Christmas Forget-Me-Nots - top tips for a strees-free Christmas

This Christmas Eve, make sure you avoid some of the classic Christmas pitfalls by being prepared for the big day ahead. We all know how stressful things can get as you juggle over excited kids, last minute gift wrapping and food preparation, so pre-empting problems can help you get through the day allowing you to go to bed filled with confidence that the day ahead will run smoothly. Here are some top tips to make sure your Christmas Day is a joy filled success.

Keep your energy levels boosted

Perfect for those who pack lots into the festive period, Emergen-C offers a double hit of energy release and immunity support  in handy fast dissolving, wallet-sized sachets. Packing 1000mg of Vitamin C to support the immune system, antioxidants, fruit extract and 7 B vitamins for energy release, Emergenc-C costs £4.99 for a pack of 8 and is available from Boots stores nationwide. For further information visit http://www.emergenc.com.

Buy gifts for unexpected guests

Whether  one of the family invites  an unannounced guest to Christmas lunch or your neighbour decides to pop in for a mince pie, it’s lovely to make all guests feel welcome no matter how unexpected they are. To help ensure there are no awkward moments when it comes to gift giving, your local Lloyds Pharmacy has got last minute gifts wrapped up.  Pop an extra toiletry set or two under the tree just in case. They stock some lovely Baylis and Harding gift sets for the ladies and if you don't get any unexpected guests, you can keep them for yourself! The Sweet Mandarin and Grapefruit Weekend Essentials Bag contains bath milk, bath creme, shower gel, hand cream, body wash, body butter and a body polisher in a stylish weekend bag complete with phone purse. It's great value at £19.99 from Lloyds Pharmacy.

Avoid the‘Batteries not included’ issue

Imagine the scenario: when you pop the pressies under the tree, you realise that the latest must-have toy MUST have batteries and you are all out.  Avoid the disappointment on Christmas morning and be sure to stock up in advance. Keep a supply of AA and AAA batteries to make sure the kids can enjoy all their new toys this Christmas Day.

Help make it a silent night

If the excitement of the festive period has made the kid’s bedtime a nightmare before Christmas and the stress of preparing for the big day means you can’t switch off, why not try an essential oil? Soothing essential oils have been found to be very beneficial for supporting relaxation. Add a couple of drops of  Lavender Pure Essential Oil to your bedtime bath. (£11.39 available from Holland & Barrett Stores and online www.hollandandbarrett.com.)

Avoid those sticky moments

Avoid sticky situations if you find yourself wrapping Christmas presents at the last minute by making sure that you don't run out of tape. Make sure you have an extra roll or two of sticky tape on hand.

Or try the Scotch Pop-Up Tape Handband Dispenser for an easy way to get wrapping. The pre-cut strips of tape are dispensed from the hand-worn dispenser allowing you to keep both hands free for wrapping. No more searching for the end of the roll or getting stuck in a length of twisted up sticky tape! It's convenient and saves time - essential for this busy time of year. They are priced at £2.95 with extra refill packs available.

Mince pies for Santa or gluten free guests

Children love leaving out a mince pie for Santa on Christmas Eve, but if Santa, or any of your house guests  happen to be gluten intolerant , make sure they don’t miss out by buying some Lovemore’s Gluten Free Mince Pies. Available at Holland & Barrett for £2.89 for a pack of 4, these pies are a delicious festive treat. Made with shortcrust pastry and deep-filled mincemeat they contain no artificial colours or flavour. They are also dairy free.

Relax when the hard work is done

After all the hard work is done and you’re ready to unwind, treat yourself to a relaxing face mask while watching the festive edition of your favourite TV show on demand. The Dr. Organic Dead Sea Mineral Bio-Plasma Mud Mask contains organic Dead Sea mineral salt and mud, which have a long history of skin purifying and health promoting properties. In combination with a blend of bioactive, natural and organic ingredients, such as kaolin, plankton extract and algae extract, this face mask penetrates deep into the pores, effectively removing excess oil and impurities, whilst stimulating new cell regeneration.  A tube costs £7.99 from Holland & Barrett.

Christmas Gift Ideas from Dr Organic, Lloyds Pharmacy and Olpro

The Dr.Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Luxury Hair Therapy Gift Pack is a lovely product, giving the gift of rich, smooth, well nourished, intensively moisturised hair to beauty lovers this Christmas. Containing three of Dr. Organic's best selling products: the Your Hair Magazine award winning Moroccan Argan Oil hair treatment serum, moisture repair shampoo and conditioner, the trio works together to leave hair clean, hydrated and in beautiful condition. 

The organic Moroccan Argan Oil hair serum detangles hair, eliminates frizz, nourishes, protects and adds instant shine. It has a rich fragrance and lightweight, easily absorbed texture, with a little going a very long way. It contains natural essential oils and fruit extracts providing a rich source of vitamins, antioxidants and essential fatty acids. Even the driest, most damaged hair will be improved and look healthy and shiny.

The Dr.Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Luxury Hair Therapy Gift Pack costs £25 and is available from stockists such as Holland & Barrett. Other Dr Organic gift sets are available including a Manuka Honey Hand and Foot Gift Pack RRP £11, Rose Otto Perfect Complexion Gift Pack RRP £25 and the Snail Gel Skin Perfection Gift Pack RRP £40.

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When out Christmas shopping this year, why not pop into your local Lloyds Pharmacy for some great gift ideas? They have loads of quality gifts in store for all the family, including this Despicable Me 'Minion Made' Jumbo Activity Set. It is perfect for any little Minions fans and at just £7 is great value. The large size, Minion shaped set looks really impressive and boasts some excellent contents to get kids unleashing their inner artist with a Minions twist.

The Jumbo Activity Set includes 14 coloured pencils, an A3 scene to colour, 10 chunky felt tips, 11 wax crayons, 14 oil pastels, 6 A5 Minion standees, 2 A4 sticker sheets, a sharpener, 2 self inking stampers and a cut out colour in Minion poster. Everything has Minion branding, making it really appealing to kids.

This is a lovely creative gift that any child will love to receive on Christmas Day. 

Other gifts available at Lloyds pharmacy include a Frozen Musical band Set for £9.99, Babyliss Twilight Shimmer Hairdryer for £19.99, Frozen 52 piece art set for £4.99 and the Baylis and Harding slipper set for £9.99. 

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For loved ones who are interested in innovative new green products, www.olpro.co.uk, the leading UK camping and outdoor equipment manufacturer, has launched a new range of eco-friendly tableware created from rice husk. They make perfect practical gifts or quirky stocking fillers.

Husk tableware is made using discarded agricultural rice husks following the rice harvest, making them extremely environmentally friendly and also biodegradable. Plastic takes thousands of years to biodegrade, releasing poisonous toxins into the ground. Rice husks are natural plant products and the husk material takes just 90+ days to turn into natural compost once disposed of. It's a great solution to the problem that using plastic has on our planet.

The new OLPRO Husk tableware range includes mugs, tumblers, plates, cutlery, bowls and sets of round or rectangular storage. They can be used safely in the microwave, dishwasher and freezer. 

We received a bowl and a breaktime beaker from the range. The travel beaker comes with a silicon sleeve and lid, making it perfect for both cold and hot drinks on the go. The husk material has no pores and is naturally anti-bacterial making it hygienic and extremely safe to use. The silicon sleeves and lids are available in six different colours.

The Kimchi bowl is lightweight, durable and strong providing an eco-friendly, hygienic serving dish for snacks, fruit or hot food. It is a good looking bowl with a unique Korean design that would look great in a modern kitchen. I really love these products. I like the look and the feel of the material and knowing it is such an environmentally friendly innovation is a real selling point.

Prices start at just £2.79 and right now they are on special offer on the Olpro site.