Blogmas Day 20: Tips for Sale Shopping with Hannah

Hey Guys!

⭐Welcome to Blogmas Day Twenty⭐

Sorry for being two days behind schedule I've had a few Christmas parties so I haven't had the time to catch up. But I'll be back on schedule tomorrow  ❣

When it comes to shopping in the Christmas sales it can become very stressful trying to find what's on your wishlist, finding the best prices and wading through crowds of people doing their Christmas/ Boxing Day shopping. So, Hannah and I have got some tips and tricks on how to survive the Christmas/Boxing Day sales! This post is a collaboration with Hannah (from Hannah's Bookshelf) so make sure to go over to her blog to check out her sales tips and all her Blogmas posts. Head over to her blog here.

Tips and Tricks 

Give yourself plenty of time:

The worst thing about shopping when you are on a tight schedule is you don't get enough time to look around properly and end up making rash decisions to buy everything on your list. The best thing is to go early and give yourself plenty of time, maybe having a break for lunch and a drink in between. Then you can take your time in each shop and you can enjoy it instead of stressing yourself out by running around everywhere trying to get everything. Make a plan of what time you want to start and what time you want to head home for so you know you are giving yourself enough time. Like Hannah said start early to beat the rush!

Write a list of what you are looking for:

The worst mistake I have made is not writing a wish list/shopping list before going shopping. So I end up not staying focused and looking at things I really don't need to buy, which leads to probably wasting my money buying things I really don't need. Therefore, make a list of everything you need to buy for people or yourself and put the most important at the top. 

Look at the price, not the saving:

When you look at how much money you are saving on an item don't let that be the reason you chose to buy it, look how much the product is priced at originally and see whether the reduced price is worth it or whether it would be best looking elsewhere. Sometimes when you see 25% or 30% off it looks like a great sale but when you actually look at the original price it isn't actually a good deal at all and is worth looking elsewhere!

Check which retailers are selling the same product so you know where to shop around:

After doing your wish list/shopping list it's best to check which retailers are doing the items you are looking for prior to your shopping trip so you know which shops are going to be the best for grabbing a deal. But also if you can't find a good deal in the physical shop then you know there may be a better sale online and you can get it delivered instead! Sometimes it is worth looking at both online and in-store to see where you'll save the most money. 

Be sensible with how much you are buying:

When it comes to shopping in the sales it is easy to get carried away and buying anything on sale without properly assessing whether you actually need it. So set yourself a limit with how much you want to spend and don't go over your budget. Also, don't buy so much that you can't carry everything. It is easy to keep buying and buying but realistically how much can you really carry home and not break your fingers. You can always go back a few days later!

Make sure to take your loyalty cards and student cards:

When shopping in the sales don't forget to take all of your loyalty cards and your student card (if you are in university) in your purse so least you'll get all the benefits, points AND half priced items! I got a black dress for £13 after 50% off and then got an additional 10% off as I had my students card with me. By having your loyalty card on hand you can occasionally get double points and discounts using your student discount!

Have you made the most of the Christmas sales? If not save these tips and tricks for the Boxing Day sales! Let Hannah and I know how you got on!

See you later for Blogmas Day Twenty One where I'll be detailing my Christmas Eve plans for this year ❤

Amy x 

Blogmas Day 19: Earrings I've Treated Myself To This Christmas

Hey Guys!

⭐Welcome to Blogmas Day Nineteen ⭐

At Christmas it's all about giving and treating others with gifts, but there is nothing wrong with wanting to treat yourself! We always worry about what to buy others and we want to buy the best gifts we can - Christmas is a very stressful time of year! So, there is nothing wrong with treating yourself to some gifts as well ❤ 

This year I decided to treat myself to some Christmassy earrings! H&M has some great sales on at the moment so you can buy yourself a gift without feeling guilty. Which is exactly what I did!

H&M Four Set

At the time I was actually buying gifts for my blogger secret Santa but while I was looking around the shop I started looking at the earrings and couldn't resist! I picked up a set of four earrings which include red bows, candy canes, reindeers and Christmas trees! I can wear a different pair every day for the countdown to Christmas. Originally for £3.99, I got them for £2 in the H&M sale ❣

H&M Tasselled Earrings in Red

I then went back to H&M later on in the week and picked up a pair of large tasselled earrings in red. I actually brought them for my Christmas ball (as I went with a black and red theme) but they are still a treat as I'll be able to wear them over Christmas. They were originally £8.99 and I got them for £3!! 

If you are looking for Christmas earrings to wear, H&M has a great selection! Other than these sets of earrings they have dangly earrings with Christmas presents on the end, tinsel hoops and Christmas stars ❣

What have you treated yourself to this Christmas? Let me know in the comments below!

See you tomorrow for Day Twenty of Blogmas ❤

Amy x

Blogmas Day 11: The Godiva Chocolate Advent Calendar

Hey Guys!

⭐Welcome to Day Eleven of Blogmas ⭐

I can't believe it's day 11 of Blogmas! It has gone by so quickly and I'm having so much fun! Being able to take part in Blogmas this year along with some amazing bloggers and getting to read their Christmas themed posts have been so fun and has really helped me get into the festive spirit 🎄

There are so many great Christmas advent calendars this year from chocolate calendars to dog/cat treat calendars, to makeup, perfume and gin (if you've read my pre-blogmas warm up you'll know about the best Gin advent calendars out this Christmas). 

I didn't plan on getting an advent calendar while I'm in Newcastle as my parents bought me one for when I'm back home, however, I actually won a Godiva Belgian Chocolate Christmas Calendar in a competition. I'm so excited as I've never had a luxury chocolate advent calendar before! It did get delivered a bit late but that just means more chocolate to eat at once haha! 

I think advent calendars are such a cute and fun way to countdown Christmas. Two years ago I had a Lacura one from Aldi with different creams and serums in and it was so fun getting to open a new window every day and seeing what face product I got to try out! 

The calendar is kind of designed like a book that you can open up. It is quite a thick calendar, so when you open it up you can have it standing upright showing all the little windows like in the photo above. I think it looks nicer having it opened up as you can see the Christmas scene inside  ❤

I love the design of the calendar with the gold, white and red theme. I think it is quite a classic Christmas colour scheme to go with. Most of the chocolate advent calendars I've had before aren't this fancy so I kind of want to keep the calendar even after Christmas as it looks so pretty ❣

Inside there is a varied selection of Belgian chocolates behind each window all designed as traditional Christmas decorations. You've got a Dark Chocolate Holly Leaf, Christmas Bells, Santa, Christmas Trees, a Christmas Star, White Chocolate Holly leaf and a chocolate wreath. They all look too good to eat ❤

Each chocolate is so cute! Because it arrived late I haven't caught up to window 11 but I will be eating all the ones I've missed out on today! 

If you haven't had Godiva Belgian Chocolate before then definitely treat yourself to a bar from the supermarket or go to the actual shop and get some Christmas chocolate treats. The chocolate is some of the best I've ever had! I first tried Godiva chocolate when my closest childhood friend Becki treated me to a few bars of Godiva for my 20th Birthday and it was lush ❤

 It isn't cheap but it's worth the quality!

Which chocolate Christmas advent calendar have you got this year? Let me know in the comments below! 

See you tomorrow for Day Twelve of Blogmas ❄

Amy x 

Blogmas Day 10: The Best Christmas Jumpers of 2018

Hey Guys!

⭐Welcome to Day Ten of Blogmas ⭐

In my family, we have a tradition of wearing all of our Christmas jumpers/Christmas t-shirts throughout December and on Christmas Eve. This year the day I travel home for Christmas we will all be wearing our Christmas jumpers to begin our countdown! So, today I wanted to share with you the Christmas Jumpers of 2018 which I personally think are the best for this Christmas❤

I have provided links to the websites however, I do not receive any commision it is purely to help you out if you wanted to either purchase the jumper or check out more on the website.  

Xmas & Cute

Traditional Christmas jumpers and cute Christmas themed sweaters are perfect for this festive season of family time and celebrations so why not purchase a new Christmas jumper?

Photo Credit: Next

Dogs on Christmas Jumpers! What more could you ask for? This Grey Christmas Dog Fairisle Pattern Sweater is available at Next for £30. If you are unsure what to wear on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day why not start a tradition of wearing your new Christmas jumpers? 

Photo Credit: Next

Who doesn't love Christmas trees on a festive jumper? If you are someone who wants a Christmas jumper that isn't in your face and is a little more simplistic then this is right down your alley ❤ Available at Next for £26 this Black Christmas Sequin Tree Sweater would be a perfect addition to your winter wardrobe! 

Photo Credit: New Look

If you are looking for a jumper that is more traditional than this Black Fair Isle Knit Snowman Christmas Jumper may be right for you. Available at New Look for £15.99 you can get in the Christmas spirit and add some festive joy to your outfit ❤

Photo Credit: H&M

Another traditional Christmas Jumper for you but with cute reindeers and hearts ❤ I love novelty Christmas jumpers and funny sayings but a traditional Christmas jumper is a staple when it comes to Christmas fashion! Who doesn't want to wear Christmas jumpers all of December? Available at H&M this Pattern Knit Top is £24.99, so go and treat yourself to an early Christmas gift!

Photo Credit: Boohoo

Pugs & Kisses - Anything dog related is cute in my eyes, and a dog on a jumper is a must buy! This Pugs & Kisses Christmas Jumper is available at Boohoo for £16.00 and is also available in grey. Why not wear your dog on a jumper this Christmas? 

Photo Credits: Boohoo

Boohoo are doing some of the cutest Christmas jumpers but this Christmas Pudding jumper is so cute! I love it when they make Christmas jumpers like Christmas food and Christmas trees! Available at Boohoo for £14.40 this Petite Christmas Pudding Jumper would be perfect to wear on Christmas day!

Festive & Funny

Novelty Christmas jumpers are the best to wear for the festive season! Both funny and cosy, what more could you ask for? 

Photo Credit: superhotapparel from Etsy

Friends merchandise has never been a letdown and neither is this Christmas jumper! Phoebe's Christmas Song Jumper is available on Etsy for £32.43 and if you are an obsessed fan then why not treat yourself this Christmas and add a Friends Christmas jumper to your collection? 

Photo Credit: not just store from Etsy

David Attenborough the cutest and sweetest man on Earth has been made into the perfect Christmas Jumper. Available on Etsy for £46 this Attenbrrrr! Christmas Jumper will be the perfecy gift in addition to the new Blue Planet II DVD ❤

Photo Credits: Boohoo

We all know Harry Potter is going to be on the TV all Christmas like it is every year. So, why not join in and get a Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Muggle Christmas Jumper to match! Available at Boohoo for £16 you can live all your wild wizard/witch dreams!

Photo Credit: New Look

Another Friends festive jumper! Available at New Look the Friends Holiday Armadillo Christmas Jumper is £17.99 - so if you are a huge Friends fan like myself or know someone who is why not treat them to a Holiday Armadillo Christmas Jumper!

For Couples

For those who are in relationships and plan on spending Christmas with your significant other then why not get a Christmas jumper that you can both wear together! Who needs separate Christmas jumpers when you can wear one joined at the hip ❤

Photo Credit: ASOS

An Elf and Santa two person Christmas Jumper by Boohoo is a great item to feel the festive cheer! Available at ASOS for £25 this could actually be quite a funny Christmas present for a couple you know!

Dog Jumpers (because why not!)

If you have a dog like me then getting them a Christmas jumper is hard to resist! I was browsing in H&M last week and they had the cutest dog Christmas jumpers I've ever seen - they even had a Chrismas tree one. But I couldn't find it again so I think they are all sold out! 

Photo Credits: H&M

This knitted dog dress is perfect for you pup lovers out there whose dogs enjoy prancing about in a Christmas jumper. Isn't it so cute! Available at H&M this adorable Santa knitted dress is £9.99. If you haven't bought any presents for the dog yet, then maybe check out what H&M has to offer ❣

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Which Christmas Jumper would you pick? Let me know in the comments below!

See you tomorrow for Day Eleven of Blogmas ❤

Amy x 

Blogmas Day 9: Christmas Gift Guide For Her

Hey Guys!

⭐Welcome to Day Nine of Blogmas ⭐

Christmas shopping. Some people love it, some hate it. The worst is when you've got several people to buy for and have absolutely no idea what to get them. So, I'm here to help you out in your time of crisis!

For Day Nine I wanted to give you guys a 'gift guide for her' whether it be inspiration and ideas for your mums, sisters, girlfriends, daughters or friends. I'm not perfect at buying gifts and I always struggle to come up with ideas, so I wanted to give you guys some tips as I know I'm not the only one who struggles to buy for people! 

Let's Begin!

Firstly, when deciding what to buy someone decide on your budget. Is it just a £5 secret Santa or is the amount of money you spend on the gift not important? Decide the financial aspect first and then decide next what you want to get them. That way you won't go over your budget or buy something out of your price range. 

Every product I've mentioned is linked to the website (I don't earn any commission through these links, I just wanted to make it easier for you to find by providing you with all the links) ❣

Jewellery

Jewellery and Watches - Both jewellery and watches are always great gifts. Jewellery is always sentimental, especially when it has been brought by someone special. I know when I've received jewellery as a gift it always holds sentimental value and meaning because someone saw this item and thought of me ❤

Pandora and Thomas Sabo have something for everyone and they have such an extensive range of rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings. Pandora is very popular this time of year especially as they are a very popular brand amongst us women. So, if you know someone who loves Pandora, Thomas Sabo or  Swarovski I highly recommend a Pandora ring (they are always really popular - I have four), a Thomas Sabo charms bracelet as they are always a great present to give someone you care about or a Swarovski necklace (their pendants are beautiful). 

Another great gift for Christmas are watches. I personally received a watch for my 18th birthday and haven't taken it off since. So, if you know anyone who's watch needs upgrading or they need a watch in general (they may be bad at time keeping haha!) then check out brands such as Bering, TISSOT, Olivia Burton, Radley and Seksy. There are so many other great watch brands but these are just a few I personally recommend. They have both practicality and style. 

Perfume and Fragrance Gift Sets 

Fragrances are always a popular Christmas gift. I have received perfume a lot at Christmas and I personally think it is a great gift! Perfume is a gift that most women love to receive and is something we always use and are always running out of. Even if we've got three perfumes already we always love new fragrances to try out ❤

Pink Sand is a Canary Islands/Spanish brand available at Fund Grube, however, I am unsure if it is actually available here in the UK as I bought it while I was in Lanzarote. However, there are plenty of great perfumes you can buy for your loved ones this Christmas. Several brands are doing Christmas special perfumes such as Chanel releasing a limited-edition bottle of Chanel N°5 Eau du Parfum the Red Edition available at John Lewis & Partners for £130, where instead of the usual bottle they have switched it for a ruby red for Christmas. Jean Paul Gaultier has also done something very similar and has changed their Classique packaging for something more festive, so the Classique Collector EDT Spray now has a snow globe theme where the iconic clear glass bust is now dressed in a Christmas dress embezzled with snowflakes. It is available for £56.52 at John Lewis & Partners. So, if you are looking for a fragrance that shouts Christmas then check out these two! 

Shawn Mendes Signature may look like a male's fragrance but it is actually a unisex perfume. I've used it and so has my housemate who is a male. It doesn't have a very predominant female and male scent. It's a very neutral fragrance that anyone can enjoy. So, if you know anyone who is a fan of Shawn Mendes then his Signature fragrance gift set would be perfect! You can get it in Boots for £13.33. Other fragrance gift sets I recommend are Marc Jacobs Daisy Love Gift set for £55 in Boots and Gucci's Bamboo Gift Set for £49. 

Gift sets are always a nice gift to get friends, co-workers, cousins and most girlie relatives as you can never go wrong! Boots and Superdrug both have great gift sets up for grabs this year with Soap & Glory, Ted Baker, Sanctuary, Joules and even Harry Potter gift sets now ❤ Here is the Jack Wills Gift Set with three different body sprays including English Velvet, Hope Cover and Signature which retails at around £10 at Jack Wills and Boots. 

I received these as a gift also, so if you need to buy a gift for a sister-in-law, boyfriend's sister, secret Santa or as part of a bigger present then these are great! 

Body/ Skin Care

You can never go wrong with Soap & Glory as either an individual gift or gift sets! I know a lot of people receive Soap & Glory as secret Santa gifts, even myself and I've never been disappointed with any Soap & Glory gift I've received. As an adult, I love receiving body care/skincare gift sets as it means I don't have to go and buy them myself. It is always nice to receive them from somebody else. Soap & Glory isn't a cheap present either so if you are struggling for gift ideas then head to Boots and check out their 3 for 2 deals on Soap & Glory, Ted Baker, Sanctuary, Jack Wills, Joules and many more brands!

Pyjamas

Pyjamas are always a great Christmas gift! Especially if you family open one gift on Christmas Eve as these will be perfect for a friend, relative or significant other to wear on the night before Christmas! I've received a few pairs of pyjamas at Christmas and they have been some of the best gifts I've received ❤

Primark has some adorable pyjamas at the moment, including Disney, Friends and Harry Potter themed sets! If you know someone who loves Disney or is obsessed with Friends and pyjamas then this would be a great gift. They are so soft and look so cute on. I got this pair of Disney Miss Bunny pyjamas for £14 from Primark and I might end up buying myself some more over the Christmas holidays as they are just so cute and comfy! 

Primark is also doing some great Christmas themed pyjamas with all the festive colours and characters (including The Grinch), so if you want a family set of pyjamas or something more festive then check them out here. 

Bags 

Handbags, travel bags and cute little purses are a nice gift for someone special ❤

These bucket bags from Primark are great! I got mine a while ago but it has never let me down! It is a smallish bag but it actually fits so much inside. What I love is the chain handle instead of a normal handle. It adds something different to the bag and makes it more of a statement piece. This is a great gift for someone who needs to upgrade their day to day bag or if you know someone who needs a casual going out bag and likes a bag with a lot of room and zip.

If you are looking for a bag a bit bigger then check out River Island's website. They have some really cute bags for around £30. Check them out here. I've always found River Island's bag great quality and worth the price. So, if you are willing to spend a little more go and have a browse through their collection, they have so many to choose from!

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If you could receive any of these gifts for Christmas which would you want? Let me know in the comments below!

See you tomorrow for Day Ten of Blogmas ❄

Amy x 

Blogmas Day 7: My Christmas Bucket List

Hey Guys!

⭐Welcome to Day Seven of Blogmas ⭐

Can you believe it is only 18 days left till Christmas! 18 days! I can't believe how quickly this month is going, one week tomorrow and I'll be on a train heading back home for Christmas with my family  ❤

I took this blog idea from the lovely Katy from @KatyMackenzie19 on Twitter and her blog www.somethingdifferent1998.com as she did it on Blogmas Day Two and after reading it I thought it was a lovely idea! Especially as I have a long list of things I want to do this Christmas now I'm spending it in England (I used to go abroad for Christmas) so I thought I'd share this list with you all and maybe you can get some inspiration for your own Christmas plans ❄

See Katy's post here.

Photo Credit: yvettefang0604 on Pixabay.com

Hopefully, I'll get to complete everything on the list!

#1 Christmas Markets

 I want to go to as many Christmas markets as I can! I really want to properly go around the Newcastle Christmas Market again, as the first time I went I didn't have a lot of time. I'd also love to go to the Winter Wonderland in Nottingham and their Christmas market, especially as it is so close to my hometown. If I could I would also love to go around the Edinburgh Christmas Market but it is quite far away and I won't have a chance before travelling back to my hometown, so hopefully I'll get the chance to visit next year. There are also a few Christmas markets around where my family live so hopefully we'll get to have a day out and go around the Christmas stalls and get some treats ❤

#2 Friends & Mulled Wine

When I'm back in my hometown and all my friends are also back from university I want to have a huge catch-up and drink mulled wine in our local pub. I don't get to see my friends back home very often as I'm in Newcastle most of the year so when I get the chance I like to make sure I make time to see them, have a catch-up and fill each other in on what we've missed in the months we haven't seen each other!

#3 Christmas Movies

I've watched quite a few Christmas movies already even before the countdown to Christmas began but I've still got a lot of movies I haven't watched yet such as Love Actually, The Christmas Chronicles, The Muppets Christmas Carol, and Elf. I'm keeping some of the best Chrismas movies to watch on the last couple of days before Christmas Day! If you suggest any fun Christmas movies to add to my list let me know in the comments section below! 

#4 Christmas Eve/ Boxing Day Walk

Since I'm back in England for Christmas this year I really want to take the dog on either a Christmas Eve or Boxing Day walk with the family. Even though it will be absolutely freezing, I love the idea of getting all dressed up in layer on layer of coats and having a nice Winter walk ❄

#5 Make a Gingerbread House and Snowmen

My dad is quite the baker but normally we don't really do any baking at Christmas but this year my dad and I have made the decision to attempt to make a gingerbread house and snowmen! He has brought all the tools we need so once I'm home the challenge to build the best gingerbread house will begin! (We are going to buy a spare one in case our gingerbread house doesn't go to plan and falls apart haha!)

#6 Get More Christmas Jumpers For The Dog

The dog Billy already has four Christmas jumpers to keep him looking cute and warm but I personally think he needs more haha! When I was in H&M the other day there was a Christmas tree dog jumper and it is adorable! He needs to look like a dog Christmas tree so I think he needs more Christmas jumpers for his present!

#7 Celebrate Christmas With Sammy

Normally my best friend Sam and I swap presents at Christmas but this year we decided that instead of spending money buying each other gifts we are going to spend the money doing something together instead. We haven't decided what to do, but we are excited to get to spend some quality time together and make the most of Christmas, especially as we hardly see each other living 3 hours apart from each other ❤

#7 See All Of The Family

Christmas is a very family-orientated time of year and I've been in Newcastle since September without visiting my hometown so I want to make sure I see everyone when I'm back home and make the most of seeing my loved ones before I have to go back to uni in January. I  love spending Christmas seeing all my family!

#8 Read My Christmas Books 

If you read my Blogmas Day One post you'll know that I've got a few books I want to read over Christmas while I've got the break from uni. The aim is to read as much as I can while relaxing back home in the warm drinking hot chocolate. The perfect way to relax after having a stressful few months.

#9 Complete Blogmas 

This is my first year doing Blogmas, so I'm determined to finish it. It has been fun getting to write Christmas themed posts every day and it has got me really motivated for writing more content for my blog! I didn't create a lot of content before Blogmas so now I've committed myself to writing a post for every day I'm determined to write more in the new year ❣

What is on your bucket list this Christmas? Let me know in the comments below ❄

See you tomorrow for Day Eight of Blogmas!

Amy x  

Enjoy a picture of Billy in the snow ❄