Dear readers,

As we are winding up for the Christmas break this week we thought we would join the rest of the blogging world and give you some hot tips on Christmas gifts, for those of you who (like us) inevitably end up spending Christmas Eve running around like maniacs in the gift section of Marks & Spencer. This year our early resolution has been to be slightly more organised, but failing that, the following treats ought to put a smile on the faces of all but the most Scrooge-like gift receivers.

Toast enamel mugA perfect stocking filler from Toast, and also unbreakable, handy as a gift for the student house-sharer in your life (and also for when you are bashing other Christmas shoppers around the knees with your shopping bags).

Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle. Whites Books editionThe White's Books edition of Sherlock Holmes is beautifully bound with a cover illustrated by Michael Kirkham. Perfect for a fan of the great detective, and with a couple of new instalments coming out on screen this winter (Benedict Cumberbatch vs. Robert Downey Jr as Holmes? No contest. Sorry, Robert!) there are sure to be some avid new fans out there.

 Amadeo decanter by Stefan Umdash for Riedel, 2006This incredibly elegant decanter is a surefire way to impress in-laws, siblings, parents, and friends with your impeccable taste, and it makes a stunning centrepiece for a festive table spread with goodies. Riedel have 11 generations of glass manufacturing behind them, and their wine glasses and decanters are so uniquely well-designed we featured them in Tools for Living.

'La Dolce Vita: The Golden Age of Italian Style and Celebrity', by Stephen Bayley. Fiell Publishing 2011One of our most recent books here at FIELL, La Dolce Vita embodies the glamour and excitement of Italy in the late 1950s, when celebrities flocked to Rome and Venice, all the while being documented by the paparazzi. Stephen Bayley's incisive introduction and captions are a treat, and anyone with a passion for photography and celebrity culture will love this.Lidl mini stollen

My friend used to bring these round to our house every Boxing Day, and they disappeared within seconds. Lidl has a fantastic range of German Christmas delicacies, and they are all so cheap you will probably buy ten packets and completely ruin your Christmas dinner. So worth it.

Meet me in St Louis, starring Judy Garland. MGM, 1944Meet Me in St Louis is without question the best Christmas movie of all time, featuring the most poignant Christmas song ever written. Buy a ticket to see it on the big screen for yourself and a loved one at the BFI and you will both laugh and cry your way through this musical masterpiece.

Lego 'Architecture' collection, Rockefeller CentreLego have a collection of 'Architecture' kits with a selection of iconic buildings, for a young budding architect or perhaps the architect who never grew up.

 'Fashion Sourcebook 1920s' by Charlotte Fiell and Emmanuelle Dirix. FIELL Publishing 2012

Last but not least, anyone who has read any article about fashion in the past 6 months will know that 2012 has been slated as the year of the 1920s fashion revival - drop-waists and fringing will abound. Any fashionista worth her salt will want Fashion Sourcebook 1920s, and if you miss your Christmas deadline then this will be a lovely new year surprise for them, as it comes out in January.

Happy holidays everyone, see you in the New Year!