Tag Archives: Christmas

Win! Tickets For The Festive Gift Fair 2019

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It is now officially October, and so I think I am now safe to mention the word Christmas. I know that some people totally ban the word until Bonfire Night has come and gone, but for others, now is the time to start planning and preparing. This includes people who get paid monthly and may only have to paydays before the man in red arrives, those with lots to buy for, or even those like me, who have a child with a birthday the week before Christmas and so it is a very expensive time.

If you are making that list and checking it twice, the annual Festive Gift Fair that takes place at  the Birmingham NEC on the 14-17 November, is a great one stop destination for all things Christmas. Now in its 24th year, the fair is one of the most popular Christmas Shopping events in the UK. with more than 325 stores that cater to all tastes and needs. There are special fair discounts on the day to make your money stretch just that little bit further, there is also a present creche where you can drop off your bags as you continue to shop.

The Fair is also about food and entertainment.  The organisers say

The festive atmosphere is always fantastic and there’s even more this year with NEW icicle lighting throughout the hall and a NEW Victorian bandstand where LIVE Bands will take centre stage. While browsing the stalls, let the music get you into that Christmassy mood and be entertained by Santa himself, the UK’s Largest Snowman and Pantomime characters.

There are also a wide range of food stores selling all manner of festive fair to totally treat the tastebuds, as well as Champagne and festive fizz.

You can buy your tickets by clicking here.

Competition Time.

I have ten pairs of tickets for this year’s Festive Gift Fair which you can win by entering below.

UK Entries only.

Festive Gift Fair Competition

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 10, but still believes in Santa, and 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.

The Portable North Pole console also gives you the unique ability to create a personalized phone calls, whilst you can also create a special message to be played on Christmas Eve. And, sharing the love around, a percentage of all online store sales are distributed among 40-plus Children’s Hospitals around the world.

You can create a short version of the video for free, or a premium version with more images, choice of storylines and added detail for just £8.99.

 

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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 her.

Christmas Magic with The Nutcracker

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Christmas really came to town in Birmingham on Friday with the opening night of The Nutcracker, Tchaikovsky’s yuletide classic at the Birmingham Hippodrome.  A full house for the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s production showed that this evergreen classic shows no sign of losing its ability to enchant, with this particular production stunning in both dance and visually through the incredible sets.

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The Nutcracker tells the story of a wonderful family Christmas Eve, with the initial scenes dominated by a wonderful Christmas tree. This is a picture box Victorian Christmas scene, one that could’ve come from a Christmas card, or the top of a quality street tin, the tableaux is so vivid and beautiful. A young girl, Clara beautifully danced with charm and innocence by Karla Doobar) is gifted a nutcracker doll, one that is then broken by her brother. The doll, however, seems to be a thing of magic, as proved when it is miraculously put back together, and when Clara creeps downstairs that same night to play with her new doll, she is suddenly transported to a world where Nutcracker dolls are real, rats are enormous and a Sugar Plum fairy proves to be the epitome of beauty and grace.

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Visually, this ballet is a feast for the eyes. The end of act 1, where Clara and her handsome Prince travel to the Land of Snow , is one of the most beautiful scenes I have seen in any ballet, with the Birmingham Hippodrome transformed into a winter wonderland with snow falling onto a stage full of silvery dancers and exquisite trees.  The second half starts with Clara flying across the stage on a white swan, a scene that is just magical, particularly for the younger members of the audience.

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The second scene is dominated by the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, with Momoko Hirata just so beautiful in this role. Her dance with the Prince is supremely romantic, and when, at the end of it, Clara finds herself back home, you find yourself wishing she could’ve stayed for just one more dance – you simply don’t want it to end.

Spellbinding magic for all the family. The Nutcracker is at the Birmingham Hippodrome until December 13. Click here for ticket information.