If anything suggests that time has been slippery this year, it’s the fact that it’s mid-November and I’ve not bought a single Christmas present. Historically, I have been done by the end of October, for reasons too boring to go into. But somehow the pavements are slick with leaves and the lights are going up and I’ve not even thought about it much.

I don’t ascribe to the Black Friday furore, and as discussed on Wednesday, increasingly find Christmas “gifting” an existential nightmare. Still! Giving nice things to nice people is a pleasing thing to do, and when they’re hard to buy for, it is less so. I’ve compiled a list of non-earth-perishing, non-house-space-occupying gift ideas, almost entirely under £50. I’d love to hear your ideas, too; every year it’s a pickle.

Vaguely related bit of admin: the deadline for getting your Why Women Grow-themed noughticulture notes in December 2, aka two weeks. In short: pre-order the book (thank you if you have done this already!); send your proof of postage to campaigns@canongate.co.uk; await rad feminist rage-upholding handwritten notes from me. This works if you’re pre-ordering for someone else, and want them to have something to open at Christmas, too.

Onwards, with the more universal difficult-present suggestions!...