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... Lets face it, we have all been in this position before! Lucky for you guys, I have compiled a quick guide for those last minute chocolate buys that you should be able to make even out of your local convenience store. None of these may seem like the perfect gift, but hey desperate times and all ...
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WHO: Nestle
WHAT: If you are savvy enough you should be able to find these Smarties Penguin and Milkybar Cow on some sort of 2 for £3.00 deal in your local shop or supermarket. Not everyone will be a fan of Milkybar super sweet white chocolate, but you can't go far wrong with the milk chocolate alternative penguin. I always knew Smarties 'would have the answer':D
WHERE: Nationwide local stores & Supermarkets-------
WHO: Kraft
WHAT: Lets face it if you led a childhood without getting one of these in your stocking then you really need to be asking your parents some questions :D Terry's Chocolate Orange is one of the more generic offerings, but it provides an easy option last minute present that wont have any noses being turned upwards.
WHERE: Nationwide local stores & Supermarkets-------
WHO: Thorntons
WHAT: If you want to at least attempt to look a little bit fancy then you might want to try your luck sneaking a pack of these Classic Collection Truffles into someones goodie bag. The quality of the chocolates aren't up to particularly much, but the pack does it at least come at an affordable £1.00 and contains 8 pieces. The odds are stacked in your favour they will find something they like.
WHERE: Nationwide local stores & Supermarkets-------
WHO: Lindt
WHAT: If you really hit it lucky your local store or supermarket might have some Lindt chocolate left in stock. If that is the case you want to look out for the solid milk chocolate santa and the Lindt Milk Chocolate Snowdrops. The latter of the two come highly recommended by myself - 'milk chocolate snowballs with a creamy double milk centre' ... they are pretty delicious trust me!
WHERE: Nationwide local stores & Supermarkets-------
WHO: Marks & Spencer
WHAT: Those of you that are lucky enough to have a local M&S Food shop may want to check out their range of small chocolate gifts this year. From what I have tried their milk chocolate aerated santa wont go upsetting anybody, nor will their giant fondant filled snowballs which will send anyone in to sugary Creme Egg like coma :D
WHERE: Nationwide M&S-------
WHO: Cadbury
WHAT: If all else fails ... Gifting a few Cadbury Wishes is a fail safe option for you. Firstly it is unlikely you will get many complaints about the actual chocolate - its just aerated Cadbury stuff after all! Secondly you can claim they can feel good about some of the proceeds going to the 'Make a Wish Foundation' ... the charity card eh!? :D Haha a bit cheap indeed, but whose to know :D
WHERE: Nationwide local stores & Supermarkets-------
So are any of you last minute panic buying today? Stories and recommendations are very welcome! One last general post tomorrow before I wrap up for the year!!
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30 comments:
Well done Jim I think you have pulled out the right Christmas classics here. None of these are like the most special presents ever but at the same time they would be nice cover up presents if you are still empty handed at this point. Have a great Xmas Jim.
I swear I get like ten Terrys chocolate oranges a year lol. At least there are a few flavours about these days so people try and mix it up a bit. There used to be a time where I would have like a pile of milk choc ones just piled up. I used to get so sick of them.
Luckily I don't need to be using this buyers guide :) All my presents came through the post a few weeks ago so they have been tucked away awaiting wrapping for a while now.
This is a good guide for the people who have left it until last minute. If someone was buying for me I would like the thorntons truffles or the milkybar polar bear.
Rxxx
Awwwww how cute is the polar bear and penguin combo =) They don't look as good as the Hotel Chocolat reindeer but they would make a nice smaller present for a younger person.
I find it hard to believe that pack of thorntons truffles are only a pound. I would have expected to pay more like two or three.
Awwwww how cute is the polar bear and penguin combo =) They don't look as good as the Hotel Chocolat reindeer but they would make a nice smaller present for a younger person.
I find it hard to believe that pack of thorntons truffles are only a pound. I would have expected to pay more like two or three.
You have managed to make me feel instantly better about me eating tons of those cadbury stars jim. Lol I think I have had 5 already this week *guilty face*. Well at least I am doing something good for charity :) My indulgence is helping someone at least, just maybe not my own health.
You might be surprised to hear that I think the Marks and Spencer ball things are the best looking. Lol it might just be your photos that are doing the trick, but the rest are the sort of thing you see all the time anyway.
I'm fixated by all the white stuff coming out the ball thing. It looks pretty tasty. Great guide Jim, I was looking forward to seeing your final thoughts.
Woop woop you can't beat a good bit of Lindt chocolate. I need to get me some of those snowdrop chocolates you are showing us there though.
I don't think they would last long in my sights lol :) Top review bud.
I'm glad you have finally done the right thing and got Thorntons in the mix here. The only thing you didn't cover off this year was what they had to offer, if you are still doing this next year can I suggest you feature them a bit more. I know they dont make as nice chocolates as people like hotel chocolat, but there are still a lot of people who still buy their stuff.
Cheers for the guide Jim.
I think you will find there are a lot of people that still have their christmas shopping to do because of all the bad weather. This guide will be a whole lot more useful than you probably all think.
On the news yesterday they said that today was going to be one of the biggest shopping days for the retailers ever. I think it is because the weekend got wiped out by the snow. Well done Jim, you will be helping out millions lol.
My pick out of this lot would have to be the Lindt things. I would be happy with most of them, but I think the most special would be the Lindt santa, he looks a bit more classy than the rest (especiall that MS one!).
Hopefully I will get my usual Lindt reindeer in my stocking. I have got one of them for the last few years now.
PANIC PANIC PANIC!!!! "The chocolates I ordered online haven't turned up" ... "I've left my presents at the office" ... "I've forgotten to buy 'so-&-so a present"!!!!
LOL this made me laugh. I can imagine there are a few people panicking today trying to get presents together.
'milk chocolate snowballs with a creamy double milk centre'
These lindt snowdrops sound the most yum. I hope I get some of these.
I hope anyone who is in a position of buying for me manages to come across this because this is a great guide full of some nice last min things you can buy.
I dont shop in marks and spencer but apart from them I have seen all of these in the shops in the last few weeks. The only one I have been tempted to buy was one of those polar bears. Lol I dont like white chocolate much but I thought they just looked so sweet.
Dx
Why didn't you ever review the Cadbury Wishes Jim? I thought it would have been the sort of thing you would have been all over? I hope they are selling well since they are for charity.
Those Thorntons truffles look a bit rough in that picture of yours. I dont know what it is about them but I really dont like Thorntons chocolates anymore. They used to make really nice truffles but now I find they all taste the same and stuff. I hope people dont fob me off with some this year.
Panic buying today? No way man! You want to play it cool and do Christmas Eve shopping like me :) Honest it is so cool doing the shopping then, I get a buzz for leaving it until the last minute lol.
Thank you for the guide Jim there are a few good things in here that you have picked out.
I put in online orders ages ago now so mine all came early so I'm all good in this regard. I will be heading in to town later though, I will look out for some Terrys oranges just to give as little small gifts. They are a nice cheap little one for people.
I love the guide Jim but I am going to be so cross if I get given any of these. Lol the boyfriend has been given clear instruction this year, I even sent him the webpages of the chocolates I wanted from HC.
If I get one of those damn smarties snowmen he better run for cover and duck lol. Thanks for the fab review.
Is this the last review of the year Jim? If it is then have a great Xmas and thanks for all the reviews and guides and things. You have a wonderful website here. You live all our dreams of eating chocolate for a living, keep up the good work mate.
I willing to put a lot of money on me at least getting one Terry's Chocolate Orange this year.
The most I have ever grossed in one year is four I think, I ended up giving a few of them to my brothers because I ate a whole one on christmas day and ended up feeling really sick lol. Top guide matey, perfect for all the late shoppers.
I didn't realise the smarties penguin actually had smarties inside it. Lol I thought Nestle had just pulled a random one and labelled it up smarties because they showed them on the outside. I might go buy one now :) I love smarties.
Happy Christmas Jim
@Henry_UtdFAN23
I am going in to town to do a last few bits and pieces today so I might head in to Hotel Chocolat to see if they have any last minute things on sale for Christmas.
I love the Christmas feeling this year. It's all the better for all the snow that is around. I hope we get some on Christmas day, I have never had a white Christmas before. Thanks for the guide mate, your pictures are amazin as per usual.
Jim if you had ten pounds to spend on someone to buy them some chocolates where you spend it and what would you buy. Lol you can go anywhere! Hard question isn't it :-)
Thanks for sharing your top tips Jim. I would be happy to get any of these I think. One thing I get every year is one of the multi bar cadbury packs where you get all the smaller bars in like the fudge and freddo.
Sorry this is off topic but have you found the aero orange yet?
A good selection, Jim. The Lindt and M&S in particular sound tasty. And the Cadbury wishes is nice for what it is. I think I'll be waiting until after Christmas to see what's been reduced :D I'm hoping that Hotel Chocolat in particular will have some reduced stuff next week.
Have a great christmas Jim :)
Thankfully no last minute gift buying for me this year but I'm sure someone will be thankful you posted this up to give them ideas. It's also helpful in the sense that I hadn't come across a few of these things previously such as the M&S snowballs & Santa and the Lindt snowdrops. Maybe I subconciously avoided all the the snowy ones because of all the real white stuff I've experienced this last month (another 3 inches fell last night, it's endless!)I'd be quite happy to try any of these products, even the more child friendly penguin & polar bear (they're not detailed enough for me to feel guilty about biting their heads off). I'd maybe swap the Lindt Santa for one of their gold wrapped reindeer if I was after a slightly more "expensive" gift for someone. Thanks for putting in the effort to provide these guides for everyone, it must have taken a fair bit of work but they've definitely been helpful and appreciated.
Top guide Jim. All these things are such basic gifts but I dont think anyone would be to upset being given any of them. I certainly wouldn't anyway. Lindt ftw!!
Hey Jim,
No panic buying for me :) I have been good and have been well prepared this year. Im not going to list out what I have bought people just yet (just incase they check my computer lol). I just wanted to say have a good christmas and new year. thank you for all the reviews.
Tom
Hi All
Just a quick reply to you all today as I am trying leave the office to start My Christmas holidays.
It sounds like the majority of you were already well sorted and in no need of the guide :D Oh well I hope you enjoyed looking at the photos and just feeling safe in the knowledge you were already sorted :D
This is my last 'review' post of the year today but don't worry there is so much more to come in 2011. I will be posting up a special HAPPY CHRISTMAS post but please don't feel like you have to oblige with a reply to that.
Kim - Your comment made me laugh. Indeed your efforts to eat 5 cadbury wishes for charity is something that should be marvelled at :D
Ricky - Biggest retail day of the year? Did people not have work to go to? :D
Stu - I did review it chap. Just search Cadbury Wishes in the search bar.
Anon - I will be doing some Christmas Eve shopping to. I like the atmosphere around the shopping centres.
James - This is the last product review post of the year yes. I'm glad you enjoyed it thanks for the nice words.
Mike - No still not seen the Aeroo Orange chap
Phil - The sales are going to be big this year I can tell. The amount of shopping days that got lost because of the weather means that they will have to make up the money some time. Lets hope they are as good as we think. I will be posting updates of where I think the best deals are on the site.
Ria - More snow eh!? I really don't think I could take that now. I just want it all to melt away and warm up. Thanks for the nice words about the guides. They were fun to do and believe it or not most of them were gifts from friends/work colleagues etc ... I thought I best put them to good use.
Thanks again to one and all for all your comments / thoughts throughout the year. I hope you continue to input in to the site, getting all your opinions on matters certainly keeps a nice buzz about the place. Time to shut down this computer now and leave the office :D Pub here I come :D
JIM
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