Elaine M

List of My Favoruite Christmas Gifts for 2025 - Organised by recipients

Wedding Season - I feel like I'm living in Four Weddings and a Funeral I go to so many weddings, so here's my favourite picks for outfits for guests this year at various types of weddings.

Going to University is a huge step and the last thing on your mind is the every day essentials - but it's so important that you get everything you need.

I don't have kids but loads of my friends do - buying for Christmas and Birthdays used to terrify me but I soon worked out what works, hopefully someone who buys for kids but doesn't have any themselves might find this useful for ideas. I try and stick away from the things that parents and family members usually but for their own kids, like branded toys and usually stick to educational gifts and kits. I also buy gifts that hopefully my friends appreciate too - activity based kits can be very helpful for school holidays.

A list of all the things I couldn't do without for my dogs, including a few things people often forget.

The best books for anyone wanting to know more about the history of Scotland, from the ancient past with it's mysterious inhabitants and ancient monuments through the medieval wars for the countries very survival to the modern period of invention, empire and emigration.

Scottish themed gifts which are a little out of the ordinary

Places to visit in Ayrshire if you're looking to plan a family day out.

Best destinations for those visiting the Dumfries and Galloway for a day-trip or as part of a holiday

If, like me, you love to give a Christmas gift hamper but get bored with the same old food selections, then making your own gift hamper can be a fun alternative. It works well with all ages and is especially great if you want to gift to a family group or a set of child siblings, as it can often be easier to find several smaller gift items than one large one. You can also tailor boxes to suit interests such as sports, movies or themes such as countries or cooking…the only limit on what you can do with gift hampers is your own imagination!