ADVENT CALENDARS

First up, I love advent calendars. Always have. That daily bit of excitement. I remember the excitement as you’d get to the double doors at the end with a picture of Baby Jesus in a Manger, but then of course it ramped up and we got CHOCOLATE advent calendars. Oh and then NEXT LEVEL excitement when I first received a Cadburys one. It was a happy day. And now it seems faintly ridiculous there are a PLETHORA out there!!!!


So here’s my picks. First of all, you DON’T need all of them. If you haven’t got the money to spend then don’t do it. I always treat myself and have even asked for ones as my early Birthday present (Birthday falls in Dec but so does the anniversary of when my sister died so hell I love a bit of daily joy in Dec).

I think this list could be pages and pages long but I’m going to throw some of my favourites out there for you! My ABSOLUTE favourite though is practically free and will include the whole family and I PROMISE it’s not too much work for you I am not supermum. It is creating an activity advent calendar for the kids. Making memories and you hardly have to spend at all.

ADVENT CALENDARS

First up, I love advent calendars. Always have. That daily bit of excitement. I remember the excitement as you’d get to the double doors at the end with a picture of Baby Jesus in a Manger, but then of course it ramped up and we got CHOCOLATE advent calendars. Oh and then NEXT LEVEL excitement when I first received a Cadburys one. It was a happy day. And now it seems faintly ridiculous there are a PLETHORA out there!!!!


So here’s my picks. First of all, you DON’T need all of them. If you haven’t got the money to spend then don’t do it. I always treat myself and have even asked for ones as my early Birthday present (Birthday falls in Dec but so does the anniversary of when my sister died so hell I love a bit of daily joy in Dec).

I think this list could be pages and pages long but I’m going to throw some of my favourites out there for you! My ABSOLUTE favourite though is practically free and will include the whole family and I PROMISE it’s not too much work for you I am not supermum. It is creating an activity advent calendar for the kids. Making memories and you hardly have to spend at all.

ADVENT CALENDARS

First up, I love advent calendars. Always have. That daily bit of excitement. I remember the excitement as you’d get to the double doors at the end with a picture of Baby Jesus in a Manger, but then of course it ramped up and we got CHOCOLATE advent calendars. Oh and then NEXT LEVEL excitement when I first received a Cadburys one. It was a happy day. And now it seems faintly ridiculous there are a PLETHORA out there!!!!


So here’s my picks. First of all, you DON’T need all of them. If you haven’t got the money to spend then don’t do it. I always treat myself and have even asked for ones as my early Birthday present (Birthday falls in Dec but so does the anniversary of when my sister died so hell I love a bit of daily joy in Dec).

I think this list could be pages and pages long but I’m going to throw some of my favourites out there for you! My ABSOLUTE favourite though is practically free and will include the whole family and I PROMISE it’s not too much work for you I am not supermum. It is creating an activity advent calendar for the kids. Making memories and you hardly have to spend at all.

ACTIVITY ADVENT CALENDARS – for the kids, the whole family, anyone!

So this one became a tradition when my pal Laura shared it with me. The girls LOVE it.

Prepare the activities in advance and you can work it round Christmas parties / fairs / events even a movie. It’s not hard but really don’t do it at the last minute I did that last year and it wasn’t as good, and the girls DID notice.

This year I’m getting organised. Oh and the activities are all suggestions – you may find you don’t like the idea of making salt dough decorations (I omitted that one) and you shake things around according to their age. Watching ELF and Arthur Christmas is a definite tradition in our house but now George is part of the mix we might add in Die Hard for his viewing only …

ACTIVITY ADVENT CALENDARS – for the kids, the whole family, anyone!

So this one became a tradition when my pal Laura shared it with me. The girls LOVE it.

Prepare the activities in advance and you can work it round Christmas parties / fairs / events even a movie. It’s not hard but really don’t do it at the last minute I did that last year and it wasn’t as good, and the girls DID notice.

This year I’m getting organised. Oh and the activities are all suggestions – you may find you don’t like the idea of making salt dough decorations (I omitted that one) and you shake things around according to their age. Watching ELF and Arthur Christmas is a definite tradition in our house but now George is part of the mix we might add in Die Hard for his viewing only …

ACTIVITY ADVENT CALENDARS – for the kids, the whole family, anyone!

So this one became a tradition when my pal Laura shared it with me. The girls LOVE it.

Prepare the activities in advance and you can work it round Christmas parties / fairs / events even a movie. It’s not hard but really don’t do it at the last minute I did that last year and it wasn’t as good, and the girls DID notice.

This year I’m getting organised. Oh and the activities are all suggestions – you may find you don’t like the idea of making salt dough decorations (I omitted that one) and you shake things around according to their age. Watching ELF and Arthur Christmas is a definite tradition in our house but now George is part of the mix we might add in Die Hard for his viewing only …

  • Trip to see Santa

  • Christmas party at Granny and Grandad’s

  • Christmas CDs

  • Carol service or Christingle

  • Christmas DVD

  • Christmas lights walk and posting neighbours’ cards

  • Frothy milk in snowman mug (with choc lollies – or on another day)

  • Make pom pom decorations

  • Paper chains

  • Mince pie tasting / Yule log tasting / any kind of tasting (my personal favourite!)

  • Decorate Christmas Tree

  • Ice skating / bowling

  • Write to Santa

  • Christmas colouring in

  • Christmas jigsaw

  • Pantomine / Tix with a book of the story

  • Santa hats and/or jumpers

  • Paint a Christmas canvas

  • Decorate a plate – either at one of the specialist shops OR using Sharpies on a standard plate!

  • Plan games for Christmas Day

  • Make pom pom decorations

  • Decorate Christmas tree

  • Decorate house / their bedroom

  • Visit a Garden Centre for their Christmas decorations and choose one each

  • Make Christmas cards

  • Make Christmas gift tags (potato prints)

  • Make salt dough decorations

  • Make cookies

  • Christmas afternoon tea

  • Christmas books

  • Film at the cinema

  • Prepare sherry and mince pie for Santa

  • Trip to see Santa

  • Christmas party at Granny and Grandad’s

  • Christmas CDs

  • Carol service or Christingle

  • Christmas DVD

  • Christmas lights walk and posting neighbours’ cards

  • Frothy milk in snowman mug (with choc lollies – or on another day)

  • Make pom pom decorations

  • Paper chains

  • Mince pie tasting / Yule log tasting / any kind of tasting (my personal favourite!)

  • Decorate Christmas Tree

  • Ice skating / bowling

  • Write to Santa

  • Christmas colouring in

  • Christmas jigsaw

  • Pantomine / Tix with a book of the story

  • Santa hats and/or jumpers

  • Paint a Christmas canvas

  • Decorate a plate – either at one of the specialist shops OR using Sharpies on a standard plate!

  • Plan games for Christmas Day

  • Make pom pom decorations

  • Decorate Christmas tree

  • Decorate house / their bedroom

  • Visit a Garden Centre for their Christmas decorations and choose one each

  • Make Christmas cards

  • Make Christmas gift tags (potato prints)

  • Make salt dough decorations

  • Make cookies

  • Christmas afternoon tea

  • Christmas books

  • Film at the cinema

  • Prepare sherry and mince pie for Santa

  • Trip to see Santa

  • Christmas party at Granny and Grandad’s

  • Christmas CDs

  • Carol service or Christingle

  • Christmas DVD

  • Christmas lights walk and posting neighbours’ cards

  • Frothy milk in snowman mug (with choc lollies – or on another day)

  • Make pom pom decorations

  • Paper chains

  • Mince pie tasting / Yule log tasting / any kind of tasting (my personal favourite!)

  • Decorate Christmas Tree

  • Ice skating / bowling

  • Write to Santa

  • Christmas colouring in

  • Christmas jigsaw

  • Pantomine / Tix with a book of the story

  • Santa hats and/or jumpers

  • Paint a Christmas canvas

  • Decorate a plate – either at one of the specialist shops OR using Sharpies on a standard plate!

  • Plan games for Christmas Day

  • Make pom pom decorations

  • Decorate Christmas tree

  • Decorate house / their bedroom

  • Visit a Garden Centre for their Christmas decorations and choose one each

  • Make Christmas cards

  • Make Christmas gift tags (potato prints)

  • Make salt dough decorations

  • Make cookies

  • Christmas afternoon tea

  • Christmas books

  • Film at the cinema

  • Prepare sherry and mince pie for Santa

IF YOU WANT TO TREAT YOURSELF (OR SOMEONE ELSE)

Okay, so you can go up to the Tiffanys one for over £100k (erm, if I do share this then can someone please buy through my affiliate link?!) but I’m going to share my favourites here and the ones I think you should look out for!

IF YOU WANT TO TREAT YOURSELF (OR SOMEONE ELSE)

Okay, so you can go up to the Tiffanys one for over £100k (erm, if I do share this then can someone please buy through my affiliate link?!) but I’m going to share my favourites here and the ones I think you should look out for!

IF YOU WANT TO TREAT YOURSELF (OR SOMEONE ELSE)

Okay, so you can go up to the Tiffanys one for over £100k (erm, if I do share this then can someone please buy through my affiliate link?!) but I’m going to share my favourites here and the ones I think you should look out for!
This one is a MUST for me. It’s easily the best deal out there costing £40 when you spend £25 in clothing, home and beauty in store or online but the contents are worth OVER £300.
If, like me, you can spend many an hour trying on and applying in the Marks and Spencer Beauty halls, you will LOVE this. I have had so many introductions to premium brands from the previous calendars that I have then gone on and bought.


SPOILER! Some of the favourites this year include the fabulous Prai beauty night throat and neck cream with retinol, Emma Hardie clay mask, Eyeko mascara and Marks and Spencer’s very own Absolute Ultimate Sleep cream. Really great products included in this one. My hands down favourite.

Another sell out one. Fantastic brands again there 25 premium beauty products from brands such as Elemis, Molton Brown, Philip Kingsley and Morphe and it costs £79 for over £420 worth of products. Definitely some gorgeous luxe products for a realistic price.. Oh and they also gave me one to raise money for Macmillan Cancer and one for me so a big shout out to them for that too and I’ll be reporting back!
It’s a bargain one quite simply. The products aren’t luxe but at £40 you get £220 worth of product and you can read the reviews to see if you like it before you purchase too. So definitely worth a mention here
FEELUNIQUE
So Feelunique have both a 24 day advent calendar which is priced at £79 (contents worth over £250)  BUT ALSO a 12 day one priced at £45 (worth over £120) that I thought worth a mention as it contains good stuff! They have others too from brands such as Charlotte Tilbury so worth a look.
Asos have a huge selection but their beauty one looks fab, as does their 12 day one.


Oh and they also have a men’s one but watch out, this is for grooming so I think he’ll need a beard for that one!

I particularly like this one, votives and tea lights for a lovely change and it’s only £10.

In fact, JD Williams have a great selection ranging from chocolate to beauty to lego! And reasonable prices too so worth checking them all out here.


They even have one for the guys too which looks like it has some good bits in it and it’s on 3 for 2 with some of their others.

I was a very lucky lady to have been sent this one. Oh how bad I wanted it you could SMELL the luxury coming out of the drawers and I absolutely adore ESPA (especially the pro serum it’s incredible!).

However, I asked if they would mind me passing it on to the Nurses at Martlets Hospice and they agreed and so hopefully those nurses will have a lovely daily treat. But really got to slap it in this list for that luxury treat (at £130 not the £110k treat that you get with the Tiffanys one Emoji).

MY SELECTION AT BOOTS

Special mention to the advent calendars at Boots because they’re part of the 3 for 2 at the time of me writing this so well worth a look if you are buying for the family or you can split with a friend. Full range here with ones that could keep the whole family happy!
This one is for the girl teens.
Ahh, ok, I love it too. Why not?
Advent calendars at Boots come under the 3 for 2 Christmas gifting so you could get yourself a relative bargain if you need a few or team up with a pal.

Ok first up, I want to say £2 of every sale of this goes to Macmillan. It’s not a huge amount but every little helps. The contents look great too and it’s a reasonable price.

Oh and I love the emerald green packaging too. Sold at Boots where all their advent calendars come under 3 for 2 Christmas gifting so worth a look!

Sleek make up is GOOD make up.

Plus the teens will love it.

I’ve known make up artists swear by the quality of Sleek so I reckon this will go down a treat for a make up fan!

Chocolate. Good chocolate.

Need I say more?

AND SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT…

They’re not for everyone and my teeth really can’t deal with them but I love a porky scratching.
I think this is a good one for the guys too (if they like them!!!)
This confectioner supplies Fortnum and Mason. And she heard I love a marshmallow and is sending me one of her boxes.

It looks amazing. It won’t be shipped till end Nov (good job or I’d eat it straight away). She created a code for you guys – ADVENT20 for 20% off. Yum!

You can buy this online but at silly prices so save yourself over a tenner and get down to B&M stores.

AND LET’S ALL TRY AND DO THIS ONE…

REVERSE ADVENT CALENDAR

Finally, we will also be doing a reverse advent calendar this year. Every day we will put something in a box that someone will want – be it food, hygiene or sanitary products and anything HELPFUL.

After gathering you can donate to your local help scheme or homeless shelter, church or charity. It’ll feel really good giving something back and I think it’ll be a good lesson for the girls too. A bit like a Harvest festival for Christmas.

Click here to read more about this.

MY SELECTION AT BOOTS

Special mention to the advent calendars at Boots because they’re part of the 3 for 2 at the time of me writing this so well worth a look if you are buying for the family or you can split with a friend. Full range here with ones that could keep the whole family happy!
This one is for the girl teens.
Ahh, ok, I love it too. Why not?
Advent calendars at Boots come under the 3 for 2 Christmas gifting so you could get yourself a relative bargain if you need a few or team up with a pal.

Ok first up, I want to say £2 of every sale of this goes to Macmillan. It’s not a huge amount but every little helps. The contents look great too and it’s a reasonable price.

Oh and I love the emerald green packaging too. Sold at Boots where all their advent calendars come under 3 for 2 Christmas gifting so worth a look!

Sleek make up is GOOD make up.

Plus the teens will love it.

I’ve known make up artists swear by the quality of Sleek so I reckon this will go down a treat for a make up fan!

Chocolate. Good chocolate.

Need I say more?

AND SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT…

A little bit different?
They’re not for everyone and my teeth really can’t deal with them but I love a porky scratching.
I think this is a good one for the guys too (if they like them!!!)
This confectioner supplies Fortnum and Mason. And she heard I love a marshmallow and is sending me one of her boxes.

It looks amazing. It won’t be shipped till end Nov (good job or I’d eat it straight away). She created a code for you guys – ADVENT20 for 20% off. Yum!

You can buy this online but at silly prices so save yourself over a tenner and get down to B&M stores.

AND LET’S ALL TRY AND DO THIS ONE…

REVERSE ADVENT CALENDAR

Finally, we will also be doing a reverse advent calendar this year. Every day we will put something in a box that someone will want – be it food, hygiene or sanitary products and anything HELPFUL.

After gathering you can donate to your local help scheme or homeless shelter, church or charity. It’ll feel really good giving something back and I think it’ll be a good lesson for the girls too. A bit like a Harvest festival for Christmas.

Click here to read more about this.

MY SELECTION AT BOOTS

Special mention to the advent calendars at Boots because they’re part of the 3 for 2 at the time of me writing this so well worth a look if you are buying for the family or you can split with a friend. Full range here with ones that could keep the whole family happy!
This one is for the girl teens.
Ahh, ok, I love it too. Why not?
Advent calendars at Boots come under the 3 for 2 Christmas gifting so you could get yourself a relative bargain if you need a few or team up with a pal.

Ok first up, I want to say £2 of every sale of this goes to Macmillan. It’s not a huge amount but every little helps. The contents look great too and it’s a reasonable price.

Oh and I love the emerald green packaging too. Sold at Boots where all their advent calendars come under 3 for 2 Christmas gifting so worth a look!

Sleek make up is GOOD make up.

Plus the teens will love it.

I’ve known make up artists swear by the quality of Sleek so I reckon this will go down a treat for a make up fan!

Chocolate. Good chocolate.

Need I say more?

AND SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT…

A little bit different?
They’re not for everyone and my teeth really can’t deal with them but I love a porky scratching.
I think this is a good one for the guys too (if they like them!!!)
This confectioner supplies Fortnum and Mason. And she heard I love a marshmallow and is sending me one of her boxes.

It looks amazing. It won’t be shipped till end Nov (good job or I’d eat it straight away). She created a code for you guys – ADVENT20 for 20% off. Yum!

You can buy this online but at silly prices so save yourself over a tenner and get down to B&M stores.

AND LET’S ALL TRY AND DO THIS ONE…

REVERSE ADVENT CALENDAR

Finally, we will also be doing a reverse advent calendar this year. Every day we will put something in a box that someone will want – be it food, hygiene or sanitary products and anything HELPFUL.

After gathering you can donate to your local help scheme or homeless shelter, church or charity. It’ll feel really good giving something back and I think it’ll be a good lesson for the girls too. A bit like a Harvest festival for Christmas.

Click here to read more about this.