Today is the last day for guaranteed Christmas delivery — here are my proven crowd-pleasers for everyone on your list

Victoria Beckham, Uniqlo, Dyson, Missoma, and more — where to get the best gifts (at the best price) for everyone on your list

Cyber Week Christmas Deals
(Image credit: Getty Images)

I’ll be honest, when it comes to gift-giving, I procrastinate. Like most forms of procrastination, I think this stems from perfectionism. Bear with me because I know that sounds like a cop-out, but I pride myself on being a brilliant gift-giver.

I remember throwaway comments, compliments in shops and obscure items friends see in shop windows. Remember that scene in Friends when Ross recalls a brooch Rachel said reminded her of one her grandmother had as a child and he then buys said brooch months later? That’s the level of present-purchasing I'm talking about. All of which is to say, I’ve made a rod from my own back and set the bar too high. So each year in a bid to outdo myself, I hold out for the best deals and scan the recesses of my mind for the unexpected but sure-to-be-adored gifts.

Occasionally, I fall short, and so I’ve also devised a backup plan of gifts for every budget (and everyone on my list) that have a proven track record.

It turns out, there is a science to Christmas gifting and I’ve found the perfect formula…

Christmas gifting essentials

Big Ticket Items

Shop the Marie Claire UK Christmas Gift Guide

Failsafe Gifts For Her

Shop Gifts For Her

Failsafe Finds For Him

Shop Gifts For Him

Stocking Fillers

Shop Wellness Gifts

Christmas Eve Gifts

Shop All Christmas Gifts

Mischa Anouk Smith
News and Features Editor

Mischa Anouk Smith is the News and Features Editor of Marie Claire UK.

From personal essays to purpose-driven stories, reported studies, and interviews with celebrities like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and designers including Dries Van Noten, Mischa has been featured in publications such as Refinery29, Stylist and Dazed. Her work explores what it means to be a woman today and sits at the intersection of culture and style. In the spirit of eclecticism, she has also written about NFTs, mental health and the rise of AI bands.