When I was growing up, I used to think my mother was kind of embarrassing for buying certain foods on special and “putting them away for Christmas”.

Now I understand what she was doing! Food just gets more and more expensive and entertaining more so, but if you can buy things that will last for some time, it will be perfectly fine at Christmastime and it will spread your expenses, making it all much more affordable.

A lot of people enjoy giving and receiving a Christmas food hamper – and if you’re planning to give one to someone living in the same city, it will be cheaper and more fun to put it together yourself. So what goodies can you buy now – and give later?

There’s a terrific website called StillTasty.com which, while it is probably really aimed at people wanting to check what type of food they can eat well past its use-by date, gives you some great clues into what gourmet food items you can buy when they’re on special, to create your own Christmas hampers. (Or housewarming hampers, maybe?)

A solid, dark chocolate bar kept in the pantry, will last for up to two years (well, maybe not at my house). Fettucine = 3 years. You can buy beef jerky, bottled caviar and truffle oil up to a year ahead of time. Packaged vanilla beans last for up to 3-4 years. Fancy sea salt lasts indefinitely, as do most spirits. Ready-to-drink wine – not so much.

What food could you buy now to put away for a Christmas hamper (and hide it from a Taurus)?

In very exciting gift news, It’s In The Stars has teamed up with Australia’s leading online florist, Roses Only to create a stunning gift to take their breath away!

If you’ve got an anniversary, birthday, Christmas, engagement, wedding or important romantic gift occasion, you can now give your partner a box of beautiful long-stemmed roses from Roses Only with a boxed gift certificate for a beautifully designed, hardcover, 30-35 page LoveStars report!

And if you’ve got a baby shower, a christening, naming ceremony or want to delight a new parent, you can surprise them with a box of long-stemmed roses with a boxed gift certificate for a beautifully designed, hardcover 45-50 page BabyStars report!

Note: deliveries currently for Sydney and Melbourne only. Please contact Roses Only to request other locations.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, March is the most popular month for weddings. It’s past the downpours of January and February, Christmas craziness in December, and it’s still beautifully warm. So if you’ve got a wedding to attend and you’re trying to decide what to get them from their wedding list – or something not on the gift registry at all, here is a quick rundown to what the bride might like according to her Sun sign. Yeah, well, it’s an unusual groom who is terribly interested what is being put on the gift list…

Aries – buy them an adrenalin-pumping experience – parachuting, scuba diving, flying a helicopter, rally driving etc. Anything that makes them scream with excitement and generates a bit of sexy competition with the groom…

Taurus – they really love their food so a gourmet hamper would be great. Music soothes their soul as does something to do with the garden – a pair of topiary trees or perhaps a beautiful wire or stone wall sconce to provide candlelit dinners outside?

Gemini – they love their books and communication devices. What about a truly beautiful coffee table book? Or coffee table? Some Geminis might be excited to get a new laptop, mobile or iPod.

Cancer – these lovely homebodies really love their house. A snugly cashmere throw, a stunning framed photograph of their family or something to do with cooking – a large Le Creuset baking dish? – could do the trick.

Leo – they love glamour and often imagine themselves as a movie star ready for their close-up. Most Leos love mirrored items so a mirrored jewellery box could be ideal. A leather-bound guest book for the hallway? A couple’s glamour photography shoot?

Virgo – health and work are two of their twin loves. If your budget runs to it, a treadmill would be fantastic. They also appreciate self-help books. They also love a tidy house – what about going in with others on a professional cleaner?

Libra – these guys are the original romance junkies. They can never have too many candelabras, crystal cut vases, or chandeliers to set the mood. Or what about a year’s supply of fresh flowers delivered weekly?

Scorpio – these sexy sorts are notoriously private about their private lives (a home safe could be a cracker of a gift) but a set of exquisite Egyptian cotton sheets could be highly appreciated. A video camera to make um, home movies?

Sagittarius – if they requested no gifts, but money towards their honeymoon instead, I wouldn’t be surprised – Saggies lurrve their travel. Think about a set of Lonely Planet books to destinations they’ve long craved to visit, binoculars, snazzy backpacks or other travel accessories. Go on, give them a gift voucher for Virgin Blue.

Capricorn – keen on their careers and being a pillar of society, they want “establishment” items. If you buy only one thing, make it the very best, but not bling-y. Antiques often go down well.

Aquarius – their friends are their family so think about things that make it easy to have friends over all the time – it could be of those outdoor mushroom heaters you see at bars, a cool BBQ set or what about a great iPod docking station? Those with a humanitarian bent could appreciate a wedding gift whose purchase helps a Third World community.

Pisces – Mystical, musical and/or movie-mad – any of these interests are things Pisces usually likes. Give them a thumping great set of speakers and sub-woofers, a feng shui consultant for their home or what about a boxed DVD set of their favourite movie stars.