The Girls Christmas Eve Baskets

 *Please excuse the awful lighting*

I know you've probably seen many christmas eve basket posts from all of us excited mummy's BUT 

This year is the first year I've done the girls a christmas eve basket! 

Last year I left it way to late to make one up so this year I just had to them one each.

The baskets I got from eBay for a bargain price of £6.99 + £1.99 postage, I plan to re use these baskets every year so really worth the price paid.

 

In Daisies basket 

- Frozen mug/cup

- Smarties chocolate Santa

- Frozen busy pack

- Gingerbread man bath bomb

- Reindeer socks

- Reindeer food

- Magic reindeer dust

- Snowman soup

-  Antler headband

- Tube of jellybeans with a reindeer finger puppet

- Christmas book

 

In Issy's basket

- Christmas book

- Reindeer socks

- Smarties chocolate Santa

- Marshmallow lolly

- Antler headband

- The snowqueen book

- Reindeer food

- Magic reindeer dust

- Frozen mug/cup

Gingerbread man bath bomb

- Snowman soup

The Christmas Decoration SALES have started!

 

 Stags/reindeer's £2 each, Star £2, Silver bows £1,Leaf tree decs 5Op,Wooden tree decs 5Op,Pink stag tree dec 75p and Red tree dec 5Op

Yesterday while having my usual wander around wilkos to pass a bit of time before the last school run of the day it was only right that I paid the christmas isle a little visit.

After only being there that morning I didn't expect to find anything different considering I go in there everyday but to my surprise all of their decorations were now 5O% off!!! 

They were amazing prices before that so it would have been rude of me not to grab some wouldn't it?

THEN I popped into ASDA as I had some more time to pass there were those beautiful christmas cards down to £1 it goes without saying that a set of those beauties went straight into my basket! 

I've found myself stalking all shops that sell christmas stuff for any reduced items, I've noticed loads half price on the ASDA website but not many in store yet so be sure to check online first! 

 

 £2.5O
I fell in love with this the first time I saw it but we already had stockings so I never got it but as soon as I saw it was half price it was a sign that it had to come home with me! I'm dying to get my hands on another one to go the other side of my console table.

Bedding set £6 and cards £1 from ASDA

Make it personal with Snapfish

With christmas on the way you can't beat that personal touch for nannys and grandmas, My mums a sucker for a personalized calendar with 4 older brothers she is without a doubt going to end up with a fair few but she still loves them none the less.

On snapfish not only can you get your standard prints done but you can choose from a HUGE range of different things acrylic blocks,mugs,calendars (4 different styles not to mention a choice of sizes too) Christmas tree decorations,photo books,cards,posters,canvas and much more including animated gifts too!
With so much on offer it was so hard to choose what to get but in the end I settled for a calendar each for my mum and Andy's mum, a porcelain mug for my mum and a cheeky present for myself a gorgeous tree decoration.
It's really simple to do, I had a bit of trouble getting it to load the option to get photos from my laptop but got their in the end, to make it easier you also have the option to upload from Facebook too.
My items arrived in 3 separate deliveries but each one arrived one after the other and within 4 days maximum for the last delivery. I'm super pleased with the quality of each of my items.
While showing a friend the pictures I'd got ready for this review, she couldn't wait to get her hands on some for christmas presents this year.

Enjoy the company of that special someone, every time you take a sip 

 With my mum having arthritis in her wrists she struggles to hold a normal mug so as soon as I saw a porcelain one I just had to get her one with one of my favourite photos of her and my dad from when they were younger.

Start a tradition by creating your own collection of photo ornaments and adding to it each year. With a Porcelain star with your choice of photo in the centre.
As soon as I saw the option of having a photo of the girls in a christmas ornament I just had to have one, I'd love to add to my collection with a new picture every christmas of my girls as they grow. Will be on the list to get grandma and nanny one too!

 Share a year of smiles! 
Enjoy your photos every day of the year with a unique photo calendar.
When your a nanny of 12 and a great nanny 6 it's handy to have each of their birthdays jotted down to remember when they all are instead of having to write it down in pen and risk running out of space, Having it already printed in the calendar is perfect!
(Unless I'm doing up your calendar and not only get one of the dates wrong BUT also missing a few daughter in-laws birthdays out)
Snapfish offer 4 different styles of calendar each with a range of sizes and an even wider range of backgrounds to use.

Don't fancy having each birthday printed off? Or have a few birthdays in one day one being your own?
You can pop in a picture of the birthday girl/boy!
My mum not only shares her birthday with two of her sons but they are all born on April fools day I'm promise I'm not early and its not an April fools. So with each of the boys birthdays jotted down as well as a happy birthday message to my mum a picture of her as a little girl in the box just added that special touch!

*I was very kindly sent a voucher code in exchange for an honest review on items I purchased. All opinions are 100% my own

Christmas Decorations £1 & 99p

ALL items were either from poundland, 99p store, wilkos and card factory.
(Christmas throw £5 ASDA)

Yep it's November and all the christmas posts have started so have another :)
It's no secret I LOVE poundland and a good bargain, no christmas would be complete without popping in and buying loads of christmas decorations despite doing the same every year so they really aren't needed!

The minute the christmas bits start showing up in the shops there I am everyday stalking the isle like some kind of grim reaper waiting to spot something new as you've got to be quick, poundland is just like primark you've got to grab it while you see it or it might not be coming back!
This is just the start of what I've managed to grab this year so far minus the 4 tea light holders I really didn't need (I forgot to include them in the photo bundle)
There was another bauble to accompany that lonely little bauble at the back but my darling dog decided she'd eat it -_- 

Have you picked up any bargain christmas decorations this year?

Making Christmas Magical

Magic Reindeer dust 99p from card factory & Santa letter Asda £1

Each year I make sure we do all the little things that make christmas all that more special/magical while the girls still believe!

I'm a sucker for everything being magical but now Issy's older and going up in school she's showing signs of knowing Santa isn't real :( *heartbroken*
Now that she can read when I used the Santa fake call app to get them into bed the night before she done her own detective work the day after and read that it said fake and when she called he didn't talk back, I said it's because he doesn't speak to children before christmas only adults but there is no denying the fake part of the app name, Time for a phone password maybe? Then there the Santa's on the tele aren't real because how did they get in there? Oh to be a child again.

The writing to Santa, Christmas lists, Reindeer food, leaving out a mince pie,milk and a carrot, sprinkling the magic reindeer dust so they know where to land and Santa's special key hung on the door so he can get in,Letters from Santa,Christmas eve boxes this year I'm hoping to get my hands on some christmassy bedding for the girls too.
We do it all! I'm always on the hunt for other little things to make it magical while I can, I'm going to be that mum that's still doing this sort of stuff when my girls are 18 and while they are rolling their eyes and cringing.
 

Is there anything magical you do at christmas time to make it all the more magical?

Tartan VS Pastel Christmas '14

This year I was pretty sure my mind was made up on having our white tree up with tartan decorations, me and the girls wearing tartan dresses for christmas dinner BUT then I imagined a white tree with pastel decorations which also looks gorgeous in my mind! 

I've gone crazy on tartan so it's likely tartan will win the battle but I am thinking of a 3FT white tree somewhere with pastel decorations so I can be naughty and have the two. 

Isn't one of the rules as a woman if you can't decide go with both? As nothing haunts us more then the things we didn't buy etc?

Each of these items can be found on the Wilkos & Asda website apart frim the tartan heart and star tree decorations they are from poundland which I've already grabbed myself.

 

What colour scheme would you go for out of the two?

What colours are you going for this year?

 

A letter from Santa @ Lapland Mailroom

Today we received our amazing letters from laplandmailroom.com

I couldn't wait to dive in (I opened them when little people were around) so it was a quick peek and hide, Once the girls were in bed I jumped straight in and upon opening I very loudly said 'WOW' 

Each letter is honestly beautiful and very nicely presented and will you check out those envelopes how cool are they? 

There's no denying these letters are from the REAL Santa, each letter comes with a 'Nice child certificate' which is FREE for a limited time only with a RRP of £2.95

For an additional £1 you can add a activity pack containing:

- Colouring Santa STOP here sign

- Elf yourself activity sheet

- Colour in christmas card

- Door hanger for little ones bedroom

- Colour and keep christmas tree decoration

There's 4 fabulous letters to choose from, 3 of them suitable for any age and are slightly different for brothers and sisters, they also have a baby's first Christmas letter which makes an amazing keepsake.

Each letter is completely unique to each child, personalised at the time of purchase on laplandmailroom.com with the child's name and address with information that only Santa knows, you can include a best friends name, most wanted present this year AND a personlised message from mum and dad themselves and whats even better they ship worldwide!

I can't wait to see the girls faces on the 1st of December and find these waiting for them in the living room. I'm going to be a regular visitor of laplandmailroom every Christmas for sure, I'm so impressed with the letters there's just no other place to purchase next years letters

Let the magic of Christmas begin....

To get your hands on one of these beautiful letters and make your little ones Christmas pay a visit to laplandmailroom.com
You can also find them on twitter and facebook

*We were very kindly sent these letters in return for an honest review.

The Bodyshop Advent Calendar 2O14

Who doesn't love an advent calendar? Who thought now that your a grown up your not entitled to a advent calendar anymore?

You can countdown to christmas in skin loving style this christmas with the best of the bodyshop advent calendar.

£5O with an RRP worth £83

 

Inside

Almond hand & nail cream 3Oml

Almond nail file

Colour crush nail colour in - relish the moment 6.8ml

Eyeshadow brush

Eye definer black 1g

Frosted cranberry shower gel 6Oml

Frosted cranberry heart soap 25g

Frosted cranberry shimmer lotion 6Oml

Glazed apple heart soap 25g

Glazed apple body lotion 6Oml

Morninga shower gel 6Oml

Honeymania lip balm 1Oml

Moringa body milk 6Oml

Mini crinkle lily

Shea shower cream 6Oml

Shea body butter 5Oml

Strawberry heart soap 25g

Strawberry lip buter 1Oml

Strawberry hand cream 3Oml

Vitamin E moisture cream 3Oml

Vitamin E moisture mask 6ml

Vitamin E nourishing night cream 15ml

Wild argan oil body lotion 6Oml

White musk EDT 1Oml

You can purchase your advent calendar directly from the body shop website but be quick they are selling out fast! 

 

When you purchase a advent calendar from the body shop not only are you in for a treat this christmas BUT it also sends a child to a class!
This holiday season, The Body Shop is teaming up with War Child, the global charity for children affected by war, to grant children the wish of education. Every specially selected gift you buy, no matter how big or small, will enable a child in a country affected by war to attend a class.

Christmas 2O13

This christmas we had our early christmas at Andy's mums on the 21st.
Christmas day we spent the morning at our house opening presents, Me & Andy put together all the ones that needed to be put together while the girls played and then we tucked into our presents.

We had Christmas dinner at my mum & dad's house in the afternoon

and the evening was with the girls playing with their toys while me and Andy sat back and relaxed

Early Christmas 

Christmas Eve

Christmas Day

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Santa was good to them.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS

To all my wonderful blog readers, hope each and every one of you have a wonderful day tomorrow.

Lots of love Me & My little family