Celebrate Halloween With Bakerdays*

 Long time readers of my blog may remember I've spoken about Bakerdays a few times before and each time I've been so impressed. Bakerdays deliver celebration cakes & letterbox cakes all over the UK and they've even branched out into brownies and cupcakes too since I last worked with them so whatever the occasion, they have you covered. I was recently sent their Haunted House Small Party Cake & couldn't wait to share my thoughts.What I love about Bakerdays is how you can personalise your order in a number of ways. Whether you want to include a special message or photo or want to celebrate with a certain theme, there's so many options. You can also choose which flavour you'd like if opting for cake including Chocolate Chip, Lemon Drizzle, Fruit or Classic Victoria Sponge just to name a few. There's even a Vegan Sponge option and Dairy Free! When it comes to the size of the cake, you could opt for a simple letterbox cake which I've spoken about before, these serve 2-4 people and are ideal if you want to surprise someone or want to send a unique gift. Always securely wrapped, there's no need to worry about the condition it could arrive in as Bakerdays have thought of everything. You can get bigger sized cakes too if you'd prefer ranging from a small cake which serves 10-12 all the way upto a large cake which serves 40-55 people! Ideal for a party or large celebration.Now onto the Haunted House Cake I received. With Halloween literally just round the corner, I thought this was perfect to showcase and it fits the theme brilliantly. I was so happy with the design of this and it stayed perfectly intact on it's journey to me. It was securely wrapped and boxed up on arrival ensuring not only protection but also freshness. We've tried several flavours from Bakerdays but this time we went for the Classic Sponge which had a layer of jam and a layer of vanilla cream between plain sponge, covered in a rich icing. What always impresses me with these cakes is just how moist they are. The cake is so soft and even days later still tastes just as fresh. The jam wasn't too overpowering which I sometimes find with a Victoria Sponge style cake and the icing was lovely. Surprisingly not too sweet and it went really well with the cake.The size of the cake is perfect for around 10 people and we still have plenty left to enjoy over Halloween. Now onto the cost. If you're going for a letterbox cake they're priced from £14.99 which I think is really reasonable for the size and quality of cake you're getting and the convenience of delivery. A small party cake is £39.99, medium £49.99 and finally large £69.99. Delivery can be as quick as the next day in the UK for £4.99 and you can also add extras to your order including balloons, candles and gifts which is such a lovely added touch.These cakes are ideal for all sorts of events and make a really special gift so are definitely worth considering in the future. They're available all year round but have lots of themed bakes at various points so with Christmas coming up, maybe it's the perfect opportunity to check them out!

Thanks so much to Bakerdays for working with me again on this post. Let me know if you've tried anything from Bakerdays before or feel inspired too now!

*Cake provided for purpose of this review

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Bath Travel Guide

 It's been quite a while since I last wrote a travel guide but I thought it was about time I share my tips and ideas for the beautiful city of Bath. We've been 4 times now which may seem excessive but it's almost becoming tradition to visit around our anniversary now which is what we did just a few months ago. It's become a bit like London for me now in that sometimes you just find a place that you connect with and have lots of happy memories so why wouldn't we want to keep going back? As we've been quite a lot, here are some of my recommendations which I hope will help if you'd like to visit in future.

Where to Stay

Let's start with the hotel I'd personally recommend whilst in bath, Hotel Indigo. We've stayed here every trip so far because it's just a really nice hotel. The interiors are gorgeous, as soon as you walk into reception you're hit with the scent of basically a spa and the whole check in area is just lovely. The rooms are all designed so uniquely and I love seeing what kind of room we end up with each time. It's in a great location, literally round the corner from Bath Abbey and an array of restaurants and shops and it's directly across from a car park and just down the road from the train station so ideal however you're travelling. It can be pricey depending on time of year but I'd recommend regularly checking in the run upto your trip as prices do come down and you can easily rebook at the cheaper price. Another hotel I see recommended a lot is The Abbey Hotel which is in a similar area and there's also several Premier Inns dotted in and around the centre if you're looking for a more budget friendly option. 

What to See/Do

Bath Abbey

The most obvious attraction I'm sure but one I do really recommend. It's such a focal point of the centre of Bath. It's really special inside and I love having a chilled walk around mid afternoon taking in all of the information and sights. I'm not religious but it's quite nice sitting and listening too when there is something going on inside. It's around £8 per person to visit.

The Royal Crescent

Another of the main attractions in Bath, the Circus and Royal Crescent. It's such a lovely area, especially in the summer as there are benches dotted around and a huge patch of grass so you can sit and enjoy the sun. If you're a Bridgerton fan you'll spot a few places from the show here including the home of the Featheringtons.

Victoria Falls Adventure Golf

Just down from the Royal Crescent, you can find Victoria Falls Adventure Golf. We love a game of mini golf and we've been coming back to this for the last few summers. It's an 18 hole course so can take a little while, especially when it's busy but take your time and have fun! I'd recommend booking in advance if you can.

Toppings & Company Book Shop

If you're a book lover, you must visit Toppings & Company! It is the most incredible book shop and we visit pretty much everyday when we're there. You'll find every book you could imagine here, there are several floors and you can even get free hot drinks so you can sit and read whilst you're there. Just love it.

Roman Baths

This feels like something you have to do in Bath at one point or another. We did this during our first trip in 2022 and I'm sure we'll go again one day. It's full of history and they have some really cool interactive ways of showing you what life was like once. You can go through at your own pace so I'd recommend freeing up 1-2 hours in your day for it. It's around £28 per person to visit.

Independent Shops

Whilst you can find most of your favourite chain shops in Bath, it's also full of lovely, independent businesses and it's always great to support them isn't it. The homeware shops in particular are brilliant and there are a few I always make sure I return to when we're there. Vinegar Hill and Sam Wilson Studio are two I recommend for all things decor.

Food

Mrs Potts Chocolate Shop

The absolute #1 recommendation when it comes to food. Mrs Potts is a chocolate cafe where you can get all manner of decadent cakes, brownies, cookies, milkshakes and so much more. The Matilda cake is pure chocolate heaven but honestly everything we've ever tried there has been delicious. This is a must for us every single trip!

Bertinet Bakery

I love pastry. Especially croissants and pain au chocolate which Bertinet Bakery do incredibly well. We found this place on a whim but it's become another staple for us now. Their pastries are so buttery and flaky and they also do some incredible babkas in a variety of flavours aswell as mini loaf cakes, cookies and even things like mince pies at christmas.

Joya

If there is one restaurant you must try whilst in Bath, it's Joya. An Italian Steakhouse with a menu full of choice, from things like Steak which you can opt to cook yourself on a hot stone, to a range of gorgeous pasta and risotto and they also do some amazing desserts - we particularly love the Tiramisu. The service is always great too and if it's a special occasion they'll often throw in free prosecco or do something to help you celebrate which is such a bonus.

Bandook

Another must of ours, usually on the last night as it always feels like such a special way to end each trip - Bandook. An Indian restaurant which I genuinely couldn't recommend enough. We like to get a variety of small plates, we particularly love the Samosa Chaat, Pocket Kebab & Kerala Chicken but they have a huge menu to choose from so you're spoilt for choice. The cocktails/mocktails are beautiful too!

A few other places worth a mention, Dough for delicious pizza, Bakervee for NYC style cookies and Rosarios for coffee!

Travel

When you're in Bath, most things are really walkable and as it's such a picturesque city it's a perfect way to take everything in, aswell as lots of photo opportunities. That being said I always recommend the Big Bus Tours when they're available in a city as they're such a great way of getting your bearings and are a convenient hop on/hop off option. You can usually get 48 hour tickets so no need to cram everything into one day either. There's even a boat tour you can do too but we've yet to tick that off our list. In terms of travelling into Bath, it all depends on where you're coming from but if driving, there's convenient parking dotted around the city centre and the train station is less than 10 minutes walk away from the centre.So, that wraps up my Bath travel guide. Just some of my tips and highlights of a beautiful city that I already can't wait to go back to again one day! Whenever you go, whether the peak of Summer or the during the Christmas period, there's something for everyone and so much to discover.

Have you visited Bath?

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Meet Paddington!

 Well, Hi! It's been a little while again. I think my last post was in July 2022 and whilst I knew my full time blogging days were behind me, I had hoped I might try and get a few posts up before the end of the year but clearly that didn't happen. In some ways loads of things have happened since then and in other ways, there isn't a huge amount of difference. One big thing that has happened since I last blogged though is that we got another dog. Meet Paddington!As I'm sure you know, we already have our Bear who is about to turn 4 this month! We've wanted to get him a brother or sister for a long time and once we moved into our house, it was only a matter of time. We first met Paddington in the summer of 2022 and he came home in September. He's a cockapoo so has bundles of energy, too much sometimes and he's already over 6 months old!I'm gonna be honest, everyone on social media shows how getting a second dog is the most perfect thing and how the older dog just takes to the puppy and it's all wonderful but that wasn't really the case for us. Of course, we loved him from the moment we met him but Bear has taken a little while to get used to having another dog around the house. Even now, while he loves playing with Paddington and when he's in a really good mood will snuggle upto him (usually in the car), we're still not quite at the OMG BEST BUDS stage. Not everyday at least. Paddington adores him but Bear is so used to being an only dog, sometimes I think he's just waiting for him to go home. That being said, he'd miss him if he wasn't around, I just know it. That might all sound quite negative but I think it's important to be honest & I wish I'd seen more chat like this from other dog parents. Paddington is part of the pack now and we wouldn't change him for anything but it's been hard and I think it's okay to acknowledge that!We were both as ready as we were going to be to enter the puppy stage again but it's not until you're actually back in it, you realise how hard it was the first time round. Luckily as we've done it before we've been so much better at certain things like training and setting certain boundaries straight away that we didn't with Bear. Whilst we absolutely won't be doing this again for a good few years (if not longer.. as much as I'd love a house full of dogs) I do think we'll only learn even more each time & get more and more confident.

I don't really think there's loads more to say about Paddington at the moment but I just thought it was about time I introduce him properly! He is such a character and wouldn't harm a soul, I still can't believe he's ours after wanting another dog for so long. I'd love to know if you've got a second dog at any point and how you found it?I have the best intentions to get back to blogging occasionally so hopefully I'll stick to it this time. We have some fun trips to London planned so I'd love to document those and we're also off to Amsterdam in a few months so I know that's the sort of post I'll love to look back on in the future!

Hopefully speak to you soon! x

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A Mid Year Look At My 2021 Goals For The Year

 At the start of 2021, I set myself a few personal goals and a few business goals and like every year, in the Summer, I like to take a look at where I'm at and see if I'm sort of 'on track' to achieve everything I hoped. I definitely didn't set myself as many goals this year as I have in the past just because the last year has been hard for so many of us and who wants all that that extra pressure to achieve loads of stuff? That being said, I do find setting myself little goals really keeps me motivated so I always have a few things in mind. So, here's a mid year look at my 2021 goals for the year. I'd love to know how you're getting on with any goals you set too!

Reach 150 Etsy Sales
I went into 2021 on about 55 sales after opening my shop Bear's Brownies & More in October and I was SO proud of myself for reaching that in just a few months. When I decided to take the plunge and start up my own baking business, I had absolutely no idea how it was going to go. I fully expected I might get a few sales and then it would quickly stop but luckily that didn't happen and that's mainly due to the support I've had from the blogging community. It overwhelms me how kind people can be online who I hardly even know so if that's you and you've contributed in any way, thank you so much! As I didn't know how the shop might go this year, I decided I would aim for reaching 150 sales by the end of the year. I hit that in March! That just makes me so happy and the buzz of getting a sale never goes away. I'm hoping to reach 200 sales now but I might up it at some point if I'm feeling confident! I've definitely noticed sales slowing down a little since lockdown lifted which is understandable, I think so many small businesses are feeling it right now but I'm sure it will pick up again soon.

Reach 1000 Followers on the Bear's Brownies & More Instagram
Another business goal this year is to hit 1000 followers on the Bear's Brownies & More instagram. I'm now on about 730 followers which I'm really pleased with and I'm hopeful I'll reach my goal later in the year. Instagram can be such a pain though so I won't be too disappointed if not, sometimes it seems like you can be doing all the 'right' things and it still won't matter. If you'd like to follow us & see all of our delicious bakes, this is the link to our Insta!

Buy A House
That follows on nicely from my last point, we bought a house! I was very brief about this in my goals post in January as by that point we'd already had an offer accepted and knew we were in the process of buying but I didn't want to jinx anything! I knew buying a house would be stressful but I don't think I quite anticipated just how bad it would be at times. We had SO many delays, we should have been in far earlier than we were but by May we got the keys and I can't quite explain how good it felt to finally step into the house knowing it was ours. I genuinely think this is the happiest we've ever been. Bear absolutely loves it, the living room is my happy place as it's decorated how I always wanted and we have so many exciting plans for it over the next few years. So so proud of us for achieving this.

Read 80 Books
I'm not doing so well with my reading challenge for 2021 I've gotta say. I knew I wasn't likely to read as many books as I have over the last few years due to moving and also because of the shop but I've seriously slacked with it this year. I think I'm about 20 books behind schedule according to goodreads and I can't remember the last time I properly picked up a book and read for a while. I'd still love to read 80 books by the end of the year but if I don't, it really doesn't matter. I want to make sure I'm not just reading for the sake of it and rushing through everything.

So that's a little mid year look at my 2021 goals. Apart from one or two, they're going pretty well I think! I'm really excited to see where I'm at with my business by the end of the year and I also can't wait to keep making this house a home and making little changes in the coming months.

Did you set yourself any goals this year?

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Lockdown Favourites - The BEST waffles, Firefly Lane, Small Businesses & More

 It's been a few weeks but I'm back with another post and today it's all about my lockdown favourites! It's been such a long time since I last shared a favourites post and gone are the days where I would post them every month but there's quite a few things I've been absolutely loving over the last few weeks whilst we've been in lockdown that I wanted to talk to you about!

The BEST waffles
It's really been the little things that have got me through this latest lockdown. Saturday night date nights where we'll cook a really nice meal and watch a film (or The Masked Singer, I was obsessed). Winter walks with Bear. A special breakfast. There's been so little to look forward to that it really made me appreciate the things I probably wouldn't think much of otherwise. Last year we found this amazing cafe on one of our walks with Bear and ever since we have become regulars. I can't wait for the day we can sit inside rather than having to get takeaway but regardless the food is just incredible. Every so often we'll grab breakfast and a hot chocolate and my current fave of theirs is the waffles. Just look at them. I think about them most days.

Small Businesses
I've bought from so many small businesses since I opened Bear's Brownies and More so it felt right I share some of them with you! I think having my own small business means I've really noticed how much I was shopping with bigger companies and it's not that I've stopped completely but for Christmas and any events since, I've been shopping small and I can't see myself stopping. There are SO many amazing small businesses out there and I'd support them all if I could. I know just how much 1 sale can completely turn your day around. Some of my fave small businesses to support recently have been Molly Catherine Designs for the most beautiful bookmarks, cards, prints and notebooks. PercyandBream for homemade dog treats. We bought some for Bear's birthday recently as they can be personalised and he loved them! DragonflyByNicki for face masks, dog bandanas and more. Bear loves his Star Wars bandana that he proudly wore on his birthday walk. SunshineSurprisesUK for brilliant cards for all events. Both George and I have bought from them several times! Fab for fans of musicals, Gavin and Stacey, Schitt's Creek and Bridgerton just to name a few things. SiobhanPrints for musical prints, custom prints, stickers and more. Finally, KilnersKreations has become a go to of mine recently for Bear. They sell an amazing range of dog toys aswell as bows, treat bags and lots more.

Firefly Lane
This is a pretty new addition to Netflix and quite quickly it received so much praise online so of course I was drawn in and had to know what the hype was about. This is based on a book of the same name by Kristin Hannah and it stars Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke as Tully and Kate. Tully and Kate first meet when they're teenagers on Firefly Lane and quite quickly they become inseparable. This follows the ups and downs of their friendships and relationships over 30 years. I found this such an easy watch and I just hope they do another series. I loved the characters and I thought Katherine Heigl in particular was brilliant. It's easily a show you could sit and binge-watch all in one go!

Line of Duty
Another show that I've been absolutely loving is Line of Duty. We've watched it all before but in the run up to the new series which starts later this week we've re-watched from Series 2 onwards and it's been such a good distraction from everything that's been going on. I think it's one of the best dramas out there and even though I've seen all of the episodes before, it does feel like with each re-watch you discover things you didn't notice before. The cast are fab and Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar are just amazing as Steve, Kate and Ted. I cannot wait for series 6.

Bear's Birthday
It was Bear's birthday in February and I can't quite believe he's 2 already. Of course he was completely spoilt and I went over the top in every way for him. We took him for a long walk, popped into Pets At Home where he picked a new toy and some treats and he also had presents to unwrap afterwards which he has shown very little interest in since, of course. He's definitely a spoilt pup but I don't care, he gets me through some really tough days and I genuinely don't know what we would do without him. It blows my mind how long ago it feels when we first met him at 3 weeks and now he's this 2 year old dog with the funniest/craziest personality. Just love him so much.

Mowgli Nights
As I mentioned at the start of this post, Saturday nights have become date nights at home and it's really given us something to look forward to each week. Each weekend we'll cook a really nice meal and make a bit more effort and more often than not it's ended up being something from the Mowgli Cookbook by Nisha Katona. I know I've said it so many times but we first visited Mowgli in Oxford last year and ever since I've just become obsessed with all of the food. George got me the recipe book for Christmas and we're working our way through them all. My fave so far is the Angry Chicken Rotis with spicy curry potatoes but the Butter Chicken recipe is out of this world too. I couldn't recommend the book enough if you want to try out some new meals this year. 

Taylor Swift
Finally, I have become a bit of a Taylor Swift fan girl this lockdown. I know I'm so late to the party but I've finally discovered the greatness that is Folklore and Evermore. I just didn't really give either of them a chance when they were first released, I've always loved the older stuff from Taylor but a few months ago I properly listened to all of the songs and wow. I'm pretty sure my Spotify wrapped this year will just be Taylor Swift. 

So that's some of the things that have got me through this latest (& hopefully last) lockdown! You might have noticed that blog posts are very few and far between at the moment and I am hoping to continue posting once a week but I do keep getting that niggling feeling that my time blogging is coming to an end. Opening Bear's Brownies & More has just given me something else to focus on and sometimes blogging can feel like a bit of a chore now which I don't want. I want to love it and only ever post when I want to. So, if there doesn't seem to be much of a schedule around here anymore, that's why! It's been a tough few months for all of us so maybe that's been contributing more than I realised. 

Have you found yourself struggling with blogging recently too? How have you found this lockdown?

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My Top 5 of 2020 - The Things That Got Me Through A Tough Year

 I'm not going to lie, this post is totally inspired by the Zoella team's top 5 blog post which was shared just recently but as soon as I read it, I knew I had to do something similar. 2020 has been awful, or at the least the majority of it has but I think where we can, it's important to look for the positives. This was still a year of our life and whilst I'm sure it's not one a lot of us will want to look back on often, I still think it would be nice to pick a few things that got us through. I'm going to share my favourite tv show, book, memory, hobby and album of 2020 and I'd love to know what yours were too!

TV Show
It's got to be Normal People. This was released during the first lockdown and honestly it was the thing that got me through those first few weeks! I've read the book too and whilst I enjoyed that, there's just something special about the TV adaptation. The casting of Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal as Marianne and Connell was just perfect in every way and the chemistry was insane. They brought the story to life in a way I don't think anyone else could have and I still think about some of the scenes. To me, Normal People just sums up that first love feeling and I think Sally Rooney has got the intensity and all the feelings that come with that spot on. I've already re-watched this since Spring and I know I'll go back to it time and time again.

Book
I'll be sharing my top 5 books of 2020 next week so I'll keep this short but my favourite book of the year has to be The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It had sat on my bookshelf for months and months but after seeing it all over Instagram at one point, I finally started it and I pretty much read it in one go. It was like a movie playing out in my head. I could picture every single little thing and the characters felt so real to me. It genuinely felt like Evelyn Hugo could be in Hollywood right now living this life. Just incredible.

Memory
Despite how crap 2020 has been, I do have some really fond memories, some from before lockdown was even a thing and some from the months where we actually got our lives back a little. One of the main things from 2020 I think about often is when we went to London for my birthday in January. We saw Les Mis and it was incredible. I miss the theatre so much and will never take it for granted again. Another memory that stands out is when we went to Oxford in September. We seemed to have a few months over Summer and Autumn where things weren't too bad and we all started to get out there a little bit again. It was the most beautiful city and I can't wait to go back as soon as we can. I think as we hadn't done anything like that for so long, it felt even more special.

Hobby
I've kind of turned my hobby of baking into a job now with Bear's Brownies and More but it's something I did a lot of in the first lockdown and the months that followed. There was so little to do so I just found myself in the kitchen all the time baking or cooking and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Who knows if without that I'd have decided to start my own business? Also I don't know if it really counts as a hobby but I became a bit obsessed with TikTok earlier this year and it's actually not even funny the amount of time I can pass just scrolling through now.

Album
I saw & Juliet last September in Manchester and I LOVED it more than I can put into words so ever since I've endlessly played the cast recording. I listened to it a lot in Spring and Summer, meaning it was pretty much the only thing in my Spotify wrapped but I'm still not bored of it and don't think I ever could be. It makes me miss theatre even more when I listen to it but I know that first show back which I really hope to be there for in London is going to be electric. This has definitely got me through some down days.

I'd love to know what makes your top 5 this year! Do you have a favourite memory from 2020 despite everything?

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The Christmas Films You Need To Watch This December

 I know I talk about films a lot on my blog, sharing Disney+ picks most recently and of course many Netflix recommendations but to be honest, there's not been a great deal to do recently apart from binge-watch boxsets, have many a movie night in and read. Or that's at least what I've been doing in lockdown 2.0. I can't say I'm feeling quite as festive as I usually would be at this time of year but I'm trying my best to get into the spirit of things. Each Christmas I love nothing more than a cosy night in with the duvet, the christmas tree lights lit and a hot chocolate and of course a cheesy Christmas film. I've shared lots of my favourite festive films over the years (best believe I'll be watching Love Actually for the 17th millionth time & crying at THAT Emma Thompson scene) but this year I wanted to share some of the new movies that have come out over the last year that I think you NEED to watch this December. We all need a little joy right now and these films are sure to bring that to you.

Last Christmas
George and I always try to get a cinema date in around Christmas (very sad that won't be happening this year) and last year's film was Last Christmas. It was the first film that popped into my mind when planning this post. To me, it's exactly what a Christmas film should be. It's funny, it's romantic, it's London at Christmas which is just the best and it's the perfect movie to really get you feeling festive. Emilia Clarke plays Katrina, an aspiring singer who's had a tough few years. Working as an Elf in Covent Garden, her life changes when she meets Tom but is it all too good to be true? It's quite emotional at times and just as much about Katrina finding herself and getting her life back on track as it is about romance so something everyone can enjoy in my opinion.

The Princess Switch: Switched Again
Okay I'm not gonna act like this is anything other than pure cheese but some days that's just what you need. The Princess Switch: Switched Again is the sequel to the 2018 film The Princess Switch starring Vanessa Hudgens so it will obviously make more sense if you watch that before this. In this, Vanessa Hudgens plays 3 characters so it's definitely a little confusing at times but actually quite funny and really festive. The sequel sees Duchess Margaret (just one of Vanessa's characters) unexpectedly inherit the throne to Montenaro. Netflix are fab for always coming out those Christmas films that really you should probably hate but actually end up loving.

Write Before Christmas
I first watched this last year just after it was released but this year it seems to be playing quite often on Christmas24 so plenty of opportunity to catch it. This is definitely one of the better films I've seen on Christmas24 in recent years and it has Chad Michael Murray in it so what's not to love? In Write Before Christmas, Jessica decides to send Christmas cards out to 5 people who've had an impact on her life, one of them being a famous singer. By doing this she meets photographer Luke and there's an instant connection. It's so heartwarming, has the cutest dog in it and really gave me that festive feeling.

Happiest Season 
As soon as I saw the trailer for this just a few months ago I knew I was going to love it. With a cast including Kristen Stewart, Dan Levy and Aubrey Plaza, it was always going to be good. Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis play girlfriends Abby and Harper. They head to Harper's parents for Christmas and Abby plans to propose but there's a problem. Harper hasn't come out to her parents yet and her family are complicated to say the least. It might not sound like the most christmassy film ever but it's got that cheesy, heartwarming feel we all love with a Christmas film. It's got some hilarious moments throughout (mainly because of Dan Levy let's be honest) and at the heart of it is a story that a lot of people can probably relate to. I loved it.

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
If you liked The Greatest Showman, I think you'll like Jingle Jangle. I had no idea this was a musical film until I started it but it works so well! Jingle Jangle is brand new to Netflix and stars Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key and Hugh Bonneville just to name a few people but the star of film has to be Madalen Mills as Journey. Jingle Jangle tells the story of a once joyful toy maker whose apprentice many years ago betrayed him and stole all of his inventions. His young granddaughter, Journey, arrives unexpectedly one Christmas and it turns out she's going to change both of their lives forever. It's a really charming film and the music is brilliant. A great one for a cosy Saturday night in with the family.

So that wraps up the 5 Christmas films I think you NEED to watch this December. I can't quite believe Christmas is less than two weeks away, how has that even happened?! 

Have you watched any of these festive films?

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My 2020 Men's Christmas Gift Guide*

AD - This post contains gifted items. Gifted items will be marked *

 Following on from yesterdays post which was my Women's Christmas gift guide, today I'm sharing my suggestions for the men in our lives. I find men so difficult to buy for so I always turn to gift guides at this time of year so I really hope this helps if you've been stuck for ideas!

The Natural Barber Co Hairstyling Products*
Men love beauty and grooming as much as us ladies sometimes I think and The Natural Barber Co are a fab brand to turn to for hair products this Christmas. Using natural ingredients, these hair pastes are not only great for your man's hair but also for the environment! They're free from petrolatum, mineral oils, parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrance and other nasty chemicals which makes them a winner in my eyes. There are two pastes available, Zeus Pomade and Hades Matte Paste. The Zeus Pomade is ideal for a shiny finish, use for slick backs and hair control. The Hades Matte Paste is a lightweight matte paste so perfect for adding texture and thickness. Both of these are available at The Natural Barber Co for £16.95 each.

Lynx Car Fresheners*
For the men who love Lynx, instead of a standard gift set this year why not branch out and treat him to some of the new Lynx Car Fresheners? Available at Halfords, these car fresheners promise to slowly infuse the Lynx aroma, promising at least 30 days of freshness. Each fragrance has been harnessed into a sleek diffuser so not only smells amazing but looks smart in the car too. There are 5 scents available to choose from including Lynx Africa, Lynx Gold, Lynx Black, Ice Chill and Dark Temptation and all are only £3.99. A great little stocking filler!

Digby Dog Glasses Stand
This is maybe just one for the dog lovers but as soon as I saw it I knew I had to include it in this gift guide! This is the Digby Dog Glasses Stand from Next which would be perfect on a bedside table. I often find things just get left lying around on bedsides tables so anything that can help with the clutter like this is brilliant. It's only £12 and they have a whole range of similar items too.

Personalised Washbag
For anyone you know who travels a lot, how nice is this personalised washbag? I found it on Etsy so you'd be helping support a small business! It's often not until packing for a trip that you realise you've not got things like this and there's no harm in being prepared for those 2021 holidays (fingers crossed). This is available in either black or brown and you can choose the initial colour too. I think it looks really sleek and high end but luckily the price is just under £15.

Historic Newspapers Football History Book*
Next up is something I jumped at the chance to review as I knew it would be something George would love. Historic Newspapers are the world's largest archive of over 3 million old newspapers dating back over 100 years and you can choose from either Personalised Football History Books or Personalised War History Books so these could be a heartwarming gift for so many people. I chose one of the football history books and it had to be Sheffield Wednesday for George. He absolutely LOVES it. Each book is bound by hand and contains rare newspaper coverage of the team so there are things in there he's never read before and some that he can remember from just years ago so it's really special. All of the history books can be personalised so I added a gift message inside and the cover is also gold embossed which looks beautiful. You can also choose to get the book in A4 or A3 and you have a choice between brown leather or luxury blue leather. These do range in price, from £39.99 to £59.99, so aren't the cheapest present but I really do think they're worth it. I know this will be something George goes back to again and again.

10 Things I Love About You Wallet Insert
I've bought a few things like this wallet insert before because who doesn't want to carry around a nice reminder of how much you love them? The 10 Things I Love About You insert is from Find Me A Gift who have some really unique gifts all year round. You can personalise 10 times with all the different things you love about your significant other from things like how thoughtful they are to their hugs, how they make you laugh or just whatever you fancy! Such a cute gift.

Spa Hamper Package For Him
As I mentioned in my last gift guide, letterbox gifts may be the way forward this year with the likelihood that many of us will be apart from loved ones this Christmas. With gifts like this, the recipient doesn't even need to be in at the time so you can be reassured that it will get to them regardless and with this particular gift, you'd be supporting another small business so that's an added bonus! I love the idea of this Spa Hamper Package For Him. It's almost Winter, the nights are cold and something like this could be the perfect thing for an evening of self care. It's £14.99 and includes a Detox Sheet Mask, a Charcoal Foot Pack, Charcoal nose strips, Nivea Men Creme, Epsom Bath Salts, 3 Yorkie Chocolate Bars, 2 sachets of English Breakfast Tea and a little tealight. Such a lovely idea.

And that wraps up my Men's Christmas gift guide for the year! As I said at the start of this post, men can be really tricky to buy for so I hope this has left you with some fresh ideas ready for Christmas shopping!

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My 2020 Women's Christmas Gift Guide*

AD - This post contains gifted items. Gifted items will be marked *

Already it's time for my Christmas gift guides! Like always, this year I'll be sharing 3 different gift guides throughout the week, one for the ladies in your life, one for the men and then a food & drink gift guide. This year has been tough for everyone so I've put together a variety of different things that I think anyone would be thrilled to receive this Christmas and I just hope it gives you some inspiration if you're about to start your Christmas shopping or have been stuck for ideas! Let's get started with my 2020 Women's Christmas gift guide.

Ramer Sponges*
For anyone putting hampers together, I highly recommend including Ramer Sponges! These are perfect for any beauty and skincare lovers you know and having used them myself for months, I can safely say they are perfect for giving you soft, luxurious feeling skin, something we all want, especially in the Winter months! Ramer Sponges are basically made from a magic material which hardens after each use when they dry which helps prevent growth of bacteria but they instantly soften when soaked in warm water so can keep on being re-used. These are made from super soft material which is non-scratchy so they lather up like a treat with whichever shower gel/bubble bath etc you may use. The Cranberry and Holly sponges are part of their Christmas range and are priced at £2.99 so a really affordable little stocking filler! You can find these & a range of other skincare products at Ramer Sponges.

Feather & Down Massage to Sleep Set*
I'm a big fan of Feather & Down, in fact you might have seen me blog about them a few times in the past and I personally think they are a fab brand to turn to at Christmas time. Whether you want to treat a new mum, help out someone struggling with their sleep or just want to give something a little different this year, Feather & Down have got you covered. Their Massage to Sleep set includes their pillow spray, a massage soap bar and a bottle of their bath essence so everything you could need for a peaceful night and each product contains a special blend of lavender and chamomile essential oils, the perfect scent to make you feel sleepy (or so I find anyway!). You can buy this for £10 from Creightons aswell as a huge range of other gorgeous sleep products. Also available at Boots and the official Feather & Down website.

Christmas Candles
You can't beat a candle. I fill our home with them at Christmas time as I'm sure a lot of people do and I am always happy to unwrap one at Christmas time. I personally love to check out Homesense and TK Maxx when Christmas shopping as they stock the most gorgeous candles at this time of year. From August onwards really the homeware just seems to step up a notch. The reasons I love the candles they stock so much is because they're so unique, you very rarely find the same one twice and that bodes well for getting someone a gift they've not had before!

Treatbox Christmas Movie Gift Set
Treatbox are the brand to go to for personal, thoughtful gifts that are sure to leave a smile on anyone's face. They have a monthly subscription box full of a variety of things from prints and pins to hot chocolate, food and lots more. They also have beautiful mugs, keepsakes and even ready to go Christmas boxes! I think their Christmas Movie Gift Set in particular is perfect. It's £29.95 and contains a Christmas mug, chocolate popcorn, a chocolate brownie mug kit, festive socks, salted caramel hot chocolate and a wax melt. Something like this is ideal if you're apart from loved ones or are stuck for ideas and want to get something a little different this year!

Body Bliss Bath Treats*
Next up for the beauty lovers is this gorgeous Bath Treats set from Body Bliss. I personally spend a LOT of time in the bath during Winter so if you know someone who loves a pamper night or deserves some lovely self care bits this Christmas then this is ideal. In this particular set you get 4 mini bath and shower gels in indulgent fragrances like Mango & Papaya, Raspberry & Pomegranate, Coconut Water and finally Vanilla & Macadamia. These all smell absolutely incredible! The great thing about Body Bliss is that their products are vegan friendly, cruelty free, bottles are made from 50% recycled materials and they use sustainably sourced fruit extracts. It's only £6 too which I think is a bargain! You can buy this set and a load of other beautiful Body Bliss products at Creightons.

Custom Pet Jigsaws
For the pet lovers, how cool is this custom pet jigsaw? I would absolutely love one of Bear! I found this whilst browsing Esty for small businesses to buy from this Christmas and I just had to include it. Custompopco are specialists at pet portraits so they'll take any picture of your choice and create something beautiful like this! You can choose the amount of puzzle pieces you'd like, they're presented in a lovely cloth bag and they'll also include a glossy print of your photo which is a lovely added touch.

Book & a Hot Drink Letterbox Gift
My final suggestion in this gift guide is this lovely book and a hot drink letterbox gift set from Bookishly. Letterbox gifts could be the way to go this year because really we can't predict what will happen at Christmas, who we can see, how 'normal' it will be etc so a present that can be delivered through the letterbox is definitely something to consider. For any book lovers you know, Bookishly have this wonderful gift where you can choose a classic book such as Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre and Romeo and Juliet with a beautiful dust cover and you can also choose from either tea, coffee or hot chocolate to be included too. There's nothing better than snuggling up in Winter with a hot drink and a good book!

So that wraps up my Women's Christmas gift guide for 2020! I hope this has given you some inspiration. I know I definitely want some of these things for myself!

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

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