Some people refuse to mention the ‘C’ word until the 1st of December. But it’s a whole different story for parents, who need to prepare in advance or risk scouring shop shelves for leftover pressies a week before Christmas Day. If your little one is yet to write a letter to Santa, here’s our round-up of top toys we expect to be on their wish list this year. Make your own list, check it twice and start shopping! Oh, and don’t make the mistake of forgetting the batteries ! Luvabella Doll A doll with a difference, Luvabella can learn over 100 words and phrases; the more she’s played with, the more her vocabulary grows. Clever, eh? She moves and responds like a real baby too – tickle her feet and she’ll giggle, cover her eyes to play peek-a-boo, and soothe her when she starts to cry. Pie Face Sky High Game Step right up, step right up… the Pie Face Sky High Game sees players put their strength to the test as they attempt to splat their opponent’s face with ...

They say that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone, and this is certainly true of electricity. We take it for granted these days and it’s only when you’ve experienced a power cut, that you begin to understand how frustrating it can be. Autumn and winter bring with them extreme and unpredictable weather, increasing the chance of a power cut. And sometimes, it may not even be due to the weather – an outage can occur due to a network fault. So, if you ever find yourself without power, here’s our handy six-step guide on what you should do. 1. See if your neighbours’ lights are on Look out the window – are your neighbours’ lights also off? If so, then it’s likely to be a problem with the network. If you live in England, Scotland or Wales, you can call 105 free of charge to report an outage and get up-to-date information on power cuts in your area. 2. Just your house? Check fuses and trip switch If yours is the only house without power, it’s probably ...

Are you a battery hoarder? Recent research has found that there are a whopping 178 million used batteries hidden in homes across the UK. Open your cupboards, check your drawers and look inside your disused tech – we bet you’ll soon build up quite a collection! Household batteries contain heavy metals like lead, mercury, cadmium and zinc, all of which can be recycled and turned into something useful. Still, in the UK, 600 million batteries are thrown out each year, adding 20,000 tonnes to landfill sites and damaging the environment. We all have a part to play in protecting our planet, so it’s time we all helped to Bring Back Heavy Metal! What’s it all about? The #BringBackHeavyMetal campaign is encouraging people to dig out their used batteries and drop them off at their nearest recycling point . Most supermarkets and DIY stores have a collection point, and you might find one in your local corner shop too. As well as feeling great about doing your bit for the environme...

Remember, remember… the 5th of November is Bonfire Night, when the dark sky crackles and glows in a rainbow of colour. If you’re hosting a party or heading to an event in celebration of the occasion, here’s our list of seven essentials to make sure the evening goes off with a bang. 1. Fireworks If you’re putting on a display of your own, fireworks should always be purchased from licensed suppliers and you must make sure your garden is up for the job. For instance, there should be a minimum of 25 metres between spectators and fireworks, and they need to be set off on a flat surface free from obstacles, such as overhanging trees and overhead cables. 2. Sparklers Sparklers are a staple of any Bonfire Night, especially for the little ones, who’ll have fun drawing pictures and writing words mid-air with their glowing sticks. But they can be dangerous, so kids must be supervised by adults and wear thick gloves. 3. Bonfire A Bonfire Night party would be...

Tick, tock… in a few weeks, we’ll be turning our clocks back to Greenwich Mean Time after putting them forward by an hour back in March. The date is Sunday, 29th October – put it in your diary, stick a post-it note on your fridge or set a phone reminder so that you don’t forget. Tech is pretty clever these days, and many gadgets update automatically so long as they’re connected to the internet, for instance smartphones, smart TVs, tablets and laptops. But you’ll have to manually change the time on things like your oven and microwave, as well as the clock in your car if it’s an older model. And don’t forget about your bedside alarm clock! Here are four reasons why we’re looking forward to the clock going back this autumn: The extra hour in bed  It’s lazy Sundays all round, as we get to enjoy an extra hour in bed on the 29th. Seize the opportunity to snooze a little longer, or utilise the time to do something productive – go on a morning run, bake a cake, or tackle that task...

•       The promoter is: GP Batteries (UK) Limited whose registered office is at Monument View, Chelston Business Park, Wellington, Somerset, TA21 9ND, UK. •       The competition is open to residents of the United Kingdom aged 18 years or over except employees of GP Batteries (UK) Limited and ID Cubed Digital Marketing Ltd and their close relatives and anyone otherwise connected with the organisation or judging of the competition. •       There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter this competition. •       By entering this competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions. •       Route to entry for the competition and details of how to enter are via https:// www.facebook.com/GPBatteriesUK/ or via https://twitter.com/GPBatteries_UK or via https://www.instagram.com/gpbatteriesuk/   •...