Homestyle Gossip

If you’ve got kids then you know that every Halloween involves a trip to the shops to stock up on halloween costumes, accessories, decorations and treats.

To make it easier try to get everything at the one shop to save several trips. Visit a Halloween shop where you will be able to get decorations, costumes and treats all in one go.

Before you go make sure you discuss costumes to ensure that everyone has decided on what they want. Going out and then trying to choose a halloween costume is never a good idea. Before you go look online for Halloween costume ideas and make sure you discuss with your kids what they can and can’t have.

If money is tight then rather than buying a whole outfit choose some accessories that you can create an outfit out of some existing clothes. Buying masks and wigs is a good idea to create a scary look. You can create some really fun looks using Halloween make up, fake blood & glue. Make sure you pick up a pumpkin or two to decorate your house!

These simple three words, I love you, are often struggled with the most. Many people find it difficult to express how they feel in words and often search for other ways to communicate just how much they care for someone. Between lovers ‘I love you’ can be a statement of commitment but there is also the love found between family and friends.

For those of us who want to express their feelings but can’t find the words there are flowers to turn to. Gift flowers have been used since time began to represent how we feel. Each flower has been bestowed with hidden meanings and can be used to communicate our most inner, deepest feelings when words just don’t seem to be enough. When selecting gift flowers it can be sensible to check the meaning of your flower selection to make sure you aren’t inadvertently communicating something negative.

One of the most renowned symbols of love is that of the rose. Its velvety petals and sweet musky scent represent everlasting and enduring love and communicate simply and unmistakably feelings of love, ardour and passion. Depending on the stage of your love you can choose between a variety of colours and arrangements so that your beau is in no doubt as to your feelings.

If you are merely admiring from afar then choose roses in light and pretty colours. Perhaps a mixed bouquet of whites, pinks and oranges. This keeps your flowers lights and romantic and will not scare the object of your affections away. If you have just had your first date then an arrangement of deep pink flowers will keep the romance flowing whether you send them before the date or order online flowers afterwards as a thank you for a wonderful evening. As love deepens and passions develop shower your loved one with deep red roses.

The third Sunday of June is an extra special day for Dad’s this year; the boys from England will be gearing up for a crucial world cup match which will result in their triumphant qualification into the next round . By sheer chance it’s the same day in which children bestow unwanted socks, ties, books and a whole host of pointless and unwanted gifts to the very man that brought them into being. Yes, that’s rights it’s also father’s day!!! A day which often creates more anxiety than pleasure. However this year the footballing Gods have made present selection so much easier, Dad wants something that will help him celebrate the clash of great football powers from around the world. Which is why Tea, a drink invented in China and forever associated with being English is the perfect beverage to relax with whilst watching the football.

There are other rather more strange food and drink from around the world which can accompany the quintessentially English Tea drinking.

From Brazil:

The eating of chicken hearts is much more common in Brazil than in England. Scientists have yes to discover if there is a direct correlation with amount of chicken hearts consumed and success at the world cup.

From Germany:

Due to a few off the field mistakes in the past, Germany are possibly our most bitter rivals on the it. The Blutwurst, also known as the blood sausage is German delicacy. Like all things German the blood sausage is efficient, its purpose is to fill you up and it certainly does the job. Be warned it is made with congealed pig or cow blood and also contains fillers like meat, fat, bread or oatmeal. It is sliced and eaten cold on bread.

From France:

France have been a direct competitor of ours for centuries, however we share a great deal of similarities with our friends from across the Channel. Their love of cooked snails is not something we share with them.

From Portugal:

The Portuguese have knocked us out off the last two major competitions we have competed in. Their penalty taking ability could be a related to their love of grilled squid.

From Spain:

With all their talent, style and flair Spain have never won the world cup. However millions of Spaniards will be enjoying a glass of Sangria when their team crashes out the world cup this year, even though they have the best players and will have had 75% possession of the ball.

From Italy:

The Italians are reigning champions and tremendously successful at the world cup with four wins in total. But their gift to the world is certainly not exciting football; it is without a doubt the pizza.

Last but not least…

South Korea:

There are plenty of reminders around already, but in case it has still managed to escape your notice, then we should really remind you that Mother’s Day falls on Sunday 14 March this year.
It can often be hard to think of a present for Mum – for a start, she’ll usually insist she’s already got everything she needs. Plus, however do you outdo the present you got for her last year!? You know, the one that took you absolutely ages to find? That’s where thinking outside the box comes into play. Here are some cute ideas for gifts that will make Mum’s day:
- Perfume: Yes, perfume can sometimes be a clichéd gift to give on Mother’s Day. Especially when scent is such a personal thing. So why not give Mum a voucher or take her to a special parfumerie to create her own bespoke fragrance? It will be unique to her, she’ll be able to get exactly what she likes and she will always think of you when she wears it. Perfect!
- Jewellery: Again, jewellery is a personal thing and takes on an especially personal significance when the gift giver is offspring. You’ll want to make sure Mum is touched by the thought you’ve put into selecting her piece of jewellery so do make sure you actually put in the thought! Firstly, think of the jewellery your Mum already wears. Does she always wear rings but never earrings? Does she only ever wear a watch? Think carefully about what kind of jewellery you select, as if she never wears necklaces, then she is unlikely to wear one you give her. (That’s not always true, however.) To put a special touch on it, why not give her a piece of jewellery that has her birth stone in it or get a message engraved? That will show you have gone the extra mile to find something she will really like.
- Nostalgic gifts: There is nothing quite like a retro or nostalgic gift to bring back all those good memories and blasts from the past. You might happen to chance upon a gift at some point that you know would have your Mum reminiscing, but if you’re going to hunt one out, then start by thinking of something she might have told you she cherished as a child. Did she love to play around in her mother’s jewellery box when she was younger? Then maybe find one that fits the same description. Where did she go on her honeymoon? You could get a framed print of a scenic view from that destination.
- Humorous gifts: Mum actually does have everything she could ever need. So why not get her something that will make her laugh instead? Humorous gifts are different to gag gifts – make sure you know the difference! (Although, if your Mum would enjoy a gag gift then that’s a different story…) Try to think of what Mum would find funny – even better if it will remind her of a personal joke she shared with you. Obviously, if this gift can double as something that she will find actually useful (a printed oven mitt for instance!) then you’ll be in her good books for sure.

We all love a little retro fashion from time to time, and when it comes to nostalgic gifts from days gone by, what could be better than items of clothing, or clothing accessories from a more extravagant and stylish time?

For example, even in nightwear, yesteryear’s fashion was more tasteful and luxurious than it is today. For women, there are dressing gowns from the Victorian era, with their elaborate flowing trains and their lines, or perhaps an even more elaborate Art Nouveau satin kimono. Retro gifts such as these make you realise just how luxurious fashion used to be, as opposed to the styles we see today.

The same can be applied to men’s nightwear, as stylish nightshirts that flow down to the knees can be bought as nostalgic gifts. They can be purchased in tartan or stripes, depending on the inclination of your man.

One of the most extravagant fashion styles of the 20th century was inspired by Art Deco, and as such there are many Art Deco items available that make excellent retro gifts. For example, what woman’s handbag collection would be complete without a 1920’s inspired Art Deco handbag? The twenties decade was known for its style, and 80 years on the fashion is still just as stylish today.

One of the fashion accessories of days gone by that we rarely see today is the handkerchief. Handkerchiefs make excellent retro gifts, and they can be bought to match any outfit – perfect for when a gentlemen needs to offer a lady a clean handkerchief.

Things were always better in the old days. That’s the sentiment that most of us believe, and usually find ourselves telling younger people at some point in our lives, no matter how much we tried to convince ourselves when were younger that we wouldn’t.

Music was better, TV was better; films were better and generally everything was better when we were younger. Of course, that’s not something that is exclusive to people living in this day and age. People have always harked back to seemingly better times, even in ancient Roman literature, references can be found to people yearning for the ‘good old days’.

It’s not the old days that were better, it’s that we were younger and things from those times remind us of how we were. This is why retro gifts are such a great idea. When you give a retro gift to someone, such as an old game that they would have played with when they were a child, or an old fashioned item that they would have had in their home, you’re giving the gift of memories. Nostalgic gifts such as these remind people of simpler times, happy times, and times when they were young and care free and had a lot to look forward to.

We love retro gifts because they remind us of our youth. They remind us of how we used to be and of friends and family members who may no longer be around. Nostalgic gifts offer so much more than just the gifts themselves; they trigger the emotion of nostalgia.

Same old Christmassy concerns!
You have found the perfect presents for the whole family. Mum and Dad have a gift for two anyway so that really isn’t complicated. Plus, your mother will always try to let you know what she wants!
It’s the same story each year, Mum opens her gift and can’t think of anything else to say then: “Oooh, you shouldn’t have…” Yeah, we’ve heard it all before.
One of the most difficult gifts to find is definitely for the grandparents. Think about it, you’re never too sure of what they already have, of what they really want and especially which “20th Century” contraption they know how to use! Tough choice! You obviously don’t want to get them each year the same kind of present.
Here are some good ideas you should really consider when buying a gift to your grandma or grandpa.
Remember to always personalize it as much as you can! Granny doesn’t care about an expensive gift. She prefers sentimental and simple things which will remind her of her grandchildren!
One of the best gifts is pictures! You could maybe compile them into an album or if you really wish to bring your grandpa or grandma up-to-date you could go for a digital frame!
One other very traditional gift is the “I love my nanny” mug. Perfect for her morning tea or coffee. Or if again you want to cross boundaries: go for the “My Grandma rocks” one! You will sure earn some brownie points and be on the top of her “best grandchild” list!
The very special touch would be to add some great tea or coffee.
Whittard of Chelsea offers a great selection of tea gifts including gorgeous tea pots and china!
Hope Santa will bring you some great presents this year!
Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Tea may have been invented by the Chinese, but it is the British that have truly adopted tea as their national drink. In the UK we tend to stick to a select few brands of tea, but there are so many more loose teas that we can buy from further afield, such as China.

Here are some of the more unique and quality examples of tea for sale in the world:

Dragonwell, also known as West Lake (Xi Hu)
This tea is a favourite among those who know their tea. This tea has a pale yellow colour and a nutty aroma. It also tastes slightly nutty and is made from flattened leaves.

Yellow Mountian Maofeng
This is another yellow tea with a very delicate flavour and aroma. The leaves for this tea come from China’s An Hui Province, high up in the mountains.

Donting Biluochun
This is one of the more common teas and suitable for drinking every day. The tea has a sweet fragrance and feels quite thick when you drink it.

Xinyang Maojian
This tea is also known as the Feather Tip because of the leaves that it is made from. The leaves appear to be hairy when they are dried. This tea comes from the He Nan Province and has an aroma reminiscent of asparagus. The tea also has an aftertaste that is likened to chestnuts.

Lu An Guapian
This tea is golden in colour and has been dubbed ‘pumpkin seed tea’, not because of its taste, but because of the similarities of the tea leaves to pumpkin seeds.

With Christmas fast approaching, a lot of us will be shopping online for gifts – and searching out voucher codes and discount codes to save money. The Airmiles eStore is a simple, one-stop shop where you can do all your Christmas shopping at a range of online stores, including many well-known high street names.

As well as collecting Airmiles each time you shop, the eStore has numerous special offers and promotion codes (exclusive to the eStore) to help you save money at participating stores. If you combine the Airmiles you collect and eStore discount codes together, you could save a fortune on gifts this Christmas.

The number of online stores you can now collect Airmiles with is enormous. As well as online chains like John Lewis and Currys, you have internet sites like eBay – already known for its bargains. With added incentives like eStore voucher codes and special offers, why shop anywhere else?

Through www.airmiles.co.uk/estore, you can search for products and compare prices – so you can see exactly which stores have the gifts you’re looking for, how many Airmiles you can get and which stores are offering special deals. This can range from eStore promotion codes on Christmas gift ranges, to double Airmiles deals.

This means you can use the Airmiles eStore to make savings in two ways: by collecting extra Airmiles to use for gifts like flights or days out from the Airmiles website, and by using the Airmiles eStore discount codes to save money at participating stores. The result will be stylish, original gifts bought at bargain prices – with none of the hassle of the high street.

Did you know, you could be using Airmiles to get a huge range of free treats – from free theatre tickets and wine cases to free days out for kids? For families, Airmiles is a brilliant way to enjoy free days out – saving you a fortune at weekends and in the holidays.

Airmiles is the most popular travel loyalty scheme in the UK. When you’re collecting Airmiles on your everyday shopping, you can use them for free treats.

Airmiles also offer unique gifts – that won’t cost you a penny. Ideas include lazy-day activities, like chocolate making workshops, and free days out that are totally action-packed, like Ferrari driving days. Many activities allow you to bring friends and family along to watch.

There are also lots of group activities – and this makes Airmiles tremendous fun for birthdays. What could be cooler for kids than trying Junior Quad Biking with friends or going to Kids’ Spy Camp? They’re great for parents stuck for party ideas.

For adults, you could turn your Airmiles into free theatre tickets – an imaginative choice for a wedding or engagement gift. While a spa pampering day makes a perfect gift for mum, at any time of year.
If you’re not sure what they’d like, you can always choose a Gift Pack, which can be used for a host of free activities and free days out across the country. And for a bit of indulgence, there are wine and champagne cases to choose from, starting from just 600 Airmiles.