www.iva.co.uk

Just be inventive. What you have to remember is that it may just make some sad gits day if he finds that you have sent him a 50p off erotic body lotion or a buy one get one half price voucher for dominos pizza!! Glitter is also a great idea,especially if its folded into what looks like an application form so it goes all over their desk. They will still be finding glitter for weeks!!!

But they might like the glitter PD - it's pretty!

I just can't be bothered. I prefer to do my bit for recycling now!

I have had a good time returning the things they send to me. Got a bit fed up so sent it all back in a prepaid envelope, sorry but my recycle bin gets a bit too full.

a coal fire how lovely, we have fireplaces in all the bedrooms but have the chimneys blocked up due to my fear of birds, but there is nothing like a roaring coal fire x

I miss sitting in front of the coal fire even if a lot of the heat goes up the chimney.

You can't beat sitting in front of a log fire on a really cold day,especially when it's Christmas time as well..That makes it extra special...Just a pain though when you have to clean it all out but well worth it all the same..[:)]

Give me my living flame gas fire any day - loads of warmth, very welcoming and doesn't take any cleaning!

I don't even have a gas fire only central heating but got plenty of fireplaces, bizarre really

We live in a 1930s maisonette and they were all built with tiled feature fire places. Unfortunately the people before us took it out and didn't replace it with anything. We looked into replacing it and they cost a fortune so we've got an electric fire with ornamental pebbles instead - not what I really wanted!

We don't use our fire much as we have the heating on in the winter, but sometimes if the weather is a bit chilly then we will just warm the room up.

The dogs love it!

I'm old enough to remember my childhood when a coal fire was the only source of heating for all but the wealthy and have no sentimental desires to return to those days. Maybe that was why everybody was so active hence no obesity. Everybody's grandma, who sat huddled in front of the fire all day ended up with what was rather unkindly referred to as "corned beef legs" Of course it may have been that everybody's grandpa also had corned beef legs but trousers hid this. I'm sure there will be an expert on this forum who will be able to give a medical prognosis of corned beef legs and indeed whether it only afflicts the female gender.

John, I'm the same as you. We used to have coal fires when I was a kid. The one in the main living room was only lit on high days and holidays!

I used to love toast done by the fire though and jacket potatoes wrapped in foil and cooked in the ashed - they were scrummy!

Don't miss waiting for the fire to get started and the smoke especially when it got time for the chimney to be swept!

Had the fire brigade out on more than one occasion when the chimney caught fire!

Those were the days, eh Jan!! That's why we're so tough now!!!

Some of them were good though John!

I also don't miss a freezing cold bedroom and bathroom - even though my parents invested in a 'heat'n'light' fitting in there!

I love my creature comforts now and hate the cold!