Preparing For Christmas Day

With Christmas day just a few days away, it is time to start preparing for the big day! All your presents have been brought and wrapped and all the shopping is done,  Its now time to prepare your home, body and mind.

Here are a few things I make sure I do to get ready for the 25th…

Deep Clean

Christmas can be so busy and often everyday housework jobs get neglected. That’s why a few days before the big day I deep clean everything. I work top to bottom and ensure their is not an inch that has not been scrubbed. By doing this the Christmas clear up shouldn’t be half as a big job. Also with people likely to be coming in and out for me its super important the flat is clean, tidy and well presented. I feel so much more relaxed knowing that everything is clean and ready to go!

Make Room For New

Along with a super clean home, its the perfect time of year to declutter and get rid of your old unused bits and pieces. I take some time to go through my makeup and bath and body products and throw out anything I don’t use, is empty or is out of date. This frees up so much space for potential presents and you can really see what you do and don’t have. I try and do this with everything. 

A Clutter Free Home Is A Clutter Free Mind After All…

Is Everything Washed?

Another thing I like to do in preparation for the big day, is to plan my Christmas outfits and make sure everything I need has been washed, dried and is ready to wear. This makes things so easy, as you know everything that you want to wear is ready, contributing to a stress free Christmas. I also make sure I have a bedding set already washed and dried. I do this because on Christmas eve I always make sure its a clean sheet night. I don’t want to be spending Christmas eve doing laundry so I do all the washing a day or two before…easy peasy!

Have Some Me Time

Christmas is a time of year for family and friends and often during the few Christmas days your surrounded by other people. In the lead up to Christmas I take the time to make sure I get in as much “Me Time” as possible. I think this is so important as it prepares your mind for some crazy busy days. Take some time to unwind and relax maybe have a Cosy Christmas night in? whatever you do…enjoy it!

Hopefully you found this post helpful. I find I can totally relax and really get into the Christmas spirit once I have ticked all of these of my forever long to do list. I would love to hear if you do anything to prepare for Christmas? is there anything I should be doing?

Cheerio For Now,

Fern xx

 

The Ultimate Christmas Drink

For me nothing screams Christmas more  than cosy nights in with huge hot chocolates! that is why for today’s post I am going to be sharing with you how I make my special Christmas hot chocolates….

Sit back relax and enjoy!

First things first you need to choose your favourite mug,  Seeing as its Christmas I would go for a Christmas mug but what ever you fancy go for it, after all its your hot chocolate!

Next up start the kettle boiling and pick your hot chocolate! here is a list of hot chocolates I highly recommend!

• Cadbury Fudge Highlights
• Options Belgian Chocolate
• Nestle Milky Stars
• Maltesers Hot Chocolate

TOP TIP!

To make your hot chocolate add the powder into the mug poor a little bit of cold milk in and stir to turn it into a paste, then add the boiling water and stir thoroughly this always gives  the perfect hot chocolate and without any powdery clumps. PERFECT!

So now you should have yourself a standard hot chocolate, its now time to make it ultimate!

It is at this point i add some marshmallows and maybe some caramel syrup and give it a good stir. Next up I add a generous squirting of cream, more marshmallows,chocolate buttons and a mini gingerbread man! To finish it all off I will always sprinkle a little cinnamon to give it a really warm festive feel! I always fill mine so high it start dripping down the sides!

Now you should have yourself the perfect Christmas hot chocolate! if you recreate this, I would love to hear all about it.

Cheerio For Now,

Fern xx

Christmas Shopping Tips and Tricks

I feel as if today’s post links really nicely with yesterdays post, if you have not already had a little read of my Christmas gift guide for her, then you can find it here. Today’s post is all about my tips and tricks for ensuring all your Christmas shopping runs smoothly and stress free.

Start Early

For me this is so important, we have such a huge family so its vital I start thinking about budgets and what I would like to buy everyone.I start the whole process off in September by buying a new notebook, that I dedicate to all my Christmas needs. I will then allow my self some time to write a list of everyone I would like to buy gifts for and look at my finances and decide suitable budgets.Without spending a little bit of time doing this ill go crazy and spend all my money and have hundreds and hundreds of presents to wrap and gift. These lists keep me focussed.

Keep Your Eyes Peeled

I have picked up some amazing presents and really good prices by just keeping my eyes on lookout while I am out and about. I do this as soon as I have written my list and If I see it I buy it. The amount of times I have seen something and a week later its gone and not to be brought back into stock is heart breaking. By Picking up bits and bobs over a few months and storing them away is so handy, you end up with some amazing gifts and really good prices and when the shops are super busy with everyone doing there shopping you are almost done so you can enjoy the festive season even more.

Shop With A Focus

Sometimes you cant pick up everything in little bits so you need a big shopping trip.Its important to do this with a plan and plenty of time.Allow time for browsing and long queues. Bring a friend or family member and make it an event! stop for lunch and have a lovely day, enjoy the festive displays and the atmosphere.

Before you go agree on the shops you would like to visit and what your looking for this keeps your shopping focussed and then your only entering shops you need to. if you have some spare time you can always wonder round the shops you didn’t have planned

Wrap As You Go

Dont leave all your Christmas wrapping to the last minute, you wont enjoy it and it can become very boring. I love wrapping presents and I love spending time to add bows and Ribbons. I enjoy wrapping presents , I usually make myself a hot chocolate listen to Buble and wrap away. I find if I wrap presents as soon as I buy them I enjoy it alot more, I also love looking at the piles of presents building up under the tree. it makes me super happy.

I hope you have found my tips and tricks helpful, if you have any more please let me know! I still feel like I havnt quite mastered the Christmas shopping but I am getting there.

Cheerio For Now,

Fern xxx