Gift guide season is in full swing (I've got one for Etsy gifts under ten pounds, if you fancy) but where I really like to get my ideas is asking my friends what they've actually bought their loved ones for Christmas, so here we are: my realistic gift guide.

I was going to preface this post with something like 'I know I haven't got them much' but absolutely eff that. If you can spend hundreds on each person then I'm genuinely happy for you, but it's not the done thing in our family and I'm sure we're not alone in that.

It definitely isn't wasted on me just how lucky I am to buy and receive presents, especially this year, which is why I will also be including charities in my gifting this year and making some donations.

Side note: I am never buying from Molton Brown again. Their packaging is identical to Baylis & Harding which is literally a tenth of the price, and it didn't arrive in any kind of box, so I think it looks really naff for a supposedly luxury item.

My pal Charlotte mentioned that she bought an LED light strip from Hey I'm Home to put behind her monitor to ease eye strain, and since he's practically glued to the computer, I bought him one of those. It connects to an app so you can change the colours, which I know he'll enjoy.

We discovered Schitt's Creek this year and absolutely loved it, so I couldn't resist getting us matching keyrings in the shape of Rosebud Motel key fobs from Etsy for a little giggle.

If this year has taught us anything, it's how treasured our loved ones are, and a sweet frame and photograph will never go amiss. This seller can also add the photo for you if you can't print, and offers the frame in different pairings.

Luxury Christmas Cupcake Kit
£9.99, PostnBake

If you have a budding baker in the family, or you prefer to steer clear of the plethora of plastic toys, a baking kit is a lovely idea for little ones and big kids alike. This one combines chocolate orange, buttercream, and rainbow sprinkles, but there are also classic boxes such as s'mores and yule log.

Couple's Travel Scrapbook
£8.95, TheCustomiseCompany

While travel has been off the cards this year, gifting this scrapbook reminds the lucky couple (or your partner!) that there are so many memories to enjoy, and more yet to come. Make it even more personal by using a cheap printing site to order a stack of photos ready to fill it.

Essential Oil Starter Set
£9.49, Nikura

With 10mls each of pure, high quality eucalyptus, lemon, lavender, peppermint, rosemary, tea tree, and ylang ylang essential oils, this set is the perfect introduction for somebody wanting to get into them, whether that's for diffusing around the home or making their own skincare products. 

White Fire Opal Planet Stud Earrings
£9.95+, MichelleLeeStudioGB

How adorable are these studs?! Simple and delicate enough to wear every day, but the planer design and sparkling colour reflections of the opals make them that little bit different. I've ordered some of these for my sister and wish I had pierced ears so we could match. Luckily there are matching necklaces, too!

DIY Sew Your Own Gin Decoration Kit
£9.95, windsweptgirlie

If your Secret Santa loves crafting and gin, you really can't get better than this kit, with simple instructions and everything you need to make a teeny gin decoration, complete with cute 'drink me' tag! 

Personalised Star Baker Wooden Spoon
£6.50, FlolliePopDesigns

Perfect for cake queens and pastry princes, and anyone who dreams of being named Star Baker! Pair this with a nice cake mix and jar of sprinkles to bring it up to the £10 budget, or if you can go higher, the same seller offers a matching rolling pin. The best part of this gift is it encourages your recipient to share their delicious bakes with you.

There we have it, 10 Etsy Christmas gifts under £10, proving that you don't have to have the biggest budget to find personal, thoughtful gifts, and support small sellers. And, if you'd like to splash out a little more, there's a gift guide under £30 on Etsy.com.

In the line outside there were big 2m markers, hand sanitiser available in every doorway for easy access, and reminders in the gift shop to only touch items you were likely to buy, but inside it was super difficult to social distance because the tanks just aren't laid out that way, and understandably children get excited to rush from room to room, so parents follow them.

It would definitely be helpful to have some reminders on the floor, and if you are particularly wary I'd recommend heading there on a weekday when it's likely to be quieter. 

SEA LIFE Blackpool is home to a huge array of animals, from lobsters, to rays, and even a very bizarre guitar shark. The exhibits are built so you can get as close as possible to really appreciate the beauty of each animal, with an underwater tunnel, lighting to enhance the colours and shimmer of the scales, and an immersive rainforest experience.

Something I really enjoyed about this visit was the information dotted around about SEA LIFE's conservation efforts, such as their coral breeding programme, and their amazing sanctuary for Little Grey and Little White, the beluga whales that hit the news earlier this year after they were released from an entertainment park in Shanghai. With donations from Merlin Entertainment, who own SEA LIFE and other attractions, the whales now have a perfect home in Klettsvik Bay, Iceland.

Obviously I'm no expert but I didn't feel that that care and attention translated to some of the animals within the attraction. My friends summed it up when she said 'there is education about not putting plastic in the sea, but there is plastic in all the tanks' about the numerous fake plants. She also pointed out that some tanks didn't have details about the fish inside, so it felt like they were more for decoration and didn't matter as much as the bigger animals. A lot of the tanks also seemed very small or overcrowded.

For that reason I wouldn't visit SEA LIFE myself again while it is run like this. It's a nice rainy day activity in Blackpool for children, to get them interested in the oceans and the animals within, but personally I would choose another of Blackpool's Merlin entertainments like Madame Tussaud's or The Blackpool Tower Dungeon.

 Blackpool Tower Dungeon is the perfect way to celebrate this Halloween in safe but spooky style. With social distancing and masks enforced, you can enjoy every every bump, rattle, and scream knowing that that your family are safe... well, as safe as they can be in The Dungeon. 

Part of the Merlin group, tickets start at £14, or you can save when buying a bundle pass for Merlin's other attractions like SEA LIFE or Madame Tussaud's

All of the creatures wore masks that fit with their characters and they were still easy to hear, especially because you tour in small groups so there wasn't a lot of background noise. I imagine that this would be good if you are hard of hearing, but you might struggle if you usually lip read.

There was hand sanitiser at regular intervals and the creatures reminded us to use it without breaking character, for example, Judge Blackheart said "now cleanse yourselves of your sins with the sanitiser, you filthy lot". I really appreciated that safety and hygiene were included in the show but still in a fun way.

Apart from the slight changes to make sure that the plague is the only disease lurking in The Dungeon, the rest of the show is exactly what you would expect: lots of jumps, shrieks, and laughs. You are never in real danger, and the creatures won't touch you, but they have absolutely nailed the art of suspense and mind tricks to make you feel comfortably, well, uncomfortable. 

The creatures will leave awkward pauses, staring at you until you have to giggle, or single you out to answer questions. Lights go down and creatures appear, and even the chairs themselves will have you on the edge of your seat, as you feel leeches crawling over you in the plague doctor's office, and the Captain poking at your ribs in the smuggler's cave. 

The newest creature to join the cast is Meg the witch. You've entered into her cottage, and now her spirit wants to reap revenge. When the room goes black, the pots and pans rattle wildly, and the windows fly open and closed. Meg moves around the room, leaving you wondering who she will choose as her next victim. I was shaking like a leaf for this bit, and I'm sure my fellow victims were more scared by my yelps than anything they saw down in The Dungeon! 

Finally, you think you will escape, but there is one last surprise in store: the Drop Dead Ride. Take your seat and feel the butterflies in your tummy as you are cranked up higher....higher....higher.... then dropped from a deadly height! Even as someone who hates rollercoasters, this is always a highlight of the visit. Once you get your breath back, it's impossible not to laugh.

With trick or treating on the backburner this year, the whole family can still have a safe and happy Halloween when you dare to visit Blackpool Tower Dungeon.