Christmas Chocolate Selection from Thorntons

There’s an early bird offer on Christmas chocolates over at Thorntons. The old favourite of chocolate fans is offering a box of classics for £5 instead of £10 – meaning you can beat the rush for Christmas presents and deliveries.

Thorntons Classics: Christmas Chocolate Selection (442g) £5.00 was £10.00

A limited edition Christmas Collection that has something for everyone. Great value for money and big enough to share with guests this Christmas – contains 36 Thorntons chocolates. This product is alcohol free.
£1.13 per 100g Product Code: 0068 Gift Wrap this item for £3.50

International delivery is available through Thorntons, so your relatives, friends and even clients abroad can taste the quality of Thornton’s master chocolatiers. Standard delivery through Thorntons online costs £3.95, but takes the hassle out of gift giving in the festive season.

Fallout 3 on XBOX 360

This Christmas, a lot of teenagers and adults will be receiving a computer game from their families- but how many of us know really which ones to get?

Here, I review one of the biggest games of 2008 – Fallout 3 – which, providing your loved one hasn’t already bought, any fan of first person shooter games will love.

If you’ve seen your inteded gift recipient playing on games where they roam around with a gun in front of them happily blasting things with a variety of weapons, then there’s every chance that they will absolutely love Fallout 3.

Which Formats is Fallout 3 Available in?

There’s little point in buying a game unless the person you buy it for has the right technology to play it! Fallout 3, luckily, comes in most formats, you can choose from the following:

• PC
• XBOX 360
• Playstation 3

Where to Buy Fallout 3 Online

UK buyers will find some of the cheapest copies of Fallout 3 with the following online retailers:

• Play.com – £24.99 PC Game & Many Other Offers – Free Delivery on everything
• GAME – Variety of options.

Please be aware that the Fallout 3 game is a Certificate 18 in the UK and is not suitable for young children, due to high levels of violence.

In the US you can purchase Fallout 3 from Best Buy, just click here to view their current range

Play Winemaker for a Day - €149.00 per person

If you think you know your wine, then this little adventure will either validate you knowldege, or completely obliterate it. Château Haut Garriguein in the South West France is where you’ll hone your skills and be involved in the winemaking process from harvesting to blending, all under the expert guidance of a real life winemaker.

Price includes a casual lunch and your three bottles of unique blend. February, March and April only. Reservation required. Book early to be sure of a place.

Buy a Vineyard Share – prices start at €99

For those who love wine, but want to delve a little further into their passion, why not buy a share in one of Château Haut Garriguein vineyards. You will be entitle to own an entire row of vines for a year or more.

What will you receive:

Chateau Haut Garrigue vineyard share includes:
1. Rent of a row of vines in Chateau Haut Garrigue’s vineyards for a year and a case of wine from the parcel to be collected at the Chateau (they can shipped to members in Ireland/ UK at extra cost)
2. A ‘Vineyard Share’ certificate and photo of your named row
3. Your name on the ‘Vineyard Share’ members list in Chateau Haut Garrigue’s Tasting room
4. Your name on an oak sign on your row of vines in the vineyard for your year of membership
5. Invitations to member’s events – including the opportunity to try your hand at picking and participate in a ‘vendange’ (harvest) celebration
6. Visits to Chateau Haut Garrigue to inspect your row of vines at any time
7. A newsletter about what’s happening in the vineyard

Book now for the coming harvest season.

1. Christmas Books

For Dads, you’ll probably be looking at biographies, travel books and humour. In terms of biographies for Dads to read there are the following contenders:

• Sean Connery’s “Being A Scot” £17 - according to reviews, it is doesn’t reveal any juicy gossip about the Bond girls, but it does paint a vivid picture of the Scotland of Connery’s childhood.
• William Hague’s “William Wilberforce” £7.59 – the former leader of the Tory party and MP for Richmond, examines the life of William Wilberforce, MP for Hull, who campaigned against the slave trade and moved in the most powerful circles of British political life.
• “Lord Levy” £16.14 – the man at the centre of the cash for peerages scandal under Tony Blair, tells his own story.

For travel there’s “Pies and Prejudice” £6.99 – a humourous trip round the North of England and “Great British Journeys” (from £8.99) – recreating eight epic journeys made by British Explorers, amongst others. In humour, there’s the “QI: The Pocket Book of General Ignorance” (from £6.99), which will be a favourite for any fans of Stephen Fry.

2. DVDs

There’s nothing better than sitting down on Christmas afternoon to watch a DVD with a whole selection box ahead of you. Get your Dad a DVD or, even better, a box set, so that everyone can join in the fun. Here are our Dad’s DVD picks:

• Planet Earth 5-disc set £20.49: “This series will take you to the last wildernesses on Earth, and show you the planet and its wildlife as you have never seen them before.” The series is narrated by David Attenborough and took four years to make.
• Clarkson Thriller £12.99: Just out, this DVD is making the headlines as the latest hit from TV’s favourite motoring journalist.
• The Ultimate Bourne Collection 3-discs £17.99: “A man who may or may not be Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is found floating in the Mediterranean Sea and is hauled onto a fishing boat. When the ship’s doctor examines the unconscious castaway, he discovers two bullet wounds and an implanted device that displays a Swiss bank account number.” And so begins the series of Bourne thrillers, that twist and turn with every new discovery made by the amnesiac assassin.
• Genesis – When in Rome (Live 2007) 3-disc set £14.99: 2 discs of concert and one disc full of Genesis documentary, this DVD will take your Dad back to his glory days!

3. Magazine Subscriptions

Does your Dad like fishing? Watching Countryfile? Or fixing up his motorbike on a weekend? Why not get him a magazine subscription so that he will keep getting a Christmas present every month without having to go out to the shop. Generally speaking, a six-month subscription will be £15 or above. There’s something for everyone so just choose from these magazine producers:

• BBC Shop: Top Gear, Countryfile, Sky at Night, Gardener’s World and more…
• Lonely Planet Guides: Language guides, diving guides, country guides and more…
• Great Magazines: Golfer, Bike, Practical Photography, Trout & Salmon

4. Golfing Days

PGA Golf Day £99

Club together with your brothers and sisters to get your Dad’s game into full swing. The day includes instruction from golf professionals as well as coffee, lunch and a programme to take home. Nothing too strenuous, just a relaxing day spent improving on a hobby. Check the locations before you buy. If you find that the locations listed are not suitable, there are similar golfing options available from Activity Gifts (starting from £45) and Activity Superstore (prices start at £30).

5.  Taxi Meter £9.95

Taxi Meter for Dads £9.95

Is your Dad always complaining that you treat him like a taxi? Get him a taxi meter so that he can count just how much you owe him and give you the chance to earn those inconvenient rides. You might think twice about asking for a lift to school, but at least your Dad will find it funny. The cab meter works on a system of novelty cards that say things like “make your Dad a cup of tea”. Kids have to build up these cards in order to get a lift. If the novelty wears off, you can put the meter in your bedroom where it doubles up as an alarm clock. Can also be used for “Mum’s Cab” and “Family Cab”.

6. Tie & Cufflinks Sets £30

Savile Row £30

Beautifully presented in an easy-to-wrap box, these tie and cufflink sets come in seven different designs.

• 100% silk, hand-finished tie
• Exquisite Savile Row Company jacquard tipping on tie
• Wool inter-lining to perfect tie body and shape
• Matching round silk cufflinks in white metal setting

Fabulous gift idea. Pure silk Savile Row tie with matching round, silk cufflinks. In a beautiful little black box.

Savile Row also do gift boxes for shirts and ties. Online orders benefit from half price delivery. Skinny ties also available.

7. Scottish Malt Whisky

Every Dad is different, so if you’re buying him a nice drink for Christmas you may be better off getting him a cognac, bourbon or sloe gin, but at The Wine Blokes UK and Australian shops, there are a great number of boxed spirit sets which include glasses and hip flasks amongst other accessories. There’s a 50 year old Glenfiddich with tasting notes and a certificate for £4750 and a Highland Park 1958 with hand blown decanter for £1290. For those with a shorter budget there’s the Royal Naval rum, Pusser’s, – otherwise known as Nelson’s Blood – in a special hip flask with naval toasts written on the back for only £13.39.

8. The Cadbury’s Gorilla Gift Set £30

You must have seen the advert by now, if not, watch the youtube video above. It doesn’t make sense, but if your Dad thinks it’s funny, get him the Cadbury’s gorilla gift set (£30), complete with 12 inch Cadbury Gorilla, 1kg Cadbury Dairy Milk Bar, 1x 200g Milk Tray, 1x 230g Fruit and Nut Dairy Milk Bars, 1x 230g Bubbly Dairy Milk Bar, 1x 230g Caramel Dairy Milk. The gorilla is playing along to “In The Air Tonight” (1981) by Phil Collins – the drummer / singer who used to be in Genesis before he went solo.

9. Bose Audio Systems from £499

Bose are the Rolls Royce of audio systems. They have a simple remote control (no swearing at the mulit-lingual instructions) and set themselves for optimum sound quality depending on the shape and acoustics of the room which you put them in. If you buy the WAVE® music system – DAB, you get a free portable DVD player when you order (the WAVE® music system – DAB) by the 31st December 2008. So a new sound system for Dad and a DVD player for you. It has full digital DAB, AM/FM tuning and CD, CD-R/RW and MP3-CD playback. It’s £499, but there are many other options to choose from if you want something cheaper.

10. And if you really must… Luxury Socks

Some Dads rely on getting new pairs of socks at Christmas time, but you can treat him with luxury socks from “Sheer Luxury“. Choose from cotton and wool, diamond pattern or polkadot. Your Dad will be in sock heaven after receiving these luxurious accessories.

It was difficult for the original Indiana Jones makers to agree on a new film ever since the 1989 release of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, because Spielberg and Ford initially disagreed over Lucas’s choice of the skulls as the plot device.

Screenwriters Jeb Stuart, Jeffrey Boam, M. Night Shyamalan, Frank Darabont and Jeff Nathanson wrote drafts, before a script by David Koepp hit the mark in 2006. Shooting finally commenced on June 18, 2007, and took place in New Mexico, New Haven, Connecticut, Hawaii, Fresno, California, and soundstages in Los Angeles.

For continuity purposes, there is minimal use of computer-generated imagery – the makers sticking to traditional stuntwork. Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski has taken notes from Douglas Slocombe who worked on the previous three Jones movies.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

The newest Indiana Jones adventure begins in the desert Southwest in 1957 – the height of the Cold War. Indy and his sidekick Mac (Ray Winstone) have barely escaped a close scrape with nefarious Soviet agents on a remote airfield.

Now, Professor Jones has returned home to Marshall College – only to find things have gone from bad to worse. His close friend and dean of the college (Jim Broadbent) explains that Indy’s recent activities have made him an object of suspicion, and that the government. has put pressure on the university to firm him. On his way out of town, Indiana meets rebellious young Mutt (Shia LeBeouf), who carries both a grudge and a proposition for the adventurous archaeologist: If he’ll help Mutt on a mission with deeply personal stakes, Indy could very well make one of the most spectacular archaeological finds in history – the Crystal Skull of Akator, a legendary object of fascination, superstition and fear.

Harrison Ford has promised not to do another Indiana film after this one and Sean Connery was a bit too old to take part. Harrison Ford said at the Cannes film festival:

The process that developed this script was largely between George (Lucas) and Steven (Spielberg) and at the appropriate moment I had my own say and we were all very satisfied with the script that we shot… I don’t do stunts…

Steven Speilberg:

We’ve had so many people over the years come up to us, George Harrison and myself, and basically say “when is another one coming out?”. I mean the only two movies that anyone asks me about “is there going to be another one” is E.T. and Indiana Jones. No one ever asks if I’m making another A.I.!

"For the Love of God" Damien Hirst, diamond encrusted skull

N.B.

Is it just me, or has Damien Hirst just copied this idea for his latest piece of art “For the Love of God” a £50 million diamond encrusted skull?

The puzzle takes any standard bottle so it need not be alcoholic. You could use vinegar, oil or even a bottle full of money.

Some of you may have seen a Top Gear episode where Richard Hammond races a team of dogs to the North Pole against Jeremy Clarkson and James May in their Toyota Hilux convoy. He did lose out to the cars eventually, but the dogs did exceptionally well and there wasn’t as much concern about getting completely stuck or falling under the ice. The cars were quicker, but the dogs were far better suited to the terrain.

British sledding is not exclusively based on snow. On his travels, Santas Little Helper has even met an Australian Musher who competes in the desert! The dogs are usually Siberian Huskies or Alaskan Malamutes who love to run and run. They are hitched up to a cart in much the way as horses to a carriage or trap. There is a British Mushers Association and several mushing centres around the country.

Here are some basic commands for mushing:

• Gee - Go Right
• Haw - Go Left
• Hike / Pull – Go Forward
• Whooa - Gentle Stop
• Trail - Stay on the trail
• On By – Go past (e.g. past a distraction
• Easy - Go Slower

So why do we associate this sport with Christmas? Most of our Christmas legend comes from Germany and Scandinavia where dog and reindeer sledding used to be an essential means of transport. Along with the Saint Nicholas stories came the tales of sledding with animals much smaller than horses and we eventually came to see sledding as the most festive of sports.

Without any previous experience of dog sledding, you can go along Eynsford in Kent to learn the ropes of handling a team of dogs from an expert. You can even take the rest of the family round the bird of prey centre whilst the gift recipient tries their hand.

• Husky sledding for one and a family pass to the bird of prey centre.
• The adult and child pass is £149 for two hours and includes a family pass into the bird of prey centre.
• The double adult ticket includes; a family pass into the bird of prey centre and two hours husky instruction for two adults, for £199.

Prezzie Plus

Delivery to European countries available (not international). Next working day delivery available for extra charges on items ordered before 3pm. To get £5 Off All Orders Over £30, just enter the code “Xmas08” – offer valid until 31st December 2008.

Up to £3 – our picks:

Whoopee Cushion £0.99

The old classic never tires – expect to be caught out all day long!

Glow in the Dark Laces £1.99

Give your little emo something to remember this Christmas with these glow in the dark laces. Perfect for pumps, goth boots and anyone who plays out after dark. Keep them safe and stylish at the same time.

£3-£5 – our picks:

Floral Hammer and Screwdriver Set £3.99

For the lady who can look after herself. There’s no need to throw fashion out the window when you tackle DIY tasks, just get these feminine tools in your kitbag and fix your house in style.

Catapult £4.99

Catapult with softballs. Keep the boys entertained all day with this timeless toy.

Mood Toast £4.95

Send a message every morning with these special toast stencils. Press them into fresh bread and you’re left with a toasted token of love. Messages include:

• Good Morning and I Love You
• Have a Nice Day and a Big Smiley Face
• Hangover Cure and Eat Me

£5 and over – our picks:

Disc Shooter £5.50

I bought disc shooters for my brothers (both grown up) one year, and they proceeded to spend the whole of Christmas locked in a very quiet and skillful floating foam disc war. The discs spin as they leave the gun and fly like a soft frisbee across the room. If you aim well enough, you can get an unsuspecting victim at distances of around twenty feet. Well worth the investment.

Retro desk vacuum £7.99

Plug this USB mini-vacuum into your computer and hoover up the remains of your elevenses before the boss sees! Get the crumbs out of your keyboard and do it in 1950’s housewife style.

Gobaz

International delivery for between £6 and £25. All prices in sterling. Delivery 2-3 days, next working day delivery also available on orders placed before 3pm.

Wind-up LED Torch Keyring £3.99

The wind-up LED torch keyring is especially handy on those dark winter nights; find the car door, see where you’re going on the way back to the house and find your way whilst taking the dog out. Endlessly versatile and always available.

Pull back and go car pens £1.99

Is it a pen, or is it a car? The perfect stocking filler for boys. Immediately working, no battery charging. Useful at school or at work, these pen toys can be raced across the room and come in a variety of different colours and designs.

Findmeagift Stocking Fillers

Delivery worldwide except Russia and Indonesia. UK delivery withing 2-4 working days. Next working day delivery for £5.95

Spud Gun £2.99

The spud gun ranks alongside the whoopie cushion for classic old-fashioned fun. Expect to spend the whole day hiding from a rain of potato bullets.

Joke Toilet Roll Paper £3.99

“What do a wedding anniversary and a toilet have in common? Men always miss them”. A great gift for students, dads and those who like to read whilst on the loo, this roll of toilet paper is like no other – it has jokes on every single piece.

Gizoo Stocking Fillers

Flashlight Tweezers £9.95

Great travel accessories, these eyebrow tweezers come in a little case and have a special flashlight attached, so that you can get just the right amount of light to get your brows looking fabulous. A good stocking filler or secret santa gift for any woman (-especially good for beauty conscious women at work).

Hot Teddy Bear £9.95

Pop him in the microwave for two minutes and you have a lovely warm teddy bear who smells faintly of relaxing lavendar oil. Easier to heat up than a hot water bottle, this fluffy friend is a comfort for anyone.

If you’re still stuck, we’ve found a really helpful website – Stocking Fillers – who divide everything up by price and have loads of handy hints.