The Westfield Insider's last minute gift ideas

It's a common occurrence every year, when that one person surprises you at Christmas time. No, I'm not talking about the jolly man in the red suit - I'm talking about the unexpected guest!

This is the guest you usually find out you'll be entertaining right at the point where you can do absolutely nothing about it and your nerves are just about shot. When you're doing your best to get food on the table and your husband swans in mentioning, with not nearly enough urgency, that his Great Aunty Lois and Uncle Barry are coming over for lunch. Perfect!

By picking up a couple of extra gifts during your Christmas shopping, you can at least take a bit of pressure off yourself when that shock guest walks through the door five minutes later. While they're unwrapping the bounty, you can duck down to the closest fast food joint for an extra roast chicken that you "just rustled up".

"Really," you say with a smile, "it's no problem at all!"

Browse the gallery on the left for some of my last minute gift ideas.

Alyce xx

See The Westfield Insider blog for more on trend, on budget tips.