Christmas sales - Now on

We hope these top Christmas sale tips will help you get the most from your sale spree.

1. Avoid the hordes

To avoid large crowds and still get your bargains, timing is essential. Check opening hours before you hit the high street.

Be at the doors of your favourite stores early in the morning, take advantage of late night shopping hours, or go whilst other people are still at work.

2. Shop for Christmas 2012

The wisest of the Christmas sale shoppers plans ahead. If you are a truly savvy bargain hunter you will be thinking of next Christmas already.

Look for Christmas sale items such as decorations, wrapping paper and artificial Christmas trees at extremely low prices – store them away this year and Christmas 2012 will cost you a whole lot less!

3. Do your homework

If you want to beat others to the chase then you have to do your homework. Go online and look for sales announcements. Check out ads in local and national newspapers.

By finding out who is having a Christmas sale before you head to the High Street, you can use your time more efficiently. Making sure you get the best of the bargains on offer.

4. Mother’s Day soon

Many Christmas gifts such as candles, cook shop items and clothing also make great gifts for Mother’s Day. If you can get 50% off now rather than having to pay full price in a couple of months time, then why not take advantage?

Leave them in a cupboard, set a reminder on your calendar and hey presto, Mother’s Day is all wrapped up.

5. Think ahead and save big

You might not need a 6 seater garden furniture set right now, but the biggest savings are out of season. So think ahead, buy now and buy big to get the best savings.

Not only will you save hundreds of pounds, but you can get a bigger and better quality product than perhaps you would normally be able to afford.

Dobbies Big Winter Sale - Starts Friday 23rd December

Whether gifts are piled high or you haven’t even started Christmas shopping, now’s the perfect time to stuff your stockings with fantastic festive bargains.

Half price Christmas sale

There are massive savings to be made across the store. With a selection of unique gifts, homeware ranges and classic clothing collections, as well as gardening and aquatics products at up to half price.

Everything in the Dobbies Christmas range will be half price. So if you are searching for some final flourishes to boost the Christmas spirit, look no further.

Winter wildlife sale

At this time of year the wildlife in your garden could do with a helping hand. So stock up on great ‘bogof’ (buy one get one free) bird care offers in the Dobbies Winter Sale. With freezing temperatures predicted for January and February, it’s a particularly important time to feed and care for your local wildlife.

Happy New Year from Dobbies

For those looking to brighten up their gardens in the early months of the year, Dobbies have some fantastic gardening offers including half price terracotta pots.

What’s more, with 50% off all seeds purchased online, you can fill your half priced pots and planters for less. With a wide range of discounted seeds for flowers, plants, fruits and vegetables, Dobbies will help you get growing in the new year.

Dobbies new range for 2012

The incredible Dobbies Winter sale comes just before Christmas, in order to make way for a fantastic new collection in 2012. Look out for an extended range of Dobbies Essentials own-branded products, including quality gardening equipment, barbecues and furniture at affordable prices.

Whatever you’re planning for Christmas make sure you include Dobbies Big Winter sale, starting tomorrow Friday 23rd December 2012.

Take care of your Christmas tree

This guide will help you keep your Christmas tree looking bright and healthy, for the whole of the festive period.

Rooted Christmas Trees

It is quite common to buy rooted Christmas trees these days, as they can survive for a few years if they are well looked after. You should have less difficulty with a rooted tree than with a cut tree, but they still need maintaining. The most important thing to remember with a rooted tree is that the move from outside to inside can be quite shocking for the tree. Make sure you keep it outside for as long as you can, before you bring it into the house.

Once inside, it is important to water the tree regularly. Maintain a moist base in the pot to prevent drying out, and the needles should stay on the branches. You will also give your tree the best possible chance of surviving until the following festive period, which is one of the main reasons for buying potted trees. When it comes to the New Year, move your tree outside in its existing pot, and if possible, plant the tree. Mulching is recommended to protect against freezing.

Cut Christmas Trees

Cut trees require a great deal of care, but with regular watering you should be able to keep them green and fresh throughout the festive period. In fact, the healthiest way to keep a cut tree is to keep it in water at all times. You have to buy a reservoir stand which you can fill with water, this gives the tree a constant water supply. You need to make a fresh cut to the tree which creates a flat bottom to the trunk. This will help when standing the tree up straight, and it will also let the tree to take on board the maximum amount of water.

You should allow no more than 6 to 8 hours between making a fresh cut and placing the tree in water, so once you are home, you need to move quickly. Keeping the tree away from heat sources is going to help. But also keep water in the reservoir to extend the life of the tree and help retain needles.

Artificial Christmas trees

An artificial tree is for life, not just for Christmas! They can be large items, so make sure you have the space to store one after the festive period. Don’t just sling it in the back of your shed, or it will be in a sorry state when you attempt to retrieve it the following year.

You will also need to give your artificial tree the once over when you take it out of storage. Normally you can use a vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment to do this quickly and easily. Be test a hidden part of the tree first – just to make sure that the vacuuming doesn’t take off the pine needles! Otherwise, you can use a dust cloth to lightly go over the branches of the tree. This will remove any dust that has gathered over the last twelve months.

Christmas trees are such a wonderful symbol of seasonal celebration. With a little love and care they will fill your home with festive cheer every Christmas.

Help your garden birds this winter

As temperatures plummet, the ground hardens up, making it harder for birds to find tasty morsels in our lawns.

Winter bird food

At this time of year, black oil sunflower seeds are a great choice for the bird table. These particular seeds have a thinner than normal shell, which makes them easier to break down in cold weather. They also have higher oil content than most other seeds, which delivers a more nutritious and efficient feed. Particularly important at this time of year, when more natural food sources are scarce.

Winter time is also a good time for using suet in the garden for your visiting birds. For large parts of the year a lot of people like to avoid this product, given that it is prone to melting, but at the moment we have a few months ahead of us where that is highly unlikely! Suet can be found in a range of different blends and it can be fun to experiment to see what birds you can attract to your garden.

Home made bird food

If you want to put something together yourself, then unwanted fruit that can serve very well in the winter time. Some of our summer songbirds will migrate during the winter months, but there are plenty of other birds that will welcome a fruity winter time treat. Simply chop up some apples, make some orange wedges, cut up some banana’s and slice a few grapes. Melon rind is another option, and means you can still enjoy the fruit before effectively recycling what is left over.

Just like the autumn time, peanuts are an excellent choice in the winter months. The main reason for this is that the peanuts don’t freeze. Allowing all of your visiting birds to digest the high energy nuts 24/7. You can choose to put them out shelled or unshelled, and even smearing peanut butter on a tree outside will be welcome!

Salt for garden birds

Salt is a surprising dietary requirement for many of our garden breeds in the winter months. Unfortunately, the only place that salt is abundantly available during this time of year is on our roads. Once temperatures plunge, many of our roads are gritted on a regular basis. This provides birds with an almost limitless supply of salt, but it is also a dangerous location for them to be.

It’s very easy to provide salt for visiting birds yourself. Simply create a strong salt water solution and allow it to evaporate in a saucer on your bird table. This will leave salt crystals which will be easy for your visiting birds to feed on. Be careful not to allow this solution to get onto your lawn though. Salt can restrict the growth of grass and could potentially leave your garden in a poor state for the arrival of spring.

Choosing bird food

If you don’t have time to make your own mixes for birds in your garden, you can find plenty of pre-prepared products at Dobbies online and in-store. When picking winter bird food, try and choose simple bird seed mixes and especially those with sunflower seeds. Avoid mixes high in fillers such as wheat and corn and you will be doing your garden visitors a great service!

Pencil Xmas tree save space

The reduced diameter of the tree, means it can be erected in a small room or hallway without causing an obstruction. For example, Dobbie’s Vicksbury pencil slim Xmas tree has a diameter of only 30in, regardless of whether you choose the 7ft or 12ft Christmas tree.

The tall but full figure of a pencil Xmas tree accommodates a full array of dazzling decorations. So you can fill the room with festive cheer and still have room to celebrate.

If you want to ‘go large’ on Christmas spirit but need to meet spoil-sport space restrictions, then a pencil Christmas tree is what you need.

With a wide range of pencil, table top, slim and wall trees to choose from at Dobbies.com, there’s a Christmas tree for everyone.

Pre lit christmas trees give an all-over glow. Click image for a range of pre-lit trees.

With a pre-lit Christmas tree, you need only assemble the tree and plug it in. Some larger trees will have multiple plugs for different sections of the tree, so having a power strip handy is a good idea.

There’s as much variety in pre-lit trees as there is in regular Christmas lights. Pre-lit Christmas trees come with single-colour, multicoloured, steady or flashing lights according to your taste.

When buying a pre-lit Christmas tree, look for one where the bulbs are clipped or fastened to the branches. Some cheap manufacturers simply wrap a string of lights around the branches. Over time, this string will shift as you take the tree in and out of storage, and eventually you’ll be back having to arrange the lights yourself.

Be sure to consider the kind of lighting you want, here are some choices:

Incandescent bulbs

These are cheap and easy to use, but they do consume quite a bit of electricity. The bulbs have relatively short lives compared to the other options, so you need to be ready with spares in case of unattractive burnouts. Incandescent bulbs also produce heat, although this is less of a concern when you have a fire-resistant artificial tree.

LED lights

LEDs are brighter than incandescent lights, produce almost no heat, and last much longer while using less electricity than incandescent lights. Therefore, they are increasingly popular, especially among the environmentally friendly.

Fibre optic

Fibre optic Christmas trees have a somewhat different look from the traditional Xmas tree light. They produce an all-over glow, or streaks of light that resemble fireworks. They can produce brilliant and beautiful colour-changing effects. You can also get “combination” trees that have a mix of fibre optics and LED bulbs.

Whatever style of pre-lit Christmas tree you buy, you’ll be making a long-term investment. One that will promise you many beautiful Christmases to come.

Ideas for a beautifully decorated Christmas

Create the perfect festive feeling with these handy hints and tips for your Christmas decorations:

Plan your decorations early

Christmas is a hectic time of year, and planning your decorations can often plummet on your list of priorities. But leaving your Christmas make-over to the last minute can lead to a chaotic confusion of colours. So it’s well worth putting some thought into your decoration early on, before the shops start selling out of the essentials.

Keep your decorations simple

As with any decoration, simplicity is a word that should always be at the fore-front of your mind. Sticking with two or three main colours helps to give a sophisticated look, and these colours should be chosen to compliment the room you are decorating.

Choose a theme to suit your home

In a traditional home, especially one with an open fire, you will often find that deep reds, greens and golds help to emphasise the room and add a feeling of warmth on those cold winter nights. These can be teamed with other traditional decorations, such as wreaths and candle arches, to help emphasise that traditional festive theme.

Lighting is also a key element in helping to recreate that Christmas atmosphere. Aim for soft lighting at different levels throughout the room, and try to avoid harsh overhead lighting.

In highly modern rooms you might want to try something a little more adventurous. Lighter, airy rooms provide the perfect background to more unusual colours, such as blues and pinks. Shiny baubles and tinsel often make a great feature, as they reflect the glow from your candles and lights.

Make your decorations fun for the children

Christmas is primarily centred around the children, so it is great to incorporate interesting and exciting treats for them when planning your decorations.

If you’re feeling brave then get the kids to help with the decorating. They will love hanging garlands on the Christmas tree and finding homes for all your Christmas ornaments.

Fibre-optic Xmas trees are often a great idea for kids playrooms or bedrooms, as the funky, brightly coloured lights offer a fun alternative to more traditional trees.

Share the Christmas spirit with outdoor decorations

Christmas decorations are not limited to inside the home. Illuminate your garden with radiant reindeers and sparkling Santas, sharing the festive spirit with your neighbours.

For a more traditional outdoor decoration; a Christmas wreath provides the perfect welcome for your guests during the festive season.

Don’t be a scrooge, get into the festive spirit early and make this years Christmas decorations the best ever.

Save money now on a wide range of artificial Christmas trees at Dobbies.com.

From massive 15ft fir trees to 2ft table top trees, there’s an artificial Christmas tree to suit all homes and budgets.

Natural look Christmas tree

Click image for details

This wonderful tree comes in three sizes (5,6 & 7 feet) and is now half price, a saving of £55!

Slim Christmas tree

Click image for details

For a great looking, compact Christmas tree it’s hard to beat this elegant pencil style. Now with a special offer 20% saving, it’s a great time to invest in this festive favourite.

Table top Christmas tree

Click image for details

This 60cm bundle is bursting with natural charm and with Dobbies special half price offer is now only £7.50.

Big Christmas tree

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These giant Greenland firs now have a smaller price with 20% off. So think big and save big this Christmas at Dobbies.

Christmas trees in cities across the world look surprisingly similar.

If you were expecting tulips on trees from Amsterdam, or koalas cuddling Christmas trees in Sydney, you might be disappointed.

However, this collection of colossal Christmas conifers should cheer you up.

Ile de France, Paris
Photo by Simon Pearson

Queen Victoria Building, Sydney
Photo by Vincentq

Sintra, Portugal
Photo by Delusional Princess

Magna Plaza Mall, Amsterdam
Photo by Ewen Roberts

The Grove, Los Angeles
Photo by Loren Javier

Stockholm, Sweden
Photo by Iain Farrell

National Gallery, Canada
Photo by Aaron Bihari

Takashimaya Mall, Singapore
Photo by Nhy Nguyen

Bellevue Square, Washington
Photo by Mike Roberts

St Peter’s Basilica, The Vatican
Photo by Sunshinecity

Christmas events at Dobbies Edinburgh

Ho ho ho: Dobbies, Edinburgh has festive fun planned for all the family

Dobbies Garden World, Melville on the outskirts of Edinburgh is hosting a variety of family events, as part of its Christmas Festival in the build up to the big day on the 25th.

There’s a sparkling array of events for all the family to enjoy. Including a live performances of the ever-popular ‘The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe’ by Edinburgh People’s Theatre, perfectly in-fitting with Dobbies’ fantastically-themed Narnia grotto. Children can also sing along to the Singing Kettle or live caroling performances, meet Santa’s reindeer, and be amazed by festive magic with live magic shows.

The Dobbies Christmas Festival is centered around Scotland’s biggest Christmas wish tree – a 30ft high Sitka Spruce tree based at Dobbies Edinburgh – which will help light up the lives of vulnerable children across the country by raising money for Action for Children.

Members of the public can write a wish on a Christmas bauble at smaller 10ft wish trees in Dobbies’ 32 stores throughout the UK – all proceeds will go to Action for Children.

Christmas Festival Events:

1. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
When: Saturday 10th December, 1.15pm and Saturday 17th December, 3.30pm
What: A live performance from the Edinburgh People’s Theatre
Tickets: £5 (admits 1 adult & 1 child. £2 will be donated to Action for Children)

2. Magician
When: Friday 16th December, 3pm and Sunday 18th December, 11am
What: Join in some festive magic fun and be amazed by a live magic show.
Tickets: £1 minimum donation to Action for Children

3. Story teller
When: Saturday 17th December, 2pm, Wednesday 21st December, 10am and Thursday 22nd December, 1pm
What: Enjoy a festive story form Dobbies story teller Leigh Taylor.
Tickets: £1 minimum donation to Action for Children

4. Meet Santa’s reindeer
When: Saturday 17th December and Sunday 18th December
What: Children are invited to meet Santa’s reindeer – you can even take a family picture.
Tickets: £1 minimum donation to Action for Children

5. Singing Kettle
When: Thursday 22nd December, 4.30pm
What: Come along and join in the festive fun with a live performance from the Singing Kettle. They have been left in charge of Dobbies while Santa prepares his sleigh for Christmas Eve and will have you rocking with laughter and singing all the way home.
Tickets: £7.50 per person (£2.50 will be donated to Action for Children)
Donations welcome to raise funds for the retailer’s national Christmas charity Action for Children.

All events take place at Dobbies Garden World, Melville Nursery, Lasswade, Midlothian, EH18 1AZ. For more details contact 0131 663 1941, visit the Customer Service Desk in-store or go online at www.dobbies.com.