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Ways To Manage Chronic Pain

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Not a post I ever thought I’d have to write but having suffered with chronic pain for the last two years I thought some of the little tips I have picked up may be of use to someone.

Long COVID (link will lead you to my latest update ) is very real and for many sufferers chronic pain has become the norm. For me my pain is mostly in my legs, it does spread to other parts such as my back and arms some days but every day I have significant pain in my legs and feet. I am on a very long waiting list to be seen by the pain management clinic and also the neurology department as most of my symptoms point towards nerve damage. I am unfortunately unable to take anti inflammatory medication and a lot of the common pain relieving tablets and nerve pain tablets. This is in itself incredibly frustrating as the only actual medication I currently take is paracetamol which as you can imagine barely touches the pain I am in. Because of this I have had to find other ways to help manage my pain, none of the things I do take the pain away but it helps to stop it becoming unbearable some days.

Here is a little list of my pain tools:

1. Heat. Heat helps my pain levels and is probably my most used form of pain relief. I have a heated electric underblanket on my bed. Heated throws on my sofa, a heat and massage pad, long water bottles and when out and about I sometimes use the sticky heat pads ( these aren’t always useful as my pain is over such a large area). Obviously these aren’t cheap and also the majority of them use an electric power source which as we know is expensive these days.

2. Water. The only time I get real relief for a period of time is when I am fully submerged in the bath. Being able to soak in the hot tub is also beneficial but a rarity these days as they cost so much to power and heat.

3. Magnesium sprays. The best way to absorb magnesium is through your skin so I buy a spray from Amazon and spray on my legs when the pain is severe. It does give an uncomfortable tingling sensation and unfortunately this can interrupt my sleep at times and definitely do not recommend using straight after shaving your legs!

4. Capsaicin cream. I get this on prescription from my GP. Recently it has been hard to source in the strength I need it due to national shortages. The cream is made from chillier and is quite burny to say the least. Also don’t forget to wash it off before a soak in the bath as it can be incredibly painful when added to hot water.

5. Clothing. Weirdly clothing has a big impact on my pain, I get extreme skin sensitivity and often tight gym style leggings are the best option as anything loose rubbing on my skin feels like it’s touching sunburn. Other days then I cannot tolerate the tightness on my legs so I wear bamboo pyjamas as it is the best fabric against my skin. Jeans are mostly a no go.

6. Massage or vibration. I have a heat and massage pad and also a vibro plate. Some days this helps enormously other days the pain is too much to tolerate the vibration.

7. A decent mattress. I have had to invest in a bamboo mattress topper, a new mattress was a bit outside my stretch financially but this mattress topper means I feel less pressure on my joints and is helping with my sleep too as lots of pain means you get very very tired.

8. Rest. Long COVID is one of the only illnesses where you are not advised to push yourself a little more each today to get fitter and healthier. In fact it will 9 times out of 10 make you feel worse. You have to rest but when in pain rest is difficult so this one is a bit of a battle.

9. Support. You need support from family and friends when you are in constant high levels of pain. My family are amazing and help with school runs and food shopping and I wouldn’t cope without them.

10. Taking care of mental health. Chronic pain can cause huge issues with mental health, feeling like you have no way out or no signs of improvement can make you feel incredibly low so you need to find your coping mechanisms and speak to your doctor to manage this.

Do you have any tips for dealing with chronic pain? I’d love to hear any that you have and if any one needs advice or a chat about long COVID feel free to comment or drop me an email.

How To Help Boost Your Child’s Confidence At School

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Boosting your child’s confidence in the school environment is helpful as it will encourage them to learn and enable them to believe in themselves.

If your child lacks confidence and you want to help them improve it in school, here are some tips to help with that.

Help to change their bad behavior

No child is perfect. Every child will have their naughty days, some more than others. 

It can be difficult to admit that your child can be naughty. Yet, accepting the truth will allow you to deal with it and do what is best to improve your child’s behavior. Your child might act naughty in school to cover up their lack of confidence. Sooner or later, this act will disappear and their vulnerability will show. 

Therefore, it is a smart idea to help them improve their behavior now so they can be nicer at school and slowly build their confidence by being their true self.

Continue education at home

Some children might lack confidence at school due to having slow learning abilities or not understanding certain subjects. 

Your child might struggle with science and, therefore, lack confidence in these lessons. To improve this, it is a great idea to show and teach them science resources at home. 

For example, a phases of the moon science lesson is a great way to teach your child how the moon orbits the earth. Although they might be educated on such phenomena at school, you can further their education at home and ensure they understand it completely. The more you teach them at home, the more educated they can be going into the classroom. Greater knowledge and understanding will enhance their learning and help them feel more confident at school.

Use positive language

Using positive language will make your child feel more confident as it enables them to accept what you tell them. 

For example, telling them they are capable of passing an exam will help them feel more confident going into the exam. You believing in them will encourage them to believe in themself. 

Mindful activities

Practicing mindful activities is a great way to reduce anxiety and improve confidence. 

Walking, exercising, reading, and meditation are all things a child can do to practice breathing techniques and feel more centered, which will aid in improving confidence. They can take this attitude with them into everyday life as well as school.

Encourage them to ask for help

Raising a more confident child can come from encouraging them to ask for help. As a child, they might fear asking for help because they do not see their friends do it. However, the more help your child asks for, the more they can feel supported and understand subjects at school.

It is not a bad thing to raise a hand and ask a teacher to explain the subject further. In fact, it shows dedication and eagerness to learn. Hence, encourage your child to ask for help in school so they can improve their learning and confidence.

Mothering Sunday Gift Guide 2023

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Let’s be honest if anyone needs to be spoiled it’s your mam. Mothers generally take on the majority of life stresses and worries and they deserve to be well looked after on Mothering Sunday ( and every other day of the year). I’ve put today a little collection of Mothering Sunday gifts which I think you’ll like. Let me know if you have any great ideas as I’m always on the lookout for more.

First up bath, body and home care brand ARRAN Sense of Scotland. I’ve tried a few of these products and love their After The Rain bath salts. I am a sucker for a bath product and these are excellent.

Next we have Gin In A Tin who have a great selection of gift ideas for Mother’s Day including these cute gift boxes with a selection of unusual flavoured gins.

Books. In my opinion books are always a great idea. Some options below:

Once A Mother Always A Mother which looks into the relationships as your child becomes an adult.

Rock n Roll Nanny is another great read exploring the fascinating life of Sally Arnold.

Or maybe a crime thriller is their cup of tea. The Binding Room is a crime thriller which will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Pretty You London are a brand I’ve tried recently and I recommended their PJs in my Valentines Guide but I love them so much I thought I’d share again. Made of bamboo fabric they feel so good against the skin.

Nomo chocolates have you sorted if you need vegan or gluten free chocolate treats. Why not try their discovery box?

Buy a gift have a wide selection of last minute gift ideas, from hotel vouchers to subscription. I love the idea of getting someone the Glossy Box subscription for a gift that lasts all year.

Slated Homewares are a brand I’ve followed for quite some time and they have just released their Brass Candle trio. It is truly beautiful and would fit in any home, I can just imagine it on my dinner table.

Amonax have these exercise resistance bands set for workout– natural latex elastic bands for whole body exercises. An easy portable way to exercise as they literally fit in your pocket.

To be honest I’d be quite satisfied with a nice breakfast in bed and a lazier day than normal surrounded by my loved ones. What do you like to have for Mother’s Day?

*Some items in this guide were gifted.

Time Changes Everything – Long Covid Update

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When I look at how much my life has changed these past few years it can be easy to get a little bit low, frustrated and even angry but my life has changed also in some positive ways also so I am trying hard to focus on those aspects and most days it does work.

I have like many others suffered with mental health issues over my adult life, I have struggled with anxiety and depression on many occasions and although these things never really go away I have learned that I know far better these days how to cope.

In the last 2.5 years I have had serious physical health issues from Long COVID after getting my first Covid infection prior to vaccination in October 2020. I was the first person I knew to get Covid in my area and it was frightening, I was very unwell and as a single parent I was for the vast majority of it alone. It damaged my physical and mental health in many ways. Since that time I have been slowly and steadily getting more and more symptomatic of long Covid and previously when I’ve hit these kind of bumps in the road my mental health has been massively impacted, right now it’s not always easy but these days I do have a handle on it.

I credit that to being in a healthy, loving relationship as well as having the most incredible children who give me a reason to smile each and every day. I am stronger because of them. I am stronger for them. I have a great supportive network of the very best family and friends and I don’t know where I would be without all of that.

Long COVID is a debilitating illness. I went from being probably the healthiest I had been in my adult life, going to the gym several times a week and walking between 15-25000 steps every single day to now some days struggling with getting about the house. I can’t do any type of serious fitness activity right now and for a long time keeping fit and walking was my coping mechanism for when I was anxious. I don’t have that any more and I miss it. I miss my body feeling strong and healthy, I miss being able to do a long walk or chasing my kids around the garden. I am in pain more or less all day, every day. Pain levels vary but are steadily getting worse, my mobility can be compromised. My legs are weak, my skin feels so sensitive that even loose clothes can hurt. I can only compare this feeling to as if I have sunburn all over and the pain in my legs feels like toothache in the bones. Some days, more frequently now my legs give way or go numb and this is beyond frightening. I am not yet 40 but my body feels it has aged so much. I worry my partner will get frustrated with this and that it has affected his life too much, yet deep down I know he loves me and supports me in this. Love is constant and not in good times only. I hide the majority of my pain from my children, yet they still see a grimace here and there or notice when I stumble on days when my legs are weak. They worry me about me I know this, I hate this. I reassure them often but my youngest will often say when will your Long COVID be over mam? And the answer unfortunately is I don’t know. But soon I say, hopefully soon.

Doctors are frustrated too, they can’t help the way they want to. I am intolerant to every pain med which would help, nerve pain tablets, strong pain relievers and even most of the SSRI tablets which can also help in these cases. I can’t even take anti inflammatory meds. I manage my pain (poorly) with capsaicin cream ( a type of chilli based nerve pain reliever) paracetamol, long , hot baths and more or less constant heat or massage pads on when I am rest. I am on several waiting lists, neurology and pain clinics amongst them. I was too unwell to complete long COVID rehab clinic and was advised to stop by the medical team. The pain management clinic, the thing I need most right now I was informed last week that I have 1 year remaining on the waiting list. A year, a whole twelve months with no resolution to this pain, it almost seems too much to handle. I knew this news would possibly make me spiral a little into a low place so I decided to write about it, I know that writing is also for me a form of therapy and I know it may help others too. Yet even what used to flow easily for me, the content, the words they are hard to find as a lovely little side effect of long COVID is brain fog, poor concentration and severe fatigue. For someone who has been a bookworm all her life and therefore always had a multitude of words sometimes they literally just disappear or they make no sense. It is scary. Yet I am still determined not to let this illness become who I am. It is a part of me, that I cannot change, it is now classed as a disability as I have had this for over 2 years yet I cannot give into it entirely. I still have to fight even if the only way to do that right now is mentally.

Long Covid Long Haulers are people who had ongoing symptoms for 12 weeks or more but it was expected to last only for up to six months. Many long haulers are now in their third year of symptoms with no end in sight.

If you know someone who has been affected by long COVID, please take the time to research it, it is in many ways an invisible illness yet it is destroying lives and people like me, very normal previously healthy people ( more often than not women between 30-50) are having such massive changes to their lives because of it. Be there for them. Show support. Try to understand it. I have a support network, many do not and the stories I see on the LC support groups are horrifying. COVID killed many and LC is continuing to change lives. If you know someone who has it and could benefit from reading this, please share. But above all please try to help understand this illness because many do not even some people who I know and love have belittled it unintentionally and that is very hard to take. It is very real.

Valentine’s Gift Guide 2023

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The time of love is almost upon us and the scrabble to find the perfect gift is here. Worry not I have some great gift ideas from traditional gifts to something a little different.

For the traditional at heart Eflorist have incredibly beautiful bouquets. I love this 12 rose bouquet which comes with free chocs too!

For the person in your life who is still a big kid at heart why not opt for one of these amazing scooters from Micro-Scooters. They have an amazing selection and you can even buy a scooter to match with your kids. MicroScooters also have an incredible scheme called Scooter Aid, this is what they say about it:

The premise is simple. Every Micro Scooter is built to last. So when your child has outgrown theirs, send it back to us and we’ll do the rest.We revamp and rehome your used Micro Scooter with children in need across the UK. Every pre-loved scooter you donate to us is another child we can help.

Maybe your other half is a bookworm and there are some great picks here if so:

Rock n Roll Nanny:

A story of how Sally Arnold entered the world of rock n roll stars:

Once a mother, always a mother: Being a mother doesn’t stop when your kids grow up it just changes. This book explores this:

The Binding Room is the follow up book to The Jigsaw Man from bestselling author Nadine Matheson, perfect for people who enjoy thrillers:

Red Letter Days have a wide variety of gift experiences and letter box gifts, you could opt for a luxury hotel stay or something as simple yet thoughtful as a letterbox cheese subscription.

I’m a candle lover, well candle obsessed some may say and I adore these strongly scented candles from The Copenhagen Company:

I will always be happy with good pyjamas for any occasion and Pretty You London sell a range that normally only look super cute but feel great on your skin, made from Bamboo they can help regulate temperature and the fabric is soft and great for anyone with skin issues or nerve pain for this very reason.

* Items in this guide have been gifted for the purpose of this post.

Living With A Chronic Health Condition

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At the age of 39 I didn’t expect to be living with a chronic health condition, much less one that resulted from a virus that 3 years ago I’d never heard of. I’m one of the many people worldwide who are suffering ongoing issues as a result of Long Covid.

The symptoms vary from person to person but most people have fatigue, joint pain, shortness of breath or chest pain and brain fog amongst other things. The same brain fog that has meant every post I write on here now is triple checked because my brain quite simply does not work in the same way anymore. Posts that may have taken me hours before now take days, weeks, I have some in my drafts that I simply cannot complete as I just can’t do it. I am not putting pressure on myself in this regard just recognising that my brain needs to be exercised in order to keep it from deteriorating. For me the biggest issues by far have been the joint pain and fatigue, I never really understand what chronic pain meant but unfortunately I do now. My legs hurt every day, every minute of the day. Some times I can almost ignore it as I am so used to it but every day at some point it will be overwhelming. Most of you won’t see this as I do mask it pretty well and also it can become frustrating to constantly feel like you are complaining about an issue that has no end date in sight.

I am in a number of Long Covid support groups and it’s frightening how many people have had to completely change their lives as a result of Long Covid. Many are in a far worse position that me having to use wheelchairs and make adaptions to their home to be able to manage their new lives. Companies like Age Co Mobility are able to help with making changes to your home, such as bathroom improvements and even stair lifts.

I use various things at home to help manage my symptoms, I have a heated massage pad, a vibro plate and electric heated blankets on my bed and sofa as my legs are far worse when they are cold. I am thankfully at a point where I don’t feel I need to make any changes to my home but like many my symptoms have deteriorated quickly this last year and I know there is always a possibility I may need to make some bigger changes to my life.

It is one of the only illnesses where it has already been recognised that pushing yourself day by day to exercise is detrimental to your healing. Long Covid sufferers have to learn the art of pacing, knowing that even on your good days you cannot do too much or you will indeed suffer for days sometimes weeks afterwards. Rest is key, it is the only way your body will heal and as a busy mother of two this has been the hardest thing to accept. You can no longer do all of the things and expect to get better.

It can also affect your mental health, sufferers are more likely to be depressed and anxious and it’s easy to understand why. It is so important to recognise the need to look after your mental health as much as your physical health. Reach out for help, talk about it and above all do not feel guilty for the things you cannot do.

Have you been affected by Long Covid? How has it changed the way you live your life?

*Collaborative post with Age Co Mobility.

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Getting Out Of Your Comfort Zone

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When I was younger I wouldn’t have considered travelling alone. I only ever travelled with my family or with a partner, I didn’t even do the traditional girls holidays. I liked knowing I had people I knew with me and also found the whole process of flying and getting around airports quite baffling.

I didn’t have my first trip abroad until I was 21 but it didn’t take me long to ignite the flame of seeing new places. By the time I was 27 I’d been to various places in Spain, Portugal, France, Mexico and Africa, all with other people at my side should anything go wrong. I then had my children and the travelling ceased for a bit other than a few group holidays with my then toddler.

It wasn’t until I got to about 32 that I got on a plane or train completely alone and this was as a result of starting to do press trips or reviews for my blog. I found that although scary at first I quickly got over any fears and I learned to enjoy it.

For me travelling alone has some big plus points, you get to choose where and when. You don’t have to worry about other peoples needs and wants and I can see this is probably a big draw for booking a singles holiday. Companies like Friendship Travel help to take the little stresses out of booking by helping to plan the minutiae of your holiday along with a host who makes it easy to get to know your fellow travellers should you wish to. So travelling alone doesn’t have to mean spending your holiday alone. Lone travel is surging particularly for women and it is far less daunting when booking with an established company whose sole aim is to make your holiday the best it can be.

Here is what they have to say about what a singles holiday entails:

It’s easier to say what it is not. It is not about matching people up. It is not about doing everything together. It is not a coach tour for 40 people. It is not an 18-30-something club holiday.

A Friendship Travel holiday is whatever you want it to be. You can snooze by the pool all afternoon or sightsee till your feet bleed; enjoy intelligent conversation in the bar or bop till you drop in a night club. Between you, your fellow guests and your Friendship host, you decide what sort of holiday you want to enjoy.

My upcoming holidays I intend to plan with my family and partner alongside but if a time ever came to travel solo again I wouldn’t have any of the worries about it that I previously did. Personally I’d recommend places like Copenhagen and Belfast (check out the Titanic museum if you go)for short city breaks if you want to dip your foot in the water before going long haul or to any far flung places.

Do your research, be safe and most of all enjoy travel. We live in this huge world, go see it.

*This is a collaborative post with Friendship Travel.

Air Fryer Honey Butter Carrots

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Well it’s been a while since I posted anything close to a recipe. These Air Fryer Honey Butter carrots were so easy and tasty I had to share. I’ve been very unwell the last two years more so in the last six months and one of the most difficult things I’ve had to deal with is the brain fog and accompanying problems that causes. I cannot write the long flowing blog posts that I used to find so easy and the words I want to use just often aren’t there. Blogging was always a form of therapy for me and I’ve decided that as part of my effort to get better and improve not just my physical but mental health I will try writing again. Each post may take a while to write but hopefully at some point it will become natural again.

This is less of a recipe and more of a how to but at this time of year when time saving and energy saving is something we all need to consider that it’s worth sharing with you.

Air Fryers have surged in popularity lately, mainly due to the fact that they are a lot cheaper to run for most dishes than a traditional oven. I’ve had an air fryer for maybe 6 years and I’ve raved about it plenty in that time. The one I use is a Tefal Actifry and it’s had some heavy usage and so far it’s still going strong. I have been intrigued by some of the newer models but I’m sticking to this until it gives in! It doesn’t have dual drawers or fancy controls but it does the job. I use it for anything and everything, yes it’s good for chips but but that’s just scratching the surface of what it can do.

These honey butter carrots I make most years during the winter season but normally I roast them in the oven. This year I have made them several times in the air fryer for convenience and budget reasons. They are delicious, less crisp than when roasted but deliciously sticky and full of flavour.

Honey Butter Carrots

I’m not going to give you exact measurements here, as I said it’s a how to not an exact recipe.

Ingredients:

Carrots

Runny honey

Salted butter

Garlic granules

Salt and pepper

Method:

Peel and chop carrots in strips/wedges like this:

Pop butter, honey, garlic granules, salt and pepper into your air fryer and turn on to melt and combine for 2 minutes.

Add your carrots and cook for a further 25 minutes until they look like this. Depending on your air fryer they may need more or less time. Just check every 3-4 minutes towards the end.

And voila they are done. Easy peasy..and absolutely lush.

A Visit To The Gower Inn With OpenTable UK

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*This post is sponsored by OpenTable UK*

Recently I was invited to try out the incredibly easy booking service with OpenTable UK to book and enjoy a meal in my local area. If like me you have never used OpenTable before let me tell you a bit about it.

OpenTable is a table reservation site which is completely free to use and is an absolute breeze. I’m sure we have all been in that situation of trying to book a special meal and ringing or emailing a number of restaurants to check availability for a specific time. OpenTable takes all that hassle away. You simply go to their website booking page which you can find here and type in the postcode/location of the area you are looking at, along with the date and number of diners and click search. It then shows you all of the available restaurants / pubs in your area that are available at your chosen time and you can book directly via the site ( completely free ). It literally took me about two minutes and you then get a confirmation text or email or both with your booking confirmation. You get a reminder text on the day which you can use to confirm or cancel your booking, this must be so handy for restaurants in the current climate to be aware of cancellations because let’s be honest sometimes people just forget to cancel for one reason or another.

In my area there are only a handful of places using OpenTable at present but hopefully that will increase soon enough, if we had ventured slightly further afield to say Cardiff or Bristol there are many more options and if you live in a big city like London there is an abundance of choices! You can also set your budget, cuisine choice and amenities such as wheelchair access again saving you a lot of time and stress. Here you can see the Swansea restaurants available.

I chose The Gower Inn in Parkmill, it is a beautiful pub that I have been to once previously in the Summer months and is set in stunning surroundings. When we visited Jack Frost had been to visit and everything had a thin layer of ice covering it which actually made it pretty spectacular to look at.

The pub itself is warm and inviting, a lot bigger than I’d realised from my previous visit and is well set up for winter dog walkers with a special dog station at the entrance.

It serves typical pub grub so nothing especially fancy and is budget friendly with the majority of meals between £10-£15. I opted for the beef and mushroom pie with mash and seasonal veg and a little jug of gravy which cost just £11.49, my sister went for the festive burger ( there are quite a few burger options) which cost £12.49 and was served with fries and a pot of cranberry sauce with a few pigs and blankets on top. The food was simple but tasty. I’ll be completely honest with you as always and say it’s not something I would rave and rave about but it’s perfectly good satisfying pub grub and for the money I’d say great value. The service was friendly but not in your face which is a plus point and you have the option of adding a soft drink for £1 or an alcoholic drink for a little bit more. I chose Appletiser and my sister had a Coca Cola – no midday drinking for us but again good value.

For desserts I really didn’t fancy much as my meal was quite filling so I opted for the cheese board which was £5.40 which I had a little nibble at and then had them wrap for me to take away and have later that night, my sister opted for the Millionaires Puddle Pudding which was £4.79. About average prices for dessert. Cheese selection was lovely served with water crackers and a delicious pot of chutney, only negative was that the grapes had seen better days but it didn’t really spoil my enjoyment of the dish. My sisters dessert was gooey and rich and she seemed to really enjoy it.

All in all a really nice meal and I would visit again. I know I’ll definitely be using OpenTable again as I can’t remember the last time I found booking a meal so easy. Just hoping more local pubs and restaurants join up so that there are more options for us but it’ll also be great for when we have weekends away and need to book meals in bigger cities.

Have you tried OpenTable?

Christmas Gift Guide 2022

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Once again I cannot believe how quickly this Christmas has approached. I am nowhere near as prepared as I normally am and I have to admit it’s stressing me out a little. Hopefully if you are in the same boat this gift guide will inspire you a little bit.

Just to be clear with you as always items in this guide have been gifted for inclusion.

Starting off with an essential for every kitchen, a coffee machine. I would be lost without mine and good coffee is pretty much the only luxury I allow myself right now. This Melitta Aromafresh Grind and Brew machine has an integrated coffee grinder for maximum freshness.

Next up for the stylish football fan in your life I chose this jacket from Toffs. Toffs have a wide selection of clothing for pretty much every football team you can think of. My dad loved this jacket:

La Gent have a great selection of designer gifts and I spotted a few whilst browsing that I love including vintage style glassware which would be perfect in any home bar!

Perhaps you want a gift that’s useful for the hoarder or DIYer in your home. BiGDUG have a Christmas mega deal including a corner unit, matching workbench, 15 storage boxes and 24 plastic bins all in a very festive red. It’s now only £186.70 which is a bargain for what you get.

If you are think the person you are buying for doesn’t need more things then why not get them an experience instead? Buyagift have a selection of vouchers from meal experiences, hotel stays and even beauty box subscriptions!

We are all looking for ways to keep cosy without popping the heating on and I absolutely love these cosy new hoodies from Snoody. 100% organic cotton material, generously sized with a built in snood. I have worn mine so much since it arrived, they also have matching beanies and if you know me I have a beanie on my head from October to March!

If like me you love candles, diffusers and anything which just makes your home smell delicious then Arran Sense of Scotland have beautiful gift sets for your home and also various toiletries which are just a little different to the usual lynx sets!

Perhaps you need gift ideas for kids? For the littlest ones we love this Alphablocks Phonics Fun. Makes learning to read lots of fun!

For the older kids I find something that keeps their mind and hands busy and away from a screen is always a plus. This Science Mad! Crystal growing lab is perfect for my girls.

Lottie Shaws have some really cute items which are perfect as stocking fillers or to make up hampers. We loved their luxury hot chocolate and the Christmas gingerbread kit.

Whilst on a sweet treat theme, why not get a Christmas chocolate bundle? Cadburys have a lovely Christmas Eve box set and Green & Blacks have a box full of their best selling chocolate bars.

If you do decide to make up some foodie hampers then Opies have really stylish jars of fruits soaked in alcohol. Think black cherries in kirsch and forest fruits in cassis. Delicious and they look pretty fancy too!

Sous Chef are another great option for foodie gifts, they stock items perfect for hampers but also great kitchen ware that’s a little bit different to what you can get in the high street. They also stock my favourite liquorice from Lakrids and quirky alcohol items like this delicious Limoncello.

Fancy a little adventure without leaving your home? Epic Escapes offer just that with an Escape room in a box!

If you have gamers at home then Outright Games have a great selection of PlayStation and Xbox games to suit all ages. Perhaps Paw Patrol Grand Prix for the littlest ones, DC Pets The Adventures of Krypto and Ace for the slightly older and Star Trek Prodigy Supernova for fans of all ages.

A good bottle of wine is always a nice present and Independent Wines have a great selection. From the Corte Pavone, Brunello do Montalcino DOCG to the Mirizzi “Ergo” Verdicchio die Castelli di Jess Classico Superiore DOC 2018. Lots of wines to suit all budgets.

Silver Circle Distillery have released some amazing premixed cocktails for the festive season. I like the sound of the Lan Y Mor ( an ode to the Welsh coastline). It combines kelp, samphire, elderflower and dill with their award winning Aquavit to create an enticing long drink.

Still on the boozy theme, XMuse vodka have the first Scottish blended Barley Vodka inspired by the spirit making traditions of Scotland.

Trendhim is a lovely website for accessories and special gifts for the man in your life. I love this Lava Rock and turquoise skull bracelet.

And finally PenHeaven have some gorgeous gifts for any stationery lovers in your life. I almost drool when I look through the site. I am a sucker for a good pen and a luxury journal or diary. They also offer an embossing or engraving service which is great for making your gift a little more personal for Christmas. I chose this beautiful leather diary for myself as a little treat:

*All items have been gifted for the purpose of this guide.

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