2018 Christmas Advent Calendars You Should Buy!

December is now less than a month away and the closer it gets to the 1st December, the more people frantically run around the shops and online for advent calendars. Whether they be chocolate, tea, beauty or even alcohol everyone is after the perfect one for Christmas, not even just for themselves.

For years now I’ve always looked out for unique and amazing calendars that appeal to me and this year I feel like I’ve seen quite a few I’m keen on. So I thought I would share them on my blog.

I don’t care if people are still thinking, “Nat! It’s too early for Christmas!” Well no not really. It’s a month until December and people usually start opening advent calendars on the 1st so…

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this post! At the time of writing I’ll pop prices too, as well as links to the product.

• Baylis & Harding Beauticology Special Delivery Red Calendar – £9.99 (link)

I actually heard about this advent calendar from someone I work with and it is RIGHT up my street! I love all the scents of the products in there such as peppermint swirl, candy cane and vanilla icing. The scent range actually reminds me of what The Body Shop are bringing out this year. I always eye up the Baylis & Harding stuff at Christmas and regret not getting anything, but I think I am going to treat myself to this this year. I mean, why the hell not?! Spoiler, I’ve already bought it! 😛

• Cath Kidston Christmas Town House Advent Calendar – £40.00 (link)

The past year I’ve really grown to love Cath Kidston, after years of wondering what the hype around it was! I’ve been eyeing up the advent calendar they’re bringing out this year and I really like the look of this one, but I put that down to all the cute alpaca stuff they have in it. You get loads of different bits and pieces in this including body lotion, lip balm, hand cream, bathing salts, cuticle cream and body scrub. I just love all the different things you get! I’ve found this really cheap online so I may have to treat myself to it to have at work or something. I’ll see. This would make an amazing gift for a teeanger, or anyone who loves Cath Kidston.

• The Body Shop 25 Days Of The Ehchanted Deluxe Advent Calendar – £65.00 (link)

This was one of the first advent calendars I saw this year and I was so close to ordering it, BUT urgh the price. It hurts my soul. I’ve never had a beauty advent calendar before and this year I felt like going all out, but not for almost £70! This looks so good though and has a large variety of products in, perfect for anyone who is looking for new products to try, or even people who want to try The Body Shop but aren’t sure where to start. I’m not a massive fan of some of the products in all The Body Shop advent calendars but I’d gift those items to people, my mom and my best friends being the main ones, you know like little stocking fillers! I may keep my eyes peeled when these go down in price to pick them up but I just can’t justify the price.

• Disney Snow White 12 Days Beauty Advent Calendar – £14.00 down to £7.00 (link)

I saw this advent calendar a while ago when I was bored on my lunchbreak and was after an advent calendar. I know that this is aimed at children, but it just looks so basic and simple I love it! This would be great to give to a teenager or child 12 days before Christmas and for the price you could buy loads of them too! I may have to grab one of these at some point if I still feel like getting it. The items in the calendar have a fresh apple scent. You get a nice range of products in this like hand cream, body lotion, body wash, lip balm, bath fizzers, nail file and a body puff. This is more for children and teenagers.

• MUGLER Angel Advent Calendar – £115.00 down to £103.50 (link)

This is definitely an advent calendar I’d love to buy but fuck me the price is crazy! This is something I’ll be keeping my eye on however as it’s just such a bargain for all the goodies you get. Angel was one of the first perfumes I owned and it was my mom who bought it for me. I don’t wear Angel as much as I used to for vairous reasons, mostly because I’m trying to use up my older stuff to make way for my favourite stuff. This is only for 12 days so I’d start it more towards Christmas. I just love all the little bits you get in here and especially the fact you get two refillable bottles, one in a 15ml and one in a 25ml! I’d gift my mom the latter as I have a refill size at 25ml already. I’m praying this goes down in price more as I really would like it, even after Christmas!

• Baileys Advent Calendar – £18.00 down to £16.20 (link)

There’s nothing wrong with an alcohol advent calendar, but not when they cost a bloody fortune! This probably isn’t worth £18.00 when you can buy a bottle of Baileys for the same money. I like the idea of opening little minatures each day to pop in your coffee and hot chocolates! I’d want to pick this up for a cheaper price though, not going to lie.

• M&S 12 Days Of Christmas Socks – £18.00 (link)

My manager at work actually found these and they’re such a unique and cute idea! I love the idea of opening a new pair of socks for 12 days, especially Christmas socks. I’m actually tempted to buy this as a gift for someone myself, but I’m unsure. BUT if you know someone who loves a good pair of socks, you could definitely pick this up for them. My favourite pair in the box is definitely the Christmas llama ones. 😛

• I Love Christmas 12 Days Of Christmas Advent Calendar – £12.00 (link)

This is the last gift set on this list and it’s definitely a cute one, for an affordable price. This is definitely a great advent calendar to pick up for a child or a teenager due to how cutesy it is. Not only do I love all the kawaii animals on it, but I also love what you get inside the gift set itself! You get hand cream, bath salts, bath fizzers, a body puff, nail file, lip balm, body lotion and body wash. They’re all scents that are right up my street too! For £12.00 I feel like this is a complete bargain.

So those are my picks for advent calendars! I’m sure there are so many more out there that may appeal to loads of people, but these are the ones I like the most!

There are some really awesome advent calendars out there! This is the first time I’ll be treating myself to a nice advent calender too. I’ve already bought both me and Dane Reece’s Peanut Butter advent calendars and I’m so excited to open it. 😛

Are you or have you bought your an advent calendar yet? If so which one have you bought, or which one(s) are you planning to pick up? Make sure to let me know in the comments down below!

Until next time, take care all and I hope you’re having a great week so far

November Wish List ’18

Why am I bothering to write a wish list so close to Christmas? Meh because I can, I guess! 😛

I apologise if this list is full of waffle, I really do but meh I’m kind of struggling to come up with things I want to get with Christmas being around the corner. It’s also crazy to think the next wish list I write will be for December, I mean where has the year gone?!

I’ll try my best however with my wish list, some items might be pre orders I’ve made, where others might just be items I’m going to have to lust after until after Christmas. I have to be careful not to buy anything that Dane may have already bought me… 😛

• WoodWick Sea Salt Caramel Candle – (link)

I LOVE WoodWick candles and although I rather like Yankee Candles, WoodWick are definitely my favourite. I love that they crackle as they burn and they’re also made out of soy wax so they’re actually better for you, breathing in wise. I’ve owned quite a few mini jars of the seat salt caramel scent and it is by far one of my favourites. I’d love to own the massive jar, but like Yankee Candle’s these aren’t the cheapest. So worth the money though! This may end up on a Christmas list or I might even buy it myself in the New Year.

• Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee! & Poke Ball Plus – (link)

Oh man I am SO EXCITED for this game to come out this month! I’ve had it on preorder since it was announced back in May and I cannot believe in less than 2 weeks it will be out! Out of the two I preordered I decided I wanted Eevee, as having a little Eevee around with me sounds so adorable! I also ordered the bundle with the Poke Ball Plus with it too! I gave this game a go with the Poke Ball Plus at EGX in September and it was so good and it just made me so glad that I ordered it with the game. I’m especially excited to play this game with Dane, as it’s two player.

• Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream – (link)

I’ve been after a cuticle cream for the longest time and I’ve always heard nothing but good things about the Burt’s Bees one. I even tried it years ago when in store and it seemed like something good to pick up. I think I wanted it more for when I used to use gel nail polish all the time, which in turn I would like to get back into using again. This is something I’d love to pick up on a whim soon.

• Persona 5 Morgana Sega Prize “Nesoberi” Lying Down Plush – (link)

This is something I actually have preordered from YY Kawaii and I honestly cannot wait to get it! I’ve been after a Morgana plush for the longest time, but the one I really want is either hard to find or costs a fucking bomb! This one is quite a nice size and will either sit on our bed or on my cuddle chair downstairs. Either way I am so excited to get this now. 😛 I’ll definitely show it off on social media when I have him.

• Himouto! Umaru-chan Vol. 3 – (link)

I LOVE this manga series and although this volume came out in October, I didn’t actually realise this until late in October so I made sure to order a copy ready for November time. I don’t plan to buy anymore manga after this as I’m unsure if Dane will buy me any for Christmas or my birthday. I do have some that I plan to add to my wish list in December mind, so keep eyes peeled for that next month if you’re interested.

• Spyro Reignited Trilogy on PlayStation 4 – (link)

This is another game I’m really excited for this month! I was gutted back in September when it got pushed back but meh whatever, it’s going to be out in a couple of weeks now and it’s going to have been worth the wait for sure. I’m excited to play through all of the games and reminisce about all the hours, days and summer holidays spent playing these games. I plan to play the second Spyro game first as this was the first one I played back in the day.

• Hell Bunny Full Moon Mini Dress – (link)

I’ve never owned a Hell Bunny dress myself, but I have always been intrigued by them. I saw a picture of this style floating around on Instagram and thought it looked really nice! I recently only managed to remember about it and ventured to the website to check it out. It’s not the cheapest dress in the world, not going to lie… But it’s definitely a dress I’m going to keep my eye on for the future as I would like to own something like this again, especially for both work and days off.

So those are what items I have on my wish list for this month! I know it’s nothing special and most of it I’ve got on preorder, but meh sadly a lot of stuff I don’t want to add to my list as I want those for next month.

Next month is December. That in itself is bloody scary!

What things do you guys have on your wish lists? Make sure to let me know in the comments.

Until next time, take care all and I hope you’re having an amazing weekend!

Fall for this Autumnal Home Décor

So, before I begin, I should probably introduce myself. I’m Hayley, a professional freelance Copywriter and Content Writer who absolutely loves blogging (and home décor, as you’ll soon find out)! Therefore, when I came across Nat’s tweet explaining that she needs guest bloggers to fill in for her whilst she’s on holiday, I jumped at the opportunity. I enjoyed reading her clothing wish lists, so decided to do something similar for homeware, because who doesn’t love a fancy cushion or two? Just me? Anyway, I’ll stop rambling now and get into the post:

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Whilst I’m going to miss the warmer weather and bright evenings, we’re now officially on the second day of Autumn, so it’s time to embrace the new season with open arms. The beautiful orange leaves, the cosy clothes, and copious amounts of hot chocolate definitely make it easier to say goodbye to Summer (plus, it’s almost Hallowe’en).

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit of a home decoration enthusiast – any opportunity to give my home a fresh, new look is welcomed in my books. I always think that changing seasons are perfect times to add little pieces that reflect the weather, either through using different colours, patterns, or even textures. The best part about this is you certainly don’t have to break the bank to do it!

Before I began writing this post, I got thinking about what I associate with the season because it’s always useful to have a ‘theme’ which will ensure that all the pieces look good together. I’ve compiled a little list below which helped me to find the items I included, so, should you want to look for more yourself, you’ll have something to refer to:

– Rustic wood
– ‘Earthy’ tones (think burnt orange, brown, mustard yellow)
– Leaf patterns
– Rough textures

So, let’s take a look at some pieces you’ll fall for this Autumn (get it… fall? Okay, sorry).

Yankee Candle in ‘Brilliant Autumn’

How much more perfect could the name of this candle be? It’s a must for any Autumn lover who wants to bring a little bit of the woodlands indoors. To me, there’s nothing cosier than having some beautiful smelling candles burning on the coffee table whilst you relax on the weekend! Plus, it’s a gorgeous orange colour that will complement the other items in this list (any other home décor enthusiasts will agree that this is very important).

Image taken from fragrancedirect.co.uk

Item: Large Yankee Candle (Brilliant Autumn)
Shop: Fragrance Direct
Price: £14.50

Cosy blanket

When updating your home décor, you can’t go wrong with a big, fluffy blanket. The neutral ‘mink’ tone of this one from Wilko means that you can mix ‘n’ match it with a range of different colour schemes throughout the year (because, let’s be real, the UK is chilly around 80% of the time). I personally love the soft ‘waffle’ texture on this as it prevents the blanket from being too plain, but it won’t clash with other patterns!

Image taken from wilko.com

Item: Waffle Throw (Mink)
Shop: Wilko
Price: £16

Burnt orange cushions (bonus points if they incorporate a tartan pattern)

Dunelm are currently selling these statement tartan cushions in a perfect earthy, burnt orange shade (though they do offer lots of other colours if you’d prefer to mix it up). The tweed texture also gives it a lovely rustic feel that provides your home with instant cosy-factor fit for a pub in the countryside. Cushions are a great way to instantly change the colour scheme in your living room as they’re much larger than some of the other items on this list, but still relatively inexpensive!

Image taken from dunelm.com

Item: Tweed Woven Cushion (Terracotta/Orange)
Shop: Dunelm
Price: £14

Wicker hearts (or any shape you want)

Sometimes, just having random little knick-knacks in your house can make it feel more like a home. You can grab this set of three wicker hearts for under £10 on Amazon* (bargain!), and have them delivered next day if you’re a Prime member. The adorable gingham ribbon and rustic wood texture also give it a little extra bit of detail that screams ‘Autumn’.

Image taken from amazon.co.uk

Item: Large Rustic Wicker Heart Decorations
Shop: Amazon
Price: £9*

Cute Mugs

Whilst these are more functional items than decorative ones, they still make the list, because what else are you going to drink hot chocolate from whilst you sit in your newly-decorated living room? I’m a sucker for anything with a cute animal design plastered on it, so I just had to include these Fairmont & Main bone china mugs from Amazon. I love how autumnal the design is, from the range of beautiful colours, right down the leaf print. Ahh, let’s get the kettle on!

Image taken from amazon.co.uk

Item: Fairmont & Main Bone China Mug (Orange)
Shop: Amazon
Price: £4.99

So, there you go – updating your living room on a budget is easy (and fun)! What will you be adding to your home this Autumn? Let us know!

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Psst, if you enjoyed this post, you can find more of me (and my company, DTM Copywriting) here:
Website (including my blog): http://dtmcopywriting.co.uk/
Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter: @dtmcopywriting
Email: hayley.andrews@dtmcopywriting.co.uk

*Please note that prices on Amazon are subject to change.

I just want to say a MASSIVE thank you to Hayley for writing this post! She was such a joy to talk to via Twitter and email and was so professional and lovely at the same time. It’s made me so excited for when I come back from Fuerteventura to have a mooch around the shops for some lovely autumn editions to add into our home this year!

What items do you like buying as the season changes from summer to autumn? Please make to sure to let me and Hayley know in the comments!

Until next time take care all and I hope you’re doing well!