Spend smarter this Christmas
As American Express® reveals the true cost of Christmas, ShortList sorts the seasonal wheat from the festive chaff
And so it begins… The annual Christmas countdown. The month-long rollercoaster of festive drinks, party cheer and back-to-back Christmas songs blaring out of every office radio. The roast dinner to end all roast dinners. Game after game of televised football. As the song says, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” But, all that merriment, it isn’t half expensive.
A recent survey carried out by American Express on festive expenditure revealed the average person spends approximately £1,500* during the Christmas season on everything from gift-giving to guest-hosting. That’s a five-star holiday, right there. Happily, the American Express Platinum Cashback Everyday Credit Card** offers you a whole batch of benefits this Christmas, ensuring that your money works extra hard for you during the festive spendathon. Because your generosity deserves to be rewarded, right?
Duly equipped with your cashback-earning credit card, your next task is working out just how to spend your hard-earned pennies this yuletide. Well guess what? Help is at hand on that front too, thanks to this handy Christmas gift guide. As an early gift from us to you, we’ve combed through the very best stocking-fillers on the market so you don’t have to.
Yuletide travels
Handcrafted with tortoiseshell Italian acetate, these are the shades of the perennially cool
£445, uk.lindafarrow.com
Keep your travel essentials to hand with JW Anderson’s winter 2017 crochet pouch
£390, shop.showstudio.com
Barbour’s understated tartan backpack is the sturdy but smart-thinking carry-on
£49.95, barbour.com
Feel-good festivities
RE.Sustain creates stylish clothing manufactured from sustainable sources
£49, other-shop.com
Designed for urban commuting, Martone Gramercy Men’s Bike requires minimum maintenance
£995, conranshop.co.uk
Vegan-friendly, Le Labo’s Discovery 5 x 1.5ml set is your new grooming pal
£20, mrporter.com
Classic Christmas
Reinvigorate winter skin with Adam & Eve’s Tous Les Garcons three-step invention
£54, wolfandbadger.com
Liberty’s handcrafted Christmas puddings are almost too pretty to set fire to.
£19.95 each, libertylondon.com
For single malt drinking there’s Zwiesel’s 1872 Hommage Carat Large Whisky Tumbler
£62 for two, wineware.co.uk
ShortList’s picks
Meet the Polaroid Originals – refurbished by specialists to make them 21st-century proof
£379.99, selfridges.com
From the artist who’s made props for Blade Runner, Chris Bracey’s neon pieces will wow
from £500, godsownjunkyard.co.uk
Inject some seriously Danish cool to your workspace with HAY’s office gift box
£35, wearemaven.co.uk
Make the most of your seasonal shopping
Fancy some cashback on your shopping? American Express has set out to help you be more savvy with your seasonal spending. As a new Cardmember you can receive 5% cashback on your purchases for the first three months of Cardmembership, up to £100. Earn up to 1% cashback thereafter depending on spend. The minimum annual spend to be eligible for cashback is £3,000**. What’s more, why not shop on your local high street to earn credits on your statement? Between 2 – 17 December 2017, every time you spend £10 or more at small businesses participating in Shop Small, you’ll get a £5 credit on your statement. There’s no limit to the number of £5 credits you can receive, but you can only claim it once at each small business. To take part, just register your Card and you’re ready to Shop Small once the offer is live. Terms and Conditions apply, find out more at amexshopsmall.co.uk
To find out more about the American Express Platinum Cashback Everyday Credit Card click here
REPRESENTATIVE 22.9% APR VARIABLE (SUBJECT TO APPROVAL). TERMS AND EXCLUSIONS APPLY**
*OMNIBUS RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED BY OPINIUM. 2,009 UK ADULTS WERE SURVEYED BETWEEN 1 AND 4 OCTOBER 2017.
**TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. 5% CASHBACK WILL BE PAYABLE TO YOU BY AMERICAN EXPRESS ON YOUR PURCHASES MADE IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF CARDMEMBERSHIP (UP TO £100). CARDMEMBERSHIP BEGINS FROM CARD APPROVAL. CASHBACK IS EARNED ON NEARLY EVERY FULL £1 SPENT ON EACH PURCHASE. THE VALUE OF EACH PURCHASE WILL BE ROUNDED DOWN TO THE NEAREST FULL £1 BEFORE CASHBACK IS CALCULATED. CASHBACK WILL BE PAYABLE AT THE FOLLOWING RATES: 0.5% ON SPEND UP TO £5,000 PER YEAR, 1% CASHBACK OVER £5,001 PER YEAR. CASHBACK WILL BE PAID BY CREDITING YOUR ACCOUNT DURING EACH CARD ANNIVERSARY MONTH ON THE EXPENDITURE THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE DURING THE PRECEDING 12 MONTHS. THE MINIMUM ANNUAL SPEND TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR CASHBACK IS £3,000. INTRODUCTORY OFFERS ARE NOT AVAILABLE IF YOU CURRENTLY HOLD OR HAVE HELD ANY OTHER AMERICAN EXPRESS PLATINUM CASHBACK CARDS IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS. CASHBACK IS NOT EARNED ON BALANCE TRANSFERS, CASH ADVANCES, AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVELLERS’ CHEQUES, FOREIGN EXCHANGE TRANSACTIONS, INTEREST, ANY SPENDING IN EXCESS OF YOUR CREDIT LIMIT, CHARGES FOR RETURNED PAYMENTS, LATE PAYMENT OR REFERRAL CHARGES AND AMERICAN EXPRESS CREDIT CARD FINANCE CHARGES. PROMOTER: AMERICAN EXPRESS SERVICES EUROPE LIMITED HAS ITS REGISTERED OFFICE AT BELGRAVE HOUSE, 76 BUCKINGHAM PALACE ROAD, LONDON, SW1W 9AX, UNITED KINGDOM. IT IS REGISTERED IN ENGLAND AND WALES WITH COMPANY NUMBER 1833139 AND AUTHORISED AND REGULATED BY THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY.
