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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Jill Mead, Katherine Rose and PR

Last-minute Christmas gift ideas: wildcard

Wildcard Christmas gifts: Designer ceramic magnets
Entitled The Tide, this is a set of eight enigmatic black-on-white designs by Dutch designer and typographer Wim Crouwel, taken from a 1967 catalogue he produced for the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.
Designer ceramic magnets, £3.50, order by 20 Dec
Buy online at designmuseumshop.com
Photograph: Staff and agencies
Wildcard Christmas gifts: Chocolate Factory tashes
Curly, wispy, dour, trim – this range of sweet-coloured whiskers on a stick will suit all the family.
Chocolate Factory tashes, £4.99, order by 19 Dec
Buy online at selfridges.com
Photograph: Staff and agencies
Wildcard Christmas gifts: Vinyl wall stickers
These varsity sweatshirt-style letters stand 20cm tall. Choose from sky blue, silver or pink.
Vinyl wall stickers, £5 per letter, order by 21 Dec
Buy online at rockettstgeorge.co.uk
Photograph: Staff and agencies
Wildcard Christmas gifts: Squirrel paper clips
Never has the standard paper clip seemed so dissatisfying. This range of alternatives includes dogs, cats, penguins, aeroplanes, bicycles …
Squirrel paper clips, £5.50, order by 23 Dec (before noon)
Buy online at thejournalshop.com
Photograph: Staff and agencies
Wildcard Christmas gifts: Banana guard
Yes, it brings to mind bad banana jokes, but this is the ultimate gimmick present that's actually incredibly useful. It protects your banana from taking a beating in your bag and it really does take any size.
Banana guard, £5.99, order by 23 Dec
Reader offer: enter the code GUARDIAN10 for a 10% discount and free delivery when you spend more than £30 on Firebox products (except for Deal of The Week items). Valid until 19 Dec
Buy online at firebox.com
Photograph: Staff and agencies
wildcard: Musical ruler
This is like a mouth harp, except it’s made from a plastic ruler. You place your fingers on the note dots and pull the ruler back and forth along a table edge, twanging it as you go. Comes with a guide to playing and popular song scores.
Musical ruler, £7.50, order by 21 Dec
Buy online at whippetgrey.co.uk
Photograph: Staff and agencies
Wildcard Christmas gifts: Waterspouts and chimney pots perpetual calendar
A calendar with delightful illustrations that you can use for ever – just turn the wheels to move the numbers, days and months to keep up to date.
Waterspouts and chimney pots perpetual calendar, £7.99, order by 22 Dec
Buy online at culturelabel.com
Photograph: Staff and agencies
Wildcard Christmas gifts: Dymo Junior embossed label maker
This is an addictive activity. Give one to an enthusiastic organiser – be they seven or 70 – and their entire world will be promptly subtitled.
Dymo Junior embossed label maker, £8.50, order by 19 Dec
Buy online at amazon.co.uk
Photograph: Staff and agencies
Wildcard Christmas gifts: Fortnum & Mason’s edible coal
Cinder toffee, hand-dipped in French milk chocolate, with a black sherbet coating. Confusingly realistic in appearance, but delicious.
Fortnum & Mason’s edible coal, £8.50, order by 19 Dec
Buy online at fortnumandmason.com
Photograph: Staff and agencies
Wildcard Christmas gifts: Mibo festive friends kit
Santa Paws the cat, Blixen the reindeer, Timothy turkey, Delores the donkey and Piper the penguin – five stylish paper critters to cut out, assemble and admire. Great for kids and adults alike.
Mibo festive friends kit, £8.75, order by 20 Dec
Buy online at husandhem.co.uk
Photograph: Staff and agencies
Wildcard Christmas gifts: Windrider bicycle clips
An enticingly wearable embodiment of Christopher Cross’s 1980 hit, Ride Like the Wind. Made of reflective PVC material, they’ll keep your trousers clear of the chain and spur you on your way.
Windrider bicycle clips, £10.99, order by 21 Dec
Buy online at magmabooks.com
Photograph: Staff and agencies
Wildcard Christmas gifts: Mr Bear stackable mugs
Jimbobart, the self-appointed “drawer of things on things”, has surpassed himself with Mr Bear – a bear in a suit with a red tie, standing the height of four espresso cups.
Mr Bear stackable mugs, £48.25, order by 20 Dec
Buy online at etsy.com/shop/jimbobart
Photograph: Staff and agencies
Wildcard Christmas gifts: Pac-Man cookie cutters
Retro gaming goodness for the baker in your life. Each pack contains one Pac-Man cutter and three ghost cutters in different colours.
Pac-Man cookie cutters, £12.50, order by 22 Dec
Buy online at culturelabel.com
Photograph: Staff and agencies
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