Tis’ the season of the cheeseboard, falalalala, lalalalaa. To be honest, a cheeseboard goes hand in hand with any season and for some, is preferred over a dessert after a meal. I also think a cheeseboard is a sure-fire way to ensure everybody has something they can nibble on if you’re doing a last-minute get together with friends and drinks. For those of us who don’t really cook much (ahem) it is also SO incredibly easy as it requires no chef capabilities in the slightest. Here’s my little run down of how to achieve the most epic of cheeseboards. 

Cheeses

Obviously the key ingredient to any cheese board is the cheese itself. Depending on how many guests you are planning to serve the board to (and how hungry they might be), you generally want around 5-6 key cheeses minimum.  But what kind of cheeses do you need in order to tick all the cheeseboard boxes? 

Strength – You want to try and get a good selection of different strength cheeses. Some people will want something with a bit of a kick, or that’s been maturing for as old as you are, and others will want something a little lighter in taste. A blue cheese is a good default for a bit of strength and a brie is also a good milder choice (always buy more of the brie, it’s usually the cheese most people eat more of)

Textures – It’s also worth thinking about different textures of cheeses too. You should have some harder cheeses like cheddar, jarlsberg and manchego and then softer or more crumbly options like a goats cheese or camembert. 

Flavours – I also think it’s nice to add a few cheeses that have different flavours. You could add something with a bit of spice, or a touch of smoky flavouring. A hit in our household is a truffle cheese, or something with a hint of garlic! We even tried one recently with a sweet taste as it had toffee pieces in it (not sure it went down entirely well, but always fun to try!)

Origin – Sometimes it might be nice to try particular cheeses from certain countries. You could do a fully French cheese board, a Greek board, Italian or an “around the world” cheeseboard where you sample cheeses from various different countries (could even make a game out of it if you wanted, where people have to guess). A few mega cheese enthusiasts will always have a favourite country that their cheese is made and produced in, and if you are buying your cheese from a super enthusiastic cheesemonger as opposed to your local supermarket shelves, you will definitely get a better idea of which cheeses are most popular and from which countries.

My Go-To Cheeses: 

(list is for a larger gathering, cheeses in bold are musts for smaller groups): 

• Brie (and lot’s of it)
• A melted camembert baked in the oven
• Stilton or gorgonzola 
• Cambezola
• Smoked Applewood
• Cheddar  (Snowdonia black bomber is a fave)
• Goats Cheese
• Flavoured Cheese (a couple if you have a larger group) 
• Comte 

Crackers and Biscuits

You can’t have cheese without crackers, or something which you can spread on to your heart’s content. As a child who was not really into cheese, the crackers were always my main focus. Did I feel like a more wheaty biscuit like the digestive, or was I after something much thinner with a crunch like a water biscuit? Much like the cheese, you want to have a nice little selection so people can choose what they think might complement their cheese of choice. I also like to add breadsticks and little cheesy biscuits (maybe that’s still the child in me finding those things a great pop in the mouth snack). I also think it’s quite nice to add a small thin loaf of some sort, maybe with olives or a bit of flavour. These days there are so many different crackers and biscuits on offer, beetroot, charcoal, cheese, spicy, wholemeal, herby, seedy and of course, your classic plain varieties. As long as you have a nice selection of a few of those, I think people will be super happy. 

Chutneys and Jams

Another very important aspect of any cheese board, is a nice chutney or jam of some kind. The classic is of course pickled onion chutney, but there are so many incredible flavours out there that would make anyone happy to pair with a slice of cheese on a cracker. A few favourites we add are a balsamic fig, or a sweet chilli jam. You also might want to add a bit of quince as this is known as a great accompaniment to a cheeseboard. 

Complementary Additions

Depending on who you have as guests and what you think they might be more into, here are a selection of complementary additions to any cheeseboard. It’s important to have some of these to break up the board and offer a bit of palette cleansing, or they simply just go bloomin’ well with cheese! I like to add hams and olives, which some may say make it a little more on the charcuterie side, but it’s just something that always goes down very well in our house. Along with honeycomb which is a fairly new addition to my cheeseboards but is so delicious with the softer cheeses like brie. My mum, on the other hand, likes a bit more of a crudité style and will add celery, apple, grapes and walnuts to her cheese boards. 

• Red and white grapes (you can also freeze these so they are like little sorbets)
• Celery
• Walnuts
• Honeycomb
• Fresh Figs
• Rosemary
• Apple Slices
• Olives
• Sliced hams
• Cornichon pickles
• Pickled onions
• Oil & Balsamic dip
• Salted Butter

Arranging

Now for the fun part, putting it all together to display for your guests. Opt for a slightly larger cheeseboard than you may think, once you start adding everything else around your cheese, it tends to fill up quite quickly.  Go big or go home tends to be how I do a cheese board, and it never disappoints. 

It’s important to get any cheeses out of the fridge 1- 2 hours prior to serving as some will require being at room temperature to be at their best a little sooner than the other cheeses, so I’ll usually pop these on the cheese board first. You should also pop any baked, or cheese you want to serve melted into the oven to start heating as you start prepping the board. 

The first step is laying out the cheese! Some people like to display their cheeses in strength order, allowing people to start mild, and work their way up to the stronger cheese, which then means your palette isn’t ruined with the first taste of a strong chilli cheese, making the brie seem a bit tasteless in comparison afterwards. I tend to spread the cheeses around the board evenly (but in no particular order, I feel like most people I know are aware of the cheeses set out in front of them, so naturally navigate their way around themselves). If your guests don’t know the cheeses, it’s nice at this stage to add little tags or labels alongside a knife for each cheese. You don’t want someone who used the knife in the blue cheeses, to then slice into a brie for the next person to get a hybrid of the two. Make sure each cheese has already had a knife put into it, or already sliced open in some way, as this encourages people to get stuck in. I find sometimes if a cheese looks a bit untouched and perfect, people are less likely to cut into it. 

I then start putting the chutneys, jams and salted butter on the board, and I spoon these into small round dishes and pop individual spoons in each. Once you have your cheeses and chutneys laid out, it’s time to start on a few of the larger accompaniments like a few bunches of grapes, honeycomb, olives and hams (which I fold into little pieces so they don’t take up as much room). By this point, the board is starting to look a little more full, so I’ll add crackers in rows filling up the gaps around the board so they are nicely spread around. The key is not being able to see the board, so once you feel happy with your breadsticks, crackers and bread, it’s time to go back to the accompaniment list. I fill gaps with walnuts, pickled onions and fresh figs and then add a couple of sprigs of rosemary if I’m feeling particularly bougie. Now your board is ready to serve! Make sure you give everyone their own small side plate and a knife for spreading (you don’t want them using the cheese knives or they’ll never go back on the board for others to use), serve with a tipple and sit back and enjoy as your cheeseboard gets lovingly destroyed in the best possible way. 

If ever there were a time to embrace your most extra self, it’s now. The more razzle dazzle drama, the better.

Whether you’re off to a work party, a black-tie soiree or heading out for festive cocktails with the girls, there’s a party piece out there for every occasion.

From killer LBDs to tailored two-pieces and disco ball frocks, here’s a round-up of the party season glad rags we’re bookmarking asap!

Zoe

I love me a jumpsuit for an evening do, and something black and sophisticated with a touch of pretty lace is perfect! Paired with a simple classic black heel and clutch bag!

*Claudie Pierlot Jasper mesh-insert crepe jumpsuit

*ASOS Design Porto pointed high heeled court shoes in black patent 

*ASOS Design suede clutch bag with tort ring detail 

 

Carrie

I’m not a very sparkly gal so my go-to Christmas party outfit is this Jumpsuit, this will be my 2nd year wearing it but I’m sure no-one will notice, it’s a swanky cut while remaining comfortable and large enough to layer underneath if it’s a proper wintry night!

*Monki Belted jumpsuit 

*Miss Selfridge ankle boots with buckle detail in black

*Reclaimed Vintage inspired mystic medallion multirow necklace 

Danielle

Let me guess, all the other girls are banging on about sequins aren’t they! I’m going to mix it up and give some face time to the classiest of embellishments; Pearls! I’ve gone for this beaut green velvet tux style dress, a pearl handbag and a simple gold star hair clip. I’ll throw on this little lot with black tights in a hefty denier, a sensible block heel, a boatload of highlighter and even more prosecco!

*ASOS Design Curve velvet tux with pearl embellishment

*& Other Stories Pearlescent Beaded Clutch Bag

*Nylon gold star hair slide 

Lauren

I love an excuse to dress up all fancy, and Christmas is the perfect op to do so! If I could, I’d choose between these two beauties from Reformation – wrap dresses are my go-to and these feel so luxurious and glam, perfect for a party! My tip is if you HAVE to wear heels, come prepared with copious blister plasters and gel insoles to prevent the burn (or pack some spare shoes if you can!)

*Reformation Hari Dress

*Reformation Toro Dress 

*Nila Piped Heels

Maddie

If you can’t wear sequins at Christmas when can you eh?! I’m really loving this power dress festive combo that could could definitely rewear as separates throughout the year too. I’d suggest you pair this co-ord with those EXTRA special occasion shoes that you keep at the back of your wardrobe in their original boxes.

*& Other Stories Sequined Velvet Hourglass Blazer

*& Other Stories Tailored Velvet Sequined Trousers

*& Other Stories Velvet Jacquard Bodysuit

*Jimmy Choo Saphia 85 crystal-embellish bow pumps

Lareese

Only a dress brighter than my future will do! Unless it shines like Kim K’s cheekbones, I don’t wanna know. ASOS always deliver when it comes to party dresses and this one ticks all the festive boxes IMO. Being a tall lass, I tend to go for longer dresses but maxis can look a tad too formal for the party vibe so this midi is a good alternative. Sparkles – check, covers my modesty – check, room to eat and dance – check. It’s a ho, ho, ho from me!

*ASOS DESIGN midi dress with batwing sleeve and wrap waist in scatter sequin 

*NARS Matte Lipstick – Intrigue 

*ASOS DESIGN suede clutch bag with ring and ball detail 

Holly

I am ALL about the Sparkles. Throw some glitter or sequins on an item of clothing and you’ve got one happy Holly. Throw in a rainbow and I practically burst. I’m hoping to get something similar to this dress and pop it with some boot heels. I fall over if I wear proper heels.

*Boohoo Woven Sequin Shift Dress 

*ALDO mid heel almond toe leather ankle boot

*Accessorize Michelle Quilted Clutch Bag

*New Look Curves Black Leather-Look Biker Jacket 

*This post contains affiliate links. For more information and to read our disclosure policy, please click here.

To help you mark the start of the holiday season and celebrate all you have to be thankful for, we’ve rounded up a few ideas to inspire your thanksgiving / friendsgiving gathering this year.

From traditional nosh, serving ideas and games, there’s only one mode you need for Thanksgiving Day and that’s feast mode.

What is Thanksgiving and why do we celebrate it?

Thanksgiving is a National holiday celebrated in America every year on the fourth Thursday in November and in Canada on the second Monday of October.

It marks the start of the holiday season and traditionally, involves tucking into a seriously good feast of turducken and all the trimmings with friends and family.

The origins of Thanksgiving Day go back to when Europeans travelled to start new lives in America. In 1621, the ‘Pilgrims’ – as they became known – dedicated a day to give thanks to God and celebrate a plentiful harvest after enduring many hardships that came with pioneering a new land.

They proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving and invited their friends both from within the colony and neighbouring Native tribes to a great feast which we now recognise as Thanksgiving dinner.

Use dried flowers and fall foliage

Adorn your table with all the textures and colours of fall by using small bouquets of dried flowers in vases, baby pumpkins and leaves to create a rustic tablescape bursting with nature.

Mix and match your tableware

Play with prints, clash colours, bring out the novelty plates. Nothing’s too kitsch or extra for a Thanksgiving table. Nothing.

Mood-lighting is a must

Use a mix of pillar candles and tapered candles to light your Thanksgiving table and create a cosy ambience. Just be mindful not to place tall candles directly in front of someone’s face – aunt Meredith’s corneas would quite like to see another Thanksgiving dinner, ya know.

Play the “I’m thankful for” guessing game

For those people who clam up at the thought of going around the table and saying what you’re grateful for, you can be excused and give thanks for this game, instead. Less on-the-spot pressure to come up with something meaningful and way more fun – it’s a win, win situation.

Get everyone to write down what they’re thankful for on strips of paper. You can go as sentimental or funny as you like. Fold them up and mix them into a hat or bowl and once everyone’s contributed, pull out the comments and guess who gave thanks for what. Keep it clean, Linda. Keep it clean.

Watch re-runs of “Friends”

Ain’t nothing to get you in the Thanksgiving spirit like Joey with his head up a turkey’s arse and Chandler’s toe/carrot on ice.

Friends blessed us with many iconic Thanksgiving episodes throughout its 10 season long run. There was The One With All The Thanksgivings, The One Where Ross Got High, The One With The Football and The One With Chandler In A Box. It’s the sit-com gift that keeps on giving so whichever season you choose to binge on in your post-feast happiness, you can guarantee it’ll be kick-you-in-the-crotch-spit-on-your-neck-fantastic.

B.Y.O

If you’re hosting the big event this year, take the pressure off by delegating dishes to friends and family. You roast the bird and your squad can bring a selection of other classic Turkey Day plates, puddings and homemade condiments to help ease the organising.

Have a game of Cards Against Humanity

The quickest way for your in-laws to find out how inappropriate you are? Yep, this is it. And talking of party games you probably shouldn’t play, Bad People’s another close to the (wish)bone option.

Make it cosy

If you’re inviting a big group over to yours, you might have a Thanksgiving conundrum of butts outnumbering chairs. We’ve all been there. Cheek to cheek, we stand with you.

Throw down some blankets down, scatter big cushions and sheepskin throws on the floor around the TV so everyone can plonk themselves in a cosy spot for a post-feast movie marathon.

Get creative

Feeling crafty? You can decorate your Thanksgiving table with these DIY wishbones. Once the clay pieces are painted and dry, place them on top of the napkins alongside the place settings for a lovely handmade gift, made to be broken. Find out how to make them here.

Make a mountain of mashed potato

Because every bird needs a carb-heavy sidekick to grace the holiday table. Make way for the MVP of the Thanksgiving table: it’s mashed potato’s time to shine. If you need some inspiration, check out our ultimate mash recipe right here.

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.

This post contains many a spoiler

1. London is like, really pretty
2. Did she just punch a reindeer? Yes, yes she did
3. So, this is a Yuletide store is in Covent Garden but it only has two
   members of staff? Sure, sure
4. Is pigeons sh*t green all year round or just at Christmas?
5. Who is this mysterious dancing man in a nice coat who keeps
   appearing and waltzing off again?
6. Must get “I will nail you to my dick” into a sentence
7. Emilia Clarke’s eyebrows have more agility than my entire body
8. “I’m busy, you’re weird” – It’s like a lesson in how-to Tinder
9. Tom is basically like a modern-day Bernard’s Watch on a bicycle
10. I could listen to Emma Thompson saying Dick and Penis all day
11. I wish I could feel confident enough to go and chill in a public garden
    in London. Alone. Just me and my sandwich
12. This must be their big Torvill & Dean moment
13. Oh look, it’s only Sue blooming Perkins
14. Santa is such a badass. I love her.
15. Wow, he doesn’t have a phone. He’s either the perfect man or a serial killer
16. Tom, you’re a dreamboat but please stop saying look up
17. If someone has to die, let it be him. I don’t think I can lose Emilia Clarke twice in one year
18. Being a human being IS hard. Tom is just so f*cking understanding
19. Second to Thackery Binx, Tom might just be the sexiest ghost we’ve ever seen
20. This is the cheesemas we all need in our lives
21. The lyrics, oh oh the lyrics
22. “Look after my heart, it was always going to be yours anyway” NO YOU’RE CRYING, KAREN
23. This film is making me want to be a better human
24. I want to make healthy choices
25. If I cut my hair short I will hold Emilia Clarke personally responsible
26. Who invited the estate agent to the party?
27. Something’s happening… I feel like I want to clap. Shall I clap?
28. Hands are clapping, people. Hands are clapping
29. Best line of the movie: lesbian pudding
30. 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 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:

1. Preheat your oven to 160 degrees |(fan)
2. Add all of the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix together
3. Add the softened butter and ‘crumble’ it in by rubbing it together with the dry ingredients between your fingers until fully incorporated
4. Make a well in the middle of the mix and add in the egg and golden syrup
5. 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.
6. Split the mix into two and roll each out to approx. 5mm thick.
7. Place your jumper shaped card onto the rolled out dough and cut around it with a knife.
8. 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:

1. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Whisk on a slow speed for 5 minutes, then a high speed for 10 minutes.
2. 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.
3. Pop a little of each colour into a piping bag – these will be your outline icings.
4. 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.

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 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.

Cadbury’s Drinking Chocolate

Vegans rejoice, the Cadbury’s classic Drinking Chocolate is dairy-free and designed to be mixed with a milk of your choice. No whey? Yes way.

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!

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!”

*ASOS DESIGN chunky ribbed midi skirt in recycled blend

*ASOS DESIGN fluffy jumper with cowl neck in recycled blend

*Calvin Klein Marvin Chunky Trainers In Triple White

*RAID black flat hiker boots with silver hardwear

*Lab Leather dropped shoulder biker jacket

 

Carrie

“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.”

*New Look Grey Fine Knit Midi Skirt

*Monki fair isle print crew neck jumper in cream

*ASOS DESIGN 2 pack 40 denier black tights in recycled nylon

*Oasis heeled ankle boots in tan suede

 

Danielle

“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.”

*Topshop Knitted Brown Floral Jumper

*Topshop Pink Satin Flounce Midi Skirt

*Topshop Considered Verona Vegan Black Patent Chelsea Boots

Lauren

“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!”

*Reformation Betty floral-print crepe de chine wrap skirt

*People Tree hand knitted jumper

*Dr Martens Vegan 101 ankle boots in cherry

*MATT & NAT Lexi Mini Crossbody

 

Maddie

“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!”

*Stradivarius Faux leather pleated skirt

*Topshop Ivory Knitted Chunky Cable Roll Neck Jumper

*Whistles Grange Ankle Boot

*& Other Stories Glitter Lurex Ankle Socks

Lareese

“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.”

*& Other Stories Bias Cut Satin Midi Skirt

*& Other Stories Fuzzy Sweater

Zara Leather High Heel Boots

*Topshop Black Faux Leather Vinyl Jacket

*Mango Slingback leather shoes

 

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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

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

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

What are your favourite products from the Lush Christmas collection?

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 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.

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.