Christmas Parties // Hotel Chocolat Wreath

Christmas is the season for parties and gatherings, mulled wine and delicious chocolates and an excuse to get together with old and new friends.  In our old house we were quite stuck for space and we are really enjoying the new place and being able to host friends now.  This year we have Ed's family coming to us on Boxing Day and it will be the first time hosting a family event for us!

With school about to finish, I decided to celebrate the end of Archie's first full term by inviting some of his friends and their parents over after school one day.  The children quickly split off with the school boys going upstairs and the little siblings choosing the playroom.  The living room was for the adults and it was lovely to chat without the rush and distractions of the school run.  

I was sent a Hotel Chocolat Christmas Wreath and it seemed the perfect time to open it.  I left it in the middle of the table as it made a great centerpiece.  Once all the children were occupied, we broke it open and it was absolutely amazing inside! Our favourites include the 'Christmas mess', the 'Bakewell tart' and the champagne truffles, and the selection was brilliant with something for everyone's tastes!  I find that usually when we open a box of chocolates there are the same ones always left at the end but having some left at the end wasn't an issue with the wreath!

The Hotel Chocolat wreath is perfect for Christmas gatherings and I might have to buy one for a Boxing Day treat for the family too.  It is the perfect festive centerpiece and incredibly delicious!  When we have eaten too many roast potatoes and stuffing, I think bite sized sweet snacks will be great to nibble on.

I couldn't easily get pictures of all the children playing but here are a couple of my little two who loved having a house full of friends and playmates (although one still needs to work on sharing his toys with them).

Hotel Chocolat have an amazing Christmas collection to suit all families big and small, so whether you are having a quiet Christmas at home, a few friends over or the whole extended family, check out their amazing Christmas chocolate collection.

This post is sponsored by Hotel Chocolat but all chocolates were eaten exclusively by myself (and my friends)

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A Vegan Kid's Christmas Party

 This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #Christmasparty #CollectiveBias

Every Monday since the beginning of May, I have had two extra boys for the day.  It has been exciting and exhausting in equal measures, there are days I think four is easier than two as they tend to pair up, and days I need a megaphone and a whistle.  Hitting the third trimester in this pregnancy means things are coming to an end though, and yesterday was my last Monday with the four boys.

To celebrate, I decided we would have a little Christmas party in the afternoon, but with two being vegan, I had to be a bit more creative in what I bought, so I went to the big Tesco nearby as they have quite an extensive free from section.  The boys (as of this weekend) are 1,2,3 and 4 so I thought a little indoor picnic would be perfect, sat on a blanket by the Christmas tree, with a festive film and some stickers for after.

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