Hello chic friends,
We went to my husband Paul's work Christmas last weekend, and it was so lovely. The weather was good and we were treated to a delicious dinner and drinks at a local winery. It was a wonderful evening and I am very grateful!
And then the next day was cozy and drizzly, just perfect for staying in with movies and books :)
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Festive treats
To celebrate the beginning of December I couldn't resist a treat... I love Christmas themed goodies!
(I also saw gingerbread flavoured popcorn but managed not to put that in my basket.)
If you don't live in New Zealand and cannot get Whittaker's chocolate I feel for you! It's the best :) They've never cheapened their brand and have a consistently high quality product.
If you don't live in New Zealand and cannot get Whittaker's chocolate I feel for you! It's the best :) They've never cheapened their brand and have a consistently high quality product.
A friend that lives in South Africa loads her suitcase up when she returns home from a visit here :)
I buy their 72% Dark Ghana flavour for 'everyday use', and the others as sparingly as I can because they are just too easy to eat.
Are you like me and have to manage what you keep in the house? I've found it's the best and easiest way for me!
And, if you're a Whittaker's fan too, please let me know your favourite flavour. My all time favourite is Jelly Tip, omg it's so good. But again, highly dangerous!
I buy their 72% Dark Ghana flavour for 'everyday use', and the others as sparingly as I can because they are just too easy to eat.
Are you like me and have to manage what you keep in the house? I've found it's the best and easiest way for me!
And, if you're a Whittaker's fan too, please let me know your favourite flavour. My all time favourite is Jelly Tip, omg it's so good. But again, highly dangerous!
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Our festive front door
I love the Christmas vibe and really wish I could keep my favourite Christmas goodies up all year round! They make me so happy to see.
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Festive dinner
A festive themed outdoor dinner for the last night of November ✨
My husband Paul asked if there were enough candles on the table (there were six...)
What can I say, I’m a high maintenance lady!
What can I say, I’m a high maintenance lady!
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I saw this bright star in the sky that night too, and it turned out to be the planet Jupiter!
I have the app SkyView Lite and it’s so fun to peruse the sky sometimes . I also love the music that plays in the app when I’m using it. It’s
very peaceful and calming.
I saw the constellation Aquarius close by too.
It was a good night for stargazing!
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And this is my ‘sweet Daphne’ standing on the outdoor sofa as if she is allowed up there :)
Daphne wears her heart on the outside and her spirit is one of love and pure neediness… both for me, and food.
She is 7-8 years old now and we adopted her when she was 2, from the SPCA where she was taken from a puppy mill.
She loves life, loves her doggie and people family, and loves her walks down the road. She trots down the hill and RACES back up.
Home is where the heart is she said, and I agree ☺️✨
Daphne wears her heart on the outside and her spirit is one of love and pure neediness… both for me, and food.
She is 7-8 years old now and we adopted her when she was 2, from the SPCA where she was taken from a puppy mill.
She loves life, loves her doggie and people family, and loves her walks down the road. She trots down the hill and RACES back up.
Home is where the heart is she said, and I agree ☺️✨
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I hope your festive season is starting off nicely as well. I have my Christmas tree up and almost decorated. Playing Christmas music. Diffusing Christmas blend essential oils. Switching on all my lit Christmas decor each morning.
Love it ❤️💚❤️💚❤️
It's so nice to be feel festive in December. What I've found though, is that we need to make it happen for ourselves: seek out the lights, the decorations, the fun, and the fizzy happy feeling.
I do this with books and December issue magazines, browsing the Christmas section in stores, viewing homes that are decorated for the holidays (it's slim pickings around here but I can't complain!), watching YouTubers’ Vlogmas creations (current favourite: https://www.youtube.com/@newyorkplease), playing Christmas music at home and lighting Christmas candles (I have a cookie-scented candle burning at the moment).
I don't do holiday clothes or earrings, but I know they are popular :) I love red or plum coloured nails in December though.
There are so many ways in which to bring the pretty, sparkly, magical feeling of Christmas to your everyday!
Please let me know some of yours, and what you’re up to with regards to Christmas decor - minimalist or maximalist? I am in between but always like plenty of payback for my effort!
xx Fiona
I do this with books and December issue magazines, browsing the Christmas section in stores, viewing homes that are decorated for the holidays (it's slim pickings around here but I can't complain!), watching YouTubers’ Vlogmas creations (current favourite: https://www.youtube.com/@newyorkplease), playing Christmas music at home and lighting Christmas candles (I have a cookie-scented candle burning at the moment).
I don't do holiday clothes or earrings, but I know they are popular :) I love red or plum coloured nails in December though.
There are so many ways in which to bring the pretty, sparkly, magical feeling of Christmas to your everyday!
Please let me know some of yours, and what you’re up to with regards to Christmas decor - minimalist or maximalist? I am in between but always like plenty of payback for my effort!
PS. You can find my book 'A Chic and Simple Christmas' on Amazon in paperback and Kindle, along with all my other books, which are focused on living a fabulous life without spending a lot of money. 'A Chic and Simple Christmas' is all about celebrating the holiday season with ease and grace, and includes all my best tips to achieve this.
(My Amazon link is affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission
from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Thank you if you
choose to use my links!)
I love your wreath and your entry wallpaper! I'm behind on decorating this year but am more minimalist now that my kids are older - I try to stick with fresh greens, white ceramic trees/houses, and lots and lots of fairy lights.
ReplyDeleteFiona, if your decor makes you happy keep it up all year!
ReplyDeleteHaha, I do small touches for myself but I am not so evolved that I can't worry about people thinking I'm weird :)
DeleteI live in a small flat with not much storage space so by necessity and wish am a Christmas minimalist in my decor.
ReplyDeleteI have a lovely red christmas themed cushion for my sofa, and create a christmas vignette for my coffee table, then go to the woods for greenery - holly and ivy and attach them to places in my home with a big red ribbon bow, such as on the top of mirrors or lamps.
Then I light tealights in glass holders. For me it is enough.
I started going backwards through December’s posts thinking I only had one to catch up on. I apparently missed all of December. 😳
ReplyDeleteYes I definitely have to keep certain foods out of the house, like chocolate. By the way, you look gorgeous in that picture. I can find some Whitakers on Amazon,. I will have to try to see if it will beat out my Godiva chocolates fetish. And I will check out the SkyView lite app! Fun!!
I used to be a maximalist, big time. I was married to one. Now I am a minimalist trippled. Almost all my decorations are in a storage unit. I had one pencil tree with colored lights up. I didn’t even dig the snowman out and they’re in my garage. Unreal! But I can feel that next year is going to be different! 💕