OnBuy. Christmas gifts for kids ! onbuy.com
OnBuy have a huge range of products on their site…
Christmas gifts for kids
Barbie Spin & Twirl Gymnast Doll, £19.99
Spark storytelling and sports-play with Barbie dolls inspired by Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures! Young imaginations can play out spin n’ twirl action with Teresa doll and her gymnastics-themed Barbie set.
TALKING MIFFY TOYS, £18.98
Delight the littlest family members with these adorable talking Miffy toys. With Miffy, Melanie, Grunty and Snuffy, the gang are together and ready for an adventure! Ideal for kids aged 18 months & above, they’re great for all ages. These super soft toys are also durable and very easy to clean.
Buy @ :- https://www.onbuy.com/gb/talking-miffy-toys~c2296~p68313580/
GIRLS OVERSIZED HOODIE UNICORN BLANKET, £12.99
The perfect chill outfit for kids, this super cute blanket hoodie is perfect to relax at home in. They’re made from luxurious flannel fleece material which is super soft and comfortable and make for the ideal outfit to play or relax in after school. With a snuggly soft feel, it’s breathable and is gentle on the skin, so your kids won’t want to take it off!
Buy @ :-
https://www.onbuy.com/gb/girls-oversized-hoodie-unicorn-snuggle-blanket~c32883~p59325118/
GALT HORRIBLE SCIENCE FRIGHTFUL FIRST EXPERIMENTS KIT, £17.98
Little ones will love conducting their own experiments with this fun-filled science kit. They’ll discover the secrets of science, including how to perform jaw-dropping illusions and mix up mad
molecules! The set comes with three test tubes with a rack, plus safety goggles, a bouncy ball mould and crystals, a magnifying glass, a spinner, a slime pot, squishy eyeballs, 3 food colourings, Petri-dish, pH scale and paper and much more. It even includes a Lab Notebook with 18 fun and exciting experiments to get them started.
Buy @ :- https://www.onbuy.com/gb/galt-horrible-science-frightful-first-experiments-kit~c2371~p6879439/
NINTENDO SWITCH (OLED MODEL) WHITE CONSOLE, £287.52
Treat them to the newest member of the Nintendo Switch family! The new system features a vibrant 7-inch OLED screen, a wide adjustable stand, a dock with a wired LAN port, 64 GB of internal storage, and enhanced audio. Dive into your favourite games anytime, anywhere, with anyone.
Buy @ :-https://www.onbuy.com/gb/nintendo-switch-oled-model-white-console~c15424~p52718638/
Also available in Neon, £287.42
HOMCOM Kids Rocking Bear Ride-On, £56.69
Let them glide back and forth in the cutest way possible with this rocking bear seat from HOMCOM. The seat frame is made from metal for a safe and secure structure for your little one, made into a plush padded design which is extremely comfortable. The high back and sides of the seat, combined with the attached seat belt keeps them secure whilst moving. The rocking frame is crafted from solid wood in a gentle curved shape, allowing them to move backwards and forwards smoothly.
Christmas gifts for her
WAHL CERAMIC CURLING TONGS, £15.59
The Wahl Curling Tong gives you perfect curls every time – the slim barrel makes it easy to create tight, smooth and sleek curls. With a handy quick-heat function, the ceramic coating locks in moisture directly in the hair cuticle resulting in beautiful shiny hair.
* Wahl ZX910 Ceramic Curling Tongs 13mm 200°C – Black, £15.59 –
Buy @ :- https://www.onbuy.com/gb/wahl-zx910-ceramic-curling-tongs-13mm-200c-black~c10311~p6506377/
2PK DOUBLE WALLED 275ML GLASS MUGS, £14.98
A thoughtful gift for the tea or coffee lover in your life, these double-walled stylish glass mugs are a chic way to insulate hot and cold drinks. Durable construction means that the glasses are a practical part of your tableware, and the clear, easy-to-clean material won’t stain with colour. Made from heat-resistant borosilicate glass, the valve eliminates condensation and when you’ve enjoyed your beverage you can simply pop them in the dishwasher!
* 2pk Double Walled 275ml Glass Mugs, £14.98 – Buy @ :- https://www.onbuy.com/gb/2pk-double-walled-275ml-glass-mugs~c5599~p30993335/
L’Oréal Pure Clay Mini Masks Set, £4.22
Give the gift of cleaner, brighter & softer skin this Christmas with this set of clay masks from skincare experts, L’Oréal. Showcasing an indulgent set of three detoxing clay masks, it addresses the different needs of your face – from the forehead, to your T-Zone, to your cheeks – for skin that simply glows.
The masks can be effortlessly tailored to any skincare routine by applying one, two or all three at a time – saving precious time for looking and feeling your best! Thanks to the creamy textures, each mask reaches deep into your pores for a purifying cleanse like no other.
1 x 10ml Green Purity Mask contains eucalyptus to purify the skin
1 x 10ml Red Glow Mask contains red algae with brightening properties
1 x 10ml Black Detox Mask contains charcoal that acts like a magnet
and draws out impurities
* L’Oréal Pure Clay Mini Masks Set, £4.22 – Buy @ :- https://www.onbuy.com/gb/loral-pure-clay-mini-masks-set~c32980~p8920794/
BATH BOMB GIFT SET, £16.92
Delight your special someone with this bath bomb gift set. With a whopping 20 separate bath bombs available, there’s plenty of choice, and each bath bomb has a different colour combination so every bath will be different than the last. With natural ingredients, these bath bombs will nourish skin while keeping the fizz.
* Bath Bomb Gift Set, £16.92 – link to view Buy @ :- https://www.onbuy.com/gb/bath-bomb-gift-set~c10248~p24718965/
6PK CHAMPAGNE GLASSES, £13.99
Make their Christmas extra merry this year with this set of 6 champagne glasses. With a vintage art deco style and generous 200ml diameter, they’re the perfect finishing touch to any festive tableware – and you can even pop them in the dishwasher when all the fun’s been had.
* 6pk Champagne Glasses, £13.99 – Buy @ :- https://www.onbuy.com/gb/6pk-champagne-glasses~c13375~p17187136/
Calvin Klein Eternity Eau Fresh, £39.00
Featuring an explosion of the freshest sage and citrus top notes, subtly balanced against a jasmine, violet and lily-of-the-valley heart, Eternity is romantic and delicate. Timeless, subtle and warm, it’s ideal for those who like elegant, stylish scents.
* Calvin Klein Eternity For Women Eau De Parfum Spray 100ml, £39.00
– Buy @ :- https://www.onbuy.com/gb/calvin-klein-eternity-for-women-eau-de-parfum-spray-100ml~c6181~p6596022/?cid=26273
Thierry Mugler Angel Eau de Parfum, £79.99
Indulgent, chocolatey and utterly iconic, this perfume is designed for the confident, seductive woman. Showcasing a collection of bergamot, fruity and honey notes, accompanied by sensual vanilla and patchouli, it’s rich, deep and addictive.
* Thierry Mugler Angel 50ml, £79.99 – Buy @ :- https://www.onbuy.com/gb/thierry-mugler-angel-50ml-refillable-eau-de-parfum~c6181~p8010946/
Paco Rabanne Lady Million Eau de Parfum, £70.95
Unique, sexy and playful, Lady Million is sure to turn heads – both during the day and at night! With powerful initial aromas of raspberry and lemon, which slowly melt to reveal a syrupy, amber base, it’s compelling, decadent and warm.
* Paco Rabanne Lady Million Eau de Parfum, £70.95 – Buy @ :- https://www.onbuy.com/gb/paco-rabanne-lady-million-eau-de-parfum-spray-80ml~c6181~p18710977/
Christmas gifts for him
FAIRYWILL ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH & 8 BRUSH HEADS, £17.55
Give the gift of a sparkling smile with this E11 toothbrush. With a sonic vibration of up to 40,000 strokes per minute, this toothbrush can help to effectively remove surface stains for a deep and satisfying clean. The ergonomic handle design is also completely waterproof, and with so many spare heads, they’ll be kept topped up for a while.
* Fairywill E11 Electric Toothbrush & 8 Brush Heads, £17.55 – Bu @ :- https://www.onbuy.com/gb/fairywill-e11-electric-toothbrush-and-8-brush-heads~c10249~p56399539/
O’KEEFFE’S WORKING HANDS & LIP REPAIR GIFT PACK, £12.88
From builders and contractors to gardeners and nurses, many people suffer from the discomfort that dry skin can bring. O’Keeffe’s promise is to make the best skincare products for workers who rely day-to-day on their hands. Non-greasy and free from scents and perfumes, O’Keeffe’s Working Hands not only moisturises dry skin, but also protects skin, giving it chance to heal. Maintaining healthy hands not only feels great and keeps them active, but it also helps prevent other, more serious problems from developing.
Whether your lips are dry and cracked, or chapped and peeling, O’Keeffe’s Lip Repair will provide instant relief. The highly effective formula relieves, repairs and moisturises extremely dry lips – offering long-lasting hydration throughout the day. O’Keeffe’s Lip Repair is clinically proven to provide all-day moisture in just one application. That’s because it creates a long-lasting flexible barrier, lasting throughout eating and drinking.
* O’Keeffe’s Working Hands & Lip Repair Gift Pack, £12.88 – Buy @ :-
Joop! Homme Eau de Toilette, £23.46
Distinctive and head-turning, this EDT is designed to celebrate individuality (and is sure to get some serious attention when worn!). With refreshing and inviting notes of cardamom, citrus, vanilla and Tonka bean, it provides a bold and lively combination of fragrances.
* Joop! Homme Men’s Eau De Toilette Spray 125ml, £23.46 – Buy @ :- https://www.onbuy.com/gb/joop-homme-mens-eau-de-toilette-spray-125ml~c6179~p18100086/
Montblanc Explorer Eau de Parfum, £47.44
A woody scent for the adventurous man, Explorer showcases notes from both the hemispheres, thanks to its Italian bergamot heart and Indonesian patchouli base. A bright, energetic and leathery fragrance, it’s sure to satisfy the senses!
* Montblanc Explorer Eau De Parfum 100ml, £47.44 – Buy @ :- https://www.onbuy.com/gb/montblanc-explorer-eau-de-parfum-100ml~c6179~p10564678/?cid=26232
Versace Pour Homme Eau de Toilette, £61.76
A deep and indulgent aromatic fragrance for men, this Eau de Toilette is characterised by a combination of neroli, orange, geranium and cedarwood. Leaving a captivating trail of Mediterranean scents that exude confidence, it’s powerful, tasteful and enigmatic.
What’s inside the box?
Pour Homme Eau de Toilette – 100ml
Pour Homme Eau de Toilette – 10ml
Pour Homme deodorant stick – 75ml
* Versace Pour Homme Eau De Toilette 100ml Spray Gift Set, £61.76 –
Buy @ :- https://www.onbuy.com/gb/versace-pour-homme-eau-de-toilette-100ml-spray-gift-set~c6179~p59994953/?lid=96118220&cid=26249
Christmas gifts for pets
PLUSH BOUNCY BALL SPROUT, £12.99
* PAW-FECT GIFT: Include all members of your family this Christmas! Don’t leave your pet out this year and gift them with a festive-themed toy that they will love.
* ENGAGING: This plush bouncy ball toy is designed to engage and entertain your pet, encouraging play and exercise, the cuddly plush will be the ideal comforting companion for your pet.
* FESTIVE DESIGN: A Christmas themed sprout ball with a plush Santa hat!
* SIZE: Approximately 20 cm.
* MATERIAL: Made from a pet-friendly plush material with a rubber ball inside.
https://www.onbuy.com/gb/hugo-boss-boss-bottled-eau-de-toilette-50ml~c6179~p18100079/
GEEZY INTERACTIVE TREAT BOWL TOY, £6.95
* Keep your pet’s mind alive with this Interactive Treat Bowl Toy by Geezy
* A unique foraging toy, this feeder allows your cat or dog to find the snacks
* Attracting your furry friend’s attention, it helps to increase their IQ & stamina
* The special ‘slow-eating’ function can effectively control their munching speed
* Incredibly easy to clean, this feeder is also crafted from durable non-toxic materials
WASHABLE DOG SNUFFLE MAT & INTERACTIVE PUZZLE PLAY TOY, £8.79
* ENGAGE YOUR DOG’S SENSE OF SMELL–Motivate the curiosity of a pet, puts your dog’s nose and brain to work by mimicking the hunt for food in nature.
* SIMPLY CHALLENGING–Encourages natural foraging skills.
* EASY-TO-FILL FEEDING MAT–Fun-to-use design and durable construction.
* PERFECT FOR ALL DOGS –Any breed, any age, any size, all dogs will love it.
New products for Wahl
* Bald and Buzz DIY Hair Clipper:
https://www.wahl.co.uk/product/bald-buzz-cut-diy-hair-clipper/
* Mini Gun Massager:
https://www.wahl.co.uk/product/cordless-mini-massager-gun/
Best-selling products:
* Aqua Blade – Beard Trimmer:
https://www.wahl.co.uk/product/aqua-blade-wet-dry-stubble-beard-trimmer/
* Aqua Blade – Multigroomer:
https://www.wahl.co.uk/product/aqua-blade-10-in-1-multigroomer/
* Beard Trimmer – Stainless Steel Black & Gold:
https://www.wahl.co.uk/product/wahl-stainless-steel-stubble-beard-trimmer-black/
* Peaky Blinders Range:
https://www.wahl.co.uk/peaky-blinders-gifts
Oh My…… look at this from Gift & Graze …. this Christmas there will be smiles on everone’s faces xxx giftandgraze.com
Gift and Graze is a small business marketplace that sells unique products from small independents from across the UnitedKingdom.
They have the perfect gift idea in mind that can be used to put smiles and everyone’s faces this Cristmas. A personalised Christmas tree chopping board is ideal for serving delicious Christmas treats while hosting with all the family.
Gift and Graze
On a mission to bring more happiness to the world.
Gift and Graze is a gift marketplace of small independent businesses from all over the United Kingdom. When you shop here, you are supporting someone’s dream. I believe in the ‘gift of giving’ and want everyone to appreciate the little moments in life, those precious moments that are intrinsically human yet so often taken for granted. The smallest of victories are worth celebrating.
Check out the Christmas tree right at the bottom of this post
This gorgeous, solid, bamboo Christmas tree chopping board, can be personalised with your family name. Perfect for serving those delicious Christmas treats whilst hosting Christmas with all the family.
These Christmas tree shaped boards also make the perfect gift for friends and family.
Product Features:
– Made from environmentally sustainable bamboo
– Food safe, wipe clean surface (hand wash only)
– Our engraving is permanent, and unlike other methods of
personalising will not fade or wear away.
– Our engraving is guaranteed for the life of the product.
– Due to the nature of real wood materials, the grain may differ
slightly from the example photo shown above.
– If using the board to chop on, we recommend using the reverse of
the board to keep the engraved side looking beautiful!
Personalisation: We will engrave exactly what you type so please
double check your personalisation. Other wording available but please
message to enquire for custom orders.
The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Flour
Available at Ocado, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s, £3.50
Our organic coconut flour comes from the dried flesh of the mighty
coconut which is finely ground to create a versatile home baking
ingredient rich in fibre and protein – wow! Its mild sweetness means
it loves to be whizzed in breads, cakes, muffins, pancakes and
desserts, as well as smoothies and shakes. Great for those following a
gluten free diet.
The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Sugar
Available at Ocado, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Morrisons,
£3.99
Highly versatile, our organic coconut sugar can be used as a direct
swap to refined sugar in both sweet and savoury dishes. The unique
buttery caramel taste of coconut sugar adds a delicious depth when
baking and cooking, or when added to hot and cold drinks including
smoothies and milkshakes. Our unrefined organic coconut sugar is
sourced from certified organic plantations in South East Asia and is
derived sustainably from luscious coconut palm trees using the cut
flower bud of the coconut blossom.
The Groovy Food Company Light Amber & Mild Agave Nectar
The Groovy Food Company Light Amber & Mild Agave Nectar
Available at Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Ocado, Holland and Barrett and
Amazon, £2.50
This light amber & mild agave nectar is a tongue-jinglingly delicious,
sweeter than a honey-bee’s breakfast, 100% organic, natural fat-free
sweetener. Where you would have previously used sugar or syrup on our
pancakes, you can now use agave. What’s more it has 25% less calories
gram for gram, than refined sugar, also being 1.5 times sweeter. So
to achive the same sweetness, 50% less calories are used. With its
naturally low GI, it provides slow and steady energy release, as
opposed to refined sugars which can cause frantic high and exhausting
lows.
Every bottle contains 50% recycled plastic and is fully recyclable.
The Groovy Food Company Rich & Dark Agave Nectar
Available at Ocado, Holland and Barrett, Amazon and Waitrose, £2.50
This rich & dark agave nectar is a smooth, maple-like syrup, which is
delectably sweet, 100% organic and fat-free. Dark and tempting, it’s
too good to resist and is a great substitute for sugar or maple syrup.
As above, it also has 25% less calories gram for gram, than refined
sugar, also being 1.5 times sweeter. So to achive the same sweetness
50% less calories are used. With its naturally low GI, it provides
slow and steady energy release, as opposed to refined sugars which can
cause frantic high and exhausting lows.
Every bottle contains 50% recycled plastic and is fully recyclable.
Something for all the family…
Jamu Wild Water
Available from www.jamuwildwater.co.uk, £20 for 12 cans
Knowing that young people can get bored with water and often want to hydrate with something a bit different; the Jamu Wild Water range contains natural fruit flavours, nourishing botanicals and a gentle
fizz that makes it suitable for the whole family without compromising on flavour or health.
Each 250ml serve contains prebiotic plant fibre, which nourishes healthy gut bacteria as well as supports the immune system with Vitamin C and Zinc, whilst being completely free of sugar, artificial sweeteners, additives and preservatives.
• Natural Sparkling Raspberry – boosted with Elderberry and Marshmallow Root Extracts – a rich source of Vitamin C and prebiotic fibre, its mellow sweet flavour sparkles with juicy ripe raspberries.
• Natural Sparkling Blood Orange – with delicious berry-like sweetness of Blood Orange and immune boosting properties of Echinacea, this bright and tangy drop also has chicory root fibre to support digestive health.
• Natural Sparkling Lemon – lively with the pithy green flavour found in lemon skin. Nettle and Dandelion extracts add wild health benefits to our take on ‘lemon-aid’. Used traditionally to relieve inflammation, boost immunity and aid digestive health.
Celebrations, Maltesers, Galaxy and M&M’s). As we quickly approach the holiday season wanted to check in and see if you are able to include us into any Christmas gift guides over the coming weeks?
From Advent Calendars to fun stocking fillers, and treats perfect for the Christmas table, we have a great range of iconic treats we can send to you for any upcoming features (and for your team to enjoy, of course!). Full outline of all products attached, certainly think they’d be a great addition to any pieces, particularly around budget-friendly gifts and stocking fillers.
In terms of new innovation this year, Mars Wrigley have launched the M&M’s Santa (RRP £2.99) which features the humorous M&M’S characters shown Santa’s suit – the playful chocolate treat is packed with colourful mini chocolate M&M’S inside!
The Positive Company
100% Natural Rubber Eco Yoga mat – X tra light foldable Travel Yoga Mat
100% Natural Rubber – Eco Friendly and X tra light Lotus Travel Yoga Mat.
Wanderlust edition: 24″ W x 72″ L x 1mm thickness,
Weight: 1 kg
Non-slip performance as the rubber provides a secure grip to the floor
Good grip
Excellent Durability
High Quality
Free from harmful phthalates, latex, toxic glue, silicone, PVC and chlorine
Recommended for hot yoga: As you sweat, the grip gets activated
Sweat-absorbent
Sustainability
Vegan suede top bonded to 100% recyclable and biodegradable, natural tree rubber
The microfiber suede top is made from recycled plastic bottles that would otherwise end up in oceans or landfills. Approximately 18 disposable plastic bottles are used to make the vegan suede surface.
The other side of the mat is made with sustainably harvested tree rubber from rubber trees, a renewable resource. These mats don’t contain any PVC, EVA or synthetic rubber making your mat both kind to you and kind to the earth.
View product on company website:thepositive.co/products/foldable-travel-yoga-mat
Price: £79
Company: The Positive Company
Telephone number:
Stockist information: thepositive.co
Festive food made easy
First Group Chef offers her top three-course recipes for the Festive Season!
For most South African hosts and hostesses, the festive season is synonymous with spending hours in the kitchen slaving away at the hot stove – as if the summer heat isn’t enough – only for friends and family to gobble the royal feast down in ten minutes!
Chef Samantha Stone, qualified chef and Group F&B Development Manager for First Group Hotels and Resorts says that she believes that hosts and hostesses need to be able to enjoy the festivities as much as their guests, “I, for one, have no desire to spend every minute in the kitchen checking that I haven’t burnt something to a crisp. Sipping summer cocktails sounds a lot more enticing! After all, we all deserve a break to make lasting, magical memories with our friends and families, right?”
Chef Stone shares her go-to, easy-peasy three-course Christmas recipes that will have you throwing off your apron and spending less time in the kitchen this Festive season:
STARTER
Peach, Nut Brittle and Prosciutto Salad
The perfect summer, guilt-free salad packed with flavour and guaranteed to impress your guests
Serves 4
Ingredients
300g of your favourite salad pack mix (I love the Italian mix)
2 peaches – pitted and sliced into wedges *Optional – sear on a dry hot griddle pan until slightly charred
+- 100g soft cheese, cut into bite-size pieces (brie, blue cheese or camembert)
70g Prosciutto – roughly torn to resemble slithers
50g Nut Brittle, roughly chopped (any nut brittle will do, I use Pecan Nut Brittle)
To Assemble
1. Simply start with your salad greens and layer on your peaches, prosciutto, and soft cheese and sprinkle over the roughly chopped nut brittle. It’s really that easy.
Tip – this salad can be made the day before, just leave out the nut brittle and sprinkle over when ready to serve.
MAIN COURSE
Insanely easy and hassle-free glazed Gammon
Serves 6 – 8
Ingredients
1 medium gammon ± 1.7kg
2 dried bay leaves
½ onion
Cloves to taste
For the glaze
150g Orange Marmalade
150g dark brown sugar
Method
1. Add the bay leaves and onion to a pot of lightly seasoned simmering water.
2. Place the gammon into the water and simmer for 1 hour, checking the water level every 20 minutes or so. Top up with boiled kettle water when needed.
3. Once the gammon is ready, set it aside and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat your oven to 1700C
5. If your gammon has the rind on, now is when you need to remove it and trim off any excess fat.
6. Score the gammon and pierce with whole cloves – as many as you like.
7. Place the gammon into a roasting tray lined with greaseproof paper.
8. Spoon over the marmalade and spread it over the gammon with the back of a spoon and sprinkle over the dark brown sugar.
9. Place in the oven, on the middle rack for +- 20 – 25 minutes or until the glaze and sugar have caramelised.
10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool down to room temperature before carving.
Tip – This gammon is best served at room temperature. If you’re lucky enough to have any leftovers, it makes the most amazing cold meat rolls for lunches the next day.
Oh-so-easy Gingerbread Christmas Trifle
In my family, we want to be traditional, but we also want our bread buttered on both sides. We want the good stuff but without all the labour that goes into it. This is how my Gingerbread Christmas Trifle was born, it’s packed with flavour and everybody, including the kids, absolutely loves it.
Makes 6 individual portions
Ingredients
1 tea loaf good quality Gingerbread – sliced into 1cm thick slices *Optional: Drizzle with brandy or Triple sec for a more indulgent pudding for the adults
250ml fresh whipping cream, unsweetened – whipped to a soft peak
500ml vanilla custard
Ground cinnamon – to dust over the top
To assemble
1. Start by putting a layer of Gingerbread at the bottom of your glass and spoon over a layer of vanilla custard and then a layer of whipped cream.
2. Amount of custard and whipped cream is entirely up to you, it all depends on how many layers you are wanting.
3. Repeat the layering process – with the final layer being whipped cream at the top.
4. Dust with ground cinnamon and serve.
Tip – Best made the day before. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate. Dust with ground cinnamon just before serving.
Redefining gifting this festive season
This Christmas, re-think what’s on your list
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For most of us, the rapidly approaching festive season heralds a time of shopaholism and excessive spending. It’s a frenzied race to fight crowds in malls to find gifts for everyone, often spending way more than we planned (or budgeted for). We live in a fast-paced consumer-orientated world, where we’re conditioned into believing that if we buy a bigger house, drive an expensive car, and wear designer clothes, then we will be truly happy. But this type of euphoric happiness is usually short-lived, with the thrill fading fast, replaced by a perpetual desire for the next thing.
This year, Samantha Pillay (Director – Sales Operations for First Loyalty Plus) urges us to make a conscious decision to buy fewer gifts, and instead opt to invest in shared experiences with our family and friends through memory-making adventures that will last a lifetime. “Every day we make choices about what to spend our money on, and research has shown, time and time again, that investing in experiences is almost always a better idea than investing in things.”
There’s an upswell in the number of people who are now choosing to rather invest in experiences, and here are five compelling reasons why:
1. More enduring happiness: A psychology professor at Cornell University has been studying the relationship between money and happiness for more than 20 years. His research has proven conclusively that experiences make people feel happier for much longer than material possessions, as the happiness derived from these is short-lived. Over time, people become less satisfied with the things they’ve bought and instead feel more fulfilled through experiences.
2. Longer lasting memories: People tend to remember past childhood experiences such as family holidays, with far more clarity as adults than they remember the gifts they received. Memories created by experiences truly are gifts that keep giving.
3. Less clutter: Unlike physical possessions that take up space in our lives, experiences take up very little space – other than some photos and a souvenir or two. With a global drive towards embracing minimalism, more and more people are striving to live simply and only have what they absolutely need in their homes for daily living.
4. Enhanced connections: It is easier to connect with others when we experience things together, spend time in one another’s company, or share a common activity. In our busy lives, we need to grab as much downtime as possible to de-stress and relax, and sharing fun experiences is a pleasurable way of doing this.
5. Less pressure: Booking a holiday or some form of fun experience is far less stressful than trying to decide what to buy someone for Christmas and fighting the crowds to get your shopping done. Experiences don’t need to break the bank either! By signing up for a First Loyalty Plus membership (firstloyaltyplus.co.za) for example, you’ll score incredible discounts on crazy-cool experiences such as hot air ballooning, up to 50% off on holidays, as well as 20% off spa treatments, and loads of other amazing deals.
Samantha concludes, “Remember that whether the experiences you are investing in are big or small, they all add up, and each one counts as a deposit into your memory bank. Consider too that real fun and joy are derived from sharing an experience with those you love rather than doing it alone, so it makes sense that long-lasting happiness comes from enjoying memorable experiences together as a family, or with good friends. So, this Christmas, why not make it a priority to focus on being present, rather than on presents?”
Christmas food ideas, all of which can be ordered or pre-ordered from website simplycakeco.com. They’re handmade to order by small team with proper Belgian chocolate, real butter and free-range eggs – they believe in quality so always use amazing ingredients to make amazing products!
The 1.5kg build-your-own brownie, just £35 – the perfect showstopper and feeds up to 30 people. You also get to pick your own toppings!
Christmas Cookie selection (3 cookies £9,50, 6 cookies £17) – decadent double chocolate all-butter cookies with a fun Christmas twist – amazing warmed up in the oven and served with ice cream!
Festive selection box (6 piece £16.49, 12 piece £27.49) – 6 indulgent treats in classic Christmas flavours, including a mince pie blondie and gingerbread millionaire shortbread! This is one for the grown-ups!
Christmas food with a differnece – Planthood’s luxury, plant-based Christmas dinner !
Whether you have a vegan guest coming to stay or
you simply want to relax away from the kitchen this festive season –
Planthood’s Christmas feast is the only plant-based meal kit able to solve your woes…
Unlike any other food service, the chef-prepared meals will arrive at your doorstep 80% pre-cooked and pre-prepared, taking you only minutes for garnish and heat.
The menu includes a plant-based wellington stuffed with umami-rich mushroom duxelles and a sticky hazelnut & cranberry stuffing, all wrapped in buttery vegan puff pastry (plus much much more, see press release below).
Extra info:
• Pre-order now for delivery on 22 December
• Prices –
o meal for 2 people is £50
o meal for 4 is £80
o free delivery
• Website – planthood.co.uk
• Pre-order link – planthood.co.uk/products/planthood-luxury-christmas-feast-pre-order
• Press images here
Might this be one for you?
Many thanks in advance,
Alex
PRESS RELEASE –
YOUR VEGAN CHRISTMAS GUESTS, SORTED.
PLANTHOOD ANNOUNCE LUXURY PLANT-BASED
CHRISTMAS DINNER DELIVERY
Chef-prepared, plant-based meal kits, delivered and ready in minutes
Order NOW for delivery Thursday 22nd December here
planthood.co.uk
PRESS IMAGES HERE
Leading healthy plant-based food delivery service, Planthood, bring joy to the season with the launch of their delicious and indulgent Christmas Box. Guaranteed to relieve the festive feast stress and awkward turkey leg turn down at the inlaws, the Planthood Christmas dinner arrives at your doorstep 80% pre-cooked and pre-prepared – a meal that would otherwise take hours to prepare, is ready in minutes. The Planthood Christmas Box is available to order NOW for delivery on Thursday 23rd December. Prices start from £50 for 2 people + free delivery, please visit: planthood.co.uk
Curated and prepared by a team of passionate chefs, the Christmas Box is a delicious and indulgent vegan gift for the tastebuds – the meal puts an inventive, plant-based spin on the classic British Christmas dinner with a lush plant-based wellington stuffed with juicy, umami-rich mushroom duxelles and a sticky hazelnut and cranberry stuffing, all wrapped in buttery vegan puff pastry, served with porcini red wine gravy – our lips are wet. The array of side dishes include crispy 24-hour layered confit potatoes with vegan horseradish, cauliflower ‘cheese’, and maple glazed seasonal vegetables.
The Planthood Christmas Box includes –
MUSHROOM WELLINGTON WITH
PORCINI RED WINE GRAVY
A rich and luxurious plant-based wellington stuffed with juicy, umami-rich mushroom duxelles and a sticky hazelnut and cranberry stuffing, all wrapped in buttery vegan puff pastry. Served with porcini red wine gravy.
24 HOUR LAYERED CONFIT POTATO LATKES
& VEGAN HORSERADISH
Thinly sliced potatoes cooked low and slow, then compressed for 12 hours and fried until golden and crispy. The best potatoes you will ever eat! Served with fiery vegan horseradish for dipping.
CAULIFLOWER ‘CHEESE’
Charred cauliflower, smothered in a rich and creamy cashew “cheese” sauce, topped with golden garlic and herb breadcrumbs.
MAPLE GLAZED VEGETABLES
Crispy caramelised brussels sprouts and seasonal root vegetables, tossed in a festive miso maple glaze with toasted sesame seeds.
Prices –
2 Person Box = £50
4 Person Box = £80
Free delivery.
Planthood provides ingredients pre-portioned and prepared, so there’s no weighing, measuring, or chopping. You will receive the exact ingredients needed, helping cut down on the Christmas food waste which amounts to 270,000 tons each year during the festive period. A nutritional guide is included to help you monitor exactly what you’re consuming.
Will Moxham, Founder of Planthood, says –
“Christmas can be a tricky time if you’re plant-based – no one should have to skip the gravy or stomach a dry supermarket nut roast. . Our Christmas Box is all about putting the fun and excitement back into Christmas, with indulgent, plant-based alternatives to all your festive faves – from a ‘meaty’ wellington and rich gravy, to ‘cheesy’ cauliflower. This sells out every time so we recommend booking in early!”
The Planthood Christmas Box is available to order NOW for delivery on Thursday 22nd December. Prices start from £50 for 2 people + free delivery, please visit: planthood.co.uk
Direct order link: planthood.co.uk/products/planthood-luxury-christmas-feast-pre-order
One too many a festive tipple?
After a couple of years ‘off’ Christmas parties, this year’s diary is jammed-packed with work parties, Christmas markets, pantomimes, and nights out. ‘Tis the season to be jolly, merry…and with that the risk of a little hangover.
Vita Coco coconut water is packed with naturally occurring electrolytes and is high in vitamin C – supporting that immune system when the busy schedule starts wearing you down.
So next time you’re WFB (working from bed) following one-too-many-a-tipple, think twice about ordering in that greasy takeaway and instead reach for a Vita Coco.
Drink it straight from the fridge, in a festive cocktail or try out this ‘hangover-saviour-smoothie’.
Ingredients (makes 2 Glasses)
• 240ml Vita Coco Pressed coconut water
• 300g frozen pineapple
• 1 ripe banana
• A chunk fresh ginger, peeled
• 60ml greek yoghurt
• 1 tsp agave syrup (optional)
Method
Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the smoothie into a glass and kiss that hangover goodbye (mistletoe not required).
Available in all major retailers or online at www.vitacoco.co.uk. Use the code FIXME for 25% off.
Runamok is a family-owned, Vermont-based company that provides organic shelf-stable products such as maple syrup, hot, raw, and infused honey, and maple cocktails and bitters. Each product delivers elegant packaging, an innovative flavor profile, and the highest quality.
Some of their most popular products take a unique spin on traditional food items while infusing them with flavor and whim. Some fan-favorite products perfect for giving to your “spicy” or “sweet” loved one this Valentine’s Day include:
• Szechuan Peppercorn Infused Hot Honey
• Hibiscus Flower Infused Honey
• Chipotle Morita Infused Honey
• Smoked Old Fashioned Cocktail Syrup
The founders of Runamok, Eric and Laura Sorkin left their jobs in environmental advocacy to create organic maple syrup products. They have since expanded their product selection to an array of maple and honey-based products that offer innovative and fun flavor profiles.
‘HOLY TRINITY OF HOLLYWOOD’ IN UK FIRST
CELEBRITY ADORED WELLNESS TREATMENTS NOW AVAILABLE UNDER ONE ROOF AT FIVE-STAR HOTEL IN MANCHESTER
Traditional spa treatments are history – replaced by a growing movement of new therapies with cryotherapy, meditation pods and sensory deprivation high on the agenda of Hollywood celebrities including Zac Efron, Jennifer Aniston, Daniel Craig and Kendall Jenner.
For the first time ‘The Holy Trinity of Hollywood’ can now be enjoyed under one roof at a five-star hotel in Manchester, where all three A-list-adored treatments are available for guests to enjoy consecutively in a UK first.
Opening in November 2022, The Lowry Hotel has announced the launch of ‘RE:TREAT’ a luxury wellness spa destination, home to the UK’s first £750,000 technology-first spa.
Working with world-leading partners, Icepod®, Somadome® and I-sopod®, RE:TREAT will offer guests a combination of treatments which cannot be found at any other spa hotel in the UK – providing guests with the ultimate Hollywood experience on the banks of The River Irwell in Manchester city centre.
Whether its submerging into a sensory deprivation tank like Zac Efron, a dark, soundproof tank filled with a salt water said to increase well-being and creativity in under an hour, or slipping into a cryotherapy chamber like Jennifer Aniston or Daniel Craig for full body exposure to freezing temperatures to help promote sleep and lymphatic drainage – the celebrity holy grail of treatments are now available at RE:TREAT.
In a bid to revolutionise the destination spa experience, RE:TREAT acutely considers soft and hard wellness influences across four wellness groups – spiritual, emotional, physical and social – ensuring guests feel not only physically refreshed and Hollywood-ready, but mentally rejuvenated.
RE:TREAT will offer wellness experiences which go beyond the norm through a combination of classes, facilities and treatments which invoke a greater sense of wellbeing.
The new luxury spa features four spacious treatment rooms, a relaxation area – a zen space with loungers to sooth the senses, as well as technology advanced equipment, a multifunctional fitness studio which will be used for a variety of fitness and wellbeing classes, and a brow & lash bar.
Designed to evoke a sense of calm on arrival, the new spa boasts soft pink hues and a neutral colour palette with exposed terracotta walls, light wooden features, warm lighting, and rattan accessories, with nods to natural tropics – alongside a living moss wall which captures the ambience of wellness and peace perfectly.
With tranquillity and relaxation at the heart, RE:TREAT will offer traditional spa treatments including massages and facials with ELEMIS, in addition to a new, bespoke, sustainable and organic treatment menu created with spa partner, Grown Alchemist, which will feature alongside local Manchester natural skincare brand GAIA.
RE:TREAT will also be working with a range of in-house experts, including Assure Health, The Complete Health Clinic, Inspirit and Excellence One, to provide guests with a multi-sensory spa experience, ranging from IV drips, to diagnostic health ultrasound scans, to weight loss coaching and more.
Kelly Andreasson, Commercial Director at The Lowry Hotel said: “Our current hotel spa boasts the most highly trained therapists in the city.
“The level of care and attention given on any visit to The Spa at The Lowry Hotel is unrivalled.
“Now with the creation of RE:TREAT, the spa is individual in its ability to provide guests with world-renowned technologically advanced treatments all under one roof.
“We are delighted to be the first UK hotel spa to offer such a variety of distinct offerings.
Individual treatments are available, alongside packages including the perfectly winter-apt ‘Warm & Cosy’ inclusive of 60 minutes of treatments and a cup of hot chocolate, as well as the ‘Balanced and Grounded’ package which offers one 60-minute treatment, access to Somadome, one smoothie – both with luxury robes, slippers and towels included.
For more information or to book a table please visit https://www.thelowryhotel.com/
Earth To Earth’s bold and beautiful bamboo products Christmas
From fitting into Christmas stockings, or as a sustainable secret Santa gift, F.E.T.E’s cute and colourful products would make a perfect Christmas gift for anyone interested in living an eco-friendly lifestyle.
· Under £40 / For the family
The Bamboo Family Starter Pack (£38) contains a set of 4 bamboo toothbrushes and stands, a pack of bamboo cotton buds and a small bamboo hairbrush.
Link to buy: fromearthtoearth.com/uk/shop/personal-care/bamboo-family-starter-pack/
· Under £20 / For him / For her / Secret Santa
The Bamboo Starter Pack (£18) is ideal for that special someone who is starting their sustainable journey.
Link to buy: fromearthtoearth.com/uk/shop/personal-care/bamboo-starter-pack/
· Under 10 / For The Beauty Lover / Stocking Stuffers
Bamboo Comb (£6) makes untangling hair simple, easy and now guilt-free too!
Link to buy: fromearthtoearth.com/uk/shop/personal-care/bamboo-comb/
Konjac Sponge (£6) gently deep cleans and softens all types of skin including sensitive and newborn.
Link to buy: fromearthtoearth.com/uk/shop/personal-care/konjac-sponge/
Bamboo & Natural Rubber Hairbrush (£9.50-£15) feels soft and comfortable on the head and gets out tangles painlessly while gently massaging the scalp.
Link to buy: fromearthtoearth.com/uk/shop/personal-care/bamboo-natural-rubber-hairbrush/
· Under £10 / For Kids
Children’s bamboo toothbrushes (£3.99) make fun stocking fillers and come in 7 bold and bright colours!
Link to buy: fromearthtoearth.com/uk/shop/toothbrushes/childrens-toothbrushes/
AMD Advantage Systems
Dell Alienware m17
Alienware’s first AMD Advantage laptop yet is now available with a wide range of configurations including up to 8-core, 16-thread AMD Ryzen™ 6000 series processors. All configurations include a hardware MUX switch enabling seamless switching between discrete graphics and integrated graphics to maximize performance and battery life as needed.
£2,019.00 – Dell Store
Lenovo Legion 7 Pro
The Legion 7 AMD Advantage™ Edition laptop is perfect for anyone who’s looking for top-tier performance in a sleek and stylish package. AI-optimized with the Lenovo Legion AI Engine. Advanced cooling supports the highest possible resolution.
£1,779.97 – Laptops Direct
£1,849.99 – Overclockers UK
£1,864.99 – Lenovo
Lenovo Legion S7 16
A premier system in the thin and light gaming laptop category, the Legion Slim 7 AMD Advantage Edition has a host of new performance features thanks to smart technologies exclusive to AMD configured systems.
£1,788.00 – Lenovo
MSI Alpha 15
The MSI Alpha 15 combines the Ryzen™ 7 5800H and Radeon™ RX 6600M, satisfying the gamer’s imagination in gaming. The Alpha 15 has a concise and sleek design, with its all-black metal chassis bringing premium and quality textures. It’s a perfect choice for those who loves sturdy and low-key style.
£699.00 – Amazon
MSI Delta 15
Packed with the Ryzen™ 9 5900H and Radeon™ RX 6700M, the MSI Delta 15 brings together the best of AMD within a sleek, ultra-thin and lightweight chassis.
£1,749.59 – Newegg
Lifestyle
Acer Swift Edge
The Acer Swift Edge is designed for productivity and creativity. With its 16″ thin and light chassis, it integrates a Ryzen™ 7 6800U processor and integrated Radeon™ graphics for performance in the most demanding environments.
£1,499.00 – Curry’s
Acer Aspire 5
The Acer Aspire 5 features a Ryzen™ 7 5825U for powerful performance, and with its 15.6″ display, a large screen-to-body ratio.
£629.00 – Curry’s
£709.00 – Amazon
Asus Vivobook Pro M3500QC
The Asus Vivobook Pro packs an AMD Ryzen™ 9 5900HX, combined with its stunning 15.6-inch NanoEdge Full HD OLED display, the VivoBook Pro 15 OLED gives you all the horsepower you need to realize your visual creativity
£999.00 – Amazon
£999.00 – Curry’s
£999.00 – John Lewis
Dell Inspiron 5425
Connection is everything with the Inspiron 14 laptop. Features a 16:10 aspect ratio, FHD camera and AI-based noise reduction.
8GB – £429.00 – EuroPC
8GB – £589.00 – Dell Store
16GB – £598.99 – Dell Store
HP ENVY x360
The creative tools on Envy PCs help you elevate your ideas and connect your devices for a seamless creative experience. Features a Ryzen™ 7 5700U processor and integrated Radeon™ Graphics.
£629.99 – HP
£769 – Curry’s
HP Pavilion 14
Get more done wherever you go with the HP Pavilion 14. Powered by a Ryzen™ 7 5700U processor and integrated Radeon Graphics, experience a laptop that can keep up with you. Enjoy incredible entertainment with speakers custom-tuned by experts at B&O for an amazing listening experience and see all the action on a flicker-free micro-edge display.
£599.99 – HP
£699 – Curry’s
HP Pavilion 13 Aero
The HP Pavilion Aero 13 is an incredibly lightweight laptop, featuring the Ryzen™ 7 5800U and integrated Radeon™ graphics—all in a chassis featuring a micro-edge 16:10 display for an amazing viewing experience.
£849 – Curry’s
Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
Powered by a Ryzen™ 5 6600U and integrated Radeon™ 660M graphics, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s delivers the performance you need to master even the most demanding tasks. Enhanced AI-based technology built on the Zen 3 architecture boasts lightning-fast computing.
£895.72 – Ebuyer
Lenovo Yoga 714
The Lenovo Yoga 7 14 packs a Ryzen™ 6600U with integrated Radeon™ 660M graphics for the freedom to work, play, create, and entertain with incredible battery.
£749.16 – Curry’s
Lenovo Slim 7 Pro X
Experience pure performance with refreshing speed from the ultimate processor and stay unplugged with incredible battery life. That’s the power of AMD Ryzen™ 6000 HS Creator Edition Processors, with tons of memory and plenty of storage. The Lenovo’s X Power drives your passion to the next level with leading thermal design power, specific scenario tuning to push beyond benchmarks, turbo matrix optimizations for maximum CPU and GPU performance, and fine-tuned industry leading hardware components.
£910.34 – Lenovo
£1,082 – Curry’s Business
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro
The IdeaPad 5 Pro is powered by the Ryzen™ 5 6600HS and built-in Radeon™ Graphics, together with a pro-creator and gamer-class 16″ display featuring a cinematic 2.5K resolution and a higher-vertical 16:10 aspect ratio for a more expansive screen.
£842.40- Lenovo
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro 16
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro features Ryzen™ 6000HS Creator Edition Processors, bringing new experiences to life with up to 8 cores in a 80W TDP powerhouse, and up to 32GB LPDDR5 RAM and up to 1TB SSD storage. It delivers everything you need, and so much more on a premium laptop with amazing battery life.
£1,134 – Lenovo
Lenovo IdeaPad 15AMN7
Lenovo’s IdeaPad 1 is powered by Ryzen™ 7000 Series processors for responsive performance in a thin and compact chassis, making multitasking on-the-go a breeze—all with a long battery life and rapid charging.
THE STAIRCASE TREND YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FOR 2023
Research from Neville Johnson reveals 36% of UK homeowners now favour a contemporary American style staircase over a classic design
A staircase is much more than simply a connection between floors, it’s the grand introduction to our homes – so, ensuring you’re creating a stylish and sophisticated focal point for the entrance to your living space is key to guaranteeing an elegant first impression.
According to recent research by renovation experts, Neville Johnson, nearly one in three (31%) Brit homeowners have admitted to feeling embarrassed of their staircase when hosting to friends and family.
So, as the new year approaches, make sure to avoid ‘staircase embarrassment’ by giving your entrance an opulent makeover.
Premium fitted furniture and bespoke staircase brand, Neville Johnson, has revealed the next staircase trend which is expected to be everywhere in 2023 – contemporary American.
When selecting a preferred style of staircase, over a third (36%) of UK homeowners opted for a contemporary monochrome style, more than double of those who chose glass (17%) and dark oak options (7%), proving the American look and feel is on the rise when it comes to our home and interiors preferences.
Boston Newel Staircase
Bringing a contemporary twist on a traditional design, Neville Johnson’s painted staircase, launched earlier this year, features the brand’s expertly handcrafted Boston newel posts, and offers that American style trend, which also encapsulates that Sex and the City interior vibe.
Uniquely ornate, the monochrome staircase has been paired with a treble cluster of Neville Johnson’s bespoke Cherwell spindle. Painted in Sorrel white and finished with Jacobean Oak, this design is a fine example of how a staircase can transform your home.
Neville Johnson’s Staircase Designer, Gareth Betts, said: “A bespoke staircase renovation has the power to transform your home. Using the structure of an existing staircase as a base, outstanding results can be achieved without the need for additional building work.
“An important part of any renovation is to ensure you’re aware of the key glossary of terms that will help you to identify the elements of the home that can be transformed.”
Gareth Betts, who also has 21 years’ experience when it comes to interior design and renovation, has shared his expert glossary of terms to ensure a seamless staircase renovation:
1. A newel post is a structural element that extends below the floor and subfloor and is bolted to the floor joist.
2. The string is the structural member that supports the treads and risers in standard staircases.
3. The baserail sits on your string and has a groove which accepts the spindles. Should you want a cut string staircase, there would be no need for a baserail as the spindles enter the treads.
4. The balustrade is the railing and baluster that prevents you from falling over the edge. It’s also the collective name for the complete assembly of handrails, including spindles and newel posts. These can be highly decorative; turned, carved, forged, or even replaced by wooden or glass panels. They sit between the handrail and stairs and are also known as balusters.
5. The risers are the vertical portion between each tread on the stair. In open plan properties, this section can be missing.
With over 35 years’ experience in designing staircases, Neville Johnson is the market leader in bespoke home renovations. The brand’s furniture renovations combine the flair of the UK’s top designers with the time-honoured skills of traditional craftsmen, all brought together with your personal selection of materials, colours, and finishes.
12 Tips to Save Money on Food This Christmas
On the First Day of Christmas
My good friends said to me
Why don’t you save some Moneeeyyy … ?
With less than a month to go until Christmas, you may think the ways in which you can save money on food are already limited. However, there are still plenty of chances to save money by reducing waste, shopping and careful planning.
Helen Dewdney – The Complaining Cow – a consumer champion, and Kate Hall Food Waste Expert and Founder of The Full Freezer, have combined forces to provide some tips for saving on the food this Christmas.
1. Don’t Buy What You Won’t Eat – This might sound obvious, but it’s so easy to get sucked into buying all of the trimmings, just because it’s Christmas. If you don’t like bread sauce (for example), it doesn’t need to be on your table. And if a guest is insistent on the appearance of something you cannot stand, ask them to bring their own. It’s the least they can do if you’re cooking them dinner! (but don’t make a big issue out of it…!)
If you are hosting a large family Christmas meal, suggest that everyone brings a contribution. Perhaps someone can bring the pudding, crackers or a starter or the wine.
2. Plan the food that you want over the Christmas period well in advance. This will help you to not overspend on unnecessary items but also means you will be able to pick up bargains. And you can compare prices across different stores as you shop normally. This is great on non-perishable items from your list that you can buy well in advance.
3. Load up on Veggies – It’s really tempting to think you need a massive turkey if you’re hosting Christmas, but a few small joints of meat may well be plenty. Consider how many people you are hosting and how much they are *really* likely to eat. If you load up your table with lots of veg and sides such as carrots, parsnips, pigs in blankets, stuffing, Yorkshire pudding, and – perhaps controversially – with turkey your plates will be filled up in no time. The combo is up to you – just remember how much is usually eaten for a normal meal. Christmas dinner needn’t be any more excessive, particularly if it means you’ve then got space for pudding!
4. Search Out Yellow Stickers – Over the coming weeks be sure to keep an eye on the reduced section in your local supermarket. If you spot any Christmas-friendly foods, bag yourself a bargain and get them into the freezer (see tips below about freezing!). Remember that Christmas food isn’t just about a having a fancy roast dinner. Have a think about any reduced items you could grab to have in stock for guests popping in during the Festive Season.
5. Be a No-Waste Hero – Make sure you are signed up for apps such as Too Good to Go and OLIO which help to redistribute unsold and unwanted food from businesses and communities. You might just be able to nab yourself some festive bargains!
6. Go Frozen – although ready-prepared frozen food won’t necessarily be cheaper than unprocessed fresh produce, the benefit is that you can just use as much as you need and any leftovers can easily be saved for another meal. You can buy roast spuds, parsnips, sprouts, stuffing and much more ready-prepared and frozen. So, all you need to do is put them straight in the oven!
7. Or Prep & Freeze – Did you know you can prepare and freeze your own roast potatoes? And carrots? And parsnips? And pretty much everything else? This doesn’t mean actually cooking your Christmas dinner, but instead taking a few simple steps to prepare your food so that it’s ready for you to cook straight from frozen on Christmas Day (except your turkey!) Doing this will be cheaper than buying ready-prepped frozen items from the supermarket, and also might mean you can save some foods that would have otherwise ended up in the bin! Freeze My Meal is a free guide which shares how you can prepare a selection of Christmas foods and how to cook them on the big day!
8. A celebration with a difference – Create an evening that is a different to your usual meals or what you have done before. Have a cheese and wine event with a couple of friends or a partner. Visitors each bring a different cheese and a drink. It makes for a special evening but the cost is spread evenly.
9. Look After Your Leftovers – Any food left over on Christmas Day should be put in the fridge within 2 hours and eaten within 48 hours. If you know you won’t get to them in time, use your freezer to buy yourself a little longer. Ideally any leftovers should be used up within 3 months and remember to freeze in usable quantities, as leftovers should only be frozen and reheated once.
Plan what you will do with your leftovers before you even cook. If you know you’re going to have leftover turkey, consider different ways of using it, including the freezer. No-one says you have to eat all the leftover turkey on Boxing Day and the day after!
10. Regularly compare supermarket prices – Especially when looking to put things away for future use. Which? compare prices on an average shop across the supermarkets every month. But you can also use supermarket comparison websites to check prices of particular items. Examples are My Supermarket Compare and Trolley.co.uk
11. Check supermarket loyalty schemes – as well as other stores like Boots. Sometimes there are different offers on different products at different times which means you can buy an item cheaper as well as earning points, pennies or pounds. Keep an eye out for supermarkets and their points too.
12. Discuss the bill before you go – If you go out for a meal with friends, family or colleagues it can sometimes get difficult when it comes to paying the bill. Do you split the bill evenly? What about the non-drinkers? What about the people who didn’t have a pudding? Does everyone agree that it will be divided out equally or will you all pay the same? Discuss the questions and agree the “rules” before the meal. This will help you budget, put forward your opinion and prevent any awkwardness at the end of the meal.
Exton Park Pinot Meunier Plot 4
Priced at £95 and is available to purchase from Exton Park’s website
Imagery here
This Christmas, instead of popping open a bottle of Champagne or Prosecco, why not look closer to home and give English Sparkling a try? Award-winning Hampshire vineyard, Exton Park has just launched a new limited-edition Rosé wine, the Pinot Meunier Rosé Plot 4, a unique choice for this season’s festivities. This beautiful wine encapsulates the very best of Exton Park; its unique terroir, pure chalk soils, meticulous growing and production methods and its progressive approach to winemaking. The result is a delicate but dry rosé, pale copper in colour with a balanced floral character.
Cazcabel Tequila
Price ranges between £22 and £27 and is available to purchase on Amazon
Imagery here
Cazcabel produces an award-winning range of tequilas, from the fresh and crisp Blanco and oak aged Reposado, to the more playful flavoured expressions of Coconut, Honey and Coffee. Don Cazcabel is at the heart of the brand. The mystic figure from the Jalisco mountains is named Cazcabel meaning ‘snakeman’ after his work with local plants, herbs and native rattlesnakes. The Mexican curador developed tequila recipes using harvested piñas from the diverse and rugged landscape that surrounded him.
Vital Baby
• SPLASH bath toys – a range of fun toys for bath time that can help to encourage hand-eye coordination and imagination, including sharks & whales, ducks and frogs, and swim rings: vitalbaby.com/collections/bath-toys
• HYDRATE sippers – perfect for on-the-go hydration, these sippy cups are available for a range of ages, including little, big and easy sippers: vitalbaby.com/collections/non-spill-sippy
eco rascals
• Bamboo gift sets: eco-friendly bamboo tableware in adorable designs and bright colours. The gift set includes a bamboo plate, bowl, spoon and cup: ecorascals.com/product-category/weaning-sets/
Ziggle
• Marley Monkey gift set – super cute suitcase gift set including leggings with the matching top, all in Ziggle’s adorable Marley Monkey design: ziggle.co.uk/product/marley-monkey-top-leggings-set/
• Christmas-themed gifts – ‘1st Christmas’ tree ornaments for first-time parents and grandparents, as well as a ‘My First Christmas’ bib and a selection of reindeer, penguin and polar bear clothes/toys: ziggle.co.uk/product-category/christmas/
THE BEST GIFTS & EXPERIENCES TO BOOK THIS CHRISTMAS
Careys Manor Hotel & SenSpa
For someone in need of a pamper…Overnight Siam Spa Break for Two | £530
Go all out this year and spoil someone special with a gift experience like no other! Enjoy access to the leisure facilities at award-winning SenSpa as well as a four-hour spa pass to exclusive facilities such as the hydrotherapy pool, crystal steam room and herbal sauna plus a 30-minute spa treatment. Then, indulge in a dining experience at your choice of the hotel’s three restaurants before ablissful night’s sleep in one of the hotel’s stylish suites with breakfast included. Buy here.
For the beauty buff…Relaxing Gift Box | £30
For letterbox gifting, make someone feel extra special this Christmas with the Relaxing Gift Box containing three de-stressing SenSpa products: Body Wash, Body Cream and Bath Soak from the spa’s own product range developed with the delightful aroma of patchouli, lavender, and geranium subtly balanced by bergamot and yarrow, promoting calm and relaxation and designed to re-create that spa-feel at home. Buy here or explore the range here. Available for nationwide delivery.
The Montagu Arms
For an extra special treat…Sparkling Hattingley Valley Afternoon Tea for Two | £80
Delight in a quintessentially British tradition and treat your mum, friend or loved one to a Hattingley Valley Sparkling Afternoon Tea. Enjoy sweet and savoury delicacies including finger sandwiches, home-made cakes and patisserie, alongside freshly baked scones with Devon clotted cream and home-made preserves, and a glass of English sparkling wine from Hampshire-based Hattingley Valley. Cosy up and share a toast against country garden views and wintery woodlands for an atmospheric afternoon to remember. To book, click here.
For the motor enthusiast…Luxury Classic Car Break for Two | £967
Looking for a meaningful gift for the classic car enthusiast in your life? Look no further than this grown-up getaway complete with all-day car hire from New Forest Classic Cars, overnight accommodation in one of the hotel’s most luxurious suites, tickets to Beaulieu Motor Museum and dinner at the award-winning Terrace Restaurant plus a hearty breakfast to round off the adventure. Choose from iconic favourites like the 1966 Jaguar E-Type or a 1967 Austin Healy for your most memorable Christmas yet and book here now.
BEER WE GO AGAIN: Beavertown Relaunches Sold Out Glitter Beer Just In Time For Christmas
• Beavertown Brewery become the first big beer brand in the UK to create cans of glitter beer, releasing Frozen Neck – a brand new hazy IPA, infused with edible glitter
• Back by popular demand, Frozen Neck is now available to pre-order after selling out in UNDER 24 HOURS last week
• A zingy, sparkling beer, it’s the perfect drink to get you in the festive mood
• Frozen Neck is 4.3% ABV and priced at £2.30, available to pre-order here and dispatched from 15th December
Dec, 2022: You heard it here first: the UK’s first glitter beer in a can landed this week and completely sold out in under just 24 hours. Fear not though, Beavertown Brewery is here to make all of your Christmas dreams come true and have got the elves working on a brand new batch ready to be delivered in time for the big day.
Frozen Neck is infused with an all-natural edible glitter that creates a unique sparkling snow globe effect in your glass (snazzy, right?). Priced at £2.30 a can, Frozen Neck has an ABV of 4.3% and is available to pre-order UK-wide from the Beavertown webshop.
The biggest beer brand in the UK to add a sparkle to their can, Beavertown Brewery has taken their famous IPA, Neck Oil, and added a seasonal twist. Fresh and zesty in flavour, it has a smooth and potent grapefruit flavour combined with a frosty mango hop hit. And of course, plenty of glitter.
Tom Rainsford, Marketing Director at Beavertown Brewery said, “We’ve been busy experimenting to create a truly unique out-of-this-world beer for Christmas, and luckily everyone loved it so much that it sold out in record time. Frozen Neck IPA tastes as incredible as it looks, and is the perfect beer for Christmas so we’re making sure as many people get hold of it as possible by brewing a fresh batch. For maximum sparkle (and who doesn’t want that), be sure to give your can a swirl before you pour. Then sit back, relax and enjoy the glitter”.
Frozen Neck is available to pre-order from the Beavertown webshop from today (15th November), alongside their other Christmas special – Ginger Ray APA – a seasonally bitter, malty ale with a hint of ginger and nutmeg spice. Check out Beavertown’s Christmas specials and brand new festive merch here.
Turning Stylish Totes into Organised Baby Bags
Where style and practicality meet for maternity and motherhood must-haves
NEW TO THE UK: Being a new mum doesn’t mean you want to lose your sense of style. Creating clever compartments in your existing favourite tote bag enables modern mamas to be super organised without compromising quality and style. Introducing The Nappy Society – the maternity and motherhood must-haves, designed to enhance your existing accessories by turning the fashionable into functional.
Just arriving from Melbourne, Australia, The Nappy Society was founded by mum-to-two Gemma Bronzoni. When Gemma first became a mum in 2017, she noticed that many products on the market were unfashionable, frumpy or just not functional – especially when it came to changing bags. So Gemma set about creating an insert which could fit in ANY standard tote bag, from Louis Vuitton and Longchamp to high street brands, containing clever compartments for nappies, wipes, bottles and much more.
Since then, The Nappy Society range has extended to include a number of essential accessory-enhancers for motherhood, all created by the same clever in-house designers as their hero Baby Bag Insert. This means that mums can expect the same high functioning, organised and luxurious products that they have come to know and love, without compromising on style.
The Nappy Society’s Best-selling Luxe Accessories:
Baby Bag Insert
Enabling mums to take their tote from fashionable to functional, The Nappy Society Baby Bag Inserts is made from durable yet lightweight coated cotton canvas. It is available in two colours and sizes to suit virtually any tote bag and style. Each organised insert features separate compartments, including five hidden pockets and two insulated bottle pockets. The ideal alternative to traditional changing bags, simply choose your insert to fit your tote and you’re ready to go.
Original Baby Bag Insert RRP £59 – a perfect fit for medium to large totes including Louis Vuitton GM Neverfull, Goyard Saint-Louis GM and State of Escape Carryall.
Compact Baby Bag Insert RRP £54 – suited for small to medium totes including Louis Vuitton MM Neverfull, Goyard Saint-Louis PM, Saint Laurent E/W Shopper and Longchamp Le Pliage in Medium.
Original Baby Bag Insert – Black Original Baby Bag Insert – Sand
Compact Baby Bag Insert – Black Compact Baby Bag Insert – Sand
Pram Organiser RRP £54
Looking sleek on the go. The Nappy Society’s Pram Organiser is a motherhood essential. It’s stylish, functional and designed to be Mother’s little helper. Perfect for keeping everything mum needs in close reach whilst keeping her hands-free. It is crafted from vegan leather, which means that it’s durable, lightweight, and easy to clean. It also features a large outside zip pocket, a phone pocket and insulated bottle pockets (with space for both Mum and baby’s drinks). Keeping things simple, stylish, yet helpful, the Pram Organiser has plenty of room for all the essentials. Designed to be a universal fit, it is apt for most prams and pushchairs available on the market.
The Nappy Society products are available to order now from www.thenappysociety.co.uk or join the conversation on
Facebook or Instagram.
Maxi-Cosi launches new range of innovative, smart and sensory nursery products, all controlled by one app
To answer the growing needs of today’s digital-native parents, Maxi-Cosi has launched a stylish collection of sensorial nursery products called ‘Connected Home’.
The four smart products are designed to give parents confidence and peace of mind, by allowing them to always feel connected and close to their baby. Even when they’re apart.
Parenting is the most important job in the world, and knowing their child is safe and happy is the number one priority for every parent on the planet. Maxi-Cosi is dedicated to giving parents the tools and products they need to help reduce any anxiety or stress in today’s ‘always on’ world.
Connected Home is designed for families today. The range consists of the See Baby Monitor, the Breathe Humidifier, the Soothe Light & Sound and the Glow Crib Light. Advanced technology to watch over, comfort and soothe babies, with a range of personalised features and routines designed to suit every family’s lifestyle.
One app. Four smart products. Total Control.
Connected Home is a stylish range of smart sensory nursery products that connect via one easy-to-use Maxi-Cosi Connected Home app.
Each product is sleek, modern, and packed with advanced automated routines and personalised features; parents can set specific routines and customise schedules that seamlessly fit their family life.
A range of smart sensors enable Connected Home products to seamlessly talk and interact with each other. For example, when the Baby Monitor sees that baby is waking, it can automatically turn on the Soothe Light & Sound to comfort them back to sleep.
All four products can be controlled by the app, or voice-activated via Alexa or Google, making it easy for busy parents to use every day.
So smart and simple, the Connected Home range will soon feel like part of the family.
“Maxi-Cosi is proud to lead the way into a fast-growing, global category of smart nursery products. The Connected Home range answers the needs of parents today, by employing technology to ensure parents and their children enjoy the most comfortable, controllable, and stylish home nursery environment, through app-based technology linked to several sensory-based products. Using the innovative all-in-one Connected Home app, parents can monitor, control, and adapt any of the four sensory products, personalising features and routines to specifically suit their children and their family lifestyle. The app allows parents to ‘Stay Close’ 24/7, giving them peace of mind and reassurance that their child is safe, comfortable, and soothed at home, at all times.” Robert Dresen, Marketing Director, Dorel Juvenile Europe.
Stylish modern design
Every product in the range has been designed to complement stylish modern home interiors. Aesthetically, the sleek minimal lines, curved edges and soft, subtle natural colours blend perfectly in a nursery to create a soothing, calming, peaceful environment.
See Baby Monitor (RRP £89.99) gives parents peace of mind that their baby is always safe and comfortably sleeping in the nursery. Watch live 1080p HD streaming on your paired device and keep a close eye on baby anytime thanks to day and night vision and remote-controlled pan, tilt and zoom. Parents can relax knowing they’ll be notified of movement, sound, temperature or humidity changes, and can programme a selection of soothing noises to come on just when they need them.
Breathe Humidifier (RRP £89.99) ensures the nursery is always at the perfect humidity for baby to have a soothing night’s sleep. Parents can switch it on via the app from anywhere to prep the room before bedtime, and then adjust mist levels or programme auto-timers as appropriate. The Breathe Humidifier can also be used as an essential oil diffuser for a scented, soothing snooze.
Soothe Light & Sound (RRP £69.99) is the perfect sensory experience to create a calm, relaxed nursery. Parents can personalise their baby’s sleep routines with soothing lights, sounds and sleep-inducing lullabies. Or set up a clever routine that automatically turns Soothe Light & Sound on when See Baby Monitor senses the baby is awake.
Glow Crib Light (RRP £34.99) gives parents peace of mind that their baby won’t be woken when they check in on them, throughout the day or night. A smart motion detector under the crib activates a soft light to come on when anyone approaches and the subtle light automatically dims when they leave.
For more detailed product information on the Connected Home range, please see https://www.maxi-cosi.co.uk/c/connected-home
PREMIUM BEAUTY GIFTS WITH PURSE-FRIENDLY PRICE TAGS
From stocking fillers to beauty bundles, Avon has beauty buys for any budget – from £3 to £36
You don’t have to be Santa Claus to conjure up perfect presents for your Nice List this festive season. Consider your mum, sister, daughter and even your Secret Santa covered in Avon’s one-stop-shop for fragrance, skincare, makeup, and more!
Guaranteed to offer something for every budget, Avon’s luxury beauty gifts range from £3 to £36, including products that give back to charity partners including CoppaFeel!, Look Good Feel Better, Refuge, and Women’s Aid.
UNDER £40
Packaged up in a festive gifting bundle, the Anew Protinol™ Power Collection (£36, worth £71) includes Avon’s Protinol™-powered skincare favourites.
Proven to work even faster than retinolbut without the irritation some retinol users experience[1], Protinol™ is Avon’s biggest and most ground-breaking skincare discovery to date.
The gift set includes Avon’s iconic Anew Renewal Power Serum (£22), bestselling Anew Lifting Dual Eye System (£13) and luxurious Anew Platinum Day and Night Creams (£18 each).
See results by the New Year, with a visible difference in just 7 days[2]! Perfect for anybody looking for guaranteed glow in 2023.
Available from 1st November 2022.
Nothing says Christmas Day like unwrapping a brand-new pair of PJs for those cosy January nights. And it’s not just the recipient who will benefit. As part of Avon’s longstanding commitment to ending violence against women and girls, 100% of profits for Avon’s Domestic Abuse PJs (£22) and matching socks (£3) are split equally between Refuge and Women’s Aid.
Available from 1st November 2022.
UNDER £20
Nothing says ‘kiss me underneath the mistletoe’ like Avon’s Lip Kit Gift Set (£10), available in three irresistible shades – pink, red or nude.
Give them the option to switch up their look with a gorgeously smooth Ultra Satin Lipstick and a colour rich Ultra Matte Lipstick! Infused with luxury oils and complete with a matching Glimmerstick Lip Liner, this bundle is bound to leave a smile (and a perfect pout) on their face this Christmas Day!
Available from 1st October 2022.
Whisk them away with Avon’s Far Away Beyond Gift Set (£15). The luxurious Far Away Beyond fragrance reimagines vanilla by elevating the traditional floral sweet scent to a superior, more sophisticated and distinctive vanilla note.
Perfect for the sustainability conscious, it features Avon’s exclusive Upcycled Vanilla ingredient, which is made by upcycling exhausted vanilla beans that would otherwise go to waste. The beans are sustainably and ethically sourced from Madagascar in collaboration with local communities that are directly benefitting from sustainable partnerships.
Available from 1st October 2022.
Can’t make your mind up? Treat them to a Mystery Box (£15) that gives back, with 100% of profits donated to Avon’s Breast Cancer Awareness charity partners, CoppaFeel! and Look Good Feel Better. Products vary from box-to-box for the ultimate surprise factor, but each box is guaranteed to include five favourites ranging from mascaras, lipsticks, brow products, highlighters, eyeliners, shadow sticks and nail polish.
Available from 1st October 2022.
UNDER £10
A scented Secret Santa present guaranteed to go down well, Avon’s Breast Cancer Candle (£7) splits 100% of profits equally between CoppaFeel! and Look Good Feel Better and fills the room with a deliciously fruity scent!
A scrumptious recipe of rhubarb, red apple and strawberry gives the warming familiarity of a winter pie, plus a handy card that links to a wealth of resources on the signs and symptoms of breast cancer. This gift was made to remind everyone to check their bodies regularly and get to know what’s normal for them.
Available from 1st October 2022.
All products are available online at avon.uk.com or via your local independent Avon Representative.
@avon_uk
First digital archive of Brian Friel’s iconic plays launches at Queen’s
Queen’s University Belfast has launched the Brian Friel digital archive, a first of its kind resource, providing access to drafts of the acclaimed Irish playwright’s works, including handwritten notes from some of his most iconic plays.
The digital archive is part of the ‘Friel Reimagined’ project led by Dr Paul Murphy from the School of Arts, English and Languages at Queen’s, produced in partnership with the National Library of Ireland and JSTOR, and with the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Steel Charitable Trust.
Speaking about the significance of the project, Dr Murphy said: “Friel Reimagined is a unique opportunity for anyone interested in drama to understand how one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th Century created plays that captured the attention of audiences around the world.”
The digital archive, based on the Friel Papers held at the National Library of Ireland, is made up of almost 3,000 manuscript pages from five plays: Philadelphia, Here I Come! (1964), The Freedom of the City (1973), Faith Healer (1979), Translations (1980), and Dancing at Lughnasa (1990). The handwritten manuscripts reveal how Friel drafted and revised these plays over time. His notes show his reflections on plots, characters, themes and staging.
The actor Ciarán Hinds, who starred in a 2018 National Theatre production of Translations, said: “Those of us who work in the theatre – onstage, backstage, wherever – cannot but be aware of the massive contribution that Brian Friel has made to world drama. And those of us who hail from Ireland carry him close, in our hearts and in our minds – but we are far from being the only ones. There is a whole planet of Ballybegs out there, and I have no doubt that this new Brian Friel Digital Archive will prove invaluable in connecting admirers of Brian’s work the world over.”
The digital archive was launched with an exhibition ‘Friel Reimagined: A Playwright’s Works in Progress’ on Friday 9 December in the McClay Library at Queen’s University.
Newly commissioned essays for the exhibition by international Friel scholars provide insight into Friel’s creative process, and imaginative illustrations by emerging and established artists feature alongside a range of publications on Friel drawn from the University’s Special Collections.
Katherine McSharry, Acting Director of the National Library of Ireland commented: “The National Library of Ireland is privileged to hold the writer’s archive of Brian Friel, donated by the writer and his family in 2000. As our collection offers such a resource for students and lovers of Friel, we were delighted to make digitised copies of drafts for the plays available to the Queen’s ‘Friel Reimagined’ digital archive, sharing them with people all over the world.”
Patricia Corbett, Committee Member at The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Northern Ireland said: “We are thrilled to support the Friel Reimagined project and to see the launch of the digital archive of Brian Friel’s iconic plays alongside this new exhibition at Queen’s University Belfast. Thanks to National Lottery players, this project opens access to unique documents that give an insight into how his work developed, sharing it with more people and a new generation. We would encourage anyone interested in our literary heritage to book a free ticket to this exciting exhibition.”
Bruce Heterick, Senior Vice President, Open Collections and Infrastructure from JSTOR commented: “It’s an honour to play a role in making it possible for scholars, teachers, and students all over the world to access this incredible set of materials on JSTOR. Our memory organisations are vital to deepening our understanding and making connections across places and time. Queen’s is leading the way, bringing people together to learn about Friel’s work both in person and online.”
The exhibition is now running at the McClay Library at Queen’s University Belfast until March 2023 and everyone is welcome to attend. Tickets to the exhibition are free and can be accessed here: www.qub.ac.uk/sites/friel-reimagined/
Hats to support mental health – the perfect stocking fillers for Christmas.
Sold at outdoor retailer GO Outdoors in collaboration with mental health charity, Mind, the hats are designed to encourage people to go outside during winter and improve their mental health.
Each of the hats are £10 and are designed by brand ambassadors and household celebrities David Seaman, Helen Skelton, Julia Bradbury, and Sean Fletcher.
Children can also stay cosy with the adorable purple and blue bobble hats for £8, so they can have fun with winter whatever the weather.
The hats are also available to purchase at Blacks, Millets and Fishing Republic, with 100% of profits going to Mind.
Christmas Deliveries – What are your rights?
Christmas can be a very stressful time, with the cost of living crisis and possible postal strikes adding to the uncertainty. What are your rights when it comes to strikes, so that at least you aren’t left out of pocket?
I paid for a delivery and it arrived late – What are my rights?
In theory you can complain about poor service to Royal Mail. But delayed post compensation is usually a book of stamps. However, Royal Mail could argue that enough notice was given and you should have allowed for a delay when posting. That said, you may be dealing items more important than a Christmas card, such as financial documents and you lost out financially and want compensation. You can use the Royal Mail website for submitting a claim and be VERY clear about exactly why you are claiming and the amount of loss you have incurred.
If you are not happy with the response you can request that the complaint be referred to the Royal Mail Escalated Customer Resolutions Team. If you are then unhappy with their response you can take the matter to the Postal Review Panel which will review your case and issue a final response. If the complaint can still not be resolved the panel will issue a deadlock letter, so that you can ask the Independent Postal Redress Scheme to investigate your case.
I paid for a specific delivery date but the item didn’t arrive on time – What are my rights?
You are entitled to a refund of the additional delivery cost. For example, if you paid £5.00 extra for next day delivery and it didn’t arrive until days later, you are entitled to this charge being refunded, as the retailer is in breach of contract.
The item was despatched on time but was late due to the Royal Mail strike – What are my rights?
Unfortunately the retailer has completed their part of the contract. The strike is out of their control, so do allow for this when ordering items. The retailer would be wise to make a note on their listing advising to allow for delays if using Royal Mail.
I don’t want the item now as it arrived too late – Can I return it at no cost?
Under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 you have a 14 day cooling off period to allow for changing your mind. A further 14 days is provided from this date to return the item. Whether you pay for the return will depend on the retailer’s terms and conditions. However, if the listing says that you will receive the item by a set date then you could argue that the retailer is in breach of contract and should pay return postage.
The retailer used a courier not Royal Mail – Are my rights different?
In this case, if the retailer has said you will receive an item within x number of days and it arrives too late and you want to return it then you should not pay return postage.
I want to complain about my delivery – To whom should I complain?
Your contract is always with the company to which you paid the money, so do not contact the courier. Don’t be fobbed off by the retailer, let them spend the time and effort dealing with the courier.
The package was left on my doorstep and it was stolen – Who is responsible for the refund or replacement?
If you said the doorstep was a “safe place” then it will be your responsibility. However, if you did not say this, then the delivery has not been undertaken with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Contact the retailer for a full refund of all costs or a replacement item.
The package is damaged – What are my rights?
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you are entitled to goods that are free from defects, are of satisfactory quality, match the description and last a reasonable length of time. So, if the item does not meet any of this criteria you are entitled to a full refund up to 30 days from purchase and after that time the retailer could offer a replacement or repair. You do not pay for return postage.
The retailer is fobbing me off and not honouring my legal rights – What can I do?
Always:
1. Put your complaint in writing.
2. Mention the law that is being breached.
3. Tell them exactly what you want to happen and what you will do if you do not receive a satisfactory response, which could be sharing your experience on relevant review platforms, informing Trading Standards or referring the matter to the Small Claims Court.
4. Contact the CEO using an email address from the website ceoemail.com The CEO might not respond personally but it does get the matter escalated, usually to an executive team who will resolve the issue.
EXCITING FIZZ… GREAT WINES… SURPRISE AND DELIGHT IN EVERY BOTTLE!
WINES MADE FROM APPLES & OTHER FRUITS FROM FRANCE, SPAIN, UKRAINE, UK & USA
Méthode traditionelle, petillant naturel, charmat, cuvé clos, col fondo are all terms for how sparkling wines are made – and the same applies to the ‘sparklers’ available from Cider Is Wine.
These are a very different proposition from mass market ciders which are permitted to be made from just 35% juice content – even less for fruit wines – all of which can come from concentrate (rather begging the question as to what’s in the other 65%).
Every product we sell is made following globally accepted grape winemaking laws, each reflects their ‘terroir’, the fruit varietals used, the vintage and the skill and passion of the maker. As wine law dictates, they’re only made from 100% freshly pressed fruit without any concentrates or added water, sweeteners, colourings or flavourings.
They encompass every hue and run the gamut of taste, from dry to medium sweet.
Wines by any other name, they’re just not made from grapes!
A £150 MILLION MARKET FOR THE TAKING!
These products represent a real business opportunity for retailers: the UK market for ciders, perries and fruit wines made from freshly pressed 100% not-from-concentrate fruit is conservatively estimated to be worth £150 million.
Lower alcohol content, gluten and vegan friendly, with a complexity that readily exceeds their price on the shelf, these quality drinks come with real provenance and provide another string to the bow of the hospitality sector.
NATIONAL AVAILABILITY THROUGH AWIN BARRATT SIEGEL
AND LONDON ON-TRADE THROUGH LONDON WINE SHIPPERS
PSYCHO, PRETTY WOMAN, CLEOPATRA OR MARILYN – WHICH SHOWER SCENE WAS VOTED THE MOST ICONIC IN CINEMA HISTORY?
• Marion Crane’s murder in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho voted most memorable bathroom scene from film or television
• Other memorable moments include Marilyn Monroe’s ice bath in The Seven Year Itch, and Julia Roberts’ bubble bath in Pretty Woman
• Study carried out by luxury bathing and skincare brand fenjal to celebrate its 60th anniversary
The ‘shower scene’ in classic thriller Psycho has been voted the most memorable bathroom scene in film or television history, according to new national research.
The survey, carried out by luxury bathing and skincare brand fenjal, asked participants to name the most iconic bathroom scenes from the big and small screens.
Marion Crane’s murder scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s seminal thriller took top spot with 16% of the vote, closely followed by Allie Hamilton’s bath scene in romantic drama The Notebook (13%).
Julia Roberts’ bubble bath in Pretty Woman, Elizabeth Taylor’s lotus flower bath in Cleopatra, and Marilyn Monroe’s ice bath in The Seven Year Itch all took an 11% share of the public vote.
Elsewhere, Tony Montana’s lavish bubble bath in Scarface took 4% of the vote, while the prefects’ bathroom scene from Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire was selected 3% of people.
fenjal also quizzed the nation on what makes the perfect bath, as part of the brand’s 60thanniversary celebrations.
Nearly half of people (49%) believe temperature is the most important element when it comes to running the perfect bath, with a third (33%) saying bubbles are the key to ultimate relaxation.
Elsewhere, the study found Brits prefer baths to showers. Over half of respondents (52%) opt for the tub, compared to around three in ten (31%) preferring a shower, while 16% do not have a preference.
Joanne Ward, Commercial Manager for fenjal, said: “There are so many iconic bathroom moments across film and tv – and today we have found the British public’s definitive favourite.
“Often regarded as one of the best films ever, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is a bonafide classic. Despite being made in the 1960s, the film holds up, and the shower scene, with its oft-imitated soundtrack, is as iconic and scary as ever.
“For less spooky bathroom scenes, Julia Roberts bubble bath in Pretty Woman and Elizabeth Taylor’s lotus flower bath in Cleopatra are firm favourites. To recreate these relaxing soaks, you need to consider the water temperature, plus add bubble bath, oils, or salts.”
In celebration of its diamond anniversary, fenjal is giving away two Monica Vinader Gold Diamond Necklaces.
fenjal has been on a mission since 1962 to put smiles on women’s faces – and now one lucky winner can do the same thing, as they keep one necklace and gift another to a loved one.
To enter, head to the @fenjaluk Instagram page, follow, like and comment on this post, plus tag the person you think deserves to sparkle with you this Christmas.
fenjal has a wide range of luxury bathing and skincare products, to shop the brand’s full collection head to Amazon, your local Boots store or online here. The brand has also created bespoke anniversary packs for its original and ever-lasting Crème Bath Oil, available to purchase while stocks last via fenjal’s website: https://fenjal.co.uk/product/fenjal-classic-creme-bath-oil-200ml-copy/
10 MOST MEMORABLE BATHROOM SCENES FROM FILM AND TV
1. Psycho – The murderous shower scene
2. The Notebook – Rachel McAdams in the bath with a veil on
3. Pretty Woman – Julia Robert’s bubble bath
4. Cleopatra – Elizabeth Taylor’s lotus flower bath
5. The Seven Year Itch – Marilyn Monroe’s ice bath
6. Home Alone – Macaulay Culkin putting on aftershave and clasping his hands to his face
7. Scarface – Al Pacino’s bubble bath
8. The Shining – Naked woman in bathtub
9. Friends – The secret bath
10. Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire – The prefects’ bathroom
Are you looking forward to Christmas? Most people are not!
thecomplainingcow.co.uk
The majority of people in the UK are not looking forward to Christmas, according to a new survey carried out by Statista. The cost of living crisis is a huge contributory factor in this stress. Families are unable to celebrate in ways they would like to because they just can’t afford it.
The survey found that 62% of UK Adults are not looking forward to Christmas. That compared to about 52 percent of American adults and 49 percent of adults from Germany that agreed Christmas was a stressful time. 39 percent of UK adults agreed that there are too many expectations linked to Christmas.
Helen Dewdney, The Complaining Cow, a consumer champion, suggests 20 ways you can still join in the festivities by spending very little or nothing.
1. Look for local cheap and free entertainment. Local carol concerts, entertainment at the shops and Christmas markets can all help with the festive atmosphere for the family. Join local Facebook groups and pages and sign up to the council’s newsletter to keep up to date with local activities.
2. Arrange play dates with other families. Take it in turns to go to each other’s houses to play Christmas-themed games and eat together. This helps with the atmosphere with free entertainment for the kids and each time you are out of the house it is saving energy costs heating and cooking. When it’s your turn, you would have been in and cooking anyway, so will not be incurring extra energy costs!
3. Start family traditions that cost little or nothing. For example, going for a Christmas walk to look at the lights, make a new decoration every year or decorate the tree together on the same date every year.
4. Look for the Christmas star on Christmas Eve. It’s the one that shines the brightest! On a clear night with lots of stars, go with friends or family and the children to look at the stars and see what patterns and Christmas shapes you can see.
5. Snuggle up and watch Xmas films as a family/with loved ones/friends with popcorn, biscuits, hot chocolate or wine etc!
6. Have Christmas music playing in the last couple of weeks of December. Much earlier and it will become normalised, but in your home keep it for set specific times, as this is the time you get festive.
7. Going to a Christmas party? eBay, Depot and charity shops are ideal as you are unlikely to wear the item more than once too. Accessorize and jazz things up that you have got with Christmas decorations! Then sell/give on.
8. Have any friends the same dress size as you? Swap party clothes for when you go to different Christmas dos. It will feel like something new! Do the same with children’s clothes.
9. Create some Christmas games that cost little to nothing. Make a picture of Rudolph and pin on his nose. You can give small chocolates as prizes. Make snowman skittles from paper cups. Children could make them using a small ping pong ball to knock them down. You can search the Internet for free Christmas games for loads more ideas.
10. Buy your Christmas jumpers in the January sales, they will be reduced and will often be reduced again. Get them and wear them for your activities next year.
11. If you do want to do some activities such as the pantomime, going to see Santa, then book early. Not only will this help with budgeting but you are likely to get an early bird price.
12. Go to a carol service. You don’t have to be religious to go to a church service. Taking part in singing carols and enjoying Christmas with others is an easy and free way to soak in the atmosphere.
13. Consider going door-to-door carol singing yourself. Get together with a few friends and cover your local area. People used to love carol singers coming to their homes but you rarely see them nowadays. Contact a local charity and work with them on how to collect donations responsibly.
14. Volunteer. Volunteering can have many obvious benefits to the organisation. However, it does for the volunteers too. It’s good for your mental health, well-being and social life. You learn new skills and meet new people. Around Christmas time there will be a good atmosphere in a lot of places where you can volunteer. Try the foodbank, local community groups, Crisis at Christmas etc.
15. Get the children sticking Christmas pictures, doing Christmas word searches, Christmas colouring in etc., with free downloadable activities from the Internet.
16. Design a Christmas kindness advent calendar with the children. For each day write down a kind activity to undertake. For example, phoning a grandparent, donating an old toy to charity, doing a chore for someone else, offering to help someone, giving a compliment to someone etc. This can be a lovely activity as a family to think of ideas and undertake them.
17. Make your own Christmas decorations. This can also form part of your family traditions by making and adding to your collection every year. For example making paper chains, lanterns and clay or salt dough ornaments for the tree. You can find many templates for decorations on the Internet.
18. Go festive foraging. As well as an activity you can do with children it can bring you free to very cheap decorations. Get leaves and berries for wreaths and arrangements. Some branches with lots of twigs and paint them and hang decorations. Make wreaths (forage and tie finds together on a grapevine wreath from a hobby store), sleep pillows (cotton or organza drawstring bags with a mix of dried loose lavender, dried camomile flowers and mugwort), and bouquets (hang up flowers such as roses and gypsophillia for 2-3 weeks, arrange and tie with a ribbon bow). All of these will last for many years.
19. Make pot pourri. Take some dried rose buds and petals and some dried loose lavender. Mix together in equal quantities. Add a few drops of lavender and/or rose fragrance oil and then place in an organza bag or a glass container.
20. Organise a party at your house where every guest brings a contribution. This makes for party that costs you no more than feeding the family one meal. Different people could host on different dates throughout December or take turns throughout the year. Make a list of everything needed so that costs are equally split. More than one person could bring the more expensive items or contribute.
Hopefully there are some ideas here to help you enjoy Christmas without breaking the bank!
Calling all Pink fans: Gordon’s launches NEW Premium Pink Gin and Lemonade, your favourite drink now available, perfectly mixed, in a convenient can
The perfectly pink partner for catching up with friends at home, or on the go!
November 2022:
Introducing the NEW Gordon’s Premium Pink Gin and Lemonade, the convenient pre-mixed offering from one of Gordon’s most popular Premium Distilled Gins.
The unmistakably balanced fruitiness notes in the popular Gordon’s Premium Pink Distilled Gin makes for the perfect pair with the subtle sweetness of lemonade: making the NEW Gordon’s Premium Pink Gin and Lemonade, an easy option for those out and about, perfectly mixed as you would have yours at home.
Gordon’s Premium Pink Gin and Lemonade is the delicious combination for those who prefer their alcoholic drinks a little sweeter. These expertly crafted cans contain not only the crisp, fruity notes of Gordon’s Premium Pink Distilled Gin, but the highest quality, naturally sweet lemonade with its distinctive notes of juniper.
Gordon’s Premium Pink Gin and Lemonade is the latest addition to the best selling Gordon’s pre-mixed family. Perfect for catching up with friends at home or out and about, this latest offering from Gordon’s is something you aren’t going to want to miss!
RRSP: £2.19 | ABV: 5% | 250ml | Available from selected stores for a limited period.
