i had planned to whip up a batch of festive gingerbread men this weekend but somehow time got away with me, what with whistlestop  trips t’up north to the theatre of dreams, and a sunday afternoon spent mooching around east end christmas markets with friends.

i had some new foodie delights from homesense, you see, that i had snapped up on a recent visit to their london flagship store in staples corner. have you ever been to a homesense store before? it’s like tkmaxx (it’s sister store), only sooo much better because it chock full of fabulous homewares, all at up to 60% of the usual rrp!

a trip to store is rather like entering an aladdin’s cave, or braving a glorified car boot fair minus the early morning starts, freezing cold and dodgy cd stalls. the stock changes daily and varies from store to store, so there is still that crazed ‘buy it now!’ fever that helps get the adrenalin going, but the shelves are stacked with fabulous current season high street goods, from crockery and bakeware, to bed linens and cushions, to  home fragrances and cookery books. i made a beeline for the foodie corner and ferreted out some gourmet truffle oil, himalayan rock salt, a gorgeous olive oil and balsamic vinegar gift set with little dipping bowls, some bakeware pieces and several cookbooks i’ve been hankering after for ages, all for under £50!

despite staples corner being one of the most infuriating places ever to get to, it really is well worth the trip – last minute christmas shop anyone?