The Christmas gift guide

Are blue light glasses a good Christmas present?

They are one of the more reliable ones, because nearly everyone on a Christmas list spends part of their day at a screen. Parents answer emails on a laptop, teenagers game, grandparents read the news on a tablet and students write essays late into the evening. A pair of glasses chosen for how that person actually uses screens gets worn long after the chocolate has gone.

Our lenses filter blue light from screens and the anti-glare coating cuts reflections from lamps, windows and fairy lights. What makes the gift a success, though, is the frame. The rest of this guide is about choosing the right shape, colour and style for each person, getting the order in on time and keeping returns simple if something is not quite right.

How do you choose the right pair for each person?

Start with where they will wear them, not with a vague idea of their taste. Picture the gamer at their desk with a headset on, the home worker on a video call, the child on the sofa with a tablet or the grandparent reading on their phone. Each setting points clearly to a particular kind of frame.

Working from the setting rather than guessing at style gives a much better hit rate, and it makes buying for a whole family surprisingly quick. Here is the short version, with more detail on each below.

• Gamer: light frame, slim flat arms, clear lenses
• Home or office worker: defined frame, clear anti-glare lenses
• Child: bright, flexible frame sized for a small face
• Teenager: plain, grown-up frame in black, clear or tortoiseshell
• Reader wearer: a stylish reader in the strength they already use

What should you get the gamer in the family?

A light frame with slim, flat arms that sit comfortably under a headset. Thick arms get pushed against the head by the earcups, which is the main reason gaming glasses get abandoned. Black or dark tortoiseshell with clear lenses looks good on camera and works for everything else they do at a screen.

If they already like the look of gaming glasses, an amber pair such as the Amber Lens Gaming Glasses at £18.99 is a fun, specific present. The full gaming range starts at £9.99, and our post on gifts for gamers has more detail on headsets and lens choice.

What suits someone who works at a desk all day?

A defined frame with clear lenses and an anti-glare coating. Clear lenses keep colours natural and look normal on video calls, while a frame with a bit of presence, in black, navy or tortoiseshell, shows up well on a webcam. Light weight matters because they may wear them for most of the working day.

The Midnight Square at £9.99 is the safest choice for most faces. Pairing the glasses with a desk lamp or a laptop stand turns a practical item into a gift about their working day. For more ideas, see our post on gifts for the work-from-home person.

What about children and teenagers?

For younger children, choose a bright, flexible frame made for a small face, and let them pick the colour if you can do so without spoiling the surprise. Children's frames bend rather than snap when they are sat on, dropped or pulled off in a hurry, which matters more than any other feature. The kids' collection starts at £9.99.

Teenagers are the opposite. They want something that looks grown-up and chosen by them, so skip anything that reads as children's eyewear and go for an adult-sized plain square in black, clear or dark tortoiseshell. Parents wanting background on screen glasses for younger ones can read what parents should know first.

• Young children: flexible frame, bright colour, sized for a small face
• Tweens: a fun colour, but still a simple shape
• Teens: adult-sized, plain and understated
• All ages: say the colour can be swapped after Christmas

Are reading glasses a good gift for parents and grandparents?

Yes, if they already wear readers and you can check their strength. Many people make do with whatever cheap pair they picked up in a hurry, so a stylish reader with a blue light filter built in feels like a real upgrade. The strength is usually printed on the inside of the arm of their current pair.

The Octagon Tortoise readers at £9.99 are a warm, flattering choice, and the reading glasses collection covers everything from slim metal to cat-eye. If you cannot check the number without giving the game away, choose a non-prescription frame instead.

When should you order for Christmas?

Earlier than you think. Orders are dispatched within 48 hours, but December post in the UK is busy and deliveries can take longer than usual in the run-up to Christmas. Ordering in late November or the first week of December gives you a comfortable margin, especially if the parcel is going straight to someone else's address.

If you are buying for several people, putting everything in one order is simpler and gets you free delivery, which applies to UK orders over £20. Below that, delivery is £5.99. Budget shoppers may also find our advice on what to check under £20 helpful.

• Order in late November or early December where you can
• Allow extra time if it is going to another address
• Combine family gifts to pass £20 and get free delivery
• Keep an eye on your confirmation email for dispatch

What if a frame does not suit them?

Every order has a 30-day money-back guarantee with free returns, so a frame that does not fit or suit someone can be sent back without cost. If you shop early in the autumn, check how the 30-day window lines up with Christmas Day on our returns page, so there is still time to swap after the presents are opened.

For anyone who would rather choose their own, Home Try-On lets them borrow up to four frames for seven days free. For the office party, our Secret Santa under £15 post covers the budget side, and the blue light glasses gift guide brings every idea together.

Frequently asked