Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without an office Christmas party to go to, and everyone knows you need a new outfit for that. Even us "stay-at-home-Mums" deserve a new frock for Christmas Day, so how do you fancy a snazzy little Christian Lacroix number?

• Check out the sale @ Brand Alley online

There’s only one place on the internet to be today. Head over to BrandAlley at 4pm for the launch of their very special Lacroix sale and treat yourself to a little piece of fashion history. The sale only lasts until Sunday 13th December while stocks last so don’t be shy. Cosmo called BrandAlley bargain hunter heaven, and the prestigious Vogue reckons their prices promise to be at least 50-70% lower than retail prices. Form an orderly queue, now, and no pushing.

Everyone knows kids love Christmas but pets love playtime too, so why not make sure your furry friends get a visit from Santa Paws this year, too?

• Click here to shop online @ Pets At Home

What pampered pooch wouldn’t love unwrapping this Talking Turkey (£5.99) or  this Reindeer Long Legs (£4.99)?

No self-respecting kitten should be without this crinkly Santa’s Pants play tunnel (£7.99) this Christmas.

And don’t forget the little ones this Christmas - small furries will enjoy sleeping off their Christmas lunch in the adorable Hamster Snowman Bed (£2.49).

Bunnies and Guinea Pigs will adore being snuggled up on Christmas Eve in a brand new Christmas Pudding Bed (£12.99). The icing and holly decoration are removable, making this bed not only perfect for Christmas but a great place for your pet to get their head down all year round.

According to new research from the charity Send a Cow, Christmas shoppers across the UK are set to waste thousands of pounds this year as a whopping 70% of the nation will wake up to gifts they don’t want or need.

With only 17 shopping days to go until Christmas, findings from new Send a Cow research include:

• 60% of the people in Britain want an ethical gift but 66% of people forget to ask
• People love buying and receiving ethical gifts because it gives something long
  lasting and practical to a worthwhile charity and avoids unnecessary waste
• 59% of shoppers would buy an ethical gift for a family, friend or colleagues
• People expect to receive an average of 7 presents this Christmas
• At least one present under the tree will be something people don’t need
• 62% of people would happily give up a present for an ethical gift

So why not visit the Send a Cow giftsite here and join the thousands of other savvy shoppers choosing ethical gifts this year. Send a Cow helps farmers in Africa to grow enough food to feed their families, sell produce, and develop small businesses that last. The company provides training, livestock, seeds and ongoing support, as well as helping families to make the most of the land and resources that they already have.

You can do everything from donate a goat or plant some fruit trees in the name of your gift recipient, and every gift gets passed on so that an estimated ten people in Africa benefit from every single gift you give.

If you’re a UK tax payer you can also make your gift grow instantly by 28%. For every £1 you spend, Send a Cow gets an extra 28p from the Inland Revenue. All you need to do is tick the Gift Aid confirmation box during the ordering process. You can order gifts right up until Christmas Day.

In the season of goodwill, this seems like a a pretty decent deal all round.

Head over to Amazon today to check out their festive Deals of the Day. The deals end at 23.59 each day and are subject to availability so don’t delay!

There are also lots of bargains to be had under their Deals of the Week slot, like a hefty 54% of this snazzy pink Canon Digital IXUS 95 IS digital camera, making it £114.99 instead of the usual £249:

Or for the leading man in your life, what about a whopping 63% off this Philips Nivea For Men Coolskin HS8460 Rechargeable Shaver? It’s a smooth deal at £73.99 instead of the usual RRP of £200.

Amazon’s deals run across every category from books and baby items to DVDs and software so you’ll be sure to find something for everyone on your Christmas list. And remember you can get Super Saver Delivery absolutely free with no minimum purchase on a range of Amazon products, so you don’t even need to get dressed to go shopping! Now that's my kind of deal.

When it comes to stocking fillers, I don’t think satsumas really cut it anymore.

I’m determined to sneak a couple in with my sons’ assorted booty this Christmas Eve, mostly for tradition’s sake, but I don’t expect they’ll be overwhelmed with gratitude.

So where do you go for affordable stocking fillers that won’t break the bank but don’t compromise on quality either?

Look no further than the Great Little Trading Co. Established 11 years ago, they've won the Best Children’s Catalogue award at the UK’s mail order industry awards three years in a row. They specialise in sourcing useful, unusual children's toys, treats and even furniture from around the UK and further afield, and pride themselves on excellent customer service and speedy, reliable delivery. Best of all, they have a range of little gifts and games that make perfect stocking fillers, and each one’s a bargain at under £10:

• Check them out here.

My 4 year old is especially fond of the Pop to the Shops game, which he first encountered at school where they use it as a fun way of getting to grips with numeracy. Personally I love the funky paint brushes and want a blackboard name plaque of my own. There's even an interactive section on the website for kids to enjoy.

So why not slip something educational, fun and affordable into this year's stockings? Along with the sneaky satsuma, of course.

“I’d marry you all over again, you know.” Those were my exact words when my husband presented me with an impromptu gift in the shape of Starbucks coffee card. Fully loaded with cash and ready to splash, I used my shiny new card to toast my husband's generosity with a toffee nut latte.

Handier than cash, the Starbucks Card is an easy way to pay for your coffee fix. You never need to count up your coins again to find enough to pay for your poison; you just pick up the credit-card sized card instore, load it with any amount from £5 to £150 either online or in store, and then use the card to pay for your treats. Easy peasy. What are you waiting for?

• Go get your own card, now!

If you register your card online you can manage your account, top up your coffee funds any time and even see all your recent transactions, just incase you want to keep that caffeine addiction in check.

You card can be used in thousands of stores around the world, and once you’ve registered it online your balance will be protected against theft or loss. You can also opt in to receive news and exclusive previews from Starbucks, and if, like me, you’re partial to a dash of vanilla syrup in your latte, registering your card means the syrups are on the house, along with other extras like additional espresso shots, whipped cream or soy milk. And every time you use your card to purchase a 250g bag of whole bean coffee, you get a Tall drink of your choice absolutely free.

So why not slip a Starbucks card into someone’s stocking this Christmas? You never know, it might even garner you a proposal of marriage.

There can’t be many mums out there who don’t take maternity leave. Whether you’re a working mum or one who’s opted to stay at home, maternity leave is the one thing few of us could cope without. Even those legendary women who have their feet firmly back beneath their desks within days of giving birth have to take a little time off, even if it’s just long enough to do the deed.

But according to a recent study, fathers are increasingly getting the short straw when it comes to taking time off following the birth of a child.

The report by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, conducted among 4,500 parents in Britain, found that 45% of fathers don't take paternity leave.
Why? Because they feel they can't afford it.

Statutory paternity leave is currently paid for up to 2 weeks at a rate of £123 per week or 90% of the father's average weekly earnings, whichever is less. That’s significantly less money than many dads make in a normal week, and you can bet your bottom dollar Wayne Rooney hasn't had to make do with that. Then again, maybe that's why he was back at work so fast, following the recent arrival of baby Kai.

Interestingly, the report found that many fathers do want to take paternity leave despite the financial hurdle, and feel they struggle to strike a balance between working long hours and having time to enjoy family life.

It’s one thing for a father to choose not to take paternity leave, but quite another for him to feel that he doesn’t really have a choice. A quick straw poll of fathers within easy chatting distance of my desk – ok, my husband - told me that those who had taken time off on the birth of a child had found it to be a profound experience and one they wouldn’t have missed for the world.

So what can you do if you’re a dad who wants to take paternity leave but can't afford the pay cut? We talked to Lisa Wynn, a Master Certified Life Coach and founder of Coaching for Dads, a coaching service that provides information, listening, challenge and support exclusively for dads and dads-to-be. Her advice is to plan your finances, and not just your family.

“In the happy chaos of planning for the safe arrival of a new family member most parents seem resistant to proper financial planning for the delivery. However in order to maximise paternity and maternity leave it is essential, and will ensure you have financially prepared for a reduction or loss of earnings during this time.”

Lisa encourages couples to look at their current income and expenditure to assess how they would be affected if they took their desired levels of maternity and paternity leave. “By cutting some of their expenditure on less important items during the pregnancy, expectant parents can help to build up a small surplus to supplement the paternity leave period. As money is cited as the number one cause of marital arguments this period can be a great springboard for improving relationships,” she says.

Sound advice. And here are our top 3 tips for making the most of paternity leave:

1. Save, save, save!

9 months can seem like a long time, especially for Mum, but one major benefit of the length of time a baby takes to make its entrance is the opportunity it affords you to get prepared – financially, as well as practically and emotionally. Use this time to put some money aside so that Dad can afford to be there. He won't get the time back! Work out the shortfall between statutory paternity pay and your partner’s average salary for a fortnight, and use those 9 months to put that money aside.

2. Check your entitlements.

Make sure you're claiming everything you're entitled to. Investigate what you’re entitled to in terms of child benefit, tax credits, working tax credits and maternity pay. Visit the government page on child benefits and tax credit for more information.

3. Talk to your employer.

Some firms have a policy on paternity leave that is better than the statutory minimum, or they might let the Dad-to-be use annual leave for paternity leave.
To find out more about paternity leave and what the expectant father in your life might be entitled to, check out this page on work enetitlements or call the ACAS Helpline on 08457 47 47 47.

Think your child is priceless? Think again! A recent survey conducted by the insurance company LV= found that the average parent spends over £190,000 on raising a child up to the age of 21, equivalent to a hefty £25 per day. It’s a fact: children aren't cheap.

If those figures alone aren't enough to put you off, I can vouch for the fact that keeping energetic toddlers entertained can be a costly business too. But money can't buy a kid's happiness, of course, and the good news is there are endless possibilities for amusing your child without splashing the cash. Let’s face it, if families really cost that much we could probably all do with saving a few quid here and there. So here are 6 playtime ideas that don’t cost a penny, just to get you started...

1.    Play Hide And Seek

Ok, so if you’ve already tried this at home, chances are it’s wearing a bit thin by now because once a toddler has grasped the principles of hide and seek they can literally keep it going for hours. Days, even. Never mind that they probably hide in the same place over and over again, this is brilliant for encouraging your child’s counting and problem-solving skills and having some fun together too. Encourage them to think creatively about where to hide, and be sure to praise their powers of discovery. And don’t forget to pause for refreshments at regular intervals!

2.    Have A Carpet Picnic

Bring the outside inside, especially on a rainy day. Pack a proper picnic; let the children make their sandwiches if you dare, and make a pact with yourself that you won’t wander off to check your emails or do the washing up. This is about getting down to your child’s level and enjoying some good old-fashioned imaginative play. Why not turn it into a doll’s tea party or a teddy-bear’s picnic if your child is so inclined - the more the merrier!

3.    Check Out The Local Library

I’m always surprised to find my local library practically empty, because it’s a pure goldmine of interesting and entertaining things for children to do. We can easily lose an hour in there just flicking through books together, and we routinely come home with piles of new bedtime stories and maybe even a CD or DVD at a fraction of the retail or rental prices. I’ve especially loved rediscovering classics from my childhood with my own children, and as a result books like Charlotte’s Web and Peter Pan have become firm family favourites all over again.

4.    Make Your Own Playdough

In a saucepan over a low heat mix together 3 cups of flour, a cup and a half of salt, 6 teaspoons of cream of tartar, 3 tablespoons of oil and 3 cups of water. It’s ready when the mixture comes away easily from the sides of the pan. Add food colouring of your choice and a teaspoon of vanilla essence for a yummy smell but remind everyone not to eat it! Better than the shop-bought stuff, fun to make together, and  best of all you can use the leftover cream of tartar to make scones some other time.

5.    Get Wet, Wet, Wet

If the sun ever comes out to play, why not follow suit and have some good, clean fun washing the car together? Alternatively you could play at being window-cleaners or even just pile all your plastic bowls and plates in a basin and the let the kids get to work on the washing up. A word of warning; expect to get water everywhere so time this close to bath-time and make sure you’ve got the capacity to cope with potential chaos – above all remember it’s about having fun, not staying clean or dry!

6.    Go Walkabout

Feed the ducks, take tricycles or scooters for a ride or just go and play on the swings in the nearest park. If you’re feeling adventurous, plan a nature trail for the route, stopping to collect leaves, look for bugs or just soak up the wonders of world around you. Pack juice and snacks, including a flask of tea or coffee for Mum, and if you’ve lots of time on your hands why not bake a delicious treat before you go, and serve it as a reward for tired little legs when your walk is over.

I’ll end this with a guilty secret. All too often my efforts to entertain my little darlings are about occupying their attention so that I can get something else done uninterrupted, whether it’s making a phone call or just having 5 minutes’ peace. That’s not something I’m proud of but I know I’m not the only one. But even 20 minutes of ‘floor time’ a day – quality time in which you literally get down on the floor with your kids and ignore all other distractions - can reap real benefits in building your relationship with your child. Children love nothing more than having your full attention so why not make time to do something fun and free together every single day. It’s practically guaranteed to result in happy kids, which usually makes for a happy Mum, and a happy household is something priceless that even money cannot buy.