Christmas 2020

I decided against a round up post for last year, I feel like there isn't much to say.  We mostly stayed home, our adventures were smaller, our stories fewer, our anxiety higher.  I placed too much importance on Christmas day, thinking that a day of normality would somehow make up for nine months of not being able to hug our family or meet in the same house.  I took the children out of school a week early to minimise the risk of having to miss out on the family Christmas we had planned, persuading them that missing the Christmas lunch, play and parties would be worth it for this one day together.  It didn't happen though, a last minute decision by the government to plunge all of Kent into tier 4 just days before Christmas meant a last minute dash to the supermarket (along with everyone else who hadn't planned to cook that day) and the opportunity to plan our first Christmas at home.

Christmas is always magical with young children and all four are still fierce believers.  Father Christmas was going to bring them presents much longed for, that they had given up hope of receiving and I managed to pick up all the important parts of a great Christmas meal.  It was wonderful, calmer, quieter and more relaxed in some ways, but more stressful in others (I have never hosted or cooked Christmas dinner before).  We were all glad to be safe at home, to have time and space to play with new gifts without time constraints and enjoy our comforts, but we all felt like something big was missing - the family we weren't able to spend time with.

I wanted to take some candid shots of what this day looked like for us, hopefully the first and last Christmas we spend like this.  The house which had been tidied in preparation for the big day soon took on the appearance of a bomb site, children decided wrapping in blankets was better than wearing actual clothes and there was way more screen time than I would have liked.  We were so lucky to be safe at home, surrounded by comfort and love. Being woken up to the sound of siblings waking each other with calls of 'Santa's been' will always be a favourite memory and it will certainly be a Christmas we remember.  

I tried to take photographs honestly, not erasing the carnage but embracing it.  I want to look back at this year not with rose tinted glasses, or thoughts of sadness at what was missed, but with the knowledge that we made amazing memories, that we grew so much together, that we laughed but that we felt sadness and loss as well.  It wasn't all doom and gloom, it wasn't all looking for the bright side, it was a complex mix of everything.

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Gift Guide for Outdoorsy Families

Products were sent to me for the purpose of inclusion

We are a family that loves being outdoors, discovering everything nature has to offer and with Lockdown 2.0 upon us, I think most people are learning more about their local area and what there is to do outside to keep their mind and bodies healthy.  I have put together a gift guide for the outdoorsy family, with ideas for parents, children and whole families.

For the Grown Ups

I used to run on empty pavements in the evenings but this year I have seen more people than ever grabbing their trainers and starting the couch to 5k challenge.  It makes me so happy to see so many people running and as the weather gets warmer and the light starts fading, the Proviz reflect360 hoodie will be perfect for keeping them warm and visible as they maintain this fantastic hobby. It is both breathable and warm and is exactly what I have been looking for to help me through the colder months. The silver areas are all light reflective and are on both arms and the hood

Keeping up with children requires comfy shoes and the slip on trainers from Rieker are easy to wear and have super comfortable memory foam insides as well as shock absorbing flexible soles.  They will be ideal for all sorts of outdoors adventures.  These anti-stress shoes are designed to keep you walking with a spring in your step all day!

This summer I spent a lot more time swimming in the sea and one thing I have been meaning to buy is some good goggles.  Aqua Sphere Kaiman goggles offer 180 degree vision, a scratch resistant coating and extra comfortable materials.  These will be ideal for anyone braving sea swimming over the winter months but also for those who are sticking to indoor pools whilst the temperature lowers!  Aqua Sphere have ranges for men, women and children.

The Zippo Heatbank 9s is a brilliant device that not only works as a handwarmer with six different heat settings, but also charges devices via USB.  Ideal for camping trips, long walks and everything in between, this multipurpose tool is a great gift for a grown up who loves to be outdoors.  The ergonomic shape fits a hand comfortably and has a run time of up to 9 hours. 

For the Kids

For any child who has big dreams to explore the world, the Travel Edition of Atlas of Adventures would make a beautiful gift. Each section begins with an illustrated map of the area followed by its most fascinating locations.  If they want to learn more about riding a gondola in Venice, sleeping under the Northern Lights or showering with elephants in Chiang Mai, this book will inspire them.  The Atlas of Adventures is a book I could easily get lost in and is such a beautiful gift.

Childhood is the perfect time to learn a new skill and two of mine are desperate to give skateboarding a go.  I think this Rampage Skate board would be perfect for a beginner and a great way to make the most out of being outdoors.  Skates.co.uk also sell helmets and other protection - something I think we will need! 

With our plans including getting outdoors no matter what the weather this winter, I need to make sure the children are dressed for adventure and won't get cold.  This starts with the first layer and a good pair of thermals will be vital this winter.  We love Reima for outerwear, but their merino wool thermal sets are not only super fun and colourful (there are four different colourways in this print) but snuggly warm, making sure we don't have to cut our fun short.  Base layers are something I would always advise investing in and these would be a great Christmas gift for mini adventurers.

The more my children travel, the more interested they have got in the world.  With every subject they study at school inspiring questions, I think Our Wonderful World is a perfect present this Christmas to encourage curious minds.  Full of beautifully illustrated maps that not only share the geography of each country but other interesting information, this is something that any little adventurer will love, as well as it being a book you want to have on display thanks to the fantastic artwork. 

Outdoor adventures require snuggly attire and Frugi's Blizzard Bobble Hat is fun and bright as well as cosy and warm.  It comes in two colours and you can buy matching knitwear for both.  We love Frugi for their soft organic cotton and strong ethics and my children love a new bobble hat so I think this would make a great Christmas gift!  Check out all their Christmas gift ideas!

If you are looking for an Eco-Friendly gift idea then The Bike Club is a great way to keep up with growing children's bike needs.  You pay a monthly subscription from £5 per month to borrow a bike and can exchange it every time they grow (which is very regularly in my house!).  There are options if you would rather only borrow new bikes or whether you are happy with used, but each one is carefully looked after by the team so you are only getting the best. This is a great way to get kids cycling without the big expense at the beginning!

We are a family that love to camp and one thing that I think will make life easier as well as way more fun, is a kids head torch like this one from Whitby and Co.  Designed to be as robust as the adult version but with extra safety features, this makes the dark so much more fun, not just on camping trips but for nightime treasure hunts and mini adventures too.  With 9 hours burn time this head torch is easy to use and full of fun possibilities!

I can't leave out the smaller adventure lovers and this Kinderkraft balance bike from Kiddies Kingdom is ideal for children aged 2 years and up.  A great reason to get outdoors, balance bikes make a brilliant first bike and encourage balance and movement in preperation for pedals later on.  The seat is height adjustable, the bike is sturdy and easy to carry and the frame is made from environmentally friendly beech wood.  

For the Whole Family

Outdoor adventures can be tiring and we often want to stop for a picnic or a drink, so this camping chair from Helinox is ideal for camping trips, woodland walks, festivals and more.  It packs up so small and light and can be popped in a backpack, it is easy to assemble and is so comfortable! If you purchase one at the moment it comes with a free seat warmer which adds extra padding and stops any drafts.  The chair one weighs 960g and is 35cm long in the bag but easily accomodates an adult, this is a great gift for the whole family to enjoy.  

Playing cards are an essential family camping game and this pack of Foragers playing cards from Kikkerland Design is educational and multi purpose with each card sharing a fun foraging fact.  Whether you are a novice or an expert at foraging, these cards are full of interesting information and will make any woodland walk more interesting. 

Gifts don't have to be something we can open and one of the best ideas for the family that has it all, or wants to give back is a tree from Treedom.  You can buy a tree in one of 17 countries around the world in partnership with NGOs and small farmholders.  Your tree is photographed and geotagged and you can watch it grow as well as learning about the farmers you are helping.  My cacao tree is in Cameroon and I can track the co2 absorbtion and its growth.  This is the ideal gift for a family that wants to work towards balancing their emissions and help efforts to reforest. You can find my tree here

We all know how much better it is for the environment to use a reusable water bottle and for anyone who doesn't already own one (or for those of us that like a collection), then this Friends of the Earth bottle from Ion8 is a beautiful and eco friendly gift.  It is never too late to change a habit and this bottle works towards eliminating the fact that over 1 million plastic bottles are bought worldwide every minute.  Fill it with your favourite drink and let it accompany you on all your adventures.

With the temperatures dropping rapidly and many of us hoping to keep up outdoor adventures all winter, a hand warmer is a great gift for a family.  This one from Whitby and co is compact and easy to use with a flameless burn that lasts up to 12 hours.  It can be used 90 times before it needs refilling and comes with a protective fleece bag.  Whether you need to keep your hands warm during a sport or on a long walk, this pocket sized warmer is a great companion. 

There are so many wonderful gifts for an outdoorsy family and there has never been a better time to get outdoors and explore!

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Gift Guide for Harry Potter Fans

Products featured were sent for inclusion in the gift guide but all thoughts and opinions are my own

I have passed my love of Harry Potter on to the children and I know there are lots of people both big and small who will have wizarding goodies on their Christmas wishlists this year! I have put together a guide of some of the best gifts to buy a Harry Potter fan this year.

This interactive Wizarding Quiz game by Tomy is designed for 2-4 players and will be fantastic fun on Christmas day and beyond.  Defend your house by using your knowledge of the franchise with over 1,000 questions.  I think my 9 year old Harry Potter fan is going to love this and bonus points when all the family can play. 

For the Harry Potter fan who has it all, I love the idea of a gift experience and this is something to look forward to in the new year.  Red Letter days have a selection of Harry Potter experiences including a trip to the Warner Brothers Studios followed by a three course meal with wine!  Whether it is your first visit or your third, there is always something different to see and the vouchers are valid for months meaning you can wait until the perfect time to visit.  

Aden and anais have a beautiful Harry Potter range featuring the golden snitch and you can choose muslins and sleeping bags as well as this rather special Harry Potter 'dream blanket' which measures 120cm by 120cm, ideal for my smaller ones to curl up with whilst watching the movies.  This 100% cotton blanket only gets softer after each wash! 

If you are looking for a Potter related stocking filler then check out The Harry Potter Pin Seeking club. Whether you are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin or like me, a Hufflepuff, there are beautiful collections or individual pins and the attention to detail is wonderful.  Now is the perfect time to start a collection, or just buy your favourite house to wear proudly.  If you want to give something even more special then you can buy Harry Potter Fan Club Gold Membership which includes a personalised and interactive Keys and Curious journal, savings and priority access to merchandise and experiences, exclusive video content, and access to all 7 Harry Potter e-books.

Another wonderful collectable and keepsake for any Harry Potter fan is a Steiff pendant keyring.  This heritage brand have created four Potter themed keyrings and they are both incredibly soft and special.  All come with the button in the ear that Steiff are renowned for, this 14cm Harry Potter can be attached to handbags, backpacks or as an everyday keyring. Find more at http://www.steiffteddybears.co.uk/

Top Trumps are very popular in our house, perfect to take on holiday, for car journeys and to play at home, they are a firm favourite.  This Ultimate Harry Potter Top Trumps Bundle makes a brilliant Christmas gift for all the family or can be split up to fit in individual stockings.  Featuring The Half Blood Prince, The Deathly Hallows parts 1 and 2 and 30 favourite wizards and witches I know this will bring plenty of smiles on Christmas morning.  If you haven't discovered the wonders of Top Trumps with children yet, this is the year to do it!

There are some wonderful Harry Potter themed gifts around this year for fans of the books and films and I hope this helps you discover something new to add to your Christmas shopping list for the Potter fan in your life.

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