All I want for Christmas…

The key to the perfect present is to get something a person would love to own but would never buy. With just a few weeks to go until Christmas, The Clare Champion looks at stocking fillers for every budget, available locally or online

Male or female, buying the right gift (at the right price) for the women in your life can be tricky. As well as the clichéd staples, there are a few other things on the shelves.

The little things
How can one find the right stocking filler? It can be a bit tricky but sometimes the answer to such a conundrum is in the question. Legwear, tights and stockings to the average Joe, are more popular than ever and every girl should have at least one fun pair. While 80% of all legwear sold each year is black opaque, colours and patterns can brighten up even the most wintery of outfits. Marie Claire do vertical stripes, herring bone, zig zags, floral and even tartan and are available in boutiques and department stores nationwide.
Like tights, bra straps may not seem like the most obvious gift and they certainly aren’t. But why stick with clichés? Brastraps.ie sells a wide range of interchangeable bra straps online, going from sparkling diamante to hand beaded and Swarovski crystal. The straps attach to strapless or multi-way bras and come in a selection of styles and colours. As well as using them to glam up your underwear, they can also be guilt free with a range of Fairtrade hand-beaded straps from South America.
Bosom buttons are another little stocking filler and can be used for keeping wrap tops and dresses, pashminas or sarongs in place.
Fashion jewellery is a great present because it can reinvigorate the wardrobe staples at a time of year when bling is beautiful. Costume jewellery is widely available, with most boutiques stocking a selection. For bigger ranges, accessory shops are the way to go. For everything from brassy bangles and chandelier earrings to bright brooches and chunky necklaces, sizing is all but irrelevant.
As temperatures drop, hats, scarves and gloves make practical and pretty presents. A simple crochet scarf, a tweed newsboy or leather driving gloves are all great gifts and are widely available across the county.
Make-up is often overlooked as a gift but good-quality cosmetics are a great option as long as you know what the receiver looks like and have seen them wear make up. There are simple rules relating to make-up and colouring and if followed, make-up can be a great gift. Pick a small eyeshadow palette that will compliment the wearer’s eye colour or a blusher that flatters the skin tone. Lipsticks, mascara, eyeliner and nail polish can also sort out any present dilemma.
Purses, wallets and bags are always popular with the ladies. The choice is almost limitless, as is the budget. There are even handbag liners on the market, a simpler way to transfer the contents of one bag to another, than the usual emptying it on the bed method. A handbag hook is the perfect accompanying accessory, in that it offers an easy way to keep the bag off the floor.
A classy keyring doubles up as a pretty accessory as well a great detection tool when the hand goes into the inevitably over-filled handbag late on a Saturday night. It should be remembered that a tacky keyring only fulfils one of these uses.
Pyjamas, and the ever-practical pajama bag, tick the boxes for all budgets and are great presents for siblings and friends.
Another bedroom essential, slippers are often underestimated. Aching feet and tired soles owe them a debt of gratitude.
Dressing gowns, snugly socks, eye masks or anything that brings the spa experience home, without any of the accompanying mess, is particularly promising.

Size matters
Belts, too, can make great presents and the key to getting them right is to correctly assess, is she ‘small’, ‘medium’ or ‘large’? Although extreme caution is advised in relation to such assumptions, those confident in their knowledge have a wealth of colours and styles to choose from – metallic, matt, beaded, wide, narrow, weaved, elastic, cinch and vintage. Belts are everywhere and the options are endless.
Although shoes can be a very personal choice, they can also make a great present. No woman leaves home without them, so get the size right and you could come up with a real winner. Think carefully about the person if you are buying shoes for them. There is no point in buying stilettos for someone you have only ever seen in slippers. Get them something you think they would love but with shoes, keep the receipt just in case.
Vouchers are often considered in lieu of clothes and for good reason. Fashion fixing the average female is a dangerous business, especially when the lady in question has no knowledge of her perceived wardrobe wrongdoings. Measurements too can be a murky subject and as any woman will tell you, sizes are different in various shops.
Despite all the pitfalls, when you get it right, you can do no wrong. A capelet or a bolero are pretty and are somewhat forgiving and pashminas are sizeless and as such are very safe. T-shirts are by far the safest of the clothes options but be creative, choose designer or statement tees; the jumbo eight pack of plain tees just doesn’t cut it with the average glamorous gal.
If you are feeling particularly brave, an LBD or a coat has great long-term value. As with shoes though, keep the receipt.

Clichés or classics
It used to be that nothing said ‘you need a good wash’ like a soap basket. Things have changed though and bath sets are becoming more sophisticated. Bath beads are being replaced (or at least supplemented) by bath bombs and soap is being swapped for shower gel.
There is a range of cool, colourful stuff to throw into the bath as well as fantastic, skin softening all-over moisturisers in a huge array of scents and sizes.
Hair goodies are usually a welcome addition to any woman’s dressing-table hoard. At the lower end of the pricing scale are good quality hairbrushes and hair care products, while at the upper end are electrical items like dryers and straighteners.
Jewellery is almost always appreciated. Try to stick with the colour jewellery the person normally wears, in other words give gold to a woman who wears gold. Earrings, necklaces and even anklets are all in but rings involve sizing and often bear some significance. Tread carefully.
A watch is ideal if the person giving it doesn’t know the receiver particularly well.
Charm bracelets are a good long-term present, because the giver can add to it at birthdays, anniversaries or Christmases in the future.
Lingerie is dangerous territory. It can be a gorgeous gift from a partner. A simple rule for guys is don’t buy lingerie for a family member. For girls – well the same rule really applies. Across the board, like Marshall McLuhan said, the medium is the message, what are you trying to say?
Perfume has long been the answer to Christmas Eve prayers. It is simple and hits the spot most of the time. The safe bet is to go for the reliable elegant classics or failing that, the person’s favourite.

Christmas shopping should be fun and it really is the thought that counts. Presents should make the giver and receiver feel good and the right present will suit the person who is receiving it but will have the stamp of the giver on it too.