Alternative ways to spend your Christmas money

Some sales started yesterday morning, before the festivities were properly over, at seemingly ridiculous hours of the morning. Apparently there were people queueing outside of one of the big London shopping centres at 7am. For those of us who spent the day eating leftovers and participating in that traditional antidote to the gluttony of the festive season, I present to you a few things that you could spend your Christmas money on, that don't involve getting up with the larks.

1. Buy a few albums on iTunes/Amazon/Tesco/HMV.

Quite a few good albums have been released this year, as well as some crackers from years gone by, and they are all available to buy somewhere online.

My favourite albums of 2011 have been Within Temptation's The Unforgiving and Van Canto's Break The Silence. The former has been played at least once a day since it was released, and the latter is a newer discovery of mine that I also can't stop listening to!

2. Buy a Sophie Lancaster Foundation wristband

Or a hat. Or a tshirt. Or a shopping bag. But definitely a wristband if you don't already have one. Sylvia Lancaster and her team are doing amazing work, and every purchase from their merch store helps to fund it.

3. Invest in some Gareth Pugh for MAC make up

This couture collection designed by the gothy Gareth Pugh hit the UK earlier in December, but MAC still have some left. The collection features a dark and a light side, all packaged in lovely black, glossy, geometric packaging. I treated myself to the Deceit pigment when it was released and I love its purpley brown/grey colour. Get it while stocks last! www.maccosmetics.co.uk

4. A good pair of boots

A good pair of boots is a key staple for any wardrobe, and the right boots will be amazingly versatile. Personally, I favour New Rocks, having worn and loved mine for several years now. But if your budget doesn't stretch that far, try Demonia or Doc Martens, or perhaps even your local army surplus store for a suitably gothy/steampunk/post apocalyptic alternative. Check online for local stockists - boots are one thing I would always advocate going to try on!

5. A piece of art

Now I'm not going to advise on this, because art is so subjective. I personally love John Miller prints, which are gorgeous, simplistic paintings of various bits of Cornwall. I have a few on my walls. I also love Mucha, the Czech artist who was most famous for his bilboard advertising in Paris, for brands such as Moet. So, go hunt some art, find something you like and hang it on your walls.

And if you truly do want to spend your Christmas money on clothes (I myself am seriously lusting after a new leather jacket to replace mine which is now a bit too big!), remember my one golden rule:
If you wouldn't pay full price for it, you shouldn't pay half price for it.

Happy Shopping!