The pressure to get it right builds as December looms and you find yourself weighing up a few different approaches. Do you go for practical or heartfelt? Try to pick up on hints or ask them straight out what they’d like?

If you are one of those who still can’t quite make up your mind what to get for your nearest and dearest, here are a few suggestions you may not have thought about.

For the football fan in your life…

Footballers writing books is nothing new, but every so often one comes along which proves to be utterly engrossing. Wingin’ It: The Mark Walters Story by Jeff Holmes is one of those books. Searingly honest, it does not shy away from the uglier side of British football in 1980s and 90s. It charts the experiences of former Aston Villa, Rangers and Liverpool midfielder Mark Walters, who enjoyed heady days breaking through at his hometown club, to crushing lows of vile racist abuse in Scotland and discovering that his dream move to Liverpool would turn into something of a nightmare. Full of jaw dropping accounts, moments of dark humour and evocative tales of the mud and guts football of the pre-Premier League era, this is a must-read for any discerning football fans.

Holmes helps Walters tell his story of his early days at Villa, under iconic manager Graham Taylor – who would also go on to give Walters his solitary England cap – and how regular battles at both ends of the old English Division One table at a time when black footballers were much scarcer than they are nowadays helped hone his survival instincts. These would prove useful for his baptism of fire in Scotland.

Walters also opens up about his faith and how it helped him reconcile those darker days in his life and allowed him to forgive those you had subjected him to abuse.

An absorbing and enligthening read, Wingin’ It is the perfect Christmas gift for anyone interested in football.

Wingin’ It: The Mark Walters Story by Jeff Holmes is out now.  Pitch Publishing (£18.99) Buy it here

Is the lady in your life looking for a new outlook as they face a new stage in their life?

The ‘change’ is something many women and men find it difficult to talk about. The menopause may sometimes be spoken about in hushed tones, but that is changing and a new book by Jill Davey is helping women tackle it head on and inspire them to take control and revitalise their bodies.

The Menopause Cure: Hormonal Health is designed to help woman prevent the mood swings, weight gain and fatigue which can often accompany the menopause. By using bioidentical hormone restorative therapy (BHRT), Jill shows women how they can combat ill health and restore vitality, boost brainpower and their sex drive in their 40s and beyond.

Written with the help of former heart surgeon and expert in restorative medicine Sergey A. Dzugan, MD, PhD, the book looks at how important it is to maintain hormone balance as a way of preventing disease in longer life.

It details how BHRT can help keep healthy cholesterol levels without using drugs, prevent migraines and help you avoid conditions such as Fibromyalgia. Jill Davey shows how her extensive research has revealed how certain hormones in your body behave and interact with each other and how achieving balance can boost your health.

Don’t think this isn’t relevant to you fellas; in February 2019, we will be interviewing Jill Davey on the male menopause….it exists, it is real and it affects many men approaching the late 40s and early 50s.

In the meantime, show your caring and sensitive side with this thoughtful gift for the special lady in your life.

The Menopause Cure: Hormonal Health by Jill D Davey with Sergey A Dzugan MD, PhD is out now (Paperback, £8.99) Buy it here

For that stylish someone…

Style doesn’t have to be a part-time thing. Nine-to-five, eight ‘til late, you can make sure that stylish someone in your life is always good to go with a beautifully Italian-made, British-designed handbag from AG by Anoesjcka Gianotti.

You really can’t go wrong with a working girl handbag, especially one as expertly designed and made as these one from Anoesjcka Gianotti which combine quality, class and style with everyday practicality.

They have bags for any situation, whether it’s a practical tote for day-to-day use, a traveller’s bag for a weekend away or a subtle little clutch for an evening out, they have a wide range of high-quality bags which also include bowling bags and backpacks bags which would all make perfect Christmas gifts.

With sleek and renowned Italian design, these bags come in a range of colours with high quality finishes and are built to last and withstand anything the day (and night) can throw at you.

As well as creating classy and practical bags, Anoesjcka Gianotti is also an expert in bespoke couture and with experience in London and Milan, creates tailor-made shirts for men.

Her bags are available from www.agbyag.com and are a guaranteed for any working woman who likes to add a bit of style to her life.

The post Christmas Gift Guide: Some Seasonal Inspiration  appeared first on City Man Magazine.