Blogmas Day 14: The Winter Tag Part One

Hey Guys!

⭐Welcome to Day Fourteen of Blogmas ⭐

I've been tagged in two Winter Tags by the wonderful Hannah and Abby however, they are different Winter Tags and therefore have different rules and questions so I'm going to separate them and do part one on Blogmas Day 14 and part two on Blogmas Day 15 ❤

For part one of The Winter Tag I was tagged by Hannah from Hannah's Bookshelf who is a lovely book blogger so go and check out her blog here. 

I love tags! Already I've done The Ultimate Christmas Tag for Blogmas so I'm excited to be doing another one so soon!

The Rules

Share 12 random facts about yourself.

Answer the 12 questions.

List 12 bloggers you want to do the tag. They can be anyone you want.

Let the bloggers know you nominated them.

My 12 Random Facts

I'm 20 years old

I'm a third-year student at Newcastle University

I study Media, Communication and Cultural Studies

I recently found out I'm lactose intolerant

I've never broken a bone

I have no siblings

I absolutely love Summer and the heat but Winter makes everything seem so cosy and cute which I love - so I enjoy both seasons!

I have a jackadoodle called Billy, who is 7 years old (he is the one in the photo)

I write for three publications; The Courier, The Tab and Voice Magazine

Friends, Harry Potter and Disney are my favourites (especially when it comes to merchandise!)

I've been going to Lanzarote every year since I was around 1 year old and for the past three years we've even been going for Christmas ❄

When I was younger I had a huge hoarding problem for notebooks and journals

The Questions and My Answers

1. What are your favourite things about Winter?

My favourite things about Winter is the snow, especially when you are inside all cosy watching TV and you can see the snow settling outside. I also love all the Christmas menus that come out in Winter - you can go get a festive bake at Greggs, Christmas Market food and mince pies! 

2. What is your favourite Winter outfit?

My favourite Winter outfit is a really cosy oversized jumper with a woolly scarf, bobble hat and a pair of jeans. Any outfit with a warm jumper is my go-to in Winter and when it gets closer to Christmas I love wearing Christmas t-shirts. Especially my personalised family Christmas t-shirt!

3. What is your favourite Winter food?

Winter food has to be warming! With the freezing cold temperatures outside warm soups and stews are my favourite! And you can't forget all the party food in the supermarkets - from Spring Rolls to Satay Chicken and mini pre-made Canapes. Party food is the highlight to the Winter festive season ❤

4. Favourite Winter drink?

There are so many Winter drinks, especially at Starbucks with their Salted Caramel Brownie Hot Chocolate and Costa's Terry Chocolate Orange Hot Chocolate! But my favourite Winter drinks are warm and comforting drinks like mulled wine and hot chocolate with marshmallows and biscuits to dunk it ❣

5. What is your dream way to spend a Winter’s day?

My dream day would be to have a long lie in, then get ready and have a long walk with the dog on a trail. Then get home to have hot chocolate with marshmallows, watching Christmas movies, with cosy socks on and lit scented candles ❄

6. How do you like to do your make-up in the Winter?

I don't really change my make up in the Winter as I tend to stick to the same type of products. I think the only thing I tend to change is the switch to a  richer moisturiser as my skin gets a lot drier with the colder days!

7. What are you hoping Santa brings you?

I love pyjamas for Christmas presents so I hope for either pyjamas or books as I've got back into reading this year and have so many books TBR and there are a few books on my must-buy list so fingers crossed!

8. What are the first three things that remind you of Winter?

When I think of Winter and December the three things that remind me of this season are the dark nights, woolly hats and the severe weather warnings. I go to university in Newcastle University so we get weather warnings in Winter quite a lot ❄

9. What is your favourite Winter song?

I have two, Last Christmas by Wham! and All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey! They are always at the top of the festive playlist which you can check out here.

10. What is your favourite Winter memory?

I have quite a few Winter memories, especially around the time I was in secondary school and we had really bad weather. One memory  I cherish is a time when one year in grammar school we had really bad snowfall so we all got sent home to have a snow day. My friend invited me over to her house and we got all togged up in big coats, gloves, hats and scarfs to go sledging on this huge hill behind her house - which was one of the best snow days I've had. Then in the evening, we watched The Holiday while it was snowing outside and that is when I watched The Holiday for the first time and fell in love with the storyline ❤

11. What is your favourite Winter scent?

In our house, we had a bottle of room spray from Primark called Frozen Cinnamon and it was the best scent for Christmas. I don't know how to describe the fragrance but it's the perfect Winter scent, especially as cinnamon paired with anything like spiced apple is the best smell!

12. Finish this sentence… If I could have one wish this Christmas it would be…

To re-live my childhood memories from Christmas when my entire family would go around my grandparent's house on Boxing Day and see each other and swap presents. Also, to sit down with all my cousins on the step and have our photo taken all together and then eat all my grandma's food doing silly competitions on who can eat the most gherkins ❣

I Tag

Ellie from @ellieblakeney

Meg from @a_meg_life

Katy from @KatyMackenzie19

Hannah from @justhannahhere

Soph from @Sophlouisep

Jade from @jade_allesse

Emma from @lifeofemmax

Chanel from @coc0chanel_

Lauren from @LaurenMorton_

Sophie from @NineteenWillows

Lauren from @SuperLaurenLove

Beth from @themakeupbybeth

See you at 5:30pm for my Blogmas Day Fifteen post  ❤

Amy x 

Blogmas Day 8: My Favourite TV Christmas Specials

Hey Guys!

⭐Welcome to Day Eight of Blogmas ⭐

I've already discussed Christmas movies and Christmas songs but there is still my favourite TV show festive specials to share with you guys!

I love Christmas movies but some popular TV shows do some great Christmas specials this time of year  ❤

Vicar of Dibley: Christmas Special Episodes

The Vicar of Dibley is up at the top for the best Christmas specials! Especially The Christmas Lunch Incident episode when Geraldine has to have four Christmas dinners and a brussel sprout competition! The Vicar of Dibley Christmas specials are some of my favourite festive specials! Especially as I used to grow up watching the series on Gold ⭐ The Christmas special episodes include The Christmas Lunch Incident, Winter and A Very Dibley Christmas: Merry Christmas!

Gavin & Stacey 2008 Christmas Special

Gavin and Stacey's Christmas Special is one of the best festive specials on TV. My housemates and I have watched it three times already and I plan on watching it a fourth time before Christmas Day! There are so many funny scenes that we can all quote haha! 

It is now available on Netflix so if you are looking for some Christmas specials to watch check out Gavin and Stacey's Christmas Special! You'll be watching it on repeat!

Friends Christmas Specials

Thank gosh Friends is still on Netflix for the festive season as there are so many great Christmas episodes throughout the ten seasons! If you are a huge lover of Friends like me then you will know which Christmas specials I'm on about. I've already watched most of them but the best thing about this rom-com is you can watch it again and against and it never gets old ❤ Christmas episodes include: "The One With The Monkey" (Season 1), "The One With Phoebe's Dad" (Season 2), "The One Where Rachel Quits" (Season 3), "The One With The Girl From Poughkeepsie" (Season 4), "The One With The Routine" (Season 6), "The One With The Holiday Armadillo" (Season 7), "The One With Christmas in Tulsa" (Season 9) ❣

Absolutely Fabulous Christmas Special

I only know a few people who have actually watched all of Absolutely Fabulous as I feel it is the older generation who remember when it used to be on TV. But, yet again thanks to Netflix (and boxsets) it is available to watch quite easily. All seasons are now on Netflix so if you've never seen it but are interested then you know where to find it! The Christmas episode for Ab Fab is Cold Turkey when Edina decides to stay home for Christmas and spend it with the family and her granddaughter ❤

Doctor Who Christmas Episodes

I've grown up with Doctor Who ever since Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper re-introduced one of the best sci-fi series. Every series including Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith I have loved, but after Peter Capaldi took over and became the next Doctor I haven't been a fan so my favourite Christmas specials are from all the series before Peter Capaldi. The episodes are The Christmas Invasion, The Runaway Bride, Voyage of The Damned, and A Christmas Carol. My favourite is Voyage of The Damned with Kylie Minogue and the Titanic, that one has always stuck with me as it was so different ❣

Christmas at Downton Abbey

Christmas at Downton Abbey came out back in 2011, but it is such a lovely Christmas special! I love all of the Downton Abbey series but their Christmas special was so magical, especially for a big fan like me! If you've watched Downton Abbey but not the Christmas special then definitely check it out ❄

Victoria Christmas Special: Comfort & Joy

If you've read my Christmas Wish List you'll know I love the ITV series Victoria, so obviously I can't miss out the Christmas Special Comfort & Joy (Season Two). Prince Albert decorates the palace into a magical festive wonderland with Christmas trees hanging from the ceiling to give the palace staff and his growing family a proper Christmas! It is such a sweet feel-good Christmas specials ❤

Miranda: The Perfect Christmas 

Miranda is such a funny series and her Christmas Special The Perfect Christmas is no exception! With fails and laughs Miranda wants to spend Christmas with her friends Stevie, Gary, Clive and Tilly but after a series of misfortunes spending Christmas with her parents actually seems quite inviting. It's a very fun Christmas episode!

Glee Christmas Episodes

Glee does some of the best Christmas special episodes, mainly because they do covers of Christmas songs with a Glee twist mixed with some drama! My favourite Christmas episodes are A Very Glee Christmas (Season 2, Episode 10) Glee Actually (Season 4, Episode 10) and
 Extraordinary Christmas (Season 3, Episode 9). The Glee renditions of We Need A Little Christmas, Last Christmas, Baby It's Cold Outside and Jingle Bell Rock are so good ❄

Which is your favourite TV show Christmas special? Let me know in the comments below!

See you tomorrow for Day Nine 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 ❄

Blogmas Day 4: Best Festive Movies To Watch This Christmas

Hey Guys!

⭐Welcome to Day Four of Blogmas ⭐

Christmas movies are one of the best things about the festive season! Other than the Christmas songs, mulled wine, hot chocolates with marshmallows, Christmas decorating and family time! Christmas movies are just the best for getting you in the Christmas spirit ❤

Netflix is banging out quite a few Christmas movies this year! We aren't short of Xmas films to enjoy this year so sit back, grab yourself a hot chocolate/mulled wine, some popcorn, light the candles and pop on a festive film! 

Firstly some classic Christmas films ❄

How The Grinch Stole Christmas

The Grinch is such a great Christmas movie! I know some people really hate the film as it's Jim Carrey and it isn't really their cup of tea, but for me, it's one of the best Christmas films! It's full of funny scenes and relatable moments (refer to The Grinch memes on Twitter!). It is always one of the first Xmas films I put on for the countdown for Christmas ❤

The Holiday

Featuring Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz and Jack Black The Holiday is such a sweet feel-good film! The cute little cottage, all the romance and all that snow ❄ The Holiday is always a film I have watched since I was back in secondary school to start the countdown to Christmas. A lot of good memories come with this film ❤

Polar Express

The Polar Express is so magical! Boarding on a train which takes you to the North Pole. Who wouldn't want to go on a magical train and visit Santa on Christmas Eve. The Polar Express is a great movie for the family ❤

Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

The Miracle of 34th Street is the cutest! I only watched it for the first time two years ago (I know! I'm a bit late!) but it is one of my absolute favourites! Kris Kringle is the best and the little girl protagonist is adorable. If you love family Christmas movies, Miracle of 34th Street is definitely one! 

Elf

I have such great memories watching Elf. At school, we would always watch it on the last day of term before the Christmas holidays and we would all have Christmas treats and our Christmas jumpers on - it was such a treat for us when I was younger! Now I always look back to those memories when I'm watching it now! Elf has so many great moments from singing in the shower scenes, shouting 'Santaaa' in the toy shop and going round and round in the revolving doors. It is one of those movies where you can watch it again and again and it never gets old  ❤

Netflix has also released new Christmas films for us this November/December as well:

The Holiday Calendar

"A talented photographer stuck in a dead-end job inherits an antique Advent calendar that may be predicting the future -- and pointing her toward love."

I watched The Holiday Calendar a few weeks ago, and like most Netflix Christmas movies it has a lot of cheesy and silly scenes but it is a good movie. The idea of a magical advent calendar is a cute concept and seeing something that hasn't been done before in a festive film was good, as a lot of Christmas movies have very similar storylines ❄

The Princess Switch

"When a down-to-earth Chicago baker and a soon-to-be princess discover they look like twins, they hatch a Christmastime plan to trade places"

From the trailer, I was a bit sceptical about The Princess Switch but I was pleasantly surprised. Of course, it is corny but it is also really cute. The Princess Switch came to Netflix on 16th November and I really enjoyed watching it. I plan on watching it again very soon  ❤

The Christmas Prince

"Christmas comes early for an aspiring young journalist when she's sent abroad to get the scoop on a dashing prince who's poised to be king."

The Christmas Prince isn't new to Netflix but I know some people still haven't seen it. So, for those of you who haven't add this to the list. It is corny and mushy like I've said most of these Netflix Christmas movies are, but it is a really good movie! I plan on watching it at least a few more times before Christmas Day ❤

The Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding

"A year after helping Richard secure the crown, Amber returns to Aldovia to plan their wedding. But her simple tastes clash with royal protocol"

If you liked The Christmas Prince then, of course, you have to watch them tie the knot. My housemates and I all sat down and watched it over the weekend and I really enjoyed it. There is a plot twist as well when you expect one person and it's someone completely differently! I'm just hoping they made another one for next Christmas (maybe a Christmas baby?!)

🎄 ☃ ❄

There are so many other great festive films but I thought I would keep it short for now otherwise, I'll just keep going and going haha!

What is your favourite Christmas movie? What are you looking forward to watching this Christmas? I can't wait to watch The Christmas Chronicles as I've heard quite a few good reviews ❤

See you tomorrow for Day Five of Blogmas!

Amy x 

Top Christmas Movies To Watch This December

Hey Guys!

Now that it's December the countdown to Christmas begins! There is nothing better than watching classic Christmas movies for the build up to the festive occasion. So here are my ten favourite Christmas movies to watch throughout December to get in the festive spirit. Lets go!

Home Alone

If you haven't watched this movie around Christmas or at least seen it on TV where have you been?! This movie is a classic and a favourite amongst most people in the UK! This film has been played every Christmas none stop all of my childhood and even now I still laugh at the same scenes even though I've seen them so many times. It is one of those films that really gets you into the Christmas spirit and will always be an ongoing classic ♡ 

Elf

Elf is a classic Christmas movie! It was always the one movie we would put on at secondary school when we had movie week before breaking up for the Christmas holidays. It's fun, light-hearted and its one of those festive movies that you don't get sick of :) Buddy's character is just so lovable!

The Muppet Christmas Carol

I remember always choosing to watch this film when our teachers gave us the choice of what Christmas movie to put on at the end of term. Compared to the original Christmas Carol movie this version is so much more fun. As a child I always watched loads of Muppet episodes with my grandma and family so I love that this film has them as characters and narrators - it makes it a lot more fun for me!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

This film is so funny! It is such a timeless classic and Jim Carrey is perfect in this film, he brings the character of the Grinch to life and I never stop laughing at this movie. You see all these memes on Facebook and Twitter of scenes from the Grinch movie and these scenes just make the movie the classic it is. But it isn't the typical soppy Christmas movie as it has the silly and hyper Jim Carrey playing The Grinch making it crazy funny and more of a comedy!

The Holiday

I've watched this so many times in the Christmas holidays. My friends and I used to always have snow days in secondary school and this was one of the films we always used to put on when we stayed round each others houses. It is one of those movies that isn't all about Christmas but it builds up to be about the festive occasion! If you haven't seen this movie I highly recommend it as it's such a cute film about two girls who swap houses in Los Angles and Surrey to get away from their current realities and have a break :)

Love Actually

Everyone has got to love this movie! I love that there are lots of different stories going on all in one movie and it jumps from one scenario to another. It makes you laugh, smile, feel sad and overall is a feel good movie for this festive time of year. I love the scenes with Sam and his dad and with having so many different story lines going on throughout the movie it shows us there are different forms of love and this film addresses both the easy going and difficult types of love. It is a great movie for the holidays when you are spending time with your loved ones ❤ 

Nativity 

The Nativity is quite a recent movie compared to some of the others and it was only this year that I watched it. My housemates had all seen it before and raved about it, so last week we popped it on and it is so cute and fun! Doing a film about a school's nativity play is a great concept for a Christmas movie seeing as here in the UK in Infant and Primary school we all had to take part in the nativity play. In my case I was always an angel, donkey or star, unfortunately for me I never got the chance to be Mary. But looking back at it I probably would have forgotten all my lines haha! This film is so relatable to us who always had to be in the Nativity play this time of year, it's a nostalgic feel good movie!

What is your favourite Christmas movie? Let me know in the comments below ❤ 

See you on Thursday my lovelies!

Amy xx