I just got back from a short trip to France, having gone from Ebbsfleet to Paris, and of course picked up a Starbucks Paris mug as a souvenir from my travels. I didn’t actually have a Starbucks out there though as I kind of think its good to patronise the more traditional cafes and coffee shops.
The Daily Politics Mug is an item that is desired by many, and possessed by only a few, for it is only available to winners of a weekly competition on the BBC’s Daily Politics. Andrew Neil, possibly TV’s best host, gives it away to one lucky viewer who can “guess the year” and really bigs up the mug in his unique style. The mug almost entered into Daytime TV history when the BBC put a halt to all competitions following the phone in scandals that hit them, but the mug is available again on a Wednesday, albeit with a slew of terms and conditions.
If you want a Daily Politics mug, tune into the Daily Politics on BBC2 Wednesdays from 11.30 onwards.
To celebrate my new car - a rather lovely Volvo C30 - I decided to get myself a matching Volvo mug. You can get them from the Volvo Owners Club in the UK. They’re pretty cheap and made from a durable feeling plastic.
If you’ve ever enjoyed a coffee or hot chocolate in Starbucks, you might have been tempted to recreate that coffee shop feel at home. What better way to do that than with official Starbucks mugs, adorned with the Starbucks logo. I’ve looked online and can’t find them, so the best way to get hold of them is actually to go into your local Starbucks. They are usually located near the counter.
Or why not check eBay.co.uk
where there are loads of Starbucks mugs from around the world - great for the Starbucks afficionados!
I saw these really cool vintage Kellogg’s mugs in Bentalls in Kingston today. You can also get matching saucers and dishes etc. I’ve had a look online and the only place I can find selling them online is the Imperial War Museum gift shop! So if you like them, you can support a good cause too by buying them online.
Whatever It Takes is a charity with a great concept. They approach leading figures from the Arts and get them to design an image that represents them. This is then reproduced onto “merchandise with a meaning” - good which raise money for important causes. The Whatever It Takes mugs are really cool. They are generously sized and perfect for a nice big tea or even some soup in a cup.
The celebrities who have so far got involved are many and varied, including David Bowie, Coldplay, Sir Roger Moore, Sir Michael Caine, Minnie Driver, Ewan McGregor and Samuel L Jackson. There’s pictures of a selected few below, or check out Amazon for a comprehensive list
David Bowie’s Mug
Roger Moore’s Mug (notice The Saint reference)
Nicole Kidman’s Mug
Grumpy Old Men was a hit TV show and gave men of a certain age the chance to be grumpy and proud. It let them positive affirm their grumpiness without shame or embarassment. That show has inspired a range of licensed products, including this: The Grumpy Old Man mug. This mug, currently costing under a fiver at Amazon, is perfect for the grumpy old man in your life.
Grumpy Old Man - Mug (Blue)
Heal’s are currently stocking this really cool line in “Penguin Book” mugs. There are three mugs, each using the Penguin Books branding and representing a classic book. The books are:
The mugs cost £10 each and are available now at Heal’s. Perfect for book lovers everywhere.
Mr Men are the classic characters from the kids books we all remember, and they are set to make a comeback this year with a new TV show set to air soon. Be ahead of the curve with these cool “Mr Men” mugs, available from John Lewis for £4 each. Take a slurp from Mr Messy or have a coffee in Little Miss Chatterbox. There’s loads to choose from, so you can whichever best describes you.
See the full list of Mr Men mugs at John Lewis
Monopoly is one of the most famous board games in the world. There are various editions now but I prefer the original London board. Mclaggan Smith has produced a range of fab Monopoly mugs, which are perfect for any fans of the game.
Check out the selection available from Amazon, priced at £6.95 each
