Today is official day that Britons begin their Christmas shopping

Christmas 2015: Have you started shopping yet?

Christmas Shopping starts today — Christmas shoppers in London outside Selfridges Getty/Dan Kitwood

Every year, the Christmas displays seem to go up earlier, the shop windows become filled with gift ideas and the supermarkets start offloading mince pies in their droves and it has had an effect on the way we shop. While some people are still carving pumpkins and face-painting in time for Halloween, nearly half of Britons will start their Christmas shopping today (30 October).

According to research conducted by the Ideal Home Show with GoCompare, today is the day 41% of us will be hitting the stores in search for the perfect gift for our nearest and dearest.

Despite the fact that it feels depressingly early to start thinking about the end of the year, it is also the perfect time to get the best deals with mid-season sales happening earlier and falling in October, Black Friday falling on 27 November and Christmas sales launching mid December, long gone are the days of excitedly hurrying around Oxford Street on 23 December because by the sounds of it, nothing will be left by then.

One of the biggest shopping areas in London is undoubtedly Oxford Street which is kick-starting the shopping season on 1 November with the turning on of its Christmas lights which will follow a traffic-free day on the infamous street to entice even more spenders to join the festive party.

With the average shopper said be buying an average of 14 gifts at around £24 each we thought we would kick-start the Christmas shopping with the best presents out there under £25 so you can bulk buy now and thank yourself later when they are all sold out.