‘I went to B&M and found loads of great stocking filler ideas for under £20’

The discount retailer is packed with loads of items – from beauty products to tasty snacks – and often has something for everybody

I’ll bet I’m not alone when I say I still have Christmas presents to buy. With the countdown to December 25 rapidly approaching, there aren’t many more days I can put off this job.

I’ve been smart enough to cover some of my bigger buys earlier so my bank balance doesn’t get completely wiped out come Christmas Eve. But some people haven’t been as easy to buy for, leaving me with the dreaded “anything you pick” as my inspiration.

Cue a trip to my affordable saviour, B&M! In my local store, there are two full aisles dedicated to Christmas, and some items are already included in special savings deals.

From the obligatory sets of socks and pyjamas to the classic ‘boy gift’ of a Lynx Africa set, there’s normally something for everyone tucked away in these aisles. I went with a £20 budget in mind, planning to see what I could get for my money.

These gifts would also work, depending on your budget, for work Secret Santa draws or bulking out Christmas Eve boxes for little ones.

Beauty Tools (from £3 to £19.99)

I noticed many Elle beauty products like hairbrush sets, UV nail dryers and sleep masks. Most were rather affordable compared to big brands that do very similar jobs, with nothing really costing above £20 and some being as cheap as £3.

One standout buy would be the Elle 3 in 1 Hair Styling Set. Priced at £19.99, several Tiktok users compared this to the much pricier Dyson Airwrap that can sell for up to £450 in some shops.

Chocolate Hamper (£10)

Compared to typical selection boxes, this £10 jumbo pack deserves the title of the hamper! I knew to look out for this bumper selection of Cadbury chocolates after seeing a colleague spot the ‘bigger and better’ box make its return to B&M shops.

I grabbed one of these up for someone I know who will really appreciate this amount of top-quality Cadbury chocolate. For just £10, you get:

• A 114g box of Salted Caramel Dairy Milk Fingers
• A 110g bar of Dairy Milk
• A 95g bar of Top Deck
• An 85g bag of Cadbury Buttons
• Two Wispa bars
• Two Twirl bars
• Two Dairy Milk Little Bars
• Two sachets of Cadbury hot chocolate

Honourable mentions have to go to the other pre-packed sweet and chocolate boxes available exclusivly at B&M. Most were priced at just £5 and covered specific flavours like the Liquorice Favourites and the Kinder Chocolate Selection.

Some took inspiration from other countries like Australia and America – perfect if you know someone who recently travelled there. I also like to head down the normal sweet treat aisle as well and build my own selection sometimes. This can feel a bit more personal than something pre-packed and might work out cheaper, too (depending on their tastes).

Winter Warmers (from £12)

Ideal for someone who’s complaining they’re always cold. As the weather doesn’t magically warm up after Christmas, most of us will still be faced with freezing conditions for a few months, so what might have been a joke at first could be the practical solution to their problems.

B&M stocks a selection of different items beyond your traditional hot water bottle, targeting specific areas where you might feel the coldest. There are things to pop your hands and feet into as well as resting on your neck, back and belly too.

Party Games (from £3)

How often do you get to play games with your loved ones? These would be great to hand out for a little bit of festive fun when all the family visit over Christmas.

There are dozens to choose from starting at just £3. They included quizzes to test the whole family and some silly games sure to send the whole room into fits of giggles.

For TV fans, there are some ITV favourites that have been adapted to bring to life in your living room. The ones I found included Love Island, Deal or No Deal, In for a Penny and BBC’s Blankety Blank.

These £12.99 sets were included in a really decent 2 for £20 offer as well. The offer covers dozens of other toys as well with favourites like Paw Patrol, Spider-Man and others – making now an ideal time to shop for last minute extras.

Sausage Roll Maker (reduced to £15)

We all know someone who probably spends a little too much time and money in Greggs. Why not gift them this quirky machine to give them some of their precious time and money back?

Online, it claims to make “crispy, flaky sausage rolls at home”. Not having to rely on the UK’s best-loved bakery chain, you can get really creative and switch up what you add to the machine – with a rogue suggestion on the box for cooking up a sweet-filled roll.

Better still, it’s been reduced twice. When I went shopping, it had dropped from £25 to £20 but it’s now showing online as being just £15.

The Heat and Go range has lots of appliances you’d probably never buy yourself. From a popcorn machine, breakfast muffin maker and crepe creation station – all are available for just £20 but only whilst stocks last.