Under our Christmas Tree this year ...

We've had lots of fun this month opening and trying out a wonderful range of unique Christmas gifts for all the family.  It's been just like Christmas in fact!  

We've included well known names alongside companies you might not have heard of, all with something different to offer as that special gift. Whether you're looking for something special for Mum, Dad, Daughter or Son, we've included it all.

We hope to give you lots of ideas and inspiration.

Thanks to all our gang of testers and who have tried out the toys and gifts we've featured this year! We can guarantee that all products have been thoroughly tested with enthusiasm and the usual noise that comes with every Christmas day.

So in no particular order the gifts to impress your loved ones are:

Freecom's DataBar XXS

......a tiny USB flash stick that can be attached to a keyring and store up to 32GB of data. It can be hard to track down great stocking-fillers for Christmas, but with Freecom's DataBar XXS, you can give a gift that is both practical and personalised. Measuring up at just 3cm x 1.2cm, this ultra-compact USB stick is perfect for computer users who want to keep important documents, photos, music and even videos within arm's reach wherever they go. Ideal for that Gadget lover in your life why not fill it with special photos and music to make your gift really memorable? Available in 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, 16GB and 32GB capacities, with an RRP starting at 8.90 GBP, and can be purchased online from retailers such as Amazon. Our review team said 'this is ideal for pre-teens, Dads and Mums. It's unique keyring design is very trendy and so handy.' Our 10 year old reviewer really loved impressing his teacher by handing in his homework on his memory stick. 

For keeping up to date try Rubbersole.co.uk …
...Rubbersole.co.uk is the fastest growing online shoe store in the UK.  The site sells a pair of shoes roughly every three minutes & has new stock arriving daily.  There is a huge selection of on-trend footwear brands for men, women & kids.  www.rubbersole.co.uk offers a safe, secure & easy-to-shop experience with free next day delivery. We tried the Blowfish Hamish boot, our 12 year old tester was undoubtedly impressed: 'I loved these boots, my friends loved them too, they look good over skinny jeans or with a denim skirt, I'd definitely be impressed if they were waiting for me to open them on Christmas day!'

Temporary: Secretary is an internet boutique that specialises in gorgeous vintage band kitsch jewellery. It is a one stop shop for cute accessories that are too cute to boot! Temporary: Secretary loves fun and cheerful things. The full range can be viewed at www.temporary-secretary.com. We tried the Snazzy Charm Bracelet from their range, our ten year old reviewer had this to say 'I love looking good and keeping up to date. This bracelet was brill.  I love Katie from The X-Factor for being cool and I've seen her wearing stuff like this. I'm never going to take it off.' 

Lush! Beautifully wrapped and ready to give, Lush has a whole selection of festive gifts to suit everybody you know. There’s everything you could possibly want, ranging from stocking fillers and secret Santa gifts, to luxurious hatboxes and tins with more than enough bath and body products to see you through to the New Year. We tried HAPPY CHRISTMAS (£19.95) … the perfect box of treats to say Happy Christmas with, contains six products. We couldn't help but be impressed with the beautiful box and lovely ribbon, and as we lifted the lid the familiar smell of Lush goodies really smacked of all things Christmas.  If you're looking for stocking fillers then give Sugar Plum Fairy shower scrub (£1.95) … a go or Gingerbread House bubble bar (£2.45) both highly recommended! To look at the full Lush range go to www.lush.co.uk

JoJo Maman Bebe Rag Dolls - why not start a rag doll collection or give them to their namesake as a great Christmas present. These gorgeous dolls have an exclusive design with soft body and removable clothing. They make a lovely inclusion in any little girls stocking. Take a look at www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk

TWIST IT, SHAKE IT, SPIN IT  “Find it” is quite simply a game that you never need to put away, because you’ll never want to put it down!  Play against yourself or as a team; whichever you choose it is guaranteed fun for all ages. All you have to do is twist, shake or spin, find an item in the capsule, tick it off your sheet and then pass the game onto the next person. We really liked this game as it has absolutely no rules, you can make up your own or just play without any. This one will keep the whole family occupied on Christmas day and may be somewhat more successful than the musical crackers which we tried out last year after we had finished our meal. Another bonus: no batteries required!   Simply grab it, go and then play!  Available from www.amazon.co.uk priced at £13.99.

Something very different from www.cafepress.co.uk

CafePress is the world's biggest destination for self-expression through merchandise, whether its a t-shirt, hoody, mug or gym bag. Each month, over 11 million people visit the site to either buy or create products that reflect their interests, passions, beliefs and affiliations. Last time we checked, there were about 250 million unique products on the site.
A personalised gift always makes a great present – and Cafepress allows you to do that, but also there are so many great products already available on the site, its a great place to start your Christmas shopping. Here’s a few examples - Super Baby Bib we laughed when we saw this, and our Mum tester Amy thought it was the best bib baby Oli had ever had. There's also a great range of unique t-shirts available in sizes from child to adult. Give www.cafepress.co.uk a go, you won't be disappointed. 
 

i-eX Rookie Kids Gaming Chair

With it’s deep bucket seat, back & neck support and armrests, the i-eX Rookie offers ergonomic comfort for kids while playing video games, without all the gimmicky speakers and vibrating systems that are easily broken – simply perfect for any child interested in the Xbox, PlayStation, Wii or DS! Our young testers loved the design and admitted that it was much more comfy that the usual bean bag or just sitting on the floor, once they managed to get their Dad's of the chair that is!  Priced at £69.99 from BeanBagBazaar with free delivery.

Ideal For Mum - Philips ProCare Straighteners

Philips has collaborated with award-winning stylist
Andy Uffels to develop the new range, which
includes the new Philips ProCare Keratin
Straightener. With keratin infused plates, SonicPulseTM technology and Ionic
conditioning the ProCare Keratin Straightener will add moisture and shine. There's just one thing to say about these straighteners, they're not just as good as but maybe even better then the coveted GHDs. They're easy to use, quick to warm up and leave your hair soft and silky. What better way to treat Mum or big sister this year? The Philips Haircare range is available from Boots and Argos, RRP £35-£80.

Something different from Playmobil

With such a selection available there is something to suit everyone’s budget.  Whether it’s exploring a new continent or imaginary land, there's so much to choose from! Boys will love their Dragon Land advent calendar for £14.99 with 24 full size pieces that will fit into any existing Playmobil sets and which has a little scene to build. It's a great unique take on the traditional chocolate filled calander that is completely gone when Christmas day arrives, instead your little ones get to keep their Christmas calendar forever, it's a lovely idea. The Playmobil Advent Calendar range has 5 options: Dragon Land, Unicorn in Fairy World, Pony Ranch, Police and Christmas in the Forest.  All priced at £14.99 they are a fantastic alternative to chocolate and will certainly last a lot longer. Girls will love the My Take Along Princess Fairy Chest for £34.99. And yes, our little tester did take this everywhere she went! 

All ranges available from: John Lewis, Toys R Us, The Entertainer and the Playmobil Online Shop www.playmobil.co.uk

Hallmark Books 'Forever Friends - When Magic Really Happens' and recordable 'Twas The Night Before Christmas'

Hallmark bring us two lovely books this year. This Christmas, let Forever Friends help you bring the true magic of the festive season to life with the beautifully hand illustrated ‘When Magic Really Happens’ book – the ideal stocking filler for little ones. Join Forever Friends’ little bear on a magical Christmas Eve journey as he explores the true spirit of Christmas. Hard back and hand illustrated, the book by Forever Friends for Hallmark Cards, is the perfect gift for loved ones, young and old, and is available in selected Asda stores priced £4. And we absolutely adored the Hallmark Recordable Storybook ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas'. Narrated by You. Wherever you are this Christmas, near or far, for the ultimate personalised Christmas present, Hallmark Cards has turned Clement C Moore’s timeless classic ‘The Night Before Christmas’ into a recordable storybook – so you can read to your loved ones...even if you can’t be there. It's a very imaginative concept and really works well. A great present that really shows how much you love that little one. ‘The Night Before Christmas’ storybook is available from October 2010 in Hallmark branded stores and Clinton Cards throughout the UK, priced at £19.99 (batteries included)...just add your voice and wrap!

Paper Jamz

Paper Jamz, are tipped to be one of the hottest toys for Christmas this year, Paper Jamz are super cool Jamzsuper thin touch sensitive guitars, drums and powered cardboard amps that turn everybodJamzto instant rockstars. They're great fun, especially for the older kids.  Play like a pro by simply touching the paper surfarockstarsts you become an instant rockstar, grinding out note-perfect guitar rock riffs or beating out awesome drum solos every time. Play on yourockstar match up the drum kits and guitars for your own Paper Jamz band. For more information visit www.paperjamz.com/uk.

ALIVE
WowWee Alive are the softest and most adorable cuddly animals with animated features that make them act and behave just like the real thing!
 
- Alive Perfect Puppy
The WowWee Alive Perfect Puppy is the most adorable and responsive play pal you’ll ever have. Featuring the latest  technology and the softest and most huggable fur, they are the perfect pet, and come with a huge ranige of expressions and sounds. The sensitive skin can tell the difference between a tickle, pat, stroke or a hug and will respond differently to loud and soft voice commands. The head, ears, eyes, mouth and tail are all independently animated and the puppies make 18 life-like sounds as they sniff, bark, whimper and grumble.  Age 6+, GRP £99.99.

- Alive Cubs
WowWee Alive Cubs are gorgeous animated baby animals with soft and cuddly bodies that react to love and aCubsioWowWee realistic movement and behaviour. Stroke the back, pat the head or hug them in your arms and they will look at you with adoring blinking eyes, move their mouth and respond with cute animal sounds. They can even sense if you turn them over. Adorable new species include a Husky Puppy, Seal Pup, Koala Joey and Leopard Cub. Ages 3+, GRP £39.99

Find out more at www.wowweerobots.eu

The Gruffalo Wooden Croquet Set from www.littlesunflowers.com

6 Croquet pieces featuring illustrations from The Gruffalo book, plus 2 mallets and 2 balls. Just like grown up croquet only child-size. 

Don't be silly, did'nt you know, there's no such thing as a Gruffalo!  Or is there? This will make a great little gift, it's absolutely beautiful and can be played indoor and outside, a must have for all Gruffalo fans out there! And at just £21.95 it's the ideal gift.

Ideal for any Nursery or morning grump! Philips Wake-Up Light

The Philips Wake-Up designed to gently
wake the body the way nature intended - with light.
From half an hour before your required wake-up
time, the Philips Wake-Up Light starts emitting a gentle light which gradually increases in intensity, simulating the rising sun in your bedroom. Great for any morning grump.  But the beauty of this is that it's ideal for any nursery as the light is capable of doing the reverse, in fact simulating sunset, gently dimming the light in any time period that you select, as the young sleeper gently drifts off.  An ideal gift for new parents or parents to be!  The Philips Wake-Up Light is available from Argos and Boots, RRP £130

Just for Mums - The new sheepskin range from Hotter

New Davos (rrp £120) can be worn over trousers or leggings on chilly days or turned down to show its soft side of fluffy sheepskin. Be seduced by the warmth and comfort of this boot and enjoy the wintry weather in confidence, thanks to its lightweight yet durable textured flexible soles. They feature removable padded sheepskin insoles, a supportive heel area, robust PU sole for added grip.
Colours available are Rust Sheepskin, Black Sheepskin and Loganberry Sheepskin.

If you want to treat Mum to something luxurious but practical look no further than the Hotter Sheepskin range.These boots far surpass other makes with a similar theme and are truly a lovely treat.

And why not treat yourself to something special this party season with the sumptuously comfortable Charleston (rrp £69.00). A lovely shoe available in Black, Grey Combination, Loganberry Combination and Black Patent. Our lucky readers can use this code for new customers to receive 10% discount plus free p and p : MCHTEN .Take a look at www.hottershoes.com

DK’s brand new range of titles for kids. These 5 lavish hardbacks are DK’s lead titles for the season and are designed to engage and enlighten kids and help them enjoy learning about the world around them. Choose from:

The Big Ideas That Changed The World - Incredible inventions and the stories behind them

Know It All - Facts, Stats, lists, records and more

Haunted - Explore the unknown, from Atlantis to Zombies

Danger! - Packed with fearsome facts and startling stats

How to do everything - Loads of cool things to make, do and explore.

Packed with fun activities, bright graphics and pictures, and easy-to-digest info, they are guaranteed to be a favourite with children and parents alike and make the perfect present for Christmas. These are the sort of books that once picked up they cannot be put down.  As you turn page after page there's something new to capture the imagination. Our reviewers were kept quiet browsing through these for half an hour, I think you'll agree that's a long time for a nine year old to say nothing! The kids said 'I've seen books like this in shops, they always catch my eye.' 'they're much better than anything else about'. For more information about these and other cool titles from DK, visit www.dk.com.

 
A Gift for All The Family - Freesat

If you want to spend a little more of your Christmas budget, but don’t want the hassle or cost of monthly bills, then this Freesat + box is perfect for you. The Freesat+ box from Humax lets you pause, rewind and record live TV in both High- and standard definition. And with the option to record two channels at the same time or access catch-up services, your festivities won’t be ruined by arguments over the remote. This was easy for our moderately technical family to set up and the instruction booklet was a breaze to go through.  You will need a satelite dish to operate this, but there are no monthly fees or unseen costs, it's just a case of plug in and enjoy - (Humax FOXSAT-HDR 320GB HD Digital TV Twin Tuner HD Recorder) from £249 Check out www.Freesat.co.uk for more info

Bloco Dinosaurus

Make a triceratops, t-rex, stegasaurus and other dinosaurs with this new foam building set. The Bloco Dinosaurus set is made from a one of a kind patented concrex density foam material. Designed in unique shapes with specialized connectors. Pieces link together and rotate at any angle. Aimed at age 5-10 years this set will keep Dads and kids occupied at Christmas. Our testers really liked how easy this was to get on and build, they also enjoyed the ability they had to create their very own dinosaur design with the set.

We tested these three fab items from Cotswold. Firstly the awesome Multi-Tool Gerber Suspension pen knife will turn bolts as well as heads. Using a breakthrough design on the butterfly opening handle, spring loaded pliers, you'll definitely find that this will very quickly become Dad's best friend! Price £40.00 Next came the most luxurious option to keep Dad warm, exclusive for Cotswold Outdoor the Berghaus Manaslu Jacket is made of 90/100% goose down and you can currently purchase it at 40% off the RRP, making it a must have to keep cosy and warm during the winter months. We were impressed that this jacket is surprisingly light weight considering how warm you are inside. Price RRP: £150 special price exclusive to Cotswold Outdoor £90.00. Then the ultimate to keep the little ones snuggly in wind, rain or snow your child will feel warm and protected in one of these Barts Kamikaze Kids hats, ages 4+ years. With it's soft fur lining and a low cut, your child’s head, ears and neck will be kept cosy they’ll be enjoying the outdoors as much as you do. When our tester was presented with this lovely fluffy hat he pulled it on in an instant, unfortunately he has not yet taken it off, there's nothing quite as funny as a small boy dressed in pyjama's slippers and a fluffy hat! We will ever get him to take it off? We'll keep you posted. Price £22.99. Go to www.cotswoldoutdoor.com for more info

Try ParamountZone.com for those Gadget Gifts. We were impressed with the range on offer by ParamountZone, and managed to choose just two favourites. The cute Cozy Plush Microwavable Warmers are a lovely treat and a good alternative to the traditional hot water bottle.  These soft toys aren't just adorable to look at and cuddle up to, they can also be heated up to provide extra warmth and comfort when it's cold.
We also kept the boys amused with the Mini remote control Helicopter  a tiny helicopter to use indoors. It's easily controlled but maybe not best left in the hands of reckless flyers or households with paper lampshades!

Take a look at www.paramountzone.com for the full range of gifts.

Cwtches - hug from Inch Blue

Inch Blue's natural sheepskin booties called Cwtches (which is Welsh for hugs) are the most adorable gift a little one could receive this year. They are cosy, non-fuss and safe for newborns. They come in a delightful gift box, available in blue, tan, pink and black and retail at just £25. Gorgeous! Find them at www.inch-blue.com/uk/

Mary McCartney for Mini A Ture

Mary McCartney has designed two very special t-shirts for Danish Kids Clothes label Mini A Ture. The proceeds from each sale go the The Sunway Children's Home in India. The t-shirts are amazing quality, unique, on trend  and above all else make more than just one child happy this Christmas. They are available in sizes 0-12 and are available from retailers Asos and Peace and Jam.

 Keep Dad happy with the new Bamboo Special Edition - it's an interactive tablet that merges multi-touch functionality with pen tablet technology in a single device. You can get your hands on a downloadable Dock which sits on your desktop contains lots of fun games and engaging tools called Bamboo apps, which provide a great way to while away the Christmas holiday and give you a chance to practice your skills. For those of us that are technological challenged and have no idea what the kit has to offer, the one thing you need to know is that Dads everywhere will love it! Prices start from £109 l Available from www.wacom-europe.com.

One for Mum -The BeBook Club is the ideal gift for the average and occasional reader. It uses E-ink technology to ensure an optimal reading experience and is the closest users will get to reading from traditional paper. The BeBook Club supports a wide range of formats, including PDF and ePub. Download Christmas classics such as Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” or “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to get you in the Christmas mood. Available from www.mybebook.com for £149 Take your pick from over 20.000 free classic titles. From Shakespeare to the Grimm brother fairytales, from the great philosophers to Leonardo Da Vinci. It's all here. Use the search function to find your favorites by author, title or even language. Whether you pick one or many: all books are free of charge for you to read on your BeBook eReader. 

Go with Classic Converse

You can be assured that everybody will be delighted to have a pair of Cons sitting under the tree for them on the big day. Chuck Taylor was Converse All Stars most devoted ambassador and there’s never been another like him. That’s why the classic Converse Trainers design hasn’t changed since Chuck wore them himself. Converse All Star canvas upper bears the original Chuck Taylor “Patch” logo...We tested the Kids and the adults Hi Top Converse, and both proved to be a winner. Our youngster was happy to be able to pull on some non-fuss footwear, and they looked great with jeans. Our adult was also suitably satisfied. You can take a look at the wide range of Converse available at www.cloggs.co.uk

Something Rather Unique from Gemzdesingz

Gemzdesignz, specialises in working with Swarovski Crystallized elements and Prestige glass crystals to create stunning designs.  They call their work Crystal Art, most of their pieces are limited edition and one off designs. 

It’s Your Story – Personalised Books

My niece opened her book on her 2^nd Birthday and was quite shocked and surprised to see her photo on every page of the book. Once she got over the shock she seemed very excited and pointed with joy to the pictures. The story was fun and all the illustrations very colourful which made it even nicer. It’s Your Story have a wide range of titles and books to choose from and make the ordering process easy to use. You can also add a lovely personalised message on the first page to make the book even more unique. I would definitely recommend these books and you can see the full range at www.itsyourstory.co.uk

Think Pink - Gifts, Children, Home

We were delighted to receive the Whiskers and Woofs products from Think Pink. We took a look at the cosmetic bag and the lovely recipe book. It's a collection of great gifts for home and travel and for kids and adults as well. The stylish recipe books have dividers and sleeves to hold and separate your favourite recipes and the cosmetic bags are made with their exclusive wipe clean oil cloth making them very durable. All you have to do is choose a Cat or a Dog! The recipe book is £13.99 and the cosmetic bag just £6.99 for more in the range take a look at their website: www.thinkpinkblue2.com.