Mandy’s 2025 Christmas Gift Guide: The Ultimate Edit for People Who Are Hard to Buy For

Thursday, October 16, 2025

Charlie the cat sitting by a Christmas tree, illustrating a cosy festive moment from Mandy’s Christmas Gift Guide for women who already have everything.

Every year I tell myself I’ll be more organised with Christmas shopping and every year, without fail, I end up panic-ordering something ridiculous at midnight because I forgot someone existed. If you’re the same, welcome home. This is a safe space for those of us who love giving thoughtful gifts… but don’t necessarily thrive under festive pressure.

This isn’t one of those perfect, minimalist Pinterest gift lists that assumes everyone drinks herbal tea and owns matching pyjamas. Oh no, this is the realistic guide. The one for people who are busy, broke, brilliant, or just baffled by what to get for that one relative who replies “oh, surprise me.”

Inside, you’ll find gifts that are actually worth buying, things people will open and go, “Oh! I’ll actually use this!” instead of quietly wondering how soon they can regift it. From comfort treats and nostalgic treasures to clever little gadgets and things your cat will definitely steal, this is your shortcut to surviving December with your sanity intact.

So make a cup of tea (or pour something stronger), pop on Love Actually in the background, and let’s find the perfect gifts for the people who are impossible to buy for including you.


🎁 For the Women Who Already Have Everything (Except a Day Off)


You know the one, she’s got great skin, three different types of planners, and somehow remembers everyone’s birthdays, yet hasn’t had an actual rest since 2014. You ask what she wants for Christmas and she says, “Oh, nothing really.” Lies. She wants peace. She wants quiet. She wants a hot drink that stays hot for longer than a minute.

So, instead of guessing what she doesn’t need, get her something that makes her life just that little bit easier or softer, or calmer, or more luxurious. These are gifts that whisper, “I see you holding everything together.”

Maybe it’s a heated throw for those “five minutes on the sofa” moments that accidentally last all afternoon. Or a posh candle that makes the living room smell like a spa instead of yesterday’s dinner. Or perhaps it’s the kind of fluffy robe that makes you feel like you’ve got your life together, even if you’re wearing it while shouting, “WHO’S MOVED MY CHARGER?”

These gifts aren’t about fixing her. They’re about reminding her she deserves to stop for a bit, to feel warm, rested, and appreciated. Because yes, she probably does have everything… but there’s a good chance she’s forgotten to get herself something lovely.

So that’s my round-up of the best gifts for women who already have everything except a proper rest. From heated throws to candles that smell like calm itself, these are little luxuries designed to make life softer, warmer, and a bit more manageable.

And this is just the start! This post is part of my Mandy’s 2025 Christmas Gift Guide series, my slightly chaotic, definitely heartfelt attempt to make festive shopping easier for the rest of us. Next up, we’re moving on to the real stars of Christmas… the cats.

Because let’s be honest, they’ll still end up with the best presents. πŸŽ„πŸΎ

πŸ‘‰ Keep an eye out for Part 2: For the Cat People (aka Us)  coming very soon!


The Rise (and Rise) of the Dumb Phone: Why Everyone’s Suddenly Over Smartphones

Wednesday, October 08, 2025

Remember when “screen time” meant watching Friends on a Thursday night instead of your phone tracking your every move? Simpler times. And yet, here we are in 2025, a world where people are willingly swapping their shiny smartphones for what the internet is calling dumb phones.

Apparently, it’s all part of the great digital detox. Gen Z are leading the rebellion, trading apps for actual conversations, while older millennials are reminiscing about the pre-scroll days when you could go to the loo without someone DMing you a meme. Some say it’s about freedom from notifications; others, more cynically, think it’s about escaping the government’s latest attempts to “protect us” by knowing everything we’re doing. Either way, the idea of being unreachable is suddenly fashionable.

Meanwhile, I’m sitting here wearing two different brands of smart ring — one on each hand. I also own a smartwatch, a smart bracelet, and two smartphones strategically positioned on either side of my sofa like tiny digital bodyguards. If there’s a signal, I’m probably in it.

So no, I’m not the target audience for dumb phones. I like data. I like step counts. I like being able to Google “who played the dad in Mamma Mia?” halfway through a train journey. But even I can see the appeal of a simpler life, one without doomscrolling, pop-ups, or that existential dread that comes from accidentally opening your camera in selfie mode.

Still, the idea of going fully off-grid feels a bit… 1998. I did that era once and have no intention of reliving it, thanks. I’ll happily light a candle and journal my feelings, but I’m keeping Spotify and Google Maps.

That said, if you are tempted to try life in 2G again, there are some genuinely brilliant dumb phones out there — sturdy, battery-powered bricks that can survive both drops and existential crises.


Shop the Nostalgia (Affiliate Picks):


πŸ“ž Nokia 2660 Flip – it actually flips, which is half the fun.

πŸ‘‰ https://amzlink.to/az0XW0EKbedvQ


πŸ“± Nokia 105 Classic – the original unkillable phone. No apps, no chaos, just vibes.

πŸ‘‰ https://amzlink.to/az0gpkUzHnvyg


πŸ”‹ JCB Rugged Phone – ideal if you drop things, live outdoors, or just enjoy pretending you’re on a survival show.

πŸ‘‰https://amzlink.to/az0kE4y10Ui0T


πŸ•Ή️ Uleway Senior Phone – big buttons, loud speaker, zero nonsense. Surprisingly chic in an “I don’t check email after 5 p.m.” kind of way.

πŸ‘‰ https://amzlink.to/az0nH2pCZXsW7


So yes, the dumb phone is back and honestly, I get it. We’re all a bit tired of being “available.” Maybe this is less about rejecting technology and more about reclaiming peace.


As for me, I’ll stay right here surrounded by Bluetooth signals, wearing a ring that tells me when to hydrate, and silently admiring anyone brave enough to go offline.


Because someone has to keep the Wi-Fi on while you’re all being mysterious. πŸ“ΆπŸ˜‰