Month: December 2020

Blogmas Day Sixteen: My Favourite Festive drinks ☕

• My Favourite Festive Drinks •

I love a Coffee or drink from a Coffee shop and especially the festive flavours around at Christmas time.

So, here are some of my faves…

Costa: Terry’s Chocolate Orange Hot Chocolate

This was yummy.

If you were one of the first wave of people who ordered this you also got a Terry’s choc orange segment with your drink.

This was a really, yummy, creamy hot choc… it could have done with a little more orange flavouring though!

Costa: After Eight Mint Hot Chocolate

This is my favourite festive drink by far.

Because what’s more festive than a hot chocolate.

And the mint syrup is super festive too.

Me and my twin sister get this every year, its sooooo good.

I think it’s usually just called a mint hot choc but, it’s been branded around After Eight Mints this year… I could be wrong though (it could always have been)… anyway, you also got a After Eight Mint on the side of your drink.

Again, I think there were limited number of these.

Starbucks: White Mocha Frappe with Peppermint Syrup

This is a new discovery this year thanks to Zoe Suggs Vlogmas! & my sisters recommendation.

The White Mocha Frappe is super delish and flavourful on it’s own, and the peppermint flavour makes it super festive.

It’s a really tasty drink.

This is great if you prefer a cooler, refreshing drink.

I’m really hoping I get a chance to try the Caffe Nero ‘Salted Caramel Latte’ & their ‘Mint Hot Choc’ before the christmas season is over!

Caffe Nero is my fave.

What’s your favourite festive drink???

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Fifteen: Getting into the festive spirit 🎅🏻

So, here are my top 5 ways to well and truly get into the festive spirit!

1. Listening to Christmas tunes

Whilst I’m still at work, and there are still lots of restrictions in place for going out, this is one of the things that has made me feel the most Christmassy.

We have been listening to them lots at work and in the car.

If a Christmas sing along doesn’t get you into the festive spirit, what will!!

2. Watching a Christmas film 📽

I LOVE Christmas films for adding a bit of festive cheer into your life.

Even more so as the cinemas are closed. I miss it more than I thought.

I shared some of my faves in a earlier Blogmas post so check them out here !

Grab some popcorn, your fave festive chocs, a hot choc perhaps? And you’ve got yourself a super festive afternoon.

3. Reading a Christmas book 📚

As soon as November hits I start the festive reads and I don’t stop until February.

If you love festive books as much as me then take a look at these ones, they are some that I’ve really enjoyed.

Books are a great escape from reality and perfect for a bit of festive downtime during the Christmas chaos.

4. Christmas Day Prep 🎁

I love wrapping presents, planning Christmassy activities and of course planning the Christmas eats too.

I know that this year is going to be a bit different in terms of Christmas, but its important to make the most of the situation we are in, enjoy what we can do and not focus on what we can’t.

And hey, you might even end up with a new fun tradition thanks to 2020!

I love stocking up on a few of our favourite Christmas treats, like mince pies and slowly picking up buffet bits and bobs, from various shops depending on what they have each year.

And wrapping presents for my loved ones always makes me feel super festive 😊🎁

5. Festive baking 🥧

I really enjoy baking and festive flavours (except you cinnamon 🤢) so I always look forward to baking at this time of year, especially when you can indulge a little more, guilt free, and try all your efforts.

I’ve been looking up some yummy ideas to inspire my baking over the next week or so!

Here’s a festive recipe I’ve already tried out. They were super yummy!

Christmas Tree Brownies

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Fourteen: My Harry Potter Christmas tree ⚡🎄

So, a couple of years ago I had a Harry Potter themed tree, but then disaster struck and my second tree broke (sad times)

This year, my twin sister who also loves Harry Potter, created a Harry Potter themed tree and it made me reallllly want one again..

Plus, we went to the HP tour and they had so many Christmas decorations that injust couldn’t resist. See yesterdays post for the ones I picked up.

I used a plain 6ft tree, and added some plain/glittery red baubles as a base (I’m going for a Gryffindor theme, Obv.)

I purchased some Gryffindor ribbon at the HP tour and I made this onto bows… I popped them on first.

Then I added my Harry Potter baubles that I already owned, and my new ones from the tour (see yesterdays post)

I had house baubles of the 4 house colours, 4 clear house baubles filled with gold glitter, purchased this year and a large glittery Hogwarts Crest bauble that my mum got me a few years ago.

These all came from Primark.

Finally, I added a few little extras that I have in my collection, some HP glasses, a couple of tickets for the Knight Bus and the Hogwarts Express, as well as a few little characters (Can you spot Ron & Dobby?!)

All in all, I’m really happy with how it came out.

And now our room looks super festive too 🙌🏻🙌🏻

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Thirteen: Harry Potter Decoration Haul ⚡🌟

Hi guys 👋🏻

So, ever since Primark started selling Official merch such as Harry Potter, I’ve managed to pick up some really cool baubles at Christmas time.

This year I have bought some lovely clear baubles. They are a set of four and each has one of the different house crests printed on it. They are filled with gold glitter.

They look really pretty and go well with my red and gold theme.

Also…

At the Harry Potter Warner Bros tour in London, last weekend, I picked up some more decorations.

Let’s take a look…

They sell ribbon that comes in four colours, one for each house.

I went for Gryffindor as that’s my favourite house.

You can use it to either drape around the tree as tinsel or tie it to make little bows, to decorate your tree.

I went for bows.

I also picked up a couple of other baubles, at the tour.

I went for a couple of Gryffindor themed ones.

I really had to hold back because there were so many awesome ones.

I went for a red Gryffindor bauble with a lion topper.

This is really cool.

I also picked up one of the stain glass effect house shields.

Gryffindor of course. I think these are really pretty and were probably the most reasonably priced ones tbh.

A great little stocking filler for any HP fans. They are available in the fours houses too.

The final one I picked up was this…

It’s a general Harry Potter one. Its has a ‘H’ for Hogwarts on a little Crest, with a Hogwarts silhouette, on the front. It is a clear bauble, so it goes nicely with the Primark ones I bought (mentioned above).

It is filled with little shavings of confetti that are the house colours.

Super pretty.

They did have a Hogwarts castle in a snowglobe style, which I kinda wish I had bought, but it looked rather heavy.

They also did some other more specific ones such as the little Yule ball outfits.

They had a Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry Crest topper, for the top of your HP tree… again very tempting but I have another idea for the top of mine, that I used last time I embarked on a HP tree.

Check out tomorrows Blogmas post to see my finished HP tree, complete with these baubles and decorations on it.

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Twelve: A festive, but productive day 🎄🛍🛁

So, here we are! Day Twelve.

Today has been both festive, productive and fun.. my kind of weekend in the run up to Christmas.

Me & hubby had a little lazy start, followed by a yummy breakfast because there is no better way to start a weekend.

After that I went Christmas shopping with my sister, which was fun!

And we well and truely shopped until we dropped.

But, I managed to get the everything that I needed!! Which is awesome.. I mean, I nearly lost an arm under the weight of my bags, but its all good because the Christmas shopping is done!

When I got home from town I had a nice, relaxing, festive bath.

Gotta love a Lush Festive Bath product.

This one smells so good and is a reusable bubble bar! ‘Elfie Stick’

It was so nice to chill after a fun but hectic time in town.

Feeling refreshed, I have now spent the evening sorting out what I bought, wrapping some more presents.

Super festive!

I’m now about to start decorating our second tree… because I decided one was enough and so I grabbed another one today, in town.

What’s your idea of a fun, festive day?

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Eleven: Drive in Cinema Night 🚘📽💚🎄

Last night me and Tim went to a Drive In cinema.

I’ve always wanted to go to one of these and when I saw that they were doing showings nearby, OF CHRISTMAS FILMS, I thought it would be a fun little outing.

We went to see ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’

This is one of my favourite Christmas films, its lovely and hilarious.

Who doesn’t love the Grinch!

We grabbed a McDonalds beforehand as you can obviously take your own food in your car, they did have food services but it was a little pricey.

We also took some popcorn to have whilst we watched the film!

We were a bit worried that it would be freezing but I think we got lucky with the evening that we went, it had been a much milder day.

We did take a duvet to snuggle under anyway because it was still a little chilly and why not!

It was really great to find something fun and festive to be able to do together that was actually really COVID secure.

You stayed in your car the whole time (toilets were available but we didn’t need them, but apparently they were also cleaned after every use too) They have your Number plate registered so all you do is listen to a quick information brief (you stay in the car for) but obviously everyone is wearing masks, and then you obviously sit in your own car for the film, so very minimal contact with others.

I’d never really thought about how the logistics would work in terms of the sound, I’ve only ever been to a Outdoor Cinema screening, but you just set your radio to a particular station and the sound of the film plays through your car radio and you watch on the big screen that they have up.

It was really good fun and this was my first Christmas film of the festive season.

I really enjoyed doing something ‘normal’, this was an ideal festive activity during the current climate.

2 weeks to go!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Ten: Decorating My Reading Corner ❄

Happy Day Ten of Blogmas!

Here’s a little sneak peek at how I’ve decorated my reading corner… I love fairy lights (any excuse!) And they look super cute with a few little other festive touches.

Super cosy!

Adding a few festive touches has made my reading corner even more cosy!

Annd I’ve even managed to not poke myself in the eye with one of the light up branches, whilst reading, so win win!

Books & Christmas = a pretty epic combo! 🎄📚

Has anyone else decorated their reading areas?

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Nine: Giving back this Christmas 🎄🎁

It’s so important to help others whenever you can, how ever you can but, there is something about Christmas time that makes it even more paramount.

As we start to plan our festivities and enjoy the odd mince pie and choc orange here and there, it’s a good time to think about those who are worse off than we are, (because there is always someone!)

It doesn’t have to cost alot, you could even give your time, to a cause in your local area.

I had a look to see what I could to do in my local area, a few weeks ago, and came across a shoebox appeal for the homeless.

You fill a box with essentials and these are handed out (safely) to those who are most in need, those who are vulnerable.

The boxes are being dropped off contactlessly and quarantined before being handed out, so it’s all safe for everyone involved.

After such a crazy year it’s nice to feel like you can help in any way possible, a little gift like this would mean the world to someone who has very little, at what should be such a special, magical time of year.

I decided to do two boxes, they are almost identical but one has a couple of female related toiletry products in it.

Here’s a little peek into the boxes:

Thing’s I included in the boxes:

  • Toiletries, Inc: Sanitary products, Shower gel, toothpaste and a toothbrush and X2 roll on deodorants.
  • Other cleansing items: A pack of biodegradable wet wipes, as well as some Hand sanitizer.
  • I also included a little pot of vaseline and a hand & nail cream as these are great when its particularly cold outside.
  • I added some treats, a chocolate orange, because its Christmas after all! As well as some large bars of chocolate.
  • I also included some dry snacks such as Cheddars and Ritz Crackers.
  • And again, because of the time of year, I chose to include a pack of cosy socks and some gloves too.

I will be dropping these off in the next few days so fingers crossed they will make someones Christmas a little better and make them smile.

Until Next Time

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Eight: My favourite Christmas films 🎄🎬

Hi Guys…👋🏻

We are just over a week into Blogmas already! Madness.

One of my favourite parts of the festive season is watching Christmas films… so, I thought that I would share my top ten with you.

I love a christmas film ❤

Number One: Deck the Halls

I only discovered this one about 2-3 years ago but it is BRILLIANT. Funny, festive, traditional and a little tacky (the perfect Christmas)

Number Two: The Snowman

An absolute classic. Christmas isn’t Christmas without the snowman. Period.

Number Three: Elf

‘SANTA!! I KNOW HIM’

Number Four: The Grinch who stole Christmas

An ICONIC character (& portrayal) this is one of those classic and brilliantly quotable films. **Disclaimer: this is a prime example of giving a film a chance, I used to hate it because I never gave it a chance and now I love it.

Number Five: Love Actually

How could you Alan!?! 😢 Still not over it.

Number Six: Arthur Christmas

An animated classic. Arthur is so loveable and it’s so lovely how he seeks to prove himself and save Christmas!

Number Seven: Jack Frost

A sad one but also a film to make you embrace Christmas and take nothing for granted.

Number Eight: Santa Claus

Another classic from my childhood. This was always on TV and it always makes me feel Christmassy when it’s on.

Number Nine: Last Christmas

It being based around my fave Christmas song was always going to make this a winner but, it was also very sweet & very feel good.

Number Ten: Nativity

It’s BRILLIANT. I think it’s even funnier because I work in a primary school 🤣

What’s your favourite Christmas film? One that you have to watch every year!!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Seven: ᴄʜɪʟᴅʀᴇɴ’ꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋꜱ ᴡᴇᴇᴋʟʏ ꜰᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ 📚🎅🏻

• W E E K • T H R E E •

Since this weeks Children’s book is a Christmassy one I thought I would unashamedly shoehorn it into a Blogmas post for today!

The Christmas Elf and the magic of kindness

By Marcy Kelman and Hannah Mark’s

This book is SO cute. The illustrations are lovely and bright and the message that it gets across is so sweet.

The book is all about being kind and finding and embracing what you are good at… not worrying if you can’t always do what someone else can do, because we all have our own individual talents.

The perfect, Christmassy story with a beautiful message to those who read/listen to it.

18 days until Christmas!

Until Next Time,

Roseanne 🙂

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