Do you know what Hugh Jackman, Bill Gates and the Queen have in common? They’re all fans of jigsaw puzzles! Jigsaws are some of our most popular creative gifts for family and friends and are great for your mental and physical health, too!  Here's our history of this special pastime plus great gift ideas for Christmas and birthdays.

As we approach All Hallows Eve, when the worlds of the living and the dead are traditionally most closely connected, we take a peek (through our fingers) at the customs and beliefs that lurk in the shadow of our celebrations ... and seek out some stunning good luck charms and Halloween gifts for you, too!

When choosing our crystal and glass animal gifts, we wanted to find out more about their magical and mysterious backgrounds - and here we share some of the fascinating facts we discovered about unicorns, seahorses, doves and bees!  As well as the lovely gifts featured, you'll find lots more sparkle in our Crystal and Spiritual Gifts Collection.

Did you know that we buy more clothes per person in the UK than anywhere else in Europe?  Peach Perfect looks at the negative impact of fast fashion and why it's important to care about what we wear -  by choosing organic clothing and babywear and/or taking other sustainable steps to bring about change.

Are you finding it difficult to choose a special wedding gift for the happy couple? Well, you're not alone as the traditional wedding present list of toasters and tasteful homeware becomes increasingly less relevant.  With many couples preferring to live together before tying the knot, who needs yet more household stuff? 

As well as getting married later in the UK (with the average age of women being 35 and men being nearly 38), there's also a growing trend for older people to remarry.  In the decade up to 2014, the number of 65+ couples getting married increased by nearly 50%.  And our congratulations go to American couple John and Phyllis Cook who've just got married aged 100 and 103!

So what do couples who appear to have everything actually want?  Some specifically ask for donations to their favourite charity or contributions to their honeymoon or other special event.  But there's so many options for choosing a more personalised present, whatever your budget - and here we look at a few fun, quirky and special gift solutions and ideas to help you decide.

1. Wedding memory box

After all the planning, the big day can come and go in a flash - so it's lovely to have reminders to look back at later, as well as the wedding album.  A personalised wedding memory box like this one below makes a thoughtful wedding gift and keepsake to be treasured.  And it's a practical choice as well as a stylish one!  

2.  Unique artwork 

Whether it's a piece of stained glass, a painting or sculpture, a unique handcrafted artwork provides that special touch.  You can also enjoy a great day out while doing your wedding shopping!  Check out your local area for arts events and festivals like this summer's Leamington's Art in the Park.  Visit Birmingham lists local arts events and Warwickshire Open Studios showcase local artists.  Or if you're suitably creative, why not craft your own work of art? 

3. Personalised book

If the bride and groom are both footie fans, a Personalised Football Club Newspaper Book is a quirky and unusual gift!  Or if they've got different tastes, why not also choose a personalised copy of Purple Ronnie's Little Poems for Friends, and give each one their own book to celebrate the big day?  They're guaranteed to make them smile and make memorable keepsakes, too. 

4. Memorable experience

Here's your chance to tailor make something special as a wedding gift.  What are the couple's special interests?  If they love being out and about and visiting places, consider getting National Trust or English Heritage membership … or RSC gift membership if they love the theatre.  Tennis or sailing, cookery or gardening courses, can also be great choices.  The only limit is your imagination - and budget (and you could always suggest sharing the cost with other close friends). 

 5. Wedding windchime

If music is the food of love, as Shakespeare said, a traditional Woodstock Irish Blessing wind chime like the one above is a tuneful choice for a wedding gift. The ash wood windcatcher can be removed for you to add your own personalised message, making it an unusual and quite magical present.  Take a minute to listen to its lovely chime! 

What's your favourite wedding gift you've ever given - or received?  Is it on our list of suggestions? 

And if you're still seeking inspiration, you'll find lots more lovely gift ideas in our Weddings Collection.  We hope you enjoy the big day! 

As the summer holidays draw near, it's time to face up to the annual challenge of keeping the kids entertained for six whole weeks.  We're here to help with five creative and budget friendly top tips for family activities … plus some great selections from our collections of toys, games and craft gifts for children!

We look at why it's so important to encourage our children's natural creativity.  Taking part in craft activities helps to create new brain connections, learn new skills and interests, and improve mental health - plus it's great fun.  And you can browse our new Craft & Creative Collection for great gift ideas to inspire any child's imagination!

Summer is on the way and it's the perfect time to celebrate our great British gardens!  With so many amazing gardens to choose from, we've recommended our five favourites to visit.  And check out our top pick of unusual gardening gifts and nature lovers' gifts (not forgetting gifts for gardeners who have everything ....).  ...