Frost Magazine Mother’s Day Gift Guide

marc jabobs watch

Marc by Marc Jacobs Henry Skeleton Watch

WatchShop.com Price:  £185 and free next day delivery within the UK

 

A beautiful timepiece with a genuine pink leather strap with a shine.  The case is rose gold plated whilst the skeleton dial is protected by mineral crystal.  The watch is water resistant to 50 metres.

 

 

 

STORM Cimage011rystin Watch

Stockist:  WatchShop.com

This ladies STORM Crystin watch has a stainless steel case and is fitted with a quartz movement. It is fastened with a silver metal bracelet and has a silver dial.

 

 

 

 

 

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Karen Millen Watch

 

WatchShop.com Price:  £95 and free next day delivery within the UK

 

This ladies’ Karen Millen watch has a stainless steel case and is powered by a quartz movement. It fastens a purple leather strap and has a purple dial

 

 

 

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Michael Kors Camille Chronograph Watch

 

WatchShop.com Price:  £229 and free next day delivery within the UK

This ladies’ Michael Kors Camille watch has a stainless steel case and is fitted with an analogue chronograph quartz movement. It is fitted with a two tone bracelet and has a blue dial. The watch has a date function.

 

Springtime Planter gift set

P4P Springtime Planter (300 dpi)

£25 plus delivery

The perfect Mother’s Day idea for a green-fingered recipient, the Springtime Planter is a traditional wooden planter containing colourful hyacinths, primroses, cyclamen and pansies.

Every plant is carefully gift wrapped and boxed by hand in Plants4Presents’ Sussex nursery to ensure it arrives in perfect condition. Standard delivery is just £6.50 per address. Delivery is available across the UK and Ireland. For more information visit www.plants4presents.co.uk.

 

 

We love this Royal Albert Tea For One Set, £60.00 from The House of Bath

houseofbath

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Kobo Mini is a great present for mother’s. (the 5” eReader easily slips into a handbag or coat pocket making it great for the mum who is either always on the go or just like things a bit more compact) Highly portable Kobo Mini holds up to 1,000 koboeBooks.

Price £59.99

Stockist:  WHSmith and all fine electronic retailers

 

 

Fulton this Mother’s Day – from Fab Florals to spectacular Spots and Stripes – there are many new beautiful designs to choose from – many of which are part of Fulton’s soon to be launched SS13 collection.

 fulton

With ‘Walking’ and ‘Folding’ umbrellas, Rain Macs, Rainboots and Rain Hats from designers such as Cath Kidston and Lulu Guinness, as well as Fulton’s stunning own range, there’s a stylish shelter for every mum out there.

 

teafortwo

I don’t know about your mother but my mother’s favourite gift is spending time with me. She also loves tea so The UK’s largest afternoon tea gift site, AfternoonTeaForTwo.co.uk is perfect for her. They have a huge range of tea experiences so you can select the perfect memorable experience for your mum. On the site, you will find hundreds of afternoon tea ideas, from glamorous London hotels to relaxing country retreats.  If you’re confident you know what she’ll like, you can purchase an individual experience at the click of a button.

 

Celebrate Mother’s Day at one of Frost’s favourite hotels, the London Marriott Hotel County Hall

 

Treat your mum this Mothering Sunday with a quintessential Afternoon Tea celebration set in the beautiful library of the 5* London Marriott Hotel County Hall onLondon’s South Bank.

Start with delicious hand crafted sandwiches including roast Angus beef and horseradish, Wiltshire ham with English mustard, Burford brown egg mayonnaise with cress, Forman & Son London Cure smoked salmon with caper butter and the classic cucumber with cream cheese and chive.

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Savour a delectable selection of pastries with green tea drizzle cake, passion fruit and coconut crown, blackberry tart and mint surprise, pineapple and vanilla compote with mascarpone cream an Valrhona Chocolate Opera.

Sweet and savoury scones complete the menu. Choose from freshly baked golden raisin scones topped with Tiptree strawberry jam and Devonshire clotted cream or Montgomery cheddar and Hampshire watercress scones with cream cheese and watercress.

Accompanied by a choice of refreshing teas all laid out to tempt, treat and delight and served with charm and a keen attention to detail.

The Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea is available on Sunday 10th March between 2.30pm and 4.30pm, priced at £36 per person.

Groups are welcome for Afternoon Tea, however, for parties wanting a little extra privacy, a range of private dining rooms are available. Contact us on +44 (0) 207 902 8000 to find out more about private dining.

 

Emma Bunton reveals her most magical moment with her children for UNICEF UK’s Mother’s Day campaign to end child malnutrition

 

 This Mother’s Day, former Spice Girl, Emma Bunton has joined forces with UNICEF, the global leader in child malnutrition, and is sharing her most magical moment in her children’s first 1,000 days of life.

 

The first 1,000 days are the critical window of opportunity for children to get the right nutrients they need to develop properly. Around the world a staggering one in four children are not getting the nourishing food they need to grow up healthy and reach their potential in this first critical period.

 

In the run up to Mother’s Day, UNICEF UK supporter Emma Bunton is asking UK mums to give children around the world the best start in life, by supporting the campaign at www.unicef.org.uk/mothersday.

 

Sitting in her window seat at home, Emma Bunton said, “It’s so shocking that one in four children around the world are not getting the right nutrients they need to grow up healthy and strong in their first 1,000 days of life.

 

“When my boys were toddlers I’d sit here and sing ‘You are my sunshine’ to them while the light streamed in on us. When they reached the stage where they could start singing along it really was a magical moment and one I’ll always remember in those first important 1,000 days.

 

“Every mother should be able to enjoy these precious moments in their child’s life and development. So, please, this Mother’s Day join me and go to the UNICEF UK website to help children everywhere.”

 

Mums visiting the website will learn how, for £3, they can help another child by buying sprinkles to ensure that children get the vitamins and nutrients they need to grow up healthy and reach their potential.

 

UNICEF UK is part of the Enough Food for Everyone IF campaign, a great movement of individuals and organisations united to tackle global hunger.

Mums Show Live, the new and only show for parents of 4 – 12 year olds, is offering tickets half price with the code BESTMUM. 

Mums Show Live will be taking place from 16 – 19 May at Alexandra Palace, London and will be a great day out for mum, and all the family (dad and kids go free).

Parents will get the chance to enjoy a spot of shopping, with brands including Joules, Fit Flops and Micro Scooters and also join in live conversation and inspiration theatres to get answers to challenging questions. Mums, dads and kids can also get involved in a diverse range of fun games, activities and entertainment.

For more information on the show please visit www.mumshowlive.com.

 

BRITS LEAVE IT LATE FOR MOTHER’S DAY

30% of Mums Left Disappointed as Last Minute Shoppers Fall Short of the Mark

Research carried out by One4all Gift Card reveals that over half of all Brits leave it late to plan their Mother’s Day treats.

As many as 54% of women and 58% of men admit to failing to plan ahead for Mother’s Day, saying that they regularly forget the date. Younger sons and daughters are the worst culprits with 72% of those aged between 18 and 24 forgetting to put Mother’s Day in their diaries.

As a result we can expect many Mums to be putting on a brave face this weekend, with 30% admitting that they are left disappointed with the thought and effort shown for them on Mother’s Day.

Men are also the biggest offenders at not making an effort to see their mums on Mother’s Day, with just 28% making a special visit compared to 43% of women. For men, it seems this weekend should be renamed Mother-in-Law’s Day.

However, it’s not all bad news with some mums receiving very fancy gifts indeed. The most extravagant gifts lavished on mums for Mother’s Day includes cars, cruises and diamond necklaces!

One solution for people not planning to be quite so generous this weekend, appears to be treating mum to a shopping trip for her to choose her own present.

Managing Director of One4all UK, Declan Byrne said, “We’ve seen our sales up 40% ahead of this weekend which is partly explained by people looking for last minute inspiration and deciding that perhaps mother knows best.

“The One4all gift card enables mum to choose a gift from 17,000 stores nationwide, so it takes the pressure off gift shopping and ensures mum gets a great gift, which she actually wants.”

If you need a last minute gift, you can purchase the One4all Gift Card from any of the 11,500 Post Office branches nationwide and at www.one4all.co.uk.

A gift card can be loaded with any amount from £10 to £400 and can be spent at 17,000 different retailer outlets nationwide including mum-favourites, House of Fraser, Debenhams and Boots.

Other points from the One4all research:

35% of our mothers rarely treat themselves

30% of mums out there still treat their grown-up kids, now full-grown adults, on a regular basis

Mums are best friends to over 30% of us

A quarter of us say our Mum is still the one person who can reduce us to feeling like a child with one look or one word

 

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Say happy Mother’s Day on Sunday 10th March with a limited edition Emma Bridgewater bag for life, designed for this year’s Red Nose Day, available now from TK Maxx stores throughout the UK.

 

British pottery maker Emma Bridgewater has created the stylish bag to encourage the great British public to ‘Do Something Funny For Money’. The money donated from sales of the products will be spent by Comic Relief to help people living incredibly tough lives across Africa and here in the UK.

The bag features a specially designed feathered ‘snitch’ nose and costs £9.99 with at least £4.00 going to Comic Relief.

Red Nose Day 2013 is heading your way on Friday 15th March.

 

Here is a brilliant infographic of the cost of celebrating Mother’s Day from Baines & Ernst.

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Drayton Manor offers the perfect gift for Mother’s Day

Every year the time comes to buy a present for Mother’s Day – but what about the Mum that has got everything? This year, give Mum the perfect gift of a fun day out to remember with the family to Drayton Manor Theme Park.

 

Family day pass

 

By purchasing a family pass, it will provide a far more exciting alternative to the usual flowers and chocolates, and instead, will offer a great day out to one of the UK’s most popular family attractions.

 

With Mother’s Day taking place on Sunday 10th March, it means there is only a five day wait to celebrate this special day with Mum at the park when it opens on Friday 15th March.

 

A family pass for four costs £108. However, tickets for the park are also available online at www.draytonmanor.co.uk for a reduced rate, providing a real value for money treat for the family and a well-deserved day off for Mum!

 

The Top 3 Must-Have Tech Gifts This Christmas

So, with 10 days to go until the big day, that dreaded Christmas-shopping-panic feeling has just set in; you’ve still got all the food to buy and you’re nowhere near to getting finished with the present purchasing – quite frankly, you’re in dire need of a Christmas shopping fairy to help you get it done all in time.

Part of the problem that’s stopping you from getting all of your gifts bought is the fact that you haven’t got a clue what to get everyone – your daughter has just said she wants the latest tablet, your son just wants a ‘cool’ game, and your other half has said he’s more than happy to have anything ‘techy’. And, this is where you say hello to your second problem – not knowing what to get them is one thing, but not knowing what on earth the latest technologies even are, opens up a whole new can of Christmas worms all together.

Well, if you’re struggling for inspiration this year or are in need of a little guidance on what to buy, here is our guide to the top 3 tech gifts you should buy this Christmas:

1. Kindle Fire HD 7 Inch Tablet

The Kindle Fire HD is the perfect gift if you’ve got a book-lover in your family. Combining free wireless with liquid ink technology, this eReader is the closest you’ll get to reading a real book – but, with the added advantage of being able to store all your favorite books in one handy device to read on the go! Sporting a full QWERTY keyboard, soft-touch finish, exclusive Dolby audio stereo speakers, as well as boasting the world’s first tablet with dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi for 40% faster downloads and streaming (phew! That was a mouthful – don’t worry, your tech-mad recipient will know exactly what all that means), it really is a must-have present this Christmas. For a 16GB data memory, you’re looking at a price tag of £159, or for the larger 32GB, it’ll set you back around £199.

2. Google Nexus 7

If you’re looking for this year’s newest and most exciting touch screen tablet, then Google’s rival product to the Apple iPad is the perfect option this Christmas. With impressive specifications, solid performance and raving reviews, whoever you decide to buy the gift for will not be left disappointed.

And what’s more, at costing far less than Apple’s new iPad mini, it’s the perfect option for you if you’re being particularly cautious on what you spend. Just like the Kindle Fire HD, a 16GB data memory will cost you around £159, with the larger model setting you back around £199.

And, if you’re feeling extra generous, you can also shop around for the best Internet bolt on deals, so your loved one can get using the Google Nexus 7 as soon as they open it. Whether they want to use it to hunt out the latest fashions from Topshop, New Look or Topman, or want to buy themselves some more techy gadgets in the sales, such as the latest transducers from www.transducertechniques.com, they’ll be able to surf the Internet to their heart’s content on Christmas Day!

3. Arcadie for iPhone

The Arcadie for iPhone is the perfect stocking filler present if you’ve got a gaming-fanatic youngster in the family. Simply pop an iPhone or iPod Touch into the case and it’ll convert it into a miniature arcade. With 6 free apps available, your recipient is bound to have endless hours of fun with this great device! And, even better for you, depending on where you buy it, you can grab for anything between £8 to £17 – it’s the perfect stocking-filler!

The Best Craft Books For Christmas

Christmas is fast approaching and our wallets are bracing themselves for the onslaught. There is a more thoughtful and cost effective way to let people know how much they mean to you, and it is fun too: Craft. So Frost Magazine has gathered up some excellent craft books for hours of fun and brilliant, original gifts for the people in your life.

Clangers

An excellent knitting book on the incredibly popular and historical British Television show, Clangers. The Clangers have been around since the 1960s. You can make the Clangers and their entire universe in 15 fun step-by-step projects. The book has original Clanger knitting patterns. Clangers is a very well illustrated book full of imaginative ways to make the Clangers universe. A must buy for fans and interesting for those who are not acquainted.

This fantastic new book will allow you to knit your own Clanger. Choose from Major, Mother, Granny, Small and Tiny. Includes instructions on the Soup Dragon, Iron Chicken and of course the Froglets. There are insider tips and tricks to create your very own Clanger planet with step-by-step instructions for Tiny’s boat and Major’s rocket as well as sets and trees. Learn how to make scenery, backdrops and props, and perfect that distinctive Clanger whistle!

Clangers: Make the Clangers and Their Planet with 15 Easy Step-by-step Projects (Knitting)

Best in Show: 25 More Dogs to Knit

I love this book. It shows you how to knit dogs, actual dogs. Whether it is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Shar Pei, Lurcher or Greyhound, your favourite breed of dog will probably be in here. And what an awesome present. Your sibling might get your mother something from Boots but imagine telling her you knitted her a DOG. It is an ace in sibling trump cards.

The book is separated into sections such as Toy, Utility, Working, Terriers, Gun Dogs. I think this is an excellent present. Full marks for coolness and imagination.

www.knityourowndog.com

The leading knitting books of 2010 and 2011, Best in Show Dogs & Cats have been outstanding global successes. Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne are back with 25 even more fabulous dog designs. You can knit your own precious pet, reproduce your favourite breed, or even knit the dog you have always desperately wanted.

Best In Show: 25 More Dogs to Knit

Mollie Makes Christmas

This book has over 20 projects to keep you entertained in the run up to Christmas and beyond. Buy this book and learn how to make Heirloom Stockings, Crochet a reindeer, make some festive stationary, knit an iPad cosy and make a Christmas Tree

You can make finger puppets to keep children entertained and cushions to pass out on when exhausted or when you have had too much wine. Fun for you and all the family. A great fun book.

If you’re hooked on crochet, hanker for handmade and would rather create your own unique Christmas than buy from a superstore, then this little book is for you. It perfectly captures the ‘living and loving handmade’ spirit of Mollie Makes magazine, celebrating the world of ‘granny chic’. Featuring over 20 new projects from Mollie Makes magazine’s favourite designers, Christmas showcases a passion for handmade. All the projects are easy to follow with clear step-by-step photographs and instructions, plus handy tips along the way. Many are suitable for beginners, but the Mollie Makes ethos is to give it a go and be proud of the end result. We positively embrace imperfection. Here’s to living and loving a handmade Christmas!

Mollie Makes Christmas: Living and Loving a Handmade Holiday

We Knit You a Merry Christmas

This book is as excellent as it’s name. This adorable book has 20 patterns for festive handmade gifts. A cool Turkey, ‘Let It Snow’ which is adorable snowballs on a sledge. Gingerbread men that look happy, Baa Humbug – cute sheep wearing Christmas hats. The most adorable deer. Santa and a polar bear. A Penguin, Three Wise Men, an Angel… It has everything to make your Christmas fun.

This book also has excellent and easy to follow knitting basics, sewing basics and conversions at the back which are really handy.

Christmas is a time for sharing, and hand-knitted gifts for friends and family are the perfect way to spread a little festive joy. We Knit You a Merry Christmas has something for everyone.

Traditional Christmas characters such as angels, choir boys, Father Christmas and the three kings make great decorations. Or add some fun and laughter to your Christmas celebrations this year with knitted animals such as sheep (‘Baa Humbug’), crocodiles (‘Snappy Christmas’) and Three French Hens, as well as quirkier items like chillies, sledging snowballs and of course the famous pea (‘Ha Pea Christmas’).

So forget gold, frankincense and myrrh and give the gift of knitting this Christmas.

We Knit You a Merry Christmas: 20 Patterns for Festive Handmade Gifts

New luxury lifestyle emporium – Cuckooland launches in the UK

– Another dreary luxury Gifting Site? Not on your nelly…. an exceptional site for extraordinary women launches in the UK-

Women deserve to be spoilt…check. Women love surprises…check. Women love unique…check. Well now comes a website that will spoil and surprise in equal measure with its unique and inspirational products for you, for your friend, for your family, heck – even your pooch!

Now if you are stressed out and have no time to pop down to John Lewis you just have to fire up your computer and go to Luxury lifestyle emporium Cuckooland is a website catering for the needs of the modern day woman and all her interests, impulses and indulgences. It features a range of luxurious and lavish products handily divided into useful categories including Mrs Smith, Mr Smith, Lifestyle Cool, Little Smiths, Pet Accessories, Travel and After Dark.

Each category showcases a cherry-picked selection of some of the most original and opulent brands on the planet including: luxury leather goods from across the pond with GI New York, the chicest jewellery from Sence Copenhagen, audiophile heaven from Ruark Audio, the sartorialist’s choice in travel accessories with TravelTeq and where else could you buy a white shirt for your dog? Only the most exclusive, original and desirable “non-mass produced” products reside in Cuckooland!

Even better, as a member you can earn site credits for sharing products you love with Cuckooland’s

“Share the Trends” incentive. Just share the products you love via Facebook or Twitter buttons on the product pages or you can create a Wishlist and then share your Wishlist by email, Facebook or Twitter and when the recipient buys the product via these links you receive credits:

• By sharing products up to the value of £75 you receive £2.50 credit on your

account.
• By sharing products over the value of £75 you receive £5.00 credit on your
account.

Unlike most luxury online gifting stores, the vast majority of Cuckooland’s stock is bought outright and kept at its warehouse for speedy delivery. All product deliveries are tracked and if you’re not happy with your delivery or order there is a “no questions asked 30 day returns policy”. And of course there is also a gift-wrapping service and a free gift tag available at checkout. In fact, the team at Cuckooland likes to think it has the best check out service in the business – quick, simple and secure. And, if you’re lucky you might even fall prey to a “Random Act of Cuckooness” – little surprises released by these slightly cuckoo people to brighten up your day.

Lastly, watch out for Zebarella, the awfully clever zebra centaur with a fabulously large bottom who you can thank for Cuckooland. It is Zebarella who had the idea of selecting the incredible array of original, desirable and non-mass produced products found in the hills, valleys, streams and estuaries of her native Cuckooland to share with you all online. If you want to see some of Zebarella’s favourite products take a peak at, “Zebarella’s Picks” a fantastic place to get you inspired before you flex your card.

Using Cash Rewards to Find the Best Gifts

Millions of people across the world are looking for ways to earn a little extra income. Offering services to others, working extra shifts, or taking on the responsibilities of second or third jobs can become time consuming and exhausting. Plus, this takes away from time spent with family and other loved ones. However, with costs rising on necessary items, purchasing extras such as gifts becomes nearly impossible.

Rewards Websites

Many people are learning the advantages of earning money from home. While some companies might be scams, those that are willing to put in a little time will reap the benefits offered by legitimate websites. Many sites offer rewards for customers who shop online. These sites typically have links to popular online retailers, and any purchase that you make through one of these links results in a percentage of the purchase back in cash. For those who enjoy online shopping, this is a foolproof way to make money on necessary purchases. There is more information on the RewardIt store about these types of rewards and information about how to get started.

 Online Survey Companies

Taking surveys online is another great way to make a little extra money on the side. Signing up with multiple survey companies is helpful, since you never know how often a new survey will be available. Each company usually offers slightly different rewards programs. Some offer gift cards, some provide an entry into a sweepstakes drawing for each completed survey, and others offer cash back when a participant completes a certain number of surveys.

 Check Past Giveaways

When you’re deciding which online moneymaking opportunities you want to be part of, you may want to look at past sweepstakes results for companies that offer this as the reward. This helps you to see what types of prizes are offered on the site, as well as how frequently the prizes are given. Before signing up for any company, it is important to do a little research and make sure no money is required up front to participate. Most survey companies offer compensation to participants because big businesses need feedback in order to perfect their products, so they are willing to pay for opinions.

Purchasing Gifts for Others

Using the cash rewards from taking surveys or shopping online is very helpful when purchasing gifts for loved ones. When the holidays come around, many people are already struggling to pay for necessary expenses such as a mortgage or rent, groceries, utilities, and other living costs. Adding expensive gifts to the budget might seem impossible. Using extra money from these rewards is a great way to enjoy the fun of giving gifts without adding extra financial strain.

This article was written by a Ella Mason, an experienced freelance writer. Ella specializes in money-making schemes specific to the internet. Ella also often enjoys regularly entering fun sweepstakes, competitions and entries for the chance to win prizes and cash!

Let Santa Know What You Are 'Whishin' For.

A website which believes it has solved the annual problem of being given unwanted Christmas presents has launched in the run-up to this year’s festive season. The site launches on a day which has been dubbed ‘Mega Monday’, one of the busiest online shopping days of the year as shoppers receive their final pay packet before the festive season.

whishin.com, the brainchild of founder Charlie Rowan, will allow customers to create wish lists of gifts from across the web in one easy to use place, and share them with groups of family and friends, or even for people who think they deserve a bonus – their boss.

A simple downloadable tool which sits in the bookmark bar of a user’s internet browser makes it simple to save information, including the web-link and an image, about any item on any website. From there, customers can build lists and invite friends and family to share the details.

“We’ve finally put an end to the days of reindeer emblazoned jumpers,” said Rowan. “Now everyone in your family can have access to what you actually want this year. Christmas has always meant endless lists which either get lost or get you confused. With whishin there is no more forgetting where you saw that special gift, or cutting and pasting the web link and sending to loved ones. By using the whishin.com bookmarking tool you can now store all the details in one place at a touch of a button and share with friends and family to leave a few heavy hints! Children can even make a special list for Santa.”

The social aspect of whishin.com will see customers connect with friends and create lists or events together, as Rowan explained.

“Make a list of gifts you and your brother can buy your Dad; ask your sister’s advice about the earrings you like for your wife; or plan that short holiday with your mates over New Year. whishin.com allows you to do all this, to chat and comment on items, to make joint decisions or get opinions from the people you trust”.

The tool can be found at www.whishin.com. Go onto the website, sign up (it’s free) and download the whishin.com bookmarking tool by following three easy steps. Create your own list on the whishin website, and then start browsing and adding items.

Black Friday needs to have an effect in the UK

The US Retail sector enthusiastically braces itself for a horde of bargain hunters

Today, Black Friday, so-called as it is the day when a vast swathe of the retail sector head out of the red and into the black, may make an economic turning point in the run up to Christmas. With half of the entire US population, some 152 million people, expected to hit the shops over the course of this weekend, up 10% on last year- the spike in trade could mean good news across the economy.

Black Friday usually sees shopping chains throw open their doors in the early hours. But this year that rush has crept into Thanksgiving Day itself. The effect isn’t limited to the US however, as Britain’s biggest and most well-known retailers have started “mega sales” early this year in an attempt to boost Christmas shopping amongst cash strapped shoppers. Amazon, in the run up to Black Friday is offering bargains for its ‘Black Friday Deals Week’ and Comet are offering a 5day Frenzy super sale. In effect this has turned black Friday into one of the biggest online shopping days of the year.

In the run up to Christmas consumers are expected to spend a whopping £7.75 billion on online shopping according to e-tailing trade association IMRG. An estimated £13 billion will be spent across all sectors online, however figures on the high street are expected to fall by 2.1 per cent in spite of so many sales starting early. It is clear that this year’s success stories will be told with a distinctly online lilt.

Kevin Flood, CEO of the leading social shopping website Shopow said, “Retailers that were desperately in need of a reversal of their fortunes have found that they now have an encouraging platform on which to build in the run up to Christmas. High street stores have had to pull out all the stops to make their shops attractive by reducing prices early and creating imaginative promotions to increase footfall and more activity at the tills. It is still far from plain sailing and there is still a lot of pressure on retailers and as long as business and consumer confidence remains low, the battle will continue to persuade shoppers to return in their droves.

“Online activity has emerged as a vital area that will only continue to grow in importance over Christmas. We are expecting a significant amount of Christmas activity online and those who have introduced innovative shopping tools that make shopping easier and more cost effective will take capitalise.”

For the past six years, a combination of increasingly early opening times and an array of discounts have helped make the day after Thanksgiving the biggest shopping day – and cement the term “black Friday.” It will be nonetheless difficult for chains that have struggled with sales declines lately, including the likes of Topshop, to see a benefit from thoroughly deep discounting. Many have opted instead to move into the social shopping environment in order to drive sales through peer to peer reviewing and sustainable discounting.

Social shopping has emerged as an exciting trend in online retailing as many of these high street stores look to engage consumers. It involves the use of social networking to share recommendations, share discounts, post reviews and ask for advice on products before purchase.

Mike Harty COO of Shopow (www.shopow.co.uk) said “Regular web shoppers are now empowered to talk about their purchases in an honest way. Social shopping enables shoppers to use their trusted networks to make informed decisions but also makes online shopping more interactive, enjoyable and indeed sustainable.”

Roger Moore's Christmas wish to you

Let the bells ring out for every child in the world this Christmas.

This festive season, forget the latest iPhone, toy or gadget and give your family and friends a
truly inspirational present by treating them to a UNICEF Inspired gift, which will be delivered
to a vulnerable child around the world on their behalf.

UNICEF’s Inspired Gift range is unique, suitable for all budgets and easy to buy online.
All the inspired gifts are real lifesaving supplies delivered to children, some living in desperate

conditions around the world. They include items such as medicines, foods, water containers
and education materials. Your friend or family member will receive a gift card, which tells
them how their gift is making a real difference to children’s lives.

Now, with the ‘children’s famine’ affecting nearly 2 million children in Somalia alone and its
impact likely to last for years to come, there is no better time to add a UNICEF Inspired Gift to this year’s Christmas shopping list.

There is a gift for every budget;
• For £13 you can purchase life-saving therapeutic milk to help a child suffering from
severe malnutrition to survive another day.
• You can help five families protect themselves from malaria with mosquito nets for just
£20
• For £12 you could brighten a child’s day with five story books
• For those with a slightly bigger budget, £150 will enable you to deliver an entire
‘school in a box’ to children caught up in an emergency so they get back to learning
as soon as possible

UNICEF is the world’s leading children’s organisation, responding to more than 200
emergencies each year and working in every country to make sure the world’s most
vulnerable children are reached. Every year, more than 8 million children die before their fifth
birthday, mostly from preventable causes, that’s almost one child every four seconds. This is
wrong but by purchasing one of UNICEF’s inspired gifts this Christmas, you can help to put it
right.

See our top 10 Inspired Gifts below, or go online to view the full range:
www.unicef.org.uk/inspired

For those who want to wrap up something to go under the tree then UNICEF also offers a
more traditional selection of cards and gifts including gorgeous handmade leather bags and
ethical jewellery: www.unicef.org.uk/shop

Our top 10 Inspired Gifts
All of the photos can be provided as high-resolution images on request. Product photos also
available. Prices effective as of 1 September 2011

Emergency water kit for a family £8.50

Give a UNICEF Inspired Gift that will enable a family caught up in an emergency or natural
disaster to collect, store and even purify water.

Deliver a baby £27
Provide all the equipment and medicines needed for the safe delivery of a new baby.
Life-saving milk £13
Give life-saving, therapeutic milk for the treatment of severe child malnutrition.
Water pump £320
Buy a water pump and help provide clean, safe drinking water for a whole community.
Peanut paste to save a child from malnutrition £23.50
Help malnourished children with this life-saving therapeutic food. It’s a high-protein, peanutbased
paste that comes in a ready-to-use sachet.
Five mosquito nets £20
Mosquito nets for five families to protect them from malaria. Malaria kills one African child
every 30 seconds.
Three months HIV medicines for a mum and a baby £12
Provide life-saving anti-retroviral medicines for a mother and baby for three months.
Polio vaccines £9.50
Protect 100 children from this highly contagious viral infection.
School-in-a-box £150
This emergency education kit provides the school supplies that children need to continue their
lessons as soon as possible after a disaster.
Story books £12
Open up the delight of story-time for whole groups of children with five story books.

UNICEF’s full range of Cards, Gifts and Inspired Gifts* are available exclusively online at
www.unicef.org.uk/shop or by calling 0844 888 5505.