So every year we have two Christmas trees (because why have one when you can have two!!)
I have already posted about our regular, lounge Christmas tree but, we also have a very special Christmas tree in our bedroom…
**Drum roll***
It’s a Harry Potter themed tree!
(What a suprise 🤣)
Originally I used bits of memorabilia to decorate my tree with a Sorting Hat topper, but as more and more Harry Potter stuff has become available (thanks Warner Bros and Primark!!) I have built up quite an extensive collection of baubles.
Most of them are from Primark sets but a couple are from the Studio Tour in Watford, as are the ribbons.
Without further ado, lets take a look at the different stages I went through to create my awesome Harry Potter themed tree.
First up…
Lights
They have had a little upgrade this year… but what could be more magical than star shaped fairy lights in the four house colours (nothing, exactly!)
After that…
Tinsel
I go for red and gold as although all Hogwarts Houses are represented on the tree anything like tinsel or bows are very much in a Gryffindor colour scheme.
Next…
Baubles
As I said, alot of the sets come with a bauble for each house, so all are represented… but more heavily represented are mine (Gryffindor) and my husbands (Hufflepuff) favourite houses.
I bought two new sets of baubles this year (from Primark)… the top one is from a set of four and each bauble is clear with cute, thin tinsel inside to correspond with its Hogwarts House… the tinsel also has lots of tiny little stars in it. The house emblem and name is also written on the front in the same colour font.
These are my favourites so far. They are so pretty.
I also picked up another set with four baubles. Each one says something from the series, eg: ‘Platform 9 3/4, Lumos, Forbidden Forest & Golden Snitch’
Then..
Ribbons
Gryffindor themed of course!
And Finally…
The topper
I bought this in the sale last Christmas time. I think I got it just after Christmas so it was a bargain.
This is the first year I will have used it. It looks great.
Here is the final tree! – Looking super magical if I do say so myself 😉
We are halfway through 2022 (HOW!?!) So I thought I would do a halfway round up of what I have read so far…
So far…
Harry Potter and the Philosphers Stone: Minalima Illustratred edition
I know what you’ve done by Dorothy Koomson
Cometh the Hour by Jeffrey Archer
22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling
Her majesty the Queen investigates… The Windsor Knot by SJ Bennett
Trust me by T M Logan
The Sanitorium by Sarah Pearse
The Land of Stories: An Authors Odyssey by Chris Colfer
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
Love, Locked down by Beth Reckles
Nalas World by Dean Nicholson
This was a man by Jeffrey Archer
Midnight is a lonely place by Barbra Erskine
Walking on Sunshine by Giovanna Fletcher
Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
The Summer Fair By Heidi Swain
The Baby is not mine by Oyinkan Braithwaite
The Donor by Clare Mackintosh
1. My Favourite book so far: ‘Wrong Place, Wrong Time’
This is an absolutely fantastic book. It had me at the synopsis – never have I sent a synopsis to so many people because it sounds SO good. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I didn’t want to put it down. The characters and their relationships were lovely and it was a great reading experience.
2. The most gripping so far: ‘Wrong Place, Wrong Tim’ & ‘The Hunting Party’
These were both brilliant books for making you say ‘Just one more page’. There was lots of drama, lots going on and lots to keep enticing you to the end.
3. My Least Favourite so far: I know what You’ve done.
Simply because I didnt find it as gripping as Dorothy’s other books and I found the characters less likeable. It did have a good few twists though.
4. Easiest to read: ‘Love Locked Down‘
It was weird reading a book about the madness that was the beginning of the pandemic but it was quite cool reading about something that you’ve actually been through in a relatively light hearted way. I liked the variety of characters.
5. One I would recommend: ‘Wrong Place, Wrong Time.’
The time loop and just the sheer depth of the plot ans suspense made it a fantastic reading experience. I really enjoyed her writing style.
In the Easter holidays me and my husband were very lucky to be invited on a very exciting family holiday. The holiday was to celebrate my father in laws 70th Birthday (which took place whilst we were out there)
We went to DisneyWorld in Orlando, Florida!!! For 10 magical days ✨️
This trip was a nostalgic trip for my husbands family as they used to do these kinds of trips when Tim and his brother were younger.
It’s been a couple of years in the planning and I can’t believe its finally happened. Time flies all of a sudden!!
It was a brilliant trip, such a fun time! And to somewhere I love, that I honestly thought I wouldn’t ever visit again!
I thought I would share a few holiday snaps and write a little bit about whay we did and enjoyed im each park.
Let’s take a look!
Epcot ✨️
Epcot is a brilliant park and when we visited in 2018 we definitely didn’t give it the time it deserved! It’s so fun and really interesting!!
The iconic ball when you enter the park is quite a sight to behold. I particularly enjoyed it little up at night time.
I love the different countries around the lake that you can visit, try the food and drinks and even go on a fun themed ride, in some of them.
We sampled a delicious pizza slice at Italian pavilion, a delcious Mexican rice bowl with crispy shrimp at the Mexico Pavillion and the most refreshing pineapple Dole whip at the edge of the lake too!
My favourite ride of the whole trip was at Epcot. The Guardians of the Galaxy ride is absolutely BRILLIANT. It’s great even if you don’t like or haven’t seen the films, its even better if you have. Its a must!!
The firework/light/water show that they do in the evenings is phenomenal too. Its so clever and enjoyable to watch. It is defiantly one of the best to see if you visit.
Animal Kingdom 🌳
Animal Kingdom is a fun, really well themed park. Although not small in size there is a lot less rides there but of course you have the lovely animals, the safari and the wonderful shows to watch, from the Lion King to Finding Nemo.
We spent a special day here celebrating my father in laws 70th Birthday (the reason for our trip) and we had a great tim. We had a really lovely lunchtime meal at the Rainforest Cafe to celebrate 🥳 its the largest one!
My favourite ride at Animal Kingdom was the Avatar ride. Its a simulator style ride and its fantastic, such a immersive, beautiful ride so well executed! And a really good length too considering how long the queue is all the time haha!!
Magic Kingdom 🏰
Magic Kingdom is my all time favourite park – it doesn’t get much more magical than here ✨️
There’s nothing quite like walking down Main Street USA, turning round the corner and seeing the Disney castle there infront of you. Pure magic.
What I described above, (Although indescribable really, you’ve got to experience to truly feel it) makes this the the best, but it also has so many awesome rides.
My favourite ride (of all time) and in this park is Big Thunder Mountain!! Such a good ride, sadly it was closed during our visit 😭😭 devastating. But, some other faves are Pirates of the Carribean, It’s a Small World and Haunted Mansion. Absolute classics.
We had some top tier food from Magic Kingdom this time round, I had researched some of the most recommended eats and I managed to find them all which was awesome!! My favourite snack was the Cheeseburger Spring Rolls from the cart outside Adventure Land – SO delcious (we went back several times haha) perfect with the pickley, burger style sauce.
Some other delicious eats were found in Gastons Tavern 🍺 we had the ham and gruyere crossiant, so yummy, savoury and delicious – the best one I’ve had. We also tried the popular Creme Brulee crossaint which was packed full of a yummy sweet vanilla custard and a crunchy brulee topping. Really good. Another great food spot is Casey’s Corner on the corner of Main Street.
The Happily Ever After Fireworks are phenomenal and I just love them. They are SO magical. A must see! Just be aware and ready for the madness getting out afterwards, a must do at least one a trip though! A must see is a parade, these happen throughout the day and you get to see lots of the classic Disney Characters inc Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Donald, Daisy, The Princesses and lots of your other faves. Me and my husband also watched the Starlight Parade which is a beautiful parade of light covered, character themed floats that go around the park and the castle. So pretty.
Hollywood Studios 🎥
Hollywood Studios is such a cool park. It uad a really cool, old skool Hollywood vibe about it and all the palm trees and lights really add to the atmosphere of the park. There are a few cool rides in this park, lots of variety, as well as great selection of shows.
Our main day in this park was also the hottest day whilst we were there – absolutely boiling 🥵 it had the most delicious cold brew float though which tasted phenomenal in that heat.
Some really good shows at this park are the Indiana Jones Stunt Show, the Little Mermaid Show and the Light show in the evenings.
When we came last time (2018) they were building ‘Galaxy’s Edge’ a special Star Wars area, this was open this time my husband was very excited about it!!
And I have to say, as someone who isn’t really a Star Wars fan, even I could appreciate just how well executed this part of the park was. It was amazing and the attention to detail and the vibe was perfect, you really felt like you were wandering through another world, into a market full of droids and Spaceship parts.
The two rides, Rise of the Resistance and Smugglers Run were epic. Both different but really good rides and they are definitely both worth trying out. I wish we’d been able to get on them a second time but the queues were crazy.
These were probably my favourite rides in this park.
I also really enjoy Toy Story Land but I feel like it was just crazy busy all the time, this time round, which was a shame.
I got to meet Goofy again here too, which was awesome AND for the first time ever, his son Max! So that was pretty cool as a big time Goofy fan 🧡💚
Blizzard Beach 🌊
Blizzard Beach is really good fun and lovely on a sunny day in Florida!
There are lots of different slides and flumes to go on, a lovely lazy river, that I have to say was probably my favourite and a wave pool in the middle of the park.
Me and my husband had a go on a couple of flumes and slides but they are a bit scary to me, when you aren’t strapped in or anything.
It was a (mostly) sunny day when we were there and we had a lovely time in and out of the water.
There were lots of tasty treats there to enjoy, the lunchtime food options were really good (I can’t fault any of the Disney Food) they also did funnel cakes which are absolutely sensational and a Disney MUST. I also had a delicious iced mocha from Joffreys that really hit the spot.
Disney Springs inc the Artemis 2 launch 🚀
Disney Springs is a Disney shopping village with lots of restaurants and entertainment spots. I hadn’t been before so it was cool to see it. I managed to pick up a few souvenirs for myself and others too.
This was also a brilliant place to watch a fascinating partof history, the launch of the Artemis 2 rocket. This was amazing. We had looked it up and it said that the multi storey car park at Disney Springs was a great viewing point so thats where we headed 10/15 minutes before the lift off!
It was an incredible sight to see infront of your eyes (and we were ages away) but still got a good view. If it had been a little less cloudy it would have been even better. So awesome and something very memorable to witness.
& of course, Disney food 🤤
These are some of the delicious foods Ive mentioned throughout this post!
Top Left: Cheeseburger Spring Rolls, Adventureland Cart, Magic Kingdom.
Top Right: The Ham & Gruyere Crossaint & the Creme Brulee Crossaint, Gastons Tavern Magic Kingdom.
Bottom Left: A Cold Brew Float, Hollywood Studios.
Bottom Right: Mickey Ice cream Sandwich, Mickey Pretzel, Available all round every park.
Mini Corndogs & fries, Casey’s Corner, Main Street USA, Magic Kingdom.
These were some of my faves.
Our Disney themed room, in our villa, was awesome!
I loved it!
Our villa was perfect for our stay and we had a cool games room, cinema room and best of all a lovely pool and jacuzzi which we used alot. It was perfect having the pool to cool down in after a long, hot morning at the parks.
Such a fun trip – I can’t believe how quickly it goes 🥲
There truly is no place like Disney. I don’t know if we will ever go back to DisneyWorld (never say never) but I’ll be dreaming about it until our next Disney adventure (in Paris)
I read ‘A Neighbours Guide to Murder’ with a physical book and on Spotify.
Book events
An author afternoon with Louise Candlish discussing her latest book ‘ A Neighbours Guide to Murder’. This was a library event snd was really enjoyable.
My local, indie bookshop Book Club for March was discussing ‘The Dentist’ by Tim Sullivan. A brilliantly funny talk.
Last weekend I attended a book event with my mother in law.
We went to see bestselling author Louise Candlish, promoting her latest novel ‘A Neighbours Guide to Murder’.
When she told me about it I thought, why not! At the time I hadn’t read any of her books, but I had seen the TV adaptation of her novel ‘Our House’, which was really good. I started to listen to her latest book, on Spotify a few days before the event.
It was a brilliant talk and it was really interesting to hear about her writing process, how she comes up with her ideas and themes, and her work making some of her books into TV adaptations.
One of my ‘Reading Intentions’ for the year was to attend more book events, so I was really pleased this came up.
She was really friendly to talk to and very obliging when it came to signing books.
I bought a physical copy of her latest book so that I could carry on reading it. I also bought a copy of her novel ‘ The Only Suspect’ because she said in that book are her favourite and best twists, 2 of them, and I love a twist in a thriller so I was sold! She signed this for me too!
I wanted to set some reading intentions for 2026. I find Reading Challenges, although fun, quite tricky to stick to, especially set titles as I think my book choice (unless it’s for Book Club) is quite driven by my mood and what I fancy at the time, as well as releases in certain months.
Intentions: ‘A mental commitment to a specific course of action, aim, or purpose, guiding behaviours.’ (Google, ai 2026)
So, here are my no pressure 2026 reading intentions…
Try to read at least 4 books a month.
Try and read at least 2 different genres each month.
Try and read/listen to 1 audiobook each month.
Try and re read at least 3 of my favourite books.
Try and read 3 classics.
Try and read 2 books out of my comfort zone.
Go to some non Book Club, book events.
Try and read at least 30 minutes a day.
What are your book goals or intentions for for 2026?
📚
Whatever you choose, I wish you luck! And a fun and enjoyable year of reading.
I think I will do an update halfway through the year.
It’s exactly a month since Christmas day, today!!! WHATTTT. CRAZY.
So, here is this year’s bookish themed Christmas Haul 🎄 📚
I’m very lucky! 🤗 and very happy to have some brilliant books to start the yeat with.
Magical and one of my favourite chapters from ‘The Philosphers Stone’ I only need the Hermione one now!Excited to see if its worth the hype!I love this series so I can’t wait to read book 3.The only Paula Hawkins I haven’t read yet!The coolest tree decorations. Love these!!A little book holder! Love this. So handy!Cute & cosy! Perfect.My friend made this for me!!! Shes so clever!! I can’t wait to fill this up when I next go book shopping. And some lovely vouchers! Now I have a reason to go boom shopping woohoo!!
I hope you got some lovely books this year! No better present than a book imo 😊
Another day, another bookish post! This is my complete 2025 list of booms that I read. So if you are looking for any recommendations, look no further.
I’ve added a little code to sort the books a little and represent the variety of formats I have read in and why I chose certain books.
Colour code:
Green: One of my ’25 books for 2025′
Red: Book Club Books
Blue: Borrowed Library Books
Bold: my favourite book that month
DNF – means ‘did not finish’
I have put either ‘Audible’ or ‘Spotify’ next to my audiobooks, so if you see that its the audio version.
DISCLAIMER: ’25 books for 2025′ was a little challenge I set myself – I almost read half of the books I needed to but, I did trail off a little towards the end of the year keeping up with Book Club Books and my seasonal reads. But 11 isn’t bad.
January
It’s a wonderful life: Illustrated Edition
The Teacher by Freida McFadden
I died on a Tuesday By Jane Corry
This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens
Sleep by C L Taylor
This year’s for you and me by Emily Bell DNF
February
The Other Tenant by Lesley Kara
A Company Of Liars by Karen Maitland (Audible) 1/2
Bridget Jones Diary by Helen Fielding (Re-Read)
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (Re-Read)
Friends Forever by Danielle Steele
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime by Mark Haddon
March
With This Kiss by Carrie Hope Fletcher
A Company Of Liars by Karen Maitland (Audible) 1/2
The Doctors Wife by Daniel Hurst
Ward D by Freida McFadden
The Wake Up Call by Beth O Leary
April
The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden
Someone in the Attic by Andrea Mara
The Girls by Lisa Jewell
I haven’t been entirely honest with you by Miranda Hart (Audible)
The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini
May
Best Summer Ever by Heidi Swain
The Tenant by Freida McFadden
The Boy Who Lived by David Holmes
(Audible)
An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena
Never Lie by Freida McFadden
The Dallergut Dream Department Storeby Miye Lee
Return to the Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee
(Audible)
June
Funny Story by Emily Henry
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
(Audible)
The Split by Sharon Bolton
Traitors Gate by Jeffrey Archer
July
The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell
Book Boyfriends by Lucy Vine
Hotel Avocado by Bob Mortimer 1/2 (Spotify)
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
August
Do Not Disturb by Freida McFadden
Little People, Big Dreams: Lenny Henry
Blind Spot by Paula Hawkins (Quick Read)
Hotel Avocado by Bob Mortimer 1/2 (Spotify)
A Gypsy in Auschwitz by Otto Rosenberg
The Story Spinner by Barbra Erskine (Audible)
Blackout by Emily Barr (Quick Read)
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
Strange Houses by Uketsu
September
The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose (Novella)
The Crash by Freida McFadden
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C S Lewis
A Slow Burning Fire by Paula Hawkins
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
October
Future boy by Micheal J Fox (Audible)
The Intruder by Freida McFadden
All Wrapped Up by Heidi Swain
Love and Lattes at Pumpkin Hollow by Victoria Walters
November
The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan (Audible)
The Christmas Holiday by Phillipa Ashley
The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore (Spotify)
The Cinnamon Bun Bookshop by Laurie Gilmore (Spotify)
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney
Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stoneby J K Rowling – Full Cast Audio Edition (Audible)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J K Rowling (Audible) 50%
The Christmas Clue by Nicola Upson
December
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J K Rowling (Audible) 50%
All We Want For Christmas by Phillipa Ashley
The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore (Spotify)
Not another Bloody Christmas by Jo Middleton
Total no of Book Club Books: 8
Total completed books of my ’25 for 2025′ challenge: 11
Total no of books altogether: 63
A great year of reading! Here’s to more in 2026 😃📚
I thought I would make my first post of 2026 a book one! These are my top 6 (because I couldn’t choose just 5 😂) that I read in 2025.
I have put them in order from, so my top book for 2025 was…
1. Hotel Avocado by Bob Mortimer
A absolute hilarious read, and a brilliant sequel to his first novel ‘The Satsuma Complex’. He writes brilliantly and they are so easy to read, witty and fun.
I listened to Hotel Avocado on Spotify and it was brilliant as it was narrated by Bob Mortimer himself, as well as some other hilarious comedians such as Paul Whitehouse and Sally Phillips.
2. Best Summer Ever by Heidi Swain
I always enjoy Heidi’s books and this was no exception. I enjoyed revisiting Wynmouth by the sea and this story introduced lots of new and very likeable characters, I enjoyed it alot.
3. The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee
This was a very different choice for me but I loved the ideas and imagination in this story. It was the beautifully colourful front cover that first drew me to it. I have never read translated fiction before so I didn’t know what to expect, but it was full of such interesting ideas and fun. This was one of my choices for our book club in 2025. Everyone really enjoyed this book.
4. The Boy Who Lived by David Holmes
Honestly, this was pretty harrowing in places and a tragic story in many ways, but it was a also a story of amazing strength, perseverance, bravery and friendship. It was a poignant and heartfelt look into the often unseen world of the stunt man working on one of the biggest film franchises to ever be created.
I listened to this in Audible and it was read by David Holmes himself.
5. The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini
This was a brilliant thriller that just kept you guessing constantly. This was one of my choices for our book club in 2025. Everyone really enjoyed this book. It was an easy read and very gripping.
6. All Wrapped Up by Heidi Swain
Another Heidi Swain and an exciting one as this was her first Autumn themed novel. Back in the cosy town of Wynbridge but in the ‘ber months, it was great to revisit this cosy little town. It was like revisiting old friends. The perfect seasonal read.
Roseanne Byford 