Shop Talk: A catalogue of ideas for Christmas

BACK in September, when we were still melting in the heat and wandering round in shorts and sun tan cream, the shops were already thinking about Christmas.

Bet the chocolates in those advent calendars were distinctly gooey.

But even though we belong to the last minute panic faction of Christmas shoppers, there are times when we have to get ourselves sorted and plan ahead. Which is why this week, we're looking at charity catalogues. By the time you've sent for one, browsed and dithered, ordered and awaited delivery, Santa will be down that chimney before you know it.

To save you some time and effort, here are some of the highlights we found.

FOR CHILDREN

Basket cable car set - for over nines to assemble and over fours to play with (£16.25 from Greenpeace); giant snakes and ladders (£5.50 Save the Children Fund), fair trade chocolate advent calendar (£4.50 Amnesty International), portable drawing desk which fits into the back of a car seat (£10.99 Barnardos), wooden chair with a farmyard scene and child's name (£19.99 Cancer Research), glass painting kit (£9.99 Barnardos), animal finger puppets (£6.99 Save the Children Fund), dinosaur finger puppets (£7.99 Animal Kind), silver rattle (£34.99 Despatches).

FOOD

Thai lover's / chilli lover's box of spices and ingredients (£14.99 from Cancer Research, British Heart Foundation, Wateraid and others), foot of fudge - but not before your Christmas dinner, please - (£4.50 RSPB), old-fashioned sweets, mint humbugs, aniseed balls, etc (£15.99 Help the Aged), luxury organic chocolate truffle gift box that's dairy, gluten and wheat free (£9.95 Greenpeace), chocolate fondue set (£13 Diabetes UK).

BIG BOYS' GAMES

Desktop racing set (£19.99 Save the Children Fund, British Heart Foundation and others), golf board game (£24.99, Save the Children Fund), indoor putting set (£29.99 Cancer Research), playing cards featuring film star greats and their famous quotes (£7.99 Save the Children Fund), David Dickinson's Antiques Chase (£19.99 Barnardos), aluminium noughts and crosses set (£15.99 British Heart Foundation), longest crossword, 20ft long (£5.99 Leukaemia Research), giant crossword, 1.5m high (£6.99 Red Cross, Wateraid) and a tie that says "Hello Handsome" when viewed in a mirror (£24.99 Save the Children Fund).

STRESS BUSTERS

It's a sign of the times when so many charity catalogues are offering us soothing ways to help us relax:

Relax and Revive, a Neal's Yard gift set (£16.99 Save the Children Fund), 12 Easy Steps for Stress (£7.99 Barnardos), sensual bath muffins that look like cakes (£9.99 Save the Children Fund), rosemary aromatherapy spa (Arthritis Research £29.99), insight meditation kit (£24.50 Greenpeace), lavender pillow (£15.99 Help the Aged).

SPECIALIST CATALOGUES

Although most of the catalogues carry largely similar items, many of them have an extra bit which reflects the nature of their charity. For instance:

HELP THE AGED has needles that thread themselves (£4.99), big button cordless phones (£36.99), and a scanner that puts print - everything from labels to books - onto a TV screen (£289).

RSPB has everything with birds on. This year's favourites are owls who pop up on night shirts (£19.99), jackets (£60), and birds made of chocolate in a tin (£3.99).

AIR TATTOO has everything to do with aviation and the RAF- crested photos, jigsaw puzzles and celebrations of the Dambusters and Concorde, as well as calendars, prints, models, books and videos.

DESPATCHES is the Army Benevolent Fund, which has everything from toy soldiers to a decent range of outdoor gear, as well as a sabre to slice open a champagne bottle ((£95), books, postcards and videos. And if you've ever wanted a model of a Gatling gun mounted on a camel, this is where you'll get it for £44.99

ANIMAL KIND has a splendid chess set featuring pandas and polar bears as pawns, with lions and tigers (£60); a horse patterned fleece (£60), a butterfly seed mat (£10.99), and chocolate frogs (£4.99).

ARTHRITIS CARE has shiatsu spinal rack (£29.95), TENSD machine (£24.95) and pedal exerciser (£11.50).

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL has The Secret Policeman's Ball - seven benefit shows on video or DVD, featuring Rowan Atkinson, Michael Palin, Sting, Dawn French and more; The Good Alternative Travel Guide (£9.99) and a wind up multi-band world radio (£79.95).

ADDRESSES

AIR TATTOO RAF Benevolent Fund, PO Box 1940, Fairford, Gloucestershire GL7 4NA. Tel: 0870 758 1940, www.airtattooshop.com

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, PO Box 61, Goldthorpe Industrial Estate, Rotherham S63 9YG. Tel: (01709) 888333, www.amnestyshop.org

ANIMAL KIND, Queensbridge Works, Queen Street, Burton upon Tent DE14 3ZY. Tel: 0870 606 6336, www.animalkindshop.co.uk

ARTHRITIS RESEARCH CAMPAIGN, Tel: 0800 389 6692 / (01904) 696994

BARNARDOS, Paycocke Rd, Basildon SS14 3DR. Tel: 0870 603 9090, www.barnardos.org.uk/shop

BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION. Tel: 0870 606 6375. www.bhfcatalogue.co.uk

BRITISH RED CROSS. Tel: 0870 606 6361, www.redcrossshop.co.uk

CANCER RESEARCH UK, PO Box 40, Burton upon Trent. Tel: 0870 606 6385, www.cancerresearchuk-mailorder.co.uk

DESPATCHES Army Benevolent Fund, PO Box 11, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire OX7 5ZB. Tel: 01608 647451.

DIABETES UK, PO Box 40, Burton upon Trent DE143YE. Tel: 0870 606 6351, www.diabetesshop.co.uk

GREENPEACE NATURAL COLLECTION, PO Box 135, Southampton SO14 0FQ. Tel: 0870 331 3335, www.naturalcollection.com

HELP THE AGED, PO Box 32882, London N1 9GY. Tel: 0870 770 0441, www.helptheaged.org.uk/homeshopping

LEUKAEMIA RESEARCH, Yorke Rd, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth WD33TP. Tel: 01923 779181, http://websell.pipex.com/lrfshop

RSPB, PO Box 54, Burton upon Trent DE14 3XS. Tel: 0870 606 6333, www.rspbshop.co.uk

SAVE THE CHILDREN FUND, PO Box 40, Burton upon Trent DE14 3YE. Tel: 0870 606 6300, www.scfshop.co.uk

WATERAID TRADING, PO Box 40, Burton upon Trent DE14 3YE. Tel: 0870 606 6316, www.wateraidshop.co.uk

* As always, many thanks to Harry Bilton of Witton Gilbert, Durham, who keeps us supplied with all these catalogues.

More addresses next week.