Worst Christmas decorations ever (or the best?)

Our Christmas tree is looking far too sparse. So sparse it could be mistaken for a deliberate attempt at stylishness, which I think is a shame this time of the year when you can get away with so much more. 

Last year we had these chaps as our tree topper. This year... any suggestions? While I was searching for inspiration (OK, while I was procrastinating about doing my tax return) I found some

On the last* day of Christmas... Matthias Heiderich's photography

Aren't these vivid photographs of Berlin architecture fantastic? They are the work German photographer, Matthias Heiderich.

They remind me a little of Slim Aarons' 70s beach photography – the colours, at least, as Aarons' work is full of people. But Heiderich's work is a bit more financially accessible – and one of his pictures would make an amazing gift, don't you think?



© Matthias Heiderich

Competition: win a limited edition lava lamp in time for Christmas

While we're on the Christmas present tip (I've been posting a different, affordable gift idea a day all month in case you've missed them), this could be the solution for that teenage niece, just-out-of-home-er, or godson on the list. 

A lava lamp: what do you think?



While I probably wouldn't have a lava lamp at home myself these days, I do have a very soft spot for the things, as illustrated

On the 11th* day of Christmas... old-school tea-towels

Have you ever not loved getting a tea-towel as a present? I like a gift that you can use every day – and I know that each time I use one of my own tea-towels, given as a gift, I also think of the person who gave it to me. Which is nice.

Tea-towels are also an excellently easy way to revamp a kitchen: instant (and practical) art. Who will you give yours to – and will it be one of these heavily

On the tenth* day of Christmas... Future & Found's enamel vases

Good for toothbrushes, small bunches of flowers, planting hyacinth bulbs in, worktop cutlery, pencils... or just for looking at, lined up on a nice shelf.



Enamel vase, £15, Future & Found

And if these float your boat, you might also love these graphic Polish bar mugs, two of which I recently bought to display (and use) in the kitchen.

Post by Kate

* It's the tenth day in (this) blog's world

On the ninth* day of Christmas... Ikea butcher's block

I featured the new and stylish Ikea Trendig range when it came out a couple of months ago. 

And one of the standouts for me (among some really great bowls and unusual tea-towels) was this chunky bamboo chopping board. A good unisex present for anyone who enjoys their time in the kitchen.



Trendig butcher's block, £16, Ikea

Bamboo is hardwearing, so it should last the distance too – which is

On the eighth* day of Christmas... give the gift of copper

Its price makes it a little tricky to place as a festive gift: the £60 mark puts a present into the upper bracket of other halves, "big" birthdays and family (or is that just me?). 

So I imagine there may be more of you who'd fancy this for yourselves than have someone in that category on the present list who'd appreciate a beautiful, shiny copper mirror. But do let me know if I'm wrong.



On the seventh* (blogging) day of Christmas... Vanja Bazdulj cups

This weekend in south London the HQ of Cavaliero Finn, dealers in well-curated yet affordable art and art-driven homewares, threw open their doors to host a festive open house/festive shop. 

I was gutted not to be able to make it, but was out of town at two massive car boot sales out of town (more of which to come) and didn't get back in time, alas. Next best thing, I thought, would be to pick

On the sixth day of Christmas... Will Patrons Kindly Refrain print

For readers who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, here's some shameless nostalgia porn...

... and a potentially brilliant present. I bought a version of this print a few years ago for my bathroom and I still absolutely love it.



Pedlars, where I bought mine (for quite a lot more money than this, dammit) sold out of their limited stock of the prints pretty swiftly. For ages I couldn't find the

On the fifth day of Christmas... Anthropologie monogrammed soaps

If you thought you couldn't afford anything in Anthropologie, try these. 

One – or two? – of these beautifully (and differently) packaged, bright soaps each bearing a lone initial could be a good gift for that extra person at your festive dinner table you don't know that well.







You know, a distant aunt, a relative's non Christmas celebrating foreign friend, a stylish waif and stray,

On the fourth day of Christmas... Danish concrete accessories

There's been a leap day: being a day behind made no sense, so there was no third day of Christmas and we're straight onto the fourth to line up with today's date. 

And if you are searching for a gift for lovers of brutalist architecture – this could be the best £7 you spend this Xmas.






This simple concrete house shaped ornament is a very stylish stocking filler or minimalist gift for that

On the second day of Christmas... Folklore slate supper board

OK. So it's not the second day of Christmas, it's the third day of December. But it's the second item on my gift-idea-a-day bonanza that is running until the big day.

And today's affordable present idea is one for foodies, table-styling supremos or people who just like to eat things off something more interesting than a plate.



Someone in my family is very fond of eating his toast off a nice

On the first day of Christmas... Mia Fleur horse bookends

For the month of December, I'll be doing a Christmas-present-a-day countdown here. 

Partly inspired by writing the Independent on Sunday's home and garden gift guide – and having a zillion lovely extras there wasn't room to include – each day there'll be gifts for him, gifts for her, or maybe a little reward for for the busy shopper. Ahem. Here's number one.






Horse head book-ends, £48, Mia