Survey Reveals Selfie Stick Voted Worst Christmas Gift

I'm sure by now you are in the throes of Christmas shopping and experiencing that heady panic which demands a ridiculously named, highly calorific 'seasonal' coffee and a mince pie.

And, to compound the stress, a new survey conducted by gifting website www.ijustloveit.co.uk has found that, these days, it's less about the quality time and more about the quality present.

The survey was taken by 2,000 people in the UK - 1,020 women and 980 men. The age range was between 18 – 55+.

I'm sure there's a hefty amount of buying for kids by parents who are dealing with guilt at their long working hours.  Or spending on relatives we've avoided visiting because Facebook is so much easier - and cheaper!

But the irony is that many of those gifts we are feverishly pursuing won't be wanted anyway.

A whopping 60% of those surveyed said that they had received an unwanted gift at Christmas.

Over 50% chose to give their unwanted gifts away and 25% chose to sell their gifts

Over 40% of those surveyed are currently buying for 6-10 people, so potentially at least half will give their gifts away.

It also showed that men are less concerned with the quality of their gifts than women, with more men choosing to keep hold of ‘unwanted’ gifts, whereas women wanted to get rid of them.

When it comes to receiving unwanted gifts, 50% of men would prefer to either keep them compared to 40% of women, with over 60% of women giving them away, compared to only 40% of men.

If you are thinking of gifts to buy this year, the survey also showed that the ‘popular’ Selfie Stick was voted one of the worst Christmas gifts to receive by both men and women, with 40% of the total vote.

Other survey results include:

The highest percentage of people, at almost 40% of the vote, prefer buying for children compared to any other relative or friend, and only 0.45% of people look forward to buying for their grandparents.

Over 10% of people enjoy buying for mothers; while only 1% of people enjoy buying for their fathers. People would rather buy for their pets at 1.40% than their dads! Over 35% of those asked most look forward to receiving gifts from their partners, with grandparents once again receiving one of the lowest votes of only 0.45%

Comparing mother to father again, over 10% look forward to receiving a gift from their mum, and a measly 2% from their dads.

In total, over 40% of those asked said they would spend between £100 - £300 on Christmas gifts. That’s nearly 50% less than data acquired in 2015.

Which rather begs the question - where are all these 'quality presents' going to come from?

Somehow stocking up in the January sales seems like a very good idea. And there's always Ebay.

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Win A Gorgeous Kate Spade Watch From Shade Station

Shade Station is the UK's largest independent designer sunglasses, glasses and watch online retailer with over 140 of the world’s leading brands - and a brilliant place to find Christmas presents for all the family.

I have spent quite some time browsing their ranges which include brands like Fossil, Guess, Emporio Armani, Calvin Klein and DKNY.  They even do prescription glasses - Chanel, Oliver Peoples and Rayban to name a few.

They offer 35 designer sunglasses brands so even the fussiest person should find something they love from Tom Ford, Chanel, Dior, Gucci and Prada to edgier brands including Ray Ban, Carrera, Police and Prada Sport and the sports focused brands including Oakley and Dragon.

They carry a huge range of watches - over 55 brands and I particularly love the Kate Spade Watches.

Kate Spade New York Gramercy Grand Watch

and then there is a great selection of unusual men's jewellery from brands like Storm, Calvin Klein and Emporio Armani.

The husband isn't a big jewellery fan but he will wear cufflinks.

Calvin Klein Cufflinks

Storm Kempa Pendant

although I might persuade him to wear one of these.

Shade Station also offer goggles for extreme sports enthusiasts and lifestyle accessories such as backpacks, luggage, belts, hats, key rings and belts by leading brands including Oakley, Nixon, Dragon and East Pak.

Shade Station also offer free next day UK delivery.

Now to the giveaway.

I have a fabulous Kate Spade New York Holland Watch worth £173 to give away to one lucky winner.

Kate Spade New York Holland Watch worth over £170

Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget and terms and conditions apply (see my competitions page).  The giveaway is open to UK entrants only and ends at 11:59 pm on Friday 16th December.

Entrants must complete all the mandatory questions on the Rafflecopter and leave the answer to the giveaway question in the comments below this post.

Please note that whilst every attempt will be made for the winner to receive their prize before Christmas, this is not guaranteed.   

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

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My Problem Page - What Was I Asked In Week 48?

This week I'm talking about age gap relationships and what to do when your parents don't agree with your choices.

If you would like any advice, feel free to message me or pop a comment in the comment box at the end of this post. I promise to be gentle.

Here's this week's questions.

Q: He's 17, I'm 21. I never expected to like a lad younger than me. How do you feel about it?

We met at work.  We didn't even realise we were starting to like each other. After being in a long relationship since I was 17, I need someone to have fun with. We are from different walks of life but we get on amazingly.

A: The problem is, at least in the UK, this lad is legally considered a Minor and this could cause all sorts of problems - for example with your friends, family and work colleagues. 

I can tell you are smitten because you are talking as if you have no control - “I never expected to to’ etc. 

Doesn’t matter. You’re the adult and you need to calm down and just play things very carefully. 

At 17 his emotions may be all over the place so will he see it as ‘just a bit of fun’? 

I’m sure you do get on amazingly but in your shoes, frankly, if you want more than just ‘banter’, I’d wait until he’s 18!

Q: How wise is it to live with your girlfriend or boyfriend before 

A: I think a lot of people would say quite wise because you never really know someone until you live with them. 

You may be amazed to discover their previously unknown annoying habits - chewing loudly, snoring, leaving wet towels on the bed… you can imagine the type of thing. 

Then there are other ‘deal breakers’ - how is your partner with money? Do they want kids? Do you share the same religious beliefs. 

But I think you need to have been with someone for a decent amount of time before you move in or talk about marriage. 

If you meet and move in within a very short space of time, how can you possibly know if your partner is the one you want to spend your future with? 

It does happen of course but generally getting to know each other properly - faults and all - seems the most sensible course of action to me. 

Particularly given the exorbitant cost of both weddings - and divorces.

Q: Is it clingy to tell her that you will do anything for her?

A: A little. I think it’s healthier to put limits around that statement - you’ll do anything within reason. It’s certainly a romantic thing to say but nobody loves a doormat. 

And if you’ve only just met it does sound a little desperate. 

The most important thing is how she reacts when you say it to her. Her body language should tell you whether that level of devotion is welcome or not. 

If she’s embarrassed - it’s not!

Q: I got into a fight with my girlfriend last night over something really petty. She told me she never wanted to talk again.  Now what?

A: It might have been petty to you but it clearly wasn’t to her - and I think it’s your refusal or inability to recognise that which has made her so mad. 

You need to apologise and see if she will talk to you about what happened. 

Approaching it with a “I don’t get why you’re making such a fuss” attitude is not going to get you anywhere.

I think if you’re honest you must at least have an ‘inkling’ of what the real issue is and if it’s something you’re not willing to compromise on or discuss, then you might have to kiss your girlfriend, at least metaphorically, goodbye.

Q: My parents don't like my academic choices. What can I do? My parents won't let me drop a subject (maths) because they say if I do I won't get anywhere in life. They want me to either drop out all together or stay in the class. If I don't make a change I won't graduate. What can I do?

A: Suggest to your parents that they find you a tutor or extra teaching support. 

When you say you are not coping, is it because the work is too difficult or you are anxious due to the pressure you feel your parents are putting on you? 

Does your teacher feel you are not coping? Are you getting bad marks? 

If you are then see if you can get your parents to talk to your teacher who will back you up if they think you will not pass. I’m sure your parents want the best for you but you need a bit of outside help with this one.

Q: My husband compares my social media use as being as harmful as his recreational use of hard drugs. Is this a valid comparison?

A: As far as I know, social media use is not a killer. Recreational use of hard drugs quite possibly is.

I think your husband is trying to justify his habit.

How would you have responded to these questions? I'd love to know. You can find more advice on my problem page.



Disclaimer: All materials included in this post are intended for informational purposes only. This post/information is not intended to and should not be used to replace medical or psychiatric advice offered by physicians or other health care providers. The author will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages arising therefrom.

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New Scheme Aims To Protect People With Dementia From Financial Scams

A new initiative has been launched across three local authority areas in Scotland to protect residents living with dementia from predatory financial fraudsters.

And, if the project succeeds, we can only hope that it is rolled out across the UK to protect the elderly and people with Dementia from the ever growing blight of financial scamming.

£405,000 has been awarded to East Renfrewshire, Angus and South Ayrshire local authorities, to work together to develop a preventative approach to protect people with dementia from financial exploitation.

People living with dementia are at great risk of falling prey to scammers and carers are often very worried about how to prevent their relative becoming a victim of a scam, particularly in the early stages of dementia when a person still has capacity but may not always have sufficient understanding to exercise good judgement.

Figures issued by Citizen’s Advice in 2014 showed that the most common type of scam takes place via telephone (34%) whilst almost a quarter took place on the internet (24%). 16% came through letters and one in ten scams were via email. Other types of scam include face-to-face visits, i.e. doorstep crime.

The aim of the project is to offer people with dementia an individualised, person-centred package to safeguard them from financial exploitation, on the doorstep, by telephone, by mail or online.

Each of the local authority areas involved will bring together local and national organisations to develop and deliver a package of preventive measures, including practical solutions and various types of useful technology, for example, call blockers.

Call blockers screen incoming phone calls and either block any unknown or unauthorised numbers or transfer them to a nominated family member or guardian.

The scheme aims to help residents with dementia live safely and independently in their own homes without worrying about being bombarded with confusing and intimidating calls or unsolicited doorstep cold callers.

This new initiative will also reduce the rate of financial loss and personal harm experienced as a result of scams.

Peter, whose mother received a call blocker as a resident in East Renfrewshire said, “When my mother came home after a stay in hospital, she had severe anxiety levels. Unfortunately, during the day when we weren’t there, she received numerous calls on a daily basis, from a variety of traders, from PPI people, from insurance companies and from banks. She became confused and anxious. She didn’t know whether she had passed over money and we were terrified that she was going to pass on large amounts of money to potentially rogue traders.

“What transformed things for us was the introduction of the Call Blocker from the prevention team from East Renfrewshire Council. I cannot overstate the dramatic difference this made to my mother. She was calm and she was relaxed. This has resulted in my mother being able to live independently, on her own, for the last four years.

“It has also transformed myself and my sister’s lives. Rather than having to deal on a daily basis with a crisis, we now have no crisis to deal with. We can track who is calling my mother, and where there is legitimate people calling, they have the option of whether to call myself or my sister. Quite frankly, my mother’s happy, we’re delighted and we can support her in putting her energies into making her life as pleasant as possible.”

Something we would all want for our elderly relatives. Here's hoping the scheme puts pay to the callous and heartless scammers who target them.

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Unleashing The Colour With Chalkola Markers

Chalkola Markers are a fun range of pretty unique markers that you can use on non porous surfaces. If you're bored with just colouring on paper and card and want to decorate some different materials, these are a great way to do it.

The kind of non porous surfaces we're taking about are chalkboards, whiteboards, glass, plastic, windows and mirrors.

Why non-porous surfaces?  Because porus surfaces have small holes in them which can absorb the liquid chalk ink and it can be difficult to completely erase your work of art.

It's possible to leave subtle messages for your other half

In any case, it's always best to test the surface you're about to decorate just in case and it's worth noting that, although the markers can be used on chalkboard paint, paint tends to make the surface porous and absorb the ink so be careful there.

Chalkola Markers contain high density chalk ink and you do have to prep each marker by shaking it thoroughly for 2 to 3 minutes and them pumping the nib until the ink starts to flow.

My subtle reminder to Caitlin that she needs to drink more water.

The colours are well worth the effort.  We tested the Chalkola Premium Wet Wipe Markers in 10 party colours with a 6mm bullet tip and the Chalkola Earth Color Series Set of 8 Earthy Colours with a 5.5mm tip.

We tested on a variety of surfaces which the kids found enormous fun, not least because it felt a little like graffiti - still it's OK for Banksy, isn't it?

The markers are very versatile and we tested them on plastic, ceramics (a mug and a plate) and a mirror.

So much fun - but I wouldn't unleash your kids without supervision!

Best of all, once you are tired of your creation, a damp cloth wipes it all away (or you could use a window or glass cleaner).

Caitlin's favourite artwork was her plate which I am now under strict orders to put on show in a cabinet somewhere.

If you would like to try the markers, you can save 20% on the cost of the markers by using the coupon code below.  This applies to all Chalkola products.

Coupon Code - 20OFFSTR

You can find out more at Chalkola.com.

Caitlin's finished masterpiece

We're planning to decorate more plates and some ceramic pots.  I'm hoping Caitlin will be the next Orla Kiely or Cath Kidston!

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Win Amazing Anti-Hair Loss Products From folliOne

When you get to a certain age, particularly around the menopause, or perhaps after surgery or medical treatment, you may find your beloved hair starts to get thinner and that your scalp starts to make an appearance.

There's no denying that it's hard enough for a man to lose his hair but there is far less social stigma about male hair loss than there is for hair loss in women.

These days there's no shame in talking about this issue and there are more and more treatments available to help cope with this distressing condition.

Did you know that nearly 40% of women experience some form of hair loss by the age of 60?  But you need to be sure of the cause.

Women’s hair loss may appear at times of hormonal change and is identified by overall thinning as opposed to a more patchy loss.

Common causes of women’s hair loss include: starting or stopping birth control, having a baby and just before and after going through the menopause.

Women rarely go completely bald but the end result is a visible decrease in the density of the hair in the affect areas.

Also, there's a difference between Alopecia and the kind of hair thinning which may be only temporary - for example after you have had a baby.

With Alopecia, the reason for the hair loss is thought to be a sensitivity of your follicles to the hormones in your scalp, in particular the hormone DHT (Dihydro-Testosterone). This is why treatments for female alopecia include DHT blockers, and antiandrogens, just like the treatments for male hair loss.

If you are suffering with this distressing problem, you should talk to your GP for advice and support but there are products that can help with thinning hair.

I have discovered one such range of products from folliOne who offer a range of treatments including Growth Stimulators, Anti Hair-loss shampoos and liquid hair nutrition to help maximise hair growth.

I tested two of the three following products, the anti hair loss shampoo and the liquid nutrition.

folliOne Growth Stimulator for Women

This non-alcohol based formula is designed to gently strengthens your scalp, allowing the ingredients to penetrate the scalp without evaporating or crystallizing.

Diaminopyrimidine Oxide, one of the main active ingredients in folliOne Growth Stimulator For Women, has been shown through clinical research to disrupt 5α-reductase activity and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) production, these two substances are linked to hair loss.

It also contains Oxothiazolidine Carboxylic Acid to stimulate new hair growth and prevents further hair loss, and it also delays the ageing of the skin in the scalp.

folliOne Shampoo for Hair Growth and Recovery

This shampoo is formulated to stimulate hair growth and prevents hair loss whilst supporting a healthy scalp, new hair follicles, and the growth of hair cells.

It reduced sebaceous secretion from the scalp (oil in the skin) and targets dandruff caused by hair loss. It is also designed to enhance the body’s ability to prevent the recurrence of scalp itching, irritation, redness, and flaking.

This is quite a runny shampoo with a strong medicinal smell and it is quite strong and rather drying. This is what it is designed to do though! You will need conditioner and possibly some conditioning hair products afterwards.  Because it is strong, I would caution against using it on coloured hair - certainly freshly coloured hair.

It does contain the magic ingredient that seems to be the latest buzz word in preventing female hair loss - caffeine and the product is not tested on animals so full marks for that.

I found that this shampoo boosted the volume of my hair and did not irritate my scalp or my skin. In fact, I found my facial skin looked smooth and had more of a glow which is an interesting side effect!

I think it is certainly worth persisting with if you can find a way of conditioning your hair afterwards.

folliOne Liquid Hair Nutrition for Hair Growth

folliOne Liquid Hair Nutrition is a daily dietary supplement designed to give your hair the essential vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and protein it needs for normal growth.

You can take it on its own or mix it with fruit for an easy smoothie.  It has a pleasant orangey taste and the daily dose is 15ml which you can drink straight down - far easier than taking bulky pills.

As well as the usual vitamins you would expect to find, there's biotin, iodine, folic acid and selenium. It is certainly a specific blend rather than a standard liquid nutrition supplement and it is a more powerful way of getting these vitamins and minerals than ingesting them from natural sources.

To give you an idea, you would have to contain 750mg of amino acids from your foods to get the same benefit as 15ml of folliOne Liquid Hair Nutrition.

If you would like to try folliOne products I have a great giveaway for one winner to win two folliOne products of their choice from the range worth £30.

You can find more information about the range at www.follione.co.uk.  You can also find help and advice about hair loss at www.hairlosstalk.com.

Entry this time is via the Gleam app below and the giveaway ends on 28th December. Open Worldwide.  Terms and conditions are on my competitions page.

CLICK THE LINK BELOW

Win a choice of any two Follione products #3

Good luck!

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One in Five Children Don't Know That Milk Comes From Cows Says Cadbury

When Caitlin and Ieuan were little, most of their picture books featured animals, the noises they made and what they produced. They knew quite early on where their food came from.  We had to explain to Ieuan, for example that there is no fish which leaves the ocean covered in breadcrumbs.

So reading that, according to research by Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons, one in five children don't know that milk comes from cows is a bit shocking, and also a bit sad.

The research was conducted with the help of 1500 UK parents and their children aged between 4 and 8.  The survey discovered that 73% of parents considered that knowing where their food comes from is important to them.  That message doesn't seem to getting through to our kids.

To help teach kids about food provenance, (particularly where the glass and a half of milk in each packet of their buttons comes from), Cadbury's has partnered with Giovanna Fletcher to produce the video below.


Not only do 20% of kids not know where milk comes from, the survey unearthed some rather worrying facts too.

Over one in ten boys (11 per cent) believe milk comes straight from the supermarket

A fifth (20 per cent) of five year olds believe that chocolate is made from eggs.

Almost a third of children (29 per cent) believe a cow’s diet consists of sandwiches and pizza

The research also revealed that children are unsure of what is used to make chocolate, with over a third (32 per cent) of the children likening the ingredients to those found in a cake.

The top 4 ingredients children believe are found in chocolate are:

Eggs (20 per cent)
Flour (12 per cent)
Plants (9 per cent of four year olds)
Wheat (6 per cent of four year olds)

As Catherine Young, Senior Brand Manager for Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons says “Whilst some of the findings from the research are amusing, it has highlighted that more needs to be done to make farming and food provenance as important to children as it is to their parents."

I couldn't agree more. Check out the video and see what you think.

You can find more information on Cadbury's Facebook and Twitter.

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