On the Fourth Day of Christmas... I Baked a Turkey & Cranberry Ring

This is one of my favourite Christmas recipes and is fab for using up leftover turkey and other bits you may have hanging around. I first discovered it in a copy of Season's Best when I was a Pampered Chef Consultant and still use it now. The recipe is incredibly versatile and the filling can be adapted to suit what you like or for a different occasion.

The finished ring serves 16 as a appetizer, 8 as a main course or 1 if you're having a Harry Potter marathon and don't want to waste time keep getting up for food!

You will need:

6 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

225g skinless, boneless cooked turkey

1 stick celery

3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

85g sweetened dried cranberries

85g Gruyère cheese

2 packets (240g each) chilled fresh ready-to-bake dough for six croissants

1 egg white

20g walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/Gas 5. Measure mayonnaise, mustard and black pepper into a bowl. Chop turkey, thinly slice celery and finely chop parsley. Add these along with cranberries to bowl. Grate cheese into bowl and mix well.

2. Unroll croissant doll and separate into 12 triangles. Arrange dough triangles in a circle on a backing tray with wide ends of triangles overlapping in centre and pointed ends towards the outside (there should be about 13-cm diameter opening in centre). Gently press the edges of triangles where they meet together to seal.

3. Spoon turkey mixture evenly onto widest end of dough triangles. Bring the points of triangles up over the filling and tuck under wide ends of the dough at centre of ring (filling should not be completely covered).

4. Lightly beat egg white and brush over dough. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over top. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until cooked and deep golden brown.

I'd love to know if you try this out and how you found it. Let me know in the comments below.

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On the Third Day of Christmas... I Took Part in the Love Actually Tag

My friend Katy sent me some questions to answer about one of our favourite films, Love Actually, so here goes. Don't read any further if you haven't watched it as there are loads of spoilers. Go and watch it then and come back. I'll still be here.

1. What is your favourite part of the movie?

So. Many. Awesome. Parts! Any bits where Jamie and Aurelia are trying to communicate with each other. Bill Nighy is a comedy legend! I don’t care if people think the bit with Mark and Juliet is creepy. I think it’s lovely. When Joanna is singing ‘All I Want For Christmas’ and points at Sam and then goes on to point at everyone else. Oh and David dancing to The Pointer Sisters in Number 10. Never not funny!

2. Given the chance, what storyline would you have changed and how?

There are always two points where I just shout, “NOOOOOOOOOOOO” at the screen.

The first is when it looks like Sarah and Karl are finally going to get together and her brother Michael calls. Part of me wishes she hadn’t answered, but the other part of me also thinks that Karl shouldn’t have asked her not to answer it without knowing the full situation. Either way it shouldn’t have stopped them from getting together.

The other is when Harry buys that fucking awful necklace for Mia. Yes, he was wrong and a “classic fool” and I would have made him pay if I were Karen. At the same time though whenever I watch it I think it’s clear he didn’t care about Mia because he didn’t put any thought into her present. He just chose the first thing he saw. Karen’s present meant so much more because he had listened to what she said about Joni Mitchell being one of her all time favourites. I’d much rather have a thoughtful gift like that than a skanky necklace.

I know Katy is going to say that I can only pick one so looking at the way I’ve ranted I think it has to be Karen, Harry and Mia. Leave them alone bitch!

3. What love story would you want for yourself and why?

I am picking this one because it’s my favourite in the film – Daniel and Sam. Daniel has lost his wife. Sam has lost his mother. For whatever reason (we don’t know) Sam’s real father is not around and these two have been left alone together to figure out how they continue with their lives. I love watching how they bond and become a proper father and son. Blood doesn’t make you family.

4. Which situation would you least like to find yourself in?

I don’t know if I could handle being in Sarah’s shoes. Although she tells Karl that her brother is ill, it’s clear that she normally keeps everything very close to her chest. Not even her boss knows the situation so she doesn’t have a support network. She mentions that it’s just her and her brother over her and she must feel so alone. I’ve felt alone surrounded by loved ones, so to feel alone when you really are must be awful.

5. Who is your favourite female character?

Karen. She’s played by Emma Thompson so how can I not. The main reason I love her though is that she is so incredibly strong. Harry is clearly in the wrong and she sees the danger before he does. She forgives him because she loves him, but she doesn’t make it easy for him. I’m sure loads of people would have said she should have dumped his arse, but love isn’t that easy to let go of. I just love her.

6. Who is your favourite male character?

There are so many heart throbs in this film that I can choose so I’m going to pick the male character I enjoyed watching the most – Colin Frissell. He’s so useless that I can’t help but love him. He was still very much in ‘Nick from My Family’ mode in this film which made him even funnier because I didn’t know what he was going to come out with next. He’s rebuffed by so many women, but he never gives up. He’s unwaveringly optimistic. And then when you’re convinced that we’re watching some crazy dream sequence, you realise it isn’t and he’s actually hit the jackpot!

7. What makes you love this film?

The Christmassy feeling, the way the characters seem so real even though some of the stories would clearly never happen, how lots of the characters know each other and just everything!

8. How many times have you watched it?

I have no idea! It came out in 2003 so it must be at least 26 times accounting for once in July and once at Christmas. However it’s probably more than that.

9. What part makes you laugh the most?

Billy Mack’s outburst at the beginning. Every. Single. Time.

10. What part makes you cry the most?

I think it has to be when Karen opens the CD from Harry. When she goes up to her bedroom and cries, I cry with her. I just shout at the screen, “But he actually thought about your present!!!" and then I cry a little more. I just want to hug her and tell her everything will be OK. How dare Snape do that to Trelawney!

Bonus question: Do you think Hugh Grant would make a good Prime Minister?

Not sure about Hugh Grant, but I’m sure David would do a good enough job. I don’t envy the role of Prime Minister at all. It’s such a horrible job to do. Being responsible for a nation? No thanks! In the film David gives a speech that echos what is in the heart of us all, but in reality it wouldn’t have been an option. Having said that when Theresa May congratulated Donald Trump on becoming President and said that Britain and the US "will remain strong and close partners," I immediately wished Hugh Grant were our Prime Minister. I will say that every single Prime Minister gets stick for not keeping their promises, but at the same time you can’t please everyone. At least we don't have Trump!

If you've watched Love Actually then I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. If you haven't, then why are you still reading? I told you to go and watch it!

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On the Second Day of Christmas... Katy Chapman Took Over

26th December... Boxing Day... also know as Katy's birthday!

That's me by the way, Katy, taking over Gloriously Ungraceful for the day!

When Tracy asked me to do this, I was so excited and I knew exactly what to do because what's compulsory on any birthday... CAKE! So that's exactly what we're doing today. Making a birthday cake and all sharing a slice for my 25 years on this planet.

Now, of course I wanted to stick to something that still had that Christmassy feel to it, especially as this is part of Tracy's Twelve Days of Christmas, but also because that's part of the fun of having a birthday so close to Christmas Day. You get to make your birthday feel like a second Christmas Day, dedicated entirely to yourself!

Anyway, the cake I've chosen is actually an adapted version of Mary Berry's Ginger Traybake and is a recipe I've altered perfectly to fit for tray bakes, cupcakes and normal tin bakes. It's so yummy and always brings Christmas to mind and since this post is all about me, might I just add that I have a slight addiction to Gingerbread Men, so this is in fact the perfect recipe for me!

You will need:

112.5g|4oz margarine
87.5g|3oz light brown sugar
50g|1.75oz each black treacle, golden syrup
150g|5oz self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp each ground ginger, mixed spice, all spice
2 eggs
2 tbsp milk

♡ Melt the margarine, sugar, black treacle and golden syrup together in a small pan, on  allow heat, mixing regularly to ensure it doesn't burn.

♡ Combine the dry ingredient in a large bowl.

♡ Once slightly cooled, add the melted mix to the dry ingredients.

♡ Beat your eggs and milk together and combine with the rest of the mixture.

♡ Mix together until any lumps have gone and the mixture resembles a slightly runnier cake mix.

♡ Pour into a greased tin of choice (as this is gingerbread, I went for the classic gingerbread man!)

♡ Bake at 160C for around 30-35 minutes or until the skewer pulls out clean throughout.

♡ Leave to cool and then decorate.

This really is easy to do and from start to finish, will take you no more than one hour. So happy baking and be sure to let both Tracy and me know what yours turn out like in the comments.

With love, hugs, kisses and special wishes,

From Katy ♡

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On the First Day of Christmas... I Answered Festive Questions

Merry Christmas Everyone! Today is the first of my 'Twelve Days of Christmas Blogs' and I hope you enjoy it. 25 questions all about Christmas chosen by both Katy Chapman and me and answered by me on here and by Katy on her blog.

1. What was you favourite thing about Christmas as a child?
Helping Mum to make the Christmas cake in the months leading up to Christmas (eating the icing was my favourite bit), doing Christmassy stuff at school, especially the Christmas nativity/show, writing my list to Santa using the Argos catalogue for inspiration, receiving a letter back from Santa (other than my birthday it was the only time I got post with my name on), making paper chains and lanterns (thanks to my Watch With Mother video), putting up the decorations and tree and going to the pantomime at The Orchard Theatre.

2. What is your favourite Christmas memory?
Every year when we went to the pantomime Santa would bring me a special present early. One year we were sitting in the living room waiting to go and I heard a massive thump upstairs. I ran up and on my bed (all wrapped up obviously) was a Playmobil Grande Mansion. Now I’m grown up I know that Santa only delivers on Christmas Eve so I understand that my parents did it somehow, but I don’t know how they made the noise when they were sitting with me. Maybe it was Santa after all…

3. What has been your most memorable present?
A desk that my nan’s neighbour made for me. It was a big with a slanted top and a ridge at the bottom so that my paper wouldn't slide off. The desk top lifted up and had loads of space inside it to put all my pens and paper. I loved it!

4. When do you start to feel like Christmas is on its way?
Usually after my birthday. Yes, you are correct in thinking that I am a July born and that is way too early, but your judgement does not pierce my Christmas candy-made armour. In all seriousness though, Fireworks Night is when I feel I can legitimately start listening to my Christmas playlist, watch Christmas films and TV specials and get my Christmas planner out for the year. Yes, I have a Christmas planner. Judge all you want.

5. Do you have any Christmas traditions, either family ones or your own?
Christmas breakfast at Hazelhurst is always ham and sausage rolls. It was an Evans tradition and so when my dad and step-mum got married, it became a Newbury tradition and I love it so much that if I ever have children, it will become an Abegg tradition too.

6. What would be the top three songs on your Christmas playlist?
Oh, that’s so hard. It changes every year. This year I am loving ‘Thank God It's Christmas' by Queen, ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ by Paper Aeroplanes, and ‘Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer’ by Reel Big Fish.

7. What is your favourite Christmas film?
I want to say Love Actually, but I tend to watch that in the run up to Christmas, so for that pure, magical, Christmas joy then it has to be Miracle on 34^th Street. Then again, I do love A Muppet Christmas Carol. Oh, no, wait... DIE HARD!

8. If Christmas were a scent, what would it be?
Any Christmas Yankee Candle. And cinnamon. And mulled wine. And Christmas cake. And gingerbread. Oh, and Zoella's Bake My Day perfume! But thinking back to my childhood when we went Christmas shopping in Bromley, there was always a stall selling roasted chestnuts and whenever I smell that I know Christmas isn’t far away.

9. Celebrations, Miniature Heroes, Quality Street or Roses?

I get my Pampered Chef Trifle Bowl and put a mixture of all of them in for guests (OK, me) to munch on and top them up as and when needed. I also hang Candy Canes around the edge. But for me personally I would happily have a tin full of Roses Strawberry Dreams. 

10. When do you put your Christmas tree up?

Whenever possible Mum and I put up our decorations the first weekend of December. If the first weekend in December is the 6th/7th then I try to push for the last weekend of November. I'd like to put them up five weeks before Christmas when I watch Love Actually and write my cards, but apparently that's too early. Just wait until I have my own house!

11. Do you favour a real tree or a fake one?

Fake because you can use it again and again and it doesn't make a mess, but I do love the smell of a real tree.

12. What are your feelings on tinsel?
It should be law that for the month of December everyone either wears it in their hair or as a belt/scarf/other acceptable fashion accessory.

13. Do you prefer clear or coloured lights?

I like clear lights because I feel they look more sparkly like snow, especially when they are on the tree with white tinsel and they make it sparkle even more.

14. What do you put on top of your tree: an angel or a star?

Star. If I had an angel I’d start worrying about Weeping Angels and I’d be terrified that I’d look at my tree, see it’s missing and turn around and see it standing right behind me.

15. What is your favourite Christmas decoration aside from the tree?

It has to be our Christmas Candle Carousel/Pyramid. Mum got it years ago at a Christmas Market in Munich (possibly Frankfurt) and I just love it. Because we haven't had Christmas at home for a long time, we haven't had reason to get it out. I was determined to have it out this year, but when Mum got the decorations out of the loft she couldn't find it, so I think we need to have a hunt ready for next year.

16. On Christmas Eve do you stay up to hear the sleigh bells or go to bed early so that Christmas comes quicker?

When I first started going down to my dad's for Christmas I would go to Midnight Mass so I would be awake as it became Christmas Day, but since my step-gran passed away we haven't gone so I've returned to going to bed at a reasonable time. And that's not a Christmas thing, it's just a Tracy thing. I love sleep. Going to bed early is like a Christmas present to myself.

17. What is your idea of the perfect Christmas Day?

I'd actually like to start on Christmas Eve if that is OK. Everyone gets to the house late in the afternoon. There would be a Christmas Eve box in the middle of the living room and when we open it there's a pair of Christmas pyjamas for everyone and stocking with everyone's names on. There's also loads of popcorn, sweets and hot chocolate along with a family Christmas film for us to all watch together. As the film is ending we hear singing coming from outside so we put our coats, hats, gloves and scarves on and join the carol singers for a few songs. By now it's getting late and it's time for the children to go to bed. We read The Night Before Christmas to them and their excitement knocks them out for the count. With the children asleep, it's time for the adults to party and we have friends around for a few hours before climbing into bed ourselves. On Christmas morning the children would wake up and open the presents that they’ve found in their stockings. Then they’d wake us all up much too early, but we wouldn’t mind because it would have snowed overnight and it just looks so magical and they are so excited that we forgive them. We’d all have our traditional Christmas breakfast while we're still in our PJs and then go through to the living room and gather in front of the real fire and Christmas tree to open our presents. While we're opening our presents, it starts to snow again and the children go a bit (OK, more than a bit) crazy so we get bundled up in our winter clothes and go outside for a snowball fight. By the time the adults have admitted defeat to the children and we've got changed into warm, dry clothes, it's nearly lunch time. We all sit down to the dinner table and a wondrous feast appears as if by magic on the table (I know it was believable up to this point, but it's my perfect Christmas and during my perfect Christmas no-one has to lift a finger!). We pull the crackers, put on our hats, pocket our gifts for later (it's the perfect Christmas so the things are actually useful/wanted) and we read the abysmal jokes while tucking into the best meal ever. Once we've finished every course the table magically clears itself so that the whole family can enjoy the rest of the day together. The afternoon is spent playing games and listening to music until we decide we are too tired to function and we curl up in the living room to watch a film. It's at this point that I should mention that the sofas would be HUGE and everyone can fit on them comfortably and put their feet up. Some of us inevitably fall asleep and miss the end of the film, but we are all together and have a wonderful day and that's all that really matters.

18. What do you wear on Christmas Day?

I wear something different every year. A few of years ago it was a posh frock, last year it was a grey top, leggings and winter leg warmers with pom-poms. If I'm spending Christmas Day with my niece and nephews then it's got to be something comfy that I can run around in easily. This year I am wearing a dress I got from George at Asda that is covered in Santa hats, holly, candy canes and gingerbread men. I've also got my Mickey and Minnie Christmas jumper on standby in case I get cold because it's fricking awesome and I love it!

19. What's the deal with presents in your house? How, when, from who?

So as I’ve already explained, I used to get a special present from Santa when we went to the pantomime. Then on Christmas morning I’d find a stocking at the end of my bed which had lots of little gifts in. For as long as I can remember I’ve had a Terry’s Chocolate Orange and After Eights in there as well as other little things. Then when we went go downstairs everyone’s presents would be under the tree and we’d all sit and open them together. When I started going down to my dad’s for Christmas I had a pillowcase instead of a stocking for a while, but then I got my stocking back. Everyone else’s presents were still under the tree, but we would have to wait until after breakfast and after the Browns had been come round for Christmas drinkies. Then as we all got older and Santa started to visit other children so we changed the way we did things. Everyone has a pot with their name on and in the run up to Christmas we all put what we want to spend in each other’s pots. We then give my mum and step-mum our Christmas wish lists and they go out and get all the shopping. It works really well because we can either have lots of little presents or one or two big presents.

20. You've just pulled a Christmas cracker and it's the best you've ever had. What gift do you have and what is the joke?

The gift would be a set of marbles because I’m always losing mine and the joke would be ‘What did no-one bid for Rudolf and Blitzen on eBay?’ ‘Because they were two deer!’ Get it? Two deer! It sounds like ‘too dear’! *laughs hysterically with tears rolling down her face and holding her sides to stop them from splitting*

21. What does a typical Christmas dinner mean for you?

Sit down. Swap seats because my niece and nephews decide they want to sit next to me. Swap again because they decide they want to sit next to each other. Pull crackers. Put hats on. Watch my 8-and-10-years-older-than-me brothers make holes in their hats and wear them as superhero masks. Read out bad jokes. Swap cracker gifts. Eat starter. Pile my plate full of turkey, ham, pigs in blankets, roasties, Yorkshire puds, carrots, broccoli, stuffing and gravy. Choose from about three different desserts, my preference being chocolate mousse with After Eights. Drink copious amounts of WKD Blue. Accept the fact I will not be able to move until the New Year.

22. What do you do on Boxing Day?

It depends. With our family we celebrate Christmas on Christmas Day one year and Boxing Day the next and alternate. This is so both my brothers and their families can spend Christmas Day with each family every other year. This year Christmas Day is on Christmas Day (it makes sense to us!) and I don't know what ours plans are for Boxing Day yet. Drink more WKD Blue and watch films? Unfortunately I won't be at home to do parkrun. What. A. Shame.

23. When is Christmas 'over' for you?

I know you don't have to take decorations down until Epiphany, but I like to get up on New Year's Day morning (afternoon if it was a heavy one seeing the previous year off) and take everything down. New Year, New Start. Deep in my heart though, Christmas is NEVER over! 

24. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? No cheating!

Kinda cheating as I bought a copy of The Night Before Christmas recently as I wanted to start reading it to my niece and nephews on Christmas Eve and now that's the only way I can remember it. "Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen! On, Cupid! On, Comet! On, Donner and Blitzen!" Did you know that Donner was originally called Donder? He was according to my copy of the book anyway. Of course, there is also Rudolf who joined the team in modern times when smog became an issue!

25. Do you believe in Santa?

Duh! Of course I do! Are you telling me you don't? Did you not read my story about the Playmobil Grande Mansion?!

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Four More Sleeps!

So I may have told a little porkie when I said that there wouldn't be anymore Christmas themed posts before Sunday. I was intending this post to be about my last meeting at Petts Wood Senior Section (which it is), but Christmas is well and truly in the air now so the following content will be quite a bit more festive than originally anticipated.

On the 8th December I received an invitation to the Hogwarts Yule Ball which just happened to be at the hall where we meet for Rangers at the same time as our meeting. I hadn't been for a couple of weeks due to other commitments (one of the reasons that I made the difficult decision to leave), but as far as I was aware the last meeting of term was going to be Disney themed. My spidey-sense told me that they were up to something (who read that in Snape's voice?).

The invitation said that the dress code was Harry Potter themed or ball gowns, but seeing as we'd had Christmas Jumper Day at work, I figured that my Mickey and Minnie Christmas jumper would probably be acceptable. We had a brilliant start to the evening playing pass the parcel and the Rangers were sorted into houses which became the teams for the Harry Potter quiz I had planned. True to form Ravenclaw stormed ahead of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff (we didn't have enough people for four teams so I represented Slytherin). I was surprised yet happy when I got to the end of the first 20 questions and discovered that they wanted to carry on.

At the end of the evening it was time to say goodbye and I went into hyper, squeaky, only-dogs-can-hear-you mode when I was given a Hogwarts mug and a copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I can read it to my heart's content until the film comes out on Blu-ray. I also got Christmas presents from some of the girls: a bottle of wine, TWO boxes of Belgian chocolates and some hand cream. Thoroughly spoilt! 

I've still got all the money bits to finish off start the accounts over the holidays, but it was very weird handing over my set of keys. Petts Wood Senior Section has been a part of my life for over two and a half years and while I know need to leave to concentrate on myself, I am going to miss Moira and the girls so much.

On Saturday morning it was our last Rainbows meeting of the term. Again I haven't been able to come for a few weeks, but I was determined to get to this one and join in the Christmas party that they had planned. The hour was full of parcel the parcel, Chocolate Nativity and musical statues and chairs. We also celebrated the birthday of fellow Leader Mouse (AKA Amy) who turns 18 on Christmas Eve. I love working with the little ones and it's great that I have found a unit that has plenty of helpers so I don't have to commit to every week.

After Rainbows I dashed home to make a Turkey and Cranberry Ring ready for a Christmas meet up with my friends Bev, Claire and Jennifer. I don't claim to be an excellent cook, but I'm quite good at these, mainly because it doesn't matter if it looks messy. Everyone arrived at lunchtime and we enjoyed catching up for the last time this year while looking adoringly through our new workbooks and planners. I'm already looking forward to our first get together of 2017 when hopefully Katie and Louise can join us too.

 

I received some lovely gifts from my guests. Bev presented me with a bouquet of Chupa Chups which my mum promptly place in a "vase", Claire gave me with a bottle of Prosecco that I think we'll have to crack open on Christmas Eve Eve and Jennifer had brought a jar of homemade apple butter which smells lush. I can't wait to try it with a warm croissant, but I can imagine it being tasty with toast too.

A few weeks ago I found out that Carrie and Giovanna Fletcher were going to be in A Christmas Carol at the Lyceum Theatre. Robert Lindsay was also starring in it and seeing as I know my mum likes him I decided to see if she fancied a Christmas night out. Luckily she was totally up for a bit of festiveness, so on Monday I rushed to Orpington after work so that we could get the train up to London.

It wasn't what I expected at all, but it was absolutely amazing! The London Musical Theatre Orchestra took to the stage to present the classic Christmas tale on the 173rd anniversary of its publication supported by a wonderful cast. There were no costume or scenery changes. The story was brought to life by the incredible actors and the powerful score. I was close to tears by the end. It's a story that we all know, but I saw it in a totally different light.

It's moments like this that I cherish. Mum and I are very similar so if one of us suggests something on the spur of the moment, the other will usually be up for it. After a whirlwind of a year it was lovely to have a night out with her going to something that we both really enjoyed.

Now there are only three working days left and four more sleeps until Christmas Day and for the first time in a long time I feel so excited. This afternoon we are swapping Secret Santa gifts at work as today is the last working day before Christmas for a few people (not me!). The next time you see me on here will be on Christmas Day when I will post the first in my Twelve Days of Christmas series. If you want to get in on the action, be sure to subscribe and join in the festive fun in the comments section. But for now I would like to take the opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

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November Favourites

Hello! We're so far into December now that I actually have no idea what I got in November. I will probably miss things out, but we'll give it a go anyway. Here are my November favourites.

Beauty
This is what would usually be my Younique haul, but, erm, I may have gone a bit crazy with Zoella stuff this month too. Earlier this year she announced that she had a Christmas range coming out and everything was going to be smelling of gingerbread and cinnamon and I think it's entirely reasonable that I was to smell like Christmas in the run up to it. I also saw this stunning Sleek palette in Superdrug. While the majority of my make-up collection is from Younique, I'm a sucker for a palette and just look how sparkly! Of course I did also get my usual Younique haul. November's Kudos was a Brush Roll which is both useful and extremely pretty. I've heard mixed reviews about blending buds, but I thought I'd give them a go and I got a lip brush, some more matte lipsticks and a blusher.

 

Clothes
I've hit a plateau with regards to my weight loss at the moment. I seem to be alternating between putting a pound or two on and then losing them the following week. That, or I just maintain. Either way, with Christmas on the way the situation isn't going to improve over the next few weeks (I'm going to enjoy EVERYTHING about Christmas!) so I've treated myself to a few more bits. I got some boring black jeggings, but they are a size 12 so they deserve a mention. I also got this gorgeous stripey Bardot top from New Look. I really love the tie sleeves on it and it's a good length for me. Then I was looking for festive clothes and I came across this skirt in Asda. I have another one in the same style, but different pattern, but I've been wearing this red one so much in the run up to Christmas. I also got this gorgeous dress for Christmas Day. I think I'm actually going to wear it a couple of times between now and the big day since I'm intending it to be too big this time next year. And last, but by no means least, is my 'Anna Kendrick is my Spirit Animal' vest top. I love wearing this with my jeggings and a nice jackets, but it's so soft that I'm also likely to been seen wearing it with a pair of jammie bottoms at the weekend when I have no intention of leaving the house.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
While this may not be a physical thing that I can hold in my hand, this is by far my most favourite thing of November 2016. Back in July 2011 I watched the last Harry Potter film for the first time. All the books had been read and all the films had been seen. I would never have that excitement of experiencing those stories for the first time ever again because they are etched in my memory. Then J.K. Rowling brings Newt Scamander's story to life and I get to experience that thrill once more. I hadn't really seen the trailers or anything so unexpectedly hearing 'Hedwig's Theme' as the Warner Bros logo came on the screen brought tears of joy to my eyes. I don't do spoilers and this isn't a review of the film, so all I will say is that the magic most definitely lives on and I want to marry Newt! And I want a pet Niffler!! And I need to see it again - NOW!!!

Johanna's Christmas
I'd like to say that I find colouring relaxing, but I tend to just get annoyed if don't stay in the lines or use a colour and then decide it doesn't go with my final vision. I still enjoy it though. I have been meaning to buy one of Johanna Basford's colouring books for ages, but when I saw that she was going to be bringing out a Christmas one I decided to just wait for that. The pages are perforated so that you can frame your completed work, but since I have enough stuff waiting to go up on my wall, I doubt I'll do that. There are also little robins hidden throughout the book so I'm going to have fun finding them all. 

Messie Mat
Such a simple idea that I could probably have made myself, but I like to support fellow small businesses. Messie Mats are water resistant, lightweight and wipe clean mats handmade in the UK in a gorgeous range of vintage and fashion inspired prints. Whether I am putting my make-up on in the bathroom, sitting on my bed or the living room floor while watching TV, I can lay out my Messie Mat and protect the chair/bedding/carpet from any spillages caused by my oh-so-gloriously-ungraceful self or leftover residue from my brushes when I put them down. And it goes with my room!

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Countdown to Christmas: Three Weeks to Go

20 SLEEPS UNTIL CHRISTMAS! You may be pleased to know that this will be my last Christmas themed post until the day itself. Not long now until the big day!

This weekend just gone I was expecting to be decorating the house, but amazingly we did ours last Monday. I came back from my weekend away and my mum had put the trees up ready to be decorated. I spent the whole of Monday watching the clock knowing that as soon as 5:30pm came I could go home and make everything Christmassy!

In recent years my mum has only really put the tree up as we don't usually spend Christmas at home. However this year she has worked incredibly hard to transform our house by decorating the living room, dining room and bedrooms (the bathroom and kitchen will undergo their transformations in the New Year) so we wanted to go all out with the decorations like the old days.

My favourite thing about Christmas is the tree, but it is also the thing I hate doing the most because I can never get it to look as beautiful as they do on TV. Luckily for me my mum is more patient than I am so she was in charge of lights and tinsel and I carefully placed the hanging ornaments everywhere! I received my first presents yesterday and I also got the chance to wrap the ones I got for my mum so we now have a few under the tree.

On the opposite end of the fireplace to our new snow globe, is our Christmas Angel. This was a gift from my old French Tutor who passed away eight years ago so she has to come out every year. I love her. We also fill my mum's sewing box with pine cones because they look quite festive. I always want to spray them with fake snow, but knowing me I'd just mess it up.

 

You may have noticed that earlier I said trees. That is because my mum decided that she also wanted to have the little tree at the bottom of the stairs. I knew she secretly loved Christmas as much as me! It's sooooo sparkly!!!

It was also my work's Christmas do on Friday night. We went to Giuseppe's Restaurant at High Rocks for a meal (which was a-maz-ing) followed by a night of dancing. I had made table favours for everyone and personalised menus as a couple had commented that they probably wouldn't be able to remember what they'd ordered. I haven't been out with everyone from work since last Christmas so it was lovely to get together and talk about something other than signage. Not impressed that Cheryl looks better in my glasses than I do though!

   

Yesterday I went to Bluewater with my friend Lou. I was on a mission to get some Christmas films on Blu-ray, but they didn't have what I wanted on Blu-ray so I ended up getting The Muppet Christmas Carol and The Nightmare Before Christmas on DVD. I also came across a book called The Indisputable Existence of Santa Claus. I'm not going to lie. I bought it purely because of the title. I have no idea what it'll be like, but I had to give it a go. Not that I need a book to tell me Santa exists. I've always known that's true. Plus we watched Miracle on 34th Street when I got home so Santa is very much real in this house!

Today I had the day off so that my mum and I could go on our annual Christmas shopping day. Although it isn't so much a shopping day anymore. We normal just choose somewhere we like to wander around and stop every now and then for a hot drink. This year we went to Guildford so we also used it as an opportunity to pop in and see my friends Lou (a different Lou to the one above) and Mike. Then we popped into town where I went crazy and bought... a thermal t-shirt! Does that mean I'm getting old? It's really funky though. Black with gold, glittery bits. Totally wearing it on Christmas Eve!

As well as general Christmasiness, this past weekend has been full of book folding. Not only have I been finishing off Christmas presents, but after Giovanna Fletcher shared a photo of the book fold that I made for her on social media, my inbox has gone a little crazy with orders. Luckily only two are for before Christmas. However I need to get them to France so I need to get cracking with them. Like now!

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