{Celebrate} Happy new year....

Happy new year!  I wish you all the best of everything.... x


Image: One

Christmas: my way or the highway?

I'm Emma, I'm 33 years old and I've never spent a Christmas away from home.  There, I've said it.  My family know how to do Christmas and I love it so I've never wanted to stray far from the nest for this, my most favourite day of the year.  This one, the first as Mrs G, will be a first in another way too - I'll be letting go of the proverbial apron strings and spending the day at my lovely in-laws.


I'm wondering which of our family traditions I can weave into the celebrations:
- Singing Christmas carols a little tiddly at Christmas Eve mass.
- Waking everyone up with the tummy-fluttering "has he been?"...
- Dipping into the Quality Street/Roses/Matchmakers (whatever's nearest) for a pre-breakfast indulgence
- The stocking that, each year, contains the following as standard: clementine, gold coins, socks and a CD (the one pressie chosen by Dad).
- Getting our gladrags on and helping out with Christmas dinner while dancing around to one of the afore-mentioned CDs and trying to avoid getting cooking debris over said gladrags!
- Having that first drink way before lunchtime, unacceptable on any other day but par for the course on Christmas Day
- Getting into new PJs in the evening and cosying up to watch a Christmassy film.


I'm looking forward to sharing a new kind of Christmas - and maybe adding to my traditions swag-bag for my return to the nest next year....


Image: One

{Go girl} How do you say no?

Christmas time.  The excitement of social gatherings galore.  The pursuit of perfect gifts for your nearest and dearest.  Feeling inspired to at least attempt getting creative in making your own Christmas pudding/mince pies/mulled wine (insert as applicable). Perfecting the appropriate sentiment in dozens of Christmas cards.  Oh, and the art of making your home a cosy, welcoming space to entertain and, given half the chance, relax on those wintry nights. 

Is it just me, though, or does the pace take just a little of the enjoyment out of it? 

Stop. 

What do you WANT to do? 

WHO do you want to share it with? 

Make your choice to spend this oh-so-precious time how YOU want to spend it.  For me...
... finding and decorating a real Christmas tree.  Ahhh, the scent of fir-tree and hot mulled wine, I can smell it now!
... entertaining our fabulous friends this weekend with a little festive shindig.
... family times to celebrate Christmas and bring in the new year.
... a make-my-heart-soar carol concert is definitely on the must-do list.
... plenty of I'm-too-old-for-this traditions (you're never to old to put out a carrot for Rudolph are you?)
... my first Christmas as a wifelet!

Image: One

{Celebrate} Making memories

I'm excited. This Friday, my wonderful friend Clare will be getting married. She is the most laid-back, chilled-out bride to be - a true testament to the happy-go-lucky character I love about her. I think I'm possibly more jittery than her! Aside from the nuptials, I'm so looking forward to all our university friends getting together again - travelling from Germany and New Zealand to share the special occasion. They're the kind of friends that, no matter how long you've spent apart, you feel immediately 'at home' with and this doodle, borrowed from the darling notebookdoodles.com, epitomises it. It's going to be a special day.

{Celebrate} My weekend is...

... getting fitted for my bridesmaid dress for Rach's big day
... enjoying a glass of fizz to celebrate the bride-to-be's hen do
... giddy chats
... dancing the night away with the girls


Hope you have a good one Rach x


Photo: Pinterest

{My weekend} Clare's hen party

The wedding season kicks off in style this weekend with my friend Clare's hen party. She will be the first of the 'fab four' from university to tie the knot so the start of the celebrations will be really special.  I'm sure it will be a raucous, giggly weekend to remember. We wish you were here to share Lynz x

Photo: Style Me Pretty via Pinterest

{Celebrate} A very British tea party

I can't profess to be a royalist but I do love a good wedding and so, much to the distaste of J, I'll be hosting a very British tea party tomorrow morning to celebrate Kate and Wills' nuptials. Treats include:

... elderflower presse as inspired by this is glamorous

... breakfast tea served in china cups and saucers

... pitchers of traditional Pimms

... Earl Grey cupcakes

... jam and cream scones

Photos: This is Glamorous and Royal Wedding moodboard @ Pinterest

{VIP} Birthday wishes

I love birthdays.  And one of my favourite things about birthday celebrations is choosing the card that's just right for that special someone and then forming the perfect message to scribe on the inside - a message brimming full of the proverbial best wishes.  


This week celebrates the birthdays of two of my most cherished people - my beautiful friend Janey today and my little brother, a complete one-off, tomorrow.  Wishing them both the year that they truly deserve - magical. Love you both x x


Photos: Donna Hay