Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts

Monday 22 November 2021

What is a reverse advent calendar?

Hey readers,

In recent times advent calendars have become increasingly popular. There are so many varieties and not just for children such as cheese and gin to name a few.

Some advent calendars cost a whopping £30 to £50 which I think is a crazy amount. So, instead of buying yourself an advent calendar why not do something a bit different this Christmas with a bit more meaning? Then maybe one thing to consider is to do a reverse advent calendar.

What is a reverse advent calendar?

What is a reverse advent calendar? 

Well, basically a reverse advent calendar is where you place a food item or piece of clothing into a basket every day during December or for 14 days depending on what suits you. 

When you have collected the amount you want to donate then you can take it to your local food bank or a charity to give to people who are less fortunate than you that really struggle during the Christmas period. 

It is also a great way to teach children about giving and the fact that not everyone has the luxury of having the money, home, or family to celebrate Christmas with.

 It is a time for giving and focusing less on materialism and more on helping other people in need. 

What should not be included in an adverse advent calendar?

Depending on the cause but as a general idea the items below are considered suitable items to be included in the reverse advent calendar. Though it is always good to check out your charity beforehand to be safe.

  • Dolls, teddy bears, figurines.
  • Pencils, crayons, paper, coloring books.
  • CD’s, DVD’s, books.
  • Hats, gloves, scarves.
  • Makeup, toiletries.
  • Baby clothes.
  • T-shirts, jumpers.
  • Arts and crafts, jigsaws.
  • Bath towels, hand towels, blankets.
  • Tinned goods such as fruit, tuna, baked beans, chopped tomatoes, and rice pudding.
  • Cans or (plastic) bottles of fizzy or still drinks.
  • Chocolate and sweets.
  • Biscuits and crackers.
  • Crisps and savory snacks.

  • How to do the reverse advent calendar?

    1. Choose your charity to donate your reverse advent calendar to and check what you can include.

    2. Get a box or some kind of container where you will store your items in. 

    3. Each day chooses something from your own home or go to a shop and buy something to put into the advent calendar. 

    4. Then a day or two before Christmas hand in your reverse advent calendar to your chosen charity.

    Where to find your local food bank?

    If you want to know where your local food bank is you can check out Trussell Trust website where you can type into the search engine your postcode or town to find your nearest local food bank.

    Have you done a reverse advent calendar? What are your thoughts? I love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. 

    Cheers for reading X 


    Friday 19 November 2021

    Why I hate Elf on the shelf

    Hey readers,

    What I am going to write in this post may divide opinion but it is only my opinion so don't get too distressed if you're a fan of the old Elf on The Shelf.

     I am not, lol so I am going to tell you why.
    If you haven't heard of Elf of Shelf let me give you a quick explanation about this popular trend at Christmas time. 

    It is an Elf that is sent from Santa to check up on children to see if they are being naughty or nice. 

    It derived from America from a story that was written in 2005. Parents go out and buy an Elf toy (if you buy the book there is one with it).

     Every day from the 1st of December right up to Christmas parents will bring old Elf when the kids are in bed and place him around in the home in different locations each day.

     Another addition to this phenomena some parents even add presents with the Elf to reward the child for being good.
    Why I hate Elf on The Shelf!!!11.png

    Deceitfulness.

    The idea of encouraging children to behave because the Elf is watching them can potentially encourage children to be deceitful and hide their behaviour in order to get rewards.

    Pain in the bum.

    The thought of having to think of new and creative ways for the Elf is hard work especially in December as it tends to be one of the busiest months of the year.

      There is the pressure to buy all the products that are attached to Elf on the Shelf and just encourages consumerism. 

    Not to mention the pressure on Social Media to outdo friends or acquaintances with what the elf has been up to.

    Creepy.

    There is nothing more creepy than knowing an Elf is watching you all the time and is knocking about at your home.

     Why do we need to make children feel they are being watched I much prefer to give my boys the trust in doing the right thing.

     Not to mention giving them the feeling that they have the respect of their own privacy without thinking that an Elf is constantly watching them.

    Anxiety.

    I have seen many fails on YouTube regarding Elf on The Shelf and one of the themes that made me question the whole idea of the Elf is the sheer anxiety and distress that it causes children.

     Some children have a fear of toys that come alive, especially if they have seen them in movies such as Toy Story.

    The Elf can cause some children to be petrified in case they have done something bad and will get punished. Where it could simply be the case that they have done a mistake and that it was not intentional. 

    They may feel paranoid and cause more distress, it may trigger them to be anxious when they really don't need to be,  bearing in my mind that The Elf on The Shelf lasts most of December.

    Learn.

    It is common knowledge that sometimes the best way to learn is through mistakes, but this stops children from learning through making things right when they are simple but on the naughty list. They don't get that opportunity to learn and grow as a person.

    So, there you have it, that is why I hate Elf on The Shelf? Are you a fan or do you hate like I do? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.  

    Cheers for reading X

    Sunday 14 November 2021

    My Sunday Photo 14/11/2021

    My first Christmas hot chocolate (mint) of the year from Greggs.

    Friday 12 November 2021

    Melting snowman cookie recipe

    Hey readers, 

    A nice little Christmas recipe you can do with the children is these super easy melting snowman cookies. 

    These are perfect because it is not too complicated but will get anyone in a festive mood. 

    Melting snowman cookie recipe

    What you will need.

    *  12 cookies.

     * 12 white marshmallows.
     
    * Red/green/yellow tube of writing icing.  

    * 400g of fodent icing sugar. 

    How to make the cookies.

    1. Place the icing sugar into the bowl. Start with a teaspoon of water and mix into the icing. 

    Keep adding a teaspoon of water each time until the icing gets to a runny consistency but think enough to coat on a spoon. 

    2. Cut the marshmallows in half. 

    3. Now getting the icing sugar and cover the cookie and add the marshmallow at the top of the cookie.

    4. Give the cookie a couple of minutes to set the mixture. 

    5. Get the red icing pen put two dots for the eyes and a red mouth on the marshmallow head.

    6. A yellow dot for the nose on the marshmallow head. 

    7. Get the red icing pen again and make a red scarf around the marshmallow.

    8. Use all three icing writing pens and make dots on some of the cookie's tummies.

    9. On the other half of the batch of cookies draw a yellow line down the tummy of the snowman and then yes red and green dots on the line to make it look like a snowman scarf. 

    10. Allow some time for the icing to dry onto the cookies and then there you have some melting snowman cookies.


    Enjoy!

    Cheers for reading X

    Friday 5 November 2021

    What to write in christmas cards.

    Hey readers,

    It can be hard to think of things to write on Christmas cards to friends and family. So I have a selection of texts that you can use and I have picked a mixture of different categories, enjoy!


    General Message.

    * Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May you be surrounded by all the things that bring Christmas cheer.

    * Hoping you can feel love, joy, and peace this Christmas season.

    * Keep Christmas a time of celebration and love. Don't let Christmas become a chore. Don't let Christmas bring strife to your home.

    * Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and happy holidays.

    * Have a lovely Christmas and a fantastic new year!

    * Happy Christmas! Merry wishes and Santa kisses!

    * "We hope Father Christmas brings you all you’ve asked for!"

    * "Tis the season! Wishing you peace, joy, and love!"

    * "Have a magical holiday!"

    * We want to send our warm wishes to let you know we are thinking of you this Christmas.

    Quotes.

    * Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas . . . perhaps . . .means a little bit more!’ Dr. Seuss.

    * One can never have enough socks. Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn’t get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books. from Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling.

    * Christmas is not a date. It is a state of mind. Mary Ellen Chase. One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly. Andy Rooney.

    * I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month. Harlan Miller.

    * Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. Norman Vincent Peale.

    * I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year Christmas is the spirit of giving without a thought of getting. It is happiness because we see joy in people. It is forgetting self and finding time for others. It is discarding the meaningless and stressing the true values. Thomas S. Monson.

    * Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. Calvin Coolidge.

    * Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas. – Peg Bracken.

    Funny and offensive.

    * Merry f%#@ing Christmas.

    * I think Santa should hire giants instead of elves so that he can have a faster production of gifts.

    * Rudolph has a red nose because he is drunk.

    * I would say all I want for Christmas is YOU, But I really would love a new credit card as well!

    * Christmas (noun) - The only time of year in which one can sit in front of a dead tree and eat candy out of socks.

    * Merry kiss my ass!

    * If you rustle my Brussels and pull my cracker, i'll jingle your jangles and stuff your turkey.

    * When I think about you I touch my elf.

    * It's beginning to feel like a lot like...fuck this!

    * I tried to think of the perfect thing to write on your card. Then I realized that I'll never reach perfection, so I'll just be honest. I've got nothing.

    Cheers for reading X
    3 Little Buttons

    Keep Calm and Carry On Linking Sunday

    Monday 1 November 2021

    100 gift ideas to put in a kids christmas stocking

    Hey readers,

    I was thinking of some ideas as to what to buy for my kids for their Christmas stocking. I thought I would share some ideas that may be of use if you are stuck for ideas as to what to put in a Christmas stocking. 
    100 gift ideas to put in a kids christmas stocking

     1. Playing cards.

    2. Silly Putty. 

    3. Facemask. 

    4. Glow sticks. 

    5. Glow in the dark stars. 

    6. Mitton/gloves.

    7. Nail stickers.

    8. Puzzle books.

    9. Mini flashlights. 

    10. Key chain. 

    11. Seed packets.

    12. Booklight. 

    13. Bookmark.

    14. Finger paints.

    15. Rubbers. 

    16. Scented pencils.

    17. Small notebook.

    18. Kinetic sand.

    19. Socks.

    20. Sunglasses.

    21. Scarf.

    22. Small toy cars.

    23. Rubik's cube.

    24. Chalk.

    25. Calculator.

    26. Flashcards.

    27. Tattoos. 

    28.  Silly bands. 

    29. Silly string.

    30. Rubber duckies.

    31. Lego mini-figures.

    32. Stickers.

    33. Bubbles.

    34. Lip balm.

    35. Small bottle of hand sanitizer.

    36. Harmonica.

    37. Wallet.

    38. Slinky.

    39. Tamagotchi.

    40. Kinetic desk toys.

    41. Fidget toy.

    42. Hatching grow eggs.

    43. Lego dot bracelet. 

    44. Uno card game.

    45. Walkie-talkies.

    46. Toothbrush timer.

    47. Toothbrush. 

    48. Gel pens. 

    49. Pencil case.

    50. Oranges/apples.

    51. Slime.

    52. Chocolate coins. 

    53. Chocolate Santa

    54. Playdoh.

    55. Kids jewellery. 

    56. Nail polish.

    57. Hair accessories. 

    58. Kids watch.

    59. Magic milked flavour straws. 

    60. Pez dispensers

    61. Silly straws.

    62. Shower gel.

    63. Bubble bath.

    64. Christmas fun mad libs. 

    65. Bicycle lights.

    66. Headlamp.
     
    67. Skipping rope. 

    68. Water bottle.

    69. A cup with a fun design that your kid likes. 

    70. Magnifying glass. 

    71. Instant snow in a jar. 

    72. Mini scratch art notepads.

    73. Colouring pens.

    74. Liquid chalk markers. 

    75. Washi tape.

    76. Rubberband ball kit. 

    77. A coin.

    78. Snow globe.

    79. Whoopee cushion.

    80. Stress ball. 

    81. Stuffed toy. 

    82. Baking kit.
     
    83. Sticky note pad. 

    84. A mini etch-a-sketch.

    85. Mini water pistol

    86. Small spirograph.

    87. Yo-yo.

    88. Hot chocolate packet. 

    89. Frisbee. 

    90. Slap bracelet.

    91. Marbles. 

    92. Bath slime. 

    93. Fart trumpet. 

    94. Mental brain teaser game. 

    95. Pass the pigs game. 

    96. Fart card game.

    97. Pop it. 

    98. Mini lava lamp.

    99. Binoculars.

    100. Foil art. 

    Cheers for reading X 


    Keep Calm and Carry On Linking Sunday
    3 Little Buttons

    Sunday 27 December 2020

    My Sunday photo 27/12/2020

    Sunday 20 December 2020

    My Sunday photo 20/12/2020

    Monday 14 December 2020

    Classic Christmas Traditions.


    Hey readers,

    We all have the memories of things we did in our childhood, especially for Christmas that we hold on to and want to share with our children. 

    I am going to share some of mine that we do for my children at Christmas.

    classic christmas traditions



    Let's start with a golden oldie, leaving a plate with a mince pie, carrot and drink on the night of Christmas Eve. Obliviously, we as parents will have to leave some crumbs and icing sugar to let the child know Santa has been. 

    In the morning when they see the plate they are beyond happy especially as they link to presents.

    Image result for christmas plate santa

    Having a select day to decorate the tree in December with the kiddos happens every year. It is a challenge for us parents to not want to kill our children due to the chaos but overall it is jolly good fun. 

    That does not stop us, adults, though sneakily later on in the evening go and rearrange the tree.

    Image result for children decorating christmas tree

    On Christmas Eve we get into our comfy clean PJs to settle down early evening and watch whatever 'premiere' child-friendly cartoon is on and this year.

    Another tradition that we do is write a letter to Santa to let him know that your child has been good and what your child would dearly love this year. This year my eldest basically wanted everything in Smyth's store ;)

    Followed by at Christmas we do a reply letter from Santa, AKA mummy to tell my little darling how lovely they have been. 

    Let's forget all about the bad times because Christmas is meant to be all lovely and warm. This will be left for Christmas Day.

    Every year with my children we make a Christmas decoration (brought from the lovely Poundland) to go on our Christmas tree.

    Finally, the last thing I love doing with my children is on Christmas Day after dinner going for a walk, more than likely to the park. There is something lovely about going outdoors when the majority of people are indoors. There is a strange type of eeriness to it.

    Cheers for reading X

    Friday 11 December 2020

    43 christmas puns that are snow good.

     
    Hey readers,

    What is more fun than pun???? A Christmas pun of course! I have gathered 70 Christmas puns perfect to use on social media or even writing on a Christmas card for someone. 

    43 christmas puns that are snow good.



    1. I've got a bad case of resting grinch face.

    2. Nobody touch the roast - I'll have the final sleigh. 

    3. Line up, kids, cause I'm about to make it rein.

    4. With family and friends gathered around, I'm feeling a little extra Santa-mental.

    5. I'm a rebel without a Claus.

    6. I want to Spruce things up this year, so I bought a bigger tree.

    7. All this holiday cheer has me feeling pine.

    8. Birch better have my presents.

    9. I'm feeling the holiday cheer fir sure.

    10. Line up to get your food - you snow the drill.

    11.Shake it like a pole-oriod picture. 

    12. I’m pine-ing for you. 

    13. Sleigh my name, sleigh my name. 

    14. All the jingle ladies, all the jingle ladies… 

    15. There’s snow place like home. 

    16. The snuggle is real. 

    17. Believe in your elf.

    18. Up to snow good.

    19. The Christmas alphabet has Noel.

    21. Yule be sorry.

    22. I'm s-mitten.

    23. Snow on and snow forth.

    24. It's ice to meet you.

    25. I have the final sleigh.

    26. Have a tree-mendous Christmas.

    27. Love at frost sight!

    28. Your presents is requested.

    29. Believe in your elf.

    30. It's lit.

    31. How rude-olf you.

    32. I'm Claus-trophobic.

    33. Christmas has me feeling extra Santa-mental.

    34. Rebel without a Claus.

    35. Time to spruce things up.

    36. I'm feelin' pine.

    37. You snow the drill.

    38. Let's take an elfie.

    39. Say it ain't snow.

    40. You're sleigh-in' it.

    41. This is snow laughing matter!

    42. I'm elf-taught.

    43. Have your elf a merry little Christmas.

    Cheers for reading X