Blogmas – Surprise Saturday

21st Dec 201921st Dec 2019 | Suzi Stamp

It’s another Surprise Saturday and I’m really surprised about a few things, number one being that it is the last Saturday before Christmas and the second, that I am pretty much ready for the day itself!

I got the last of my gifts purchased and am waiting on delivery so I can get them wrapped, the cards are written (the few that I send) and waiting to be hand-delivered, all of the decorations are up and, yesterday, I had my first Christmas Celebration with my friend who is going to be away over Christmas visiting family!

I had a really nice day yesterday, my car passed its MOT so I collected it in the morning and then went to get some food for dinner. It is a bit of a tradition now that my friend and I have our Christmas before he goes away. We spent the day preparing dinner, talking, playing games (mainly Dobble), setting up my Wii, watching Christmas films and eating lots of lovely food!

I prepared prawn cocktail for starters then had a roast dinner before tucking into a dessert of cherry pie and ice cream. The main course consisted of mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, roast carrot and parsnip, cauliflower, sprouts and a Quorn Roast. It really was the best day!

How are your plans coming along? Have you had any Christmas celebrations yet? Let me know in the comments about what you have been up to, I’d really love to hear about it!

Blogmas – Festive Friday

20th Dec 201919th Dec 2019 | Suzi Stamp

We are edging ever closer to Christmas and this Festive Friday my thoughts are on desserts to be served after dinner on the big day! There are so many different desserts to choose from and every store seems to create a fantastic show-stopper of a dessert that it is really hard to choose any single one!

I am a huge fan of any kind of dessert, seriously, it’s my favourite food group! The problem I have is whether to choose a fruit-based dessert or chocolate or caramel! I have come to a conclusion though, after a lot of thought… after a big meal, something that is light and fresh is a good choice so I am thinking of serving something like a lemon mousse or meringue, or even some sorbet or ice cream after dinner.

I have seen a lot about serving 2 desserts, one after the main course and then one later on with coffees, and I really like that idea. The great thing about this is that you can serve a richer dessert later then with the coffees. A dark chocolate torte would be the perfect accompaniment to coffee!

What are you thinking of serving as dessert on Christmas Day? Let me know what you would suggest in the comments!

Blogmas – Top 10 Christmas Songs

19th Dec 201919th Dec 2019 | Suzi Stamp

There is nothing better than whacking on some Christmas tunes while you tick off tasks on your Christmas preparations list and today’s Top 10 is a list of my favourite Christmas tunes!

Warm This Winter – Gabriella Cilmi
Stop the Cavalry – Jona Louie
Fairytale of New York – The Pogues
Last Christmas – Wham
You Make it Feel Like Christmas – Gwen Steffani
The Christmas Walts – Frank Sinatra
Candy cane Lane – Sia
Winter Things – Ariana Grande
My Only Wish – Britney Spears
Christmas Lights – Coldplay

What are some of your favourite Christmas songs? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

Blogmas – Wishing Wednesday

18th Dec 201917th Dec 2019 | Suzi Stamp

What is on your wish list for Christmas? It’s always something that I am asked by family and friends both for my Birthday and for Christmas and usually I don’t really have any solid ideas of anything that I want and never really have an answer for. Over the past few years, I have compiled lists using Amazon Wish List to add things to that I see and like so that I can answer this question fairly easily, either by scanning the list or just sending the list to people for them to pick something from.

A few things that I am wishing for this year are new earrings, clothing, a necklace, a tin opener and a cheese grater as well as a few items for the home including a multicolour chandelier. On my list are a ton of dinosaur-themed things from jewellery to t-shirts as I love dinosaurs, there are rainbow coloured items and items that have an ethnic feel to them too. I also have on there some fragrance and body care items, makeup and incense/room scent things too. (My Wish List in case you were wondering!)

When we were little, my brothers and I used to be so excited to get the Argos catalogue and prepare our lists for Santa, often circling almost every item on the page! I still get a bit excited to look through Christmas gift guides, especially the Boots and Superdrug ones but the catalogues are becoming a thing of the past as the internet gains even more momentum in the shopping area. A lot of the times, when I stumble over something that I like, which gets added to my list, it is often found because I was looking for something else that I intended to buy and I often wonder, if I wasn’t such a big user of the internet and shopping sites, whether I would have any kind of wish list at all…

What is on your wish list this year? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear all about your Christmas wishes!

Blogmas – Tinsel Tuesday

17th Dec 201916th Dec 2019 | Suzi Stamp

I love seeing peoples window displays over Christmas, whether it is a bit of fake snow sprayed to the glass, lights twinkling or an elaborate Christmas scene set up on the windowsil for passers by to see, travelling home from work on a dreary, dark evening and seeing these sights can really make me smile.

I don’t tend to do a lot with my window decorations aside from hanging a net of lights in them but I have seen some really imaginative things done as window displays at Christmas. One of my favourite’s is a scene from the Nativity that is set up in a window not far from where I live, and there is another further along with snow men. In London, in the neighbourhood where my brother lives they have a neighbourhood advent where each day a new window display that has been set up in homes, is unveilled through December which I think is a really lovely idea and brings together the whole community.

Do you ddecorate your windows for Christmas? I’d love to know in the comments!

Blogmas – Merry Monday

16th Dec 201915th Dec 2019 | Suzi Stamp

I know most people will have already got their Christmas decorating under way but I still find it useful to have a list of things to check and refer to as preparations are underway!

I usually make a list of the rooms that I want to decorate with all my festive things so that I can see which rooms will need the most preparation (like a full clean, hoover and dust) and then make a list of the items that I want in those rooms, for example – Living Room – Tree, Fairy lights, hanging decorations etc. Once this is done then decorating can begin!

Things to check before putting decorations up

Check that all fairy lights work before installing anywhere
Check if decorations need batteries – if so what type?
Buy batteries for all decorations that need them (I usually opt for 3 x the amount needed in case they run out)
Check that you have the right equipment – eg, steps or a ladder if you want to reach the ceilings
Cotton thread is always useful for adding to baubles in order to hang them
Do you have the right sort of decoration hangers (eg window suckers or blue-tack)
Scissors are always really useful to keep nearby
Where are decorations going to be placed? Keep in mind that they need to be placed safely, where they won’t fall over or cause a hazard to anyone.

What sort of things do you do in preparation for putting decorations up?

Blogmas – Sparkle Sunday

15th Dec 201914th Dec 2019 | Suzi Stamp

On Christmas Day I like to get up and have breakfast in my pyjamas then take a really long shower and pamper myself, applying a hair mask and exfoliating myself all over. After that is done I spend time moisturising and blow-drying my hair, styling it into curls or fashioning it into a pretty updo. I then take my time applying makeup. I spray myself with my poshest fragrance before getting dressed.

I know this seems like a lot for Christmas day but I like to get dressed up in my most fancy clothes, often a dress and high heels as it makes the day feel even more special. In years past I have bought new clothes for the occasion – a black velvet dress with black sparkly heels one year, a halter neck jumpsuit with diamante detailing around the neckline with glittered silver strappy sandals, a deep red chiffon dress with black over knee boots another year.

This year I have several options, I have a few different dresses which have hardly been worn so I don’t have the pressures of looking for and purchasing something to wear. My options so far are a purple wrap-around dress, a black dress, or a skirt and top combo or even trousers and a top. I have no real idea of what I want to wear but I do know that I will be making an effort with what I wear for the day.

What do you wear on Christmas day? Do you dress up? leave me a comment and let me know!

Blogmas – Surprise Saturday

14th Dec 201914th Dec 2019 | Suzi Stamp

My feelings around Christmas have changed drastically since I was little, no longer do I feel the same levels of excitement and anticipation. I no longer attempt to stay awake to wait for the arrival of Santa, nor do I lay awake and wonder what the day will have in store. But the magic and excitement are still felt in other ways.

I still get excited to spend a day with my family, of seeing their faces when they open the gifts I have chosen for them and for enjoying a dinner that has been lovingly prepared. I still love to curl up on the sofa with a box of chocolates and a good book though have replaced the cup of tea with a glass of red wine.

I find joy in watching carols being performed by local choirs, seeing the kid’s faces light up when they catch a glimpse of Santa at the Christmas Parade and of seeing friends meeting up to share a coffee and chat, putting their feet up and relaxing when shopping.

I love to carefully wrap the presents where once I was eager to unwrap them, of receiving and writing Christmas cards, posting them through friend’s doors for them to find on their return to their homes.

I find a strange sort of comfort in joining the queues of other shoppers as we wait to pay for our goods, of taking the items home and of making the preparations ready for Christmas morning.

What has changed about Christmas since you were small? Do you still get the same feelings about Christmas? I’d love to know your comments!