The festive season is upon us, and you're probably starting to think about last-minute Christmas gifts (if that wasn't already on your agenda). The run-up to December 25 also means that mobile phone networks are just as keen to get your business as they were around Black Friday and Cyber Monday (if not more so).
We'll be sharing our pick of various deals here, updating with new ones that we think you'll be interested in as we spot them – and we'll also be bringing you a little bit of gift inspiration, from LEGO to Funko Pops to streaming service gift subscriptions, as well as the latest on Boxing Day tech sales.
Note that pricing is subject to change, and offers are subject to availability. Each individual retailer also has its own policy on delivery in time for Christmas, with the most up-to-date information provided for you on retailers' individual product pages, or as you take your basket to checkout.
The latest information on the strike action by postal workers at Royal Mail can be found here. Current recommended last posting dates for Royal Mail are Monday, December 12 for second-class post, and Friday, December 16 for first-class post.
Christmas phone deals
A number of the major networks have already launched their pre-Christmas phone sales, if you're looking for a new handset or contract for yourself or a friend.
EE Christmas sale 2022
Believe it or not, EE has already launched its first Christmas offers, including promotions on handsets from Samsung and Google.
For example, customers who order the Google Pixel 6a can save up to £222 on the upfront cost of the phone, and claim a free gift in the form of a Fitbit Versa 4 smartwatch (which usually retails at £199).
The exact contract saving will depend on the data plan and length of contract that you choose, of course – the £222 saving assumes a 25GB data plan on a 24-month contract (which usually costs £33/month and £30 upfront, but has a sale price of £25/month and no upfront cost). The offer is running until December 29.
Elsewhere, the Samsung Galaxy S22+ is available with savings of up to £288, again depending on the contract length and data plan selected.
This quoted saving assumes an unlimited data allowance on a 24-month contract (usually priced at £76/month, but with a sale price of £64/month). There's an upfront cost of £30. Customers may also be eligible to take up a cashback offer, or get money back on trading in an eligible Samsung device.
Check out EE's winter sale storefront here.
Three Christmas sale
Over at Three, you can get the first six months of its unlimited SIM-only data deal for half price on a 24-month contract. So that's £12 for the first six months, then £24 after that. There's also the option of getting 250GB of data for £16 per month, again on a 24-month plan.
Elsewhere, there are discounts on some iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 contracts, as well as selected Samsung Galaxy plans. Check out Three's latest offers in full here.
Sky Mobile Christmas sale
Sky is offering savings on selected iPhone and Samsung handsets ahead of Christmas. For example, the iPhone 14 (128GB) is available for £46 per month on a 60GB data plan, a saving of £12 per month on the usual contract price.
That's on a 36-month deal ('Swap 24', where you can change your handset after 2 years for no extra cost). The saving is applied to the data section of the plan, and you'll see it when selecting the 60GB data option to add to your basket as you work through checkout.
Check out Sky's current deals across mobile, TV and broadband here.
O2 Christmas sale
O2's winter sale hasn't officially started at time of writing, but its Black Friday deals are still running until today, December 7.
Christmas sales
John Lewis winter sale
John Lewis' winter sale usually kicks off on or around Boxing Day in physical stores, but in recent years some deals have launched online on Christmas Eve. In previous years we've seen savings on tech from the likes of Apple, Sony and Bose.
Amazon Christmas deals
Amazon has launched its traditional last-minute Christmas deals across a wide range of product lines, which are running until December 22.
Customers can get the new 5th gen Echo Dot smart speaker (the one shaped like a sphere) for around half its usual RRP at £26.99, and can save 58% on the older 3rd gen Echo Dot model (the one shaped like a hockey puck), which is currently priced at £16.99.
Furthermore, if shoppers enter the code 2ECHODOT3 at checkout, they can save slightly more on a double-pack of 3rd gen Echo Dots (£29.98 with the code).
There are also price cuts in electrical categories such as electric toothbrushes, Garmin smartwatches, selected Samsung earbuds and smartwatches, selected Echo Show devices and on Shark floorcare items.
Check out Amazon's last-minute Christmas deals across all categories here..
Christmas gift ideas for LEGO fans – Christmas LEGO deals
LEGO's Christmas storefront is open already with its own gift finder tool and curated mini-gift guides. You can also buy gift cards (physical or digital, up to a maximum value of £500 in the UK) in the run-up to the festive season.
Anyone who spends over £150 online or in store between now and December 24 is also eligible to claim a festive 'Santa's Workshop' set (LEGO 40565). Customers who spend over £40 online or in store can claim the LEGO Creator Winter Holiday Train (LEGO 30584).
Meanwhile, the Queer Eye loft set (LEGO 10291) which is being retired soon, is also reduced by 40%, down from £89.99 to £53.99. And while it's not strictly within the non-commercial spirit of Festivus, if there's a Seinfeld fan in your life, then its LEGO apartment set also gets a price cut of 30% from £69.99 to £48.99.
And you can still get your hands on the Guardians of the Galaxy advent calendar, which has had its price cut to £20.99.
Very is also running some price cuts before Christmas, including £100 off the usual RRP of the Mighty Bowser LEGO set (usually £229.99, now £129.99), and £30 off the price of the LEGO Technics McLaren Formula 1 car (was £159.99, now £129.99).
Finally, if you're looking for some themed inspiration, we've got a variety of LEGO gift guides for you, whether that's Marvel, Mario, Star Wars, Batman or Friends-related.
Christmas gift ideas for TV, movies, and soaps fans
Disney+ is still selling its annual subscription cards if you want to introduce a new customer to the service. You can present a friend with a year's access to the streaming service, as long as they've never been signed up for it before. Further information is available here.
Amazon also has a wide range of gift cards – many of which can be ordered and delivered online – covering the likes of its own store plus Netflix, Google Play, Spotify, Vue, ODEON, Cineworld, Xbox Live, PlayStation, Ticketmaster and Currys.
If you're looking for some stocking filler inspiration, why not check out our board game, jigsaw puzzle and best movie-inspired Funko Pop gift guides as a starting point? (We've also got Marvel and Disney-themed Funko Pop gift guides if you're looking for something along those lines.)
The Strictly fans in your life might be interested in a book or two, whether that's fiction from the likes of judges Craig Revel Horwood or Anton du Beke, a cute family-friendly picture book by Oti Mabuse with illustrations from Samara Hardy, or tell-all memoirs from Strictly stars past and present.
And we've also got themed present suggestions for fans of Star Wars, Stranger Things, Peaky Blinders, Doctor Who and Game of Thrones (and House of the Dragon, of course).
We've got gift guides for Coronation Street, Emmerdale and EastEnders, too, as well as a landing page full of gifting round-ups if you're looking for further inspiration. Neighbours has also recently launched a range of Christmas-themed merchandise.
Other Christmas gift ideas
Advent calendars
It might be a bit too late to grab your loved one an advent calendar, but if they don't mind it arriving into December, or later, there are still some last-minute bargains to be had. You could even keep it hidden until next December, or let them countdown the days until January payday!
- Best beauty advent calendars
- Best alcohol advent calendars
- Best LEGO advent calendars
- Best coffee advent calendars
- Best tea advent calendars
- Best Funko Pop advent calendars
If you fancy grabbing them something to warm their cockles over the festive season, then BeerHawk has a selection of larger, craft beer and gift boxes that might be ideal for the hipster hop fan in your life.
- Beer Hawk Christmas Gift Box - £20
- Beer Hawk Christmas Crafty Crate - £32
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Beer Hawk Christmas Lager Crate - £32
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PerfectDraft Pro Beer Machine -
£385NOW £265
Best Entertainment and Tech Deals
