Ten for under a tenner
The mad scramble is on for last minute presents and stocking fillers.
This year the shops are awash with classy little treats for under a tenner such as glitzy bottle stoppers, a Pooh bear fun watch, lots of that nice smelly stuff to put in the bath and just for Independent readers the chance to buy a Penguin T-shirt - complete with appropriate book title - for a mere pounds 9.99.
1 Diabolix bottle opener, pounds 9.95 Little devil bottle-openers with pointy ears and toothy grins. Available in a variety of colours. Ocean Catalogue, 0800 132985.
2 Mug, pounds 5.99, and seasonal tea pounds 2.99 Choose a bright chunky mug and a packet of winter tea or coffee to match. From Whittard of Chelsea, 184 Kings Rd, London SW3 and branches nationwide (0171-924 1888).
3 Scented candle, Gap, pounds 8.50 With its chunky glass container and silver lid this candle looks far more expensive than it is. For nearest branch call 0800 427789.
4 Natural bath set, House of Fraser Stores, pounds 8 Sisal sponge, loofah, nail brush, back brush all in a matching wooden pail. For your nearest store call 0171-963 2000.
5 Citrus Bloom, tinned bathroom kit, Habitat, pounds 8.50 Delicious smelling tin of goodies: soft orange flannel, two vegetable soaps wrapped in silver paper and orange ribbon, and a bottle of bath oil. The citrus bloom fragrance is a blend of Lily, Gardenia Cyclamen and Rose with base notes of Amber, Balsam and Moss. For your nearest store call 0645 334433.
6 Silver bottle stopper, Debenhams, pounds 10.00 Smarten up anything from a milk bottle to an old decanter that's lost its stopper. Available in a variety of shapes. Call 0171-408 4444.
7 Book cover T-shirts Give a title for under a tenner. Penguin have a library of titled T-shirts taken from their early classic orange and green design paperbacks. Usually pounds 12.99, Independent readers can order them by mail at pounds 9.99 including p&p. In one largish size, choose from Hangover Square, The Idiot, Les Miserables, A Perfect Woman, Rogue Male, Farewell My Lovely, Lady Chatterly's Lover, The Thin Man and The Thirty- Nine Steps. For those who like reading in bed, there's a nightshirt called The Big Sleep. Call 0181-899 4036 for Visa/Access credit card orders, mentioning this offer. Also available from The General Trading Co, 144 Sloane Street, London, SW1 (0171-730 0411).
8 Pooh Bear Watchum, Timex, pounds 9.99 Digital watches are not the best way to learn to tell the time but this makes a fun first watch. The stuffed Pooh Bear character lies across the watch face: simply lift his front paws to reveal the time. For nearest stockists 0171-630 8180.
9 Aardman Animation Clay Kit, pounds 9.99 (+pounds 1.50 p&p) The team that brought you Wallace and Gromit have created eight new characters for children to copy including a monkey, dolphin, tiger and Catfish. The Clay Kit includes a four colour clay bar, a step by step creature-creating card, modelling tool and spare eyes and ribs. For nearest stockists and orders call 01225 466999.
10 Children's Gardening Kit, The Conran Shop, pounds 8.95 Contains: wooden handled fork and trowel,three packets of seeds (pot marigold, coleus, and the mysterious "sensitive plant"), green twine, plastic ties, plant labels, a marker pen and red cotton gardening gloves. Call 0171-589 7401.
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