Despite making some decent headway into her Christmas shopping KAREN BATE finds the list never comes to an end

WITH shopping hours disappearing faster than defecting Tories, Christmas panic is nigh.

I thought I was organised this year as I clicked my way to bankruptcy at the end of November.

However, after wrapping every gift and stocking filler, I realise there is a gaping hole on my Christmas Present List of people who I have forgotten.

And once I have factored in all the time I am spending at office parties, family parties, drinks with friends and associated hangovers, dinners out and two trips to London and Shaftesbury, oh, and the more mundane tasks of eating and sleeping, this leaves me about seven minutes to buy four more presents. Hark.

And unfortunately I cannot fob them off with a box of Celebrations. They are Just Too Important and worse still, they are all boys.

Whoops.

The other thing is that I have spent ALL my money and do not get paid again until Christmas Eve. This means I might be forced to join the hordes of deranged shoppers on Wednesday, in which I would no doubt end up buying a whole bunch of nonsensical, useless and inappropriate presents.

I do have an IKEA voucher, in which I could do battle with toothy, warehouse-loving shoppers to dilly-dally over textiles and kitsch kitchen gadgets that frankly are no use to man nor beast.

But how many 17-year-old boys want a fruit-filled church candle or a livid pink egg whisk?

I am sure they would rather Santa tucked a pair of skinny jeans or a pretty girl into their stockings. Bad luck, boys.

There is option to raid the Teen’s savings for one week only or head out after dark for the late-night option, but I just can’t face it and besides, I literally have no time.

Even the internet is no longer an option as I have left delivery just too late.

So, I am in a bit of a merry minefield, unless I have an unexpected windfall between now and tomorrow.

I imagine all four will end up with an iTunes voucher tucked cosily inside a pair of Alpaca wool socks. Inspired.

I hope your last minute Christmas shopping is more wrapped up than mine.

Bah.

Merry Christmas everybody, and a Happy New Year.

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