Top 10 Amazing Tech Gifts 2018

Tech gifts are still top of most peoples wish lists this year.

Here are the top 10 tech Christmas gifts for 2018.

There's something for everyone, young or old.

For more information on the items, vendors, prices and offers simply click on the images.

Wireless Phone Charger

Charger Cables are fiddly, they soon wear & split, but you are lost without one, until now.

Designed to work with the latest gadgets just rest them on top & they charge automatically.

Never have to replace a broken cable again.

QI Charge Receiver

Now, not everyone is lucky enough to have a brand new phone that can charge wirelessly.

But now they can make the most of wireless charging with this simple adaptor.

Just attach it to the phone & charge away, with no connector.

Heads Up Mobile Phone Display

Turn your smartphone into a heads up navigation unit with this award-winning piece of kit.

Safer than a windscreen fixed device, you can still see the road through it.

Just like piloting a jet fighter.

Robot Hoover

Robot hoovers have now gone mainstream, with lots to choose from in all price brackets.

Why not get one for someone you love so they have a nice clean home to come back to each evening.

With this Christmas gift, you are bound to clean up.

Noise Cancelling Earbuds

Noisy neighbours, trouble sleeping or just after a bit of peace & quiet, these noise canceling earbuds are just the thing.

Ideal for students who need to concentrate on studying.

Dare we say an ideal Christmas present for the partner of someone who snores?

Coffee Making Alarm Clock

Teasmades sold in their thousands through the 70s. 

This is their latest reincarnation, bang up to date.

Wake up & smell the coffee.

 

Home Fragrance System

There are 1001 ways to make your home smell good but this takes the options to a whole new level.

The unit holds a range of different scents.

You can mix, match & set timers, from your smartphone.

Smart Kettle

Life is too short to wait for a kettle to boil.

How about one that you can switch on from your phone, start it as you park up & you are good to go as you walk in the door. Set it off from your bedroom & its ready by the time you wander into the kitchen.

Precisely choose the water temperature for your specialty tea.

It even tells you when it needs filling.

Ultimate Notebook

A notebook that's smart & saves trees. 

Scribble down your notes, as usual, scan the pages with the special app to save & send or store. 

Pop the book in a microwave to erase the page & use again, up to 5 times.

33 Language Translator

Going on a trip abroad? Forget a clumsy phrase book, just take this little gadget & chat away confidently with the locals.

Over 30 different languages.

Compact & easy to use, especially in an emergency.

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We hope you have enjoyed these gift ideas and have gained some inspiration. If you require any more details on the items please click on the image to find more reviews, prices and vendors details.

Top 10 Secret Santa Gifts 2018

Secret Santa gifts are always a challenge. 

They have to be clever, fun & inexpensive.

These Top 10 gifts have been specially selected to tick all the boxes.

For more information on the items, vendors, prices and offers simply click on the images.

Name the Emoji

We all use emojis but do we know all the correct meanings?

This game will test you & your colleagues' knowledge. 

There might be some red faces when they realise what they have actually been saying with those little images.

Key Ring Lightbox

It's a useful key ring as it lights up to find your keyhole.

But the real fun is personalising it.

Add your favourite film, or band, or a personal message to the World.

Photo Booth Props

Ideal for the Christmas party.

Get everyone to grab their favourite items & have their photos taken.

Bound to be a few snaps worthy of the company Facebook page.

Magic 8 Ball

A party favourite, the magic 8 ball knows all.

It's up to you what questions to ask it.

It might even tell you what happens after Brexit.

Pocket Kite

In most offices, there will be someone that you would like to tell to 'go fly a kite.'

Well here's your chance.

It actually flies very well, ideal for de-stressing on a lunch break.

Fake News Game

The buzz phrase of 2018 is now a game.

Chose from the quotes & decide which was actual & which is fake. 

You'll be surprised both ways.

 

Ultimate Geek Pen

If you work with a team of geeks this is the gift to choose. 

It works as a stylus for touch screens, a laser pointer, flashlight & UV light.

You can even write notes with it.

Unicorn Poo Bath Bombs

An ideal gift for Sally from accounts.

Not sure what Greg the rep might think of them though.

Still, it would be worth it just to see his face.

Wallet Ninja

Is there someone in the office who is always doing running repairs as it takes too long to get someone in from maintenance.

They will really appreciate this toolkit that fits in a wallet. 

18 tools in one piece. Legal to carry on aircraft.

Mini Karaoke Microphone

Be careful what you unleash with this gift.

Plugs into any smartphone, laptop, tablet, etc..

Ties in with any Karaoke app.

You have been warned!!

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We hope you have enjoyed these gift ideas and have gained some inspiration. If you require any more details on the items please click on the image to find more reviews, prices and vendors details.

Top 10 Christmas Decorations 2018

Psychologists have confirmed that decorating early for Christmas provides a mood boost just when we need it as evenings darken & the temperature drops.

Here are the top 10 trending & most popular decorating ideas for Christmas 2018.

For more information on the items, vendors, prices and offers simply click on the images.

Outside Light Projector

Thankfully the days of climbing up ladders & trailing cables over roofs are at an end.

Now you can give your whole house & garden a Christmas light show with one or more projectors. 

Numerous colours & effects are available at the flick of a switch.

Rainbow Baubles

Hottest trend this year is the Rainbow Christmas Tree. 

Starting at the bottom, bands of coloured baubles rise up the tree, working their way through the colours of the rainbow.

Stay bang up to date with these coloured balls.

Cat Lover Baubles

A must for any cat lover, these adorable kitties are ready to take pride of place on your tree. 

Available singly, there are three different designs. 

Make sure you cat doesn't feel left out this Christmas.

Traditional Tree Topper

No Christmas tree is complete without it's topper. 

This traditional star works with most styles of tree decoration. 

Just remember the decorating order, topper first, tinsel, baubles, then lights.

Ice Twig Garland

These ice twig garlands give a real wintery appearance to any tree.

Beautifully understated these garlands provide a beautiful but minimalist effect.

They add a frosty touch all around the home.

Cluster Lights

Cluster lights are ideal for bulking out the sparsest of trees.

With upwards of 700 individual lights these strings are bound to make an impact. 

Programmable to provide a range of different colours & patterns. 

 

Christmas Fireplace

Nothing says Christmas like stockings hanging from a traditional fire place.

This easy to assemble work of art soon becomes the heart of any room.

Not suitable for toasting chestnuts or marsh mallows.

Bathroom Santa

Sure to bring a smile to even the Scroogiest face.

The bathroom is often overlooked at Christmas, but no longer. 

Not sure what Santa would think of it if he stops to use your facilities.

Snowflake Swirls

Now you can create your own winter wonderland at home. 

These stylish snowflakes & swirls give a wintery feel to any room.

Simple, but effective, you can really go to town.

Icicle Curtain Lights

These curtain lights can be used throughout the year for all manner of celebrations. 

They really come into their own at Christmas, internally transforming a wall or staircase. 

Externally, hung from windows to give a cascading waterfall of light.

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We hope you have enjoyed these gift ideas and have gained some inspiration. If you require any more details on the items please click on the image to find more reviews, prices and vendors details.

Top 10 Christmas Hacks & Tips

At Christmas you may need all the help you can get, especially as a new parent, having to organise a family gathering for the first time. 

Here are the top 10 tips and hacks to get you through the festive period.

1. Life Support for Your Tree

Keep real Christmas trees away from radiators. It's the quickest way to get them to drop their needles. 

Place them in an unheated conservatory instead, it will soon warm up with interior doors open & lots of guests. 

If the needles do start to drop have some dark green tinsel ready to fill the gaps.

2. Extra Fridge Space

With the house all toasty & warm, loads of guests & a kitchen running at full steam fridge space is at a premium.

Reserve the fridge itself for all the high-risk food items such as meat, fish, dairy and seafood, as these could cause food poisoning if not stored at exactly the right temperature.

Vegetables and drinks can all go outside. A secure garage is ideal, or a garden shed as long as it is pest free. 

If the temperature is around the seasonal norm it should keep things nice and cool.

If you don't have a garage the boot of your car is the next best thing.

3. Cook In Advance

Many Christmas dinner essentials can be prepared in advance and frozen. 

This will give you more time on the day to relax and enjoy the company. 

Check recipes but roast potatoes, stuffing, pigs in blankets, Yorkshire puddings & mince pies all freeze well. 

Red cabbage actually tastes better after a spell in the freezer.

4. Travel Plans

With millions of us planning to hit the roads on Christmas Day it's the one time you really don't want to have car trouble. 

A quick check of all the car basics a day or two beforehand, when the shops are still open, could save hours of heartache waiting for an overstretched recovery service to sort you out. 

Make sure you have enough fuel for planned journeys as many garages will be closed, especially in rural areas which might be unfamiliar territory.

Similarly, check tyre pressures, including the spare, top up windscreen wash & coolant, check the oil level and make sure you have a torch & know where the jack is.

To be on the safe side you could pack an AA emergency kit.

5. Chill Bottles Quickly

It's lovely when a guest brings a surprise bottle of fizz, but a waste if it ends up being drunk warm.

The quickest way to chill a bottle at home is to wrap the bottle in a damp tea towel and place it in the freezer.

The water conducts the heat away from the bottle far quicker than air so that you can enjoy the wine at its best.

6. Warm Plates

Putting a turkey dinner with all the trimmings on to cold plates is sacrilege. The only problem is that there is never enough room in the oven on Christmas Day to warm the plates as well.

This is where your microwave comes in handy. Wipe the top of each plate with a clean damp cloth & then place in the microwave 4 at a time for approximately 3 minutes depending on the wattage. 

This does not work with gilt plates, unfortunately. 

7. Great Hiding Place

Keeping presents hidden from the children before Christmas morning can pose a problem. 

Some kids have an unnatural knack for discovering hiding places and modern homes often do not have many options.

One solution is to keep them in a locked suitcase. 

They may well guess they are inside but they won't get their hands on them until you produce the key.

8. Peace and Quiet

Next time you are out shopping grab some ice cream cones, some tubes of coloured icing, edible decorating balls & sugar strands.

Then when you need half an hour of peace from the kids dish them out. 

They can turn the upside down cones into Christmas trees and decorate them. 

The sugar strands are the fairy lights.

9. Rubbish Box

Once you've finished all the packing and wrapping take the biggest empty box you have and the leftover paper. 

Cover the box as creatively as possible and make a festive rubbish box.

The kids will actually enjoy clearing up the mess once they have opened their presents.

10. Toppling Trees

If your Christmas tree is placed on a corner the temptation is to ignore the back & place the decorations where they can be seen.

Unfortunately, this can lead to your tree being very unbalanced, requiring little effort to send it flying, especially by pets & small children.

To make the most of your expensive decorations make some balls of salt dough (flour, water, plenty of salt) and press ribbons or pieces of string into them. 

Paint them or leave them plain but use these to balance out the side that is out of sight.

Top 10 Tips for a Stress Free Christmas 2018

Christmas brings a lot of joy and happiness but it can also feel overwhelming when expectations are so high. Here are 10 tips to help take the stress out of Christmas.

1. Planning

Some people are perfectly happy to go with the flow and let Christmas just happen around them, which drives their wives crazy. 

Most of us are happier when we know what needs to be done, and can tick items off lists when they are taken care of. This reduces the huge task that is Christmas into manageable chunks.

Rather than simply hit the supermarket and fill your trolly (trollies?) with everything you might possibly need, plan a rough menu for each day. Think about how many people will be present and draw up a shopping list. This will save you money, time, the effort of carrying extra items and the stress of where to put it all when you get home.

2. Extra Presents

Part of the fun at Christmas can be unexpected guests, but that can be embarrassing if they come bearing gifts. 

One strategy is to buy a couple of small extra items that you quite like or enjoy. 

If you need them they are ready to go, if you don't you get a little post-Christmas bonus.

3. Get Outdoors

Going for a walk is one of the best stress busters and its free. 

It is especially good at Christmas when rooms full of people get stuffy, we feel uncomfortable from overeating and daylight is in short supply.

It also has the added benefit that people you meet tend to be more friendly and even in urban areas there are everyone's Christmas decorations to have a look at.

And if you manage to get everyone else out of the house it gives you a bit of time to gather your thoughts and chill.

4. Stay hydrated

Dehydration is one of the commonest causes of stress and can creep up on you with unpleasant consequences, even if you are not overdoing the partying. 

Symptoms of dehydration include tiredness, headaches, dizziness, difficulty thinking, dry mouth, and nausea. None of which are what you want or need at Christmas.

The general guidelines are to drink according to your thirst but at Christmas, most of the beverages at hand are either alcoholic, contain caffeine or have a high sugar content, all of which have an adverse effect. 

In addition, seasonal foods tend to have a high salt content, which adds to the problem.

Try to drink regular but small amounts of either pure water or diluted fruit juice through the day to keep your body topped. Simply having water available at mealtimes will make a big difference.

5. Watch a film

Settling down with everyone to watch a Christmas movie gives people time to slow down and relax. 

Forget about your stresses and cares and lose yourself in what is happening on the screen. 

Sitting down with your loved ones to share an experience gives everyone a shared memory for years to come.

6. Don't neglect healthy foods

At Christmas, lots of us throw caution to the wind and make the most of the availability of the rich food that tends to be available.

Higher in calories, seasonal treats often take over from fruit and vegetables, which can be a problem after a couple of days.

Make a point to serve vegetables or salads with meals. Keep a fruit bowl handy and offer fruit salad as a dessert option (for seconds maybe.)

7. A perfect Christmas is not down to cost

Advertising tells us that we are all entitled to a wonderful Christmas.

All we have to do is splash the cash and all our troubles will float away for a day or to.

 Overspending on a budget will only cause worries over the festive season, waiting for the January bills landing on the doorstep.

Keep within your means and stay relaxed, your family and friends will appreciate that far more than a few extra pounds spent.

8. Don't spread yourself too thin

While it would be great to see all your family and friends over the Christmas period you need to be realistic.

The festive season is short, the last thing you want is to spend it traveling, then watching the clock before you head off again.

Arrange visits over the whole two week period (or more) so that you can spend quality time with people.

This goes for parties and events as well. The pantomime season goes on for months.

9. Delegate

Sharing out the tasks helps everyone to feel that they are taking part, and takes the load off your shoulders.

If relatives are coming round, take up any offers for them to bring food items. They will appreciate being able to contribute and provide you with extra time to prepare.

Encourage children to get involved, it helps to build life skills and builds a sense of responsibility.

10. Life isn't perfect

Christmas comes but once a year but all of a sudden we are expected to up our game and multi-skill and multi-task. 

The chances of getting through Christmas and everything you have planned going smoothly are slim to none, no matter how much effort you have put in.

Remember the bigger picture, don't let one mishap spoil the mood and all the hard work you have put in. Even if the turkey gets cremated, the cat pulls the Christmas tree down and there's a power cut, getting through it together and in good spirits could make it your most memorable yet.