The lights have been up for weeks, you’re frantically trying to use up your last few holiday days, and your diary is full for the remainder of the year with festive soirées. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas – and we hope you’ve spent the last eleven months carefully budgeting, because it’s going to be pricey. According to the latest survey conducted by American Express, we’re talking somewhere in the region of £1,500*.

That’s the figure the average person spends on the Christmas period every year, and when you start adding up the cost of hosting family, showing face at endless drinks parties and buying a mountain of presents, that suddenly seems rather accurate. Fortunately, the American Express Platinum Cashback Everyday Credit Card** is on hand to make things that little easier. Offering shoppers a whole batch of benefits this Christmas, it’s a welcome way of making your money work extra hard for you. Where will most of that money be spent? On gifting, of course. Your relatives, your friends, Secret Santa, your boss (you know, if you’re making a play for a bonus)… That’s a whole lot of people to buy for. Fortunately, we’ve saved you the bother of trawling the shops by putting together this inspiring edit of perfect presents, guaranteed to please your most stylish friends and family…

Aesop’s Jet Set collection contains all you need for an instant refresh
£27, libertylondon.com

Go cosy-yet-smart whatever the distance in Orwell + Austen’s cashmere cricket jumper
£195, store.orwellausten.com

A carry-all that can truly carry all, Burberry’s oversized ‘Giant’ is also reversible
£1,295, uk.burberry.com

Dutch brand &Klevering creates all of their covetable pillow covers by hand
£75, debbieblisshome.com

Welcome in the festive season with Fair’s Fairtrade goji berry liqueur
£16.25, thewhiskyexchange.com

Arthouse Meath’s cute tablecloths are made by artists living with learning disabilities
£45, arkcambridge.co.uk

Attempting a pre-baked DIY gingerbread house – what could possibly go wrong?
£35, biscuiteers.com

Habitat’s Anngarsk glitter bauble wreath will give your home a colourful Christmas twist
£35, habitat.co.uk

Diptyque’s set helpfully contains 12 mini candles – one for each day of Christmas
£120, spacenk.com

A water-resistant workout motivator, the Samsung Gear Smartwatch is your new gym buddy
£300, johnlewis.com

Everyone needs a notebook with a 1920s poster of the Natural History Musuem on it
£10, nhmshop.co.uk

Meet the irresistible pepper bird and salt penguin by Danish brand Spring Copenhagen
from £80, eighty-7.co.uk

Make the most of your seasonal shopping

Fancy some cashback on your Christmas shopping? American Express has set out to help you be more savvy with your seasonal spending. As a new Cardmember you can receive 5% cashback on your purchases for the first three months of Cardmembership, up to £100. Earn up to 1% cashback thereafter depending on spend. The minimum annual spend to be eligible for cashback is £3,000 * *. What’s more, why not shop on your local high street to earn credits on your statement? Between 2 – 17 December 2017, every time you spend £10 or more at small businesses participating in Shop Small, you’ll get a £5 credit on your statement. There’s no limit to the number of £5 credits you can receive, but you can only claim it once at each small business. To take part, just register your Card and you’re ready to Shop Small once the offer is live. Terms and Conditions apply, find out more at amexshopsmall.co.uk

To find out more about the American Express Platinum Cashback Everyday Credit Card click here

REPRESENTATIVE 22.9% APR VARIABLE (SUBJECT TO APPROVAL). TERMS AND EXCLUSIONS APPLY**

 *OMNIBUS RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED BY OPINIUM. 2,009 UK ADULTS WERE SURVEYED BETWEEN 1 AND 4 OCTOBER 2017.

**TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. 5% CASHBACK WILL BE PAYABLE TO YOU BY AMERICAN EXPRESS ON YOUR PURCHASES MADE IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF CARDMEMBERSHIP (UP TO £100). CARDMEMBERSHIP BEGINS FROM CARD APPROVAL. CASHBACK IS EARNED ON NEARLY EVERY FULL £1 SPENT ON EACH PURCHASE. THE VALUE OF EACH PURCHASE WILL BE ROUNDED DOWN TO THE NEAREST FULL £1 BEFORE CASHBACK IS CALCULATED. CASHBACK WILL BE PAYABLE AT THE FOLLOWING RATES: 0.5% ON SPEND UP TO £5,000 PER YEAR, 1% CASHBACK OVER £5,001 PER YEAR. CASHBACK WILL BE PAID BY CREDITING YOUR ACCOUNT DURING EACH CARD ANNIVERSARY MONTH ON THE EXPENDITURE THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE DURING THE PRECEDING 12 MONTHS. THE MINIMUM ANNUAL SPEND TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR CASHBACK IS £3,000. INTRODUCTORY OFFERS ARE NOT AVAILABLE IF YOU CURRENTLY HOLD OR HAVE HELD ANY OTHER AMERICAN EXPRESS PLATINUM CASHBACK CARDS IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS. CASHBACK IS NOT EARNED ON BALANCE TRANSFERS, CASH ADVANCES, AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVELLERS’ CHEQUES, FOREIGN EXCHANGE TRANSACTIONS, INTEREST, ANY SPENDING IN EXCESS OF YOUR CREDIT LIMIT, CHARGES FOR RETURNED PAYMENTS, LATE PAYMENT OR REFERRAL CHARGES AND AMERICAN EXPRESS CREDIT CARD FINANCE CHARGES. PROMOTER: AMERICAN EXPRESS SERVICES EUROPE LIMITED HAS ITS REGISTERED OFFICE AT BELGRAVE HOUSE, 76 BUCKINGHAM PALACE ROAD, LONDON, SW1W 9AX, UNITED KINGDOM. IT IS REGISTERED IN ENGLAND AND WALES WITH COMPANY NUMBER 1833139 AND AUTHORISED AND REGULATED BY THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY.