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Expert Panel member Matthew Dennison reveals the best ways to decorate in style this season. He should know. He worked for years at House & Garden, and is famous for his table settings!
Be inspired by history. Early Christmas trees introduced by the Royal Family were not fir but holly, and decorated with twists of coloured [...]

The festive season is all about indulgences and this year Christmas came early for me in the form of the Retro Sweetie Jar. Channelling my inner child and indulging my sweet tooth, I splashed out on the jar that’s full to the brim of my favourite childhood sweets.
It’s now one of my favourite evening [...]

Gift Ideas
No need to worry if you’re not an ultra organised Christmas Fairy when it comes to Christmas shopping; Handpicked Collection is here to be your saviour. We’ve got hundreds of sparkling Christmas gift ideas to give someone special a gift to be treasured. Below, I have given a sample of our Collection and a [...]

CANAPE STATION
Is there anything better than a perfect cocktail? A perfect cocktail with a little morsel of something delicious to nibble on….
Cut thinnish slices of baguette, brush them with olive oil and bake them in a hot oven (200C/400F/Gas mark 6) for about 10 minutes until golden. You now have a batch of crostini which [...]

A while ago, we asked Bill Prince, deputy editor of GQ , how to find the perfect presents for men. He’s the expert, and offered the following advice:
Think outside the box before deciding what to put in it, by imagining the man he’d like to be. Not that you can’t celebrate his existing qualities, but [...]

                                   
We all got very excited when we heard that Jacqui Hames was to present the Ila Dusk Personal Alarm on GMTV on Friday morning. Admittedly, it was on a bit early (Sky+ to the rescue) but it was exciting to see our new top selling product on tellie. Handpicked is the only online retailer of the Alarm and [...]

I was reminded why we had decided to introduce the Five Way Cashmere Poncho last night when, after a day in the office, followed by kids tea and bath-time, I had minus ten minutes to get ready to go out to a party. I had to choose between a dash of make-up and changing – [...]

Last night Handpicked were lucky enough to attend the Foundation Carol Service and Christmas Fair at St Paul’s Church in Wilton Place. It was the perfect occasion to put on our festive boots on and have a sneaky glass of mulled wine.
The service was in aid of the church itself in order to raise [...]

My beloved husband has perfected the art of last-minute present-buying. On the last Saturday before Christmas, he neatly dodges the list of chores I’ve been saving for him by declaring that he has important shopping to do. (This translates as ‘If you don’t let me go, you won’t get a Christmas gift). He hops on [...]

Carol singing, ice skating, mulled wine – all three at the same time if we can find them. Not to mention ‘it’s behind you’, and decking the halls with boughs of holly. Here’s our very personal list of events we can’t make it through the festive season without. And for special wow factor, stock up [...]