Have you started planning your Christmas gifts?

Can you believe it’s only two months until Christmas; two months until the festive cheer…and the massive dent to the bank account.

Before you know it, Halloween will come and go, November will zoom straight past and there you are again, fighting the crowds throughout December despite the fact you absolutely promised not to do that to yourself again.

Whether you’ve been thinking about those perfect gifts already or need a good shove in the right direction, here is some much needed inspiration so you can have Christmas sorted and gift wrapped in no time.

A timeless classic

Of course, you’re going to stick on It’s a Wonderful Life, have one too many mince pies and wear your favourite corny Christmas jumpers. These are all timeless classics and absolute essentials when it comes to Christmas. In terms of a gift, you can’t get more timeless and traditional than a stunning piece of jewellery.

For men, it has to be a watch. The most amazing brands have to be Rolex for men and Cartier for women, but you never know where you’re going to find the perfect style. Like investing in anything extra special, you’ll know it when you see it so why not take your partner along and choose together? Of course, they won’t be allowed it until the 25^th though.

A slap-up dinner

Rather than something tactile, or rushing around and panic-spending your hard earned cash on something you definitely know they won’t like, opt for an experience.

We are a nation of foodies. With so many amazing restaurants, pop up stalls and home grown produce, you can’t blame us for wanting the finer things in life when it comes to our culinary palettes.

A voucher to an amazing restaurant, whether it’s for the romantic duo or the whole family, is bound to get you in the festive spirit and ready for the New Year too. You could try one of Gordon Ramsey’s like The Savoy (he does have one of the best chefs in the country working for him) or go for that local hidden gem you’ve heard so much about. We love all the little markets about London, Brixton in particular, and a number of their restaurants are just as good as any five star hotel too!

Sprucing up the home

We’re so used to buying for the individual when it comes to Christmas, that we forget about the family in general. Instead of wasting your time, money and efforts finding the perfect gift for, say four members of a family individually, why not opt for something they can all enjoy together?

The best option has to be something for their home. This could easily be personalised with the many online shops and vintage style boutiques we have dotted around. Here are some nifty ideas:

• Personalised photo montage; whether this is handmade or put together by a professional, it’s something they can treasure forever.
• Bold lettering; a cheeky quote you know they love for the dining table or their very own lettered cushions. Just something to call their own.
• A home goodie bag; this can be filled with the family’s favourite films, books, snacks and hobbies. It’s thrifty yet thoughtful.

The adrenaline rush

If you’ve decided to opt for an experience rather than a gift, and a delicious meal wouldn’t quite cut it, then there’s nothing better than a white-knuckled adventure.

Bungee jumping, sky diving and rally racing should all be top of your list for gift options, if the recipient is that way inclined, that it. Sky diving has to be one of the best experiences you can have, racing to the ground before pulling the chute and gliding across the countryside. However, you can opt for something a little more subdued if you wish.

What about hot air ballooning? A meal with a view (on top of The Shard for example)? Or, for animal lovers, you could get them scuba diving with sharks, a close encounter with birds of prey (the UK has so many magnificent species) or a VIP trip to a safari park or aquarium.

The editorial unit