We once again delve into the Stanfords online Christmas store to reveal our top 10 Christmas gift ideas for her:
1. Postcards from Penguin
Penguin books have been around since the 30s; over the last 80 years the publisher has grown into a national institution and a name associated with some of Britain’s favourite reads: from crime to classics and award-winning novels to reference titles, all featuring the three iconic horizontal stripes. Now, 100 of Penguin’s most iconic book covers are immortalised (The Great Gatsby, The Case of the Dangerous Dowager and A Room of One’s Own to name but three) in postcard form; a celebration of a British design classic – one with so many memories among all generations. They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but if these postcards are anything to go by, you probably should.
2. The Little Paris Kitchen
A few years ago, Rachel Khoo decided to move from her south London home to Paris to learn how to cook, French-style. In just six years she had mastered the French capital’s revered culinary scene, establishing herself as one of the most exciting young English chefs around – though sadly for Brits, not in England. After completing a patisserie course at Le Cordon Bleu, Rachel opened a restaurant from her ‘little Paris kitchen’, the inspiration behind the TV series and this beautiful book of 120 classic French recipes. The publication features the best of French home cooking, from Omelette Pipérade to Tarte tatin, all the while dispelling the myth that French food has to be complicated to work.
> Buy The Little Paris Kitchen!
3. The Britannia Desk Globe
What to get the woman who has everything? Look no further than the Britannia Desk Globe, one of the most beautiful and unique globes we’ve seen. Set on a walnut base with roller bearings – allowing it to be effortlessly moved into the desired position – the Britannia’s distinctive blue and sepia tones sit beautifully alongside its custom 18th century font. With fully up to date cartography, the globe details country and regional borders in addition to rivers and capital cities. Each model is expertly hand-painted, with several thin coats of clear gloss varnish applied. Globe experts have tipped this to become a collector’s item, and we can see why.
> Buy the Britannia Desk Globe (walnut)!
4. 2013 Cavallini Vintage Maps Wall Calendar
One of travel’s great romantic associations is the vintage map; aside from photographs, nothing has fuelled our collective wanderlust more. Maps of yesteryear weren’t just practical tools for inspiring holiday destinations; they were works of art in themselves – now, the best are presented in the 2013 Cavallini Vintage Maps Wall Calendar, from North America to Africa and India to Japan. With some dating back to the 19th century, the maps have been restored to their former glory thanks to the acid-free laid cream paper, which makes the 49cm x 34cm prints ideal for collecting or framing as next year’s months pass.
> Buy the 2013 Cavallini Vintage Maps Wall Calendar!
5. Unlikely Friendships
We’ve all been charmed by news stories documenting unlikely animal friendships, from the piglet being brought up in a litter of puppies to cats taking in orphaned hedgehogs. In celebration of these heart-warming tales, National Geographic’s Jennifer Holland has compiled a series of 47 unlikely but absolutely true animal friendships from around the world – from the elephant and the sheep to those oldest of foes, the bird and the cat. There’s even time for the story of the snake and the hamster and the mismatched pairing of the hippo and the tortoise – not to mention that adorable couple adorning the front cover. Aside from the cutest collection of full-colour photos you’re ever likely to see, the book explains how and why these unlikely friendships came about.
6. London Fridge Magnets
The British capital has inspired some of the planet’s most recognisable landmarks – not just physical locations like Piccadilly Circus and the Routemaster bus, but celebrated design classics like the Tube map and the Keep Calm and Carry On poster. 24 have been immortalised in this Cavallini collection of London Fridge Magnets – perfect for decorating and customising fridges, magnetic boards and lockers. One of the classiest, least-clichéd London souvenirs you’re likely to find in the run-up to Christmas, the London Fridge Magnets collection is one of the simplest, most effective and visually-pleasing ways of celebrating the best of British design.
7. The Fishing Fleet
Back in the late 17th century, India had a hugely disproportionate ratio of men to women (four to one, in fact): something the East India Company viewed as a business opportunity. Its idea? To provide women in search of a husband safe passage to India and a matchmaking service on the subcontinent, something that grew in popularity after the establishment of the Raj in 1858 and the Suez Canal’s opening just over a decade later. British men had travelled to India in their droves to pursue careers as soldiers, businessmen and administrators. The highly-organised operation became known as the ‘fishing fleet’, and Anne de Courcy’s book documents the journeys made by countless young women; women frustrated at the lack of eligible bachelors in Britain. A scene that practically disappeared overnight with India’s independence in 1947 was in full swing at the turn of the century, with British India’s dances, parties, tennis tournaments and picnics the stuff of legend. But once the honeymoon period was over, life in India didn’t always turn out as expected…
8. The Etymologicon
Inspired by the author’s Inky Fool blog, The Etymologicon is Mark Forsyth’s intriguing account of the unusual connections between words. But his quest in discovering the links between church pews and organised crime, or codpieces and brackets, isn’t purely etymological; Forsyth also attempts to get to the bottom of myths and the meanings behind sayings. Did Thomas Crapper really invent the toilet? And where does the phrase ‘enough room to swing a cat’ come from? Forsyth, an Oxford graduate and journalist, believed it wasn’t only him interested in discovering the origins of words, even if it’s knowledge we don’t strictly need (though it’s clearly a delight to learn). If the popularity of this book is anything to go by, particularly among the QI generation (though the book has attracted notable tabloid attention, most notably a half-page spread in The Sun), he may be right. The Etymologicon is one of those books that emerges as a surprise bestseller, in much the same mould as Lynne Truss’s Eats, Shoots & Leaves.
9. Classic Chrome Bicycle Bell
Cycle chic is all the rage, especially now the UK’s towns and cities are following northern European examples and becoming more cycle friendly – most notably London with its Boris bikes and cycle superhighways. If you’ve taken the plunge and bought the bike and sourced the kit, you might notice there’s still something missing: the humble bicycle bell! But there’s no need to settle for something purely practical – reflect your bike’s style with Rex International’s Classic Chrome Bicycle Bell. Producing a gentle ‘ring-ring’ sound, the retro bicycle bell comes with fittings to mount it onto any handle bar, whether you own a Raleigh Chopper, a quirky racer or (and this is probably unlikely) a downhill mountain bike with dual suspension – so you can be sure of warning any unsuspecting pedestrians of your approach.
> Buy the Classic Chrome Bicycle Bell!
10. Pocket Atlas of Remote Islands
Sandy Island in the South Pacific may have been ‘un-discovered’ by scientists, but there’s still a plethora of virtually unexplored islands in our seas – 50 of which are detailed in this quirky pocket atlas. Born on the wrong side of the Berlin Wall, author Judith Schalansky dreamed of travel through the pages of her atlas. Now she’s created her own, taking us to some of the planet’s most obscure destinations; destinations explored only by lost explorers and rare animals, and with a story or two worth telling. You may never have the privilege of visiting these islands, but don’t let them pass you by.
> Buy the Pocket Atlas of Remote Islands!
Need more festive inspiration? Check out our extended range of Christmas gift ideas for her!