Blogmas Day 7: Christmas Decorations!

Hello everyone,
                        Today I am going to show you how my Mum and I decorated the house for Christmas.

The first thing we did was put up our Christmas Tree! I love how it turned out! Our theme was red and gold and green, although there is a bit of pink and blue in there!

We put our mistletoe wreath up on the door too.

Then we put this leafy, green banner over the fireplace which I really like!

Then we decided to put these baubles on ribbons above the windowsill which I think look really cool!

My Mum always puts out this small Santa Claus statue, which I think looks really sweet!

'My Christmases have always just been very simple and family' Julie Roberts

Thanks for reading,
Olivia xx

Blogmas Day 6: My Jumpers and Cardigans Collection!

Hello everyone,
                        Today's Blogmas post is going to consist of a collection of all of my cardigans and jumpers. I thought this would be really good to show you because cardigans and jumpers are basically all I wear in the winter time so I decided to show you all of the ones I own! Let's get started! Sorry today's is up so late, I had a bit of writing block!

1) Cream Cat Meow Jumper
I got this in a Next sale about a year ago now and I have worn it to death! I love it with black pants the most. It is just a thicker, long sleeved shirt, but it feels just like a jumper! I really like this one and it keeps me quite warm in winter, but I like to layer on top of it too. Because it is cream, and the cat is black, it goes with basically anything! I really like this but I got it a long time ago and believe that Next don't stock it any more.

2) Minnie Mouse Collage Jumper

Again, this is like a thicker shirt that is all over a light grey colour filled with Minnie Mouses. I really like the combination of the red and silver and I wear this one a lot. This one is quite warm to but, like the last, I like to layer it with other pieces. This jumper has a slight high low too. This one is from George and I am unsure of the price because my Grandma bought it for me in Summer, so I am unsure about whether they sell it or not! 

3) All Over Lace Jumper
This jumper is also from George but, again, it's quite old. This jumper is cream and, as you can see, consists only of lace. I do like this one, however, it isn't very warm. It actually is warmer than some shirts I own but, as a jumper goes, it's cold. I obviously wear a cream or white tank top underneath. Again, I don't know if this is still available!

4) Black Ghost Jumper
I got this one from Primark for £14 and this is pretty thick and warm so I think this was really worth it! I love this because it's really good quality and warm!

5) Loose Cream Cardigan
This is a very loose fitting, knitted cream cardigan that I love wearing. This was £10 from Primark and it's a staple for me now. It's really warm too!

6) Black Cardigan

This is just a plain black, long, thin cardigan to put over short sleeve shirts and this was £8 from Primark. I love it but it's not very warm. I like wearing this, like I said, as a layering piece. Awkward picture or what! 

7) Starry Black and White Cardigan
This is from Forever 21 and it is big and chunky, which means it's warm and really cosy! I love it so much! It's really awesome for winter and it was £24.99.

8) Black Bomber Jacket
This is a metallic black bomber jacket with gold studs on the shoulders. I love this and it has gold detailing. This is amazing and I got this from George too, but I got it about last year. It's really warm too, which is great!

'I love being home at Christmas time' Ashley Tisdale

Thanks for reading,
Olivia xx

Blogmas Day 5: A Cheeky Couple Of Purchases!

Hello everyone,
                        Today I went to Sainsburys and picked up a couple Christmas treats for myself! Oops?! Here are the two things I got!

The first is this little tin from Beauticology:, this is a dupe for Philosophy, I think. This set was £4 because it was on a 'Save a third' deal and you get four, quite good sized lip balms! This would make a great gift because it comes in a red tin with Beauticology: written on it!

Then I got this amazing set from Starbucks. They have tonnes of these sets at Sainsburys so if you know someone who would like them, they are available there. I really like this one because inside you get a Starbucks Hot Chocolate Cup, Hot Chocolate Mix, Drinks Whisk and Three Starbucks Chocolate Coins. I really like this Hot Chocolate set and I think that the fact it was only £7.99 makes it even better! I may or may not have used this kit already... Lets just say that the Hot Chocolate tastes amazing! This would make a great gift too because it has a Starbucks ribbon around it and a to and from label on it.

'Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What is Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas... perhaps... means a little bit more.' Dr Seuss, How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

Thanks for reading,
Olivia xx

Blogmas Day 4: 5 Christmas Recipes To Try At Home!

Hello everyone,
                        Today I fancied finding some really cute recipes for you to try at home! I will, hopefully, be trying some of these in the near future! I really want to try some of these so if I do I will show you how they turn out!

1) Snowmen Biscuits
I came across this one in my search for recipes and thought it looked so cute! This is a really easy one to do as well because you just have to make plain, simple biscuits and the decoration is the main part! This recipe is really sweet and looks good for baking with kids! Click here to find this recipe!

2) Christmas Star Biscuits

Again, this one is very simple and easy to make because it is a plain biscuit with the decorations on it that make it look the best! These are stars that you can thread ribbon through and give as gifts to people! They look really cute and are great to make in the holiday time! You can find the recipe here.

3) Christmas Cake Pops 

These are kind of interesting. For this one it uses Christmas cake to make the cake pops but you can substitute that with any cake, especially for younger children who may not like the taste of Christmas cake! I think these are really pretty and a really good idea! See this one here.

4) Christmas Gingerbread Men 
These are your average gingerbread men that come out every year at this time! I love them and making them at home is the best. I think they taste a bit better and you can decorate them like the ones below in the picture! See them here.

5) Mince Pies 
These are a classic at Christmas, so I had to include them in this post. I actually don't like them but if you know people who do, then you could make a few, wrap them up and give them as gifts! The only problem with these is that you can only decorate them to a certain extent. Maybe not the most fun, but if you like them, maybe they will taste the best out of all of these. Click here to see the recipe.

'It is Christmas in the heart that brings Christmas to the air.' Unknown

Thanks for reading,
Olivia xx

Blogmas Day 3: Top 3 Hot Drinks For Winter!

Hello everyone,
                        Today I wanted to share my three favourite hot drinks to have in the Winter time with you! Let's just get started!

The first is hot chocolate. I love hot chocolate. Fact. I am drinking a cup right now. No shame. I really like it to sit and watch TV with, especially with a blanket! If you have never had hot chocolate, then what is your life?! My favourites are the Areo Bubbles one and, my favourite, the Galaxy Frothy Top one! I like to put whipped cream on top with chocolate shavings and mini marshmallows, not every time I have it though!

The next one that I love is from Starbucks, so I don't get this too much, but it's the Vanilla Cream Based Frappucinno! It's so good! I like it iced with strawberry in Summer, it's awesome! They taste quite plain but really nice! You should definitely try it if you are in a Starbucks.

Then we have just a plain cup of tea. I love tea so much and I drink it nearly every day! It's so warming and simple. I don't really like coffee, so tea is my alternative!

'A lovely thing about Christmas is that it's compulsory, like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together.' Garrison Keillor

Thanks for reading,
Olivia xx

Blogmas Day 2: The Holly Jolly Holiday Tag 2!

Hello everyone,
                        So today, to really kick Blogmas into action, I thought I would do a tag! This one is the Holly Jolly Holiday 2 Tag, which is the second edition of it, obviously! This was created by Beautybaby44 and Strawberryelectric48 on Youtube, from 2012! If they make a third one this year, I will do that at a later date, but so far they haven't! Let's start!

1) Do you start your Christmas shopping on Black Friday or do you wait until the last minute? 
I know that Black Friday was last Friday, in the States. So the question to me just means the end of November, instead of Black Friday, because I live in the UK. To be honest, as soon as September rolls around, my head goes into Christmas mode! No shame. I start thinking about what to get people and looking online for what I would like and it carries on up until December! I make sure to have all of my presents purchased before the end of the first week in December, because I like to be organised like that, or I panic! I have done that this year and I am doing a post on one of the DIY presents I am giving away this year!

2) If you could be in any Christmas film, what would it be?
I would want to be in Elf because it is the funniest and best Christmas film of them all! I wouldn't be Buddy though, because I would want him in the film with me! I wouldn't mind being in the Muppets Christmas Carol either because I would love to work along side the Muppets!

3) Which do you like better: Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? 
I have a really good Christmas Day every year, but I think the edge just goes to Christmas Eve because of the anticipation and how excited you are for Christmas! I really think that Christmas Day is over in the blink of an eye, so it's nice to cherish things on Christmas Eve that happen!

4) When does your family put up your Christmas Tree and who decorates it?
Normally, we put up the tree on, about, the second weekend of December because my Mum won't let me put it up any earlier! Everyone, but my Dad, decorates it because we all enjoy doing it together as a family. My Dad doesn't do it usually because he is working a very busy, Christmas rush, shift as a Postman or he is at his own house. We don't mind that he isn't involved, it's up to him whether he wants to or not! Instead he helps around the house, moving things getting ready for the tree! And he's always there on Christmas morning and around Christmas to appreciate it!

5) White light or coloured lights?   
I really think that white lights look nicer on a Christmas Tree because then you can use any colour theme with the baubles, but if you want a plain tree, then coloured lights look really pretty!

6) Are you guilty of peeking at your presents or do you like the surprise?
I have never purposely peeked at my presents! I know, hard to believe! I do know where my Mum 'hides' them, but I have never looked in there! I have only ever seen things when she forgets to log out of a website or when she doesn't put it away!

7) Would you rather live in a gingerbread house or Santa's Workshop? 
As much as I love sweets, I would have to live in Santa's Workshop because it seems like so much fun!

8) Tell us your Christmas Eve Traditions! 
None of these are set in stone, but usually we go and visit my Dad's Auntie, as we don't really see her over Christmas, and then I usually bake something Christmassy and then I normally watch Elf or Nativity, my two favourite Christmas films!

9) If you could go under the mistletoe with anyone, who would it be? 
Well, without a doubt it would have to be Josh Hutcherson, which is ironic because I haven't seen The Hunger Games. I just broke every fan girls heart. Oops.

10) What tops your tree?

On my small tree, in my room, I have a silver and gold glittery bow and on the main, big tree, we usually have a big silver star.

11) Can you name the 12 days of Christmas? 

No way! I only know the first 5! 

12) Have you ever gone Christmas Caroling? 

It's not so big in the UK, so no. Only ever with Primary School I think?! 

13) Do you countdown to Christmas? If so, how many days are left? 

I do! I have an app on my phone and there are 23 sleeps left, so 22 days! 

14) What are some foods and treats you can count on having every holiday season? 

• Christmas dinner
• Hot chocolate 
• Candy canes 
• Gingerbread men
• Vanilla frappe from Starbucks 

15) How has Christmas kept it's magic for you as you've grown older?

Well I am only 14 but I think it has kept it's magic by just being around my family! After the magic of Santa dying out, I realised how much Christmas was about family, because it is still my favourite time of year even though I found that out. So that made me think what Christmas means to me the most, and that is not the childhood fantasy, it's the family, friends and being together at this time of year. I hope you had your snorkel there because I just went DEEP! 

'Christmas isn't a season, it's a feeling.' Edna Ferber.

Thanks for reading,

Olivia xx

Blogmas Day 1: Room Decorations!

Hello everybody,
                          Today is the first day of Blogmas! I can't believe December is already here and that I will be posting everyday till Christmas Day! I can't wait for Christmas and I thought that you would like to read a different Christmas post everyday! I do not have an exact time that I am posting everyday so it will be at a random time everyday, sorry about that! Today I thought that I would show you the decorations that I put up in my room! I decided that I would decorate on the first because it then sets the mood for the month ahead! I have decided to do a No Buy Blogmas, where I purchase nothing at all, until Christmas Day, so that I can go shopping after Christmas! So let's get started!

The first thing I did to renovate my room for the holidays is put up my Christmas Tree. i have a fake, three foot, pink Christmas Tree that I bought last year in the sales after Christmas for only a pound! I got it at Asda and I believe they sell the same on in stores for £5, that's just what they were last year! I haven't found it online though! I really like this one because it fits in my room perfectly and it is pre-lit so I didn't have to buy special, short lights for it! I got the big bow decoration, that I used as my tree topper, at Sainsburys for £1.66. It's gold with specks of silver! I also got the gold variety pack of 24 small baubles at Sainsburys for £2.66. I love them and think it looks really cute!

It looks really bright and tacky on camera, but I promise it's not! 

The next thing I got was also from Sainsburys and it's this little wooden owl! I love him so much! He is sky blue and he has a wooden texture print on the front with snowflakes on his belly and back! I put him in front of my TV because he is only small! I got him for £1.66 and they also had a bigger one for about £3! He's so cute!

Then I put some Christmas tree lights that we had from Asda, over my headboard. I have had these on before but decided to do it again!

I thought a cute little idea, was to put my red and black checked hair bow on top of my Starbucks tumbler! I thought the red and green looked cute for Christmas and it was just a nice touch to add a bow! The bow is from Claires and was £4.50!

The last thing I did was that I put two stars on two of my drawers. They were the only two left in the box and because they were both stars, I decided to put them on my dresser! I think they look cute! One is shiny and one is matte.

'Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.' - Norman Vincent Peale

Thanks for reading,
Olivia xx