Happy Boxing Day! I've been really inspired finding images for this blog post, and as you can see I couldn't narrow it down to five, I've ended up with over twenty! Whoops! Enjoy!
I love these wreaths made from the old fashioned Christmas tree lights.
Soft pink on a wreath is a nice change from traditional red and green.
Or how about a blue/green themed wreath? Very peacock-like.
I remember the first ever Dalek Christmas tree appearing online a few years ago and blogging about it. Now there are tonnes of copycats when you Google search for them, some better than the original, some worse, all very cool though.
Hope you all have a lovely Christmas Day.
Fatty
At some point I must research this. Why do 70s' cook books' have page after page of absolutely disgusting looking recipes? Why were those meals served up and considered modern & appetising then, but are so repulsive to our eye now? And why did they put everything in jelly? Even salads??
Anyway, my third day of Christmas gift to you on this Christmas Eve should curb your appetite if you fear over eating. Just keep this blog post open on your phone tomorrow and take a quick peek if you want to put yourself off your food and not eat another mince pie.
1. BREAKFAST
Christmas breakfast is chocolate, so here we are. Probably the only thing any of us would eat willingly in this blog post.
2. LUNCH
Or Christmas dinner I suppose. Start with a prawn Christmas tree (not the last tree we will see), put your turkey in a suit, and tuck into the mash igloo.
3. DINNER
I said there would be more trees.
A sausage wreath, naturally.
Make it stop.
Schmoyoho have been making hilarious tunes and auto tuning the news on YouTube for years now.
Three years ago they put lyrical to the Home Alone theme tune, and you'll never hear it the same way again once you've heard this.
This year, they auto tuned Kevin and made an original song 'I Made My Family Disappear'.
So my second day of Christmas gift to you, is both of these songs. Also check out their latest videos where they auto tune Star Wars.
If you've never seen it, you can't believe it can be as bad as everyone says it is. But it is.
The ill-advised Star Wars Holiday Special, written by George Lucas and shown in 1978 is the stuff of legends.
Han Solo & Chewie go to visit the latter's family, and we also see appearances from Leia, Luke, CP30 and of course Darth Vader.
The definitely-not-canon ordeal includes bizarre scenes like Chewie's creepy uncle viewing what can only be described as virtual reality, 3D, soft porn.
One interesting fact- the Holiday Special is actually the first appearance of cult favourite character Boba Fett. He pops up in a cartoon animated sequence, then goes on to star in the second Star Wars movie shortly after.
So my first day of Christmas blog for you, my loyal readers, is a link to a fairly good quality version of the entire show.
If you've already seen it, and can't put yourself through it again, then why not read this Mental Floss article about the making of the Star Wars Holiday Special instead? They talk to those who were involved who I guess have come to terms with the creation they put out there.
Stayed tuned over the next eleven days for more Kitsch Christmas treats.
This Christmas I want to get knitting again. Whilst it's a little late to start hand crafting gifts, at the speed I knit anyway, the Christmas break is an ideal time to start a project.
Fenetic Wellbeing kindly sent me some Cath Kidston knitting tools, to kickstart my hobby again.
With many older people at their most vulnerable during the Winter months, Fenetic Wellbeing are currently looking into how best we can keep warm, particularly through the idea of knitting winter accessories.
My original knitting-crazy period was when I was expecting Smix. It was a hobby I could do while sitting watching tv, and I quickly was able to produce a stack of brightly coloured, woolen, baby blankets. Indeed I used my own blankets in the hospital (we had to stay 11 days after he was born), and throughout his first years.
We are so used to buying everything we need, that it's cool to know you can still make something like that yourself, to keep your family cosy.
I found knitting very relaxing and rewarding, so it's a hobby I'm excited about starting up again over the holiday break.
Keeping warm at this time of year is vital for health, especially for older people. Our oil ran out on Saturday, and while we spent the day time at my parents', on Sunday night we had a cold one, waiting until the oil was delivered on Monday morning. Wearing layers is one of the best ways to combat the cold. So we bundled up in onesies & made it through the night, but I was so relieved Monday morning wasn't one of the icy starts we've seen. I could have hugged the oil delivery driver when he arrived!
There are other ways to keep your home warmer- like making sure your sofa isn't blocking any radiators. When you are cooking, or even having a hot shower, leaving those doors open will allow heat to spread through the house. Shutting the curtains retains the heating you are pumping out, and with this being the shortest day, you can cosy up early in the evening. If you do run out of heat, as well as putting on layers, stick a hat on!
If you are quick-knitted then why not pick up your needles and follow this tutorial Fenetic Wellbeing have created for making a Christmas stocking?
I'll be sharing my finished Cath Kidston scarf on Twitter after Christmas. You can find out tips on staying warm on Twitter @FeneticTrading, or on Fenetic Wellbeing's Facebook.
Greggs has launched two limited edition flavoured lip balms just in time for Christmas – and is giving them away in nine cities across the UK, including Belfast.
With all those Christmas kisses under the mistletoe in mind, the UK’s leading bakery food on-the-go retailer has created two special festive lip balms – Festive Bake and Sweet Mince Pie flavour – offering the ultimate flavours of the season for your lips.
I burst out laughing when my parcel arrived this morning containing a sprig of mistletoe & my own set of lip balms.
The Festive Bake flavour is inspired by the taste of chicken breast, sage & onion stuffing and sweetcure bacon in a creamy sage and cranberry sauce.
The Sweet Mince Pie flavour is based on Greggs’ deliciously crumbly short crust pastry filled with sweet mincemeat, which is made with vine fruits, Bramley apple and candied orange and lemon peel.
A Greggs spokesperson, said: “This Christmas we wanted to bring some fun to the last minute present dash by giving busy shoppers the chance to pick up a festive lip balm from a number of our shops across the country."
Greggs is giving away a total of 5,000 lip balms at selected shops across the country on Monday 19 December from 10.00am until supplies run out, including:
·Belfast - Donegall Square West, BT1 6JH
·Birmingham - High Street, B4 7SL
·Cardiff - Queen Street, CF10 2BW
·Glasgow - Buchanan Street, G1 2LW
·Leeds - Central Arcade, LS1 6DX
·Liverpool - Wall Street, L1 8BU
·London - The Strand, WC2R 1JA
·Manchester - Deansgate, M3 2AY
·Newcastle - Northumberland Street, NE1 7DE
To view the full Greggs menu, or to find your nearest shop, go to: www.greggs.co.uk
Copeland Spirits is a Northern Irish brand with very cool ideas about gin flavours and cocktails. They've just launched their first two fruit infused gins, Raspberry & Mint, and Rhuberry, a combination of berries and rhubarb flavours.
Gin is really trendy right now, but there have always been speciality gin bars in cities across Europe. Copeland's fruit infusions open up a world of new cocktail ideas you can make at home, with even a partnership with a good quality tonic giving you a different spin on your favourite juniper beverage.
I tried the Rhuberry with tonic & whilst the fruit twist is there, it still retains the classic gin flavour, it's certainly not just a fruit drink for girls- it packs a punch!
Of course with such attractive packaging, Copeland gin makes an excellent Christmas gift. Right now Copeland is making its way into bars throughout Northern Ireland, but if you want to keep up to date with where you can currently try it, The Copeland Gin Facebook Page is a great place to start.
To get your hands on a whole bottle of either the Rhuberry or Raspberry & Mint, with UK wide delivery, visit Neil Wine. Here's to plenty of inventive cocktails with Copeland this Christmas!
As heard on BBC Radio 6's Lauren Laverne Show.
Winner of Highly Commended Blog in the Cosmopolitan Magazine Blog Awards 2010
Hop on over to Cosmopolitan to read my guest blogs on all sorts of vintage bits & pieces.
