Chocolate is not the only fruit

When I married Hubbie I found that our families have quite different approaches to Christmas. Of course mine don't even have to celebrate it, but we always have and it was only in recent years and toward the end of her life that I discovered that my beloved grandmother loved Christmas cake and would devour 'plum cake' as it's called in India. Hubbie's late grandmother made something called 'white Christmas pudding' which I had never heard of. A few years ago Mother in law decided to give it a go as a nostalgia thing and to introduce me to the delights of childhood Christmas meals in the family. It looked promising enough and was scattered with crumbled mint aero on top, but I have to say it was terrible !

The main difference between our families is the attitude to presents. Mine cannot wait to tear into gifts and my Mum instigated a rule when my sisters were young that we had to eat breakfast before we could open gifts. The first year I stayed with the in-laws for Christmas I sat politely through breakfast and waited. They opened stocking presents and then went on with preparing Christmas dinner. As the day went on I became more and more impatient. We ate the meal, lit the pudding and even had after dinner mints, but still no pressies. Finally around teatime Father-in-law selected presents from under the tree, put them into separate piles for everyone and we all sat politely waiting. My lot are like wild animals in comparison and a badly scrawled name tag has been known to throw off the whole present opening madness.

Growing up we never asked for presents and knew that we couldn't request anything as it was unlikely we'd get a say in what we received. We didn't write letters to Father Christmas as my parents just didn't want to give an credit to a fat white bloke for presents that they had paid for. Hubbie's family ask for a list of preferred presents and you can guarantee that you will get what you ask for as Mother-in-law does not want to risk buying a gift that is not wanted. I like the approach, even if it does do away with surprise and spontaneity. The only issue I have with this is that I struggle to think of things to ask for as I am so lucky to have such lovely things already. I do think of things for the boys though and this year it's been a bumper year of choosing for two of them. I got Big Boy to write his letter to Father Christmas last week and they will both be going to see him before the day itself so they can assure him they've been good.

I thought I'd give him a head start though by sharing the main things we have on our wish lists:

Big Boy: Anything Lego really - I've bought him a big Lego head storage box and of course I've been collecting the free packs with newspapers all year so he's getting those as stocking fillers. Last year we discovered that Wilko do their own version that is compatible with the brand name bricks. Blox come in great sets and we have the fire station, the police station and an emergency services kit so far. As a special treat we're giving him some Blox figures as he's such a fan of the characters.

Baby Boy: As he has had his eye on Big Boy's Microscooter for so long he is getting a very special big present. I asked for some advice on a starter scooter suitable for a 2 year old and the lovely folks at Microscooter suggested that this mini 2 go micro scooter  would suit him. I cannot wait to see his face when he opens it. I'll be posting pics and a proper review later.

Hubbie: Well as you know he does read this so it's pretty unsafe to even suggest what I might buy for him. We do share our Amazon wishlists with each other so that we can choose specific gifts and his nearly always has band t-shirts and lots of Fall related merchandise on it. He has been talking about getting into cycling more so I know he'd love anything to do with that and have been keeping my eye out for cycling jerseys and useful things like bike lights. I can't say any more - you understand I'm sure.

Me: Well as I said I struggle to think of anything that I actually need so one year I asked for consumables like nice wine and chocolates. Last year I got some fab vouchers for Fat Face which I spent on a lovely new coat in their sale. I know I'll always find something I want to wear from Fat face and also lovely bags.

If I'm being honest the one thing I really want this year for Christmas isn't on any lists and I can't even tell you about it until after the event. Fingers crossed.

It's my birthday later this month and Hubbie has been asking what I would like as a present. He will also be asking on behalf of my lovely mother-in-law at some point. I'm so lucky to have received so many generous gifts over the years. Hubbie has given me beautiful jewellery, a flying lesson, beauty treatment vouchers, amazing meals out and so much more. Family have always been very kind too and I am throughly spoiled.

Most years we have a party / barbecue in the garden where we catch up with all the friends who we haven't seen all year and it's an excuse to wear a pretty dress and pop open some bottles of nice things to drink and for Hubbie to fire up the barbecue and do 'man cooking.' We have been so fortunate over the years that the weather has been lovely and we can spend all day outdoors with space for kids to run around and for adults to lounge and chat for as long as they like. The only down side is the washing up, but in recent years I've gone with paper plates so even that is sorted.

As I have been sorting and decluttering the house I've realised quite how much of everything we have. The kitchen gadgets that just don't get used - mostly because I've forgotten I have them - and the vast number of handbags that I couldn't possibly use. As a result I gave three bags of donations to my lovely neighbour today to take to the charity shop where she volunteers her time. I've freecycled as much as I can and have still more to go. The garage is a holding point for the items that have to go to the tip and I have a long term plan in my head of how to get it all sorted so that we have less junk and an actual functional home.

So, if I don't need any handbags, or clothes, or jewellery, or kitchen gadgets what is left ? Well, of course donations to charity are always welcome. Hubbie has kindly offered to treat me to hair and beauty the weekend before my birthday and we are taking the boys out on my actual birthday for a big bus tour in London. We adore buses and we all love London so it's a perfect day out for us.

However, I have also got one quite selfish request to make for my birthday this year. One that I hope will get some traction. I'd like the gift of time please. Yes, I'd like someone to give me some time out.

Me and Hubbie were given a voucher for a meal in a nice restaurant at Christmas. At the time I joked, "does it include babysitting ?" It wasn't a joke really. We haven't been able to use it yet and I don't know when we will. Hence he is going out to a gig on the evening of my birthday - I said it was ok - because it's unlikely we can go out together any time soon.
I'd love any of these vouchers:

"This entitles you to a child-free afternoon."

"With this voucher you can spend 3-4 hours doing anything you want knowing your children are in safe hands."

"Here is the gift of time - go on you deserve it."

I don't need anything else.

Well, maybe some cake. Yes, cake would be good.

Happy Birthday to me :)

So this is Christmas. My boy has been telling every Father Christmas he's met (including the one that flew past last night on the International Space Station) what he wants as a present. This morning he's opened stocking presents from Santa and later he'll open some more from me and Hubbie.


When I was a child my parents didn't allow us to believe in Father Christmas at all as they didn't want to give any credit to a fat white man for the presents they had paid money for. We never wrote letters asking for presents, we didn't go to see him at a grotto and on Christmas Day we didn't know what we were getting as we weren't asked what we wanted, we got what we were given. On hearing that my school pals had gotten expensive presents and all they things they asked for I didn't think 'oh woe is me, how sad that some random character has favoured them over me.' I accepted that what I had was what my parents could afford and all was well.

I've recently seen posts on Facebook encouraging parents to consider the feelings of other children when buying for their own kids. Piously suggesting that limiting presents for your own children is a lesson to them that not everyone has a lot of money. One of these sanctimonious sorts even suggested giving a small gift from Santa and generous gifts from yourself so that Santa doesn't look like he's discriminating against poorer families (and of course suggesting you are a really generous parent).

Merry Christmas :)

Two weeks today it will be Christmas Day. So are you ready for it ?

This time last year I was feeling pretty smug as I'd done my shopping, knew what everyone was getting, had cards ready to post and the house was looking pretty festive. Of course I wasn't working full time then so there was a lot more of me to go around.

So, how far have I got this year ? Well, there is a tree, there are some presents, cards are written, but not posted and don't even ask me what I'm packing for our first Christmas holiday. I - mistakenly - thought that going away at this time of year would make life simpler. It turns out that I still have to do  everything I'd normally do - just earlier. Not that much simpler then.

Do I feel I've got my head round this Christmas ?

I'll refer you to my friend for the truthful answer:

This year I feel like I've actually got the hang of this Christmas lark. 

The presents are all wrapped and under the tree - apart from the boy's pressies of course. Father Christmas is bringing those over on Xmas Eve as arranged.  

I was sorting out the Christmas presents that I've bought so far into piles on the floor of the front room yesterday. I do this every year so I can see if everyone has roughly the same number - important when
you have siblings - and I always have far too many for Hubbie and the boy and a much smaller pile for my Dad. He has fewer despite having a birthday on Christmas Eve and it's because he has no hobbies or interests and is not the most gracious at receiving presents. I always buy him something, but long gone are the days when I tried to get things he'd like and now I make sure it's something he can use. As a family we used to always play safe and give him Baileys or whiskey and lots of chocolate, but a few years ago he was told he was diabetic so the 'safe' presents became anything but. It does lead to some genuinely unimaginative present choices like gloves on his birthday and a matching scarf on Christmas Day - which of course he says he doesn't need.

Anyway, the present sorting, then wrapping and transporting to give to various family and friends is an annual event so our cat has witnessed it for a few years now. That is the only way I can explain what happened this morning. Before I tell you the story you need to know some pertinent facts:

1. I am short-sighted, not badly, but enough for things to appear blurry if I'm not wearing glasses

2. From the beginning I believed Neo - the cat - was a buddhist with 'love all living things' attitude to life

3. There are a lot of leaves in our garden and when Neo comes inside the house he often has them stuck in his tail

So this morning I was in the kitchen making a cup of tea and getting some breakfast when I heard the cat flap clatter shut and heard Neo announce his arrival. I glanced over at him and said, "Morning Neo, been bringing in leaves again have we ? Ooh that's a big one isn't it ?" As I went to leave the kitchen the 'leaf' scurried past my foot. My screams alerted Hubbie (eventually) and he came down to deal with the matter still wet from the shower and holding his towel round him in one hand and - after some coaxing - the mouse in another. Then I remembered how he used to hide Neo's kills from me so that I would not be disabused of my insane belief in the cat's non-existent buddhism. They were in it together. Neo bringing in gifts and Hubbie taking them outside again.

So the cat is channeling his inner feline Santa and Hubbie is enacting a literal interpretation of Mice and Men.

Ho Ho Ho.

If you're anything like me and love gadgets I'm sure you will - at some point - have either owned or coveted a juicer. Gone are the days when a citrus press was all you needed or a blender at most. Now we have sophisticated machines for home use that can reproduce the kind of fab juices you get in fancy noodle bars. I received a juicer for Christmas a few years back and to my shame it has been horrifically underused. Partly because I find it a faff to clean just to make some plain old orange juice and I'm not confident to step outside the safe and tried and trusted single flavours that I know.
The lovely folks at Parragon sent me this book that might inspire me to use this poor unloved machine a bit more as it contains great recipes for juices and some that would help me finish off the leftovers of both fruit and veg that inevitably inhabit our fridge from time to time.

The photos are beautiful and give you an idea of how to mix different combinations of ingredients to create delicious flavours - rather than the weird looking sludge that I end up with when I get all 'experimental.' I can see the tummy treat coming in handy during this season of overindulgence and there are some delicious drinks that would be great as non-alcoholic alternatives for Christmas parties too.
For anyone planning a New Year health kick there are lots of cleansing juices and healthy ones that will help keep you on track with your good intentions. From antioxidant boosters to energy drinks there is a wide range to try. If you have little ones who aren't great at eating fruit or veg this might be a good way to sneak some vitamins into their diet without them knowing about it too !





If you've asked Santa for a juicer you might do well to also ask for this book as well. It would make the perfect accompaniment (and it's easier to wrap than a juicer !)
You can buy The Juice Bar here - Happy Juicing !




Disclosure: I was sent this book to write an honest review as a Parragon Book Buddy.