Lydia Daley

Gift guide season is in full swing (I've got one for Etsy gifts under ten pounds, if you fancy) but where I really like to get my ideas is asking my friends what they've actually bought their loved ones for Christmas, so here we are: my realistic gift guide. It definitely isn't wasted on me just how lucky I am to buy and receive presents, especially this year, which is why I will also be including charities in my gifting this year and making some donations. Anyway, I had to scrap my idea for Mountain Warehouse vouchers for his walking boots since he rocked up with a pair, and bought him their teal Idris fleece to add to his 20 deep collection instead. We discovered Schitt's Creek this year and absolutely loved it, so I couldn't resist getting us matching keyrings in the shape of Rosebud Motel key fobs from Etsy for a little giggle.

If you have a budding baker in the family, or you prefer to steer clear of the plethora of plastic toys, a baking kit is a lovely idea for little ones and big kids alike. With 10mls each of pure, high quality eucalyptus, lemon, lavender, peppermint, rosemary, tea tree, and ylang ylang essential oils, this set is the perfect introduction for somebody wanting to get into them, whether that's for diffusing around the home or making their own skincare products. Pair this with a nice cake mix and jar of sprinkles to bring it up to the £10 budget, or if you can go higher, the same seller offers a matching rolling pin. 10 Etsy Christmas gifts under £10, proving that you don't have to have the biggest budget to find personal, thoughtful gifts, and support small sellers.

We all like to be beside the seaside, and SEA LIFE Blackpool takes you on a trip from the town's sandy beach down to the ocean floor in a matter of minutes. In the line outside there were big 2m markers, hand sanitiser available in every doorway for easy access, and reminders in the gift shop to only touch items you were likely to buy, but inside it was super difficult to social distance because the tanks just aren't laid out that way, and understandably children get excited to rush from room to room, so parents follow them. Something I really enjoyed about this visit was the information dotted around about SEA LIFE's conservation efforts, such as their coral breeding programme, and their amazing sanctuary for Little Grey and Little White, the beluga whales that hit the news earlier this year after they were released from an entertainment park in Shanghai. It's a nice rainy day activity in Blackpool for children, to get them interested in the oceans and the animals within, but personally I would choose another of Blackpool's Merlin entertainments like Madame Tussaud's or The Blackpool Tower Dungeon.

With social distancing and masks enforced, you can enjoy every every bump, rattle, and scream knowing that that your family are safe... Part of the Merlin group, tickets start at £14, or you can save when buying a bundle pass for Merlin's other attractions like SEA LIFE or Madame Tussaud's All of the creatures Lights go down and creatures appear, and even the chairs themselves will have you on the edge of your seat, as you feel leeches crawling over you in the plague doctor's office, and the Captain poking at your ribs in the smuggler's cave. With trick or treating on the backburner this year, the whole family can still have a safe and happy Halloween when you dare to visit Blackpool Tower Dungeon.