If you’re insanely efficient and have already done all of your Christmas shopping: I applaud you. I possess no such organisational mastery over my own personal life. After all, what is the 23rd December for if not racing around the shops, isolating yourself on the bedroom floor and frantically wrapping presents whilst listening to anything but Christmas songs? I do think about potential presents for a long while, but the actual buying of them is a last-minute activity, one that gives way to all sorts of wonderful procrastination.

Anyway, on my journeys into town to buy things for my selfish self, I’ve noticed a few shops which house some delightful items that were so good for other people that they interrupted my general self-absorption.

House of Chic on Burgate sells all sorts of trinkets and stocking-fillers for women. Candles, ornaments and hot water bottles with pretty covers: anything girly and high quality – you’ll find it here. Upstairs, and for more extravagant presents, they also sell some gorgeous furniture.

At the Buttermarket, Steamer’s Cookware is a great place to get gifts for foodies. My Dad is a bit of a keen amateur cook, so I’ve been having a peek to see if he has a gap somewhere in his cookware collection. They also sell a whole range of gifts suitable for non-foodies.

The Art of Candles on Palace Street is a great place to shop for, well, people who like candles. They have a wonderful range of extravagant home made candles which will delight any mild pyromaniac on Christmas morning.

County Clothes is a very nice menswear shop on St. Margerets Street. I’ve got my eye on a very long, stripy scarf made from lovely Scottish wool. Really high quality stuff. And then you can pop next door to HMV to load up on Gavin & Stacey box sets. Lovely.

Finally, to wrap all of your gifts, Between the Lines is also to be found on St. Margarets Street and houses all the presentation orientated paraphernalia you could ever wish for.