Category Archives: christmas

A Cosy Home For Christmas

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I am a real sucker for the Channel 5 Christmas B movies, the sort that star people like Hayley Duff and Nicolette Sheridan and are set in places where they have crisp, deep snow, acres of Christmas lights and the biggest trees you ever did see.

I’ve always loved these films and I think part of the reason for this is to do with the places where the characters live. They always exude cosy ‘Christmasness’, with roaring fires, huge sofa, windows with shutters, cosy rugs and festive/alpine touches.

If this is your idea of decor heaven, read on to find how you can add your own cosy touches to your home this winter.

Adding a Made to Measure Rug

One of the home decor trends of recent years has been the rise in laminate and real wood floors. They look beautiful, age well and are easier to clean, but it has to be said that they lack that warm and cosy feel that Winter needs. One easy way to add the ‘warm and cosy’ is to add a beautiful made to measure rug.

Designer-carpet.co.uk are experts when it comes to your luxury carpets and designer carpet needs. They deal in both made to measure rugs and in heavily discounted carpet remnants that can give you the designer look at up to 90% off RRP.

A beautiful handmade, made to measure rug will add a touch of luxury to your home as well as making it look super cosy. The beauty of made to measure is that it can be designed to fit your room size, so it doesn’t overwhelm your space. You can choose colours and patterns that fit with your existing decor and can even opt for the brand that takes your eye. The fabric and texture is also your choice, from something hardwearing like jute or seagrass, to something soft like velvet or loop. The choice is yours.

Adding Tier on Tier Window Shutters

Beautiful tier on tier window blinds not only add extra warmth to a room, but they look cosy and festive too. Wooden shutter blinds give your house a Nordic touch, and if you look at the range from Thomas Sanderson you get a design that is handcrafted and traditional looking.

Cushions, Lots of Cushions

Have you ever noticed just how many plump cushions festoon the sofas and chairs in Christmas movies?  Every sofa just looks like you would sink into it and not want to ever get up again.

Whether you decide to opt for plain and simple cushions that you can use all year around, or whether you go for a few seasonal options, it has to be said that cushions totally equal cosiness.

A wreath for the mantlepiece

All good Christmas films have a festive wreath on the fireplace that is a real statement piece. Home Alone had a wreath and stockings hanging above the fire, whilst even the minimalist style of the LA home in The Holiday had a festive wreath – it’s one thing a cosy festive home just has to have. Real greenery works best and can add a beautiful festive scent to your home too, but there are some really stunning artificial mantle wreaths, and many have twinkly lights that add to the magical Christmas aura.

A cosy throw

Your can transform your usual sofa into a festive version of your sofa with the addition of a cosy Christmas throw. These look and feel soft and comfy and cost very little, you can usually pick them up for less than £10 from stores like Matalan, Asda and Tesco. The throw can be worn over the top of the sofa, or thrown over the arm of a chair, and can simply be folded away once Christmas has gone.

Are you adding any seasonal touches to your home this Christmas?

Visit London this Spring

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It’s our capital city, and no-one would argue that it is also one of the most magnificent cities in the world. Of course I’m talking about London. Spring is a fabulous time to visit, the parks are in full bloom and everything looks better with a bit of sunshine. I have put together a short guide of places to visit this Spring if you are heading for a day out, a quick City break, or a longer trip. Don’t forget to look into getting a London Pass which could help you save money on a range of unmissable attractions, including historic buildings, sporting venues and beautiful gardens.

Harrods

Harrods is a must visit at any time of year.  As well as being an absolute icon of shopping and retail history, it is also a wonderfully stunning store, with incredible architecture that you can enjoy even without making a purchase and getting one of those little green bags.

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A River Thames Cruise

A river Thames cruise is just the best way to see the great city of London. They operate a hop on/hop off ticket so you can choose the parts of London to see in more detail, and you can also get more glamorous packages which include a gourmet meal or a dinner dance. There truly is no better way to enjoy the city, and all its incredible bridges, including the iconic Tower Bridge.

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Wembley Stadium

For lovers of football, a trip to Wembley Stadium is a must do. The stadium runs tours regularly and there is also a pretty brilliant stadium megastore where serious football fans can make a huge dent in their spending money. Make sure you get lots of photographs of that famous Arch.

Carnaby Street

It’s no longer the centre of cool London like it was in the 1960s, but Carnaby Street and the surrounding area is still a great place to find independent boutiques, vintage shops, and branches of more unusual High Street stores – Monki and Irregular Choice amongst my faves. Carnaby Street is still a place to find an unusual gift, independent food vendors and some pretty good street entertainment.

 

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The Shard

If you want to get a view across London, then the viewing platform from The Shard is certainly the best place to get it. You can see almost 40 miles across the city from the platform, and your ticket is weather guaranteed, meaning that if the day turns out to be foggy or drizzly, you can come back for free.  If the view doesn’t take your fancy you can always check out the  growing retail arcade situated on the pedestrian route between London Bridge underground station and the main entrances to The Shard.

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Architecture, Architecture

If, like me, you are interested in beautiful buildings and interesting architecture, then London is the city to visit. It has everything to savour, from the Art Deco beauty of the Hoover Building and the Daily Express building, to the Regency buildings of John Nash, and the artistry of Sir Christopher Wren. The newer architecture is also interesting and awe inspiring. Take a bus tour and just enjoy the sites.

Portable North Pole spreads Christmas Cheer

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One of the most magical things about having a child is their belief in Father Christmas. I have always been a lover of all things Christmassy, but my joy in the festive season changed completely when I was once again able to see if through a child’s eyes. My Joe is almost 11, m not entirely sure he still believes in Santa, when he receives a message from the man himself through Portable North Pole,he still gets really excited, although trying to act cool. It is a real magical moment.

Portable North Pole is a brilliant concept which delivers a personal message to your child from Santa, direct from the North Pole.  Very easy to create, you can upload all the things that make the message personalized, from photographs of your child on special occasions, a picture of your house so Santa can show he knows exactly where you live, and also information about what your child would like as a gift, any special achievements this year, and even the names of friends which are added to Santa’s library. The attention to detail is unique and impressive, and the video are also funny, this year they have added more, from The Magic Carousel, The wrapping machine and the elves magic door. There are also calls from the Man in red himself that can be added to your package.

This year, Christmas Eve will be even more magical than ever thanks to the brand new special multi-device scenario straight from Santa’s sleigh delivered on Christmas Eve! Children will join Santa as he reviews his flight plan for the big night in a personalised video message for an excited child or children – the perfect way to get them to go to bed early too! 

Here’s a full list of what’s new this year:

  • A brand new special multi-device scenario straight from Santa’s sleigh on Christmas eve with a personalised video message from Santa on one device (desktop, smartphone, or tablet) and integrated into the video message is a call from Santa to your phone during the video message. This message can be made for one child or the whole family. * 
  • 2019 kids and grown-up editions of our free personalised cinematic video messages from Santa with amazing outdoor shots featuring husky dogs and reindeers.
  • Download messages in 1080 HD.*
  • An all-new Premium personalised birthday message from Santa that can be enjoyed all year long. *
  • A total of five new Premium personalised videos with even more ways to personalise the message. *
  • Another new multi-device Premium video scenario with a group option. This is great for parents looking to encourage good behaviour from their children in the days leading up to Christmas.*
  • Two new Premium personalised video calls. *
  • Six new Premium personalised voice calls. *
  • The Reaction Recorder is now available on Google Chrome for desktop and laptop, as well as on the PNP mobile app to capture the moment your little one realises it’s Santa speaking to them directly on one of our Premium videos to create a lifetime keepsake.*
  • Fun games in the Kid’s Corner section on the PNP mobile app for year-round play.
  • New personalisation options. Santa will know even more about your loved one, than ever before.*

This is such a wonderful idea that adds a little more Christmas sparkle to the most wonderful time of the year.

Check out all the products offered by PNP by clicking here.