Tag Archives: christmas

Last Minute Christmas Presents

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To entertain the whole family

Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel board game available from Amazon 

Get into a spin this year with the ultra-competitive Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel based on the hit TV series.

This time, you’re the contestant in a race to complete your own set of seven questions and make it through to the End Game, where one final question stands in the way of victory. Compete alone or get into teams to pool your expert knowledge of the vast array of categories, but it’s not that simple, as success all depends on the spin of The Wheel…Land on gold and you’ll be rewarded with an easier ride… but watch out for the red as you’ll be shut down and thrown off The Wheel.

Now included with any purchase of The Wheel board game is the new web app allowing users to play the TV show music when spinning the board games wheel, creating the full feeling of being on the show! It’s available for all new and existing owners of the game and can be played on any web browser on mobile devices and computers. You can now sing ‘The Wheel, The Wheel, The Wheel’ to your hearts content!

With all the dizzying fun and nerve-jangling suspense of the show, it’s the board game ‘revolution’ you’ve been waiting for! The game has a vast array of question categories including science, movies, sport, TV, superheroes, video games, history and social media so something for the whole family.

Mr & Mrs Family Edition board game available from Amazon.

Mr & Mrs Pocket Edition available from Amazon

Would you be surprised to find out what your partner really thinks, or can you read them like a book? Pair up with your romantic other half, or even a friend or family member to answer in-depth and entertaining questions about each other with the Mr & Mrs Family Board Game based on the hit TV show All Star Mr & Mrs, hosted by Phillip Schofield. 

Mr & Mrs Family Edition contains questions suitable for adult couples, families and even boys and girls from the age of 10. With over 1,000 new questions designed to uncover things you may not know about your nearest and dearest, Mr & Mrs Family Edition is a great way for players to spend time together. The game features an improved Paddle Round where players sit or stand back to back and answer questions about each other such as ‘Who complains the most?’ or ‘Who is the most generous?’ It also includes the ‘It’s a Match’ bonus game – a true or false game where you can still score points for being on the same wavelength as your partner, even if you’re both wrong. It even includes some blank cards so you can write your own embarrassing questions. Guaranteed to cause laughter, blushes, blank looks and a whole lot more! The Mr&Mrs Family Edition board game is available for an RRP of £19.99 [currently discounted to £18.75] from Amazon with the Pocket Edition available for an RRP of £9.99 [currently discounted to £8.99] from Amazon

To protect hearing health and keep kids entertained. 

Puro Sound Labs BT2200 Plus Volume Limited Kids Headphones – available from Amazon.co.uk for £100 [currently discounted to £70]

In keeping with Puro Sound Labs mission to protect consumers’ hearing, the headphones are made to protect young listeners’ eardrums from early hearing damage being volume limited to 85 dB as recommended by the World Health Organization.

While the headphones are volume limited to the maximum safe listening level, they certainly do not compromise on sound quality. The Puro Balanced Response® Curve technology is engineered to deliver the finest genuine studio sound with clear, crisp vocals and full dynamic bass suitable for all genres of music. Additionally, the BT2200 Plus features a fully passive design which blocks 83% of the ambient noise @ 1kHz just by wearing them, ensuring that users can listen to their favourite tracks, audio books or YouTube undisturbed, or find their own space in shared environments.

Designed with both comfort and style in mind, the BT2200 Plus headphones boast a lightweight, construction that truly stands the test of time. As well as a durable, supple protein leather headband and ear cushions, guaranteeing a comfortable listening experience while relaxing at home or on the go. The BT2200 Plus also comes with interchangeable ear cups so children can switch from on-ear to over-ear for a better seal and more comfort. It also has a built in microphone, ideal for online learning and children will love the Daisy Chain sharing cable so favourite tracks and YouTube videos can be enjoyed with friends or siblings. 

We wish you a less wasteful Christmas

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Party Kit Network offers new solution to disposable tableware and decorations 

With the new ban on single-use plastics now in place, a UK company offers a solution to Christmas party organisers concerned about the cost and environmental impact of plastic waste generated by partyware. Party Kit Network was founded by Winchester-based Isabel Mack in 2019, concerned by the amount of single-use plastic she saw ending up in the bin at the end of children’s parties.

Party Kit Network offers a ‘sharing economy’ solution to finding fun, affordable, and reusable Christmas party items (such as plates, cups, cutlery and decorations) in the UK, Australia and beyond. Party Kit Network has tapped into two current trends: the growing interest in keeping plastic out of landfill and looking after the planet; and connecting with others to rent items rather than buy them – like the growing number of clothing rental and car sharing apps out there. 

Each party kit is independently run by eco-minded individuals, school PTA groups, community lending libraries, small party businesses and zero waste stores. The benefits are huge: the kits help to avoid unnecessary waste from single-use items, which can take hundreds of years to decompose in landfill. For a party with 30 guests, switching to reusables and hiring a party kit saves an average of 100 single-use items from landfill. And it’s often cheaper to hire a party kit than to buy the equivalent disposables, plus it’s more convenient, with everything provided in one handy box.

“Party kits offer a simple solution to a waste problem”, says Isabel. “Like the wider sharing economy, I believe they also strengthen community connections (I’m often referred to as ‘the plate lady’ in Winchester). And they can act as a catalyst – by making the swap from disposables to eco-friendly reusables easier we hopefully inspire more people to look for sustainable options in other areas of life. The appeal is truly global – we’ve just had a kit from Oklahoma join!”

What better way to have a less wasteful Christmas than sharing your party supplies? Visit https://www.partykitnetwork.org/ to find a kit near you.

The Best Christmas Winter Cocktails By Lixir Drinks

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It’s no secret we love cocktails at Frost. ONE of the best things about Christmas is the gorgeous and indulgent food and drinks that we can enjoy, guilt free, in the name of celebration and these Christmas cocktails by Lixir drinks will not fail to disappoint! Lixir have opened their drinks cabinet and bought you the best seasonal flavours, that not only taste divine but will visibly impress your guests, all with limited effort. 

Christmas Negroni

Ingredients:

  • Lixir Blood Orange & Cinnamon Tonic 
  • Gin 25ml
  • Campari 25ml
  • Lillet 25ml
  • Garnish with dehydrated orange & a candy cane 

Instructions:

1. Add the Gin, Campari and Lillet into a mixing glass. 

2. Stir for 1-2 minutes 

3. Pour over ice into a short Tumblr. 

4. Top up with Lixir Blood Orange & Cinnamon Tonic

5. Garnish with dehydrated orange and a candy cane

White Margarita

Ingredients:

  • Lixir Classic Indian Tonic 
  • Coconut syrup 25ml
  • Milk/ Oat milk 100ml
  • Silver tequila 50ml
  • Triple sec 20ml
  • Lime juice 15ml
  • Coconut rim around glass
  • Garnish with Cranberries & Lime 

Instructions:

1. Caught the rim of the glass with lime juice

2. Add the coconut flakes to the rim

3. In a shaker pour the milk/oat milk, tequila, triple sec, lime then add ice. 

4. After shaking pour into highball glass full of ice

5. Top with Lixir Classic Indian tonic to lengthen & lightly stir

5. Garnish with lime wheel and cranberries

Santa’s Bellini (Lower ABV)

Ingredients:

  • Lixir Rhubarb & Ginger Tonic 50ml
  • Prosecco 50ml
  • Sugar 25ml
  • Garnish with Mint leaves and some Jazzie sprinkles 

Instructions:

1. Combine Lixir Rhubarb & Ginger Tonic, prosecco and sugar into a shaker

2. Shake for about 2- 3 minutes

3. Then slowly pour into a flute glass

4. Garnish with mint leaves and jazzie sprinkles

Gingerbread Martini 

Ingredients:

  • Lixir Ginger Beer or Lixir Ginger Ale 
  • Vodka 50ml
  • Fresh lime juice 20ml
  • Ginger syrup 25ml
  • Garnish with Biscuit/ shortbread crumbs around rim

Instructions:

1. Add into the shaker the vodka, fresh lime juice and ginger syrup

2. Shake aggressively

3. Then pour into a chilled martini glass

4. Top with Lixir Ginger Ale or Lixir Ginger Beer

4. Garnish with Biscuit crumb rim

Photo credit @RGNproduction

Drinks development @private_mixologist

TOMY reveals the top toys every child wants to see under the Christmas tree this year

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With Christmas fast approaching and children’s letters to Father Christmas filling up quickly, leading global toy manufacturer, TOMY, is here to make this a Christmas to remember for the whole family.

Here are our top picks. I absolutely love the cute and fun Soothing Heart Panda for babies, the Dino Eggs is perfect for toddlers. It’s fun and a great way for them to learn and the MegaSketcher is a fantastic present that encourages creativity and is educational. We can’t recommend them enough.
Soothing Heart Panda

A calming plush panda after your own heart! Press the tummy to cycle through four bedtime melodies, each accompanied by a red light and a vibration synced to the rhythm of a resting heartbeat. Press it a fifth time and you’ll hear the heartbeat too! With a friendly, embroidered face and unique patterns and textures for baby to explore during play, it’s impossible not to fall in love.

RRP: £24.99

Suitable for ages 9months+

Stockists include: Amazon, Argos, Smyths, John Lewis and TRU Online 


Megasketcher

     

Take screen time offline with the Original Megasketcher magnetic drawing board. 

Megasketcher has a unique superior screen that allows budding artists to draw clear, crisp pictures everytime and now it comes with a fresh new look!

Megasketcher has been the best in the field of magnetic drawing boards for almost 30years and it’s premium quality offers the best drawing experience around and never compromsing on quality! 

Children love to draw and the Tomy Megasketcher needs no pencils to sharpen and there’s no mess, no paper, no waste and no WIFI

4 shape stampers are included to aid their designs and inspire their creativity.

Then the pictures magically disappear with one sweep of the eraser and they can start all over again!

A great product for encouraging creative minds and perfect for travel.

RRP: £18.99

Suitable for ages 3years+

Stockists include: Smyths, Argos, Amazon, Very, Littlewoods, John Lewis and Independent Toy Retailers

 

Film and TV Lovers

Spin & Hatch Dino Eggs

dino eggs, baby, toy, toys

Toomies brings that wonder to a new generation with Jurassic World Spin & Hatch Dino Eggs! These dinosaur toys are ready for adventure and designed to encourage developmental play for babies and toddlers. Spin & Hatch Dino Eggs is a spinning incubator that includes 5 cute colourful classic dinosaurs: T.rex, raptor, stegosaurus, triceratops & Pteranodon. Give each of these little dinos a shake and hear their sweet growling sounds. Matching each dinosaur with the correct colour shell encourages logic and problem-solving skills. It’s time to fill the spinning incubator with all five colourful eggs and help them hatch! Just push the lever down to watch them spin. Push faster and faster until POP! They’ve hatched! Match them up with their shells and do it again! Or load them back into the incubator and close the lid for easy storage. A fun way to work on fine motor skills while learning about action and reaction. However you choose to play, Toomies welcomes little explorers to a Jurassic World full of fun! 

RRP: £15.99

Suitable for ages 12months+

Stockists include: Amazon, Argos, Boots, The Entertainer, The Range, Tesco, John Lewis, Littlewoods, Next.co.uk, Selfridges, Very and Independent Retailers

SUNDAY SCENE: MAISIE THOMAS ON HER FAVOURITE SCENE FROM A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE FOR THE RAILWAY GIRLS

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What could be more Christmassy than a children’s party? In the latest book in The Railway Girls saga series, the friends organise a series of parties to make Christmas extra special. By Christmas 1942, following the victory at El-Alamein, there was a new sense of hope in the air, but there were still severe shortages to contend with at home.

At Miss Brown’s suggestion, some ancient curtains had been borne down from the attics and the WVS had cut them up and sewn them into velvet and chintz sashes for the children.

‘Some will have party clothes and others won’t,’ said Miss Brown. ‘This way, everyone gets something special to wear and afterwards it can all go to salvage.’

One set of red velvet curtains had been used to make a Father Christmas suit for Kenneth. One of the WVS ladies produced a curly white wig, which she allowed Cordelia to chop up and turn into a beard. Last year, Kenneth would never have offered to dress up in this way. He had been far too much of a stuffed shirt. It brought home to Cordelia that she wasn’t the only one who had changed.

She couldn’t have been more delighted with how the party went. From the moment she saw the children walk into Darley Court’s grand entrance hall, where their eyes popped open at the sight of the holly-bedecked bannisters, mantelpiece and hearth, and the two huge flags hanging proudly symbolising the friendship of two great nations, she knew the afternoon was going to be everything she’d hoped for.

She had asked if a piano could be provided.

‘But I never expected a baby grand,’ she whispered to Persephone.

Persephone grinned. ‘This is Darley Court, you know. Only the best for our guests.’

Persephone and Alison took turns to belt out popular tunes, ‘Run, Rabbit, Run’ for musical chairs, ‘It’s a Hap-Hap Happy Day’ for pass the parcel and ‘(We’re Gonna Hang Out) The Washing on the Siegfried Line’ for railway stations.

The Americans, bless their generous hearts, had provided heaps of chocolate bars. Not only could every game have first, second and thirds prizes, but there were going to be enough left over for every child to have one to take home.

While hunt the thimble was in progress, to the accompaniment of ‘Bless ’Em All’, Cordelia and her team of helpers put out the sandwiches and fairy cakes in the next room. The food might not be Christmassy, but the room was decorated and one of the land girls was going to play carols while the children tucked in.

Once all the sandwiches and little cakes had been demolished, there was a loud knock on the door.

‘Who’s that?’ asked the children, looking round.

‘Is it Father Christmas?’ asked one tot.

‘No, honey, it’s the US Army,’ announced a handsome young American soldier, walking in, followed by more soldiers, much to the delight of the children – and also, Cordelia noticed, to the delight of the women helping. Cordelia’s heart sank. Yes, the arrival of the soldiers was exciting, but was Kenneth in his guise as Father Christmas going to be upstaged?

Persephone called for silence.

‘In a moment, I’m going to ask all the children to stand up and tuck their chairs under, so we can walk outside in a nice line, because we’ve got a special visitor.’

Cordelia frowned. This wasn’t part of her plan.

Everybody trooped outside and there, coming up the drive, was an American jeep in the back of which was a big chair and sitting on it was –

‘Father Christmas!’ shouted the children, jumping up and down in excitement. ‘It’s Father Christmas.’

A little girl tugged at Cordelia’s hand. ‘Is he the American Father Christmas? Is he different to our Father Christmas?’

But Cordelia was too choked with tears of pride to answer.

 

COEUR DE LION AW22 Pearl Collection

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I have absolutely fallen in love with German hand-made jewellery brand COEUR DE LION. They have launched their AW22 pearl collection and it is stunning. I can’t think of a better Christmas present.

The pieces also include their Freshwater Pearl multi-way necklace which is available in gold and silver. Head to their website now for these beautiful pieces.

https://www.coeur-de-lion.org/

Guylian Belgian Chocolates and Snowman

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Jingle shells, jingle shells, jingle all the way…

Guylian, the premium Belgian chocolatier, has a wide range of chocolates that make the perfect gift for those you love this Christmas.

Loved all around the world for their classic chocolates, Guylian is the ideal treat for sharing and gifting, as even the most discerning gift recipients love to receive chocolate!

Guylian’s iconic Sea Shells are available in various pack formats – 65g impulse pack (RSP £1.50), 250g (RSP £5.50), 375 g (RSP £8.00 from Sainsburys and Morrisons), and for those who really want to indulge, the new 500g (RSP £10.00 from Tesco, Waitrose & Ocado)

If you’re looking for an adorable Christmas gift or stocking stuffer, check out Guylian’s Temptations Snowman, a snowman shaped box filled with six different flavoured individually wrapped Temptations. Flavours include Original Praline, Milk Truffle, Caramel, Crunchy Biscuit, Dark Praline, and Coffee.

Guylian’s Temptations Snowman is available from Lidl RRP £5.00.

They are delicious and you can’t go wrong.

Last minute Christmas gifts: Gifts under £15

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It’s almost time people so here are some fabulously gifts under £15.

Cawston Press & Adnams have teamed up for this limited-edition modern mix of shandies for the festive season – the perfect gift for the beer aficionado in your life. Featuring x3 exclusive pairings between Cawston Press’ delicious, pressed fruit sparkling drinks and the ale innovations from Adnams in a beautiful, limited-edition box, it’s a great stocking filler or special something for your beer-loving friends & family. With limited numbers available, get yours before they’re gone!

dawson

RRP £12.99 – pre-order yours from Drink Station

 

 

This winter, Bahlsen wants to tempt you to three new expertly crafted creations, perfect as stocking fillers for those who love sweet treats! Introducing the indulgent new Messino Pink Gin & Tonic, and the return of the wickedly delicious Choco Leibniz Baileys and Ohne Gleichen Baileys! Equal parts naughty and nice with an affordable price tag, these delicious treats are perfect for indulging on while opening presents. But be quick – they’re only around for the festive season, so you’ll have to act fast to snap these up before they’re gone!

 

125g per packet, RRP £1.49-£1.79, available from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, ASDA, Morrisons, and Co-op

 Pimms, sundowner

This year, iconic British drinks brand Pimm’s introduced a brand-new spritz option; Pimm’s Sundowner, a perfect aperitif for adding a little sparkle to the celebrations with friends and family this winter. With a vibrant, red festive hue, Pimm’s Sundowner expertly blends rich redcurrant and raspberry flavours to deliver a delicious, bittersweet tasting aperitif. 

 

70cl, ABV 18%, RRP £15