Weight Loss Resolutions

It’s that time again when we’re all sitting down making lists of resolutions for the year and I’m guessing some of us are thinking about weight loss once again

This is great news as I will be back next week with Weight Loss Wednesday and my hints and tips for making your journey easier but can I ask one thing now?

Please, please don’t tell yourself you’ll wake up tomorrow and begin your diet

It’s may be the 1st January but chances are you have a few more days left of your holiday from work or before the children return to school, there are still Christmas leftovers littering your home and family visits still planned

Instead think of a sensible start date. For me it’s Monday 4th when I return to work and I will be in a routine. Instead of battling the next couple of days with the tub of malteasers spend this time preparing; clean out your cupboards and arm husbands/children with leftover mince pies and sweets for their friends/office, what sort of food do you need to buy to help you eat healthier for the month?

There’s nothing worse than starting trying to eat sensibly when you’re not prepared and know that there are too many obstacles in way to make it a success and have a positive impact

All over for another year!

And so after weeks of build up Christmas whizzed by in a flash!

Did you have fun?

The day itself was great fun for my family and I reminding us all of those when my brother & I were young due to this little Santa lookalike

Wrapping paper, ribbons and boxes littered our front room

I was lucky enough to receive some fabulous presents

(spot the new ice cream mixer – I can’t wait to try this out!)

Would you like a closer look?

Mum picked these up in a local charity shop not realising I have the dinner service that matches them perfectly!

I LOVE this vintage table cloth

HELLO KITTY!

These are my goodies from the lovely Kelly – she knows Juicy Peach is my FAVOURITE! and even her lovely mum brought me some wonderful things

For my inner child

And how cute are these teaspoons – perfect for my new cups and saucers!

I was expecting this fabulous watch

but I was not expecting a surprise gift…. a Tiffany charm to add to my collection

How cute is that!!

Now tell me….

What did Santa bring you?

Twas the Night Before Christmas

I’ve returned home from carols on the green with my mum, SIL and her mum

where my SIL took our carolling very seriously!

I’m now home relaxed that all the presents are wrapped

I’ve had a bath and put my new Christmas Eve pj’s on

(and yes I did get the dressing gown I wanted)

Mum even included a book this year I can sit and read in bed tonight

So for now all that’s left for me to say is

Thank you so much to everyone who has visited my blog in 2009

I hope you will stick with me in 2010 as there are some exciting times ahead!!!

My Christmas

Hello ladies how are the Christmas preparations going?

I'm ashamed to admit I'm still wrapping presents and writing cards - hmmm what happened to not having a last minute Christmas? Maybe it had something to do with deciding to spring clean my bedroom last night!

Well there's not much more to be done and it'll all be finished today so I can enjoy Christmas Eve and the big day itself.... for now here's a meme I found over at Sherri's today and thought it'd be fun to answer

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

I'll say hot chocolate as I've never tried Egg Nog although I only ever drink a hot choc at my towns Christmas market!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?

Santa wraps them of course!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?

White lights... my SIL has decorated with coloured lights this year and my brother is complaining it looks like a horror movie Christmas!!

4. Do you hang mistletoe?

Mum always puts mistletoe in our hall... I remember being really embarrassed by it when I was younger

5. When do you put your decorations up?

Sadly I don't put any decorations up as my mum bans me from involvement! but they go up around the middle of December depending on when she's hosting her Christmas meal for friends

6. What is your favorite Christmas dish?

Stuffing... its a family recipe always made by my dad on Christmas Eve

7. Favorite Christmas memory as a child?

Similar to Sherri it was waking one morning and my parents asking for 5 mins to get out of bed.... instead my brother and I brought up everyone one of our presents into their bedroom to open instead!!!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?

Er... what do you mean truth? ;o)

In my house if you don't believe in Santa then he doesn't visit so we all BELIEVE!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

I do, always a pair of new pj's.... this was on my list this year - fingers crossed for me

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

You can see in this post how my tree is decorated... next year in my own home I expect it to be very "Grinchy" - red, white and green, lots of kitsch and candy canes

11. Snow! Love it or dread it

LOVE IT! It's put the country to a standstill this past week but it's my great not relying on a car and taking an easy stroll into the high street

12. Can you ice skate?

Nope

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

I've been very spoilt over the years and don't think I can single out any gift in particular as a favourite but one that always springs to mind is a Betty Boop drawing my parents saw in an antique shop. I used to collect Betty Boop a lot when I was younger and they knew I'd like it but it was more than they wanted to spend. My parents returned home but days later my dad was still thinking about it and went back to the shop and brought it for me

14. What’s the most important thing about Christmas for you?

Cheesy and predictable but I love spending time with friends and family, everyone being in good spirits, the small traditions you have etc

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?

Well I'm pleased to report I now like mince pies

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?

I love Christmas Eve, going to carols on the green followed by church and a bag of chips on the walk home and then Boxing Day when all the extended family descend and it's hours of madness and games. Not so much an intended tradition is that every Christmas I sit down to lunch with my parents and without fail every year my mum has forgotten to put something out... it's been the brussels one year... the bread sauce the next.... we never realise until we've eaten

17. What tops your tree?

A fairy - it did used to be a Christmas Flower Fairy which my mum claimed looked like me!

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving?

Of course I love receiving presents but I'm always embarrassed opening them and instead prefer watching others open their presents

19. Candy Canes?

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!

20. Favorite Christmas Show?

Christmas in my teens was always measured by the special Top of the Pops shown after the Queens Speech (or was it before?)

21. Saddest Christmas Song?

I don't know.... the only one that comes to mind is Lonely This Christmas

22. What is your favorite Christmas Song?

Band Aid, Do They Know It's Christmas. My friend is a dj and throughout the year if at a party we'll always play it and it's the one song guaranteed to get everyone up and singing along even if it is June!!

I hope you enjoyed that and do let me know if like me you put off all the things you should be doing to do this! All photos are from my old blog Vintage Tea - check out other Christmas posts here

The Christmas House

My SIL affectionally calls my parents home A Christmas House… I don’t know if it’s traditional stature or the red walls in the dining room but my mum certainly puts a lot of time and effort into her Christmas decorating – I’m not even allowed to help at 30 years of age!!!

Here is this years Christmas tree

(you can click on any of the photos to enlarge)

I have to say I think it’s my mum’s best yet. Due to my little nephew and my parents trying to make life easy for themselves this year they decided on an artificial tree and it fits perfectly in our dining room – won’t it be lovely eating Christmas dinner watched over by it’s twinkling lights

Our tree decorations have travelled full circle from the days of childhood when it was all plastic baubles and Mr Men (I have been searching with no luck on eBay to replace… oh the wonderful decorations we had that were thrown as deemed “rubbish”!) to my mums “adult” version of crystals to now when it’s filled with decorations from our travels in New York over the years

our love of The Tudors (and gingerbread men!)

or gifts from my brother and his wife's Disney trips

More from Bloomingdales… and dad gets a look in with his cigar decoration

Our tree now has character and a story and I have to say – I really like it!!!!

As well as the tree I certainly think fireplaces lend something Christmassy don’t you think?

Here’s a cute little decoration I picked up on my trip to Van Hagues at the end of November

You were able to select names (they only had mine!) or relations (no in-laws so just daughter!) so their stockings can be hung – isn’t it cute! These represent my brother and I, his wife and my nephew

And here’s the “real” fireplace in our lounge

I’d have to agree with my SIL…. I do have a Christmas house!

Reindeer Pate

Most disturbing sight in the Fortnum & Mason’s food hall on Sunday has to go to this

Don’t you agree?

Swans & Scones

And so today it was back into London bound for Fortnum & Mason. We started by heading straight to The Parlour for lunch. We couldn’t decided between a sweet or savoury lunch so decided at it’s Christmas, why not have both! I had a roasted vegetable and goats cheese panini followed by scones!

My mum had to try an ice cream cocktail. It’s Prosecco topped with Bellini sorbet – only £10 a glass!

After lunch it was time for a browse round the rest of the store which was wonderfully decorated as expected.

Isn’t it great they offered a bag for life with Florence & Mary’s initials!!

And last but not least… the Swan Lake inspired windows

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend too