Wednesday 30 November 2016

7 simple ways to give back at Christmas

It's that time of the year again folks,

Prepare for that permanent wind swept look, add a dash of rosy cheeks, topped off with a classic Rudolph nose! Attractive right? Anwayssss, before I start getting side tracked - here are some easy to follow out examples when putting joy and energy back into your community and beyond, as the bells start to jingle tomorrow..... 1st of December how exciting!!!

These are in no particular order of importance, they simply depend upon your preferences and whether you like trying different things. So go ahead and have a ponder, plus alternatively I'm sure you have many ideas of your own to pick from as well :)


  • Write a surprise letter to a loved one or friend so they know you have them in your thoughts and  bonus points if it's completely handwritten as this generally adds a more thoughtful touch for the recipient. This is mostly due to the time you have taken to compose and write out a personal message rather than your typical "Thinking of you" card, where sometimes it's simply a case of people signing names on a card with no other human touch to it. (Not that there's anything wrong with template like cards when in a rush or similar) but when you do have spare time it is nice to give that authentic feeling to the reader. 
  • Put some food out in the garden for the birds and wildlife as they tend to need more nourishment to help with warmth in this biting cold - plus who doesn't want to hear birds outside singing praise for the fantabulous food displayed before them? 
  • Donate a set amount of money to a charity of your choice for whichever person or reason it is close to your heart for, whether it be for a local or worldwide cause.
  • Show appreciation to that barista who creates your perfect coffee or that someone who acknowledges you with a gentle smile in the streets on your way to work in a hurry. Hand over a quick Merry Christmas card to share as a token of appreciation and to wish them good tidings.
  • Helping the homeless can be anything from buying a hot drink and sausage roll, handing out a giftcard for essentials, purchasing thermals to add that extra layer of protection from the cold, to creating a small winter warmer hamper (which I am hoping to have created by the mid Advent period) to try and give that little extra to an individual this Christmas. Don't be put off by assuming one little action will get you nowhere as we learn from the starfish story  https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/56782.Loren_Eiseley    there is always reason to do at least one helpful action point. 
  • Visit a nursing home or hospital ward where people are more likely to be alone throughout the festive period. Until you have personally experienced a Christmas-less Christmas (big words blimey) you may not comprehend what a small chat or home baked gift could mean to someone who is spending the majority of their days throughout Christmas simply as days and hours of isolation and misery. Be that person who brings a smile to their face or has them laughing until they're in stitches - no pun intended! This is supposed to be the happiest time of the year of course :) 
  • Volunteer in your community whether that be at an animal shelter, your local Church, a food bank, soup kitchen, the list goes on................. Be an example to those around you and help improve your own life skills whilst giving valuable time to those in need.

So there we go just a few hints at what you could have a go at this December and any other time of the year for that matter, but all that's really left to say is thank you for reading my post and have a good one! 

See you next time,

Lottie x

Tuesday 1 November 2016

Panda purchase of the day 🐼

Hi all,

So today I decided to have a sneak peek into Next before heading home and ended up making quite possibly one of the comfiest purchases ever! These are the monochrome Panda character slippers available for £14 with a superb fluffy lining inside for comfort and added warmth.


My feet may as well be hugging the clouds they're so perfectly fit and snug! My current slippers up until today have now been put aside for use of any quick wanders to take the milk in from outside and the likes of this, as they are on their last legs,but I'm glad to have found a new pair that do an even better job. Just in case you're not a panda fan, there are plenty of other animal characters available in this range too, you should take a look at aswell- http://www.next.co.uk/women/nightwear/slippers/9  such as foxes, rabbits, a patch dog design and the list goes on.

Be sure to have a quick look on the website for any Christmas gifts for others there's plenty of inspiration dotted around the site - or for yourself as a occasional treat. Now time to go and put the kettle on I think..... thanks for reading guys!


Best wishes to you all for this new month ahead x 

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