If your loved ones are keen on art, then a year’s membership to a big gallery or art centre will be right up their street. Typically, the fee will buy them free tickets to exhibitions, access to special facilities, publications and more. Membership of the Tate starts from £47 (www.tate.org.uk 020-7887 8888). Buy online before Monday and the gift will arrive before Christmas. The Royal Academy Friend package starts from £63 or £35 for 16 to 25-year-olds (www.royalacademy.org.uk/friends 020-7300 5664). Membership of the National Portrait Gallery, which starts at £25, gets you a discount at its restaurant as well as the usual benefits and access to members’ events. (www.npg.org.uk 020-7312 2404).

Theatre membership is rather more expensive, but can be a good investment. Membership of the Royal Exchange in Manchester includes 20 tickets to be used through the year, access to sold-out shows, priority booking, use of members’ facilities and your name in every programme. It does cost £700, however (www.royalexchange.co.uk 0161-615 6752). More affordable is the gift of Friendship to the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, with priority booking, special events and the chance to apply for tickets to some open rehearsals, starting at £78.

If this is still sounding pricey, theatre tokens can be put towards tickets to most productions in London’s West End, and come in values of £5 to £50 (www.theatretokens.com ).

Film-lovers will be thrilled with a gift of membership to their local Picture House cinema – prices vary but £28 is about average (www.picture-houses.co.uk ). Membership to the home of British cinema, the BFI on the South Bank, gives you priority for tickets, offers, events and downloads. Starts from £20 (www.bfi.org.uk 020-7255 1444).

For those who want to explore the UK’s architectural heritage, you can give the gift of access to a stately home with membership of the National Trust(adult membership starts at £32.62, www.nationaltrust.org.uk 0870 4584000) or English Heritage (adult membership is £40, www.english-heritage.org.uk 0870 3331182). www.abebooks.co.uk Online bookshop www.empiredirect.co.uk Online electrical retailer. Last orders Dec 17 www.johnlewis.com Last orders Dec 19 www.kelkoo.co.uk Price comparison website www.lastminute.com Last orders Dec 20/21 www.pricerunner.co.uk Price comparison website

SCREEN from page 12 www.amazon.co.uk Last orders free delivery Dec 18; paid delivery Dec 22 www.curzoncinemas.com Last orders Dec 24, personal applications. No online sales www.disneystore.co.uk (0870 7591701) Last orders Dec 18 www.game.co.uk Last orders Dec 18. www.hasbrotoyshop.co.uk (00800 22427276) Last orders Dec 22 www.hmv.co.uk Last orders Dec 18 www.personaliseonline. co.uk ( 020-8343 9446 ) Last orders regular delivery Dec 19; courier Dec 22 www.philips.co.uk Check specification here before you buy from an electrical retailer www.play.com Last orders Dec 18 www.propstore.com (01494 766485) Gift vouchers for film buffs also available. Last orders Dec 19 www.sony.co.uk Site has specifications and information only www.toysrus.co.uk No customer service phone. Last orders Dec 20 www.virginmegastores.co.uk Last orders Dec 18

STAGE from page 18 www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/ntshop (020-7452 3456) Last orders morning Dec 21 www.pollockstoytheatres.com (020-7636 3452) No online ordering. Shop open until Dec 24

SOUNDS from page 22 www.ableton.com (0049 30 288 763 231) www.airsideshop.com No consumer support line. Last orders Dec 20 www.apple.com/ukstore (0800 0480408) www.bose.co.uk (0800 0859021) Last orders Dec 16 (standard); Dec 19 (express) www.logitech.com (0175-387 0900) Last orders Dec 19 www.magmabooks.com (020-7242 9503) Last orders Dec 20 (UK); Dec 21 (London) www.nippazwithattitude.com (020-7627 5692) Last orders Dec 20 www.recstand.com (020-7193 5210) Last orders Dec 20 www.tattydevine.com (020-7739 9009) Last orders Dec 17 for personalised items

SIGHTS from page 26 www.absolutform.co.uk (0845 2300684) Last orders Dec 18 www.benjaminhubert.co.uk (07835 120938) Order by e-mail to benjamin @benjaminhubert.co.uk Last orders Dec 19 www.citizen-citizen.com US-based interior design store. Last orders Dec 17 www.conranshop.co.uk (Store: 020-7589 7401/ online: 020-7224 2453) Last orders Dec 19 www.diykyoto.com (020-7729 7500) Last orders Dec 20 www.hiddenartshop.com (020-7729 3800/3301) Dec 19 for interior products www.katemcbride.co.uk (01529 300772) Online gallery only www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk (020-8350 5450) Last online orders Dec 18 www.susanbradley.co.uk (07905 484542) Last orders Dec 21 (noon) www.thorstenvanelten.com (020-7388 8008) Last orders Dec 20

SHOPPING ONLINE: DOS AND DONT’S

DO make sure you are using the latest version of your web browser (give Firefox a try rather than Internet Explorer), and have an antivirus and web protection package installed on your computer.

DON’T worry unduly about the threat posed to your PC by going online, any more than you worry about the threat of being run over when you leave the house.

DO buy from reputable sites, and remember that if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

DON’T click through to websites directly from e-mails, unless you are sure the e-mail is genuine.

DO remember that shopping online with a reputable trader is safer than shopping on the high street by cheque.

DON’T enter personal details on a website that is not secure. A secure site carries the prefix “https” and a small padlock should appear in the address bar of your browser.

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