Christmas Day?

I’m really struggling with what to do for Christmas Day.  My family are in Canada and hubby’s family is deceased.  So on Christmas day it is just the 3 of us. Too be honest it can be a bit boring, as all our friends are busy with their families.

The morning is fine.  We get up open our presents and now that Madame is 3 she’s much more excited about Christmas it should be magical.  Then we’ll have some breakfast: salmon, bagels, creamcheese, and scrambled eggs.  I may sneak in some Champagne and orange juice or maybe Bailey’s and coffee.  Then we head out to the pub for a couple of hours to enjoy a drink or two courtesy of the Landlord.

However, it’s the afternoon that is the challenge.  I can’t be bothered cooking a slap up meal for just the 3 of us.  I know it’s just a Sunday Roast with a few poppers and Christmas crackers but it is a lot of effort.

Last week we were invited to the 5* Anthenaeum Hotel in London to celebrate the opening of their children’s themed play room in conjunction with promoting their Christmas Package; Where guests who stay for three nights between 19th November and 4th January will receive complimentary ice skating tickets to Winter Wonderland, VIP afterhours access to Hamleys, four hours of free babysitting and they have a Children’s Concierge. I have to say the four hours of free babysitting nearly swung it for me.

If we could do one night I could justify it, unfortunately you have to do a minimum of two nights.  My husband would have a coronary if I spent £700 for two nights.  However, I did have a look around on the internet and one local to us is charging £2000 for 3 nights so it actually looks like a great deal!

So, in the end, I think we will book into a local pub for lunch or I will make hubby cook!

What are you doing over Christmas?

Disclosure: we received 3 complimentary VIP tickets to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park and High Tea at the Hotel

Twelve Days of Christmas! Kiwi Style

Next contacted me to help promote their Twelve Days of Christmas, it immediately reminded me of New Zealand.  I originally trained as a teacher in Canada but there wasn’t a lot of work for teachers.  At the time, NZ had a shortage of teachers and were offering $3000 to relocate.  You didn’t have to ask me twice. So, I moved out there for 18 months before coming to the UK.  Originally, I was going to turn down the job as I skint but my mum and sister said ‘over their dead bodies’ as they knew it was an amazing opportunity so they persuaded me to go.

I had an amazing time, learning and experiencing loads.  One thing I vividly remember was their version of the 12 days of Christmas. It was hysterical.  I loved shouting 5-big-fat-pigs and 4 huhu grubs creased me up!

On the first day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
A pukeko in a ponga tree

On the second day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
two kumera
And a pukeko in a ponga tree

On the third day of Christmas
….
and so on, until…

On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Twelve piupius swinging
Eleven haka lessons
Ten juicy fish heads
Nine sacks of pipis
Eight plants of puha
Seven eels a swimming
Six pois a twirling
Five – big – fat – pigs !
Four huhu grubs
Three flax kits
Two kumera
And a pukeko in a ponga tree!

Disclosure: apparently I will receive £30 worth of Next vouchers for this post.

Santa’s Magical Kingdom, Kent, UK

We went to see Father Christmas on Saturday courtesy of the lovely people at Hop Farm in Kent!  I know, it’s only flippin November and Christmas Comes Far Too Early!  However, it was absolutely brilliant and worth the 70 mile journey with a 3 year old in the back alternating between ‘where is Father Christmas’ and ‘are we nearly there yet’!

In the past, we’ve been to a local Santa’s Grotto and we also went on a Santa’s Steam train but neither of them compared to Santa’s Magical Kingdom.  It was a bit of a trek for us but once we got there it all ran very smoothly.  I was impressed by the whole set up.  You make your way through 9 checkpoints, with naughty elves to entertain you along the way.

Our journey began at the 4D cinema, that’s not a typo, it’s a 3D cinema but they pump in the smell of chocolate and bubbles.  It was absolutely magical watching Madame trying grab the 3D objects that came flying past.

Then we made our way through the Enchanted Forest, with a little something for the dad’s, a drop dead gorgeous Snow Maiden!  I love the smell of pine trees.

We had to make a quick stop at the Post Office to write our letter to Santa and post it up the magical chimney.  Madame has asked for all the Toy Story Characters and a Fish in a Bowl??  Hubby has vetoed the fish as he says that water and electrics don’t mix.  He’s such a party pooper.

We then wandered through the North Pole to meet Santa’s Reindeer, including two new babies born this year?  I wonder what their names are.  Can you name all of Santa’s Reindeer?

We were greeted in the Craft Workshop by Mother Christmas and we busied ourselves making a decoration to take home.

Mrs. Christmas then read the children a story in the Story Room and can you guess whose daughter kept shouting out during it??

Madame got up to a bit of mischief with one of the naughty Elves on the Ice Walkway! Parents are treated to Mulled Wine and Mince Pies in the sweet shop.

Don’t miss my favourite, the singing and dancing Yeti!  What a scream!

Then it was time for the Grande finale, Father Christmas!  Once my husband stopped making jokes about the hallway looking like a brothel in Amsterdam, not sure how he knows this, we made our way into see Santa in cosy, private study.  I was truly impressed and he was a good looking Santa, if you know what I mean.  He took a good 5-10 minutes talking to Madame and then gift tumbled down the chimney for her.  It was a pink and white stuffed puppy that she hasn’t parted with since.

Thanks to everyone at Santa’s Magical Kingdom for a brilliant day out and one we won’t forget!

Disclosure: We received 3 tickets compliments of Santa’s Magical Kingdom

Christmas Comes Far Too Early

Photo Credit

I must admit I’m a wee bit Bah Humbug when it comes to Christmas.  I absolutely love the aspect of excessive eating, drinking and spending time with family and friends but the over-commercialisation of it gets on my wick.  So, when I learned that Selfridges Christmas Shop opened on the 2nd August, 145 days before the big day, I was horrified.  They claim that it’s so that tourists can buy things and ship home in time for Christmas but I think they’ve gone too far.

This is going to be the first year that Madame will really know what it is all about and I’m looking forward to being able to wield the threat of no visit from Santa if she’s naughty, but if I have to start fending her off mid-summer I’ll never last.

I don’t plan on going as far as the individuals behind the ‘Movement for the Containment of Christmas’ in Leeds and threaten to put superglue in shopkeeper’s locks if they ‘dare to slip into the Yuletide spirit too early’.  However, if I see Christmas decorations or hear any Christmas Carols before the 1st of November I’m going to seriously consider shopping elsewhere!  That should save me a fortune as I won’t have anywhere to shop!