The Christmas season hasn’t truly begun until you utter the words ‘it gets earlier and earlier each year’.
But despite that many of us have the festive season on our minds as soon as the days get darker, it’s not till December 25 is truly looming that we get a kickstart ticking off our gifting list.
Sure, the adage ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ is echoed in our thoughts but we’ll leave it to our New Year’s resolution to change our last-minute habits.
Over at ES, we get a first look at the Christmas offerings of many and most of the major labels so count ourselves in a good position to sort the wheat from the chaff to find you the failsafe presents that are sure to delight when the big day arrives.
We’ve curated gifts for every person on your shopping list – for her, for him, for teens, for mums, for kids, for gaming lovers, for technophiles, eco-warriors, charity gifts and those looking for the personal touch – but now we’re on hand to help out the zero hour shoppers among you.
In this curated guide, every item listed is available for either next-day delivery, click-and-collect in short order or even same-day in some cases.
Panic-free shopping awaits…
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Bandai Tamagotchi Uni
The newest generation of Tamagotchi is finally here, and the virtual pet popularised in the early 2000s has never been more hi-tech. Rather than the old-school, 8-bit black and white Tamagotchi screen, the Uni has a fantastic technicolour display.
Boasting its very own version of the Metaverse, Tamagotchi owners can meet up in the worldwide Tamaverse to play minigames, chat and exchange gifts. What’s more, thanks to the innovative smartwatch-esque design and movement tracker in the Tamagotchi Uni, kids can take their Unis for walks and wear it as a super cool accessory.
Buy now £44.99, Amazon
GoPro HERO12 Black
Your holiday snaps will never be the same again. Whether you have already been converted to the action-filled world of GoPro or you’re looking for a first introduction, the latest HERO12 iteration should be on your radar.
No matter your level, professionals and casual camera users alike can maximise the elevated video taking of the unbelievably compact gadget. The new model has been upgraded to provide an even more convenient experience as well as advancing the field of view with Max Lens Mod 2.0 now offering 177° as well as 4K resolution at 60 frames per second. The runtime has been doubled to give you 70 minutes of continuous recording when at 5.3K60 and increasing to 155 mins when at 1080p30.
Create dynamic content with HDR pics, 5.3K resolution, 8x slow-mo and keep it clear and stable with HyperSmooth 6.0 video stabilisation. Now all you need is to book a flight.
Buy now £399.00, Amazon
Little Book of Prada
Coffee table books are universally appreciated but not the kind of thing that people usually buy for themselves - so they make excellent gifts. Up your style game and test their sartorial knowledge with the Little Book of Prada - perfect for style savants.
Buy now £11.05, Amazon
AirPods Pro 2nd Generation
Apple’s second generation of the iconic AirPods Pro is the ultimate treat for the music-lover in your life. With a brand new chip for better audio quality, double the noise cancellation, higher touch control functionality, and even a speaker that can play an alert when you misplace them, they’re an upgrade that’s worth it.
Buy now £187.06, Amazon
Kindle (2022 release)
Amazon’s own-brand e-readers have been around for a while now, but this 2022 release will ignite jealousy from your fellow travellers - and for a very good reason. This Kindle is the lightest and most compact to date, making it perfect for diving into the latest good read while you’re on the go.
The ultimate companion for the bookworm jetsetter, it is small enough to fit in any crossbody bag to offer an entire library at your fingertips for the entire trip. No longer will you need to choose between a book and that extra pair of shoes as whether you have the chance to dive into your most recent literary downloads or not, the featherlight 158g won’t make too much of a dent in those already tight baggage restrictions.
It measures under 16 x 11 x 0.8cm with a 6” display and a built-in light so you can continue to flick between the pages even when lighting is low. You can use it totally wirelessly with no need to connect to a computer and the 16GB gives you the option to download thousands of books to enjoy with no WiFi necessary. Battery life is impressive too and should last throughout your adventures. The brand says up to six weeks but this will be less depending on how usage and if you employ the use of the illumination. Set-up and navigating the system couldn’t be easier - even for the less technology adept among us and recharging is through USB-C so the same cable as the newest iPhones and Android devices.
The cherry on top of the cake is the eco-conscious construction where this Kindle is made from 75 per cent post-consumer recycled plastics. This sustainable approach is continued into the packaging too with wood-fibre-based material and entirely recyclable boxes used.
Buy now £84.99, Amazon
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
Ultimate Ears’ latest release, the Wonderboom 3, is an ultraportable speaker. Dust and water resistant, drop proof, 360 degree sound and bass and 14 hours of battery, it’s a mini speaker that packs a big punch measuring just 10.4cm by 9.5cm. You can even pair two together for serious stereo - double the speakers, double the fun.
Buy now £89.43, Amazon
Royal Salute 21 Year Old Richard Quinn Edition II
One to stand loud and proud atop your drinks trolley, this whisky is a collaboration between Royal Salute and British designer Richard Quinn that goes beyond just the striking exterior. The new expression is a limited edition and filled with a blend that Quinn created with Master Blender, Sandy Hyslop in the Strathisla Distillery in Speyside, Scotland. The flacon has been adorned with motifs that you’ll spot across the designer’s clothing collections, including rose petals and white polka dots on a black background and white daisies on a green background. To round off the trio is the purple, yellow and green hues set on white.
Buy now £192.00, The Whisky Exchange
Harvey Nichols Let It Glow Hamper
Here’s a gifting fact: no one has ever been disappointed at the sight of a hamper. As soon as you catch a glimpse of the wicker exterior, you know you’re in for a treat, especially when you spot that Harvey Nichols logo. The retailer has bundled together its bestsellers across its department store and from food to beauty.
The Let It Glow Hamper has one mission, and one mission only. To bring that lit-from-within glow to your giftee. As they start to unpack the offering, they’ll discover Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Peel 5 Packettes, Pixi Glow Tonic, Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Cleanser Daily Foaming Wash and Sunday Riley C.E.O. Glow Vitamin C + Turmeric Face Oil, among others.
Buy now £200.00, Harvey Nichols
Ganni Embroidered leather cowboy boots
2023 has been the year of the cowboy boots and front and centre of the trend is Copenhagen-born label Ganni. This footwear has a Western sensibility with its contrast stitching, stacked Cuban heel and pointed toe. Pair with a mini dress when the sun shines or a denim maxi skirt to tap into the Gen-Z favourite look.
Buy now £625.00, Net-A-Porter
LOOKFANTASTIC Beauty Chest
If you’re looking to get bang for your buck this Christmas – and let’s face it, who isn’t? – then this gift set deserves to be on your radar. Each year, retailer LOOKFANTASTIC creates a Beauty Chest that is filled to the brim with hyped-about labels but offered for a far more purse-friendly price than buying each product individually. Worth over £559, the 2023 iteration combines full-sized iterations of Olaplex No.8 Hair Mask, Elemis Pro-Collagen Vitality Eye Cream and the Rodial Pink Diamond Instant Lifting Eye Serum. These three products cost £125 alone – and that’s before you even throw in the other bestsellers.
Also included are full sizes of the Medik8 Clarity Peptides (£45), ESPA Overnight Glow Enzyme Peel (£45), NARS Orgasm Palette (£42), REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask (£40), Aromatherapy Associates Revive RollerBall (£25) and Anastasia Beverley Hills Brow Freeze (£23), among many others.
Buy now £120.00, lookfantastic
Ninja Foodi MAX Health Grill & Air Fryer AG551UK
Best for: nuclear families and flatshares
Cooking functions: 6; Grill, Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Dehydrate and Reheat.
Weight: 10.18kg
Dimensions: 27 x 39 x 41cm
Slightly lighter and smaller than its big sister, the AG651UK, this model is the middle child in Ninja’s Health Grill line-up. It has one less feature than the larger model (no flat plate here), but with so many other functions, you’ll barely miss it.
For those for love a good grilling and want sides lighter in oil to go with them, this machine delivers big. With air fry technology integrated, there’s no need to lift the lid and flip your food either, although there is a digital cooking probe to ensure everything is cooked to perfection.
Monitor and change the cooking mode via the LED screen on the front. This, along with pre-sets, means the MAX grill really couldn’t be easier to use.
From healthier Sunday roasts to making nuturious fruit snacks by way of the dehydrating function, the AG551UK is worth its weight in gold.
Buy now £217.55, Amazon
Smythson 2024 Soho Weekly Diary in Panama
A new year calls for a fresh new diary to fill with all your important dates. Few do it better than Smythson. The luxury label bounds its books in its signature Panama leather made up of cross-grain lambskin, while each page is a pale blue with gilded edges. There are week-to-view layouts and note pages. It is W14 x H19.6cm so can easily be stashed into a briefcase or bag.
Buy now £185.00, Smythson
Meta Quest 3
With better immersive graphics than ever before, the Meta Quest 3 is the latest and greatest VR headset to hit the market. The latest redesign has seen the addition of two GB colour cameras with an innovative depth projector, which gives you the ability to seamlessly blend virtual and physical spaces.
This is mixed reality and the result is transformational. Your living room is digitised and infiltrated with the Stranger Things Upside Down or you can get lost in all four corners of this world and others, whether transported to Venice in Assassin's Creed or into space. As you climb, the possibility of falling feels real, while fighting off invaders in lifelike situations gives the feel of real consequences.
Lightening-fast performance is supported by the Qualcomm Snapdrgon XR2 Gen 2 processor and the 4K+ infinite display will leave you struggling to discern reality from fiction.
Buy now £479.99, Meta
John Lewis Velvet Frill Cushion
You can count on the John Lewis own-brand collection to provide real gems using quality materials and at affordable price tags. Take this cushion as the perfect case in point. It has an attractive ochre colourway on the one side, but is reversible with a striped design on the other.
Buy now £32.00, John Lewis
Red Letter Days
More into experiences than things? Red Letter Days is your fast track to some of the most unbelievable experiences, luxury dining and exhilarating days out.
Buy now, Red Letter Days
ABBA Voyage
It's one of the most talked-about productions in town, with streams of sequinned-speckled party-goers flooding the DLR’s Pudding Mill station for every performance. Set in a purpose-built arena (or a cathedral to pop, as we like to think of it), ABBA Voyage is the party every disco-lover must experience, making it a Christmas gift your mum could very possibly faint at receiving. With incredible lightwork and avatars that will have you struggling to believe aren't real, it's what the future of gigs could look like.
If your mum is up for dancing, standing tickets are most budget-friendly (stand at the very back to take the whole scene in) while seated options mean you can see the 40-years-in-the-making production in all its glory.
Make it extra special by adding lounge access for bubbly and nibbles before the show takes off.
Bookings are available until November 25, 2024 from £104.50.
Buy now £104.50, ABBA Voyage
Theatre
There’s no better time to head down to the West End and treat yourself to an unforgettable experience at one of London’s theatres. The Only in the West End this Summer campaign is raising awareness of all the brilliant things the area has to offer and, as imagined, there are some great shows featuring on their list.
Whether it’s taking little ones to see Disney on Stage at Covent Garden, or spending the day watching Harry Potter and the Cursed Child back-to-back or daring to see the thrilling 2:22 A Ghost Story with older children, a trip to the theatre is an absolute must.
If you’re worried about the cost of the theatre then Kids Week 2022 is here to help - throughout August, kids (under the age of 17) can see a show for free when accompanied by a paying adult. If you’re looking to integrate your theatre trip with a short overnight stay in London, then check out the money-saving pacakages Holiday Extras are offering.
Buy now, Evening Standard Tickets
