This year our family have decided to do a Secret Santa, our budget is £30 each. I relish the challenge of finding something for someone within a budget – I see it as an opportunity to really get creative and try to think of a gift that would suit that person down to a tee, make them smile and remind them that I care and I do actually remember the little things they tell me. I start by sitting down with my notebook and I have a little brainstorm - I think about what I know brings them joy, things they’ve mentioned they like to do, brands I know they like and how they like to spend their time. Then I begin my search, using what I’ve written down as keywords on my favourite sites (Glassette, obviously being first port of call!).

I know lots of people who’re mixing up how they’re doing gifts this year - stocking gifts only or second hand gift challenges, mixing small gifts with second hand treasures (books and records are always a good idea). There’s always Secret Santa as I mentioned OR the silly version White Elephant/Dirty Santa/Yankee Swap where each person opens their Secret Santa gift and then gets the opportunity to take someone else’s or take a new present from the pile. This is a fun thing to do with friends or at the work Christmas party and will always make me think of that scene from the US Office where Michael buys Ryan an iPod and everyone tries to steal it. 

And then there’s always the greatest gift you can give, the Glassette Gift Card. Starting from £10, you can email them to your friends and family and they can use them towards anything they see on the Glassette site that they’d love for their home. 

I am one of those strange people who gets a lot of joy from deciding my gift wrapping style for the festive season. I like to try something a little bit different every year. This year I’m going to try Furoshiki gift wrap but with tea towels! I’ve done this style of wrapping before with vintage scarves, but I love the idea of doing this with tea towels, and then your loved ones can keep this as part of their gift! Here’s how to do Furoshiki Gift Wrap with fabric. We’ve got some particularly bold and brilliant tea towels from Amuse La Bouche that would be a really playful twist on this - like this Chessboard one and this Snakes & Ladders one. 

Below I've have made a list of my absolute favourite gifts under £30, one of which is currently in my Glassette basket for my secret Santa recipient this year… can you guess which one it is?!