Find thoughtful Christmas gifts

• Offers lasting display pieces for suitable candles on their mantelpiece or table.

Before you buy

• For home decorating, choose a finish and shape that suit their room and available display space.
• Match the holder to their candle type and diameter, and check the supplied count.
• Check the base footprint, stability, finish and maker's care and use instructions.
• Photographed candles may be separate; a decorative or flameless-candle holder is not automatically suitable for a real flame.

• Gives a sofa or armchair a comfortable extra layer, with colour and texture for the room.

Before you buy

• For home decorating, choose colour, pattern and texture that work with the recipient's room and taste.
• Check dimensions, feel, weight and warmth for the way the recipient will sit and use it.
• Read the fibre and washing and drying instructions, allowing room to store the folded throw.
• A domestic throw is not automatically bed-sized, machine washable or suitable in place of a weighted blanket.

• Gives each guest's cup or glass a place to stand, in a coordinated design.

Before you buy

• For home decorating, choose colours and textures they would like leaving on their table.
• Choose enough for their usual drinks and check the usable area against their cup and glass bases.
• Read the backing, condensation handling, heat limits and cleaning instructions for the exact set.
• Coasters do not guarantee protection for every surface, and cup coasters are not automatically suitable for hot pans.

• Gives them reusable table textiles to complement the dishes and settings they enjoy.

Before you buy

• For home decorating, choose colours and patterns that work with their plates and dining room.
• Check the exact contents and number of complete settings; napkin sets and runner bundles supply different things.
• Measure the table and preferred overhang, and read the fibre label and washing instructions.
• Table linen is not a guarantee of flax fabric or protection for hot pans; accessory counts can overstate the number of settings.

• Makes a few flowers or a bouquet part of their home, in a vessel they can bring out again.

Before you buy

• Choose a colour, shape and finish that belong with their decorating choices, even when the vase is empty.
• Match the opening and height to the stems they normally display, rather than choosing by the styled photograph alone.
• Check that it holds water for fresh flowers, and consider how they will clean the inside.
• Fragile glass or ceramic needs careful packing; the pictured flowers may not be part of the purchase.

• A favourite fragrance in an attractive vessel can add something enjoyable to their room.

Before you buy

• Consider the vessel's colour and finish alongside their room, so it works with the decorating choices they already enjoy.
• Find out which fragrance families they choose and whether they like a light scent or something more noticeable.
• Read the wax weight and vessel dimensions, and compare any burn-time claim with the maker's stated conditions.
• Scent is a matter of taste, and they need somewhere suitable to use a candle; attractive packaging does not settle either question.

• Turns an untidy leaning stack into a display without asking for another full bookcase.
• Can reflect their style while still doing a genuinely useful job on the shelf.

• Changes the atmosphere of a room without demanding a full decorating project.
• Adds useful light exactly where overhead fittings often fall short.
• A distinctive shape or material can feel personal while remaining practical.