Sunday 20 December 2015

Christmas Eve Yankee Candle // BLOGMAS DAY TWENTY



  

I wanted to talk to you today about this candle I received from my best friend as a Christmas present. We did Christmas early as I will be at my parents house in Leeds for Christmas and she will still be here in Staffordshire. This is the Christmas Eve candle by Yankee Candles which you can purchase here

I first saw this candle when I was in Boots looking at the Christmas gift sets when I was picking up the last few Christmas bits I needed. I knew my Cranberry Ice candle was running low and I wanted a new Christmas scent. I fell in love at first sniff however they only one they had available in Boots at the time was a huge jar that was around £22 and I just could not justify spending that much on myself when I still had things to buy for other people. Lucky for me though I received it anyway and when I sniffed it again after unwrapping it I was happy to see that I still love it! It's actually burning on my mantle piece as I write this.

Yankee Candle describes it as a 'traditional Christmas scent of warm hearths, sugared plums and candied fruits'. I think it smells fruity with a tiny hint of spice. I love fruity scents over really spicy ones but I think this one is the perfect mix of the two. I just really love it! Burning this has reminded me how much I love candles so I can see myself putting in a huge order on payday!

Do you have any Christmas scented candles? Do you prefer Christmas Eve or Cranberry Ice? Let me know in the comments section below!

Tuesday 15 December 2015

100 Things That Make Me Happy // BLOGMAS DAY FIFTEEN


As part of my 101 in 1001 list I wanted to publish a list of 100 things that make me happy so here goes!

1. French films
2. Receiving packages
3. Christmas shopping
4. Freshly painted toe nails
5. New lipstick
6. Wearing too much mascara
7. Opening presents
8. Day trips
9. Visiting castles
10. Long car rides
11. Being at the beach
12. Making new friends
13. Bath bombs
14. Spending time with my best friend
15. Oversized jumpers
16. Candles burning
17. Fairy lights
18. Having a clean and tidy flat
19. Hot vimto on a cold day
20. Going out for breakfast
21. Crepes with white chocolate
22. Spending the whole day reading a good book
23. Roast dinner, especially Toby Carvery
24. New Converse.
25. Grey, anything grey
26. Doing my sisters hair or make up
27. Christmas decorations
28. When eye liner goes right!
29. Writing lists and ticking things off
30. New mugs
31. Fluffy socks
32. Hearing the children at work giggling
33. Becky Bedbug's blog. seriously
34. Sunny days
35. Pretty dresses
36. Theme parks
37. Payday
38. Completing my paperwork at work as I have recently been given my own key group! (I work in a nursery).
39. The blanket my mum made me
40. Anything nautical
41. Photo's of lighthouses
42. My boyfriend's voice when he's just woken up
43. Buying pretty notebooks (but never writing in them)
44. Playing Scrabble
45. Buying new books
46. Winning at Trivial Pursuit
47. Vodka and orange
48. Doing nose pore strips (I know, it's gross)
49. Fresh flowers in my flat
50. Counting all the coins from money boxes and sorting them into piles
51. cuddles
52. Going shopping for crafty bits
53. Making wishlists
54. The colour blue
55. Watching people paint on Youtube, especially water colour pictures! I could watch those all day.
56. Going to the theatre
57. Watching dance. I NEED to go to the ballet!
58. Feeding the ducks in the park
59. Flying on aeroplanes. I have literally only done this twice in my life, on the way to and on the way back from Thassos, Greece but it literally blew my mind!
60. Watching a really good documentary
61. Wrapping presents.
62. All of Kevin Hart's stand up
63. When someone new follows me on Bloglovin
64. Finding a really good blog and binge reading all the posts.
65. Things that are really funny they make me cry but nobody else gets the joke.
66. Reading really bad chat up lines
67. Really good nights out.
68. Planning adventures.
69. The build up to my birthday
70. Bubbles
71. Learning new facts about films I love
72. Everything Wes Anderson.
73. When people tell me about things that made them think of me
74. Really good roast potatoes
75. The word 'adventure'.
76. When we get to do fun things at work like put really big pieces of paper down on the floor and pouring paint on it to let the children walk through it and make footprints, or taking the children for a walk on the field or to the park.
77. Hand written letters
78. When my camera battery is fully charged and I can take photo's straight away.
79. Buying a new onesie, I have quite the collection.
80. Children in fancy dress, especially reindeer costumes at Christmas. Seriously is there anything cuter?
81. Staying in hotels.
82. Looking at holidays online
83. Listening to the rain on a conservatory roof.
84.  Remembering I got 100% on an essay I wrote in two days when I had absolutely no confidence in it. First year really was the best.
85. People who make me laugh
86. Making people laugh as well actually.
87. Going to the football with Jordan. This is something I have only just started doing and I really don't understand the game but it's nice to be there for something he really enjoys.
88. Finding a new song that I just love and playing it all the time.
89. Being reminded of songs I loved that I had forgotten about.
90. The number 27.
91. Wearing a really nice outfit.
92. When my dad makes a meat and potato pie.
93. Blogs that have really nice designs.
94. When people spell my last name correctly.
95. When people tell me they are proud of me.
96. When things I've been looking forward to for ages go as I planned them in my head.
97. Taking my make up off and it coming off well.
98. My nose piercing.
99. Sharing a bag of sweets with Jordan.
100. Going on speedboat rides.

This was actually so hard to complete! I got to around 50 and then really struggled to think of the rest. Well done for reaching the end as this is such a long post. Let me know if you have completed a similar list and feel free to link it below in the comments so that I can have a nosy!



Monday 14 December 2015

Homemade Chocolate Truffles // BLOGMAS DAY FOURTEEN






Today I thought I would share with you all a really easy recipe to make chocolate truffles. Now I don't know about you but chocolate anything this time of year sounds really good to me. These only have 2 ingredients and are so cheap to buy. I just used Asda's own double cream and smart price dark chocolate and I think in total it cost less than £2. Next time I make these I'm going to use white chocolate or a chocolate orange!

All you need is 200ml double cream and 200g chocolate (I used dark but you can use any). You will also need something to cover the truffles in. I used icing sugar but you could use grated chocolate or desiccated coconut, it is completely up to you. To make these truffles just follow the instructions below.

1) Break 200g of chocolate into a large mixing bowl and put to one side.
2) Pour 200ml of double cream into a pan and heat until the cream just about boils.
3) Take the cream off the heat and pour onto chocolate.
4) Mix until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is combined and smooth.
5) Put the mixture in the fridge for 2 hours or until solid.
6) Grate your chocolate/gather coconut/icing sugar and place into a smaller bowl.
7) Remove mixture from fridge and use a teaspoon to spoon out a small amount of the chocolate, roll this into a ball between your fingers and roll in your icing sugar/topping. (This is quite messy so be prepared to have your hands covered in chocolate).
8) Place finished truffle onto a plate.
9) Repeat until all the mixture is used and return to the fridge to harden.

These should last 3 days in the fridge or up to one month in the freezer. These are perfect to give out as gifts or have on a plate as a snack at a party. I can see myself making these many more times this festive season as they are so simple to do!

Have you ever made truffles? Do you have any other quick and easy festive baking recipes I should know about? Let me know in the comments section below!

Sunday 13 December 2015

Christmas Eve Pyjamas Wishlist // BLOGMAS DAY THIRTEEN

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

5 / 6 / 7 / 8
Everyone loves new pyjamas at Christmas time. I have seen a lot of people write about their Christmas Eve tradition of opening a present and it being new pyjamas. This isn't something that my family do, although I do love new pyjamas at any time of the year and Christmas ones are just that little bit better. I thought I would pick out 8 pairs that I love that are quite festive to give you some Christmas Eve pyjama inspiration!

The first ones and the third ones I really like because they come with a cute little eye mask as well as the warm fluffy jumper style top and cuffed bottoms. I do prefer my pyjamas to be cuffed at the bottom of the leg as I am really short and tend to trip over the legs if they are loose like number eight! I think you can see my love of grey has really come through in this wishlist and my favourite pair has to be the 'bah humbug' ones from George at Asda! I love the little mint pattern on the sleeves and trousers and they are quite Christmassy without being too in your face with reindeer's and Santa (although I do love that too).

The Grinch ones made my way onto the list because I think my sister would love them! Although I don't think she would quite appreciate having 'naughty' written across her front. I don't tend to wear short pyjamas to bed because I get cold really easily, even when I visited Greece last year I wore long pyjama bottoms to bed, however I think these are a great option for those who may not ever feel the cold (i.e. my sister).

I love the look of all the fleecey pyjamas in the list and think these would be perfect for early Christmas morning as it is usually quite cold first thing before the heating has had chance to warm up. I also think these would be perfect for lounging around the house in as they are like wearing pyjamas and a dressing gown in one.

Which is your favourite pair out of the ones I have chosen? Do you get new pyjamas every Christmas? Let me know in the comments section below!

Friday 11 December 2015

Winter Wonderland Tag // BLOGMAS DAY ELEVEN

I didn't have a relevant photo so this one of the fairy lights on my bed will have to do.

I'm back today with another tag post. I haven't seen this one before so I thought I would give it a go. I'm not going to tag anyone (I don't think anyone does any more anyway) but feel free to do the tag and link me when it's posted!

1. What do you like best about winter? 
The thing I like best about the winter is cosying up with jumpers and blankets on the sofa and watching films with a hot chocolate. It seems so much more acceptable to go home and change straight into your pyjamas as well in winter (I still do this in summer though).

2. Scarves or Beanies? 
I don’t really wear either but I have just recently bought a bobble hat. It looks ridiculous on me because I have a small head but it does a good job at keeping me warm.

3. What's your favourite holiday movie? 
I’m not actually sure what my favourite one is! I did do a post of my top Christmas films though so check that out for a better idea!

4. Favourite winter nail polish?
I haven’t actually painted my nails in such a long time (apart from my toes which are always painted red). But I would say a really dark purple or red. Barry M is my favourite brand so probably one of theirs.

5. Favourite Starbucks Holiday Drink? 
I’ve never bought a drink from Starbucks. I am more of a Costa girl myself. I don’t really try any holiday drinks but I do love a good hot chocolate. 

6. What are your top 3 winter essentials? 
Jumpers, fleece lined leggings (thank you Primark) and hand cream.


7. Name one item on your wish list this year. 
I am desperate for an Instax camera! However I don’t actually need anything other than money which is what I need every year. I did write up a wishlist post that you can see here

8. Favourite holiday song? 
The Pogues – Fairytale of New York. I just love it!

9. Are you going Black Friday shopping this year? 
I had a little look but I didn’t really buy anything. There was nothing that really grabbed my attention; I just bought normal price things like baubles and wrapping paper.

10. Must have winter lip product?
My trusty Vaseline. I get horrible dry lips so I tend to use a scrub and Vaseline but I’m not sure if it makes that much of a difference. 

11. Will you be rocking an ugly Christmas sweater this year? 
Yes I will. Mine has bells on so it will annoy everyone, including me but I actually really love it. It’s the first year I’ve actually got a Christmas jumper so I’m going to make the most of it. In fact, I’m wearing it now! I wrote a post on my favourite Christmas jumpers if you are still looking for one to buy.

12. Have you ever had a white Christmas where you live? 
Yes we have but only when I was small. We haven’t had snow on Christmas day for a few years which I’m happy about because now I’m older it’s just an inconvenience when I have to travel!

13. Favourite winter candle scent? 
My favourite that I have smelt this year is Christmas Eve by Yankee Candle. I love love love it. I haven’t bought it yet though; I’m hoping it makes its way under my Christmas tree one way or another though. I do love Cranberry Ice by Yankee Candle as well. I got that as a gift last year so every time I smell it; it makes me think of Christmas.

14. How will you be celebrating this holiday? 
Really differently to normal because we’re having extra people over for dinner. We normally wake up at around 6am (which I do not appreciate) and then go open our presents, then get dressed and wait for my grandad to come over. We have dinner at about 1pm and then just spend the afternoon either playing games or watching a DVD.



So there we have another Christmas tag! I do love a good tag post, let me know if you have completed this one so I can have a read of your answers!

Thursday 10 December 2015

10 Things To Do This Christmas // BLOGMAS DAY TEN


Today I am writing a post of ten things I want to do this Christmas. I have written these sorts of posts before such as my things to do this summer and things to do this autumn posts. I love writing these lists as I think it makes you fit more into the season and means that you have more things to look forward to. I know there are certain things that people do each year such as put up the tree or write Christmas cards so they won't be going onto my list. 

1) Build a ginger bread house
2) Bake mince pies
3) Watch 5 Christmas films
4) Play board games
5) Read all my Christmas themed books I've had for the last 3 years
6) Fill a stocking full of presents for my boyfriend
7) Do something nice for charity (see my Post Pals post here)
8) Think up blogging goals for 2016. I will publish these in January.
9) Go Tobogganing, Adrenalin Tubing or Ice Skating.
10) Visit Birmingham Christmas Markets again!

I think I am most looking forward to doing some festive baking and decorating the gingerbread house! I'm planning to do this on Saturday so hopefully a post will go up soon with photo's of the finished house. I also can't wait to get started on reading some of the books I have that are Christmas themed. I buy them every year and then forget about them and find them again once the festive season is over but this year I am determined to read them! I might spend my Sunday curled up with blankets, hot chocolate and a book. 

What is on your list of things to do this festive season? Let me know in the comments section below!

Wednesday 9 December 2015

My Top Five Lipsticks // BLOGMAS DAY NINE








I was reminded how much I love actually using my camera when I took these photos, I always forget how beautiful my 50mm lens is. Today I thought I would do a little write up of my top five lipsticks that are wearable throughout the festive season, although I have to admit I wear these all year round. They are all pretty budget friendly except for the Nars Lip Pencil and even that isn't too bad price wise! 

First up is Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in the shade Cruella. This is just gorgeous! Lip pencil's are my favourite type of lip product as they are fool proof and so easy to apply. This pencil lasts really well without the need to reapply. I haven't tested it whilst eating though so I'm not too sure how it would hold up against that. It isn't drying on the lips which is a worry with some matte shades however for £19 I wouldn't expect it to dry my lips. 

Next is a blogger favourite, Rimmel Kate Moss 107. Again it is another matte shade which I think has got to be my favourite finish. I just love this lipstick, it is probably my go-to shade for any occasion! I probably need to repurchase it again soon as it is nearly at the end which just goes to show how much I really love it. For £5.49 this really is a great lipstick and one I think everyone should own! This is a really similar colour to Cruella so if you are looking for a dupe this is a pretty good match, Cruella is slightly more red and the 107 a bit more pink. This is how I justify having both!

Third is Maybelline Colour Drama in the shade Light It Up which only costs £4.99 and is frequently on a 3 for 2 deal in Boots! I love this colour so much that I actually wore it on my graduation day. It is a true red shade and again in the lip pencil format so great for easy application. As it is a pencil you just need to sharpen it to get more product when it runs down. This is one of my most reached for colours for a night out as it is quite small and easy to throw in a clutch bag without worrying about the lid popping off. 

The next two are Collection offerings. I've found that Collection is such a cheap brand but is really surprising with the quality of their products. The Lip Butter is actually my most recent purchase and was only £2.99 which is why I felt no guilt in picking it up! I bought the shade Perfect Plum, which again is similar to other products that I have however this is not matte. As it is a butter it is moisturising on the lips however it does mean that it wears away quite quickly and I need to reapply more often that other products. I wouldn't recommend wearing this out to eat as you will probably end up with lipstick all over your face which is not a good look. However I still do really love the colour of this and for less than £3 you can't really go wrong. 

Last of all is actually a lipstick I won in a huge twitter giveaway a couple of years ago. It is the Collection Volume Sensation lipstick in the shade Cherry Pop which again is £2.99. It is sold in black packaging now though not the bright pink. This is a really lovely shade which isn't drying on the lips. It is almost matte which as I have said is my favourite finish so is a winner in my books. It is easy to apply and really affordable. Some of the other shades in the line were discontinued so I'm really glad they kept this one as when I run out I will be sure to repurchase!

So there you have it, my top five lipsticks for the festive season. Do you own any of the ones I have mentioned? What is your favourite lipstick, let me know in the comments section!

Tuesday 8 December 2015

10 Things I Love About The Festive Season // BLOGMAS DAY EIGHT


I've seen a lot of these posts flying around so I thought I would do my own and join in! I am going to list the 10 things I love the most about the festive season although I'm sure that I could go on forever! Here goes...

1) All the hot chocolates - I'm a bit of a weird one when it comes to hot chocolate though, I only like to drink the ASDA Smart Price one, which is good because its so so cheap but its not good because obviously only ASDA sells it. I will drink Costa though if I put about 10 sugars in it.
2) Wrapping presents - I've said this before and no doubt I will say it again, I like to think I'm a pro when it comes to wrapping presents but the reality of it is I'm probably average at best. I do love to stick on all the bows and curly ribbon though to make the presents look pretty!
3) Everyone seems happier - Is it just me or is happiness really contagious during Christmas? I love how the build up to Christmas just makes everyone seem happier and more willing to help! It is the season of goodwill after all.
4) Baking - Now I have my own kitchen I am planning on doing a lot more baking before Christmas! I have lots of things on my list but the things I am most excited to try make are truffles! If they go well then I might take some into work as a little Christmas treat for the people I work with!
5) Vlogmas - I love vlogmas videos. I love seeing what everyone gets up to at the best of times but when its things like decorating the Christmas tree or wrapping presents it is just ten times better!
6) Fairy lights - although these are acceptable any time of the year I love that there seems to be so much more choice to buy these during the Christmas period. Everything looks better lit by fairy lights, they are just so cosy! As you can see from the top image in the post, I've wrapped some around my bed frame and I just love how they look!
7) Home shopping - What I mean by this is buying things for my home, e.g. duvet sets, candles etc. Winter and Christmas means that all the home ware being sold is lovely. I always buy a new duvet set and I love to fill my home with candles. I've got my eye on Christmas Eve from Yankee Candle which I 100% need in my life! I also love all the cosy blankets you can buy at this time of year and the festive themed cushions.
8) New slippers and pyjamas - I know a lot of people buy new pyjamas for Christmas Eve but I like to buy them just for winter. At the minute I sleep in joggers that I bought from Primark and one of my boyfriends t-shirts so I am keeping my eyes peeled for new pyjamas! I also get new slippers every year for Christmas which I actually love. I always get ones that are like boots though as they are the only ones that stay on my feet.
9) Christmas markets - This is the second year in a row that I have been to the Birmingham German Markets and it just feels so festive and lovely! I have yet to try a mulled wine but I did have a mulled apple juice this year which was lovely. I'm hoping that I get the chance to go back to the markets this year before they are gone but it is hard when I work Monday-Friday and everyone else I know works weekends!
10) Board games - I love playing board games (not Monopoly, that game is awful) and they seem to be much more acceptable at this time of the year. No one really wants to sit down for a good old game of Scrabble at any other time than Christmas! I love Trivial Pursuit the best I think!

So there you have it, 10 things I love about the festive season! What things do you love about this time of year? Let me know in the comments section below!

Monday 7 December 2015

Giving Back This Christmas Feat. Post Pals // BLOGMAS DAY SEVEN



I have posted about Post Pals before (here in May 2014) but I thought this would be a good time to write another one. The festive season is a time for goodwill and I have seen an increase in the amount of 'Random Acts of Kindness' which is always a good thing! 

Post Pals are a charity that helps to 'post a smile on a sick child's face' by supplying a PO Box address for many children around the UK who are living with an illness. The idea is to send a card/letter/parcel to these children to help to brighten their day and what better time of year to do this than at Christmas! Most people are sending Christmas cards at this time of year anyway so sending an extra one is so easy to do and will make such a difference to these children!

I am aiming to send a small package to 10 different children this Christmas as a way to pass on the Christmas spirit. I am planning to include just a few small things such as a small cuddly toy, some chocolate coins and a Christmas card. It is something so simple to do and really doesn't have to cost much at all but it is so worth doing. 

Will you be doing any charity work this Christmas? Are you planning to send a card to a Pal from Post pals? Let me know in the comments section below!

Sunday 6 December 2015

My Favourite Christmas Jumpers // BLOGMAS DAY SIX

one / two / three

four / five / six

Now I love a good Christmas jumper. I've already bought mine for this year which you can see in my Christmas Wishlist post. I just couldn't help myself, I had to have it! All six of the jumpers shown above are ones that I would happily buy if I had enough money. I think you can tell I love reindeer at this time of the year, I have three or four reindeer teddies that I get out at Christmas time so a jumper with Rudolph on is just perfect for me!

I also really love the fairisle patterns on some of the jumpers, I think it makes them all look lovely! I would buy these in a few sizes bigger than my normal size so that they are comfy and oversized and then wear them with my black leggings. It's so casual and really comfy and perfect for Christmas day!

Have you found your favourite Christmas jumper yet? Let me know in the comments section below!

Saturday 5 December 2015

Christmas Wreath Inspiration // BLOGMAS DAY FIVE

All images taken from Pinterest

I tried so hard to name this 'Christmas Wreath Inspo' but I just can't do it, it feels so wrong. Anyway, I have never had a wreath at my family home and as this is my first Christmas in my own home I want to have one! I would love to make one myself but have yet to venture out to Hobbycraft to have a look at the DIY options they have there. Instead I thought I would share a few that I like the look of as inspiration for when/if I do get around to making my own.

I love the colours in all of these, especially the grey. They may not look 'typically festive' as there's no red or green but I think they look like quite a 'grown up' take on a wreath. I love how the grey would match most things in my house and the whites and blues would match with my tree. I think the lights look gorgeous too, I can't get enough of fairy lights at this time of the year! 

I think my favourite one is the first one on the bottom row and I think this would be so easy to make! I do love the addition of snowflakes and I think if I added some blues it would look lovely hanging on the back of my living room door!

Do you have a wreath in your home? Do you like any of the ones above? Let me know in the comments section!

Friday 4 December 2015

My Christmas Wishlist // BLOGMAS DAY FOUR

1/2/3/4

5/6/7/8
I've put together a small wishlist of things I would like to receive this year for Christmas. This is not necessarily things I would like people to buy me (although that would be nice) it's also things I might treat myself to this festive season! There are a few bigger things on there but mostly just smaller bits that aren't too expensive!

I've loved the Instax Mini 8 camera's since I first saw them cropping up on peoples Instagrams! I did try to buy one in August this year but the shop I went to only had purple and I really do want the blue one! This would look lovely on my shelves as well as being such a fun way to take photos. 

I smelt the Christmas Eve candle in Boots the other day and it went straight to the top of my shopping list, however the only size they had at the time was the large £21.99 candle and I do not have that money to spend on myself at the moment. Also how heavy would that have been to carry round!

Although I don't NEED new straighteners (the GHD's I've had for 6 years are still going strong) I do love the look of these, they look so much nicer than the ones I currently own! The last time I had my hair done the hairdresser used these on my hair and curled it and it looked and felt so nice. Hopefully I will pick these up at some point.

Next up are the two sets of Real Techniques brushes. I've been lusting after the purple eye brushes for some time now as I have hardly any and I've heard such great things. I already own the blush brush, stippling brush and expert face brush by Real Techniques and I love them. I use the blush brush and expert face brush every single day. 

This Christmas jumper from New Look is so ugly and I love it! It reminds me of a jumper I had when I was about 6. I need it for sure. Also it has reindeers on, who doesn't love reindeers at this time of year!

This Flamingo candle just looks gorgeous! I have yet to try anything by this brand but I have only ever seen good things written online, also it would match my living room. Do I even need another reason?

Last of all is some pajamas. Everyone needs new pajamas at Christmas. It's like an unwritten rule and these from Dorothy Perkins are lovely! I normally don't go for tartan but I just love the look of these and Dorothy Perkins pajamas are a really good quality!

So there you have it, my Christmas wishlist. What is on your list this Christmas? Do you own any of the things I have mentioned? Let me know in the comments section below!

Thursday 3 December 2015

My Christmas Tree // BLOGMAS DAY THREE









Much to the disappointment of my boyfriend I do not go for the traditional red and gold for the tree. I like to go for blues and silvers as I think it brightens up the tree and still feels very festive. This year is the first year I have had my own flat for me that isn’t shared or a student house so I’ve been looking forward to decorating for Christmas for a long time. This also means that it is the first year I’ve had complete control over what goes where and what goes on the tree. There is a lot of glitter which I’m sure I will be covered in now for most of the year as it just gets everywhere!

I did have some drama with the lights as the ones I originally bought were nowhere near long enough to cover the tree and it was dark and raining by this point so I didn’t want to go to ASDA to buy any more. This is where Argos saved me! I ordered two sets of lights and a pack of baubles and got same day delivery so they were in my hands within four hours of ordering, amazing! Now my original lights are wrapped around my headboard of my bed where I’m sure they will remain throughout the year.

I love the finished look of my tree and I was able to use the extra baubles to hang from my mantel piece which I think looks lovely!

What colours do you use on your tree? Do you stick to traditional red and gold or do you (like my Mum) go for a real mix up with multi coloured lights! Let me know in the comments section below!

Wednesday 2 December 2015

The Christmas Tag // BLOGMAS DAY TWO

Now technically I wasn’t tagged in this but I did have a little google looking for a Christmas Tag to complete. I’m not going to tag anyone to fill it in but if you fancy it then do leave a link to your post in the comments section so I can have a read of your answers!

Me in 2013 (If this isn't christmassy then I don't know what is)

1. What is your favourite Christmas film?
I just published my Top 5 Christmas Films yesterday so check out that post for the answer! But I would say my most favourite (maybe) is The Greatest Store in the World.

2. Have you ever had a White Christmas?
When I was really little I remember it used to snow all the time around Christmas so I think it probably snowed on Christmas day at one point which does make it feel much more Christmassy and magical. However in recent years there hasn’t been any snow I can remember!

3. Where do you usually spend your holiday?
I usually spend Christmas at my parents’ house and my Grandad comes over for Christmas dinner which is always lovely! However I am looking forward to a time when I will have my own Christmas with my own family some point in the future!

4. What is your favourite Christmas song?
Fairytale of New York by The Pogues! I just love it!

5. Do you open any presents on Christmas Eve?
When I was younger I used to open my presents of my brothers and sister on Christmas Eve and then open the rest on Christmas Day but recently we just open them all on Christmas Morning which I think I prefer!

6. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Donner, Comet, Blitzen, Rudolph are the ones I got off the top of my head. I’ve just googled it and found that I forgot Cupid!

7. What holiday traditions are you looking forward to most this year?
I don’t really know if I have any traditions. I know that at some point during the day there will be an argument over some kind of board game. It’s usually Monopoly and for as long as I can remember I have refused to play! Last year it was Trivial Pursuit which made a change. My sister was mad at my dad for letting me have the point for ‘bird’ when the answer was ‘birds’ so when I won the game apparently I was cheating.

8. Is your Christmas tree real or fake?
Ours is fake. I don’t think we’ve ever had a real one and its not something I’ve ever wanted either really!

9. What is your all-time favorite holiday food/sweet treat?
Stuffing, roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings. Does that count? My favourite sweet treats are After Eights, Chocolate Orange or when my dad makes peppermint creams. My mouth is watering at the thought!

10. Be honest: do you like giving gifts or receiving gifts better?
I do really really love getting presents but at the same time I am really bad at pretending to like things that I don’t like so in that respect I much prefer giving gifts.

11. What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received?
This is a really hard one because I can’t remember all the things I’ve been given! Probably my GHD’s I got when I was about 13/14. I still have the same ones now and I’m 22 so they were a great present. In terms of when I was little though my favourite gift was probably chocolate or a styling head doll.

12. What would be your dream place to visit for the holiday season?
I’ve never really thought of going anywhere other than my parent’s house so this is a tricky one! I think I would like to go somewhere in America though because everything always seems much more festive there!

13. Are you a pro-present wrapper, or do you fail miserably?
I like to think I’m a pro but I’m definitely not. I try to make them look pretty though so that’s what really counts. I’m a curly ribbon pro!

14. Most memorable Holiday moment?
The most memorable Christmas was a few years ago on Christmas Eve when we all asked my dad to make us homemade chips, somehow (I’m not sure how because I was in another room) the chip pan got knocked over and hot fat tipped all over my dads bare stomach and all down his legs and my mum slipped in the oil on the floor and burnt her knee. It was memorable because it was a really horrific event and my dad is scarred from the burns. He refused to go to A&E because it was Christmas Eve and would be really busy. I’ve never wanted to eat chips any less in my whole life.

I had to be Santa that year and set all the presents out because my mum struggled to walk with her burnt knee. It took the magic away but I am just grateful that their injuries weren’t worse. I know that’s kind of a sad one and probably not the magical experience you were hoping to read but that is definitely the most memorable Christmas we’ve had.

15. What made you realize the truth about Santa?
Probably when I realised that my mum and Santa had the same handwriting.

16. Do you make New Years resolutions? Do you stick to them?
I made some last year but I didn’t stick to them. I never normally make them though.

17. What makes the holidays special for you?
I love the food and the films and it is nice to have all the family together but I do enjoy getting back to my own house after a few days.

So there you have it, my answers to the Christmas tag! If you have done this tag before leave me a link in the comments section below so I can have a read!