What I Got For Christmas 2018

In today's post, I'm bringing you this year's "What I Got For Christmas". I thoroughly enjoyed writing and photographing for this type of post last year, so I'm thinking of making it a yearly tradition on my blog. It goes without saying but I am extremely grateful to everyone who got me something this year. I didn't include the gifts I received from my friends in this post - just because I've already eaten/used most of the items! - but I absolutely love each and every one of their presents to me. They all know me so well! 

 

This gift was from my brother and his girlfriend and I was not expecting it at all! If you don't know what a Sprocket is, it's basically like a mini printer for your phone. I tried it out with a couple of my favourite photos and was surprised at how quick and easy the process was. I love how the film has a sticky side on the back. I have a "Photo a Month" spread in my bullet journal so this Sprocket will definitely come in handy for that.

From my Grandma, I got this 2019 diary. I love the marble design and gold lettering. I tried using my bullet journal for both personal and school purposes but it got quite messy and confusing so I thought having a separate diary for all my Uni assignments would work much better.

 

 

 

I've been wearing a lot of denim recently so I super excited to receive this dress from my parents. I really like the frayed bottom and the distressed effect it gives off. They also got me another gift which I was quite surprised by. I've had my Pandora bracelet for about a year now and it's had one charm for that length of time too so being able to add a second and third was very exciting. The silver heart and intricate dragonfly/ladybird charm are the perfect combo. They also go really well with my pink heart.

 

This year, I decided to treat myself to a book. I've been wanting to read "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine" for such a long time but every time I would go to the library to check it out, it'd either be borrowed or reserved. This only made me more desperate to get my hands on it! My theory is; if a book is that hard to check out, then it must be really worth the read!

Hope you all had a great Christmas and see you in the new year!!

CONTINUE READING

Test Your Christmas Knowledge! - Quiz

Since it's my last quiz post of 2018 I thought I'd try something a little different. This isn't my typical "Can I guess" quiz. Instead, it's a test of your Christmas knowledge! To be honest, I didn't know half the answers to these questions before researching so if you do manage to get 100%, then a massive high five to you! I can't believe this is my last festive blog post before the 25th. I'm thinking of doing a "What I Got For Christmas 2018" next week so if you'd like to see one of those, definitely let me know in the comment section below. 

1. Where do gingerbread houses originate from?

A) Germany
B) Scotland
C) America
D) The Netherlands

2. In the song "Twelve Days of Christmas", what was given on the eleventh day?
A) Lords a-leaping
B) Drummers drumming
C) Pipers piping
D) Maids a-milking

3. How many reindeer does Santa have?
A) 7
B) 8
C) 9
D) 10

4. What is the best-selling Christmas song of all time?
A) Silent Night
B) White Christmas 
C) We Wish You a Merry Christmas
D) Joy to The World

5. When were Christmas crackers invented?
A) 1820's
B) 1840's 
C) 1860's
D) 1880's

6. Which famous landmark is considered the biggest Christmas gift in the world?
A) Big Ben
B) The Eiffel Tower
C) The Sydney Opera House
D) The Statue of Liberty

7. What's the name of the main character in the movie "Home Alone"?
A) Steven
B) Devon
C) Kevin
D) Bevan

8. Which fast food chain is most popular in Japan around Christmas time?
A) McDonalds
B) KFC
C) Pizza Hut
D) Subway

9. Who wrote the song "Jingle Bells"?
A) James Pierpont
B) Brenda Lee
C) Walter Rollins
D) Johnny Marks

10. How tall is the world's tallest Christmas tree?
A) 221 ft
B) 302 ft
C) 189 ft
D) 278 ft

Answers: A,C,C,B,B,D,C,B,A,D

Thanks for taking the quiz! How did you go? Was it harder or easier than you expected? 

CONTINUE READING

The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

Christmas is for sure a month long celebration. By the time December 1st rolls around, all the festive activities and traditions are pretty much in full swing. From advent calendars and ugly sweaters, to markets and parades, Christmas takes over like no other. I love the fact that even though Christmas is at the end of the month, pretty much all of December is dedicated to this holiday. 

A lot of Christmas revolves around giving and showing gratitude. I love shopping for gifts. Unlike birthdays, Christmas is a chance to spend on all your family and friends. There's no limit to the number of people you can buy presents for. I love sitting down and remembering all the inside jokes and happy times I've had with a person then writing out a list of possible present ideas based on those memories. There are so many people in my life that I'm extremely grateful for and there's no better time than Christmas to show my appreciation. 

During December, interiors are transformed. While I love seeing my house all decorated for Christmas, it's actually the public spaces that fuel my festive spirit. The holiday music in supermarkets, the tinsel in store windows, the massive Christmas trees in shopping malls. Every time I leave the house, I am constantly reminded of Christmas and I am not complaining in the slightest! 

Holiday cheer is definitely real. This month so far has definitely been my happiest and I'm honestly not surprised! Christmas is a time to relax, unwind, spend time with loved ones, sing carols and eat lots of delicious food. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

Thanks for reading! And look out for my last Christmassy post of 2018, coming next week!  

CONTINUE READING

5 Ways to Prepare For Christmas

As much as I love December, it's definitely my busiest month of the year. If it's the same for you, my advice is to plan ahead. Don't leave things to the last minute. There's nothing worse than running around on Christmas Eve trying to get everything done the night before. In today's post, I'm going to be sharing five ways to get ready for the 25th. Don't underestimate how many days you have left. They'll go by in the blink of an eye!

1. Write Your Christmas Wishlist
You're never too old for a Christmas Wishlist! There's nothing wrong with giving friends and family some kind of indication as to what you'd like getting. Of course they'd like to get you something you'd really love as you hope to do for them. 

2. Decide on a Budget
When it comes to present buying, it's a good idea to limit yourself to a certain spending amount. That way you won't get too carried away while shopping. If you can figure out what you want to get each person early on, you'll have less trouble settling on a realistic budget. 

3. Check You Have Enough Festive Gift Wrap
Make sure you have enough gift wrap to last you the holiday season. One or two rolls may seem like enough but can you never be too sure. It's always better to have more rather than less and you can always use your leftover rolls in the upcoming years. 

4. Clean Your House From Top to Bottom
If you know you're going to be having a lot of guests throughout the month, be sure to give your house a good tidy. Get everything in order before bringing out the Christmas decor. It's important your space is all sorted out before giving it a festive makeover. 

5. Restock Your Pantry
There's a lot of cooking and baking that happens around this time of year. Which means your pantry and fridge must be properly stocked. Replenish main ingredients like sugar, salt, flour and oil and for other, less ordinary supplies, refer to your favourite Christmas recipes. 

Thanks for reading!

CONTINUE READING

Why do You Love The Holiday Season? - Quiz

Christmas is coming and this year I'm determined to show more festive spirit here on my blog. Last December, I only published three Christmas themed blog posts! This is why I thought I'd get in early and make my November quiz Christmas related. I'm going to see if I can guess what aspect of the holiday season you love the most. Let me know if I was right or wrong in the comment section below! 

1. When I was younger, my favourite way to spend the night before Christmas was...
A) Preparing the cookies and milk for Santa.
B) Carolling around the neighbourhood.
C) Relaxing with family and friends around the fireplace.
D) Driving around and seeing all the different Christmas lights.

2. To get in the festive mood each year, I will...
A) Learn how to make a new Christmas dish.
B) Create a Christmas playlist.
C) Have a Christmas movie marathon.
D) Attempt a couple of Christmas DIYs.

3. I like to deck out _______ for Christmas.
A) The kitchen
B) My bedroom
C) The living room
D) Every room in the house

4. The phone app I use the most during the holiday season is...
A) YouTube.
B) Spotify.
C) Netflix.
D) Pinterest.

5. The Christmas scent I'm obsessed with is...
A) Ginger spice.
B) Cherry.
C) Vanilla bean.
D) Peppermint.

6. I can't get through December without my...
A) Christmas cookbook.
B) Headphones.
C) 'Elf' DVD.
D) Tinsel and fairy lights.

7. My favourite place to go in the days leading up to Christmas is...
A) The supermarket.
B) The shopping mall.
C) The cinema.
D) Santa's grotto.

8. I like to wear my Christmas themed _______ around this time of year.
A) Apron
B) Socks
C) Pyjamas
D) Sweater

9. On my Christmas Wishlist is a...
A) Kitchen mixer.
B) Record player.
C) Laptop.
D) Desk for my room.

10. When I think of Christmas, the first thing that comes to mind is...
A) Christmas pudding.
B) Snow.
C) Santa.
D) Christmas trees.

You love the holiday.......

(Mostly A's)
Food
Your favourite part of Christmas Day is sitting around the dining room table, surrounded by loved ones, with your plate stacked high with food. Not only do you enjoy eating Christmas food, you love making it yourself. You're a professional chef when it comes to this time of year.

(Mostly B's)
Music
You love your Christmas tunes. It doesn't matter if it's a classic or modern take, you're happy to sing along to it anyway. Whether you're at home or out and about, you'll make sure to play festive music wherever you are. It's no wonder you know the lyrics to every Christmas song invented.

(Mostly C's)
Movies
You're very dedicated to your Christmas films. You could watch 'Love Actually' a thousand times and never get bored of it. There's no other place you'd rather spend Christmas evening than lounging on the couch in front of the TV with a huge fluffy blanket and cup of hot cocoa. 

(Mostly D's)
Decorations
Christmas is when you really get creative with your interior space. You're not afraid to spend when it comes to holiday decor. It's like a Christmas explosion every time people enter your house. Friends and family are always very complimentary of how much effort you put into giving your home that very festive feel.

Thanks for taking the quiz! 

CONTINUE READING

What I Got For Christmas 2017

In today's post I'll be showing you what I received/bought this Christmas. I love watching and reading these type of videos and blog posts so I thought I'd finish off the December month with one of my own! I still can't get over how quickly Christmas came and went! It's definitely been a full-on last couple of weeks! I hope you all had a very happy Christmas and were able to spend some quality time with your loved ones. 

Towards the end of this year, I'd asked my parents for an iPhone 7 as a joint Christmas and Birthday present. It was a gift I knew I was getting and one that I am incredibly thankful for. I've never had an iPhone before so I've been very quick to personalise it. Over the past few days I've found myself a case, made myself a custom wallpaper on Photoshop and spent hours hunting the App Store for cool games and photo editors.

If you don't know already, I'm obsessed with interior design so you can probably imagine my excitement at receiving two room decor pieces from my brothers! I've been meaning to get myself another throw pillow for quite some time now - my other one has a ripped seam - but I couldn't of picked a better one to go with my current bedspread. It's the perfect shade to match my predominately grey duvet. I also love my rings so I know this ring holder will definitely be put to good use!

 

Speaking of rings, my best friend surprised me with this dainty, copper one that has little lightning bolts on each end. I love it so much and have been wearing it pretty much every day since I got it!  My friend also knows that since I discovered Agatha Christie books at the end of November, I've been hooked on her mysteries so she got me two of her personal favourites for me to try out. I've started on "The Secret Adversary" and have been loving it so far! 







Finally, I decided to treat myself to this lovely pencil case. I'm a huge stationery junkie and am always needing new storage for my large collection of pens and pencils. I was completely drawn in by the watercolour print and although I'm not usually a fan of natural colours, really liked the tropical vibe it gave off.

Thank you for reading! See you all in the new year!

CONTINUE READING

Tree Decoration Haul

Decorating the Christmas tree is one of my favourite ways to get into the holiday spirit so the moment December rolls around, I'm in the garage retrieving the tinsel and fairy lights. In previous years, my family's tree has been a rainbow of of colour however this year we thought we'd decorate with a more specific aesthetic in mind. We decided on a colour scheme of white, silver, black and gold but after separating our decorations, realised we had very few left to hang. Since most of our ornaments are years old, I decided we were probably due for some new ones anyway so I went out and picked out a couple more to replenish our supply. Hope you enjoy today's haul and my first Christmassy post for the year! Let me know when you normally decorate your tree in the comment section below! 

Unicorn Zebra and Unicorn Pig 

White Sparkly/Metallic Baubles

Glittery Stars

Thanks for reading! 

CONTINUE READING

(UncommonGoods.com) Gifts For Him and Her

December is just around the corner which can only mean one thing. Christmas will soon be upon us! As much as I look forward to this festive occasion, there's no denying how busy it can get. Leaving things to the last minute can make those days leading up to the 25th an absolute nightmare. I love Christmas shopping but consider it the most stressful part of the holiday season. Not only are the crowds and queues tricky to handle sometimes, but you're never guaranteed to find the item you're looking for straight away. It takes a lot of patience, perseverance and constant travelling from store to store. This is where online shop UncommonGoods.com comes in. With their wide range of festive gifts, you'll find all you could possibly want at the click of a button AND from the comfort of your own home. In today's post, I'll be showing you my favourite items from their site. Whether you're looking for him or her, this gift guide will hopefully inspire you to get giving this Christmas time.

Gifts For Her


Homeware Gift
Elwood the Rainbow Unicorn Mug: NZD 52.70 || GBP 28.30

Tech Gift
Bedside Smartphone Vase: NZD 44.40 || GBP 23.83

Foodie Gift
Row Boat Serving Bowl with Wood Serving Utensils: NZD 90.20 || GBP 48.41

Craft/Stationery Gift
Sewing Station: NZD 80.50 || GBP 43.20

Accessories Gift
Pedestal Jewelry Holder: NZD 66.60 || GBP 35.75

Fashion Gift
Literary Scarfs: NZD 66.60 || GBP 35.75
Note: This scarf is made up of a selection of passages from famous novel, Alice in Wonderland. You can choose from other classics such as Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice.

To find more gift ideas for her, be sure to look at this page here.

Gifts For Him

Homeware Gift
Around the World Alarm Clock: NZD 50.00 || GBP 26.81

Tech Gift
Driftwood iPhone Charging Dock: NZD 94.40 || GBP 50.65

Foodie Gift
Record Bowls: NZD 34.70 || GBP 18.62

Craft/Stationery Gift
Nailed it Desk Organiser: NZD 80.50 || GBP 43.20

Accessories Gift
Eye Glasses Holder: NZD 25.00 || GBP 13.41

Fashion Gift
Men's Llama Socks: NZD 13.90 || GBP 7.45

To find more gift ideas for him, be sure to look at this page here.

UncommonGoods.com is, without a doubt, your one stop shop these holidays. Not only are their products incredibly creative and unique, the intentions behind this company are as pure as ever. UncommonGoods is working at making their company as sustainable as possible. They choose to print their catalogues on recycled paper and refuse to sell products containing leather, feathers or fur. UncommonGoods strongly believe in the protection of both our environment and our animals. For me, their mission is what makes their company stand out from the rest. Definitely check UncommonGoods out! It's truly amazing what they're doing!

Thanks so much for reading! What's your favourite item from this gift guide? Let me know in the comments below!



* This is a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. *

CONTINUE READING

12 Days of Christmas Activities

Christmas is (without a doubt) my favorite holiday so with the day fast approaching I thought I would write a list of 12 things you can do to get into the holiday spirit. I hope that after reading this post, you'll be able to share my excitement towards Christmas and feel ready for the festive season. 

1. Decorate a Gingerbread House:

Invite two or three of your closest friends over to bake, assemble and decorate your gingerbread house. If you want it on display, set it on a nice tray and sprinkle with icing sugar to look like snow. 

2. Make DIY Tree Ornaments:

Find inspiration on Pinterest then gather your materials and get creating! You can use practically anything for a tree ornament and there are an abundance of images online to show for it.

3. Organize a Christmas Treasure Hunt:

Put together a basket of festive snacks for your end surprise then plan your hiding spots and place your clues.

4. Make your own Christmas Wrapping Paper:

Find some blank wrapping paper then customize it to the person you're giving the gift to with stickers, stamps, pens and paint. Complete your masterpiece with a pretty ribbon and gift tag.  

5. Have a Christmas Movie Marathon:

Save one evening for a relaxing night in. Put your favorite holiday film on and settle in front of the TV with a big bowl of popcorn and a mug of hot cocoa.

6. Make Christmas Cards:

Design the exterior of the card with a range of Christmas images then take your time writing personalized messages for each of your family members and friends.

7. Have a Christmas Picnic:

Arrange a family picnic with a holiday twist. For example, you could say all the food has to follow a red and green color scheme.

8. Do Some Gift Shopping:

Go around the city, keeping an eye out for anything you know a family member or friend will just love. I would suggest searching the online stores beforehand so you have some idea of what to buy where and what prices are involved. 

9. Make a Paper Snowflakes:

Grab a pair of scissors and some paper then find a tutorial you like online. If you have a bit of time on your hands, cut a dozen or so to make a wintry garland.

10. Do a Christmas Themed Random Act of Kindness:

Do some Christmas baking to deliver to your neighbors or donate it to your local food bank. There are many different ways you can give back to your community this Christmas and you'll find heaps of lists online for this kind of thing.  

11. Make a Christmas Playlist:

Spend an afternoon selecting songs to put on a Christmas playlist than get a group of friends together and dance around to your favorite holiday tunes. 

12. Look at Christmas Lights:

Hop in the car with your family and drive around the neighborhood to admire all the Christmas lights. If you're riding in the backseat, bring some blankets and pillows for that warm and cozy feel. 

CONTINUE READING