Christmas and New Year

After all the usual Christmas stressy build up, I broke up from work and took a breath. Then I went out to my local for the annual Christmas meet up. Everyone from my college and school days come home to their parents houses and we all catch up on the years events and it sets me up just nicely for Christmas day with the family and my fiance. I'm actually hoping that next Christmas will be my first one in my own house if we can get enough money together. Watch this space.

Christmas Day was lovely. I got thoroughly spoilt and ate far too much. A food timeline reads:

Pastries (Breakfast) ------> Christmas Dinner (Turkey and Beef) ------> Sweets (Supper)

New Year was slow starting but very fun in the end. We went to a local pub which was full of NOBODY I knew. So after a few glasses of wine the night picked up, assisted by some golden songs which all had dance routines. 'Muscle Memory'? Understatement. I hadn't a clue what my arms and legs were doing to begin with but then I realised it was SATURDAY NIGHT by Whigfield. There was also The Boat Song (Oops Upside Your Head); Macarena; Agadoo; I Am The Music Man and The Time Warp. Musical, lyrical genius. Ok, I know it sounds hilariously bad but I do love whipping out all those old school time moves :) After seeing the new year in we all moved along to a house party (and mischeviously drew willies in the condensation on car windscreens the whole way) Mature huh?

What did you all get up to this Christmas and New Year? All the best for 2011.

I'm struggling to find a reason to ever leave my bed ever again...

Hello everybody and Happy New Year. How was your Christmas? Mine was really great and I'm currently preparing a short but sweet post covering my Crimbo and New Year happenings. This post is about this marvellous invention...

A TEASMADE!!!

My Grandma used to have one of these amazing things back in the day and had told me about it (since I love tea). I'm seemingly the only one amongst my friends to know what a Teasmade is but they're soon becoming appreciative worshippers at the Swan Teasmade altar....

...So I open all my presents on Christmas day and my wonderful, fantabulous treat from my wonderful fantabulous parents was this Teasmade. Thank you parents, thanks you Swan Teasmade.

P.S. If you want one you can get them from Marks and Spencer here

Have yourself a very frugal Christmas

As I've mentioned before, I'm saving up or a house so I'm having a frugal Christmas this year. That doesn't mean I'm skimping on thought or quality. It just means things might cost a bit less! So here are some ideas I'll be adopting this year.

• Bake biscuits and/sweets and give them as gifts.
• Cut up clothes that you don't want anymore and use them to make something patchwork or cut them into heart or flower shapes of different sizes and make brooches!

• Make a scrap book of happy memories of your family or friends to give as a really thoughtful gift.
• Buy a bog standard notebook and write in the nicest and funniest memories you have with that person. They can continue to add their own memories in the future and enjoy the ones you have reminded them of!
• Any gifts you do buy, should be bought in plenty of time so you don't spend more when you're rushing at the end!

Any other skills you can bring to the party will vastly improve your chances of doing more with your money and your raw materials!