If you've got chocolate coming out of your ears 1) Congratulations, you're doing Christmas right but 2) you might want to consider these fun and festive alternative advent calendar ideas for you and the family to enjoy.
From sentimental messages to your very own Christmas bucket list, count down the days until the holidays with these homemade advent ideas you can pop in your envelope advent calendar garland.
When you’ve made your envelope advent calendar garland you can use it year after year and fill it with whatever you’d like!
To craft your own you will need:
String Brown craft envelopes Scissors Gold /silver pen Mini wooden pegs
Using a metallic marker pen, number each of the craft envelopes 1-24 and if you’re feeling creative you can add festive doodles to the corners.
Now comes the fun part! You can fill each of the envelopes with whatever you’d like but here are some festive suggestions:
Festive Coupons
Hand-written messages with silly coupons like “free foot massage” will come in very handy after a hard days Chrismas shopping. Let your significant other or family members cash them in before the 25th. The perfect calendar where the only cost is your time and possibly some patience!
No more Chocolate!
The perfect option for those who are quite frankly fed-up of chocolate come December first, don’t worry we feel you! Fill your envelopes with something more preferable like different flavoured teas or coffee pods, miniature spirits for an evening tipple, or even just pictures of cute dogs.
Christmas Bucket List
Create a meaningful Christmas countdown full of ideas for things to do with your family. Some ideas can include bake a batch of Christmas cookies, make a Christmas playlist and go and look at a Christmas lights display. You can handwrite them onto gift tags or print them from your computer and slide them in. Every time you complete an activity, you can hang it on your tree for a sentimental decoration. Cute, right?
Attach each of the envelopes to the string in rows, gently opening the envelope and closing them around the string to secure. Alternatively, you can attach the envelopes to the string using wooden craft pegs.
If your wall space is wide enough, one piece of string will be enough for your garland.
Hang your festive garland using white tack or command hooks and enjoy counting down the days until Christmas.
There’s plenty of other advent calendar DIYs you can follow if you’re much craftier than us, here are a few of our favourites:
Takeout boxes
These cute little boxes are perfect for filling with chocolate, sweets, trinkets and hand-written messages to open every day on the lead up to Christmas. Write or stick your numbers on each box and stack them on top of one another on a side table in a pyramid shape. Get the tutorial here.
Christmas tree ornament
For the crafty and young at heart, you can create your very own Christmas tree ornament advent calendar to reuse time and time again. Decorate it with a mini bauble every day until Christmas Day for a simple and aesthetically-pleasing festive countdown. Get the tutorial here.
Ladder garland
Use a wooden display ladder to create a Scandinavian-inspired garland. Use small hessian pouches tied with red ribbon or decorated muslin craft bags and fill each of them with treats and small gifts. Tie the drawstring bags onto a piece of ribbon and attach either side of the ladder. Repeat until you have four or five rows of bags to create your garland.
Birch branches
Make a magical advent tree using birch branches or a bundle of twigs, mini baubles and chocolate coins. You can spray the branches with snow spray for a flocked effect or decorate with twinkling fairy lights. Arrange them in your favourite vase for a chic and contemporary calendar with a twist.
Written by academy award-winner Emma Thompson and starring Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding, Last Christmas has been dubbed the Christmas film of the decade, so it was only fair we went to see if it lived up to the holiday hype.
This post contains many a spoiler
London is like, really pretty
Did she just punch a reindeer? Yes, yes she did
So, this is a Yuletide store is in Covent Garden but it only has two members of staff? Sure, sure
Is pigeons sh*t green all year round or just at Christmas?
Who is this mysterious dancing man in a nice coat who keeps appearing and waltzing off again?
Must get “I will nail you to my dick” into a sentence
Emilia Clarke’s eyebrows have more agility than my entire body
“I’m busy, you’re weird” – It’s like a lesson in how-to Tinder
Tom is basically like a modern-day Bernard’s Watch on a bicycle
I could listen to Emma Thompson saying Dick and Penis all day
I wish I could feel confident enough to go and chill in a public garden in London. Alone. Just me and my sandwich
This must be their big Torvill & Dean moment
Oh look, it’s only Sue blooming Perkins
Santa is such a badass. I love her.
Wow, he doesn’t have a phone. He’s either the perfect man or a serial killer
Tom, you’re a dreamboat but please stop saying look up
If someone has to die, let it be him. I don’t think I can lose Emilia Clarke twice in one year
Being a human being IS hard. Tom is just so f*cking understanding
Second to Thackery Binx, Tom might just be the sexiest ghost we’ve ever seen
This is the cheesemas we all need in our lives
The lyrics, oh oh the lyrics
“Look after my heart, it was always going to be yours anyway” NO YOU’RE CRYING, KAREN
This film is making me want to be a better human
I want to make healthy choices
If I cut my hair short I will hold Emilia Clarke personally responsible
Who invited the estate agent to the party?
Something’s happening… I feel like I want to clap. Shall I clap?
Hands are clapping, people. Hands are clapping
Best line of the movie: lesbian pudding
Ah look, Kate’s drinking smoothies and now she’s bullet journaling which means she really has her sh*t together now
Have you been to see Last Christmas, yet? Let us know what you thought of the movie!
Christmas Jumper Gingerbread Cookies by Baked By Steph
We were lucky enough to have @baked.by.steph come to the office and give us an icing tutorial a few weeks ago and now she's back with a recipe for her delicious gingerbread biscuit and some top icing tips!
Christmas is my absolute favourite time of year. I love cosy nights in, big chunky knits and the smell of cinnamon baking, so for me, these super cute gingerbread Christmas jumpers are the perfect way to get into the festive spirit and are guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser!
Christmas is my absolute favourite time of year. I love cosy nights in, big chunky knits and the
smell of cinnamon baking, so for me, these super cute gingerbread Christmas jumpers are the
perfect way to get into the festive spirit and are guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser!
What You’ll Need
Card
Rolling pin
Knife
Scissors
Piping bags
Cookie scribe or toothpicks
Gel Food colouring
– Stand mixer or hand whisk
SERVES
PREP:
COOK:
EASY
INGREDIENTS
Ingredients
Cookie Ingredients:
400g plain flour
100g granulated sugar
1tsp baking powder
125g salted butter (soft)
125g golden syrup
1 large egg
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
Royal Icing ingredients
All in one recipe:
90ml cold water
500g royal icing mix
Egg white recipe:
2 egg whites
500g icing sugar
Making the cookies:
Preheat your oven to 160 degrees |(fan)
Add all of the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix together
Add the softened butter and ‘crumble’ it in by rubbing it together with the dry ingredients between your fingers until fully incorporated
Make a well in the middle of the mix and add in the egg and golden syrup
Mix until it all comes together and forms a soft dough. If you take a little out and can roll it into a ball then it’s ready.
Split the mix into two and roll each out to approx. 5mm thick.
Place your jumper shaped card onto the rolled out dough and cut around it with a knife.
Place all of the cut out cookies onto an oven tray and bake for 15 mins until they’re golden brown. Leave to cool completely before you start decorating.
Making the icing:
Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Whisk on a slow speed for 5 minutes, then a high speed for 10 minutes.
Split the icing into smaller batches (as many as the colours you plan to use). Mix gel food colouring into each bowl of icing until you achieve your desired colours.
Pop a little of each colour into a piping bag – these will be your outline icings.
Add a little water to each of the remaining icing bowls and mix to make your flood icings. Pop each flood icing into a piping bag and you’re ready to go!
Cutting out the shapes
I’m going to go ahead and assume you don’t have a jumper shaped cookie cutter lying about
your house? No problem! Just draw or print the shape onto a piece of thick card and cut it out.
You then simply place this on your rolled out cookie dough and cut around the edge with a knife.
It takes a little longer than a cutter but it means you’ll never be restricted by what cookie cutters
you have in your cupboard. Aim for the cookie shape to be approx. 6-8cm tall, no one likes a
stingy cookie!
Outline and Flood Icing
When it comes to decorating, the key thing is to get the consistency of your royal icing right.
You’re going to be working with two consistencies: outline and flood.
Outline icing should be fairly thick, like toothpaste, and hold its shape when piped. We use this
to outline the cookie and create a barrier so that the flood icing, which we use to fill in the
outlined area, doesn’t run over the edge.
Flood icing should be runnier than outline and shouldn’t hold its shape.
Flood icing should be runnier than outline and shouldn’t hold its shape. To achieve this just add
some water to your outline. I go by the 6 second rule: if you run a spoon over the surface of
your flood icing, it should go completely smooth again in 6 seconds.
Here’s a tip: when you’ve filled your piping bags with your outline and flood icings, write an ‘o’
on the outline bags and an ‘f’ on the flood bags. This will help you differentiate which is which
as they will be the same colour and hard to tell apart. I can’t tell you the amount of times in the
past that I’ve picked up a flood bag thinking it was outline and ended up with an icing mess!
Let’s get to the fun part
Once your cookies are completely cooled from the oven you can start to decorate. Yay! Begin
by cutting the tip of your outline piping bag and slowly piping a line around the entire edge of
your cookie. See the picture for a rough guide on how thin I make my outline. I used white as
the base for my jumper designs but you can use any colours you like. Why not make them all
different colours?
Give the outline a couple of minutes to harden up and then pipe the inside of the line with your
flood icing in the same colour. I like to work from the edge and flood into the middle. Use a
cookie scribe or a toothpick to swirl the icing around and cover any gaps. These are also handy
for popping any air bubbles that might appear.
To achieve the 3 patterns in my jumper designs I added different coloured flood icing to the still
wet white flood base. This is called ‘flood-on-flood’ and means the pattern detail will all lay flat
at the same level. It’s important that the base flood doesn’t crust over before you add the
pattern so you will need to work quickly!
Here’s how I achieved the swirly pattern (that’s what I’m calling it) on the ‘HAPPY HOLIDAYS’
jumper:
First, add thin lines of one colour to the flood going horizontally. Then add another coloured line
in between each line. Using your cookie scribe or a toothpick, drag the icing in an upward
motion through the lines starting from the left. Move about 5mm across and do the same thing
again but this time in a downward motion. Keep repeating the whole way across the cookie et
voila!
Drying the cookies
Before you can add the top layer of detail to the cookies the base icing needs to dry. Simply
pop the cookies into your oven at the lowest temperature (approx. 55 degrees) and leave them
in for approx. 40 mins. An added benefit of the low heat? A smooth and shiny finish – perfect!
The finishing touches
Let the cookies completely cool before you add the final details.
With your white outline, pipe a line of icing around the edge of the cookie and then add a line for
the sleeves. I also added some lines to the neck and bottom of the sleeves for a roll neck and
turn up effect.
I used a black outline to add some festive text to my jumpers by cutting the tip of the piping bag
as thin as possible and piping the text verrrry sloooowly. If you aren’t too confident with piping
text, grab yourself some greaseproof paper or some kitchen roll and practice piping it out a few
times before you try it on the cookie.
The best thing about these cookies is you can let your creativity flow and try out any number of
different styles. Why not try out different coloured text? Or even try piping a wreath or a
snowflake onto some of your festive jumpers for a bit of variation?
The cookies will keep for up to 4 weeks if kept in an airtight container so you can make them
well in advance of Christmas. They’ll be the perfect accompaniment to tea and coffee on
Christmas day, or you could pop them into a little cellophane bag, tie a ribbon around the top
and gift them to your family and friends. Enjoy!
We're a nation of tea lovers but sometimes you just need something a little naughtier than a cup of choc to see you through the cold Winter nights, ya know?
We’re spoilt for choice for hot chocolate haunts here in Brighton but when we’re not cosying up in a café corner, we love nothing more than re-creating an indulgent beverage at home.
Little else can soothe our souls more than a mug full to the brim with rich hot chocolate, bedecked with cream and marshmallows.
From dairy-free delights to salted caramel blends, fill your boots with these epic hot chocolates & all the trimmings.
Candy-canes
No hot choc is complete without a plethora of toppings to boot. If you fancy a festive twist, why not add some crushed candy-canes atop your hot choc? Traditional and tasty!
Squirty Cream
Hot chocolate and whipped cream go together like Beavis and Butt-Head. You know it makes sense, pile it up.
Mini Marshmallows
Melt some mini marshmallows into your hot cocoa brew for a wonderfully nostalgic cuppa. Dust with cocoa powder and enjoy!
Honeycomb Pieces
Sweet-tooth fans, try crumbling some honeycomb pieces over your cream for a crunchy toffee caramel topping.
Baileys Irish Cream
A creamy and frothy shot of Baileys in your hot chocolate provides the perfect night cap. Boozy and delicious!
Whittards Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
Peanut butter and jelly is o-l-d news, it’s all about the iconic duo that is PB and hot choc. This velvety concoction is guaranteed to keep you warm on a chilly day.
Clipper Hot Chocolate
Seriously velvety hot chocolate with a conscience – Clipper products are made with responsibly-sourced, pure natural ingredients. Ideal for a spot of evening indulgence in front of a cosy film.
Cartwright & Butler – Orange Drinking Chocolate
Will these bitesize balls even make it into a mug with hot water before they fall into our mouths? Probably not.
A hot chocolate with a festive twist. Premium sweet orange oil mixed with dark chocolate in one of the signature Cartwright & Butler kilner-style jars – it would make for a very good gift indeed, if you can bear to give it away.
Ultimate Salted Caramel Hot Choc – Fortnum & Masons
Natural 41% Columbian milk chocolate married with lingering sea salted caramel. Mother, may I?
Whittards White Hot Choc
Deliciously sweet ‘n’ creamy, this is crying out for an avalanche of marshmallows, if you’re feeling particularly wicked.
Mix it with your favourite plant-based milk to create a dreamy drink perfect for sippin’ on in front of a binge-worthy Netflix series.
Twinings Swiss Hot Chocolate
Snuggle up with a good book and treat yourself to a silky-smooth hot chocolate with real Swiss choc. Simply add hot milk of your choice and immerse yourself in a moment of chocolatey glee. Bliss!
Green & Blacks
Organic dark chocolate, made with raw cane sugar and cocoa powder. If you like your hot chocolate intense and full of flavour, this one will tickle your T-buds.
Galaxy Instant Hot Chocolate
Wrap yourself around a mug of Galaxy’s silky-smooth drinking chocolate. It’s the ultimate cup of comfort on a blustery day.
Hotel Chocolat
Made with grated flakes of 70% dark chocolate, this one’s perfect for anyone who prefers their chocolate to pack an authentic punch.
Lakeland Hot Chocolate Selection Gift Set
From chilli, orange, cinnamon and hazelnut, there’s something for everyone in this hot chocolate gift set. Variety is the spice of life and all that!
What’s your go-to hot chocolate order? Let us know in the comments below!
All hail the Goldilocks of skirts. Not too long, not too short but a calf-grazing length that's just right.
Didn't think you were a midi-skirt kinda gal? Allow us to make a case for it.
Elegant enough to wear after dark but equally casual enough for a weekend coffee stop, it’s one of the most versatile and hard-working pieces in your wardrobe, whatever the occasion.
Plus, when you’re only showing a flash of leg, who needs to bother with shaving or fake tanning, eh? And therein lies the real reason we’re major midi-skirt fans. We feel seen.
From wrap skirts covered in moody florals to slinky satin pieces, there are endless midi-skirt styling options to see you through party season, everyday workwear and beyond.
Here’s how we’re styling some of our favourites this season!
Zoe
“When I think “midi skirt” at this time of year, I tend to reach for something a lot tighter and more cosy to keep my legs a bit warmer. I love pairing it with a chunky knit roll neck in the same or a similar colour palette and a pair of black boots or chunky trainers! For a bit of extra warmth, i’d probably also add a leather jacket!”
“I rarely make it out in anything other than jeans and a chunky jumper at this time of year so I’m not too adventurous when it comes with skirts. A classic pencil midi means it’s possible to keep things cosy while styling things up a little, I’d wear this with thick tights, ankle boots and a high neck jumper.”
“Come winter there’s only one way to style a midi skirt and that’s with a chunky jumper! I’ve gone for this slinky pink satin skirt to try and add some colour into my mostly black and navy wardrobe. Paired with this cool flower printed chunky knit and matching brown boots. Would wear this to work, shopping, meal out, basically anywhere but a dog walk.”
“I’ve really got into skirts this year, and a midi is my fave as I can keep my legs warm! I love this one from Reformation which is similar to another I have, as it’s dark enough for a winter vibe but the pops of yellow make it wearable come spring. Chuck in a colour co-ord jumper and some chunky boots and I’m all set!”
“Midi skirts are such a solid investment piece in every wardrobe as they’re pretty much season-less. This time of year i’d team it with a chunky knit, the warmer the better, add some high heeled boots (necessary) with a little bit of ankle sock showing (optional). The more festive the better!”
“I’m still not over the satin skirt trend tbh so here I am in 2019, dragging it out for another year. I love styling a satin midi with thin knits and sneakers or boots by day, then dressing them up with a pair of mules and a biker jacket in the evening. I’m all for throwing as many different textures together as I can – wooly knits, slinky satin, wet-look leathers that’ll give Ross Geller a run for his money… you name it I’ll be wearing it.”
Can you smell it, can ya? Christmas is in the air and we are ready to bathe in jolly holiday scented waters asap. And who better to handle our bathtime business than the holy grail of all shower and tub-related pleasures, Lush Cosmetics.
This post contains gifted items
You see, one doesn’t simply just shop at Lush. One sniffs every bath bomb, every bubble bar, every bath oil in the vicinity before leaving in a puff of gold glitter, eager to get home and wallow in a spa-like ambience.
From affordable gifts-to-self to sweet-smelling stocking fillers for the nearest and dearest, here’s a run through of the Lush products floating our boats this Christmas.
Elf Bomb Bomb
Son of a nutcracker, it’s like Buddy the Elf in bath bomb form. This naughty but nice blend of cinnamon leaf, ginger and grapefruit is sure to give your bath a Christmassy spruce up.
Penguin Bomb Bomb
Banish the Winter blues and step into arctic blue
Banish the Winter blues and step into arctic blue waters with a candy popping penguin pal for company. Whether you add his top, his bottom or both, this fizzy fella and his happy feet will make your bath go off with a bang fo’ sure.
Santa’s Belly Shower Jelly
Because why wouldn’t you want to shower with Santa’s belly, given the chance? If you’ve ever wondered what the merry man’s tum smells like, it’s a mix of star anise, uplifting nerolii, apple and grape. Whatdoyaknow, good ol’ St Nick likes his bath-time fruity and so do we, SO DO WE.
Santa Reusable Bubble Bar
Transform your bath into a Winter wonderland with this cheery reusable bubble bar. Simply dip it into your bath water, swirl it around and hop in. When you’re done, leave it out to dry and re-use again and again.
Retro Tree Bath Melt Tablet
Take your bath from boring to babbin’
Branch out this year and take your bath from boring to babbin’ with the silky soft Retro Tree bath melt – just as soon as you’re done adorning your Christmas tree with it that is. Break off a piece of the tablet to melt in the tub or give it a swish in the water before you dip your feet in.
If you’re in the market for a luxurious soak, then you just might be barking up the right tree on this one.
Golden Wonder Bath Bomb
Plop this carefully-wrapped mini gift into your bath for an explosion of majestic colour and shimmer. Sit back, relax and celebrate the festivities with a jolly good soaking.
Luxury Lush Pud Bath Bomb
This dotty orb is guaranteed to make you feel merry and bright. Enjoy the fresh and uplifting scent of bergamot oil and fruity blackcurrant absolute as this sweet creation washes away your worries and woes. When it comes to drawing your Christmas Eve bath, you won’t be able to resist this pink and playful pudd.
Snow Fairy Soap
Lather up with this candy-sweet rapeseed and coconut oil hand and body soap bar. Infused with the power of marshmallow root, it’ll have you smelling better than a confectionary aisle.
Yog Nog Naked Shower Gel
Who needs packaging when going naked feels this good?
Pudding lovers, here’s one you’ll love. Creamy and comforting, Yog Nog fills the room with the warming scent of clove and ylang ylang. Plastic-free and packed with softening soya yoghurt, who needs packaging when going naked feels this good?
What are your favourite products from the Lush Christmas collection?
Now the pumpkins have had their time to shine you might be left wondering how to style your home for Autumn. Flowers are beautiful all through the seasons but during the Autumn, the burnt oranges and rich crimsons instantly make you feel ready to embrace the colder weather. And what better way to enjoy it than from the comfort and warmth of your own home?
Whether you’re styling a tablescape for an Autumn feast or simply wanting to get back to nature, something as simple as arranging flowers is a great way to unwind and get creative.
As we move into Winter, festive foliage is just as impactful – bringing a touch of living nature into our homes as the leaves and the greenery succumb to the cold snap outside.
From fresh and earthy eucalyptus to seasonal berries and oak leaves, Autumn flower arranging is the perfect rainy Sunday activity to enjoy around your kitchen table (Christmas songs not obligatory but we highly recommend).
Mix and match fresh flowers and foliage with dried flowers for a rustic and undone arrangement perfect for a table centrepiece. You don’t have to fill a vase to make a statement, sometimes less is more when it comes to flower arranging.
Bountiful blooms get all the credit in Spring and Summer
A handful of apricot-coloured roses balanced with a few fresh branches of eucalyptus provides a beautiful understated bouquet, whilst wild flowers clustered in a rustic vase look perfectly undone on a kitchen counter.
Bountiful blooms get all the credit in Spring and Summer but if you want to add stark beauty and a sense of wilderness to your fall bouquet moody filler flowers such as thistle really come into their own at this time of year.
If you just so happen to have any pumpkins still floating around – if they haven’t been blitzed into a soup already – then why not fashion them into a vase? Simply scoop out the middle, pop a little water-filled vase inside and voilà!
A bunch of supermarket flowers can easily be elevated by adding visual interest and texture from your own garden or local park. As long as you’re not uprooting any flowers or upsetting wild life, fallen leaves, twigs, feathers and berries can work wonders for filling out a bunch of shop-bought flowers and provide that unique and personal detail.
Create a dramatic arrangement by pairing simple eucalyptus with bright colours
Create a dramatic arrangement by pairing simple eucalyptus with bright colours and cascading amaranthus or everyone’s favourite pom pom flower: hydrangeas. They look even more beautiful in Autumn as they dry out.
Smoke bush is another particularly beautiful shrub during Autumn – its fluffy plumes turn a beautiful scarlet hue in Autumn so if you should be so lucky to have some in your garden it would the perfect for adding some texture and volume into your bouquet. If not, it wouldn’t be totally unreasonable to befriend someone who does own a smoke bush. We won’t judge.
You will need:
Sharp scissors or floristry shears Clean vase filled with fresh room temperature water Flower food Flowers and foliage of your choice
First prepare your flowers by stripping any leaves that fall below the waterline. This helps prevent bacteria from gathering in your vase.
A vase that’s wider at the base and narrower at the neck to support the bouquet is the best shape to go for.
Where possible, use floral shears instead of scissors as some scissors can crush and damage the stems.
Cut your stems according to the height of your vase to create a balanced arrangement. As a general rule, your arrangement should extend the total height of the vase by 1/3.
For longer-lasting blooms, cut your stems diagonally at an angle to help your flowers drink up more water.
When arranging your flowers, first create a base by adding your greenery first, that way you can gradually build up colour and texture with your focal flowers. Your most impressive flowers go in last as these will be the focus of your arrangement.
If you have any smaller flower heads or fluffy filler flowers, add these in after your green foliage to create shape and balance.
If you’re using fresh flowers or foliage in your bouquets, remember to change the water every two days to keep your blooms looking their best.
Let us know how you arrange your favourite Autumn flowers below.
Pull up a pew, grab a hot beverage and hunker down because one of the biggest festive traditions is here. That's right, it's time for the Christmas ads.
From the tear-jerkers to the cheesy singalongs, here’s a look at the campaigns that have stolen our hearts, so far.
Barbour
That tubby little Santa with the red nose is the one we all pictured when we were growing up and he’s still pulling on our blooming heartstrings all these years later. There’s just something about an animation that just hits us right in the festive feels.
Ikea
The very first Ikea Christmas ad is here and it’s gone in on the comedy value. The 1:30 minute-long campaign features a couple racked with home shame as they’re faced with the task of hosting their friends for dinner.
Through the medium of rap, the ornaments around the family home come alive and start taunting the couple over the tired curtains, cracks in the walls and toys strewn all over the floor, all to a soundtrack by none other than grime legend, D Double E.
Ikea UK and Ireland county marketing manager, Sarah Green, commented: “Our first Ikea Christmas advert was born from the common feeling, that along with the seasonal joys, a lot of us feel a looming sense of dread when it comes to hosting others, with many of us feeling ashamed of our homes over the Christmas period.
“We believe that every home can and should be worthy of a get-together and that with a little imagination, some clever products and ideas, there’s no reason not to be proud to invite your nearest and dearest over. This campaign aims to inspire us all to get our homes party-ready and ‘Silence the Critics’, once and for all.”
Original, infectious and current, it’s one of our favourites so far. Buda bup bup!
Very
What do you get when you mix snow-lined streets, a lonely bewhiskered old man with a dog and a kind face, and a group of neighbours rallying around to make sure he doesn’t get forgotten this Christmas? Ugly cry faces and loads of snot, that’s what.
Every good Christmas advert needs a heartfelt message and Very’s is a simple but powerful one that hit us right in the cojones.
Visa
The all-singing Visa campaign turns our attention on not what we’re buying but rather where we’re buying it from. Featuring 13 real shopkeepers including a butcher, barber, greengrocer, bookseller and florist, it encourages shoppers to support their local independent shops this year. Ain’t nothing like a bit of community spirit to get us in the mood for Christmas.
Sainsburys
What is Christmas without a Dickensian twist? Marking the supermarket’s 150th anniversary, the ad follows the story of a young orphan boy known as Nicholas the Sweep.
Wrongly accused of stealing a juicy clementine from the Sainsbury’s stall on Christmas Eve back in 1869, he is banished from the city. But Mary Ann Sainsbury knows he was set up by a wicked felon and sets out to rescue Nicholas from the snow storm.
Upon finding him, she presents him with a sack of their finest produce as a Christmas gift. Nicholas decides he must share his present with his chimney-sweeping friends. When his work is done, he dusts off his red hat and gets back to his reindeer because… that mysterious little lad from humble beginnings is only Father Christmas!
Well played, Sainbury’s, well played.
Marks & Spencer
Feel good and full of fun, we love this off-piste Christmas jumper campaign from M&S set to the iconic tune of House of Pain’s Jump Around.
Heralding their charming Winter woollies, the all-dancing ad sees a group of knitwear-clad partygoers, families and colleagues with moves so good it puts our two-step to shame.
No tears here, just plenty of shoulder rolls and lols and we’re here for it!
Iceland
Ahead of the highly anticipated release of Frozen 2 in cinemas on November 22, Iceland has collaborated with Disney’s best-loved musical fantasy film to create a Christmas ad we won’t be letting go of in a hurry.
The ad begins with a family gathered around the sofa playing charades. A little boy acts out his favourite thing about Christmas using Olaf the cuddly snowman toy as a clue. Eager to join in the guessing game fun, Olaf suddenly comes to life along with Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Sven.
Elsa uses her magical ice powers to make a dining table and chairs appear to show the rest of the Frozen family her favourite thing about Christmas. She says, “my favourite thing about Christmas is… a special meal that we share together.”
As the ad closes, we return to the scene with the young boy, Olaf his toy snowman and his family sat round the table enjoying the magic of frozen food.
Dobbies
Huzzah! Dobbies have joined the Christmas ad fray. In a cute 40 second animated clip packed to the rafters with yuletide glee, Dobbie the reindeer and the elves rally round to surprise Santa Claus in time for Christmas.
The ad showcases everything Dobbies has to offer, from trees and dazzling lights to delicious treats and thoughtful gifts – basically all the things you need to make Christmas come together.
Argos
This year, the British retailer shows a father sitting at his kitchen table flicking through their eponymous catalogue. He notices his daughter has circled a drum kit and lo and behold, a shiny new kit appears before him.
He starts beating the drums to the tune of Simple Minds, Don’t You – living his best life as any other parent would – before his daughter appears on the stairs, laughing and shaking her head at her silly pa.
A second drum kit materialises and the iconic duo start jamming together. They’re then transported to an arena stage to live out their rock star dreams with a crowd-surfing teddy bear.
It might not be the warm and fuzzy Christmas ad our heartstrings have come to love but it’s a feel-good watch nonetheless.
Aldi
For the fourth year in a row, Kevin the carrot strikes a Christmassy cord once more as he finds himself in hot water with the Leafy Blinders crew.
Miffed that Kevin has stolen his limelight, Russel Sprout kicks up a stink and ties poor ol’ Kev to a cheese grater. Just as it looks like his fate is peeled and sealed, Tiny Tom gnaws her way through the rope and saves the day. It’s a Christmas miracle!
Off they trot to the Greatest Showman-esque Aldi Christmas show with a stellar performance from the Flying Tra-Peas and of course, our main man Kev himself. Stick a fork in us and smother us with cranberry sauce already, we’re done!
There’s just one question on our lips though, is it or isn’t it Robbie Williams singing the track?
Asda
Asda was able to recreate that warm, cosy, magic feeling we get every Christmas with their ad this year. The story features a little girl fetching her Grandads old change jar (classic Grandad) and filling it with some super special festive magic from what appears to be the Northern Lights.
She and her brother then head all around town spreading joyful magic, we’re especially obsessed with the transformation of a maisonette into a gingerbread house and we’ve already looked on Rightmove to see if anyone has managed this magnificent renovation yet!
John Lewis
It’s the one we’ve all been waiting for, the unveiling of the John Lewis ad. Now it’s Christmas! This year’s ad is a joint partnership with Waitrose and tells the heart-warming tale of an accident-prone, fire-breathing dragon named Edgar.
He unintentionally burns down the village tree, melts an ice rink and in turn – our wee hearts, too. The Bastille soundtrack, the budding friendship between child and beast, the festive message. Elton who?
As the days get shorter, it's common to feel tired, low in energy and unmotivated, and while not everyone experiences all the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), most of us wind up feeling a little groggy and zapped during the Winter months.
Now the clocks have gone back, many of us may be struggling to adjust to the colder weather and darker evenings – all those reaching for extra caffeine, jacket potatoes and sugary snacks to get you through the thick of it, say aye. You are not alone.
Fortunately, there are a few lifestyle hacks we can use to help us combat the Winter blues effectively. The bad news is, nobody’s telling us the key to Winter happiness is a sack full of doughnuts (sniff). The good news is, we DO have permission to snuggle on the sofa. You win some, you lose some.
Let’s look at some of the best ways to brighten up your day, even when the weather outside is frightful.
1. Keep cosy
If you’re feeling that seasonal fatigue, why fight it? Wrap yourself up like a Winter burrito and don’t you dare feel guilty for it. Lay on the snacks, the films, the throws – all the things that will pick you back up again. Rest and recuperation is not to be underestimated, so nap your heart away and embrace the true meaning of hygge.
2. Work out
working out is one of the most effective ways to reduce stress and boost your serotonin levels
When you’re already feeling demotivated, it can be hard to muster up the energy to move your body any more than is absolutely necessary but working out is one of the most effective ways to reduce stress and boost your serotonin levels (the feel-good brain chemicals).
Dust off your trainers and get outside to top up on your light exposure or do a short burst of yoga in the comfort of your own home first thing in the morning. Your body and your mind will love you for it.
3. Get outdoors
Make the most of the daylight by going outside for a quick walk at lunchtime. Just a few short five-minute bursts three times a day can help boost your energy levels tenfold.
If the blue light glow of your laptop screen is as much ‘daytime’ as you’re getting right now, then considering various light therapy solutions could be an option.
Light therapy specialists and inventors of the first wake-up light, Lumie, has been researching, designing and developing pioneering products for almost 30 years, including their SAD Desklamp. Perfect for office and home use, it boosts your mood, helps you stay on task and treats the symptoms of SAD.
If getting up in the morning is a struggle for you at this time of year, the *Lumie Bodyclock Starter could be your new bff.
Your body uses light cues to function and to reset your internal clock known as the circadian rhythm, which means waking up in a dark room is unlikely to make you feel refreshed first thing in the morning.
The Lumie Bodyclock mimics the subtle light and colour changes of sunrise, waking you up naturally and gradually over 30 minutes as the clock brightens. Much better than a startling alarm, right?
It also has a sunset mode that works in the opposite way, helping you to wind down before bed. Genius.
4. Switch your mind-set
Winter may be cold and dark but it’s also a beautiful season full of fun and festivities
Winter may be cold and dark but it’s also a beautiful season full of fun and festivities. As soon as you focus on the opportunities rather than the limitations, it can help you to embrace the change of seasons.
Winter gives you the opportunity to slow down – inviting you to stay in the warm, huddled round a cup of hot chocolate or mulled wine and enjoying home comforts with friends and family instead of feeling the pressure to get outside in the sun all day. Feed your mind, feed your soul and all that!
5. Eat healthily
While we’re not the kind of people to deny you of a biscuit when you want it (have you witnessed the indulgence that is our gooey brownie recipe?), it’s all about balance. Eating enough of the right kind of food will help you keep the fatigue at bay and keep your immune system in check. Be gone common cold, be gone.
Try eating foods that contain plenty of protein such as eggs, nuts, seeds, pulses and seafood. Leafy greens rich in B12 such as kale, spinach and broccoli can also help diminish the effects of the cold-weather blues, so throw them into a comforting bowl of soup wherever you can.
Feeling stressed? Load up on your berries. As well as being packed with antioxidants, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries help prevent the release of the stress hormone Cortisol. Enjoy them as a light snack or pile them on top of your yogurt for a mood-boosting breakfast.
6. Talk it out
A problem shared is a problem halved and the Winter blues are very common issue indeed. Don’t suffer in silence, talk to your friends, get the support you need and if your SAD symptoms are severe, then waste no time in consulting your GP for help.
7. Self-love
It’s amazing what a bit of downtime can do for your wellbeing.
Stop waiting for an occasion to treat yourself. Now’s the time to take that bath you’ve been saving your festive bath bomb for, read that book you’ve been wanting to pick up for the last year, watch Harry Potter until you can’t Potter no more (said in the voice of Hagrid). It’s amazing what a bit of downtime can do for your wellbeing.
8. Make plans
It’s easy to get into the routine of rushing straight home when it’s dark and cold and letting your social life fall by the wayside but making plans with your friends and family can help give you something to look forward to and lift you out of the Winter funk. Whether it’s a gym class, a coffee date or a trip to the cinema, get that calendar popping!
What do you do this time of year to give yourself that much needed energy boost?
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