There are 4 Fijit Friends. Sage, Logan, Serafina and Willa. They’re cute, plastic, active toys that’ll more than likely become your childs best friend – and you won’t have to worry about them letting off stink bombs in the house.

These all-singing, all-dancing and all-giggling toys are like mini robots and you can have your very own Fijit from Amazon.co.uk for £41.25.

They respond to voices making them fun interactive toys to play with and look like a Furby crossed with a Teletubby.

My particular favourite is Willa – just because she’s purple and that’s my favourite colour.

Engaging and entertaining they’ll dance when music is played to them, recognise your voice and talk back to you. They also have a repertoire of up to 150 jokes

A fun present for anyone aged 6 or over – just get stocked up on the batteries, they each take 5 x AA’s!

Buy a Fijit Friend for £41.25 from Amazon.co.uk

See what the hype is all about

I’ve been experiencing a recent spate of being late for meetings, buses and even my own deadlines. Last night the light bulb went off in my head and I realised that I’ve become too dependent on my mobile phone (which lives in my handbag) to tell the time. What I actually need to do is start wearing a watch again.

And on my quest to find one I stumbled upon the Watch A Gift website. Despite the puntastic name it actually has some really funky watches sitting comfortably amongst some classic examples too.

This Zebra Bangle Watch for £14.99 is my favourite and would make a great present for my niece this Christmas.

Once I started browsing I discovered they also have some fabulous retro watches and I got to thinking I could actually do most of my 2011 christmas shopping online here. Much better than trawling around the high street shops on foot!

This brilliant Retro TV Screen Leather watch will be great for my brother who is notoriously difficult to buy for because he already has everything.

Mens Retro TV Screen watch for £19.99

and this Multicoloured Plastic Toy Watch for £15.99 will be ideal for my little nephew

All the watches I’ve chosen are within my meagre budget, but they do have some well known brands such as Ted Baker and Sekonda and prices go up to £160 if you have more cash to splash. Plus there’s free delivery on orders over £60.

Go to watchagift.co.uk and get shopping!

Betty Boop is one of my all-time favourite iconic figures. She’s cute and sassy with a retro hairstyle and a stylish wardrobe. What’s not to like about her?

So imagine my delight at discovering a whole new range of Betty Boop gifts and collectables at thebrilliantgiftshop.co.uk. They’ve got a great collection of prints, ornaments, toiletries and a whole heap of other Gifts for Her ideas.

The set contains a 30ml bottle sparkly pink body lotion to make your skin shimmery and soft ready for that night out. Plus the 15ml bottle of Eau de Toilette (EDT) even has a mini Betty Boop sitting demurely atop the lid and will make a great ornament even when the bottle is empty.

This gift set will certainly appeal to plenty of fans. And for just £20 it’s a bargain to boot!

Buy the Betty Boop Gift Set for £20 from the brilliantgiftshop.co.uk

Betty Boop (created by Mr M Fleischer) was first seen in a cartoon in 1930 and has become one of the most popular female cartoon characters in the world alongside Minnie the Mouse and Jessica Rabbit.

She has had many appearances in cartoon strips and on screen including cameos in Popeye the Sailor and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

I never though I’d get so excited about a shopping bag but it’s definitely on my birthday wish list!

It’s the kind of shopping bag a superhero would use! You can buy the Trolley Dolly Shopper for £27.95 from Prezzy Box.

So what is it?

It’s one big bag that has 18 other bags within it so you can pack all your shopping without having to remember to pack several plastic bags or having to buy a supermarket ‘Bag for Life’ (which are just as wasteful).

The amazement doesn’t end there.

• The inner bags are colour coded to help it easier to pack. So the green bag could be for your fruit and veg, the red one for your meat and the blue one for your freezer items.
• The 8 net bags for fruit and vegetables are also under the Tare weight which means they can be weighed in the bags without affecting the price – very handy!
• The inner bags hold 13kg of shopping including 20 bottles of wine or 30 tins of canned food
• Lots of pockets and zips including a trolley token holder
• You can wash each bag to keep your spotty Trolley Dolly looking spanking brand new for ages

Buy the Trolley Dolly Shopping Bag from www.PrezzyBox.com

For just £9.95 this Personalised Cup Cake Latte Mug could be on its way to your mum ready to put a smile on her face and a slug of caffeine in her body.

It’s a bone china mug which’ll be perfect to present to her on a tray on Sunday morning complete with an indulgent breakfast in bed. Imagine sticky danish pastries, sweet croissants, butter and jam, smoked salmon and scrambled egg bagels and a great big mug of latte. It’s making my mouth water just thinking about it….

The coffee cup comes with a pretty cupcake design on both sides and your personal greeting of up to 20 characters on the front and 60 on the back. Plenty of room to tell Mum how much she means to you.

Buy this Personalised Cup Cake Latte Mug for under a tenner from the good folk at PrezzyBox. You’ll make her day!

This silver engraved Photo Keyring can be bought from Getting Personal for under £20 too so it should be within most people’s budget, but if it’s a bit on the pricey side for you why not club together with brothers and sisters to get it as a joint pressie.

It’s a functional gift with a personal twist – add a picture and a special message. It makes a great little keepsake and because it’s engraved with your own message, you can guarantee it’ll be a unique gift for your Mum too!

The lads out there may call it a cheesy, sentimental gift but I know my mum loves this sort of stuff.

Buy this engraved silver photo keyring gift for Mother’s Day from Getting Personal for £19.99

A pedicure session sounds like a heavenly, relaxing spa treatment until you discover that it’s actually a shoal of itty bitty fish nibbling away at all the dead skin on your tootsies. But at only £25 for a Fish Pedicure it’s a unique gift that won’t break the bank.

The 30 minute pedicure is performed by 125 Garra Rufa Fish. Luckily these critters have no teeth but they use their suction cup mouths to remove all that hard dead skin on tired and battered feet.

You’ll get a relaxing massage and smooth feet at the end of it and a story to tell everyone on monday morning at work!

Buy your mum a fish pedicure for an unusual treat she won’t be expecting. Beware those with tickilish feet though.

Whilst flowers may be a traditional Mother’s Day gift, there’s nothing ordinary about this Lemon Tree. And it’ll produce delicious lemons in the summer months – ideal for adding to a Gin and Tonic whilst relaxing on a hot, sunny day.

Buy a Lemon Tree online for £39.99 – it’ll make a really unusual but interesting present for your mum!

The lemon tree is an evergreen and native to the Asian continent which is why they are used so much in asian cuisine. However they can also thrive over here if kept indoors during cold spells.

These lovely fragrant lemon trees from Tree2mydoor.com come in their own little pot and full instructions on how to care for them.

If you look after them they can produce fruit up to 4 times a year. And the pretty white flowers that blossom look and smell spectacular.

Buy this Lemon Tree for £39.99 in time for Mother’s Day in April.

Mother’s Day falls late this year giving us all plenty of time to find the ideal gift to let your Mum know how much you appreciate her! Psst by the way, it’s on 3rd April.

Each week I’ll be featuring a Mother’s Day gift idea to give you some inspiration. This week it’s a special pamper day from Red Letter Days. The ultimate treat at a bargain price.

This urban spa day in London for £49 sounds too good to be true. It includes 4 treatments:

• an expert brow shaping session
• a conditioning hot towel cleanse and Shea Butter wrap
• a soothing facial
• a calming head massage

A great way to relax mind and body and come out feeling renewed!

Buy this Urban Spa Renewal package for your mum at almost half the usual price.

You can now buy several multi-tasking fashion accessories thanks to a company called ila security.

There are 6 items in the range and every single one of these useful items is fitted with a personal alarm that activates an ear piercing noise if needed.

They’re perfect for every woman of any age, whatever their lifestyle. The best thing about them is that they all come in the most fabulous designs and colours.

Personal favourites include the pebble keyring – as we all carry a bunch of keys with us (and apparently most women hold onto their keys as a form of protection if out and about on their own), and the ingenious ila door wedge for ladies who travel. It sets off the alarm if the door is pushed open from the outside!

So if you want a useful and unique christmas gift for her this year check out the ila range of personal alarms.

As their website says ‘Be confident, be fashionable, but never be without your ila.’ How true!

Better yet try and win one of these accessories by entering a free competition on the UK freebies website Freebie Bag.

One of our favourite online UK gift shops is Boutiko. They always have a gorgeous range of gifts at any time of the year.

But this christmas season they have a fantastic collection of winter treats. My particular favourites are these wonderful Noel tea light holders.

Ideal for the mantelpiece, the dining table or a windowsill, these enchanting fine porcelain tealight holders are hand thrown and decorated with tiny hole punched letters that give a magical flickering glow. They look as pretty with lit candles as they do without.

What makes them even more special is that they’re handmade by a British artist using offcuts of porcelain from other projects, so nothing is wasted.

Buy this set of 4 porcelain tealight holders for £25 from Boutiko.co.uk

The Good Spa Guide offers some of the best Spa Deals for Mother’s Day to make sure she is well and truly pampered.

Travelbite rounds up some of their favourite luxury hotel breaks and short cottage breaks for a Mother’s Day holiday treat.

Strapped for cash? Treat your mum to some gourmet delights with these yummy Mother’s Day recipes.

Complete the Times Online Poll and tell us what you do on Mothering Sunday.

The Guardian shows us how traditional Valentine’s gifts like wine and champagne can be eco-friendly and ethical.

Meanwhile, the Independent gives us what they think are the ten best Valentine’s gifts.

Tech blog Gaj-IT picks their top Valentine Gifts for the Gadget Lover.

Jacaranda Blue is giving one lucky winner a Luxury Bath Gift Box

We all need – and appreciate – a little relaxation and pampering now and again and Jacaranda Blue are offering one of their bestselling bath product gift sets to a GiftChooser reader.

The gift box the products come in is handmade and lined with tissue paper allowing the recipient to unwrap carefully and discover the goodies waiting to be found underneath: moisturising bath & body oil, organic soap and fairtrade bath melts. The winner will get to choose between Rejuvenate or Romance – whichever takes your fancy!

Treat yourself or better still give it as a gift to a loved one for a birthday or anniversary celebration. Just answer the simple question for your chance to win!

Step 1 – Answer this simple question

What type of butter are the bath melts made from?

(hint – you may be able to find the answer right here!)

This Competition has now ended but you will find more on our GiftChooser Competitions page.

About the Luxury Bath Giftset

100ml Bath & Body Oil
Made with sunflower, sesame and fair trade olive oils and scented with essential oils for the ultimate in pampering. Experience this fragrant and organic oil added to your bath, used as an after shower moisturiser or as a relaxing massage oil.

2 Bath Melts
These luxurious organic bath melts are perfect for bath time. Not only will you come out smelling of roses you’ll also be fully moisturised. Made from shea nut butter and essential oils, they come wrapped in natural muslin and each melt can be used twice (unless you have a really, really long bath!).

Handmade Organic Soap
A beautifully scented luxury soap made in the traditional cold-process method ensuring a moisturising soap that is gentle on all types of skin. Made using fairtrade ingredients which include olive oil, coconut oil and natural glycerin the organic soap is also suitable for vegans.

The Rejuvenate Bath Collection contains bath & body oil, scented with lemongrass, peppermint and rosemary essential oils, lemongrass soap and bathmelts and comes wrapped in a dark green gift box with lime green tissue paper.

The Romance Bath Collection contains bath & body oil, scented with patchouli, ylang ylang and sweet orange essential oils, geranium rose soap and bathmelts and is wrapped in a burgundy gift box with bright pink tissue paper.

Step 2 – Sign up for our FREE newsletter

(Don’t worry, you can unsubscribe at anytime)

About Jacaranda Blue

Jacaranda Blue is an online gift shop specialising in contemporary ethically sourced products. Their range includes handcrafted jewellery, handbags and decorative homeware as well as the luxurious organic bath products featured in the competition. You’ll find gifts for men, women and children, so make sure you bookmark them for your Christmas shopping.

Do your Christmas shopping at JacarandaBlue.co.uk . You’ll be in for a real gift shopping treat!

If you are not a winner why not buy the gift set anyway – it only costs £20. Buy a Luxury Bath Products Gift Box

Competition Rules

• The closing date is Friday 24th October 2008.
• All entries must reach us by 23:59 (11:59pm) on the closing date.
• One winner will be chosen at random from the correct entries.
• The winner will receive a Romance Luxury Bath Giftset or a Rejuvenate Luxury Bath Giftset.
• The competition applicant may only enter once.
• The competition is open to UK residents only.
• All entrants email addresses will be added to the Gift Chooser and Jacaranda Blue newsletter list. If you do not wish for it to be added, please tell us in your email.
• No employees of Gift Chooser or Jacaranda Blue may enter.
• The judges decision is final.
• Prizes may not be exchanged for cash or other goods.
• Prizes will be posted out by Jacaranda Blue within 28 days of the end of the competition.

Get set for Christmas 2008

Looking forward to getting ready for christmas? This stunning clutch bag will be just perfect teamed up with that Little Black Dress for the office christmas party.

Classy and feminine, the ’Maggie’ clutch bag is handmade from luxury black satin with a fabulous red chiffon bow. To finish it off a stylish black bangle not only looks great but makes it easier to hold. And not wanting to be upstaged the internal lining has a black and white polka dot pattern – very retro!

This fabulous bag usually sells at £40 but the good news is that we have one to give away to a lucky winner courtesy of kittyandpolly.co.uk.

To enter the competition, all you have to do is answer a very easy question:

Step 1 – Answer this simple question

The colours of the handbag lining are black and which other colour?

(hint – you may be able to find the answer right here!)

This Competition has now ended but you will find more on our GiftChooser Competitions page.

If you are the lucky winner and are of a generous nature you may even decide to give it away as a fabulous christmas present. There’s going to be one happy wife, girlfriend or best friend this year!

Step 2 – Sign up for our FREE newsletter

(Don’t worry, you can unsubscribe at anytime)

About Kitty & Polly

Kitty & Polly have been busy hunting for some real treats in the lead up to christmas. Paula Green, the founder of kittyandpolly.co.uk says she is

‘delighted with our new finds for autumn and winter, representing the best in up and coming design talent and creativity. They will make great gifts for Christmas. And in keeping with our company ethos, everything is handmade which is great for our customers and the environment’

The latest additions to the range can only be described as cute, quirky and gorgeously girly. From tea cosies to tea lights, soaps to candles and handmade handbags to hot water bottle covers the choice of delectable goodies is endless.

Visit their gift shop at www.kittyandpolly.co.uk

Competition Rules

• The closing date is Friday 26th September 2008.
• All entries must reach us by 23:59 (11:59pm) on the closing date.
• One winner will be chosen at random from the correct entries.
• The winner will receive a black & red Maggie clutch bag.
• The competition applicant may only enter once.
• The competition is open to UK residents only.
• All entrants email addresses will be added to the Gift Chooser and Kitty & Polly newsletter list. If you do not wish for it to be added, please tell us in your email.
• No employees of Gift Chooser or Kitty & Polly may enter.
• The judges decision is final.
• Prizes may not be exchanged for cash or other goods.

You know it’s going to be a good week when you find an online gift shop worth shouting about. For gifts that are handcrafted, fairly traded and distinctly different visit Jacaranda Blue for the shopping experience of the century.

This gem of a site will make sure you are never stuck for gift ideas. Find presents for the men and women in your life – whatever their age. Yes, babies and kids are also included.

Most items are made in South Africa or Asia by local crafts people and communities so all the items are handmade and not mass produced – it also means most of them are unique so each one will differ slightly from another.

And you can be assured in the fact that everything you buy will help these communities by providing a fair wage in an area where employment and money is scarce. Now that’s what I call retail therapy!

After hunting through the treasures on display I have selected my 2 favourite items:

For him

This quirky wire ’working’ car has been deftly made and makes a fabulous decorative piece for a boys room or bookcase. It comes in 2 sizes but I prefer the medium size car as the wheels are made from recycled black bags which really makes it stand out.

Buy for just £10.20 from Jacaranda Blue

For her

I have such a passion for bags. A girl can never have too many and this beautiful blue silk taffeta bag looks fabulous, can hold everything we need and fits comfortably on your shoulder.

Buy this bag for someone’s birthday from Jacaranda Blue for £26

Whether its a treat for someone special or a beautiful house warming gift to brighten up someone’s home, you will find more than you bargained for at Jacaranda Blue.

They are being promoted as a comfy way to wear shoes at the end of a long party night out, but I think these would come in very handy at plenty of other times too. Maybe after a long day shopping or when you have to stand for long periods of time – at a wedding for instance.

It’s always the times when you want to get glammed up and look your best that you know by the end of the day or night, your feet will be sore and aching from being squeezed into those fabulous heels you bought specially for the occasion.

Well suffer no more – I have found the ultimate pressie for all you husbands, boyfriends and partners to buy their lovely ladies (and that includes best friends too!)

Tipsy Feet come in black, pink, gold and silver to match any outfit.

The brilliantly named ’Tipsy Feet’ are the latest in stylish but oh-so comfy pumps that fold into a tiny pouch as if by magic. A pouch that will fit into most glamorous handbags ready to be transported.

So when the time comes and your feet can stand the pain no longer, whip out the tipsy feet and slip them on and let out a sigh of relief.

Then comes the clever bit – the tiny pouch transforms into a stylish bag to carry around your killer heels for the rest of the day or night.

Tipsy Feet are the ultimate in First Aid for Feet!

Buy online at PrezzyBox for £19.95 – cheaper than a new pair of feet.

I have recently discovered Boutiko, a beautiful looking site with some gorgeous gifts on offer.

All of their stock is ethical in some way or other. Whether it be fairly traded, organic, made from recycled products or locally made.

They are just as passionate about shopping for nice, ethical things as you are which means you’re in for a treat.

It’s like wandering into a huge chest full of treasure, so crammed full of good stuff, it’s hard to know how I will be able to load up my arms and carry everything out. Then I realise it’s an online shop and I relax – they’ll post it all to me!

My particular favourites are the Leather Keyring which makes an ideal present for Father’s Day.

Not only does it hold your keys, but more importantly it opens up to reveal space for 2 photos of your loved ones. Buy one in red or blue for £12.50 from Boutiko

I also adore this stunning heart shaped silver pendent and necklace for £22. The pendant chimes and apparently no two sound the same.

It’s easy to see why it’s one of their bestsellers.

Or how about this recycled Leather Travel Holder for £25.

Perfect for keeping important travel documents together whilst on the move

Boutiko.co.uk has one mission – to give you the chance to browse to your hearts content and buy from a fabulous selection of goods that are unique, unusual, handmade, recycled, organic and fair trade. Go see what treasure you can find!

International Mother’s Day is this Sunday the 11th May.

You can still order your bunch of blooms in time to give your mum a smile – wherever she is in the world.

There are so many places you can buy flowers from, but the Teleflorist lets you order beautiful bouquets for international delivery. If you are away yourself, or your mum lives abroad, it’s a perfect way to make sure she knows you haven’t forgotten!

There are a bunch of different styles, colours and arrangements to choose from. I love this stunning spring collection that even comes in a re-useable bag, perfect for the beach now summer is on its way.

Rather than have the postie deliver your flowers, make sure you get a company that has branches all over to make sure they are as local and fresh as possible.

Send flowers nationwide and worldwide via the Teleflorist in time for Mother’s Day this weekend.

I love finding little niche gift shops online and I have just discovered a real gem. Sallyjo.co.uk is a lovely boutique offering gifts hampers as beautiful presents for lovely ladies.

Choose from a selection of gorgeous gifts, or select a ready made hamper if you are spoilt for choice and can’t make up your mind.

The ready made hampers look stunning, and everything comes packaged in an unusual (and re-useable) black flock keepsake box.

These hampers are both £25, the cheapest pre-made hampers. Depending on your budget and who your gift is for will help you choose what option to go for.

£25 from sallyjo.co.uk for a gift hamper containing candles, votives, notebooks and handmade soap slices.

£25 from sallyjo.co.uk for a gift hamper containing handmade soap slices, a candle, a votive and silver drop earrings.

If you are looking for something a bit cheaper or more bespoke, then choose each item yourself from an assortment of goodies.

Candles, Votives, notebooks, handmade soap slices and bath bombs – what woman doesn’t love these?

Then make it more unique by adding from the choice of leather italian gloves, one-off hand-made bags and purses or classic and retro pens.

For that special occasion add a touch of stunning jewellery to the gift hamper; necklaces, bracelets, earrings and watches all made from silver and gemstones.

Visit www.sallyjo.co.uk and feast your eyes on a range of beautiful gift ideas.