Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
If you’re struggling for a Mother’s Day Gift, or want to supplement something bigger, French Soaps have a genius gift for you to give on Mother’s Day. From their range of soaps on their website, they’ve created a Mother’s Day Gift Set which contains 6 vegan soaps, and arrives in a magnetic box with a denim washbag.
Contained in the soap set are fragrances;
Tilleul (Linden blossom)
Honeysuckle
Verbena leaf
Cotton Flower
Lily of the Valley
Aloe Vera
Each soap is made using traditional French soap making techniques and enriched with plant oils and shea butter. They lather up beautifully and can be used every day, but I like to use these in the guest bathroom, or for the bath where the scent can be appreciated. There’s also a washbag that can be used for the soaps or separately, which is surprisingly large and can carry a lot, including all the soaps.
Each of the soaps has a distinctive aroma with the usual ‘soap’ fragrance to them. They’re actually quite pungent so you can smell them as you open the box! They are beautifully wrapped individually with some wrapped in paper, muslin and in presentation boxes. They’re imprinted with the name of Savon de Marseille name and the flavour of the soap so that you can distinguish them. They’re very handy in the magnetic box so that they don’t get damaged in transit which also make them a perfect gift, even if you are splitting up the set and giving the soaps out to different people.
This is a brilliant gift set, or a way of sampling a range of soaps for yourself to see what you like. There’s a lot of thought gone into designing these soaps as well as making them and giving them the creative edge which you don’t find in the High Street brands, making them more unique than just any beauty of health gift set you can buy everywhere. They’re a lasting gift too, probably lasting until Christmas when you can buy the French Soaps’ next gift set!
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
It’s time for hairbrushes to get a glow up! The MANTA Healthy Hair Brush uses FLEXGUARD technology to create a hairbrush that sits in the palm of your hand and has a heat resistance of up to 80 degrees centigrade (175 Fahrenheit). The bristles are super gentle on hair and scalp, even flyaway hair and create shine when the hair is brushed from scalp to ends. It’s anti static and can be used on wet or dry hair. As the bristles are far apart, they don’t snag as they pull through fine hair, and if the ends are dry, you don’t rip away and break strands of hair as you brush. The MANTA Hair Brush can be used on all types of hair including hair extensions.
The MANTA sits in your hand comfortably by I found it easier to use on myself if I hold it from the handle and work my way through the length of my hair, starting at the scalp. Although this is a hair brush, it actually works perfectly as a scalp massager, taking the tension out of the scalp as you massage the brush through your hair. Taking the MANTA from the front of your scalp to the back of your neck and then to the ends of your hair, you’re also transferring the good oils to the rest of the hair and conditioning the cuticles as you do so. It feels absolutely amazing! As the bristles aren’t really close together, it gives a good massage as well as not damaging the hair too much. I loved using it after washing my hair to distribute the styling products without disturbing my natural curls. It’s great for putting your hair back into a messy pony tail too once your hair is dry.
This is a great investment for yourself or as a gift for someone else. It’s perfect for taking on holiday though with the travel pouch it comes with and the hand-held size that means it can even fit into your hand luggage!
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Relax this Valentines Day with some self-care, or give some love with the 11:11 Self Heating Eye Masks. These 3 single use eye masks are great for when you need some quiet time, or when trying to get to sleep and travelling thanks to their heating ability and some rose and oud scents.
The eye masks are felt-like pads with heat pouches inside. They instantly start to warm up as soon as you open the packet. The elastic ear loops allow you to wear the eye patches whilst you lie back for up to 25 minutes (I found the heat lasted for more than 30 minutes though) and the fragrance of rose and oud oozes from them. The packet contains a complimentary audio ritual to work with the eye patches and allow them to calm you even more. The sound bath music and soothing warmth around your eyes helps you drift into slumber, or simply relax.
I wore these before bed and was pleasantly surprised by how they calmed my mind mostly. The eye patches aren’t for blocking out light, but they do warm up the area around your eye and your eyelids. Not specifically for beauty, I did find that my eyes were nicely relaxed and slightly softer thanks to the effects of the heat!
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Mother’s Day is notoriously difficult to buy for, but taking time to buy Mum something luxurious, which she’ll use regularly. Boux Avenue have a range of lingerie, nightwear and swimwear that are perfect for Mother’s Day as gifts. This week, we were sent the Bow Embroidered Cotton Pyjama Set to try out from the Boux range, in size 16.
This button-up, collared pyjama set is 100% cotton with a crinkly texture to it, adorned by white bows. The pink colour is particularly flattering and the little bows add a touch of femininity. The shirt is collared and button down the front, and the trousers are elasticated string tie. I’m not particularly tall (5’ 5”) and the shirt is long enough to tuck into the trousers, and the leg length is just below my ankle. There is minimal tailoring on the shirt but there is a breast pocket, and the trouser legs are wide all the way to the ankle to be more comfortable.
When wearing these pyjamas, I found them to be very warm in this weather, as the cotton material adapts to different temperatures. They wash beautifully and there was no shrinkage. They look really good in photos and are great for holidays or sleepovers, but not only for Mother’s Day Gifts, it occurred to me that these would be great bridesmaid gifts or for a Girls Night In because they’re so photogenic!
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
The hit show That’ll Be The Day celebrates 40 years of touring this year, with a celebratory show that travels throughout the UK in 2026 in two separate tours.
Created by Trevor Payne, who features heavily in the show, That’ll Be The Day chronologically traces music from the 1950s through to the 80s with an emphasis on the early days especially the 60s. The show is in two parts with the second, shorter part being more about the 70s and 80s. As a show, it is interspersed with sketches about the eras (the Mick Jagger sketch is particularly funny!) and Trevor talks about some of the memories from the past, such as school and how your Mum used to tell you off as a child when you talked back!
The music is the real star here. Trevor explains that the show evolves over time so if you’ve seen the show in the past, this iteration will be completely different to what you’ve seen before. We start with Billy Haley and Rock Around The Clock, and go into some Dusty Springfield, Four Seasons, Beatles, Elvis and then onto Rolling Stones, Diana Ross, the Eagles, Blondie and many more. Each song is a hit and has you dancing in your seat. The whole show is upbeat and has lots of songs you’ll recognise such as Help! Simply The Best, Good Vibrations and finishing with the Buddy Holly song, of course, That’ll Be The Day! Look out for the Roy Orbison song too, Pretty Woman, which serves as a running joke throughout the show.
The show collects money for the Make A Wish Foundation charity, and singer Tom Ball, from Britain’s Got Talent, also makes an appearance for several songs.
This is a brilliant night out with a tour that takes in most of the country and appeal to anyone who loves music, not least for those who lived through it and want to bring back memories. It goes on for over 3 hours too, so there’s no end of entertainment.
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Going on holiday this year? Chances are you’ll be using some kind of big transport – aeroplane, ferry, train and even the car. Most children get motion sickness on new transport and especially on long journeys in the car so some kind of remedy is needed. I know when I’m on a ferry, or a cruise, the sea sickness is atrocious and even with medication it takes a long time to fade.
Sea-Band Nausea Relief Bands are not medication but a great alternative to preventing any kind of sickness. Based on acupressure points, similar to acupuncture, the bands wrap around your inner wrist and exert pressure on a particular point to relieve sickness. It sounds wacky, but the acupressure point seems to lessen the effect of sickness regardless of whether it is sea sickness, morning sickness, as a result of drug treatment, post-op recovery or even VR/gaming sickness. The bands don’t only prevent sickness from starting but they can eliminate it within 5 minutes of being put on.
There are no side effects either. You can still take anti-sickness medication whilst wearing the bands if you wish, but they are very discreet and can fit under a sleeve if you want to hide them and prevent questions!
There’s no reason not to give them a try, no matter what reason for the sickness. There’s no down side, and they might prevent that horrible feeling of moving around constantly, which is what I had on a recent cruise. The bands ramp-up your defence against any kind of nausea and anything that can help me have a good time on a cruise, or even just let me tolerate a long journey, is a friend for life!
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
If you’ve found this review then it’s probably because you’ve been searching for Thieves Oil, or Four Thieves Oils for holistic purposes. Four Thieves Oils is used for many ailments, cleaning and natural diffusing of the home. It’s a blend of essential oils which you can make yourself (but is quite expensive) or as in this case, you can buy Four Thieves already blended and ready to use. We were sent the Optima Natura Four Thieves Oils and the Four Thieves Fragrance Mist.
Each of the products, which is part of a bigger range by Optima Natura, are made of 100% natural essential oils comprising of cloves, lemon, cinnamon bark (and leaf), eucalyptus and rosemary. If you’ve never encountered the Four Thieves scent before, then I can only describe it as the freshness of eucalyptus with the warmth of cinnamon and rosemary. The cloves smell is very strong which is probably because it’s the oil with the largest concentration. I wouldn’t describe it as a scent you’d recognise from cooking or medicine, but it is similar to something you would find in a room diffuser or candles, but without being synthetic.
The concentrated Four Thieves Oils is great for adding to cleaning products to give the antibacterial properties as well as adding the pleasant fragrance. I use it as a mild antibacterial agent when I need a cut or graze dressed, or for mild skin infections like around my nails after a manicure. It has a whole range of uses, and the concentrated Four Thieves Oils from Optima Natura is the quickest, easiest way of getting all of the essential oils together rather than having to make it yourself! It’s very potent stuff though, so be careful when using it on some surfaces or around delicate clothes.
The Four Thieves Oils Fragrance Mist can be used as a perfume, direct to the skin, or for freshening up curtains, bedding, upholstery etc. If clothes are a bit musty, or don’t have the ‘just washed’ smell any longer, it’s a great way of giving them new life and also keeping the germs away. You can have this on hand for the car too when the dogs are wet during winter!
Save yourself the hassle of having to make up Four Thieves Oils for yourself, and indulge in the whole Optima Natura range for at home. You’ll be surprised how much you grow to need it!
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
We all struggle for Valentines gifts especially if we want something that’s not mushy! Airy Fragrances were born in Japan, based on the Japanese art of Kōdō where fragrance is not a function, but a feeling. The company was started by two Japanese women in 2024 who realised that the Japanese way of scenting the home was not the same as in Europe, and so the Airy home reeds were developed.
We were sent the Airy Elegant Harmony Home Reed Diffuser to try out in White Tea scent. A beautiful presentation box arrived with a bottle of scent, five reeds and the round, glass bulb. Setting up the diffuser is easy with the lid of the bulb vase easily detached and then replaced before the reeds are inserted. The circle of the round glass represents the concept of ensō, symbolising harmony, impermanence and quiet beauty. The Elegant Harmony scent is very soft, floral, and a touch musky. I can detect the slight vanilla scent as well which is what carries most in the home.
Although expensive, the Airy Home Reed Diffusers make a great gift and last 2-4 months each. The fragrances can be bought separately so you can replace them without having to replace the bulb vase as well. They’re also alcohol free. The website is set up to send the diffusers as gifts so you can send them straight onto the recipient.
Unlike other diffusers, the Airy Home Reed Diffuser is much lighter in fragrance and feels like there’s equally less heavy ingredients. They make great gifts because they’re so beautiful and have a range of different scents which can be purchased online, and no doubt more scents will follow. They’re a beautiful fragrance for the house and the scent carries really quickly, making it a gift which will last.
It’s December and the panto season is in full swing and there’s nowhere better to soak up this Christmas tradition than in Blackpool. Nothing says festive fun quite like a good old-fashioned pantomime, and in Blackpool, where the humour is gloriously cheeky and the double entendres glide in quicker than a seagull after chips – it’s family entertainment at its finest.
Betty Legs Diamond, the original Funny Girl herself, strides on as Dame Polly La Plonk, resplendent, outrageous and armed with a wicked glint that suggests she could reduce a grown man to helpless giggles with nothing more than a raised eyebrow.
Belle, played by Kitty Harris is exactly how a fairytale princess should be. She’s beautiful and kind and you can easily see that she sees past the horns, fur and claws to spot the prince within.
Leading the all-star cast is Coronation Street baddie Marc Baylis as Hugo Pompidou. He strides across the stage with the perfect mix of danger, drama and irresistible charm, making it impossible not to boo the moment he appears.
But the real heart of a Grand Theatre panto is, as ever, Steve Royle. Having earned the title of the UK Pantomime Awards’ Best Comic, he bounds onto the stage like a child who’s had too many fizzy drinks. His energy, perfectly timed slapstick and razor-sharp adlibs had the audience in stitches from the moment he appeared on stage.
The costumes this year are an explosion of colour, big, bold and bursting with personality. The Beast’s costume is particularly impressive and with his swishing cloak he cuts quite the imposing figure. The transformations from prince to beast and back again are especially impressive, they are so quick that you half expect to find Doctor Who lurking in the wings with a malfunctioning time vortex! Maybe one to include next year!! Elsewhere, the French theme justifies a profusion of red, white and blue. The dancers seem to have a new outfit for every scene, while Dame Polly’s costumes… well, let’s just say they’re that little bit more daring. Would we expect anything less?
The show is peppered with brilliant scenes, from classics like the Ghostbusters routine to wonderfully funny adlibs when the balloon scene went deliciously off-script.
Choreographed by Katie Hill, the talented dancers from The Barbara Jackson’s Theatre Arts Centre were excellent, wowing the audience with a variety of different dance styles. We especially enjoyed the Can Can which added a typical French flourish to the show.
Beauty and the Beastruns until Sunday 4th January, giving you plenty of time to catch this magical, laugh-out-loud production. If you love pantomime – and honestly, who doesn’t at Christmas? – this is one you absolutely won’t want to miss.
Tickets start from £15 and are available from The Grand Theatre here
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Tucked behind the Hays Galleria in London Bridge, Vivat Bacchus is a traditional steakhouse which serves South African dishes, cooked in the traditional South African style. This branch of Vivat Bacchus also contains an extensive wine cellar, which of course stocks South African wine, but there’s also something called a Cheese Room – yes, a room full of just cheese! We visited on a miserable evening before Christmas to sample the best South Africa has to offer.
The menu is not just African food, but contains well known dishes such as burgers, sea bream and steaks but some of the ingredients, like Springbok, aren’t what you would usually find elsewhere! Some of the spices are different too, and the cooking methods aren’t what we’re used to in the UK. However, this was a pleasant surprise as it’s nicely removed from the usual pizza places and fast food joints that are everywhere now, and the price of a pizza isn’t far off the price of the main meals at Vivat Baccus, plus you get more for your money here as the portion sizes are pretty huge!
We started with the Smoked Snoek and Pap Fishcake and 3 Sosaties – a dish of three mini kebabs of chicken, lamb and Boerewors served with baked apricots, pepper and onions. These were delicious little treats, with an oil sauce that brought out the flavour and made a nice change to the usual starters. The Smoked Snoek and Pap Fishcakes are obviously made with fish found in South Africa and not our usual British waters, so the flavour of these was a gorgeous surprise. We were also given a baked corn bread as a starter, which came in a piping hot skillet as an accompaniment.
For mains, we ordered the Pork Belly (my favourite!) and a side of creamed spinach, and Vivat Bacchus’ famous beef burger with fries. The beef burger was enormous; with a salad and the chunkiest chips I’ve ever seen! There was so much there, we could hardly touch the side salad. The Pork Belly comes with a delicious Rainbow Coleslaw which has a slightly tangy dressing to counter the pork belly savoury taste. The Pork Belly was divine… a descent slab of meat, cooked until tender and soft enough to be pulled apart, with a seasoned crackling on top which was very easy to cut through, unlike some arrangements. This was perhaps the best Pork Belly dish I’ve ever had, thanks to the seasoning and the tenderness of the meat through the cooking process.
We were then treated to dessert. Much like the rest of the menu, the desserts are a South African twist on the usual staples but there are also so completely unique items. I tried the Crisp Peppermint Tart, which sounded like nothing else I’d heard of before. A huge dish of cake was brought out to me and I was asked how much I wanted, which was a really nice touch when you’re completely full! Of course, I was given far more than I expected which I took to be part of the African hospitality.
The Crisp Peppermint Tart is a layered dessert with sponge, a mascarpone-type filling and peppermint on top. There’s crisp biscuits lining the top of the pudding too, giving it a juxtaposition of textures. This was divine! I really loved the peppermint flavouring after such a heavy meal, and the mascarpone filling was bubbly and light, making it easier to digest. The sponge was also firm enough to call a proper dessert in itself – think Tiramisu but with peppermint on top and sprinklings of chocolate and biscuit. This is one that I want to make for myself at home!
We didn’t venture too far into after dinner dessert wines or the extensive wines they have on site, but we did have the South African version of Champagne – a sparkling white wine with bubbles and a touch of acidity.
There’s a great atmosphere in the restaurant with wooden floor, chairs and tables, which I don’t think is particularly South African but the wine cellars and bottle presentation boxes are. It can get quite noise in there with the low ceilings and I noticed that there were a lot of couples at tables rather than bigger gatherings but that might just be because it was a Monday night. Incidentally, they do 2-for-1 on burgers on a Monday night too, which might explain how busy they are!
Having never been to any of the Vivat Bacchus restaurants before (there is another one in Farringdon) I was more than pleasantly surprised by the choice on offer, and with how removed it is from the usual chain restaurants on the market. The food was excellent, the wine was equally as good and the staff looked after us. In answer to your question, no, I did not manage to finish the Crisp Peppermint Tart in the end – maybe next time!
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
The super-sized SoleCup is a travel mug with no compromise. The cup is built from a toughened glass so it not only resists breaking but it keeps the taste of hot drinks fresh without the plastic sensation. If you know anything about saving the planet, then glass cups are much better all-round. The glass doesn’t leach plastic into any hot drinks either, which can be a problem with cheaper plastics and can cause health issues long term.
The lid of the SoleCup seal (which is in black in this sample) is a non-splash design which makes it easier to keep in the car. It’s a screw lid with a seal over the drinking lid so that you can keep it safe. There’s a cuff to protect your hands from the heat of the drink too, and all of it can go in the dishwasher. On the website, you can buy tea infusers and smoothy filters as additions, which is a nice alteration to the original purpose.
This is a solid travel mug and a chunky 18oz or 510ml size to be able to carry it around and make a meal of it. In fact, the size makes it perfect for a smoothie as a replacement meal, or if you’re on a long car journey and need a hot drink to keep you going. I love the glass design that’s sleek as well as practical and you can tell whose drink is whose – no more having to taste them to find out if you’ve picked up your partner’s one by mistake!
I love this as a gift idea too. Everyone needs another travel mug and most people love a hot drink most days. This is great for anyone going to work on public transport, and I would even say it’s great for long walks, running or exercise thanks to the non-spill design.
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
This Christmas, Lego have a genius card game for after dinner or Boxing Day, or as a great gift for families who love constructing with LEGO.
The game is usually played in pairs where one person is the builder and the other a communicator. The communicator takes a card with a diagram of an abstract Lego design and has to describe it to their partner. The game is timed, so the team who build the LEGO model quickest gains the most points!
There are 92 models to build and 20 challenge cards to make the game more interesting, like having to communicate without speaking or building with just one hand!
The game includes 48 LEGO pieces which pertain to the designs on the cards, and the pieces are full sized LEGO pieces. It can be played with 4-8 players and is aged from 7 years upwards but you do need a stopwatch or time keeper of some kind. The small parts are not suitable for younger children either.
This is a really fun and easy to understand game for everyone. There’s nothing complicated about it and you don’t have lots of rules to memorize before you can play. The scoring is easy, but the actual building of the models is more difficult than you think so it’s really eye-opening to see how people cope with having to describe an abstract shape. The timing element of the game makes it more urgent and therefore more fun, especially at Christmas time when everyone is more jovial anyway! I loved this game and the whole concept of building with LEGO and can see us playing this as a family throughout the year.
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Kick start Christmas with an Irish-themed song and dance spectacular in London’s West End! We were lucky enough to see the show live and experience the entertainment of Irish dancing, Christmas classics, live music and a few Christmas jokes in between!
Starting the show with an Irish band of banjo, violin and guitar, we are introduced to the 6 Irish dancers who accompany the 130 minute long show. Shane is our main compere and brings us to the show, starting in New York with a lean towards an Irish Christmas tale. We meet the six Irish dancers early on and are treated to a Riverdance-style performance with songs such as Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town, Step Into Christmas and some traditional songs such as Oh Danny Boy, O Holy Night and old-fashioned Irish songs like The Galway Girl, The Irish Rover and Dirty Old Town.
The band are phenomenal and take on the title of ‘house band’ with pride as we’re treated to great live music thanks to Shane Morgan (vocals), Oliver Cave (vocals and guitar), Peet Jackson (banjo), Molly Farmer (vocals) and Caitlin Forbes (Violin). The show finishes with some chart hits of yesterday such as the famous Fairytale of New York by The Pogues. The show ends with an Irish St Patrick’s Day party where everyone is on their feet, singing and dancing to the songs of A Fairytale for Christmas. A fabulous show for the whole family.
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Higgidy snacks are starting to play more of a role in the Christmas feasts and this year they have a limited edition selection for the festive period. So, if you’re pecking before dinner, or picking something up at work that’s different compared to your normal sandwich, Higgidy have something for you. Don’t worry if you’re vegetarian too, there’s some lovely veggie options that anyone can enjoy.
Starting with the rolls, there’s the twin pack Pigs In Blankets Inspired Sausage Rolls with bacon jam. These are sausage rolls with a hint of bacon flavour from the bacon jam. They’re topped with extra mature cheddar, a touch of parsley and delicious beetroot crumbs. This is the pigs in blanket hit you didn’t know you needed as it requires no cooking, but like all of the Higgidy range, you can heat them if you prefer.
There’s also the Beechwood Smoked Ham Hock & Mature Cheddar Sausage Rolls with Dijon Mustard. This pack of 6 rolls can also be heated for 6-8 minutes or eaten cold, which is what I preferred to do as part of a weekday lunch. The puff pastry is especially puff and reminds me of Christmas with the fresh mince pies of a similar texture. There’s also poppy seeds on top and a light sprinkling of sea salt to compliment the ham hock.
For the vegetarians, there’s the two pack of French Brie and Cranberry Rolls. These are also puff pastry and topped with extra mature Cheddar and Emmenthal cheese, millet seeds and dried beetroot crumb. I really liked the flavour of these, and they’re just as filling as the sausage rolls where you can taste the Brie and cranberry side-by-side.
If you know the Higgidy range then you’ll know they also do mini muffins. This Christmas season’s mini muffins are the Extra Mature Cheddar & Spinach Mini Muffins which are a cross between a baked muffin and a crustless quiche. They contain wheat, but they’re big on cheese and eggs too. You can really taste the turmeric and chilli powder which makes them great party bites as well as snacks. They can also be heated for 3-6 minutes or left open in the fridge for the family to help themselves at Christmas time!
Lastly, my favourite; the Beechwood Smoked Bacon & Extra Mature Cheddar Quiche with Bechamel. Bechamel always feels like a luxurious treat to me so when it’s part of this delicious Higgidy quiche it brings me back to Christmas and works particularly well with the smoked bacon. There’s a lot of mixture in this quiche which provides the flavour and the Extra Mature Cheddar is a great bed-mate of the Beechwood Smoked Bacon. I loved this to eat straight out of the box and with some olives, coleslaw or as a piece on its own. It has a beautiful texture too and the pastry is thin and quite light, so you don’t get full up on the stodgy edges.
Lovely snacks, lovely lunches and a great shortcut this Christmas to not having to cook but to be able to bring a few more festive flavours to the table.
All items available at Tesco and Sainsbury’s with the two packs also available at Boots on the Food To Go counters.
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Choose your own design for a Vistaprint Advent Calendar this year or use one of their themes to send a surprise to someone you love.
Vistaprint are known for being able to print anything, with a website that allows you to upload your photos and print posters, tote bags, promo products and this year you can create your very own advent calendars, and that includes chocolate advent calendars!
With a range available from Lindt LINDOR Truffles to Toblerone, Mars Miniatures, Milka® Favourites, Kinder® Chocolate Minis or a non-branded chocolate, you can create a personalised advent calendar and have it sent directly to someone. We chose a photo of our beloved cat Sophia, but you can upload photos, artwork or even promotional images. Vistaprint then create the advent calendar from the photo and fill it with whichever chocolate you choose and send it off for you!
The Vistaprint Customisable Advent Calendars are great for family who are overseas, especially for sending to (or from!) grandparents. If you’re looking for something to send out as corporate gifts, then Vistaprint have you covered. You can use the Personalised Advent Calendar service to upload product photos or a logo. The chocolate is authentic to the brands claimed and the variety available makes it all the more fun to be able to choose! If you’re worried about waste this Christmas too, then the inside of the box is cardboard with the outer packaging being paper.
The cost isn’t too bad either given that it’s personalised and can replace another gift at Christmas. There’s not many gifts which are truly personable and last as long as advent like the Vistaprint Customisable Advent Calendar can, so you can be certain that it will be well received!
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Can you survive?
Psycho Killer, the card game based on the horror movies of the 20th century, is for 2-6 players ages 16+, although I would say most teenagers would enjoy playing this game!
The deck of cards is divided into two piles and each player takes one card. There are 5 killers throughout the deck. Other cards display their weapons they use to attack. Each player draws one card from one of the divided packs. If a player draws a psycho killer, they must play it, prompting all players to play their weapon cards face up on the table. The number of weapon cards become your Injury Pile. Each killer card and weapon card have a number of points on them, and when they are added to your Injury Pile they become Injuries, or your ‘score’.
The game is over when the last Psycho Killer is drawn. The player with the lowest amount of injury points wins.
The game is aimed at older teenagers, but it’s really not that gory so I think younger teens could enjoy it too. You don’t need to know about 90s horror movies to be able to play either. The basic rules are easy enough, but when you get into the finer details, it can get a bit involved. Bearing in mind that this game is probably going to be played in the later evening and maybe after a few drinks, I think you can keep the rules to a minimum and the game won’t last unnaturally long either. There is a rules pamphlet included within the pack, along with 78 Psycho cards, 9 ‘Play by your own rules’ cards and 6 survival guides.
A fun game with a more grown-up subject that can be played seriously or with a witty outlook. Let’s face it, you’re not really going to be killed by a psycho killer, are you!?
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
You would think that a portable speaker would just be for teens going to a summer festival, or your 20 something who is obsessed with having music on the beach but it turns out that portable speakers are everywhere and suitable for everyone. Edifier’s ES60 is the portable and affordable speaker that anyone can use, teenager, 20 something or even retired!
Using the speaker requires a Bluetooth compatible gadget, which usually means your smart phone, or it can be a laptop or Bluetooth enabled tablet as well. If you’re on the go though, it makes sense to connect it to your phone but it can be set up on multiple devices. To pair the devices, you just need to press the ‘on’ button and it immediately tries to find a Bluetooth enabled device. Using my iPhone, I went to Settings – Bluetooth and at the base of the window the ES60 was ‘discoverable’ and able to be linked to. Easy!
The speaker has all of the buttons you’d imagine on the top; play/pause, – and + for the volume and the on off switch. There’s also a 5-light display to show how much battery charge there is (and it can be charged using the cable provided for which is a USB-C cable. I also really like the additional button which is a light underneath! It makes it much easier to find the speaker if you’re camping, outside or just in a room at night and need to find it. The light has two settings; warm and bright light. You can download the Edifier app too and connect to the ES60 speaker remotely to control it too.
The sound quality is excellent, with a 360 degree sound experience thanks to the multiple speakers and design of the device. There are 9 hours of continuous play on a single charge but you can plug it in to play too. There’s an integrated microphone on the top of the speaker so you can connect it to your phone and be able to be heard, or use it to carry out Teams calls if you need the extra boost of a portable speaker to be able to talk to your colleagues!
A proper all-in-one portable speaker with some nice added benefits such as the microphone and ambient light make this not only a great gift but an all-round must have item at home.
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Advertised as ‘Santa-approved’ this Elf On a Shelf kit takes the stress out of December and the run-up to Christmas with a plethora of ideas and everything you need.
The kit includes accessories for each of the 24 days running up to Christmas, with 24 corresponding ideas cards for you (ahem, I mean Santa) to create the scene every night. They’re all fabulous ideas from a Christmas baking set, train on a track and even sandcastle with bucket and spade. There’s over 70 small pieces in all with a table and a reversable Christmas tree included. There’s 3 double-sided backdrops to stage or take photos with and the combination of the different accessories means you can create your own new ideas or have more than one elf. For instance, there’s several sports, cooking or kitchen ideas that can be combines.
The first day and last day also has a letter to the family with a space to sign the name of the elf. It’s important to note though, that there is no elf included with the kit, so you have to buy him (or them) separately. However, they are everywhere this time of year so that’s not a problem.
The pieces are also not suitable for children under 3 years old. They’re quite small and easily chewed.
This is a brilliant idea to keep things simple at Christmas, and you can use it year after year or even pass it on if your children become too old. The combination idea is great to keep children entertained and it all comes in a box which is big enough to store with your Christmas decorations. The photos you can take with all of the scenarios are worth the price of the kit alone, keeping up the Christmas memories alive from year to year.
Disclaimer: We received the Yoto Cards free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
As the nights start to draw in and pumpkins begin to appear on windowsills and doorsteps, there’s nothing nicer than curling up in front of a roaring fire with a good book – or better still, listening to one. As we’re almost at Halloween it’s the perfect time to listen to some spooky tales and Yoto have a fantastic selection for all ages. From famous witches to laugh-out-loud tales of mischievous goblins, these audio stories capture the enchantment of the season without ever tipping into nightmare territory. Whether they’re played on a long car journey, during a pumpkin-carving session, or at bedtime with the curtains drawn against the October chill, Yoto’s Halloween lineup has something for everyone – with just the right amount of shiver.
This week we’ve been listening to a spine-tingling selection: Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, Tales of Tricks and Treats by Enid Blyton, The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy, and Roald Dahl’s The Witches – each one favourites of my childhood and I’m really enjoying a trip down memory lane whilst sharing these tales with our mini reviewers.
Julia Donaldson’s Room on the Broom (£7.99) is a favourite in our house – a fantastic rhyming tale of friendship, kindness, and teamwork with a few twists and turns along the way. The witch, far from being wicked, is generous and brave and the lovely story is perfect for little listeners.
I loved Enid Blyton’s books as a child so I’m not sure who enjoyed Tales of Tricks and Treats (£9.99) more – me or the children! There’s thirty short stories of wizards, fairies, and the occasional naughty goblin on this card with mischief afoot in every one – from games that go delightfully wrong to wishes that refuse to end.
Then there’s The Worst Witch (£9.99), Jill Murphy’s superbly silly, spellbinding classic. Lovable but accident-prone Mildred Hubble stumbles, crashes, and charms her way through Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches – a boarding school where broomsticks, black cats, and chaos reign supreme. It’s impossible not to root for her.
Finally, The Witches (£9.99), Roald Dahl’s deliciously dark masterpiece, read here by the brilliant Lolly Adefope. Enhanced with fizzing sound effects and original music, it’s a fantastically immersive experience. These witches are real – terrifyingly so – but in true Dahl fashion, the children (and the listeners) have the last laugh.
Four wickedly wonderful listens – perfect for a Halloween that’s full of giggles, gasps, and just a touch of goosebumps.
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
The Colour Spin Bracelet Maker from Fab Lab might just save your 6 year old’s sanity on these cold nights! A brilliant indoor craft, the Colour Spin Bracelet Maker includes instructions on how to create bracelets using the spinner machine and included tubes, pens and clasps to create fun bracelets which your child can wear.
The kit includes the spinner machine and full instructions and designs. For ages 6 and upwards they can use this on their own, otherwise with the supervision of an adult if they’re younger. Choose a template for the machine and add one of the included bracelet tubes. Press the button to spin and add the colour to the bracelet using the pens provided. You can make a bracelet without a template, part of the fun is making up your own design! Once the bracelet tube is coloured in, you can add the clasps and wear straight away.
Fashion interested children as well as those interested in crafts will love this kit, which counts as quiet and creative play around the Christmas holidays.
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
There aren’t many times in the year when you can legitimately purchase a huge box of sweets like the Swizzel Sweet Shop Favourites, but Halloween is one of them! Swizzels have all you need for Halloween Trick Or Treating, and they sent us a huge selection of what’s on offer. Did we sample them? Yes we did. Did we get fed up of so many tubs, pouches and boxes of sweets? No, not yet!
The tub is the largest of the packets in the range at 650 grams. This also doubles up nicely as the bowl that you dish out the sweets from, so we’re going to use this to start with and then fill it up with the rest of the packets! The box is probably the next easiest to use on Halloween and is 324 grams. The pouch is great for filling up your bowl and is 375 grams net.
The Swizzels Sweet Shop Favourites contain Love Hearts, Drumstick, Refreshers, Double Lollies, Fruity Pops, Parma Violets, Fizzers and Drumstick Squashies. Each one of them reminds you of your childhood (my favourites are Refreshers and Love Hearts) and they’re the perfect size for little hands to help themselves on Halloween Night.
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Jelly Blox Creative Kit
A brilliant starter kit to the Jelly Blox empire is the Jelly Blox Creative Kit. Aimed at children aged 2 years plus, the jelly blox are squeezable, squishy coloured blocks which can be used to buld models or make creative play. They’re brightly coloured, and some of them have sand, glitter or shapes inside of them.
The Jelly Blox Creative Kit has 20 pieces of brightly coloured blocks which can stretch and bend but don’t break. They stack or build with ease and because they’re so soft to handle, they don’t hurt when trodden on or dare I say it, thrown! The kit contains blocks with shapes inside such as stars and foam beads, and they come in different sizes so that children can build with them. The texture is slightly sticky too so that they stay together, but so that they also give children some sensory play.
Jelly Blox Tractor Vehicle Set & Newbie Kit
Once you’ve started with the Jelly Blox Creative Kit, build on their collection with the Tractor Vehicle Set and the Newbie Kit. The Newbie Kit has 11 pieces of more fun, with shames that include sand or mini bricks. The texture of the bricks and sand inside the Blox gives an added dimension to their play. The generic shapes make it easy for them to build their own toys or create imaginative worlds.
The Jelly Blox Tractor Vehicle Set is slightly different because it has shaped pieces and a blue person! The Blox fit together to create a tractor with wheels and crates on the back that contain mini apples! Think of the different role playing scenarios that could lead to? The 12 piece Tractor Vehicle Set adds a different dimension to your child’s overall Jelly Blox set.
If you’re starting with Jelly Blox, the Jelly Blox Creative Kit is a great place to begin and you can add to the collection to make even bigger play by adding the Newbie Kit and then something like the Jelly Blox Tractor Vehicle Set. Once you add all the pieces together from all 3 sets, you will have 43 Jelly Blox to play with. Perhaps start creating your own farm?
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
With Halloween just around the corner, the shops are packed with spooky-themed goodies. As well as the traditional pumpkins, there’s a super selection of Halloween-inspired food and drinks that are perfect for parties for all ages.
Our mini witches and ghosts have been busy trying some spooktacular Halloween snacks, and the limited edition Whaoo! chocolate-filled crêpes have been a big hit. They spotted the fun, spooky packaging straight away (it’s covered in cheeky little ghosts and monsters!) and couldn’t wait to tuck in.
The multi packs each contain 6 crêpes which are individually wrapped, making them ideal for lunchboxes, party bags or as a treat when the trick-or-treaters come knocking.
Made with quality ingredients and free from artificial colours, flavours, preservatives and palm oil, they’ve also won a Loved By Parents Best Child’s Snack Platinum Award which speaks for itself.
You’ll find Whaoo! Halloween crêpes in ASDA, Co-op, Morrisons, Tesco and Ocado, with prices starting from £1.88. But be quick -they’re only here for Halloween, so grab a pack (or two) before they vanish in a puff of smoke! 🎃
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Take Christmas retro this year with the original Mastermind game from Goliath. I remember this from my childhood, but since then it’s been updated for the 21st Century and includes more pegs this time (which over time you’ll realise is a must!) The rules are the same though; the codemaker creates a 4-peg code using the colours white, red, blue, green and yellow and hides them behind the shield. The second player, the codebreaker, has to guess what the sequence of colours is. With each correct colour, a red peg denotes that it’s in the correct place. If the colour is correct but in the wrong place a white peg is used. If there are no correct colours, no pegs! There are 10 tries to get the code correct.
Endless fun, this game doesn’t need much explanation nor much skill. It works across all the age ranges and even across languages and can be used as a quiet game to help wind down after Christmas Day or Boxing Day. The colours and pegs are tiny though, so they’re best not left around small children, and the warning is that under 3 year olds shouldn’t play with it. It also recommends over 8 years old to play. However, the ease of the game means that younger children can play as long as they’re responsible with the small pieces. I especially think children who are good at logical thinking or prefer strategic games would love this. It only needs 2 players too, making it even more accessible. Great fun at Christmas, but the rest of the year too.
Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Marshall are the premiere name in amps and speakers and their ranges of portable speakers are legendary – much like their rock and roll history. The Marshall Emberton 3 is their newest portable speaker, with some clever future-proofing and unexpected features.
The Marshall Emberton 3 is only 16cms long and less than 7cms tall, weighing only 670grams. It still packs a punch as a portable speaker. The gold dial on the top is for volume and skipping tracks, plus there’s a battery level, the Bluetooth pairing button and on/off switch. Beyond that, there’s only the cable output for charging but the biggest feature is the 360 degree sound from the speakers – front and back.
Connecting to Bluetooth from any device is easy. Just press the Bluetooth button until the light pulses red then connect on your device. You won’t be able to tell, but the Bluetooth is LE-Audio ready, meaning it will keep up with the Bluetooth capabilities planned in the future. I would recommend downloading and connecting the Emberton 3 with the Marshall app though, as it checks for firmware updates regularly and allows you to make changes to the sound balances. It’s much easier to use the app as a remote control as well, especially if you’re seated further away!
The quality of the sound is amazing, as you would imagine. If there is something wrong with your speaker though, there is an authorised repair service and spare parts through the website. The balance of the sound as well as the clarity are exceptional, even without changing it on the app. The volume is also really generous, with a normal household level being about half way. The full volume would have woken the neighbours so I didn’t dare try and go to top volume The battery on the Emberton 3 lasts 32 hours but even when it is completely flat, a full charge only takes 2 hours. That’s amazing!
One of the added treats in the Emberton 3 is that it can be submerged underwater for up to 30 minutes. That really means it can be sitting at the bottom of a swimming pool, dropped in a bath or submerged in a puddle and it will be OK. It’s a great gimmick if you have children, or if your teenagers are going camping or to a festival and you don’t know what conditions they’re going to end up in. Bonus points to Marshall too for 79% of the plastic in Emberton 3 being recycled. It’s PVC-free too, which is better for the environment and human health.
Whether the Marshall Emberton 3 is for you or as a gift, it has longevity, durability and above all it sounds astonishing and will last the whole weekend, no matter what you get up to with it!
The Review Studio 