December Non Beauty Favourites

Last month I didn't even post one favourites post, let alone two but since this is my last chance to write up a favourites post for 2014 I thought I'd be extra nice and do my typically non beauty and beauty faves. I always like to chuck in some lifestyle as well because I love reading little snippets on other peoples blogs too and its a tradition I'll be keeping regularly on the blog, in the New Year. I usually post my beauty favourites first so I thought I'd do the opposite, so alas heres my December non beauty favourites of the month, enjoy!

It wouldn't be a December favourites without a few Christmas movies, the ones that I've had on a loop are definitely Elf and The Holiday, even Love Actually's taken a backseat this year but I just had to give these a mention. Another favourite this month which isn't pictured is maybe a bit strange but its fluffy socks - I think I've made a new challenge to myself to own as many pairs as I can in every pattern and colour under the sun. I'm definitely set for the rest of Winter but they're unbelievably cosy and I'm all about comfort! In fact I'll probably end up buying more, if I'm honest....

Chocolate is always a favourite but even more this month, there's so many snacks and treats that its hard to not eat them at every opportunity and I've been doing just that. A tub of celebrations and numerous selection boxes should not have my name on it, who really needs a New Years diet when you've enough chocolate to last you until Easter! As with all chocolate binging my skin might be suffering from the odd spot or two but for the amount I'm eating it should be a full scale breakout so I'm counting myself lucky, however my new Origins face mask has come in pretty handy.

I've only used the drink up intensive mask overnight to give my skin a bit of a lift and revitalize it a little and surprisingly its worked and my skins on the road to recovery, thank goodness, but I can definitely see myself using these masks a lot in the new year. Another favourite would have to be Soap&Glory's Hand Food, I've been working a lot and my nails have been all bleh as a result until I found this in a drawer and I remembered just how amazing it is and within a day or two they're all back to normal and this has its place now on my bedside table so I can use it constantly.Lastly I picked up a ring from Urban Outfitters and its the cutest thing ever, I love finding little pieces of jewellery that I can mix and match - usually all sorts of silver rings and this is perfect.  

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo
P.s what non beauty things have you been loving lately?

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Christmas Gift Guide #1: Stocking Fillers Under a £5

At this time of year I absolutely love reading gift guides and finding inspiration as to what to buy my friends & family, almost as much as I love putting together the presents themselves. Therefore this year I knew I'd have to do a few gift guides of my own for all budgets, this being the first and the most budget friendly! I've seen a lot of gift guides under £10 but I tried to find a few things less than a £5 instead, that extra £5 makes all the difference, so I hope you enjoy and maybe get some inspiration yourself! 

After I'd finished this post I realised just how big this gift guide is but the bigger the better I hope. Christmas is pretty much a time for beauty and bath products with the odd seasonal thing and a bunch of candles, at least in my eyes so it may not suit everyones tastes but it should suit most. The crackers I added as a bit of a novelty, I think I'm going to include one in each of my friends presents this year, mainly because they'll have no clue what they are and its a bit of fun so I thought I'd sneak that one in. 

Candles (and usually cinnamon smelling things) always find their way under the tree, Yankee candles are probably my favourite and I thought this little miniature with the Christmas-sy packaging was adorable. Impulse is something I always used back in school just for a quick spritz and from then on I've been using perfume but if you're just popping to the shops a quick spritz of this can never do no wrong so I'll probably stock up on a few of these and the Ted Baker body spray. Lush is also no stranger at Christmas and I always love picking out a few Christmas bath bombs such as the Santa and Melting Snowman (bit twisted I know, not one for kids) - they have such an amazing range! 

This year Boots are on point and I practically want to buy half of the 3 for 2 gift section, thats where I've found most of these bargains such as the fat face compact mirrors, one for each friend (thats three stocking fillers in one), some tanning mitts because Christmas season is tan&party season and also the products from Bleach London, a cute jelly purse, anything jelly and squishy is a big yes and a glittery photo dome all for under a £5! Also Christmas ornaments/ beauty gifts are becoming popular and I love them! I've included a few from Soap&Glory containing lip balms and lip glosses, a Balmi lip balm bauble, a No7 star containing a surprise nail polish and a Topshop nail pyramid as well which I find so cute. 

I then added some miscellanous things in like nail files from Topshop, if all else fails you're always going to need one, rings because I'm obsessed at the minute and Christmas socks because its always nice to be warm and cosy yet festive at the same time. The most practical of them all is probably a cute diary for 2015, it may seem like a long way off but it's not and it's always good to start the year off organised. The most important in my eyes though is chocolate, chocolate is a must in every stocking and Terrys Chocolate Orange just screams stocking filler to me! Well I think thats all of them covered and apart from I think two gifts on the list you can find them all for under a £5, what bargains! Let me know what you think! 

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo 

P.s can you think of any gifts under a £5 or which of these have you tried? I still need to start my Christmas shopping and theres three weeks to go! 

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Blogmas Day 4: The Christmas Tag

This wasn't the post I'd prepared for today but as soon as I woke up and saw that the lovely Kenzie from (behindhazeleyes) had tagged me to do the Christmas Tag, I knew I needed to get it up as soon as - it just seemed like such a lovely and very fitting festive tag. It's also got me even more excited for Christmas than before which I didn't think was possible.... 

1. What is your favourite Christmas Movie? 
Is it a cliche if I say Elf? It'll always be my childhood favourite, that and the Polar Express - they're just THAT good, I think the x1000 dvd re-runs in school at Christmas over the years also played a major part in it. My two favourite 'grown up' movies, aka not kids films (even though they're the best) are Love Actually and The Holiday & although they're Christmas movies if I could get away with watching them everyday I so would.

2. Do you open your Christmas Presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Christmas day always, I always find it nicer waiting until the big day, usually at an outrageous time and everyone unwrapping their presents around the tree. As I'm getting older my presents are usually more expensive and smaller in size, I'm no longer asking for bikes or anything so its nice to open them all together.

3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory? 
I don't have a favourite memory as such, I actually enjoy every Christmas and the excitement of the day and spending time doing barely anything in a Christmas jumper and having an excuse to eat your weight in chocolate and watch movies on end although one year it did snow on the day and that was pretty magical, just because I've always wanted a proper white Christmas.

4. What is your favourite festive food? 
Does chocolate count? I love the big tins of quality street, advent calendar(s), after eights, terrys chocolate orange, selection boxes, malteaser reindeers, the lot, I think everyone now understands I have a problem with chocolate. On a serious note though nothing can beat a big traditional Christmas dinner, its like a Sunday roast dinner but better (and thats hard to beat!)

5. What tops your tree? 
We have two trees, one main one and a little one so one tree has an angel and the other tree has a star - so we're mixing it up a little.

6. As a kid, what was the one crazy, wild, extravagant gift you asked for but never received?
I think I asked for a massive treehouse one year, funny thing is we don't have a tree anywhere in our garden and it probably would have taken longer than a night for Santa to build. I'm still holding out for the Christmas I wake up and find One Direction under the tree though, a girl can dream right?

7. Do you prefer a real tree or synthetic? 
Surprisingly we've never had a real tree although I love the smell of them so I'd have to say synthetic.

8. What's your favourite scheme for decorating a tree? 
I don't really have a scheme, lights are put on first, then tinsel, then all the sparkly and glittery ornaments second last before the star or angel, The only scheme I maybe have is a colour scheme, I like the traditional red, gold and green - none of the blue and white cold nonsense.

9. Giving or recieving? 
Always giving. I thinks its all a part of it, I love putting together little gifts that I hope people love and decorating them - decoration is seriously important and time-consuming :)

10. Christmas Day fashion? 
For the better part of the morning Christmas pyjamas are a must, its tradition and then after I'm awake and had breakfast I'll change into either a Christmas jumper (which I still need to buy for this year) or else some fancy-ish clothing I've bought for the day. I think it'll be the jumper this year!

11. What's your favourite Christmas song? 
This might quite possibly be the hardest questions ever, I don't have favourites, I just sing along to practically everything Christmas related. I do love Jackson 5's Rockin' Robin though, its just so upbeat and happy.

12. Christmas cards or texts? 
I'm old fashioned and if you've read Tuesdays post (link here) I'm all for Christmas cards over texts anyday - I love sending and receiving them. I do send all of my contacts a Christmas message though as soon as the clock strikes Christmas Day - usually not able to sleep from the excitement of Santa arriving, not long now!

I hope you enjoyed reading and I'm also tagging the following the followers to do this and of course anyone else who wants to (please leave links if you do), I love reading tags :)

Una from lacy floral
Taylor from another fashion fanatic
and Genevieve from vievelle

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo
P.s What's your favourite thing about Christmas?

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