Blogmas Day 8: A Festive get together🎄

As a group, me and my friends from school try to get together as much as we can (which proves more difficult as the years go by! Damn adulting) we often get together for birthdays and other such occasions and for the last few years I’ve organised something to get us altogether at Christmas too.

We’ve done Secret Santa to death now amongst us all, we have done a festive party at mine and Tim’s a few years in a row now too so we needed something different this year.

In the end we opted for a nice and easy festive meal out together at a restaurant.

We went to a local restaurant called ‘The Oyster Reach’ which is part of the Beefeater chain.

Christmas themed party wear/jumpers was the dress code.

They had both a set and festive menu to choose from and I think we all went for a mixture in the end.

Most of us enjoyed three yummy courses. I went for Calamari to start, my favourite starter.

The festive burger for my main, which alot of us chose.

It was probably the most juicy burger I have had in a while, very tasty.

& I couldn’t resist a cheeky side of pigs in blankets! Well it was a Christmas meal after all.

For dessert I had this delicious chocolate orange melting pudding. Chocolate orange is my favourite flavour combo, heaven.

It was great to get together, catch up and just have a laugh and some yummy food.

The perfect way to spend time together at this time of year.

How do you like to celebrate at this time of year?

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day 7: My advent calendars

One of my favourite bits of Christmas is the build up and of course advent calendars are a big part of that.

I thought I would share with you guys which calendars I have this year.

This is the first time during a blogmas (& I think this is year 3 of me doing it) that I havn’t had a beauty advent calender. None of them took my fancy this year and the ones I’d had previously hadn’t changed a lot either. Plus is it just me or are they very expensive!!

So let’s take a look at the ones I did go for.

Chocolate first of course! And the king of chocolate, so it had to be, Cadburys.

I went for the ‘1994’ style edition as I thought it looked super traditional plus I’m a 90s kid so I thought it was cool.

I love having a little chunk of Cadbury chocolate every morning to look forward to.

I also got myself a colouring advent calendar too, just for a bit of fun!

You get a different picture for each day of advent and they are all Christmas themed.

It’s quite relaxing doing my colouring in the evening whilst I catch up on I’m a celeb.

What advent calenders have you guys got?

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Six: My Stocking gift guide 🎁

There are five essentials, in my opinion in order to create the best filled stocking. Each one working well with the others, resulting in a perfectly balanced Christmas stocking of dreams.

Obviously, this is just my opinion but the Christmas stocking is one of my favourite traditions at this time of year and one of my favourite things to shop for.

I will include a few options of items that I found for each category to help you out if you are a bit stuck.

1. Something cosy

Christmas is all about being cosy so this us very important. I always think cosy socks are a winner, those lovely fluffy ones are perfect. If not socks then maybe some gloves or a new wooly hat or scarf or a Christmas T-shirt to wear on Christmas day.

2. Something tasty

I usually opt for chocolate as you can’t go wrong really. Although of course you can taylor this to the person who it is for, picking up their favourite sweet or savoury treat. Chocolate coins or a chocolate santa are also a nice festive options

I love to receive a Terry’s chocolate orange in my stocking.

Some options…

  • Chocolate orange
  • Brussels sprouts shaped chocs
  • Chocolate coins
  • A Chocolate Santa
  • Chocolate reindeer
  • Their favourite sweets

3. Something to do

This could be anything but I think it derives from my childhood of having toys in my stocking haha. We always had something to occupy us until mum and dad got up. This could be a little game, maybe a puzzle, a dvd to watch, a book.

4. Something to pamper them with

This could be a nice shower gel, maybe a festive scented one? Maybe one they wouldn’t buy everyday. If they are a bath bombs fan like me you could include one of those or something simple like a face or hair mask.

5. Something fun

I think it’s always nice to have something silly in your stocking. This is dependant on the person of course but it just adds an element of fun. Last year I got my husband beard lights because he has grown his beard. They were a laugh and just a bit of fun.

I hope you find this handy and enjoy getting your Santa on when creating your stockings. Just have fun with it, you really don’t need to spend alot to make a great stocking

Happy Shopping

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Five: Our Christmas eve plans 🎅

Although of course Christmas day is the big day, I love Christmas eve and Boxing day too. Any excuse to stretch out the festivities a bit longer.

We usually spend time with my nephews Noah and Casey and my twin sister on Christmas eve and of course this year my niece Evie is a bit older and can enjoy the fun too.

It’s quite a nice chilled out day but full of fun and food.

I will get some yummy food in for breakfast for me and Tim to enjoy before he has to work.

Then me and my sister’s are going to get together and do something fun with all the kiddies.

When it gets darker we head over to my mum’s and pick her up so that we can carry out our tradition of looking at the Christmas lights around our local area. I love this tradition, it’s one of my favourite festive pastimes and it really gets you into the spirit.

After we’ve looked at the lights we head to Sarah’s for some yummy treats and relaxing in our new Christmas PJs. We don’t do full on Christmas eve boxes for the boys yet as they are still a bit little, but we do all get some new, cosy festive pjs, hot chocolate and a couple of festive activities for the boys to make or colour before bed.

We also have a Christmas film on in the background too, probably ‘The Grinch’ as we all like that.

Once the boys are in bed the adults enjoy our festive feast.

We always just get a few things that we can all share and enjoy together.

This year we are going to get a Camembert, with bread to dip, Nachoes and some pigs in blankets. It’s going to be delicious. I can’t wait!!

What do you like to do on Christmas eve?

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Four: A festive day out 🎄🚂

Last weekend me, my husband Tim, twin sister Sarah and her husband Dan and kiddies, Noah & Casey went away for a winter weekend away.

We stayed at Rose Farm in Great Yarmouth, in a lovely little static caravan.

It was lovely and reminded me of our family holidays from years gone by.

One of our activities on the Saturday was a little railway journey and it felt really festive.

There was a little winter chill in the air, just enough to need to wrap up all cosy, which added to the festive feels.

We went on the Bure Railway from Wroxham to Aylesham and it was just lovely. The boys really enjoyed themselves.

To add a little extra festive cheer, there were loads of Christmas decorations.

And when we got to Aylsham there was a Santa’s grotto as well as even more lights.

So festive! 🎄🎁🎅⛄

It was a lovely weekend and it made us all feel really ready to start having lots of festive fun days. Bring on the next Christmas activity.

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

21 days to go!
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Blogmas Day Three: Festive Decorations Haul 🎄

I love it when you start to see the Christmas decorations in the shops and now that it is December all the shops are full of the most festive of displays.

Me and my eldest Nephew had a look round one of our local stores (The Range) to see what festive decorations they had to offer, and we weren’t disappointed.

Here’s our little haul 🎄

Hanging decorations

Hanging berry star with gold glitter.

Rustic Heart woodland wreath.

Hanging bell decorations.

Tree decorations

Red glass ‘Merry Christmas’ bauble.

Clip on red and gold glitter birdies.

Rustic bell decoration with foliage.

So festive!

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Blogmas Day Two: The Christmas Tag 🎅

To start Blogmas off I thought that I would do a Christmas tag. Christmassy questions to get into the seasonal spirit. I love hearing about peoples Christmas traditions, food, favourite songs etc so I thought this would be a bit of fun.

I have chosen these questions from various different lists, and hopefully you guys will find these questions interesting. I’ve split the questions up into categories just to mix it up from last year.

Lets go!

Decorating

Is your Christmas tree real or fake?

Our Christmas tree is fake. Its what I always had growing up and so that’s what we had when we moved into our own home.

How do you decorate your home at Christmas?

Like a grotto! (that isn’t an exaggeration!!) I go all out with a different colour scheme for each room, just to maximise the festiveness.

I also love to have a wreath on the door.

What is your favourite Christmas colour?

I love the traditional Christmas colours of red, gold and green.

What tops your tree?

We have a red star that tops our tree. This came as part of the tree decoration set that my mum bought us when we moved into our own place.

Food

What do you usually have for Christmas dinner?

Tradtionally, my family always had turkey and gammon for our Christmas dinner. We usually have either Turkey or Chicken at my father in laws.

What is your favourite sweet treat at Christmas?

A Terry’s chocolate orange.

What is your favourite Christmas food?

It has to be the Christmas dinner, in its entirety. All those delicious components together to make one amazing meal. Pigs in blankets tho.

What is your Christmas day breakfast?

Although I am a firm believer that chocolate is 100% a legitimate breakfast for Christmas day, as a child my mum always made us have something proper for breakfast, therefore I always make me and Tim something. I usually make something we wouldn’t usually have such as dippy eggs and soldiers (A classic) or Pastries (Pan Au Choclat, Crossaints etc) and fruit juices.

Christmas Day

Do you open any presents on Christmas Eve?

No. We have Christmas eve boxes for the boys but we open all our presents on Christmas day.

Do you wake up early on Christmas day?

Oh yeah! I’m such a child when it comes to this aspect of Christmas. Anything from 6am is fair game to me. You get more Christmas day if you are up earlier haha.

Christmas day attire, Smart or Casual?

When I was younger I used to wear something nice or new to my Nana’s for Christmas lunch. However, as an adult I now choose comfort. I have even been known to wear a Reindeer onesie all day. I do usually opt for a Christmas jumper at the in laws though.

What would be your dream place to visit for the festive season?

I would love to go back to Florida at Christmas. I bet the theme parks look so cool and Disney would be SO magical. America does holidays well.

Christmas traditions

What is your favourite Christmas tradition?

My favourite tradition is driving around our local town together, on Christmas eve, to see the Christmas lights. Its a fun Christmas eve activity and makes you feel really festive and excited for the big day.

Name a Christmas tradition from your childhood.

When we were children and went to my Nana’s for Christmas day we used to have little present bags from my Nana. We would open our main presents from Nana at home in the morning with mum and dad, and then once we had, had Christmas lunch Nana would get out the little bags and we would open those. It spread the presents out a bit and it was a nice little bag of goodies, usually chocolate, socks, Shower gel and so on.

When do you start getting excited about Christmas?

Urm October??!! haha. As soon as Halloween is out of the way its fair game I’d say. Although, from the 24th November on wards I start decorating and that’s when it gets super exciting.

Do you have an advent calendar?

Of Course! I always have a chocolate advent calendar which is usually Cadbury’s. I have previously had different beauty advent calendar’s but I couldn’t decided on which one to get this year (Some are so pricey!!). I’ve also had colouring advent calenders too which are cool and super fun!

Christmas favourites

What is your favourite Christmas Song?

Last Christmas By Wham!

What is your favourite Christmas Film?

I don’t know if I have a favourite but I like ‘Deck the halls’ and ‘Elf’. I also love to tape the ‘Made for TV’ Christmas films haha.

What is your favourite Christmas activity to do?

I love going to the annual Christmas panto in our local town, a bit of Christmas shopping, stopping for a hot chocolate, decorating.

What is your favourite TV to watch at Christmas?

The soaps usually get pretty good at this time of the year, especially Eastenders. I also love watching I’m a celeb which is usually on at the beginning of December. The Doctor Who Christmas special, Harry Potter & the Philosphers Stone.

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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🎅🎅 BLOGMAS 2018 🎅🎅

Its that time of year again!

Blogmas is back.

If you aren’t familiar with Blogmas then basically it is 24 (or 25) festive posts from the start of December up until the big day itself.

The rules, one post a day, and make them fully festive.

Christmas is 100% my favourite time of the year.

Yeah, it’s a bit chilly but I am so ready for some serious festive fun.

I hope you enjoy these posts throughout December and if there’s anything in particular I can do let me know.

Which sort of Blogmas posts are your fave?

Until next time,

Rohohoseanne 🎄

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Fantastic Beasts and the Crimes of Grindelwald ⚡

As you may, or may not have seen, the new Fantastic Beasts film has recently come out in cinemas.

Me & my twin sister Sarah LOVE Harry Potter and were very excited about this new release.

This is the second film in the new series of magical movies from JK’s Wizarding World.

The last film came out in 2016 so this has been highly anticipated…

…. & it didn’t disappoint.

We couldn’t go to the Midnight showing that our local cinema put on, like last time, but I did notice that they had a special preview showing on the Wednesday before it was officially released.

The preview was a double bill, the first film followed by the latest one, SO exciting.

With our Florida Gryffindor jumpers on (From Diagon Alley, Universal!!) Gryffindor scarfs, and a Starbucks in hand we settled down to watch the latest instalment.

The film was fantastic (No pun intended!) and was a brilliant sequel to the last one, much darker and with lots more detail into the Wizarding world and the story of Grindelwald, Dumbledore & the Lestrange family, all headed up by the adorable Newt Scamamder, the hilarious Jacob and quirky Queenie.

Definatly worth a watch! 👍🏻

We will give going again for sure!

*But remember #protecthesecrets

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Bonfire night 🎆✨

I love an excuse for a get together and since I met my husband we have started up a little tradition on bonfire night.

We do usually go to a local fireworks display with our friends, as well, but unfortunately we couldn’t make it this year which was a shame!

But as the 4th was a Sunday and we usually head over to my father in laws for dinner, we were able to at least carry out our other bonfire night tradition.

It wasn’t too cold, just enough to warrant wrapping up and making yourself nice and cosy.

We had our traditional jacket potatoes and hot dogs to eat.

We followed that up with hot chocolate and baked apples, both of which were delicious and super warming.

It was so cosy sitting outside by the light of the tea lights and fires.

So yummy.

Inbetween the food we also had some large, gold sparklers to add to the bonfire night feel.

I love the smell of the fires and sparklers in the crisp, fresh evening air.

Gotta love a sparkler! 🎆🎇✨

& we even managed to finish up the festivities just in time for Doctor Who.

A lovely, cosy family evening. Good food & good company.

I hope you enjoyed your bonfire night celebrations!!

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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