We predict: Hot trends for Christmas 2019

1. Sri Lankan cuisine

Characterised by vibrant flavours and bold combinations of sweet, spicy, bitter and sour, Sri Lankan cuisine is on the brink of an international breakthrough. Sri Lankan cooking utensils – such as hopper presses, grinding stones and clay cooking pots – are likely to be on gift guides for the amateur chef.

Each-way bet: Burmese cuisine

2. Conscientious consumption

More and more, shoppers are considering the ethics and sustainability of retailers and products before they buy. This isn’t just about plastic – though that is likely to be a significant factor in purchase decisions for many consumers this Christmas. It’s about the overall impact of consumption on our planet and the people on it.

Vegan clothing, low-impact packaging and opportunities to repair/upcycle will hit big this Christmas.

Each-way bet: A surge in second-hand shopping on eBay

3. Experiences

Gifting experiences for Christmas is far from a new trend, but it's set to continue - and increase. And crucially, people are more and more looking for unique experiences. Everyone's been to paintball - but axe-throwing? That'll make a splash on social media.

We also predict growth in the demand for feel-good or green experiences - whether that's litter-picking, planting or volunteering at heritage sites.

4. Trending animals

In 2014 it was owls, in 2017 unicorns, 2018 was the year of the flamingo and 2019 saw the rise of the sloth. Heading towards 2020, we expect to see the emergence of fantastical unicorn hybrids like the 'slothicorn' and 'caticorn', alongside a growing love for quirky and underappreciated animals such as sharks, crocodiles and porcupines.

Each-way bet: A revival of the late-90s jungle animal trend

5. Neon eyes

We're so glad this exciting beauty trend is set to continue into autumn/winter, bringing a splash of colour to the gloomiest months of the year. Eyeliners, mascaras and eye shadows in hot pink, electric blue, neon green and more are likely to fly off the shelves in the lead-up to Christmas this year.

Each-way bet: Jewel tones

So there you have it: our 5 hot-button picks for this Christmas - come back in 6 months' time to see if we were right!