Make it a vintage Christmas!

If you thought charity shops only sold mustard shirts and floral blouses then think again. Actually, the mustard shirts and floral blouses are still there, but have a rummage and you might source something a little more on trend.

In smarter areas of London, charity shops are often teeming with designer clothes at silly prices (my friend Kate found a Chanel suit for £30).

The British Red Cross shop in Chelsea is a stone’s throw from Manolo Blahnik and Catherine Walker, who often donate their unwanted items.

Also, if you’re not looking for clothes then try the Oxfam Music and Audio in Ealing. They do bargain CDs, plus vinyl, videos and DVDs, and it’s great for older relative presents too as it specialises in classical music.

But if you can’t get to either of these, head to your local. I bought a lovely little brass jewellery box from Cancer Research in Clapham last weekend – it was about the same price as a Starbucks.

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