear a shocking random phrase. He's also great for insulting passers-by.

Terry has a not-so-rude mode and a safe mode for those occasions when the vicar is coming to tea or the chairman of the board is in town.

PRICE: £17.95

Made in England Babygrow

2008-11-01T14:37:00.000Z

This "Made in England" babygrow is just one of the patriotic products available from "We Are The English", an online store selling everything "England".

As well as clothing for men, women and kids they also have a host of other items, such as flags, books, towels, mugs and duvet sets.

From the website:
"We Are the English is devoted to the celebration of English heritage, culture and tradition. Whether you’re an England football, cricket or rugby fan or just proud to be English - on offer is the largest range of England merchandise on the web. But we’re not just about flying the flag; it’s also about promoting English pride and a positive sense of our own identity."

PRICE: £6.00 (available for kids aged 6mths, 12mths, 18mths & 24mths)

55 Shopping Days Till Christmas

2008-11-01T09:46:00.001Z

If you've started your Christmas shopping, Well Done! If you've already done, you must be a Superhero! However for most of us, Xmas shopping has been niggling at the back of our minds but we've yet to buy any gifts...in fact, we don't even know where to start.

Fortunately, help is at hand. If you're looking for fantastic gift ideas or just a little inspiration in the run-up to Christmas, yule (geddit!?) find everything you need here.

Happy Xmas Shopping, Folks!