I have a ‘thing’ about Christmas crackers and Christmas stockings, that if you’re going to have/do them at Christmas you have to do them properly, and include gifts that are fun/useful/attractive/covetable/delicious/wearable/functional etc etc etc which pretty well rules out the crackers this year.
I haven’t yet mentioned that to the kids however, the youngest of whom is 22 I might add, and who still expect a Christmas stocking (read pillow case) to be outside their door on Christmas morning. I say outside, I haven’t yet recovered from the potential dangers of the bag of flour/bucket of water Santa welcome I received a few years back so I’ve drawn the line under actually entering the sleeping quarters.
Back to the crackers – yes they look pretty on the Christmas table but really. Useful? Of value? Sorry but no. So if the earning son wants them this year he will have to provide, and wear my hat as well.
There are, however, some reasonably priced gifts out there if you look hard enough. Under £10 is quite a challenge, but here are 30. You have just two or three days left to order, although they’re all going fast……
![Tiny Tim Book Light Tiny Tim Book Light](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LPq-mpFB6O4/UMyj3TUtubI/AAAAAAAAIDk/xN1mLBYk0YU/Tiny%252520Tim%252520Book%252520Light%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Fairisle Pompom slippers Fairisle Pompom slippers](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lt3E6ucNPsE/UMyj4C8CFfI/AAAAAAAAIDs/ONV51i2_4uw/Fairisle%252520Pompom%252520slippers%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Lily Flame Love Candle in a Tin Lily Flame Love Candle in a Tin](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9H4JBk1vyjQ/UMyj5m5NibI/AAAAAAAAIIw/Esz1wjCehTo/Lily%252520Flame%252520Love%252520Candle%252520in%252520a%252520Tin%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![The White Company White Lavender Soap The White Company White Lavender Soap](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1Sey2HumfA4/UMykGlgz4XI/AAAAAAAAIHg/l11V0lTgXk0/The%252520White%252520Company%252520White%252520Lavender%252520Soap%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Ridleys Flying Plane Ridleys Flying Plane](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DC4tneF6uUA/UMyj7G-UyeI/AAAAAAAAII0/hkiCL3o4YaM/Ridleys%252520Flying%252520Plane%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xr5-RYQo8FA/UMyj8O_lfCI/AAAAAAAAIEI/TVg2sGzr3sU/Fifty%252520Plants%252520that%252520Changed%252520the%252520Course%252520of%252520History%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Fitness Resistance Band, Medium Fitness Resistance Band, Medium](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yFlz_Kiae3g/UMyj82dHNCI/AAAAAAAAIEU/kA3kBTaVSg8/Fitness%252520Resistance%252520Band%25252C%252520Medium%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Jelly Belly Gift Box Jelly Belly Gift Box](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bUZdi2ldEmo/UMyj-OU-xMI/AAAAAAAAII4/hZLjo4Cy4vs/Jelly%252520Belly%252520Gift%252520Box%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Uniqlo Heattech Knitted Legwarmers Uniqlo Heattech Knitted Legwarmers](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vp9iR559GDk/UMykExdDVfI/AAAAAAAAIFc/ei0gjxxIgiY/Uniqlo%252520Heattech%252520Knitted%252520Legwarmers%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Bike Spokelit Bike Spokelit](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-g3d5v1z3UB0/UMykDPQpphI/AAAAAAAAII8/Mr2kWhf0V6g/Bike%252520Spokelit%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Hugh Johnson Pocket Wine Guide Hugh Johnson Pocket Wine Guide](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8KQu47gYa5g/UMyj_JXhhSI/AAAAAAAAIEg/jQNU5dgFSS0/Hugh%252520Johnson%252520Pocket%252520Wine%252520Guide%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Phillips FM Clock Radio Phillips FM Clock Radio](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-J6OllGx0ghQ/UMyj_4YoFiI/AAAAAAAAIJA/6nDZ2I0mt-8/Phillips%252520FM%252520Clock%252520Radio%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Hearmuffs with Built in Headphones Hearmuffs with Built in Headphones](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-SKYPFxQCEYU/UMykAt1BGoI/AAAAAAAAIJE/EcibbOeIVmY/Hearmuffs%252520with%252520Built%252520in%252520Headphones%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Gaiam Habitat Water Bottle Gaiam Habitat Water Bottle](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xN5HIRn96YA/UMyj6RgDROI/AAAAAAAAID4/qmmbG6IhJjw/Gaiam%252520Habitat%252520Water%252520Bottle%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Chocolate Game Chocolate Game](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gG0IT8YeASA/UMykBcxgiGI/AAAAAAAAIE4/rT7v45OKQwg/Chocolate%252520Game%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![iPieces iPad App Air Hockey Game iPieces iPad App Air Hockey Game](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hknmGCdT6Sw/UMykCftRoaI/AAAAAAAAIFE/wJgmcAW3GIo/iPieces%252520iPad%252520App%252520Air%252520Hockey%252520Game%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Uniqlo Heattech Neckwarmer Uniqlo Heattech Neckwarmer](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1FudQTEYznU/UMykH5m162I/AAAAAAAAIFw/1lCtzA9pkEg/Uniqlo%252520Heattech%252520Neckwarmer%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Bobbi Brown Twilight Night Nail Polish Bobbi Brown Twilight Night Nail Polish](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bvvhsejyoNM/UMykM6T4SnI/AAAAAAAAIGc/KmH4qPrFe0M/Bobbi%252520Brown%252520Twilight%252520Night%252520Nail%252520Polish%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Cath Kidston Blossom Shower Gel Cath Kidston Blossom Shower Gel](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-z0aAXfIQRi8/UMykI27G6ZI/AAAAAAAAIF8/-tOs00Y7608/Cath%252520Kidston%252520Blossom%252520Shower%252520Gel%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Panasonic Headphones Panasonic Headphones](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-q8wAueIqb1o/UMykJ7tCkHI/AAAAAAAAIGE/8qPyoAIRB8c/Panasonic%252520Headphones%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Quicksilver Beanie Quicksilver Beanie](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-T7J3xuZQN58/UMykPhpcdxI/AAAAAAAAIG0/U28Cz88A5Ow/Quicksilver%252520Beanie%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Roberts Pillowtalk Speaker Roberts Pillowtalk Speaker](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ViFv_HKETf8/UMykLDiOogI/AAAAAAAAIGM/Tdh2tb8advE/Roberts%252520Pillowtalk%252520Speaker%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Laura Mercier Eyelash Curler Laura Mercier Eyelash Curler](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2JYTIw4lSzE/UMykTMtcPoI/AAAAAAAAIHU/KbwLzXv0-f4/Laura%252520Mercier%252520Eyelash%252520Curler%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Horizon Argyll Socks Horizon Argyll Socks](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1bCPY0tWTBs/UMykQaxv9LI/AAAAAAAAIG4/H5Hi18vQuKA/Horizon%252520Argyll%252520Socks%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Toast of the Coast Body Butter Toast of the Coast Body Butter](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4hUJmNmUimU/UMykN8JfTFI/AAAAAAAAIGk/ypSHEH2Kizw/Toast%252520of%252520the%252520Coast%252520Body%252520Butter%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Greenscape Organic Cocoa Butter Shower Gel Greenscape Organic Cocoa Butter Shower Gel](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-t3skiNJBkSs/UMykO2DOzoI/AAAAAAAAIGs/IlSAQV6nYoc/Greenscape%252520Organic%252520Cocoa%252520Butter%252520Shower%252520Gel%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Chocolate Scrabble Chocolate Scrabble](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-F2yiXn3q800/UMykF_TShRI/AAAAAAAAIFg/JhuNT8PIDOA/Chocolate%252520Scrabble%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Hotel Chocolat Dark Chocolate Chilli Puddles Hotel Chocolat Dark Chocolate Chilli Puddles](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-USi4Uevu6Eo/UMykRDXu80I/AAAAAAAAIHE/qRoWCLVaKqc/Hotel%252520Chocolat%252520Dark%252520Chocolate%252520Chilli%252520Puddles%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Butterfly Home by Matthew Williamson Bath Foam Butterfly Home by Matthew Williamson Bath Foam](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DrvW1eVdQB4/UMykMDOgpbI/AAAAAAAAIGU/vIRdl_BBXOA/Butterfly%252520Home%252520by%252520Matthew%252520Williamson%252520Bath%252520Foam%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Kitsound Mini Buddy Penguin Speaker Kitsound Mini Buddy Penguin Speaker](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HtvSe2NRiDM/UMykSEDelVI/AAAAAAAAIJI/d8e7O6zCFUM/Kitsound%252520Mini%252520Buddy%252520Penguin%252520Speaker%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800)