Should We Cancel Christmas?

*post contains gifted items

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It's been a funny old year so far hasn't it?

We started off on a high only to come crashing down in early spring and here we all are, Christmas on the horizon and no clue if we are going to be seeing those we love or if it will be a Christmas in lockdown.

There has been a lot of talk online (because where else are we chatting to people these days?) about Christmas being cancelled. General consensus seems to be that without the large gatherings, the usual Christmas Markets, getting nostalgic over another year passed with a mug of mulled wine and office parties aplenty, Christmas won't be Christmas after all.

"Christmas isn't happening, what's the point?" - Amy - 24,  Norwich

There's no denying that things will be, and already are 'different', there will be a lot of us spending Christmas on our own, there will be those of us unable to travel home for the holidays and those of us who have very sadly lost loved ones this year, 2020 has been a ride that none of us will forget but I for one think that we all deserve a little Christmas cheer right now, even if it does look a little different to celebrations of past.

I am one of the people that won't be seeing family this year. I have relatives that are having to completely shield and as I have children in school, visiting will be a no no this year. I am one of the lucky ones though, as I do have my own family at home and I won't be on my own but one of the ways that I plan on keeping myself in the Christmas spirit this year is with reading.

Self care is going to be very much the theme for my festivities this year and for me, there's nothing more relaxing than curling up on my sofa with a hot drink and a good book. 

This December I will be visiting :

• The Unwrapping of Theodora Quirke
  
• Christmas at the Island Hotel
  
• The Country Village Christmas Show
  

And I might even indulge in a mug of mulled wine, but that would be telling.

Another huge part of Christmas for me is the food and drink, I spend months planning the perfect recipes, buying snacks and putting together delicious little offerings for those nearest and dearest to me and I especially love a good hamper filled with delightful things to treat ourselves with.

This year in particular I am really looking forward to sending a few hampers to those that I won't be seeing in person as there's something so special about a lovely parcel of treats arriving at your door.

 Prestige Hampers  very kindly sent me one of their beautiful Hampers this year, I have previously had another hamper from this company and I can say with confidence that they offer some of the best hampers on the market and they deliver straight to your door or to the door of a lucky recipient.

"Christmas is all about togetherness, good food and good wine" - Laura - 36, Edinburgh

This particular hamper is their best selling Traditional Gift Basket which comes with a fantastic range of classic, Christmas products all carefully packaged inside a large wicker basket.

I am going to really enjoy sharing this hamper with my household over the festive period (don't worry, the children won't be drinking the wine!) with a Christmas movie or two and enjoying just being together as this past year has really brought home what is important to me - coming together and having a relaxed time with those that mean the most to us is what it is all about.

"We can all still enjoy being together with today's technology" - Mark - 41, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Prestige Hampers have thoughtful Hampers to suit all tastes, there's the Wine Hampers for those who enjoy a relaxing Christmas tipple or the Alcohol Free Hampers for those who don't. I also love the food centered hampers of cheese , chocolate or vegan to name a couple, but whether you choose to enjoy them with your household, over zoom or keep them entirely for yourself, there's nothing quite like a special treat to get you in the festive spirit.

However you are spending the festive period, make sure you look after yourselves, count your blessings and take some time to relax.

Till next time,

Rosy xx

It's Spooky Season

 

Hi Everyone,

Hope you're all keeping well and getting into the autumnal swing of longer days, cozy blankets and pumpkin spice everything (unless you're in the southern hemisphere, in which case, Happy Spring!)

For me, with the autumn comes spooky season and as some of you will know, I live in a house where spooky things happen regularly! I have a little playlist on YouTube of some of the stories of things that have happened in my home over the years and one or two of the videos have evidence in them too (in particular, there's one video where I'm reviewing a book and the door opens behind me).

 Paranormal Playlist

Let me know that you're all doing as well as can be, speak soon,

Rosy x

None Of It Is Real

Gifted Items Are Marked With '*' 

Do you ever promise yourself that you'll spend less time on social media? Thinking that scrolling through endless pictures of perfect people on Instagram doesn't do much for your self esteem? 

Same.

I often look at the beautiful pictures of flawless girls and women, standing confidently in perfect outfits and wonder why I don't look like that but then I was posing myself one day, trying to get that perfect shot that says "I'm definitely not holding my stomach in for dear life" and "Aren't I fabulous today" and that's when it hit me:

None Of It Is Real.

Wearing : Bodycon Dress From FemmeLuxe Finery *

Dressing up for a night out was always something I loved, clearly there haven't been many opportunities for nights out lately due to a certain virus that shall not be named but as I've mentioned in a previous post, I dress up for date nights at home, we have around one date night a month and I miss the action of getting ready, doing my hair and putting makeup on but, as I made the above picture my new profile photograph on Instagram and Twitter I'd just like to reiterate that this isn't how I look all of the time and also.... I was holding in my stomach like crazy!

Wearing : T-Shirt from FemmeLuxe Finery *

                Short Shorts from Primark.

I absolutely LOVE these photos, it was a boiling hot day and I was taking the dogs and kids on a walk through the countryside, I didn't want to be weighed down by loads of fabric and so I decided to whip out my legs for some sunshine. But here's where it isn't real, I would be way too self conscious to go around dressed like this with my legs out on display if I thought there was even a small chance that we would see another person, I knew we wouldn't be seeing anyone and so I embraced the seclusion but to simply see these pictures on social media, you would assume that I have confidence for miles and I was happy for the world to see me in all my glory.

Wearing : Loungewear From FemmeLuxe Finery *

The reality of it all is usually me in a floaty dress or some loungewear, hair in a top knot, sitting reading a book somewhere, books are absolute life to me and I love some good, comfy attire to relax in.

But in reality I don't normally wear makeup for reading in the garden.

Social media can be so much fun but do remember that what you see on the screen isn't the reality in most cases, sure we all have great days where we are looking good, feeling good and taking pictures but that definitely isn't everyday.

Till next time,

Rosy xx

My Perfect Sister by Penny Batchelor

*Links are affiliated 

Hi Everyone,

I hope you're all doing well and getting at least a little bit of sun (unfortunately it has rained here for a week now!) 

I don't know about you, but for me the arrival of summer means one thing, extra reading time!

I tend to get in more reading during the day when the weather is nice because the children play in the garden and I get to sit out and get stuck into another world between the pages.

Lately I've been reading My Perfect Sister by Penny Batchelor - a new release with an interesting premise,

Anna is a very young child when her older sister, Gemma,  mysteriously disappears without trace. The family life Anna knew is suddenly changed forever and she feels as if she now lives in a strange limbo where everything is shadowed by the memory of her sister.

Resentment only grows inside Anna over the years as she feels neglected, unloved and unable to compete with a perfect person who is no longer there and thus, she leaves home as soon as she is legally able to pursue a life outside of being the tragic sister of a missing child.

Life doesn't run smoothly for Anna as she bounces from jobs and relationships, never fully feeling like she belongs but eventually, duty calls and Anna finds herself reluctantly returning home to nurse her mother who is suffering from cancer.

Relationships aren't improved when Anna discovers that her sister's room still stands in a shrine like state but her own childhood room has been used as overspill for her mother's life. 

Anna realises that she needs to find out what happened to Gemma in order to be able to continue with her own life.

This was a relatively quick read for me and was an impressive debut novel, I absolutely love a family drama especially those that focus on fractured parent/child relationships. Thank you to Red Door Books for sending me this engaging read and I can't wait to see what else this author delivers.

Have you read any good books recently?

Till next time,

Rosy x