Category: Christmas

1. Festive home hygiene tips

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 28th Nov 2019

   There’s no doubt that Christmas is a fun and fulfilling family time.

   But for house-proud homeowners, it also brings a host of cleaning challenges.

   It’s tricky creating a cosy and welcoming domestic environment where family, friends and neighbours feel welcome — while ensuring that high standards of cleanliness are maintained for the duration.

   But if you want to implement festive home hygiene without feeling like a yuletide party pooper, here are four top tips.

   

   1. Food

   A mouth-watering Christmas dinner is a time-served 25th December tradition and the centrepiece of celebrations for many families.

   But a multi-guest meal that requires cooking different meats at their optimum temperatures and precisely timing preparation and storage of side-dishes is a logistical challenge that’s almost as complex as the software on Santa’s sleigh sat-nav.

   So it’s no disgrace to double-check official guidance on everything from trimming a turkey to storing leftovers — this Christmas advice from The Food Standards Agency should help.

   2. Tree

   Christmas is the only time of year when a delightfully decorated tree temporarily replaces the TV as the focal point in a family lounge or living room.

   And since even the toughest vacuum cleaners struggle to pick up pesky pine needles, it’s no wonder so may of us prefer plastic trees to their real counterparts.

   However, it’s possible to find a real tree that doesn’t leave an unbelievable mess — the Nordmann Fir and Douglas Fir look fab and hold their needles fantastically. You’ll find further tips on prepping real Christmas trees perfectly in publications like Gardeners’ World.

   

   3. Hand sanitiser

   Your home will hopefully experience an influx of festive guests in the party season and there’s every chance that you and your family will be coming and going more frequently as you finalise arrangements.

   This frequent footfall makes the environment crackle with Christmas energy, but also potentially gathers more germs in the home. And no one wants to be battling bugs and viruses when they should be pulling crackers and unwrapping presents. To battle this danger in festive fashion, leave some Christmas hand sanitizers from Mad Beauty in prominent positions for guests to use liberally — they’ll soon get the message.

   4. Keeping the floor clean

   Since Christmas falls bang in the middle of winters that are often wet and wild, there’s always the potential for dirt and detritus to be dragged onto your carpets from outside.

   The best way to prevent this is by making sure the kids kick their shoes off before they come in and investing in a tough floor mat to place outside and inside your door, offering a double layer of protection that keeps carpets pristine.

   These four festive home hygiene tips will help you keep guests and family healthy and happy as they gather round your hearth this Christmas.

   Do you have any festive hygiene tips? We would love to hear them! 

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2. Benefits Of A Boiler Replacement At Christmas Time

   Posted on 10:00am Wednesday 27th Nov 2019

   With Christmas just around the corner, it’s time to start preparing our homes for cosy evenings with the family. While trees and decorations are special ways to make your home feel festive, actually, there are more important things to consider too - one of these being the health of your boiler. (not quite so festive I know!)

   

   If you’ve had the boiler in your family home for several years or have noticed your boiler needing regular attention, it may be time to consider a boiler replacement. No one wants a chilly home, especially not at Christmas time. 

   Here are some of the top benefits of opting for a new boiler in time for the festive period…

   Cosy home 

   Christmas is all about cosying up with family and friends on the sofa or round the dinner table, which isn’t half as enjoyable with a temperamental boiler. There’s nothing worse than having to wear extra layers in your own home, especially at the time of year when everyone’s together. Opting for a boiler replacement gives you peace of mind knowing that your home is the perfect temperature for everyone - kids, adults, and grandparents. The BOXT boiler replacement service is quick and top quality. Simply find the right model for your home’s needs and book in to have your new boiler fitted as soon as the next day! You can even choose a monthly payment plan to avoid having to make a big investment around Christmas time.

   Efficiency 

   Aside from the relief of not having a chilly home during the festive period, boiler replacements these days are all highly efficient. Each model produced now has an A-rating for energy efficiency, to comply with new laws. Boilers account for the largest portion of household energy bills, so the more efficient your boiler is with the amount of energy it uses, the less of your hard-earned money is blown on energy bills each month. Christmas is naturally an expensive time of year, so the more you can save on your monthly outgoings, the more money you’ll have to spend on what really matters, like buying for loved ones.

   Reliability

   Over the years, boilers start to deteriorate with age, meaning there is an increased risk of things suddenly going wrong. Sometimes, boilers can actually pose a danger to your home with gas leaks.  If your boiler has shown signs of packing in or has started to shut off unexpectedly, it’s definitely worth considering a boiler replacement to ensure complete safety over Christmas and new year. New boilers are far more reliable than older models and can allow you to rest easy knowing your ancient boiler isn’t putting anyone at risk.

   

   More control

   Every year at Christmas there is a new piece of technology or an updated smartphone that everyone’s after. Actually, boiler technology is always developing too, making it far easier for families to control their heating and keep a lid on energy bills. Older boiler models may rely on you reminding yourself to manually turn it on and off at certain times, whereas nowadays you can set your boiler to turn on and off at certain times of the day, all from an app on your phone.

   Having a new boiler installed just in time for Christmas means you can set times and temperatures and leave your boiler to it! While remote thermostats are super convenient, but they can also save you tons of money in the long term. Why not set your heating to turn off once it reaches a certain temperature? This way you’re not paying out for heating your home when it’s already keeping everyone cosy. 

   Smaller and quieter models 

   If you’ve had your boiler for almost or over a decade, the chances are it will be a lot bigger and louder than models produced today. To free up some storage space for presents and ensure peace and quiet this Christmas, opt for a more compact boiler replacement. Most combi boilers these days are small and quiet enough to be installed inside a kitchen cupboard!

   So if you don't fancy going out in search of firewood to keep your house warm this Christmas, check your boiler to make sure that Santa (and your family) have a cosy home to come into this festive season .... and all year round.

   *Post in collaboration with BOXT

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3. The Snow Queen | Review at The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham

   Posted on 12:00pm Monday 25th Nov 2019

   The Old Rep Theatre in Birmingham hosts The Snow Queen for Christmas this year and we were lucky enough to be invited along for their press performance on Saturday 23^rd November 2019.

   

   The Snow Queen (not to be mistaken for a certain Frozen Queen currently at cinemas right now) is a force to be reckoned with. This tale is based on the original from Hans Christian Anderson, however is a modern day version of the classic story. If I am honest, it is not a story that I was overly familiar with but that didn’t stop me from becoming immersed in the story from the second the curtains went up.

   

   The Old Rep adaptation has the basis of most historical tales, and centres around good versus evil, but what makes The Snow Queen stand out is how the “bad guys” are still likeable characters. The Snow Queen has an underlying vulnerability that evolves as the story is told. Although her voice and presence are both strong and powerful in presence and delivery.

   Despite Letitia Hector playing a phenomenal role as the evil Snow Queen, it was Hader (played by Charlie Keable), her goblin sidekick, that was my favourite character with his bumbling charm that made me laugh so many times I lost count.

   

   The story follows the adventure of best friends Kai and Gerda but when The Snow Queen steals Kai, can Gerda rescue him in time and find her way through a whole heap of obstacles (and creative characters) along the way to bring him back home? We don’t want to ruin it by telling you what happens, but the cast were exceptional, with many of the lead characters playing multiple roles.

   

   The Snow Queen is on at The Old Rep until the 30^th December and it is the ideal show for all the family. Our youngest is 8 years old and sat through the performance, both engaged and fascinated by the story. We all enjoy the theatre and I think it is the first year that she hasn’t whispered relentless questions throughout the performance, showing how captivating the tale actually is.

   The Snow Queen is packed with songs, dance and plenty of family fun for audience, making it the perfect choice for a family theatre trip this Christmastime.

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4. Finding the perfect baby gift with Baby to Love this Christmas

   Posted on 10:00am Thursday 7th Nov 2019

   I love buying for new babies. I have a tendancy to get carried away with all of the cuteness, however finding the perfect gift for a baby especially at Christmas time can be a challenge.

   Most parents will be inundated with cute and cuddly Christmas toys or gorgeous outfits but new mums are eternally grateful for the practical and useful gifts that they can use long after Santa has left the building.

   This year, we have teamed up with BabytoLove to bring you a baby bundle of delights this Christmas time. This bundle doesn't include cuddly or plastic toys but gifts that mums will love all year round,

   BCLIP - MAGNETIC SOFT SILICONE BIB - £9.95

   What is better than a multi purpose product? This clip is perfect for meal time, painting, playing with clay, and other messy activities. 100% Waterproof food-grade rubber, easy to wash and stays clean. The bclip transforms any fabric or paper napkin to a bib thanks to its two clips - what is not to love?

   

   FULL BODY – LONG SLEEVE WATERPROOF SMOCK – PINK HEART - RRP £15.95

   A smock needs no introduction, other than this one is totally adorable and perfectly practical for messy little ones.

   

   BABY PINK WHALE MEAL SET - £14.95

   We have saved our favourite till last. This small meal set is ideal for weaning little ones. It is cute, practical and a great price. It would make a brilliant baby shower or new baby gift and at £14.95 it won't break the bank either! 

   

   So whilst we adore all of these gift ideas, we are even more excited to be able to give our readers the opportunity to win the set of three just in time for Christmas. All you need to do is enter below! 

    Baby to Love Festive Gift Bundle

   Good luck! 

   For more gift inspiration, take a look at the 2019 Christmas Gift Guide round up from Family Budgeting.

    

    

   Terms & Conditions

   The Prize: Baby to Love Prize bundle
   The winners will be chosen at random by the random winner generator on Gleam and notified within 7 working days by email
   There is no monetary equivalent.
   Little Lilypad Co take no /responsibility for loss or damage in the despatch of prizes
   If the prize is unclaimed within 7 days we reserve the right to redraw the winner.

   UK Entrants Only

   End Date 08/12/2019 at 12am 

   This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Twitter, Instagram or Facebook

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