Blogmas Day 13: The Shoebox appeal with Noah.

This year, as Noah is now 4 and old enough to get involved, I thought it would be nice to create our own shoebox present for the Shoebox appeal (Link above to the website if you’d like more info)

The appeal consists of sending your own christmas present to a child in need, in a different country.

You wrap up a shoebox, choose a gender/age range and fill the box up with age appropriate toiletries, toys, games, accessories, arts and crafts, writing tools and so on, and send it off to the appeal to be delivered to a child in need.

Noah really enjoyed picking out the items to go in the box for ‘the little boy’. He wanted to give it to a little boy who is the same age as him (4 years old).

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We went into town and into Wilkinson’s (Wilko), to see what we could find to fill our box. Wilko has a variety of departments so I thought this would be a good place to go to get lots of different things for the box.

Wilkos is brilliant and their stuff is so reasonably priced that it is perfect for a project like this.

So, here’s what we chose together.

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Toiletries

Kids Tooth brushKids Tooth paste Shark sponge Paw Patrol bath & shower gel

Toys

Mini RoadstersTrain Bubbles

Arts and crafts

Stickers Colouring pencils Chunky Crayons Plain sketch bookPencil case stationary set including pencils, rubbers etc Two different sized note books Paint set with brush Superhero stickers Pirate colouring/activity book.

Once we had got everything that we wanted we headed home. Sarah wrapped up the box for us and then we filled it up with the goodies we had bought.

Its lovely to think that a child will receive the items you chose, and that they will get something fun but also useful. We are very lucky to be in the position that we are in so its nice to give something back.

There will also be a video up on mine and my twin sisters youtube channel ‘Roseanne & Sarah’

Our shoebox for the appeal

So take a look at that too if you like πŸ™‚

Its a lovely Christmassy idea that gives something back.

Until next time,

Roseanne πŸ™‚

Blogmas Day 12: Our Christmas panto tradition

Every year me and Tim go to the local theatre to see their Rock N Roll Panto. It is always on at Christmas time, running from November through to January.

It has become one of our favourite Christmas traditions together and it is a lot of fun.

The pantos are fantastic, hilarious and the people starring in them are so incredibly talented. They sing, act and play all the instruments throughout the show.

Their audience interaction always makes for a laugh too.

This year the panto went back to its roots, re doing the first show it ever did, Cinderella.

I love this story and it is a panto classic, which didn’t disappoint.

‘It’s time to Shake a Tail Feather and head Downtown to Ipswich Town Hall to meet the Mayor, Baron Hardup! It’s not easy being Mayor, with Prince Charming due in town for a Royal visit and a staff of only two – his beautiful, feisty daughter, Cinderella and the loyal and loveable Buttons. But when his lonely hearts ad is answered by the mysterious Rubella De Zees, who brings along her two dangerous daughters Hernia and Verruca, it seems he’s far more than Three Steps to Heaven. Thankfully, there’s a Fairy Godmother to make sure Cinderella is ready to Rock Around The Clock!’

It was lovely to spend the evening together and have some festive fun at the theatre.

I cant wait to see which show they will perform next year.

Until next time,

Roseanne πŸ™‚

Blogmas Day 10: Mini mince pie pastry bites

This is my first foodie post of Blogmas 2018 and it’s a tasty recipe for all you mince pie fans!

I have developed a real love of mince pies over this recent festive season but as I follow the SW plan I’m trying to find ways to enjoy my favourite festive treats and stay on plan (ready for the inevitable over indulgence on the main days of Christmas)

So, this recipe, although SW friendly is still great for anyone looking for a twist on a classic, a bite sized treat of Christmassy goodness that won’t add to the waistline as heavily as a traditional mince pie might.

This recipe uses Light puff pastry, so a bit different to the traditional short crust.

It is so simple, and those recipes are the best kind.

Ingredients

-One roll of Tesco light puff pastry (Not frozen)

– A jar of Tesco Mincemeat

-One egg, beaten. (To egg wash)

-Sweetner (To sprinkle)

(This post is not sponsored by Tesco but I did an online shop when I ordered these and wanted to keep it simple when working out the syn values using the Slimming World app)

Recipe

Roll out the pastry flat and cut into squares (roughly 5cm x 5cm)

I weighed each square to make sure that it was 20g each. If you aren’t on SW you won’t need to be so particular.

On each square add a teaspoon of mincemeat.

Fold over the pastry from one side to the other and crimp along the edge to stop any leakage.

Lay the back onto the baking parchment that the pastry comes in, on a bakig tray.

Beat the egg and brush over the top of each one to help them turn golden.

Sprinkle each one with a little sweetener.

Bake in the over for 10/12 minutes on 200Β°.

Enjoy hot or leave to cool.

I prefer them warm with a cuppa.

These work out as 5 syns each which I don’t think is too bad. One with a cuppa would be perfect to get that festive mince pie hit.

20g (ish) of light pastry 4.5 syns

1 tsp mincemeat (0.5 syn)

Total: 5 syns each.

Enjoy!

Until next time,

Roseanne πŸ™‚

Blogmas Day 9: My top 10 Christmas films

Watching Christmas films is a sure fire way of getting into the festive spirit, and there are some brilliant Christmas films out there.

I thought I would share a few of my favourite Christmas films with you. If you havn’t seen some defiantly check them out.

Hopefully I’ll be able to fit as many of them as possible into the weeks leading up to Christmas.


Deck the halls (2006)

‘Steve, suburban dad and Christmas enthusiast, finds a wrinkle in his well-ordered existence with the arrival of his new neighbor Danny. Danny has big dreams and plans to illuminate his house with enough holiday lights to make it visible from space. Not to be outdone, Steve declares a war of one-upmanship with Danny that threatens to drag the Christmas spirit through the slush.’

How the Grinch stole Christmas (2000)

‘In this live-action adaptation of the beloved children’s tale by Dr. Seuss, the reclusive green Grinch decides to ruin Christmas for the cheery citizens of Whoville. Reluctantly joined by his hapless dog, Max, the Grinch comes down from his mountaintop home and sneaks into town to swipe everything holiday-related from the Whos. However, the bitter grump finds a hitch in his plans when he encounters the endearing Cindy Lou Who.’

Santa Clause (1994)

‘Divorced dad Scott has custody of his son on Christmas Eve. After he accidentally kills a man in a Santa suit, they are magically transported to the North Pole, where an elf explains that Scott must take Santa’s place before the next Christmas arrives. Scott thinks he’s dreaming, but over the next several months he gains weight and grows an inexplicably white beard. Maybe that night at the North Pole wasn’t a dream after all — and maybe Scott has a lot of work to do.’

the-snowman

The Snowman (1982)

This half-hour British production faithfully recreates author Raymond Briggs’ classic children’s holiday tale, in which a young boy’s snowman magically comes to life and whisks him away to the North Pole to meet Santa Claus. Appropriate for very young children, the film has no dialogue, relying instead upon its images to tell the tale.

Arthur Christmas (2011)

‘Set on Christmas night, the film tells a story about Santa Claus’s clumsy son Arthur Claus who discovers that the Santa’s high-tech ship has failed to deliver one girl’s present. In response, he goes on a mission to save her Christmas, accompanied only by his ageing grandfather, a rebellious yet enthusiastic young Christmas elf obsessed with wrapping gifts for children, and a team of eight strong, magical yet untrained reindeer.’

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Elf (2003)

‘Buddy was accidentally transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised to adulthood among Santa’s elves. Unable to shake the feeling that he doesn’t fit in, the adult Buddy travels to New York, in full elf uniform, in search of his real father. As it happens, this is Walter Hobbs, a cynical businessman. After a DNA test proves this, Walter reluctantly attempts to start a relationship with the childlike Buddy with increasingly chaotic results.’

Love Actually (2003)

‘Everywhere you look, love is causing chaos. From the bachelor Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who, on his first day at 10 Downing Street, falls in love with the girl who brings him his tea, to a hopeless sandwich delivery guy who doesn’t think he has a chance with the girls in the U.K., so he heads for Wisconsin. From aging rock stars, to a stony headmistress, to a monolingual Portuguese housemaid–love arrives in many forms, shapes and sizes. Here, ten separate–but intertwining–stories of love all lead up to a big climax on Christmas Eve, proving that love is the driving force in all of these people’s lives.’

Jack Frost (1998)

‘As a touring musician clinging to dreams of stardom, aging rocker Jack Frost never had much time for his wife, Gabby, and young son, Charlie. A year after Jack’s tragic death in a car accident on Christmas Day, Charlie plays a mournful tune on his father’s harmonica. Much to his surprise, the elder Frost is magically brought to life as a snowman on the family lawn. Given a second chance, Charlie and Jack struggle to make up for lost time.’

The Greatest store in the world (1999)

‘Geraldine and her two daughters, Livvie and Angeline, are living rough on the streets on London, just before Christmas. When their van blows up, they must find an alternative place to stay. At first, they live in temporary housing, but the conditions are unbearable. Geraldine reacts quickly and the family decides to take up residence in Scottley’s, the best department store in London. They must keep it a secret from doorman Brian (whom the girls call Mr. Whiskers), and a couple of bumbling thieves who want to rob the store safe of its jewels.

Santa, Who? (2000)

This one is a made for television film.

Santa Claus falls out of his sleigh and develops a case of amnesia right before Christmas. An afraid-of-commitment TV news reporter finds him and uses him on TV to get audience while vowing them to find his family. In the meantime, Santa works in a mall. The TV newsreporter’s girlfriend’s son repeatedly tries to convince the adults that he is the real Santa Claus, which the adults refuse to believe. All the while, Santa’s elves are looking for him. Near the end, a couple thinks it could be their grandfather who has grown a beard, and take him with them.


What’s your favourite Christmas film?

Until next time,

Roseanne πŸ™‚

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 πŸ™‚

Blogmas Day Six: My Stocking gift guide πŸŽ

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 πŸ™‚

Blogmas Day Four: A festive day out πŸŽ„πŸš‚

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! πŸŽ„πŸŽπŸŽ…β›„

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 πŸ™‚

21 days to go!

Blogmas Day Three: Festive Decorations Haul πŸŽ„

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 πŸŽ„


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 πŸ™‚

πŸŽ…πŸŽ… BLOGMAS 2018 πŸŽ…πŸŽ…

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 πŸŽ„