Giving Extra This Christmas...

An Exciting Christmas Morning!

Christmas is a time for giving and for celebrating the special people around you. The Halifax are well known for wanting to give people extra and so I was excited and grateful to be chosen to help with their Giving Extra campaign this Christmas. They very kindly sent me some vouchers so that I was able to give a little bit extra to those I love this year.

Of course the two little people who I love most in the world are my daughter and son. I love doing Christmas with the children...winter walks, making a wish stirring the Christmas cake, choosing and decorating the tree and baking fragrant and tasty gingerbread tree decorations that never make it until Christmas day. I think that sadly nowadays kids can become very materialistic so I do use this time of year to try and teach them about the importance and joy that can be found in the simple things of life and to help them realise that Christmas is not just about the gifts. But of course they still have a Christmas list as long as your arm and I was excited to be able to use my vouchers to give them their heart's desire.

They have both made me very proud this year. My little girl has worked so hard at school even though it has been a shock to the system moving from reception to year 1 and my son is fast turning from toddler to little boy so I do feel they really deserve a bit extra.

Winter Walks and Christmas Cake

Twas the night before Christmas...

Of course most of the excitement of Christmas is in the anticipation! We love to make a big event of Christmas Eve and we begin our celebrations by going to our local Christingle Service. The children love this and I admit that a tear comes to my eye when the children all sing Christmas carols whilst holding their candles. Then it's a brisk walk back home checking out all the wonderful Christmas lights that people have put up on their houses which are getting more extravagant each year. Once home the kid's hung their stockings out and we made sure that we left Father Christmas a tasty mince pie and Rudolf a crunch carrot.

Its Christmasssssssss...

Luckily this Christmas we had a very civilised wake up call at about 7 am which was a good start to the day. We all headed downstairs for a bacon sandwich and for the adults a glass of bucks fizz. This year I made the children a mini non-alcoholic cocktail in small Martini glasses. It was made from orange juice and lemonade and they loved it and both felt very grown up!

Then it was time for presents. When we had visited a friends house they had both absolutely loved these great cardboard books that convert into a playmat and also a vehicle that they can sit in. My son adored the fire engine design and my daughter wanted the pirate boat. When they asked for them I had already got their main present but of course the gift from Halifax meant I could get them the books too. They were a great hit and actually held their attention for ages. It was lovely as their eyes really lit up when they opened their gifts and it was brilliant to see them get so much enjoyment from their new toys.

Thank you Halifax for helping me to give my kids a bit extra this Christmas!!