· 4 min read
Three good things beat seven bits of tat
Under £15 and still worth wrapping. The problem with small gifts is how they are chosen, not the budget.
Gift ideas and advice
What we have learned about choosing a gift that lands: how to read the person, when to spend more, and what to do when nothing comes to mind.
9 articles · Show all
· 5 min read
A birthday gift's going rate is set by your circle
There is no national rate for a birthday present. The right amount is what your friends, family and other parents already spend. Here is how to find it.
· 3 min read
There is a right number, and it is not the cost of your seat
Everyone searches for this number online, but nobody asks it out loud. Here is a calm answer, with real figures.
· 2 min read
They've bought the kit. Buy for the ritual
They already have the grinder and the scales. Buy something that goes with their coffee ritual, not more equipment.
· 4 min read
Set the Christmas gift budget per person, then add it up
An average Christmas spend tells you what other people did. A budget built from your own list tells you what you can do.
· 4 min read
Doubling your budget won't fix a gift
The price of a gift says little about whether it will be used or loved. Here is what the research shows, and what to look at instead.
· 5 min read
Teachers keep the card. The gift can be something they use
What teachers actually use at Christmas: a card with one true line, something that gets used up, and a tin the whole staff room can share.
· 3 min read
£20 buys 'how did you know?' or landfill
At around £20, choosing well matters most, because the price cannot make a gift look impressive.
· 6 min read
Everything in the Secret Santa drawer, and how not to add to it
Most Secret Santa gifts at £10-20 are thrown away by January. Here is how to spend that budget on something they will keep.