I never did get a chemistry set when I was a kid. Not a full blown anyways …I did get a couple of those magic crystals sets were you added water to the white stuff or rocks and left it in the airing cupboard for a couple of weeks!

This 100 experiment set from John Lewis helps you to discover and create scientific spectacles. A great present for budding scientists of all ages and actually a good way of getting your children to enjoy learning the basics of chemistry. Bring out the inner Magnus Pyke in you …if you’re old enough to remember him!

If you’re looking for a unique and inexpensive gift or a weird and fun conversation piece for your desk at work, then check out The Eggling – a real plant that you can hatch from an egg!

The precious little Eggling looks and feels like an extra large egg, but crack its top and discover a garden ready for sowing!

Three types of herbs (basil, mint, thyme) and flowers (chrysanthemum, phlox, petunia) are available – or even use your own seeds.

Extremely popular in Japan, where it originated, the Eggling is made of white porous ceramic and comes with a terracotta tray and seed pack.

Amaze your family and friends with the Mystery UFO!

The Mystery UFO will hover in between your two hands, and all by using the power of the mind! Well not quite, it’s achieved by ultra thin strand of Kevlar with some ultra sticky putty stuck on each end.

With some sleight of hand, and the ultra thin string positioned correctly you’ll have the whole family fooled by the spinning Mystery UFO.

From I Want One Of Those at £9.99

For the leftie men who have everything …apart from left-handed underpants!

Yep, here’s a gift to give your left-handed husband, boyfriend, brother the latest in mens undergarments …undies for left-handed men!

Although you might not realise it, right-handed men have had an advantage when it comes to pants because the angle of the opening is designed for them. For left handed men, the 75 year old design of undies has meant a bit more jiggery-pokery to erm, let the er, lion of the den

These new HOM H1 Maxi Trunk underpants (available online at Debenhams) have a slit across the top of the undies, allowing easy access and saving all left-handed men the awkward manoeuvres they currently undertake. Right-handers can use them too of course. A spokesman says:

… left-handed men have to reach much further into their pants, performing a Z-shaped manoeuvre through two 180 degree angles before achieving the result that right handed men perform with ease.

Previously, boxer shorts, with an adaptable, ambidextrous opening in the middle, have been the underpants of choice for left-handed men. However, this has deprived them of the firmer support offered by trunks which are the garment of choice for active, sporty men.

Allegedly left-handers will find these new undies about 3 seconds faster. So, a bloke who goes to the toilet six times a day for 75 years will gain an extra 5.7 days in free time !

Slankets are amazingly popular and with colder weather on the way they’ll be even more popular this winter!

If you’ve not heard of them before they’re super comfortable and cosy fleece blankets with large, loose sleeves (hence the name slanket!) and you can move around in them without getting cold ! Reaching out for the remote, coffee or just one  more chocolate will never let that lovely warmth escape again.

Proving to be a smash hit with teenagers, students, daytime TV addicts and with anyone who likes getting all snuggily on the couch

As slankets are pretty roomy they make a kids version that’s also great for the more petite figure. Available in a range of colours for both sexes …the pink slanket is proving to be a big hit with little princesses everywhere! They also now make a travel slanket for people who like to get cosy in a car or whatever …but not recommended for drivers of course.

Available to buy from leading gift stores like:

• prezzybox
• firebox
• play.com
• prezziesplus