We Wish You A Merry Christmas! - Merry Christmas, Everyone.

Hi!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! and MERRY BLOGMAS DAY TWENTY FIVE! I'll stop shouting now, I promise, I'm just really happy. I have a few things I'd like to say - a Christmas message, if you will (like the Queen's speech but a bit more fun).

Merry Christmas.
I hope you have a wonderful day, full of laughter and love and happiness. I hope you get to have the kind of Christmas you love, whatever that involves. I hope you get to spend the day with people you care about and I hope that together you make precious memories. Even if your Christmas can't be quite what you'd like it to be, I hope you always remember that you are important and you are special.

I'd also like to say thank you. Today marks the end of Blogmas 2017. I hope you've enjoyed the twenty-five Blogmas posts and that they have filled you with festive cheer, that you have enjoyed them and that they have entertained you.

Thank you for your ongoing support and readership, not just during Blogmas but throughout 2017 so far. Thank you for reading and commenting and making blogging all the more special. I love doing this - I love writing and creating imagery and talking about the things I like and am passionate about. I love the idea that people like what I create. Thank you for being a part of this.

I'm sending all of you lovely people good vibes and lots of love this Christmas.

Thanks for reading.

What are your plans this Christmas? Do you have any other comments? Feel free to leave a comment and I'll be sure to get back to you.

Speak soon.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas...

GingerSnaps xxx

Oh My Life! - Tales of My Life and Times - Christmas at the Birmingham Botanic Gardens.

Hi!!!

It's Christmas Eve which means two things - 1) Christmas is tomorrow! and 2) it's Blogmas Day Twenty Four. Last night I met up with my friends for a Christmas outing. We went to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens to see their Christmas lights trail which I'm going to tell you all about today.

 

 

The lights are beautiful and they really make the best of the setting of the botanical gardens  - the trees are illuminated, the light reflects onto the ponds and every structure glitters.

 

The trail is about one kilometre in total but it takes a good hour or so (at least), especially if like us you'll be stopping for hot drinks, eating biscuits and posing for photos.

 

 

It was really lovely to go and see the lights and celebrate Christmas together and it was nice to do something a bit different, too. Now, not only do we have lots of lovely photos, we also have lots of lovely memories.

Thanks for reading Blogmas Day Twenty Four.
Where have you been recently? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Let me know in the comments.
There will be one more Blogmas post tomorrow, so I'll speak to you then.

Enjoy your Christmas Eve!

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - 5 Things To Do In The Lull Between Christmas and the New Year.

Hi!!!

I know some of you will be rolling your eyes at the title of this post because we haven't even had Christmas yet but today is Blogmas Day Twenty Three, we're very close to Christmas and I thought it might be nice to be able to have this list handy whenever you might want some inspiration. Also, I am sorry to anyone who won't be enjoying the lull between Christmas and New Year because of work or any other reason - you got this.

Read a book.

I'm sure a lot of us are in the 'I wish I had the time to read more books' club - now's your chance! Whether it's the new book that somebody bought you for Christmas or one of the books on your existing 'to be read' pile, taking the time to sit with a cup of tea and actually enjoy a book and switch off is always worthwhile.

Play a board game.

I love a good board game and the space between Christmas and New Year is the perfect time to play them because you'll have plenty of time and you can actually sit down and play a full game start to finish. My favourites are Cludeo and Best of British (I'm also very interested in playing the Logo Board Game, especially since it's made by the same people who created Best of British). If you really want to make something of it, then you could invite some of your favourite people round and finish all the Quality Street chocolates you have left before everyone gets busy or goes back to their own corners of the country again.

Go to the cinema.

While lounging about on the sofa at home is lovely, you also might want to get out of the house for a few hours between now and New Year's Eve. I went to see Star Wars: The Last Jedi a few days ago with some of my family and I would highly recommend going to see it (I'm hoping to do a separate post on it soon, but if I don't get round to it, just know that I love it, I finally had my 'Star Wars Moment' that made the franchise something I really love rather than something I just enjoy and, while it's busy, every scene and character has agency). Aside from how great the film was, it was also lovely to spend some time with my family, to eat burgers and discuss film trailers and laugh at a spilled Tango Ice Blast - if you didn't already know, I can be very clumsy - together.

Do some exercise.

I know it's maybe not the most fun thing on the list, but I can't be the only one who gets to the twenty ninth and starts to wonder whether all of the cheese I've eaten over Christmas is going to catch up with me suddenly and if my internal organs will hate me for it? I'm not sure how much half an hour of yoga will help my internal organs post-Christmas, but I think it's something I'll feel better for. Oh, and obviously if you prefer running or swimming or paragliding, then you can do that.

Have a pamper evening.

Similarly to reading books, I feel like taking time for ourselves through things like pamper evenings often fall by the wayside when we get busy. If you've been given any bath and body care products over Christmas, this would be the perfect time to use them and you'll actually have enough time to let your nail polish dry properly so it won't smudge. If you want to know more about my routine or the products I like, then check out my Blogmas Day Nineteen post here.

Thanks for reading today's Blogmas post.

What are your plans for the rest of 2017? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Leave a comment to let me know.

I'll be back tomorrow - which can I just remind you is Christmas Eve, how exciting! - with another Blogmas post.

I hope you have a truly fabulous day!

GingerSnaps xxx

Style It Out - Fashion, Style and Get Ready With Me's - Christmas Day OOTD.

Hi!!!

Good morning and happy Blogmas Day Twenty Two (Christmas Day is within touching distance now and that makes me so happy). I've got Wizzard's 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday' playing in the background and I've got a big cup of tea and I'm feeling ready and inspired to write this post. Today I wanted to show you the outfit I'm planning to wear on Monday (or as it is otherwise known, Christmas Day, no big deal).

Everyone has different ideas of the ideal Christmas outfit. I know, for instance, that some people refuse to leave their pyjamas. I am someone who likes to get dressed up for Christmas. I always wear a dress and I take my time getting ready. After all, you can't get dolled up to celebrate Christmas, when can you?

This is my Christmas dress. It's Lindy Bop's 'Audrey' Swing Dress, and it does have a classic Audrey Hepburn quality to it with it's straight across neckline (which I am told is called a bateau neckline, but I think mine makes more sense), fitted natural waist and swishy circle skirt (yes, swishy is a technical fashion term, ask anyone). It has pockets (YAY!). It's a very festive shade of red - I love wearing a red dress for Christmas dinner, it just seems like the perfect piece for the occasion.

I like playing on the 1950s silhouette of the dress. I like wearing a short green cardigan, which is from The Collection at Debenhams, with the top button fastened which I think looks very 50s and very cute.

I think this would look amazing with a sparkly pair of heels and if I'm feeling super fancy and snazzy and supreme on Monday then I might pop those on. But if not then I have an alternative, and slightly more likely, option - my trusty red Converse high tops, which were actually a Christmas present a few years ago. They are that festive red, they are super comfy and easy to wear and I love the way Converse look when worn with dresses. I'll either have some white socks on with them or some super sassy Christmas socks - I am definitely one of those people who loves receiving socks as a Christmas present, they are a huge part of my #aesthetic.

Thanks for reading.

What are you going to wear on Christmas Day? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for posts you'd like to see in the future? Leave a comment to tell me.

I'll speak to you all tomorrow.

Have a brilliant day!

GingerSnaps xxx

All Things Bright and Beauty-ful - Beauty Reviews - A Christmas Pamper Routine.

Hi!!!

It's Blogmas Day Nineteen and today I have a little Christmas pamper routine to share with you. You might want to save this for when you get home on Friday night, you might want to save it for Christmas Eve - there is nothing more dreamy than a pre-Christmas pamper that makes you feel like a sparkly star on Christmas Day. But also, you might want to take some time this evening, especially if 5pm on Friday seems a million miles away and you want to give yourself that sparkly feeling to get you ready for the home stretch to Christmas. Whenever you find time to do this, I would definitely recommend taking some time for yourself. Without further ado, here's what I recommend.

This is a pretty straightforward pamper routine, and it doesn't take up twelve hours of your time, which I like. This is my go-to at the moment, but sometimes I'm all about the long baths and Lush bath bombs so feel free to add to it or change things if you want. The above photo is sadly not from my bathroom but was taken at Chatsworth last year - it was a room based on the theme of the Sugar Plum Fairy's dressing room, and I think this festive pamper routine is one the Sugar Plum Fairy would be very happy with so I had to include it.



Before I get in the shower, I wash my face with my Aloe Calming Foaming Wash from The Body Shop. I don't wear makeup everyday, but if I do happen to be wearing it then I take it off using The Body Shop's Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover (if you're into cleansing balms or oils, there are also a few of those in the range). I remove my makeup with it, then wash it off with warm water and then I go back in with my Face Wash to get rid of any last dregs of makeup.

 

Then I'll hop into the shower. I use (and love) Herbal Essences Classic Silk n Shine Shampoo and Conditioner to wash my hair.

 Then, since it's Christmas, some festive body care products are in order. I'm using Lush's classic Snow Fairy Shower Gel. It has such a dreamy scent - it's super sweet, which it's bubblegum pink colour might suggest, and it definitely makes me feel like an actual fairy princess who lives in a castle made of candyfloss, so that's nice. If sugary smells aren't your thing, then check out Lord of Misrule, another one of my favourites from Lush's Christmas range which has a more earthy scent, and Vanilla Chai Shower Gel from The Body Shop which is one for those who like spicy, warmer fragrances. The shower gel featured is in a plastic bottle but Lush also make a 'naked' version of this shower gel (available here) which does the same job but without the plastic packaging and I would highly recommend checking that out and reducing your plastic consumption without sacrificing that sugary goodness.

 

To go with my shower gel, I have the Snow Fairy Body Conditioner (this is also available in a 'naked', plastic free version - here - yay and a million points to Lush for caring about the planet). This product works like a hair conditioner - you apply it to your skin in the shower (so while it's still damp), leave it for a few minutes so it can soak in, and then you wash it off. It does feel a bit weird if you're used to using typical body butters but it's a lovely product and concept and means you can just get straight into your pyjamas and get on with your evening.
 

 

I'd then paint my nails - to see my product recomendations, click here - and then either listen to some music, watch a Christmas film or read a book (but I'll definitely be drinking hot chocolate, no matter what).

Thanks for reading today's Blogmas post - I hope you find it useful. I also really hope you like the photos as much as I do.

What are your night in essentials at this time of year? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Let me know in the comments.

I hope you enjoyed today's post. I'll speak to you all tomorrow.

Have a wonderful day!

GingerSnaps xxx 

Food Glorious Food - Recipes - Gingerbread Popcorn.

Hi!!!

Welcome to Blogmas Day Eighteen. Call me Jamie Oliver, because I'm back with another recipe and a questionable amount of skill (I hardly ever do posts like these but it is Christmas and Christmas is a time for food). Anyway, today I'm going to be sharing a recipe for the ultimate festive movie marathon snack - Gingerbread Popcorn. It does take a while to make, but it tastes great and so I think it's worth it if you have a bit of spare time.

This recipe will make two servings but feel free to scale up or down - you can never have too much popcorn, can you?

You Will Need:

50 grams of butter

40g of popcorn

70g of brown sugar

1 teaspoon of black treacle

2 and a half teaspoons of golden syrup

1 and a half teaspoons of ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons of ground ginger

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Here's How You Make It:

Preheat the over to 110°C or 90°C for fan ovens.

Grease a shallow roasting tin and a mixing bowl, so you have less of a battle on your hands later on.

Make the popcorn according to the instructions on the packet and allow to cool.

Heat the butter, sugar, treacle, syrup, spices and vanilla extract in a medium sized pan over a low heat until the butter melts.

Bring to the boil and cook for three minutes, stirring frequently.

Take the pan off the heat and pour the mixture over the popcorn.

Stir until the popcorn is coated in the mixture.

Spread the mixture over the prepared tray.

Bake for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool before eating all of it in one go - it's in the instructions so you officially have permission to do so.

Thanks for joining me for Blogmas Day Eighteen.

What are your favourite Christmas treats? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for posts you'd like to see as part of Blogmas? Leave a comment and let me know.

See you tomorrow!

I hope you have a brilliant day!

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - December Miscellany (Some Photos From The Month So Far...)

Hi!!!

Good afternoon, everyone.  Welcome to Blogmas Day Seventeen. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to post today, so here is December Miscellany, a random series of photos I have taken so far this month.

A lot of these photos have been taken on Christmas shopping trips at range of shopping centres including some taken in Selfridges at the Bullring in Birmingham (that's pictures three and four) and in Coventry  (picture number five). Then there's one from a pre-Christmas lunch with one side of my family - it was the loveliest day full of paper hats and laughter and some Brexit banter (it's laugh or cry, really, isn't it?) and presents and hot chocolate and ice cream. Massive thank you to everyone for a great day. 

Here are the photos, I hope you like them. Here's to all the little moments that make us happy, not just in December but all year round.

 

Thanks for reading today's post.
What have you been up to this month? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Leave a comment and let me know.
See you all tomorrow for Blogmas Day Eighteen.

Have a great day!

GingerSnaps xxx

Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do - Music - All Is Calm: A Playlist.

Hi!!!

Welcome back. Today is Blogmas Day Fourteen and I have a music related post for you today and I am so excited to write and share this. As we get closer to Christmas and we become busier, I think it's important to take even a few minutes for ourselves to recharge so we can really make the most of the season. I've picked out a selection of songs with calm but also festive vibes and put them together in a short playlist for anyone looking for fifteen minutes of less full-on time.

'Golden Slumbers' by Elbow.

While 'Moz The Monster' isn't my all time favourite Christmas advert, the song used for it is certainly up my street - my all time favourite band covering a lovely song by The Beatles? Yes to that.

I love Guy Garvey's voice - it has a really soft quality and also a really comforting feel (perhaps this comes from the fact that he maintains his accent and so it seems more familiar?).
There is a richness to this song musically, with it growing and unfolding to become a sweeping (but not overwhelming) piece of production. This richness echoes the festive season, in many ways, and so grounds the listener in a sense of both familiarity and of hope for the future.
The lyrics are like that of a lullaby, too, which adds to the calming sound the song has.

'Real Love' by Tom Odell.

Another cover of a song by The Beatles that was featured in a John Lewis advert - I promise that is not the theme of this playlist.

I love Tom Odell - he's a wonderful pianist and a great singer. The orchestral instruments elevate the piece and the occasional note played on a glockenspiel adds a charming, playful quality that brings joy to it, too. The layered vocals in the last third of the song provide that soothing, festive, choral quality.

I actually prefer it to the original - don't @ me - because I think it sounds far more sincere and because I think the lyrics really get a chance to shine in this updated cover.

'Scarlet Ribbons' by Harry Belafonte.

This is an utterly wonderful song and one that gets played every Christmas in my house. The lyrics are the real highlight of this song - they create a narrative that carries the hopeful, festive spirit with ease and creates a sense of wonder for the listener. If you believe in Christmas miracles - and you should - then this will really put a smile on your face.
There are lots of recordings of this but the Harry Belafonte one is my go-to, partly because his voice reminds me of a storyteller (is this just me?) and because musically, it is very easy to listen to, but very pretty sounding and complimentary to the lyrics.
Even if things have gotten a bit stressful and none of your parcels look set to arrive before the 27th of December, this song will remind you why you love Christmas.

Thanks for reading!

Which songs are your go-to for a moment of calm at Christmas? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Leave a comment to let me know.

See you tomorrow for Blogmas Day Fifteen!

I hope you feel happy today.

GingerSnaps xxx

Food Glorious Food - Food - Spiced Orange Pancakes.

Hi!!!

Welcome to Blogmas Day Thirteen. For today's post, I'm going to be sharing a recipe with you for the ideal Christmas-time brunch (or mid-afternoon snack) - Spiced Orange Pancakes.

These pancakes are so easy to make and taste lovely. Orange and cinnamon are two of my favourite festive flavours and they work so well in these pancakes.

This recipe makes at least 6 pancakes - although if you make smaller pancakes like I did, then it stretches rather a lot further.

You Will Need:

200g self raising flour, 300ml milk, 1 medium/large egg, 1 orange, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.

(OPTIONAL - but totally recommended) orange segments/ice cream/cinnamon/sprinkles to serve.

You'll also need a large mixing bowl, a whisk (ideally an electric one) and a large spoon or small ladle.

You Will Need To:

Whisk together the flour, milk and egg in the large mixing bowl.

Finely grate the orange zest and add that to the bowl, followed by the cinnamon and the juice of the orange - I actually cut the segments into three and added the juice and the inside of the orange segment to the bowl which worked really well.

Whisk the mixture.

Let the mixture rest for at least 3-5 minutes (a boring step, but worth it).

Melt half a tablespoon of butter in a pan (I used a small pan because I wanted to keep the pancakes quite small).

Spoon or ladle some of the mixture into the pan, adding more depending on how big you want your pancakes to be.

Cook for 4 minutes on one side and then flip it and cook for another 4 minutes on the other side.

Keep going until you've made all your pancakes.

Serve warm with optional toppings of vanilla ice cream, orange segments, a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or some hundreds and thousands sprinkles.

Eat the pancakes, obviously.

Thanks for reading today's Blogmas post.

What are your favourite Christmas treats? Do you have any other comments or perhaps suggestions for future posts? Feel free to leave a comment to let me know.

I hope you enjoyed today's post - and that you enjoy the pancakes if you try them out.

I hope your day is delightful.

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - Snow.

Hi!!!

Good afternoon, everyone. I know today's Blogmas post is going up a little bit later than usual but I do have a very good reason - there's snow outside. I thought it would be nice to share some of the many photos I have taken of the snow - and a short piece of writing that I've done. If you haven't got any snow where you live at the moment or you just love snow as much as I do (which is a lot) then I think you'll like today's post. Happy Blogmas Day Eleven!

I've said it before but Winter is my favourite season. The cold temperatures, the frost, the soft blue or grey skies, the bracing winds and most of all, the snow. Snow is my favourite kind of weather. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe has always been one of my favourite stories and to see the world transformed into a Narnian landscape fills me with joy.

 

 

I love how serene the world looks when it is covered in snow. I love the excitement you can see in people's faces. I love how snowflakes feel when they fall on your face. I love having snowball fights and I love building snowmen and I love making snow angels and I love taking the sledges round to the park and slipping and sliding down the hills. I love how everyone becomes children again when it snows. I love how grown-ups and little ones and grandparents all laugh and play and make memories together. I love how people become happier and become more ready to pass it on. I love how people are eager to help push cars off snowy driveways and I love how people want to tell you they like the snowman you've built.

 

 

 

I can't stop looking out of the windows. I can't stop smiling when I see the trees in the park. I can't stop telling everyone how much I love snow. I can't stop laughing at videos of us trying to make our sledges perform in a Winter Olympics style. I can't stop singing Christmas songs with lyrics that mention snow and pointing as I sing because we actually have snow at Christmas-time like they do in the films. I can't stop thinking about how lucky I am to live in a world where there is snow.

I won't stop thinking about how lucky I am to live in a world where there is snow.

Because I am.

And I feel that with every fibre of my being.



 

I hope you enjoyed this post!
Has it snowed where you live yet? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Leave a comment to let me know.
Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow for Blogmas Day Twelve!

 

I hope you have a wonderful, snow-filled day!

 

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - 25 (Festive) Facts About Me.

Hi!!!

This is one of the posts I've been most excited about writing and it turns out Blogmas Day Ten is the day. I had the idea of writing a 25 Facts About Me post but with a Christmas twist. I figure it will give you an opportunity to find out more about me and what my Christmases are like and I think it will be really fun to write.

1. My favourite flavour Quality Street (and Roses) chocolate has always been the strawberry ones.
2. My Favourite Christmas song is Fairytale of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty McColl.
3. I always wear a red dress on Christmas Day.
4. I hate when people say that 2 Become 1 by The Spice Girls is a Christmas song - it is not, you cannot put it next to 'Merry Christmas Everyone' or 'Underneath the Tree' or 'White Christmas' in your playlists, it doesn't belong.
5. My favourite Christmas snack - you know, The ones you only ever have at Christmas? - is (hands down) Cheese Footballs. Nothing else compares.
6. I went carol singing every year for two or three years as a child. My primary school teachers taught us all sorts of songs and carols and then we'd go on a 'tour' of various places local to us, singing for our parents and for shoppers in Morrison's to name but a few. It was so fun and something I'm so glad I got to do.
7. I spent a lot of my childhood Christmases in Northern Ireland staying at (what has become) my favourite hotel with my parents and I have wonderful memories of it - I love big family Christmases at home but I will always have a soft spot for light lunches, bingo, swimming on Christmas Eve in the hotel spa and going on a 'sleigh' (aka horse and cart) ride on Christmas morning.
8. Our Christmas tree is topped with an angel.
9. I have made around six Christmas cakes so far in my lifetime.
10. I love a festive cheeseboard.
11. Stilton is easily my favourite thing on said festive cheeseboards.
12. If I worked in Santa's workshop, I think I'd be a gift-wrapping elf.
13. As a kid, I played a Christmas fairy, the angel Gabriel, a mouse, an angel and a shepherd in my primary schools' Christmas plays.
14. I was actually the angel Gabriel two years in a row - I was obviously brilliant in the role.
15. I don't remember ever particularly wanting to play Mary in the Nativity play - I just wanted to be in it, I didn't really mind what I was!
16. I used to watch Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse all year round when I was younger (and the same goes for the Polar Express).
17. I really love the smell of tinsel.
18. My opinion on parsnips changes every year - some years they are a highlight of my Christmas dinner, other years I can't bear the sight of them.
19. I have a pair of Christmas Eve pyjamas that are only to be worn on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (I sometimes extend it to Boxing Day but no further).
20. They are red with white polka dots - like the background of my blog.
21. My first Christmas drink at Costa is always Black Forest Hot Chocolate - I try the rest of the menu throughout December, but I always kick off with a Black Forest Hot Chocolate.
22. I would love to visit Germany at Christmas and visit as many Christmas markets as possible while there.
23. My favourite John Lewis Christmas adverts are Monty the Penguin and The Long Wait.
24. My advent calendar this year is a Snowman and Snowdog one from Thornton's - it's very swish.
25. I would absolutely love if there was snow this Christmas - all of you, cross your fingers for a White Christmas, please.

Thanks for joining me for Blogmas Day Ten.
I'd love to know a festive fact about you so feel free to leave one in the comments. Or maybe you'd rather leave another comment or suggestion for future posts? You know what to do.
See you tomorrow.

I hope your day is fabulous and festive!

GingerSnaps xxx

All Things Bright and Beauty-Ful - Beauty Reviews - Festive Nail Polish Picks.

Hi!!

It's Blogmas Day Nine and I'm going to do that really annoying thing and ask - how are we already at Day Nine? Today's post is a beauty related one. I always say that one of my favourite easy ways to feel festive is to paint my nails in a super Christmassy fashion and today I wanted to share my favourite products for doing so.

For most beauty-lovers, Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without red nail polish and I must say I agree. Maybelline Colour Show nail polish in the shade Downtown Red has been my go-to red nail polish for ages now. It's a slightly darker, wine-like red than a bright cherry red but I really like it because it's really wearable and it has quite a winter-y feel to it. It lasts well and I can usually get a good few days out of it before it starts to look a little worse-for-wear.

If you're looking for something different but still very festive, then I'd recommend a forest green shade like this Barry M's Gelly High Shine polish - the one in the photo is the shade Watermelon but I can't find it online so I've linked the very similar shade Black Pistachio. It's the darkest shade of all the products I'm showing you today and as such it makes an amazing base for glitter polishes and also looks very sophisticated when worn alone, making it ideal to wear to any slightly more formal or fancy Christmas parties. This one also has a fair amount of staying power, which is a big plus.

From the darkest shade of the bunch to the lightest, next up is a clean, crisp, white shade, like Rimmel's 60 High Shine polish in White Hot Love (I adore Rimmel nail polishes, they are amazing, they last so, so well and have great pigmentation). I love white nail polish, I think it looks so effortlessly cool and it's perfect for Christmas-time because I'm sure all of us dream of a White Christmas (and if you don't, then you're wrong and you should). It's also a versatile choice that will look good with nearly all of your outfits and makeup looks so if you've got lots of plans that are all polar opposites (haha) to each other, then this could be a good choice for you.

  

My current favourite way to jazz up a manicure is to paint each of my nails a different colour - wearing the red, green and white on alternate nails and I absolutely love it - it looks really cool and super pretty and a little bit different.

Thanks for reading Blogmas Day Nine!

What are your favourite nail polishes to wear at this time of year? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Let me know in the comments.

I hope you enjoyed today's post!

Have a beautiful day!

GingerSnaps xxx

Shopping For Treats - Hauls and Wishlists - Christmas Cards and Wrapping Haul.

Hi!!!

It's Blogmas Day Eight and today I wanted to show you the cards and wrapping paper that I have chosen to use this Christmas. I am a self-confessed stationery fan and so I put a lot of thought into my Christmas stationery - after all, cards on the mantelpiece and presents under the tree ought to look their best. Day Eight is definitely one for the stationery lovers (or those who would like some guidance when navigating the millions of cards and wrapping papers on offer).

It took a rather long internal debate, as there are so many lovely options available this year, but I've picked these Charity Christmas Cards from Paperchase.

They feature an intricate red and white, Scandinavian-inspired design which looks really Christmassy and 50 pence from the sale of this pack of cards has gone straight to Nordoff Robbins, a music therapy charity which has recently come to my attention and which, as a music-lover, I am delighted to support this Christmas. As I said on Day Six, there are loads of options for Charity Christmas Cards - click here if you'd like to find out more.

 I picked some wrapping paper up while I was in Paperchase yesterday - it has a white background, adorned with illustrations relating to London at Christmas time from Paperchase.

I also really love the look of these wrapping papers from WHSmith - one is dark blue with gold glitter stars and the other is white with gold glitter reindeer and they have such a magical look to them - so I might just buy those, too, when I'm next out shopping. I'm not finished buying all of my wrapping paper/wrapping accessories/cards but I've started and I wanted to show you what I'd got so far - I will almost certainly end up buying far more than anyone could possibly need.

I hope you enjoyed today's Blogmas post.

Have you bought your cards and wrapping paper yet? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Leave a comment to let me know.

Thanks for reading.

Have a fabulous day!

GingerSnaps xxx 

Oh My Life! - Tales of My Life and Times - Birmingham German Christmas Market

Hi!!!

Good morning! For today's Blogmas post, I wanted to share what I got up to yesterday with you - expect plenty of festive photos to brighten up your Tuesday afternoon and fill you full of Christmas cheer.

My Auntie S and I went into Birmingham yesterday for a day of Christmas shopping and visiting the Christmas market. As someone who has always lived in Birmingham, the German Christmas Market will always have a special place in my heart as I've spent so many December days and evenings there. It does seem like there are less stalls than there usually are this year, but there are building works going on nearby which is probably why.

The first point of call was definitely to grab something to drink, especially since the cups that the drinks are served in are so photogenic - as are the tokens you are given to hand over when you give the cups back.

 

The German Market always look super festive with all of the fairy lights, Christmas trees, the carousel, the Santa Clause statuettes and Nutcracker dolls.

 

 

 

I also think that all of the stalls are super Christmassy, too. There's rows of colourful stalls selling everything from toys, tree ornaments and candles to jewellery and food. It's always a nice place to go for gift inspiration or just to look at all of the lovely things on offer.

 
 

My tips for visiting would be to go during the day if possible (as it will be a bit less crowded), to say yes to all of the food available (everything from pretzels to marshmallows to fried potatoes with garlic sauce and crêpes) and allow yourself to be present and take in all of the lovely Christmassy sights and sounds and smells.

Massive shout out to my Auntie S for letting me tag along on her Christmas shopping trip and for sharing fried potatoes and laughing at a singing moose with me.

Thanks so much for reading Blogmas Day Five.

Have you visited a Christmas Market yet? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Leave a comment to let me know.

I hope you enjoyed this post. I'll see you tomorrow for Day Six.

I hope you have a great day!

GingerSnaps xxx

I've Been Thinking... - Decorating the Christmas Tree! (Photo Diary)

Hi!!!

Welcome back! Today is Blogmas Day 4 and I wanted to share some photos from my weekend. We decorated the Christmas tree on Saturday and I thought it would be nice to tell you what the day we decorate for the holidays is like and what our tree looks like (spoiler alert: it's absolutely magical). I love decorating the tree and I think it's something most of us can agree is a fun tradition and something we look forward to so I hope you enjoy this post.

We have an artificial Christmas tree. I know this outrages some people, but I've spent all of my Christmases round an artificial Christmas tree and I personally love it - if nothing else because I don't end up accidentally standing on pine needles while walking round barefoot and howling with pain (it's right up there with standing on Lego, isn't it?). Our tree is quite a big tree and I wouldn't have it any other way - Christmas isn't the time for half measures, in my opinion.

 

I put the lights on the tree this year, took them all off because I'd missed a few branches, put them all back on, and then had to sit down for a bit before I untangled the second set and put those on the tree because, as it turns out, putting up Christmas lights is a pretty taxing job.

 

We put quite a lot of lights on our Christmas tree, but we also put a lot of decorations on it, so it's necessary for you to actually see them.

 

I would describe myself as the Chief Decorator but I don't decorate all by myself because I love gathering round the tree and making memories with my family.

 

I dig out a Christmas CD (find my recommendation here) or put on a Christmas music channel on TV (I'd recommend Heart's TV channel for the best Christmas songs), we sing along and drink as many cups of tea as is humanly possible and end up covered in glitter. It is definitely one of my favourite parts of Christmas.

 

 

We're not minimalists when it comes to decorating the tree, and we don't have a theme for our decorations, but I can't imagine the Christmas tree looking any other way. We squeeze as many baubles as we possibly can onto the branches and I think it leaves us with a beautiful display, especially because there are so many different decorations from different times and different Christmases and different locations around the world and so it is brimming with all the sentimentality of a Christmas movie.

Thanks for joining me for Blogmas Day Four, I hope you enjoyed seeing some photos of our decorating process (which sounds very official, doesn't it?) and of our lovely Christmas tree.

How do you decorate for the festive season? Do you have any other comments or suggestions for future posts? Let me know in the comments.

See you tomorrow!

Have a spectacular day!

GingerSnaps xxx