Category: Gifts for teachers

Hotel Chocolat Everything 9-Piece Boxed Selection

Birthday Gifts, chocolate, Christmas, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Valentine's Day Gifts, Women

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

We all have those friends and family members who seem to have everything, making Christmas shopping a little more challenging than we would like. When I’m stuck for ideas, I usually buy a nice box of chocolates, as you really can’t go wrong with a box of luxury chocolates.

Hotel Chocolat was originally a mail order business specialising in chocolate that was a little more exciting than the usual supermarket offering. Founded back in 1993 they have grown into one of Britain’s best-known luxury chocolate companies, with shops across the UK.  

The Hotel Chocolat Everything 9-Piece Boxed Selection costs £14 and contains a great selection of chocolates. With a mix of milk and dark chocolate and nutty, fruity and boozy chocolates there should be something to suit all tastes.  

The chocolates are beautifully presented in a stylish brown and gold box. Lift the lid and you’ll find pictures and descriptions of each chocolate, so you know exactly what you’re about to enjoy. There’s also a handy guide for anyone with specific dietary requirements.

The nine delicious flavours are Peanut Butter, Raspberry Smoothie, Passionfruit Heart, Classic Champagne, Pistachio, Billionaire’s Shortbread, Dizzy Praline 70%, Dizzy Praline 40% and Caramel Cheesecake. Ordinarily when we have a box of chocolates there are a couple that are left because nobody likes them but there wasn’t a single chocolate in this box that I didn’t like! My favourite was the Raspberry Smoothie which was very tangy whereas my husband who is a white chocolate fan preferred the Passionfruit heart.

Whether you’re looking for a special Christmas present, a Secret Santa gift or simply a ‘just in case’ box for someone who deserves a little treat, the Hotel Chocolat Everything 9-Piece Boxed Selection is a deliciously easy choice. And if you buy one for someone else, nobody says you can’t buy yourself one too – it is Christmas after all!

Available from Very.  

Lily O’Briens Chocolate Luxury Collection

Birthday Gifts, Children, chocolate, Christmas, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, secret santa, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Lily O’Brien’s is an Irish chocolate company. You wouldn’t think that most of the ingredients are locally sourced but Mary Ann O’Brien, who started the company in the 1990s, wants to keep it as local and indigenous to Ireland as possible.

The Chocolate Luxury Collection box is a firm favourite of chocolate lovers and available all year round, but especially at Christmas. The box contains the flavours Zesty Lemon, Crispy Biscuit Crunch, Dart & White Duet, Gianduja, Truffle Decadence, Coffee &Almond Biscotti, Rapturous Raspberry, Sea Salted Caramel and Caramelised Biscuit Bliss. 

As a family, we can all enjoy this box because it has such a range of flavours but they’re also child friendly.  The Sea Salt Caramel flavour is a particular favourite of mine because of the flavour, but I also like the Zesty Lemon, which has the texture of the little lemon meringue pieces on top, which pop in your mouth as you eat them!  You can taste the quality of the chocolate as you eat them, they’re very more-ish and easy to eat, but not too rich that you can’t enjoy more than a few at a time.  You may find that you are fighting with other family members over them though…

Available for £12.50: https://lilyobriens.co.uk/luxury-collection-270g

Lily O Briens Chocolate Christmas Desserts Collection

Children, chocolate, Christmas, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

We love having some chocolates after Christmas lunch, sitting in the living room and watching TV. It’s amazing how much chocolate you can eat even though you’ve had the biggest meal of the year…

Lily O’Brien’s bring you chocolate by the box year round, and especially at Christmas you can sample their festive range. The Lily O’Brien’s Christmas Dessert Collection contains 8 different dessert flavours in their selection which includes dark, milk and white chocolate. The flavours included are; Key Lime Pie, Lemon Posset, Hazelnut Torte, Black Forest, Orange & Cranberry Panettone, Festive Carrot Cake, Spiced Latte and Creme Brûlée.

Each flavour is subtle, with an added texture such as dried cranberries on top, or a soft flavoured centre. The Lemon Posset has crunchy meringue pieces on top whereas the creme brûlée has caramelised sugar on top, to mimic the crunch when you dive into a full sized dessert creme brûlée with the back of your spoon.

The little cup-like chocolates are easy to eat, and there’s several of each variety in the box.  These are great as presents or to add to a hamper, but I think the Lily O’Brien’s Christmas Dessert Collection is best saved for Christmas Day with the family. Which one is your favourite?

Available from £15 at: https://lilyobriens.co.uk/gifts

The Large Honey Jar Gift Box from Black Bee Honey

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, eco friendly, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, health, Summer, Vegetarian

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

I love honey.  Honey has had a bad reputation in the past few years with the scandal that so many brands are using sugar syrup instead of honey, and the real honey has become really expensive with climate change making honey harvesting more unpredictable. I am delighted to say that the British honey from Black Bee Honey is homegrown, available to buy in plenty and isn’t as expensive as you might think. Black Bee Honey sent us this completely unexpected gift box of honey. 

The gift box contains 4 jars of honey which weigh 227 grams each, so yes, this is a heavy gift box! The honey is sourced from the 4 seasons of the year, which explains why each jar is a different colour and a different texture. For example, spring is light cream colour, and is harvested when rapeseed, hawthorn and plum blossom are in bloom in Somerset, Yorkshire and Northamptonshire. The honey is soft and opaque so suits being used in baking to add sweetness. The summer honey, even though it’s harvested just a few months later, is transparent and resembles more like what we think of as honey. It’s sourced from all over the country in the summer so could come from any source of blossoms and flowers.

I use honey for so many meals and dishes. I make salad dressings from it, use it as a substitute for sugar and even use it for medicinal purposes. I only ever buy British honey because I have ridiculously bad hay fever and I can’t take over the counter medicine without falling asleep at the drop of a hat. So I take British honey every morning in some form, even if it’s just a teaspoonful and it gets rid of 80% of my hay fever symptoms, but can be taken as often as needed throughout the day.  With this in mind, I love having honey around and I know my honey flavours! The idea of having seasonal honey is unbelievably useful to someone with hay fever who needs to have the antihistamine properties available throughout the year, depending on what causes the allergy.

As for the taste of the honey – well, it’s real honey! Each jar has a slightly different taste to it above the sweetness, whether it be a slightly more floral, or a delicate blossom flavour. I love this gift as a great idea for anyone who loves honey, or who cooks, has a family of honey lovers or likes using British homegrown products.

Available for £32.95 at: https://www.blackbeehoney.com/collections/the-honey-shop/products/the-4-seasons-large-honey-jar-gift-box

Matcha Tea from The Matcha Yaad

Autumn, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Matcha lovers will love the range of matcha tea from The Matcha Yaad this Christmas! We were sent some strawberry and peach flavoured premium matcha to try, along with a sample sachet of chocolate (my favourite!) so how did we get on?

Premium matcha  from The Matcha Yaad can be used for making matcha tea, or added to smoothies lattes, ice-cream, lemonade, cakes or much more! Try putting it over the top of a dessert like tiramisu or making a milkshake out of it.  With a product like matcha, there are lots of different ways you can use it and make dishes more interesting. I first started using it as a tea but then discovered that the best way to use it was as a supplement flavour for other foods, and that’s when I discovered adding it to smoothies and ice cream!

What does it taste like though? Well matcha is usually quite sour tasting, and not easy to drink all in one go. The Matcha Yaad make premium matcha though, so it’s authentic leaves which are infused with a flavour and most of the flavours are naturally sweet so you don’t need to add any sugar or sweetener to it. The flavours of the peach and strawberry come through subtly, but I really enjoyed the chocolate flavour the most!  If you’re making up a latte or drink with the matcha, then just add water to some matcha (a tablespoon amount will be enough for one mug) and then add cream, coconut milk or something similar, and blend. An espresso whisk will do the trick, then you can enjoy either on it’s own or add a shot of latte and some ice to make a summer tall drink!

The Matcha Yaad matcha is expensive, but it goes a long way and is for the matcha lover who wants the authentic taste. It has no added sugar and no dairy so it’s suitable for a wide range of matcha lovers too.

All flavours available online for approximately £25 each at: https://thematchayaad.com/ 

Lonely Planet Secret Wonders of the World – book

Birthday Gifts, Books, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Based on the premise of The Seven Wonders of the World, the Secret Wonders of the World book by Lonely Planet delves deeper into the hidden treasures that are out there, ready to explore. There are 385 places featured in this book, complete with photographs, which give an insight into lands unknown.  

For example, there are the Yamal Permafrost craters in Russia, Fantasy Coffins in Ghana and the Winchester Mystery House in California. There’s also sections on specific topics like Tremendous Trees, London’s Oddest Sights and Nerve-Racking Rocks. As you flick through the countries, there are more and more places to visit that are off the beaten track, or are unknown to most travellers.  The photos are gorgeous and really give a sense of how amazing some places are which you’ve probably never heard of before and countries you wouldn’t normally think of visiting.

Divided up by geographical region, you can use this book in various ways. It can either be a coffee table book which you pick up and put down at will, or children will love this to discover more about the world.  If you’re a traveller, you might like to find out if your next destination is near any of the places mentioned but I think this book is brilliant for travellers who want lots of inspiration. Some of the countries are quite far-flung, so if you like planning for unusual places, this book is for you. There is a mixture of geography, history and nature in this book, plus some really interesting cultural ideas. 

The more I flick through this book, the more ideas I get and the more involved in the stories. Some of them I’ve had to go and look up to learn more about them. It’s a fascinating read, and would make a great gift for anyone, but especially children who are interested in the world.

Available from £22.99 at: https://shop.lonelyplanet.com/products/secret-wonders-of-the-world?srsltid=AfmBOoqQB2sdJLY_UT-V79luc1FoETwo_kAaQ_fv9fTVw6Tdtxj6O1iz

Bennett Opies Christmas Food Gifts

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Drinks and Mixers, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for teachers, snacks

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

As Christmas rolls in and you wonder what to buy, Bennett Opies have the perfect gift for food lovers. There’s a huge range of preserved fruits, pickles, cocktail items and ingredients available, there’s almost too much to choose from! We were sent a big box of goodies to sample before Christmas, and trust me, it took a while!

Firstly, there’s the fruits; Opies preserved Peaches in 12 year old brandy, Black Cherries in Kirsch and Baby Pears in Amaretto. The alcohol in the preserving syrup makes these extra special for Christmas and something that brings back memories. The peaches are my favourite, with ice cream added for the sweetness overload. The pears are not something I would usually buy but with the stems still on them, they are particularly pretty for Christmas. The Kirsch soaked cherries can be added to cakes, desserts or fruit salads and add both colour and flavour which again are quintessentially Christmas.

The Cornichons & Onions, Pickled Walnuts and Mini Gherkins are great accomplices to a buffet, or to use on the table on Boxing Day with cold meats or even if you do fish and chips. The Capers and Green Peppercorns are equally great for adding as ingredients (I like adding them to pizza!).  The Ginger in syrup, Sliced Lemons and Cocktail Cherries are great for cocktails, and I use them in baking too. Try making a ginger cake with real ginger pieces, or a lemon drizzle cake with lemon slices on top. A fruitcake isn’t the same without a proper cocktail cherry either, and Opies have some great additions to your Christmas.  Try some of the range before Christmas, or add them to a hamper as a gift for teachers, neighbours and friends.

All available at: https://www.bennettopie.com/ and with 10% now for new customers.

 Easymark Bookmark

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, secret santa, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Do you read a lot? Or pick up a book to read and then put it down without marking the page? How about returning to chapters to re-read them? With any of these scenarios, the Easymark Bookmark can help you.  The Thinking Gifts page marker sits on the corner of a page unnoticed as you continue to read, but allows you to return to that page later, thanks to the design of the bookmark corner. This design is of a cactus, but Thinking Gifts have lots of designs to choose form, and you can purchase multiple Easymarks for lots of different reading books, or if you want to mark lots of different pages within a book. They’re easily transportable too, and if you leave them in a book and put them back on the bookshelf, they stay exactly where they are but don’t take up too much space or damage the spine of a book.

At only £3.99 they’re a great stocking filler or Secret Santa plus you can stock up on them and make up a gift from a range of items, especially if it’s for a book lover who would want a set of books and something like the Easymark Bookmark to finish it off. There are some lovely other designs for all ages too.

Available for £3.99 at: https://www.thinkinggifts.com/products/easymark-bookmark?option_values=6998825782e9b570bdbce5e0 

Flexilight Classic Book Light

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, secret santa, Stationery, Stocking Fillers, Tech

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

This is a brilliant gift for anyone who reads, and not just book lovers. The Flexilight is a bookmark and book light in one, allowing you to read anywhere thanks to the built-in light at the top of the page marker. 

The Flexilight Bookmark is ultra slim to be a bookmark, but the neck can be tilted towards the pages so that you can angle the light at the top to be able to read whatever size book you are looking at.  The LED light has 8 lumens of bright light and comes with the 2 batteries needed, but you can change the batteries in the future if you need to.

This is a great Secret Santa gift , especially as it’s only £8.99 at the moment, and it’s great for children who like to read in the back of the car, or under the bed covers at night.  Imagine having this in a sofa cushion den under a blanket and being able to read in secret? This is a great stocking filler, and any age can use it!

Available from £8.99 at: https://www.thinkinggifts.com/products/flexilight-original-book-light?option_values=6674d2bac7b00e129da33980

Penmark Ruler Bookmark

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, secret santa, Stationery, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

The Penmark Ruler Bookmark caught my eye because it’s multifunctional.  Not only is it a pen, but it’s thin enough that it can be a bookmark too. Additionally, the decoration on it is that of a 10cm or 4 inch ruler. Not only that, but the Penmark comes with two refills and already comes with an ink cartridge. 

I know I would use this in the office when I’m running about and trying to find a pen for my notebook – this fits into the pages nicely and won’t get lost.  If you’re in an industry where you need a ruler too, this is an exceptionally good gift. It’s brilliant for a stocking filler or Secret Santa, or just for putting in your handbag because it’s so light and easy to carry around. 

Available for £4.99 at: https://www.thinkinggifts.com/products/penmark-pen-bookmark?option_values=6877767922f3c885a0ca472b

Plusheez Phone Holder

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Toys

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

I have the perfect P|usheez gift for you!  This ocean-inspired clown fish is not only a desk toy, but it is designed to prop up your phone too.  Whether you’re charging your phone, on a call or trying to read something, the Plusheez Phone Holder can prop up your phone either vertically or horizontally.

I kept the Plusheez on my desk at home, so that I could take a call on my mobile and have it facing me and the microphone could pick up my voice whilst I was on my laptop. It works just as well with video calling too, so that you’re hands free. The fact that Plusheez is a soft toy is also great for phones because it doesn’t mark or damage them in anyway with grippers or anything that secures phones in place like a tripod does. If you’re like me and need to have something on the desk to distract your hands when you’re on a long, boring call, the Plusheez toys are great for that too, and they don’t make a noise when you drop them or play with them!

The Plusheez are really great toys that have a use, anyone can use them. Fabulous Secret Santa or stocking filler gifts too.

Available from £10.99 at: https://www.thinkinggifts.com/products/plusheez?option_values=66790eb201bc075225ebaaed

Two Farmers Lightly Salted Crisp Drum

Children, Christmas, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, snacks, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

For lovers of crisps, you can’t beat a drum, literally, of crisps this Christmas! Two Farmers, the Herefordshire based farmers, use local potatoes to create these local, lovely and sharp crisps in a 500 grams tin. It opens like a paint pot, with the lip having to be prised open (I used the back of a spoon) but it can be sealed up again when not in use. That’s handy, because 500 grams of crisps is a lot!  It’s the equivalent to more than 4 of the big bags of potato chips you get in the supermarket, but this isn’t a brand that you would find in the supermarket, nor the format that you’re used to.

The Two Farmers Herefordshire Crisps which we were sent from Sous Chef are lightly salted and ooze a cleaner flavour than other crisps. These are prefect for sharing, thanks to the size of the tin, plus they can be used with dips, thanks to their light flavouring. The tin also means that they don’t get crushed in transit, so I found that the crisps were bigger and there was less ‘dust’ at the bottom of the tin. They stay nice and fresh too thanks to the metal container and resealable lid.

These are great for watching TV on Christmas Day, and after the festive season, you can clean out the tin and use it for storing Christmas decorations!

Available from £15.00: https://www.souschef.co.uk/products/two-farmers-lightly-salted-potato-crisps-in-sharing-tin

GNAW Handcrafted Chocolate

Birthday Gifts, Children, chocolate, Christmas, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Chocolate has always been a popular treat, and gift, but nowadays it’s taken on a life of it’s own with the new phenomenon of handcrafted chocolate. Combine that with the new novelty flavours and higher quality ingredients which are available, and you have a completely new genre of food connoisseur, similar to wine or coffee experts.  GNAW Handcrafted Chocolate sent us a box of chocolates to review, and by box, I don’t mean your supermarket box for Granny on a Sunday, but a box that can be delivered through your door and contains 6 slabs of chocolates, each of them weighing 80 grams and of all different flavours, we couldn’t resist!

The GNAW chocolates arrived in a letterbox sized box and contained 6 bars; Dark Chocolate 70%, Dark Chocolate with Raspberry, Milk Chocolate New York Cheesecake, Milk Chocolate Honeycomb & Caramel, Milk Chocolate Popcorn & Peanuts and Milk Chocolate Lemon Drizzle. The bars are wrapped in paper labels with a ‘foil’ inside cover in an old-fashioned style, but all the packaging is actually recyclable. The chocolates don’t contain any palm oil and the packaging tells you if they are single origin ingredients too, which in the case of the Lemon Drizzle, the single origin is Colombia.

You might be thinking that these are unusual flavours for a chocolate? Well, they are! They represent a small selection of all the flavours that are available online in their shop; https://www.gnawchocolate.co.uk/collections/milk-chocolate-bars which has a lot more dessert-inspired flavours as well as everyday milk chocolate and dark chocolate bars.  They are especially good if you like something slightly different to just chocolate, or if like me, you skip dessert and instead have a piece of chocolate instead. 

How do they taste? Well, of course, I had to taste a piece of every chocolate bar we were sent, purely for research purposes… the dark chocolates are 70% so they are darker in colour and taste but still sweet enough to eat as a snack. The added raspberry is a treat because it sweetens the dark chocolate a little bit. The milk chocolate bars are a little less traditional but all have a theme of being slightly sweeter than the chocolate itself. The Lemon Drizzle has a hint of lemon but the added texture of tiny biscuit pieces. New York Cheesecake also has subtle biscuit pieces but you can taste the cheesecake filling as the flavour develops. Honeycomb & Caramel reminds me of a famous triangular brand of chocolate, so it’s a more familiar taste but I love having the chewy texture in a chocolate bar. Finally, the Popcorn & Peanut is a strange combination which is more about the consistency than the taste, until it evolves after a few moments.

I think my favourite chocolate was the Dark Chocolate Raspberry because of the juxtaposition of sweet raspberry and the dark chocolate. I don’t think there are any that I wouldn’t buy again, but I am very tempted by the other flavours on their website too!

Available online at: https://www.gnawchocolate.co.uk/collections/chocolate-bars

JLab JBuds Mini Wireless Ear Buds

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Tech

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

“The smallest fit ever” is what the packaging on the JLab Mini JBuds claims and we’d have to agree! Even the casing is smaller on these diddy earbuds, which are perfect for children or those with smaller ears.  The ear buds are 30% smaller but the case is 50% smaller than other ear buds, which also makes them easier to carry, especially in pockets. They’re so small in fact, that at just 3.3 grams each and a total of 18.5 grams for the case, they make an ideal keyring or can be worn as a charm on your phone. 

The JBud ear buds pack a punch though with a 6mm dynamic driver speaker for audio and an output of 103 ± 3dB.  The battery life is around 20 hours when fully charged, which is impressive amount of play time with such small headphones. It takes between 1.5 and 2 hours to charge depending on how you charge the case, which is a USB-C port and comes with the C to C cable. The ear buds connect to Bluetooth 5.3 (the most recent version) and have approximately 30 foot range.

These are especially great for children because of their size and they also connect really easily to devices when in ‘find’ mode. There’s not very many settings on them either, and the 4.5cm length case is easy to handle and keep on children in their pockets, rather than having to hand them to someone else or carry a bag with them.  They’re a great price too, either as a gift or as a stocking filler and they’re currently on sale at £29.99 on the JLab website below!

JLab JBuds Mini Wireless Ear Buds for £39.99 at: https://www.jlab.com/en-gb/products/jbuds-mini-true-wireless-earbuds-teal

JLab Pop Party Ultra-Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Summer, Tech

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Here’s a great gift for the teenagers or when you’re travelling – a portable Bluetooth speaker that lights up and connect to other JLab speakers to create a wall of sound!

Imagine being out on a picnic, or camping, and having a team of these JLab Pop Party Bluetooth speakers all playing the same music at the same time from the same device. Each of the speakers lights up so that not only can you find them easily amongst all your stuff, but as night falls, you can see each other in the glow or red, green and blue lights.  They each have 8 hours of power in them; enough for a whole day outside or a night time party.  The JLab Pop Party Ultra-Portable Bluetooth speakers are only £24.99, and make excellent birthday gifts, stocking fillers or gifts for children and teenagers.

With 5 watts power and a 2 year warranty, the speaker is only 7.55 inches tall and has a 2 inch driver and 2 inch woofer. It has various mounting options and a detachable magnetic loop, which you can hold in one hand or mount on a bicycle handle or in the backseat of a car. It has IP55 waterproofing so you can take it outside (it’s rain protective, not water protective so you can’t submerge it!) It’s lightweight so you can carry it in hand luggage or just over your wrist.

Charging is with a C to C cable in the USB-C port and takes around 3 hours to fully charge. Syncing is with Bluetooth 5.3. There’s approximately 30 foot range of connectivity. You get the most out of t he RGB lights if you use the JLab App to control the frequency, pattern and create the light show from it.

This is the first time I’ve seen these ‘Pop Party’ speakers and ever got to use them. They’re really useful for just taking out for the day and for children to play with in the garden or for teenagers to take out with them.  The sound quality is excellent and connection to my phone was super easy one I turned on the speaker and it was ‘findable’.  The JLab Pop Part Ultra-Portable Bluetooth speaker is ultra-easy to get along with and use, making it a perfect gift for anyone!

JLab Pop Party UltraPortable Bluetooth Speaker for £24.99 at: https://www.jlab.com/en-gb/products/pop-party-ultra-portable-bluetooth-speaker-black?srsltid=AfmBOoqK6kuF00xfCjWpXLHOKF0Unr3Tr9WJdnI1K9qK1ksBeALP11zW

TrueStart Ground Coffee Cafetière & Coffee Gift Set

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, coffee, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, secret santa

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

There are some sacred things in this life, and the first cup of coffee in the morning is probably high up on most people’s wish list!  What better gift to buy a caffeine lover than a whole set of coffee and a cafetière too, all in this pretty presentation box, ready to wrap and hand over.

TrueStart have a range of coffees available by both strength (strong, smooth, decaf, half cafe) and type (instant, coffee bags, ground, beans etc). They also have a starter packs, gifts packs and accessories, so a natural progression at Christmas time is to have a Coffee Starter Pack. You can create your own starter pack too, which is what we were sent when we received this cafetière (in grey but blue is available too) and two coffees. I chose the TrueStart Super Blend coffee with a strength of 8, and the TrueStart Energising Colombian ground coffee with a strength of 7. I can’t stress how cute it is to have the box arrive with the handle of the cafetière as the handle to the gift box, making it easier to carry!

The glass cafetière has 1 litre capacity, which is enough for 8 cups of coffee and has a stainless steel finish. It needs to be hand washed because the glass is delicate, so not suitable for the dishwasher nor the oven.  It’s a lovely, classic design which comes in both grey and dark blue so suits many kitchens. I have a pet peeve with cafetières that they’re either too small and you can’t get enough cups out of them, or they’re too big and therefore just functional and don’t look pretty enough for modern kitchens. This one looks lovely though, and would sit nicely on any worktop.

We tried both coffees (multiple times!) in our house. We chose stronger coffees with more aromatic tastes so the Super Blend and Energising Colombian were perfect for us. They both had a strong, bold taste which lasted throughout the whole cup of coffee, and because you can make up to 8 cups in one cafetière, we were able to drink a second cup quite quickly afterwards and each cup kept it’s integrity.  Delicious!

If your’e not used to a cafetière, this is a great starter pack, and they’re really easy to use and keep clean. In fact, I would say it’s the most fun way of making coffee, and you can alter the strength of the coffee easily depending on how much you add to the jug.  I loved the coffee, which is carefully selected and curated by the TrueStart coffee company since 2015 who take coffee very seriously. It’s a great size for a gift as well, or for students going off to university and needing the whole kit that’s the right size for their room.  The ability to choose which coffee you want also makes it perfect for gifting and I will be looking at these as gifts at Christmas too!

Available from £30.00 at:

https://www.truestartcoffee.com/products/ground-coffee-starter-pack

Trapiche Pure Malbec

alcoholic drinks, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Drinks and Mixers, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Summer, Valentine's Day Gifts, Vegan, Women

Disclaimer: we received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

If your dad enjoys a glass of red wine, a good bottle is guaranteed to go down well on Father’s Day. Better still, for those last minute shoppers, Trapiche Pure Malbec is readily available from the Co-op so you can pick a bottle up on your way to see him!!

Produced by Argentina’s most awarded winery, this Fairtrade-certified Malbec is packed with juicy fruit flavours and is wonderfully smooth and easy to drink. At just £10 a bottle, it’s also excellent value for money, proving that you don’t have to spend a fortune to give a special gift.

The Trapiche vineyards are in Mendoza, one of Argentina’s most famous wine regions which are  nestled at the foothills of the Andes Mountains. The winery was founded by Argentine politician and businessman Tiburcio Benega back in 1883 and over the years the business has grown to be one of Argentina’s leading wine producers. The vineyards are planted higher up in the mountains, where the cooler air helps keep the grapes fresh and balanced, despite the intense Argentinian sunshine.

The “Pure” in the name refers to the fact that this is an unoaked Malbec. Rather than being aged in oak barrels, the wine is made in stainless steel and concrete tanks. While I’m no wine expert, I find this style lets the fruit do the talking, bringing out the cassis, blueberry and plum flavours without the vanilla or smoky notes that oak can sometimes add.

The rich purple wine is smooth and easy to drink and it goes really well with both steak and cheese.

By choosing Fairtrade wine, you are supporting farmers and ensuring that they have access to fairer working conditions. Fairtrade also makes sure that producers receive a fairer price for their grapes and provides extra funding that can be invested back into workers and local communities. It also supports growers in adopting more sustainable farming methods and promotes fair treatment and opportunities for everyone working in the vineyards.

Available from the Co op

MINISO Clear Nail Polish

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Fashion, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, secret santa, Summer, Women

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Looking for some summer pick-me-ups?  MINISO have a raft of different beauty options on their website which act as brilliant one-time gifts for yourself, or others, to make you smile this summer. The best part is that they don’t cost the Earth either!  MINISO sent us their Golden Cap Clear Nail Varnish to try out for summer and I’ve been testing it nearly every day this week…

The Golden Cap Clear Nail Varnish can be used as either a top coat, or a clear varnish on bare nails.  I opted to use it as a top coat, to seal in the colour I was applying plus giving my nails a shiny finish.  You can see in the photo the difference the Golden Cap Clear Nail Varnish gives when applied over an existing varnished nail.  As the varnish is oil-based, it’s hard wearing and dries fairly quickly.  It leaves an even coat over each nail and isn’t too thick that it is slow to dry, or creates and uncomfortable layer on the top that seeps into the surrounding nail bed and eventually peels off. 

The Golden Cap Clear Nail Varnish is a steal at just £1.49, and as you look through the other items online you’ll see even more bargains. It’s a great stocking filler gift, or if you start collecting items now for the Christmas Calendar, no one is not going to want a clear nail varnish at Christmas!

Available online from £1.49 at: https://minisoshop.co.uk/health-and-beauty

Yankee Candle Serenity Stone and Spa Inspired Gift Set

Birthday Gifts, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, Home, Home & Garden, Mother's Day, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Valentine's Day Gifts, Women

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Yankee Candles have long been the standard for candles at home, or as gifts especially with their beautifully presented Signature range.  If you’ve ever been into a Yankee Candle shop, then you’ll know that there are not only a huge range of scents available, but different sizes as well.  Yankee Candle sent us this Signature edition of their scent Serenity Stone and a gift box of three tealight candles.  Who wouldn’t want to give, or receive candles like these?

The Serenity Stone Yankee Candle is seen here in the large jar version, but other sizes are available. Large Jar means it’s a glass jar with lid, which is not only better for transporting but the glass lid allows you to extinguish the flame easily by just placing the lid on top and removing the source or oxygen. There are two wicks to light too; meaning it burns more evenly with a 65-80 hour, soy wax burn life. It’s quite heavy too at over half a kilo (567 grams to be precise) so I wouldn’t recommend sending this in the post!

The second set sent to us was the spa-inspired tealight set of candles with the scents Slow Bloom, Lavender Bliss and Serenity Stone. Each of the candles have their own distinct fragrance and undertone; the Lavender Bliss for instance is a Floral fragrance whereas Slow Bloom is a Woody fragrance.  You don’t burn all three of these fragranced candles at once, more like one after the other to create a long term ambience.  The Gift set is called Spa-Inspired for a reason, and these candles would be perfect for a relaxing bath or in a room where you want some more peace. With the burn time on each of these candles being around 7-10 hours, that’s a lot of baths, or a full day of candle time!

If you’re looking for a gift too, these are all perfect to send. The Serenity Stone Large Jar may be heavy, but it’s no lightweight in the gifting arena. The gift set is much smaller but great for posting or giving as an individual present or to add to a hamper of bigger treats.

Serenity Stone available in Large Jar size for £29.99 at:

https://www.yankeecandle.co.uk/yankee-candle/candles/shop-by-type/signature-large-jar-candles/serenity-stone-candle/SAP_2672619E.html

CUKTECH 15 Power Bank Air

Birthday Gifts, camping, Children, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Home & Garden, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Tech, travel

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

I love a gadget, and this power bank is perfect for a Father’s Day gift!  

The CUKTECH 15 Power Bank Air holds enough power to recharge your iPhone 17 by 1.6 times or a Samsung S25 Ultra about 2.2 times over. That’s only for phones, it can power laptops too with 65W Fast Charging, which is enough to power a Mac Book Air from zero to 48%. 

The slim design is deceptively heavy though! It’s enough to carry all that power but is about the size of a phone just fatter. It does mean that it fits into a pocket or hand luggage, and it would comfortably fit into a handbag too but it comes with a cosy bag to keep it in, along with the USB-C cable. The front of the power bank has a display which tells you the percentage charge already on the power bank, plus how long it will take to charge  fully or how much charge it has left through each of the ports. Speaking of which, you can charge to and from the CUKTECH 15 with a Type-C2, Type-C2 and USB-A1 ports. The screen goes dark when not in use but the button at the side lights it up again so you can see the stats as it charges. The three different ports mean you can power up to three appliances all at once too.

You can charge up the CUKTECH with the provided cable. To change the direction of charge, click the side button twice and the display changes. Keep clicking and it allows you to change the display and setting so that the screen stays on and it shows you which port is being used to charge in or out of the power bank, and how long it takes to charge and the percentage. You can even change the display to be upside down so that you use it on the go or if it’s in a pocket!

At around £50, it’s not a bad price for a power bank on the market, as there are a lot out there which aren’t as compact or as useful, and having the ability to charge 3 appliances at once is definitely a benefit.  The cable is a bit short though, especially if you have the charger in your pocket and you’re trying to walk and text at the same time, and you would have to source other cables for the other ports if your appliance didn’t already come with one, but they can all be poppled in the supplied bag so that you can carry them with you.  Although it’s heavy too, it’s not any heavier than other power banks, and that’s because of the nature of the battery it contains.

The CUKTECH 15 Power Bank is a really useful gift and a great surprise for Father’s Day as something that is actually helpful to everyday life. 

Available from £49.99 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FNQK3VHZ?ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_P8ESV8CN44BP0FR26YKP&ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_P8ESV8CN44BP0FR26YKP&social_share=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_P8ESV8CN44BP0FR26YKP

Tessan PD20W Universal Power Adaptor

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Stocking Fillers, Tech

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

For the Dads who travel for work, or just those Dads who are always prepared, the Tessan PD20W is a travel adapter for almost everywhere in the world, allowing him to plug in to a socket and use any appliance he’s taken with him.

The small, palm sized adaptor has 3 plugs to fix into a wall socket throughout the world; the sockets included are for the USA or Japan, Australia and the UK, meaning you can use it in Britain too if you have sockets or cables from elsewhere in the world. The front of the adaptor has 4 sockets in total. The first one is the AC socket which is commonly used in the US. Underneath, you have the USB-A, USB-C2 and USB-C1 sockets for cables. This is usually for charging phones and small appliances such as cameras and tablets. The three different sizes means it works on most modern appliances so there’s no need to bring anything else when you’re abroad.

The small, lightweight design has retractable plugs which pack away nicely, and can be turned out when ready to use. They are designed so that when one plug is being used, no others can be utilised so as not to interfere with the supply. They’re a bit clunky and all open in different ways but once you work out that one them slides, one of them flips and other one has to be prised out, you get the gist of it!

Charging is fairly quick on the Tessan PD20W Power adapter, given that it’s not a charger just an adapter. I could plug in my phone and it gives about 10% charge in 30 minutes, but that isn’t what the adapter is for. It’s mainly for being about use foreign sockets and plug in USB plugs but if you do need to charge a phone or appliance, you can charge overnight.

The Tessan PD20W is small enough that it can be packed away in your luggage or hand luggage and used anywhere abroad. For going on holiday or for the Dads in your life, it’s a nifty gadget that will be used again and again but will benefit everyone. 

Currently available for £17.99 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0C1NRTR81/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_plhdr=t&aaxitk=b0b68efcc7ecaa3dbd3e6bcea53d4618&hsa_cr_id=0&qid=1770721697&sr=1-2-e0fa1fdd-d857-4087-adda-5bd576b25987&aref=pJEjmdvY48&ref_=sbx_s_sparkle_sbtcd_asin_1_title&pd_rd_w=E5nIF&content-id=amzn1.sym.7d8787df-7d4c-460d-ab31-21b0ba272b2f%3Aamzn1.sym.7d8787df-7d4c-460d-ab31-21b0ba272b2f&pf_rd_p=7d8787df-7d4c-460d-ab31-21b0ba272b2f&pf_rd_r=MTEFXKDHG0PHPCRVZ25S&pd_rd_wg=TbzsW&pd_rd_r=9ab1dc17-2e36-4d8a-b08f-50f8737b3f5c&th=1

Moderato Alcohol-Free French Wine

Christmas, Days Out, Drinks and Mixers, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, health, Summer

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

The French (wine) Revolution is here!  Moderato wines are all alcohol-free but are still French beauties with Cuvee, Colombard white wine and the Gros Manseng Merlot. We were sent a bottle of each to try this summer and to sample how good alcohol free wine can be.

We started with the La Cuvée, a light sparkling wine with a slightly acidic taste from the Merlot grapes. It has less than 0.5% of alcohol (they have to give it a slight alcohol rating due to the way it’s fermented) but it doesn’t have the alcohol taste to it. Instead, it’s an effervescent glass which is excellent for summer. I would drink this with a main meal or on its own. It also has fewer calories than wine, so if you’re not drinking it for the low alcohol, it’s perfect for a low calorie diet!

The Colombard is a traditional-tasting white, with citrus flavours and the sharpness that can only be found with white wines. This is also <0.5% alcohol and 7x fewer calories than other white wines and has the white wine fragrance to it too. I would drink this on its own, after work or in the garden in the summer.

The Gros Manseng Merlot is rosé with a softer fruity flavour compared to its Merlot cousin.  It’s definitely a summer drink with lots of energy and a beautiful red fruit uplift.  This is great with food or on its own but lives in summer thanks to the fruity nature of the wine. It doesn’t taste alcohol free either which is a brilliant achievement, even if it is made by the French experts!

All three of the wines are part of a larger range by Moderato to have alcohol free (or sans alcool in French, as the bottles proclaim) that add to your summer without needing alcohol. Delicious!

Gros Manseng £14: https://le-moderato.com/en/products/alcohol-free-rose-revolutionary-cuvee-merlot-gros-manseng-1

Colombard £14: https://le-moderato.com/en/products/alcohol-free-white-wine-colombard-revolutionary-cuvee

La Cuvée £14.50: https://le-moderato.com/en/products/the-sparkling-revolutionary-cuvee-blanc-de-noir-without-alcohol

Cuvée Révolutionnaire

Sponge Cake Cards & The Legends Brownie Box from Sponge

beauty, camping, eco friendly, Fashion, Fitness, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Gluten Free, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day Gifts, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Cakes for all occasions! Sponge send cakes that are, “Brilliant cake. Bold flavour. A little bit cheeky” and we couldn’t agree more. Why send just a card when a piece of cake and a card will make them feel more special? If you’re anything like me, Father’s Day is an especially difficult day to buy for so Sponge make it easier!

Sponge.co.uk have a selection of cake pieces, whole cakes, brownies and cupcakes that can be delivered to your recipient’s door. All cakes come with a card which in some cases, are a little bit cheeky! You can customize each card to suit the receiver. We were sent The Legends Brownies box and a Sponge Cake Card which are both brilliant for Father’s Day. If you order before 2pm, it can be delivered the next day.

The Sponge Cake Cards are literally cards with pockets that house 2 slices of cake which you can choose from a range including chocolate, carrot, white chocolate & raspberry, Red Velvet and several of the same cakes but in vegan or gluten free versions. You also get to choose the design of the card and if you want to, you can upload a video too which can be viewed online. The card can be personalised with any greeting and then you can choose up to 2 extras, including items like tea bags, face mask, balloons or even a candle.  

Once you’ve made your choices, you can choose to have the Sponge Cake Card delivered or you can even pick up from their warehouse in Holt, Norfolk.  The same process works whether you’re sending a Cake Card or any of the other cakes and items which the company stocks.

As for the cakes…. The Sponge Cake Card came with a chocolate and a Victoria slice, both of which were obviously freshly made and not processed or frozen. They were light and fluffy with ample amounts of buttercream filling and a light topping, but not enough to make a sticky mess in the cellophane!  The brownies were obviously very densely made, with 8 pieces in total and all of them delicious. I haven’t worked my way through all of them yet, but there are 4 flavours in all and again, they were freshly made.

An interesting idea of having cake delivered as well as a card, Sponge.co.uk execute it very well and make it easy to send any type of celebration to a loved one.

Sponge Cake Cards from £9.99: https://www.sponge.co.uk/cake-card

The Legends Brownie Box from £18.99: https://www.sponge.co.uk/cakes/brownies/the-legends-brownie-box

Devonia Plant Fertilizer Sticks

Birthday Gifts, Children, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Home & Garden, Spring, Summer

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

This is a gardening hack for all gardeners, whether you’ve been gardening for years or if you’re a beginner! Devonia’s fertilizer spikes and sticks are nutrient dense sticks which feed plants at the roots over time, releasing food and providing magnesium and iron too.  Easy to use, the sticks are just popped into the ground or pot next to the plant.

The nutrients are pre-measured so using the directions on the back of the packs, work out how many sticks are needed for the size of pot. There are a variety of sticks to choose from too, including the tomatoes & vegetables, Boarders & bedding plants and even for individual plants like olive trees, lavender and orchids. You have to push them below soil level and on the opposite side of the pot to the plant but after that, just water them and see the plant thrive. They last all season long from spring to autumn but I would recommend changing them out for the next spring to get the full benefit of them.

These are great gifts for gardeners too, or anyone who is growing plants indoors. I’ve used them for my indoor plants and a few seedlings which are just starting to grow now. 

Available online from £6.49: https://devonialondon.co.uk/product/flower-bed-border-bedding-plant-food-sticks/

Sentia Spirits Alcohol Free – GABA Red

Birthday Gifts, Drinks and Mixers, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Gluten Free, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

There are more and more non-alcoholic ‘spirits’ on the market these days and a new one that I’ve come across is the Sentia Spirits GABA Red. GABA Red works on the body’s gaba receptors, mimicking how alcohol affects us but without the side effects. It has zero alcohol content, so it can be used in mocktails or as a mixer without the trigger of having even a trace of alcohol. It’s also vegan friendly, thanks to the organically sourced products.

You can use it just as you would a botanical spirit – straight, in a glass of ice, or as a mixer. It works well with lemonade or a sparkling drink or to make a new cocktail.  Neat, it has an herbal taste to it. I personally found it a bit strong on its own, not because it had the ‘alcohol’ taste to it but because the essences of herbal flavours such as magnolia bark and hawthorn berry are not every day tastes to us.  

As an alternative to alcohol, it’s just as versatile and you can mix it and drink as much of it as you like. I wouldn’t suggest children try it though, it’s more of an acquired, grown-up taste, but it still gives you that ‘hit’ as if it’s a refreshing alcoholic drink.  It’s more expensive than other drinks though and probably more like an alcoholic spirit in price, which is the only downside.

Available from £32 at: https://sentiaspirits.com/products/sentia-red