Stores are busier, there are more temporary workers who are less well trained in how to spot thieves, the shops are fuller and staff more tied up,” explained Phil Edwards, seconded from Dixons to the Home Office as business adviser to the Crime Prevention Unit.For, as the ranks of genuine shoppers swell, so do those of the shopping underworld, many of them perfecting their light-fingered lifts long before the average shopper might expect. Guaranteed to please your guests, just as long as they don’t start fighting over who gets the unbelievably delicious Eau de Noix Liberty: 0171-734 1234.. It happened just around the corner from Oliver, the West End musical. Some felt the contents a little too down to earth – a mini whisk, nifty travel toothbrush, and a tiny padlock and key – but in general a far cry from the usual plastic bits and bobs which end up lodged in the dog’s throat.

The Conran Shop, 81 Fulham Road, SW3 (0171-589 7401).6 Indulgent: Liberty liqueur crackers, pounds 29.95 for six Beautiful crackers with delicious bottles of liqueur: just what you don’t need at the end of an enormous meal, but what the hell? The bottles look as good as their contents taste. The presents are all wrapped in tissue paper and included bandanas, whoopee cushions, a silk scarf, gliders and water bombs. No mottoes or hats but lots of streamers, glitter and party blowers to keep everyone happy. Liberty: 0171-734 1234.5 Stylish: Conran Shop, pounds 18.50 for six Lovely wrappers in gold and blue, each one slightly different, and they give a satisfying snap when pulled. The “candle extravaganza” sale continues until the end of December in the shop, open Mon-Sat 9.30am-6pm, Sun 10am-4pm.. 1 Luxury: Smythson, pounds 100 for six Hot orange wrappers stencilled with golden quills, which come in a strong black and gold box that you can keep afterwards. The big bang takes real elbow work but it’s worth it for the contents: Smythson’s distinctive little leather bound notebooks, key fobs, luggage tags and tiny diaries.

Smythson, 44 New Bond Street, London W1Y 0DE (0171-629 8558 for mail order). 2 Economy: Woolworths, pounds 7.99 for six These are easily the best value of the lot. The “Improved Contents” label did not bode well, but the presents are good and surprisingly substantial for the price: perfumed soaps, lipstick holders, earrings and nail clippers. The mottoes are along Trivial Pursuit lines with questions rather than the usual tired old jokes. Call 0171-262 1222 for your nearest branch.
3 DIY: Liberty, pounds 5.95 for four Make-your-own crackers are a great idea for wrapping small presents in. The kit comes with clear instructions, hats, bangers and jokes (What flies and wobbles? – a jellicopter). The only things you need to supply are the presents and cardboard tubes – start saving your loo-rolls now Perfect for all ageing Blue Peter fans.

Call 0171-734 1234 for your nearest branch.4 Wacky: Party Bomb, Liberty pounds 21.95 Our bomb went off with a rather dull pop but the flames made up for it and the force of the explosion toppled the canister on to the floor. The company continues to make very fine candles, scented or unscented, fancy or plain. And if the late 20th century has finally tolled the death knell of the Battersea factory, it has at least shown that not even electricity can replace the charm of a plain old-fashioned candle.Price’s Patent Candle Company, 110 York Rd, London SW11 3RU (0171-801 2030). But the harsh reality is that the building is old and the machinery is antiquated – we need today’s technology.”All the more reason, perhaps, to rush along to Price’s before it shuts. It’s all very depressing.”"So this may be the last Christmas at the candle factory,” says Berry D’Arcy. “It’s very sad for Price’s and for Wandsworth because we’ve been here for so long and we’re part of the community.

If anything, we would have brought more than a hundred new jobs to the area.”Price’s may appeal against the decision, but, says Mr Simpson, “That takes a lot of time and money, neither of which we’re terribly endowed with. “But we’d done a professional study to see if this would be the case and found that the effects of our outlet on other retailers would be minimal. They were unhappy with it mainly because Price’s also proposed a huge retail warehouse selling furniture, carpets and kitchen appliances on the old factory site. “They think we will be taking business away from other local retailers,” says Richard Simpson. “The machinery is too old and the drains keep getting blocked; we can no longer produce the amount of candles needed to supply demand, both here and overseas,” says Richard Simpson, the company director. Over the past two years they have been working on plans to move the factory out to a cheaper site outside London, yet still keep a smaller “heritage” type factory making candles which would be open for the public to come and see.Wandsworth borough council, however, has just turned down this plan. The company also makes enormous, shoulder height, tree-trunk thick candles for St Paul’s cathedral which cost pounds 1,000 and take a year to make.Attached to the factory is a large gift shop selling candles and candlesticks, glass jars, night lights, garden flares and other candle paraphernalia Church candles are currently a big seller.