iPad vs English Rose

Look what you could have done

Image via here

You’ve left it to the day before. You knew it was coming but did nothing about it. So you take a long lunch break and head to the bright lights of the Apple store where you willingly had over £480 to the helpful Apple assistant who makes it seem a brilliant idea and most probably talks you into buying Apple protection too. You feel great inside that you cheated the system and put in minimal amount of effort! Then you will probably book the restaurant on the day of her birthday. Now you can watch Match of the Day without being bothered for the next few weeks as she will be downloading all the apps and watching the great British Bake Off on catch up. It also serves the purpose of easy future presents  - such as holder, speakers, keyboard, anything. Lots of practical stuff that you like anyway and can easily visit Amazon for.

There is a better way

An alternative would be to actually think about it a week before and get some unique and beautiful gifts. It takes you a few minutes to click and buy online. You can support small British boutiques (after all Apple is American) and be proud of labels that say MADE IN BRITAIN. So much love and care has gone into every item. Men like giving practical gifts and throwing money at them last minute in desperation, but women like gifts that are the complete opposite generally.

We have made it easy for you, and even better if she already has an iPad! Below is what you could get for slightly cheaper price than an iPad – the items here cost £464.42 leaving some change in your pocket. What’s more, most ladies into Shabby Chic, Vintage, Manor Houses etc will be absolutely delighted…

From top left:

1.  £26.99- Vintage Cushion from Pretty Dandy. Would go in most neutral rooms and different from the rest as it’s original 1950’s print.

2.  £14.99 Postcards from Penguin.  Ultimate gift for a bookworm. You could frame some of the covers and put in the loo, with such titles as Explosives by John Read and Soft Fruit Growing by Raymond Bush.

3.  £22.75 England’s Hideways from Amazon.  The new craze is ‘property porn’ where women spend hours on findaproperty nosing at people kitchens and dreaming of houses they can’t afford. Feed their addiction with this.

4.  £17.99 Iron Bootbrush form Kew Gardens. Helping on the domestic side subtly.

5.  £174.50 Romantic break for two from Spabreaks near Bath. The whole works; champagne, 3 course meal, candle lit dinner, massage, facial.

6.  £22.95 Vintage Alphabet Letters from Horsfall and Wright. Put them in an old Suitcase with the postcards from penguin.  (Image from All about Abbie) Askherfriends and they might say don’t get it out of envy.

7.  £65 English Rose Ring from Argentum Design Company. Simple elegant design any English rose would adore.

8.  £22.50 Roses by Bridie Hall. Gorgeous candles that make the room smell delicious and NO Ikea tea light candles are not the same.

9.  £120- Afternoon tea for two and Cocktail Masterclass- Mayfair.  You can both learn how to make Hendricks Gin cocktails. Enough said.

So there you have it. Next time before you plan to throw money at the problem, take a step back and think ‘is this really going to solve the problem…?’ She’ll appreciate the effort!