3 cheesy Netflix Christmas movies to get you in the festive spirit

It's my favourite time of the year, but I've been silent on here for almost a month now. I've been soaking up all the festive feels, giving myself time to just be me and I started my Christmas shopping (please tell me others aren't anywhere near finished either?!). 

It's okay to be sad at Christmas

I know I'm a little late with getting this post up, but I thought there might be others that need to read this today ya know? Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy - that word crops up in a ridiculous number of Christmas songs that we're bombarded with at this time of year. We're meant to feel a childlike amount of glee as we sit in our homes snuggled up by the fire and wait on the edge of our seats to open our presents in the morning surrounded by family. But that image doesn't match up with the reality of most of our Christmases, and its okay to feel upset that it doesn't.

Korres Christmas Gift Sets 2017

Korres have massively stepped up their Christmas gifting range this year. The packaging is stunning, the names pay homage to the traditional meaning of Christmas, and the goodies are all best sellers. I was beyond excited when Korres offered to send them to me to try, and I honestly wish I hadn't had to remove them from the packaging to take photos because they would have made perfect gifts. I've tried all of these scents before, and whilst I definitely didn't think I'd love them all (I'm looking at you Basil and Lemon), they are divine, and so varied that there's something for everyone in here.

Doing Christmas on a tight budget

Christmas is a truly expensive time of year. Beneath all the joy and giving is money spent on presents, wrapping, cards, decorations, food and more. In yesterday's post I spoke all about feeling overwhelmed at this time of year, monetarily or otherwise. It's something that can really weigh you down, so today I'm chatting all about doing Christmas on a tight budget.

Feeling overwhelmed this December

This year December really has knocked the wind out of me. Usually December is my favourite month of the year; I love Christmastime, and everything that comes with it, but this year I've found that I've been struggling a bit.

Giving back during the festive season

Christmas is a time for giving. Whether this comes from a religious viewpoint, a traditional one, a moral one or just a gut instinct, we all know that Christmas is about sharing and loving and being kind. Today I'm chatting about ways to give back this year, and I hope it inspires you to do a little something too, and spread joy to those around you.

Affordable independent stores to shop at this Christmas

Christmas is a wonderful time (IMO), and it's the perfect season to think about your actions a little bit more carefully. So many people do so much more giving at Christmas and I honestly love seeing it and doing it. One of the ways that I love giving back is to shop small. 

Hosting Christmas for the first time - what do I need?

Hosting Christmas is hella stressful, there's no way around it. But, when I did it for the first time last year I absolutely ADORED IT. Just some background info on this - I'm big into Christmas, so begrudging any level of effort involved really isn't my thang. 

Winter Lounge Wear Wishlist 2017

I've done one of these posts every year for the last two years, and really wanted to bring it back this time too. I love loungewear. It makes up a concerning percentage of the clothing that I actually wear, and this just gets more intense as Winter hits. I love being cosy and snuggly and scouring ASOS for all the novelty Christmas clothing they have, so this post is basically what I live for. 

A First Look at My Zoella Christmas Lifestyle Picks

Zoella has been releasing a wave of new products recently, and whilst it's been seen with a backlash of anger at pricing and the sheer volume of ranges, this is one range that I really wanted to try. I agree that some of the products were overpriced, and I'm not sure why her marketing team thought it was a good idea to release summer beauty, general lifestyle, Christmas lifestyle and Christmas beauty in a matter of weeks (SURELY sales would have been better if it was spread out?!), but I'm totally feeling the hype for this range. This is the one I was genuinely excited for, and I've picked out some fab products which don't bear a shocking price tag.
I've been SO excited to share this post with you, and these pictures have got me feeling all the Autumn vibes. For real though, the cosy vibes mug is something that I already know I'm going to use all the time. I'm ready to fill it with hot chocolate and hundreds of mini marshmallows on chilly evenings. It's such a nice size, and the design of it feels so me. Cosy vibes are what I'm allll about, and I've got a feeling you might see this used as a blog prop all over my Insta over the next few months. 
Candles are kinda my thing (says me and every other blogger ever). I've got a cute little collection of them and I find lighting a couple around my office the best thing for getting a happy, productive vibe going. Zoella's Festive Cookie candle smells incredible. It reminds me a little of Yankee Candle's Snowflake cookie (which I LOVE), but just less sweet. If you've got any of the last lifestyle collection candles from Zoe, then this one is a bit bigger than them, and has a bit of a stronger scent. I'm kinda in love with the packaging - there's nothing cuter than tiny little gingerbread men - and the gold design makes it feel fairly luxe. 
On the candles front I HAD to get the cosy Christmas sock and candle set. And this time it wasn't particularly for the candle. These socks are one of my favourite things I own. Seriously. They're the same ones that she released last year and I've honestly never put anything more comfy and cosy on my feet. So much so that I genuinely save them for days when my mental health is low as a kind of 'treat yourself' moment. They're soft and warm and just trump any other bed socks I've ever tried. FYI, the candle in this set is fab too. It smells like a Christmas tree and the design reminds me of a Christmas jumper, which is hella cute. 
My final pick was my only stationery one. I've got so many notebooks and cute stationery bits at the moment that I didn't need anything else from this part of the range. But, now that I've got my new job I wanted a desk calendar, and the 'This is Your Year' Zoella one has motivational quotes for each month. It's exactly the kind of calendar I had in mind, and I love the fact that you can pop each card in and out easily, so it's perfect for using as an Insta prop at the start of the month! 
I've filmed a first look at/unboxing of my picks from the range over on my Youtube if you fancy a watch:

Have you bought anything from the range?
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10 Things Your Waitress Doesn't Want To Hear This Festive Season

1.) 'WHY aren't you open on Christmas day?!' Well it's our one day of holiday a year so let's just agree to disagree on whether we should be open shall we?
2.) 'I know it's not on the menu but ...' 
3.) 'Can we *gestures to 30 people* all pay separately?'
4.) 'Make sure you right our order down correctly'. This is a large part of our jobs, we're sure to do it without the patronising reminder.
5.) 'It's okay, the waitresses will clear up the mess after we leave'
6.) 'Let's pull some crackers' - cue a tonne of mess all over the table
7.) 'I know you didn't cook our meal, but there's something wrong with it and we just want to shout at someone, so you'll do'. Okay, I may have paraphrased this one.
8.) 'Keep the [15p] change as a tip, treat yourself'
9.) 'Oh, you don't sell *insert obscure drink/ale*, well I just don't know what else I could possibly have, what kind of place is this?!'
10.) 'Where's your festive spirit?' Far, far away from you my friend.
This post has turned out to be a little more bitter than I ever imagined, but oh so true. 
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10 Ways to Give Back this Christmas

One of my favourite things about Christmas is how much more inspired people are to be kinder to those around them. It may not seem like that as you see a mother elbowing someone else's child out of the way to get the last toy left in The Entertainer, but it is true. The turn in the weather, and the fact that Christmas forces us to spend quality time with other people, and think about what they would like most in the world all help in the lead up. I also think that more people thinking about their faith at this time of year helps to remind them to give to those less fortunate. So, if you're feeling inspired to help others this Christmas too, then here are ten things you can do:

1.) Spend some time talking to a local homeless person, and wrap them up a gift that you think they'd enjoy.

2.) Send money to support the citizens of Aleppo, or simply spread the word about the massacre that's occurring (something that the media seems to be overlooking)

3.) Make sure no relative or friend dines alone on Christmas Day. There's always room for one more around the table.

4.) Challenge yourself to buy people thoughtful gifts. And if you can't think of something, talk to them, and find out what they're loving or lusting after at the moment.

5.) Give a Christmas card to everyone you know: it could be their only one.

6.) Gift toys to a local children's hospital.

7.) Help out at a retirement centre, or get a group together to put on a show.

8.) Do something extra to make a child in your family's Christmas that bit more magical.

9.)  Surprise your other half with something on Christmas evening that lets them know how grateful you are to be spending the most wonderful day of the year with them.

10.) Make your New Years resolutions about what you can do for others, rather than yourself. 

What would you add to the list?

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The Perfect Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate

Wrapping cold fingers around steaming mugs of hot drinks is one of the best feelings you can have during the festive season in my opinion. I just have one problem though: milk isn't my friend. It makes me feel so nauseous, and totally ruins any hot drink I have. Thankfully more and more companies are warming to the idea that not everyone likes/can drink milk, so soya milk or a similar alternative is becoming more readily available in coffee shops and cafes. However, you still need to keep an eye out for hot chocolate powder that contains milk solids. Ugh. 
Hot chocolate is one of those things that is just totally irreplaceable. Sometimes you just need one, especially if you're sat down wrapping presents and want to feel extra festive. Tomorrow I think I'll have to recreate this recipe when I pop the Grinch on and attempt to tackle the mammoth amount of presents I need to wrap before the big day.
Here's what I need to make my favourite hot chocolate recipe, ever:
Ingredients: - 2 heaped teaspoons cacao powder - Le Sirop de Monin Chocolate Cookie Syrup - Rice milk - Mini marshmallows
Method: - Heat the rice milk in a saucepan until hot all the way through. - Whilst it's heating, mix the syrup and cacao powder in your glass/mug - Pour the milk into the glass and stir into the powder and syrup mixture until everything is completely smooth. - Top with as many marshmallows as you like
This recipe is so good at this time of year, and makes me feel as though I don't have to miss out on festive drinks by not drinking cow's milk!
What's your favourite festive drink to make?
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Christmas Tree Decorations Haul

'Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree *mumbles the next few lines because who knows the rest of the words?!*). Now that I've made a habit of getting appropriate Christmas songs stuck in my head as I'm editing my pictures for blog posts, I'm starting to think I should have done a Christmas-song themed blogmas. Hindsight really is a bitch, isn't it?
Decorating the Christmas tree has to be one of the most memorable aspects of Christmas. As a family, you seem to gather more and more bits and pieces over the years, from painted macaroni primary school creations to long-loved baubles. This year me and my boyfriend are starting afresh with our own mini family (there's no surprise reveal here, I'm talking about our little pets), so we needed to get a whole tree's worth of decorations. 
Here's my video (you can check out my channel here) all about the decorations we picked up for our tree and where we got them from:

What have you added to your tree this year?

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What does Christmas mean to me?

'It's a time for giving, time for getting, time for forgiving and for forgetting' in the wise words of Cliff Richards (never did I ever think I would be saying that on my blog). But I really think the joy in Christmas comes in its individuality. Yes we all like mistletoe and wine a little bit extra at this time of year, but there are so many special things that make Christmas a little different every person that celebrates it.
The smell of tinsel and our old, yet still loved Christmas tree making its way down from the loft. That's Christmas for me. I could recognise its smell anywhere, and I'm sure I could do it in years to come. Then comes the tiny little chimes of bells, as my dad gets down his set of mini drummers playing carols, only to go back up into the loft straightaway - we don't want to wear down twenty years of one battery after all. 
Then comes the nativity set. The same one that we've had for as long as I can remember. The one that's migrating to my new home with my boyfriend this year. The one that is basically a miracle in that nothing is broken. The one that will be taking pride of place on the mantelpiece in our living room. This is the one thing now that really centres my home and my Christmas around where it all began.
However, Christmas still brings back joyful, faith-filled memories for me. I was raised as a Catholic, and attended a faith school until I was 18. Christmas means countless renditions of the Nativity scene, from when I was a 3 year old angel, right up to watching a girl perform a ballet version of the Christian tale during a school mass. Christmas means the lighting of the advent wreath, and with it a reminder of the coming of Jesus; the most wonderful time of year. Christmas means singing your favourite carols again, and trying to avoid the hymns that are too dreary. 
And then we have the big day itself. And the special day before the big day. Christmas eve is filled with wonderful smells. We head to Nan's to make homemade mince pies and sausage rolls, neither of which I like, but it's fun to cook. Then we open the tin of Quality Street and there is nothing that quite smells the same. The sound of crunching, scrunching wrappers as we dot Christmassy bowls of sweets around the house is something I will never not be excited by.
Christmas Eve means bringing the box of buffet treats for the evening of the big day downstairs, and getting to see what my mum has gradually been gathering up over the last few weeks. From Bisto to After Eights, everything we need is all there; a feast for slightly tired eyes. The best and only way to end this day is with a long soak in the bath, fresh PJs and fresh bed sheets, ready for the big man to make his visit.
Christmas Day is a family day. Waking up at 6am ... okay, waking up at 5am, and trying to resist waking everyone else up until six is a tradition I just can't kick. Nor is opening stockings on my mum's bed, despite the fact that she knows exactly what is in them. Then it's gift time; things are shared around. This year it's different: my dad will be visiting on Christmas Eve instead, and we'll have a new addition to the gathering in the form of my boyfriend. Usually we hit the day off with a trip to my Nan's for breakfast. 8 of us crammed around the table in her little flat have a great start to the day with an English breakfast and lots of crackers. More family arrive after we've eaten, more presents are shared and it's time to head home so dinner can be made. Dinner is another family affair, full of laughter, fizzy drinks and all the roast trimmings. Having an Irish background is definitely useful when you want a big gathering of people around your table.
The afternoon is quieter. 3 courses of food in and we're all a lot less talkative, and a lot less inclined to move. It's time to nap, or watch a film: everyone is loitering around the house, content, at ease. The night continues like this. More food, more family, more joy. Some games, some tears and a whole lot of happiness. 
That's what Christmas means to me.
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Real vs Fake Christmas Trees: The Ultimate Debate

There are a whole lot of decisions that cause controversy at Christmas: which are the best tins of sweets to buy? Turkey or Salmon? Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Eating out or in? Dressing up or a PJ day? The list is endless. My answers are for sure: Quality street, turkey, Christmas morning, eating in and dressing up, just FYI. 
But, perhaps the greatest cause of controversy comes from the great tree debate. There are what I call 'real tree snobs', who utter 'oh you don't buy those plastic ones do you, daahling?' in a derisory tone, and the people who take down the same battered but beloved fake tree from the loft each year. And then there's a whole lot of us in between.
I really struggled to find a picture of the Christmas tree of my childhood, so we'll have to settle with this picture of me and my sister as littluns, uncomfortably cuddled up with half our tree crammed in the picture with us. Up until this year, I've had the same Christmas tree. It was a little wonky, and there were no branches left bare because of all the decorations we've gathered over the years, but in my eyes it was beautiful. 
This year, as I've mentioned to you all about 30 times (I'm excited okay?), it's my first year not spending Christmas at my parents' house, and it's the same for my boyfriend. SO, we had to make the biggest decision of the season: to go real or to go fake. As you can probably tell from the pictures at the start of this post, we went for real trees. And yes, that is a plural. I have a mini potted one in my office as well as our main living room one! Here's a list I've made for you all on the pros and cons of each type of tree:
Real trees - pros
The smell. Fresh pine is beautiful, and if you cut open some of the little 'warts' on the tree trunk, then the tree smells extra strong, mmmm. It's something we should all experience having at some point in our lives. Neither me nor my boyfriend have so we were extra excited. The novelty of going and picking out your perfect tree. They don't end up on landfills. You can grow your own if you're willing to wait seven or so years. You get to choose the perfect size/shape for your home.
Real trees - cons
The spines are damn sharp. And itchy. Needles dropping, everywhere. The hassle of trying to get it into your car. Heavy baubles can make the branches sag easily. You need to water it. Putting it into its stand without making it wonky is SO fiddly.
Fake trees - pros
You can use them year after year. The loft ends up smelling like Christmas and bringing your tree down every year comes with lots of scent-induced memories. It's a one-time cost for at least a few years. You can get them pre-lit with fairy lights and even pre-baubled. They're easy to pick up in all the local supermarkets. The branches are easy to bend to support baubles better. The spindles are soft and non-irritating. They are always perfectly symmetrical.
Fake trees - cons
It's hard to get rid of them, even if they look a bit sad, because they hold so many memories Pets just seem to want to destroy them. Why are they extra tasty? They just don't feel as special as real trees. Getting a good quality one can be very expensive.
I've tried not to just include the opposites for each pro/con set so that there's a good range of things here for you to think about. Let me know what you would add to the list, and whether you've gone for a real or fake one this year!
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Getting Christmassy with Caseapp*

There's always that one person that goes a little overboard at this time of year isn't there? That person is always me. I could barely sleep on the 30th November because I was so excited about the start of advent, and I wandered into work in a whirlwind of exhilaration. You see, after weeks of pestering, my manager had finally caved, and agreed that I could wear my Christmas jumper and put on the Christmas music at the start of December. So, naturally I arrived in a Christmas jumper, Christmas earrings and Christmas mittens. I don't do festivities by halves. 
My house is now fully decked out. Although, low funds at this time of year means there's about half as many Christmas decorations here as I would like. If every room in my house could resemble a Santa's grotto, I would be in my element. But, one thing has been seriously lacking in my life: a festive phone case. 
Caseapp got in touch at the beginning of December, asking if I would like to collaborate on a Christmassy post with them, and of course my immediate answer was yes. I've practically been sweating with excitement waiting for the mail to arrive each day with the two phone cases* I ordered. Today was a good day. 
Although they don't have the widest selection of festive phone cases, you can make your own using your own photos. I just wish I had taken photos of my little hamster sat in a Santa hat before I made my order (and yes, I do have pictures like that, hehe). Instead, I opted to pick two of their premade ones. 
I went for the Christmas Everywhere design* first because oh my word, this is my Christmas aesthetic. It basically looks like a tacky Christmas jumper (my one true love), and now I officially have a festive phone case that matches my napkins for Christmas day. I am my own #goals. 
My second option was their light blue marble* case. Although there were more obviously festive ones, I loved this one because it totally reminded me of a winter wonderland. All I need now is for the weather to get icy and beautiful too in the UK. A girl can dream, right?
*Although products in this post were provided to me for the purpose of a review, all opinions are, as always, my own*
Get 20% off your Caseapp orders with the code NOURISHMEXMAS20 !
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