I'm Engaged & A Christmas Update

I really don't know where to begin with this post.  I was hoping to have posted over the past few days about my Christmas but things have been rather up in the air since the day itself.  So today I am going to try and get as up to date as I can before the new year begins (that doesn't give me long hey).

Christmas day was a lot better then I had thought, it was very different from previous years, a lot simpler but it was nice.  We didn't go over the top this year and there were new traditions tried.  We usually have table presents between courses at dinner, this year to make it a little different we had a stocking each and we then had to buy a present to go in each persons stocking, it worked really well and will be doing this in future years to come.

I got some great presents this year.

A gorgeous Cath Kidston bag and peg bag from my Mum & Dad

Lovely Clinique toiletries and bag from my Nan

I squealed when i opened this (sad I know) also from my Mum & Dad

This amazing Ted Baker bag from Rebecca my brother's girlfriend

I just love these plates from my Mum & Dad and can't wait to use them next Christmas.

I got lots of other lovely gifts too and feel that I did really well this year.  After dinner I drove round to a friends to meet James and from there we went back to his to open more presents.  Those of you who saw my post yesterday will know that James proposed.  I was so shocked, and wasn't expecting it at all.  It was a great end to a lovely day.  

 And what a better way to start of a new year :D

I hope it is a great 2012 for everyone.  2011 was a bit rubbish if I'm honest so 2012 is going to be a better year.  I'm engaged and have a new job just round the corner from home, yay.  I'm due to be starting at the end of January and cannot wait.  Bring it on 2012 I'm ready for ya.

Happy New Year

Love Gem x x x x x

The Xmas Factor

This book is quite apt for more than one reason.  I have timed this one about right hey, not only for Christmas but also for the X-Factor final.

This is my 3rd Christmas book of the year.  I have read a couple of Annie Sanders other books before and they have been quite comical so I am hoping this will be similar.

Love Gem x x x x

Santa's Christmas Elf

I was very busy over the weekend doing some work for Santa.  Yes I became his little elf for one night only (well I may be making another appearance again soon, we shall just have to wait and see).

Once again Christmas is here,

For everyone to spread some cheer!

So here's a gift just for you

From Santa's elves and Rudolf too!

If you want to join our fun

Make up a parcel to give to someone!

But be sure to never be discovered

Or else the mystery will be uncovered!! 

I set to making up my parcel of goodies first of all for a good friend of mine.  How cute is this little bag - I love it.

It was filled with lots of foodie gifts including of course plenty of chocolate and Christmas biscuits, along with a couple of treats for our friends cats too (cat's do love Christmas as well you know)  then the real challenge began.

This is the parcel on their doorstep, a very blurred picture I'm afraid, I had to be quick I didn't want to get caught out ;)

I think she suspects it was me as she has already been asking questions but I'm still playing dumb ha ha.

So this is one way of spreading goodwill to all men this year and another thing to cross off my Christmas list, although there have been a few other things I have been doing and I will share more over the next couple of weeks.

Now to all my little elfing buddies out there, what are you waiting for, get out there and spread some Christmas cheer.

Love Gem x x x x

P.S  If any one else gives this a go, please let me know, I'd love to hear how you got on.  or if anyone knows of anything similar please feel free to share it, i love finding new ways of spreading Christmas cheer x x x

A Season To Remember

The second Christmas book of the year, Oh Yeah :)

I'm already over half way through this book, so a little late in posting this tonight.  Really enjoying it so far, I've not read this style of writing before so it is nice to read something a little different.

Love Gem x x x x

An Old Tradition

Christmas is everywhere now.  It's what I am reading, it's on all the adverts on TV, it's on the radio and you know what I kind of like it.  This weekend saw me cross another thing off my Christmas list.  An Old Tradition. 
Saturday was the switching on of the Christmas Lights in Moulsham Street ~ basically it is a street of specialist shops, they have been having a lot of work (mainly road works) recently so this for them was a big celebration to celebrate the end of it all.  The road was filled with market stalls selling homemade gifts and decorations, food and lots more.  I was feeling really ill on Saturday so unfortunately I didn't get to see the actual switching on of the lights but I have seen them since, very pretty.

On Sunday the High Street lights were being switched on.  I haven't been to see the lights being switched on for a few years but as a kid it was something we did every year.

 
To finish off there was a brilliant firework display and it was a great end to the day.

The town is lit up and it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

(You can just see Moulsham Street lights in the distance and take a look at that moon.)

Love Gem x x x x x

A Christmas Book

I have done it, another thing crossed off the Christmas List already.  I am reading a Christmas themed book.

I have loved all the other books I've read of Cecelia Ahern and so far this one has yet to disappoint, I am really enjoying it.

I am definitely starting to get into the Christmas spirit now, less than a month to go.  I am not the biggest fan of the day itself, however I love the build up, so I shall be making the most of it over the next couple of weeks.

~ Gem x

Ideal Home Christmas Show

Last Thursday myself and my mum  went along to the Ideal Home Christmas show at Earls Court, London.  It was their first ever show so we thought we would give it a try, in the hope it would get us into the Christmas mood.

Upon arrival at the show it certainly did just that.  There were loads of white Christmas trees lining the path up to the entrance and a snow machine pumping out snow that we had to tramp through to get in the doors.  I got so excited, I felt like a little kid again ha ha small things will please small minds I think the saying goes!

As we walked through the main doors, the whole floor was covered in a white, glittery felt type material to look like snow, this was throughout the whole venue, it looked fab (although I do wonder what it looked like at the end of the last day, never mind)  There were more trees and I was so pleased that it was looking to be better than expected.  It looked like a Magical Christmas Wonderland.

We had our first stop in sight of what we wanted to see first, so we headed straight to the Celebrity Chef Stage. 

Ahhhhh Gino, he is gorgeous and sooooo funny, he was telling people to ask him questions we he answered really well and had everyone laughing, it was the best cookery demonstration I have ever seen.  To top that off..................................................

I even got to meet the man himself, I bought a copy of his book which he kindly signed and I got a couple of kisses too, you can imagine how excited I was right about then, so much so I was actually shaking (what an idiot, I felt a right fool) still I had just had a kiss off Gino D'Acampo I'm pretty sure I can be excused for that.

Unfortunately that is pretty much as far as the excitement went and from then on was a bit of a disappointment.  There were a number of real Christmas trees in the middle of the show with a pretty bandstand in the centre which was lovely, but I was expecting it to be really Christmassy, it was basically just the Ideal Home show with a couple of Christmas stalls, all selling virtually the same thing and when I say a couple that isn't a lie, I was a bit gutted and won't be returning again next year.  But I did meet Gino so it was far from a wasted day, and the first thing to cross of the Christmas List ~ Visit A Christmas Event :)

Love Gem x x x x

Christmas List 2011

As most of you already know I have started to make lists of things I would like to do / achieve each season.  I love Christmas and with it being such a big and busy time of year I have decided to give this a list of it's very own.  So here it is.

1. Visit A Christmas Event
2. Make A Gingerbread House
3. Watch A Christmas Film
4. Give To A Charity Or Good Cause
5. Make Homemade Decorations
6. Read A Christmas Themed Book
7. Enjoy An Old Family Tradition
8. Try Out A New Tradition
9. Spread Goodwill To All Men



Let the festivities begin.

Love Gem x x x x