Tag: Christmas gift

Top It Board Game

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Games, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Learning, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Toys, Winter

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

If you are looking for a fun game to play after Christmas lunch that the whole family will enjoy  then look no further than Top It from Cheatwell Games. This fast thinking game is great to play with family and friends either individually or in teams. It is recommended for ages 10+ but we played it with an 8 year old and he was able to come up with plenty of answers – but it does depend on the child.  

Inside the box are

  • 75 double sided Top It Topics Cards
  • 60 Top It Cones
  • 18 Letter Discs
  • Sand timer
  • Score Pad
  • Pencil

The game is really easy to set up, there are 60 coloured cones, 10 of each colour so the players/team  decide on a colour and take their cones. You then place 9 of the letter discs on the table in 3 rows of 3 and place the topic cards next to the letter cards. The top card is turned over, followed by the timer and then the fun begins! Everyone shouts out an answer that fits the topic and begins with one of the 9 letters on the table. As they shout out their answer they place a cone on that letter, if there is already a cone they “Top It” which means they place theirs on top and at the end of the 60 seconds the person who owns the top cone on each of the letters wins the points – scoring is easy if there are 3 cones they win 3 points or 6 cones wins 6 points etc.

There are also bonus points to be had if you get 3 of your coloured cones in a row (horizontally, vertically or diagonally) adding a strategic angle to the game as getting correct answers in a row can really boost your points and earn you more points than being the top of a stack of cones.

We found the game can get quite loud and competitive as the cones stack up, especially when my family were playing! We thought it was better played as a team game as everyone can join in, both young and old.  There is a good mix of topics and it was quite surprising hearing some of the answers – I’m not sure I fancy either chocolate or potatoes as a pizza topping!

Top It is a great game for the festive season particularly for groups of friends and family and whether brought as a gift for Christmas or just as an addition to your festive games’ cupboard Top It will provide lots of fun and laughter.

RRP £26.99 available from Amazon

Yankee Candle Autumn Daydream

Autumn, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Home, Home & Garden, Women

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Hardcore fans of Yankee Candle know that the new range of Daydreaming of Autumn candles are out now, perfect for planning your autumn indoors. Who can tell what the weather will do from now on? 

The collection includes 4 new candles; Autumn Daydream, Pumpkin Maple Crème Caramel, Mulled Sangria, and Evening Riverwalk. We were sent Autumn Daydream to review for you our readers and to give you a taste of what the rest of the collection has in store.

All of the scented candles have a rich, woody fragrance to compliment the season as the nights become longer and the weather (probably) turns cooler.  Part of the Signature Large Jar collection, this candle has a subtle, clove scent, warm with the colours of autumn and with the rich hue of clove to go with it. There’s also lavender, balsam and eucalyptus added into the blend to give a more rounded feel to the burning candle. I can also smell rhubarb in the mix too, which is evocative of autumn for me as we always grew it at home when I was growing up.  The forest feeling lingers with the eucalyptus and lavender which are also calming and reminiscent of the summer being over and winter soon approaching.

The candle weighs 567 grams and is available in large (as seen in this photo), medium and 5-wick tumbler.  It has a burn time of 60-90 hours so will last a long time on those long evenings before Christmas, and the two wicks means it burns evenly. The jar and lid make it easy to store when not using and I particularly like being able to extinguish the candle by just placing the lid on top to stop the oxygen getting in. 

The scent stays consistently the same throughout the whole burn time thanks to the high quality ingredients and the soy wax blend that prevents the colour and scents from separating out when burning.

Whether for yourself or as a gift this autumn, there are ample choices at Yankee Candle for that atmospheric, relaxing home candle. 

Autumn Daydream is available for £29.99 at: https://www.yankeecandle.co.uk/yankee-candle/candles/shop-by-type/signature-large-jar-candles/autumn-daydream/ORCL_1743378E.html

Kikkerland Elephant Organiser

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home & Garden, Plastic free

Disclaimer – We received this item for the purpose of this review. All words and opinions are our own.

With Christmas just weeks away its really is time to knuckle down and make a dent in your Christmas shopping.

The Kikkerland Elephant Organiser is a stunning gift for anyone who like a bit of organisation in their life.

Made of baked enamel steel this organiser is very sturdy and wouldn’t look out of place in a home or office. It can be used free standing or wall mounted.

Whether you use it for your post, keys, magazines, newspapers or just a place to store your children’s school art work this truly is a beautiful and affordable gift!

With the ongoing Cost Of Living Crisis Christmas gifts needn’t be expensive.

Kikkerland have an amazing range of gifts suitable for all tastes.

RRP £21

Available to buy from Amazon!

Eminent Wines

alcoholic drinks, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Drinks and Mixers, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him

Disclaimer: We received these bottles free for the purpose of this review but all words and opinions are our own.

There’s always a few people that I struggle to buy for at Christmas but this year Eminent Wines, the leading creators of bespoke wines, champagne and spirits, have come to the rescue with these limited edition bottles.

Red Red Wine (I bet you’re singing it now!) was a song originally written, performed and recorded by Neil Diamond but it was the UB40 version that went to No1 in 1983. I’m sure most people have heard the song many times but if you haven’t the song is about a man who drinks red wine to forget his relationship problems.

So on to the wine – Red Red Wine is an organic French Bordeaux made with Merlot and Cabernet grapes to give a rich, deep, red fruit colour with blackberry notes, enriched with ripe tannins, and with a long and elegant finish. Ali Campbell, band founder, spent his youth harvesting grapes in Bordeaux and always wanted to release a Red Red Wine and after all these years has finally achieved his dream!

When you pour the wine into a glass it is a gorgeous deep red colour, the wine is smooth and easy to drink although you do need to be careful as it is 14% ABV! You can taste a hint of blackberry and it leaves a wonderful tannic aftertaste without being overpowered by the tannins.

At £28.50 this is not a wine that you would drink every week but for a special occasion or as a Christmas present then it is definitely worth the price!

The Champagne Charles Orban, Cuveé Roger Daltrey is a collaboration between Roger Daltrey and Eminent Wines and was introduced to celebrate The Who’s 50th anniversary. All of Roger’s proceeds from selling the Champagne go to Teen Cancer America – a charity founded by Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend – and to support Teenage Cancer Trust in the UK.

The Who’s trademark bullseye symbol is featured on the bottle and box and includes Roger’s signature across the middle of the bullseye making it the perfect gift for any fans of The Who.

Produced by Charles Orban Champagne, a family vineyard established in 1770, the Champagne is made from a subtle blend of three grape varieties – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. The Cuveé represents a perfect expression of these three varieties and has a creamy texture with fine, lively bubbles and is fresh, zesty and a delight to drink. When I poured it into champagne flutes you could instantly see a multitude of bubbles jumping and fizzing up to the brim.

It pairs well with turkey so why not treat yourself this Christmas?

RRP £95

Tension

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Games, Learning, Toys

Disclaimer: We received this game free of charge for the purpose of this review but all words and opinions are our own.

This week is International Games Week, so why not join in the fun this weekend and play a board game with your family?

We love board games and this week we have been playing Tension – the Top Ten Naming Game from Cheatwell games. It is recommended for ages 8+ and is played in teams.  

There is nothing worse than opening a game and spending 15 minutes or more setting it up – especially on Christmas day, so I was very impressed with Tension as it can be played pretty much straight away – the only setting up involved was a quick read of the rules and then we were ready to go. It took longer choosing the teams than it did to understand the rules – always the sign of a good game!

Once you have decided your teams then you choose a player to ask the questions (or you can keep swapping – especially if you are playing at Christmas with lots of children) they pick a card and ask the other team to name 10 things that are …….. Italian cities, actors who have played Doctor Who, popular Disney characters etc. The timer is turned and everyone in the team shouts out the answers. It sounds easy but the twist is you need to come up with the ten answers that are on the card to gain points. There is a handy scorer which makes it easy to keep track of correct answers.

There are orange and purple cards and the card you select is determined by the coloured circle on the board. The orange cards tend to be easier so when we have been playing with younger children we tend just to choose these so that they can come up with answers, but if you have older children or are playing it with adults you can play based on where your counter lands.

Once the minute is up the correct answers are counted and the team move their counter forward this number of places. The first team to reach the finish space wins the game.

With Christmas fast approaching it is the perfect game to play as everyone can join in, we’ll be playing it with 3 generations of our family and with 400 topics it will be a great way to keep the children off electronics over the Christmas period!

RRP £12 from Tesco

The NEOM Perfect Night’s Sleep Plan

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Gifts for Her, health, Vegan, Women

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

For the past couple of months I have really struggled getting to sleep at night. I go to bed feeling tired but the minute I lay my head on the pillow I feel wide awake and no matter how many sheep I count, I just can’t seem to drop off. The following day I am tired and cranky, which isn’t great when I have a busy day at work and need to concentrate. Luckily the amazing team at NEOM came to my rescue with The Neom Perfect Night’s Sleep Plan, which I have been following religiously for the last few weeks. Created by sleep expert Nick Witton, alongside a team of experts including Dr Zoe Williams, Lisa Sanfilippo, Suzy Reading and Alice Mackintosh, it was developed to give people a true and holistic understanding of the importance of sleep and provide them with practices that can be implemented into their day to day lives. Prior to creating the sleep plan, they discovered 68% of the people asked had issues with sleep with the top three factors being

  • Stress
  • Anxiety
  • Menopause

I have a stressful job and I’m currently perimenopausal so it’s no wonder my sleep is being affected!

The NEOM Perfect Night’s Sleep Plan costs £10 and includes a 30ml bottle of Perfect Night’s Sleep Pillow Mist (Normally £20) along with the Perfect Night’s Sleep Plan.

The plan is ultimately about making a few simple changes to your daily habits and contains 11 Golden Rules to sleep. There are also weekly support emails to help you on your sleep journey and a Facebook group you can join for additional support, and you can also chat with other people on the programme.

The Sleep Plan makes a very interesting read, the 11 Golden Rules are easy to follow but out of the 11 the only one I was actually doing was eating 3 regular meals a day so there was plenty of room for improvement!

The sleep mist is made using only 100% natural fragrances with 14 of the purest possible dreamy essential oils including English lavender, chamomile & patchouli, plus little touches of other perfectly chosen natural essential oils expertly blended to help you relax and prepare for sleep.

Reading the plan and switching bad habits for good ones has made a real difference. The Pillow Mist has a lovely light fragrance that isn’t overpowering and after only a few nights I found that my new bedtime routine of a warm bath and a spray of my pillow with the Pillow Spray has done the trick and I have not only been falling asleep quicker, I sleep much better too. I certainly feel more relaxed in the morning and have even managed to sleep through most nights which is amazing.

After all those night tossing and turning whilst sleep evaded me I can’t quite believe just how easy it has been to transform my sleep pattern. I am so pleased Neom asked me to try out the Sleep Plan – I love my new bed time routine and I am planning to treat myself to some of the other items in the range – the body oil and bath foam will be the perfect addition to my new night time routine.

Thanks NEOM!

CLCKR Magnetic Phone Mount

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Now that we use our phones for everything from turning the lights on to directing us to our destinations, the CLCKR Magnetic Phone Mount is the next accessory to make the most out of your phone. At £14, it’s a great stocking filler or Secret Santa gift!

If you’re not familiar with CLCKR, they produce accessories for iPhones and Samsung phones which include cases, stands, wallets and mounts for phones. We were sent this dashboard mount for a phone which includes the CLCKR clip for the back of a phone, and the mount itself which is a powerful magnet.

What do you think a dashboard mount for your phone is for?  Well if like me you try and use your phone for everything in life, I used the dash cam mount for using the sat nav on my phone. It’s incredibly annoying having to navigate to an address without using your phone in your hand (for legal reasons) but to also have someone else hold your phone and not be able to see the map and only hear the instructions at best is even worse.  It’s much easier to have the phone mounted on the dashboard ahead of you and be able to see it without losing track of the road or having someone hold it up to you!  

The mount works in two ways. Firstly there is the CLCKR clip which fixes to the back of your phone with an adhesive label which is included in the pack, or you could invest in one of the CLCKR cases which already has the structure needed.  The Magnetic Phone Mount comes in two pieces; the magnetic strip and then the powerful magnetic mount. The mount itself if shaped like a volcano which attaches itself onto the air vent on the dashboard of the car. The back of it is the magnet which attaches itself to your phone using the metal strip which is also supplied. This is why you need the CLCKR phone case or stand because it has the fitting which allows the metal strip to fit to it.  Once the strip is on your phone and the mount is affixed, you just place your phone onto the magnet and it’s kept there in place. In fact, although you can detach your phone at any time, the magnet is so powerful, your phone doesn’t move whilst driving. The way that it’s attached to the air vent though, means you can just take the phone with you, including the mount, and there isn’t anything that damages your dashboard.

The versatility of the mount got me thinking what else you could use it for. Given the right cupboard handles, it could be used in the kitchen for following a recipe, or in the garage attached to a shelf with the radio playing. I even think you could attach it to the kid’s car seat or pushchair if you wanted to!

CLCKR are one of those accessories you didn’t know you needed until you start using it and then you can’t live without it.  Check out their other accessories on line or the Magnetic Car Mount is available for £14 at: https://www.clckr.com/products/car-mount-air-vent

Sennheiser Momentum Ear Buds

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Sport, Tech, Women

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review but all words and opinions are our own.

The first time I had headphones I was a teenager in the 80’s and back then headphones were firmly attached to your Walkman. Thankfully technology has evolved and improved a lot since then and I was really pleased to be given the opportunity to try out the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 earbuds

The stylish grey fabric charging case is nice and solid and closes with a satisfying click. It holds the earbuds securely and once placed in the case the earphones start charging automatically. The USB-C connection makes the case easy to charge and there is also the option to use Qi wireless charging too. A single charge provides 7 hours of playback with the case providing an additional 21 hours of charge, so in total you can enjoy 28 hours of playback before you need to charge. When it does run out of charge, 10 minutes of ‘fast charging’ offers an hour’s playback and a full charge takes just 90 minutes. 

Included in the box are four pairs of silicone ear tips, three pairs of ear fins, and a charging cable. The earpieces are IPX4 rated for water resistance, and each earbud has three microphones for voice and Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) functionality.

When I first received the earbuds, I found that they had 40% charge, so I was able to use them straight away – all I needed to do was fit the ear fins and then pair them to my phone.

Pairing the earbuds was simple – just touch and hold both earbuds and then select them on your Bluetooth device and they pair to your device easily. The earbuds power off when placed in the case and the lid closed and power on and connect automatically to your device the moment you open the case.

Once paired, I downloaded the Sennheiser Smart Control app. The app not only allows you to control settings on the earbuds but there is also an option to go through a ‘Sound check’ where you select your preferred sound from a choice of 3. There is also the option to set “Sound Zones” where you customise locations you frequent, like your home, gym or workplace and save preferred Active Noise Cancellation and Equaliser settings. Once you enter the radius—set by you on the location map—your settings automatically change to the saved setting when you are in that Sound Zone.

The earbuds feel light, well made, and with IPX4 sweat resistance they are perfect for the gym or when I am out walking.

So I’ve talked about the fit, pairing and app so what is the sound quality like?  

Well, it’s excellent, the sound is crisp and clear with no distortion, every song I played sounded amazing, whether it was rock, pop or classical music.

You can also use the earbuds to make and receive telephone calls – if you are playing music it stops whilst you are on the call. I found that the call quality (for both people) was very clear and background noise was minimal.

Answering calls, skipping tracks and turning on/off different modes can all be executed by tapping the earbuds. Once you get the hang of tapping they are very simple to use, the sensitivity is very good and works well all the time.

Overall, I was very impressed with the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True wireless 3 earbuds – superior sound, excellent Bluetooth connectivity and a secure and comfortable fit. They are definitely a premium pair of wireless earbuds and anyone receiving them this Christmas won’t be disappointed.

RRP £219.99 available from the Sennheiser website here

Dairy Diary 2023

Books, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, Home & Garden

We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review. All words and opinions are our own.

I grew up on a dairy farm and am old enough to remember the Dairy Dairy being launched back in 1981. 41 years later the diary is still going strong and I was really pleased to receive a copy of the 2023 diary which has a beautiful photograph of a blue tit on the front. Anyone who has used a Dairy Diary in the past will know that this is so much more than a diary, it is bursting with useful information on a whole range of topics including gardening, stain removal and places to visit.

The A5 diary is spiral bound and has a week to view layout with a recipe to look forward to every week. At the front of the diary is a “Memorable Dates” sticker sheet so you can add stickers to the pages to highlight important dates and events. There is a good selection of stickers for occasions, as well as stickers for doctors’ appointments, hairdressers and insurances. There are a couple for cars too so there’s no excuse for forgetting the date of your MOT!

The recipes all have a colour photograph to tantalise your tastebuds and there is a handy recipe index at the back of the diary which makes it really easy to find a particular recipe.

Jam packed full of useful information and recipes this is so much more than a diary and would make a lovely Secret Santa gift or Christmas present for friends and family.

The Dairy Diary is available from the Dairy Diary website and costs a very reasonable £8.99

Peak Series Personal Water Filter Straw Review

Birthday Gifts, camping, Christmas, eco friendly, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Sustainable

Disclaimer: We were gifted this product for the purpose of the review but all words and opinions are our own.

When out for a day’s walk I’ll always carry water with me, half a litre if I’m planning a short walk and a litre for a longer one. That’s normally fine but if the weather is particularly hot or perhaps I’m planning on being away overnight carrying any more becomes difficult due to the weight.

What we need is a source of water that we can use along the way but up on the fells the only source we’re likely to find is a stream or river. Drinking untreated water is not to be advised, boiling and purification tablets can help but leave a taste and cannot actually remove any of the contamination.

The LifeStraw Peak Series Straw is a brilliant way to get safe drinking water from streams and rivers and only weighs 65g – much lighter than carrying more water! It removes bacteria, parasites, microplastics, silt, sand, and cloudiness from water so I’m confident the water I’m drinking is safe.

It is the smallest filter in the Peak Series and can be used in three ways. For a quick drink just dip the end of the LifeStraw into some water and suck through the mouthpiece, clean water flows through quickly with little effort. If you want to fill a container with clean water, perhaps for making a meal or filling a water bottle for later, then there are two options. A standard plastic water bottle can be screwed into the base and then water can be squeezed through the filter, alternatively the hose from a hydration pack can be attached and gravity will pull the water through. I tested this and found that a litre could be filtered in just over a minute so it is a really quick process.

I think if I was planning an overnight expedition then packing an empty plastic water bottle would be my choice, it weighs almost nothing and doesn’t take up much room in my pack.

The two end caps ensure that when not in use there are no leaks and that the mouthpiece is kept clean. 

If unused the LifeStraw can be kept in a pack ready for an emergency but once used it does require a small amount of maintenance to keep it fresh if you don’t plan using it for a while.

It has an expected life of 4000 litres before it will need to be swapped – plenty for me, it’s going to last a long time!

The LifeStraw costs £29.95 and would make a great Christmas present for anyone who loves walking.

Take a look at the LifeStraw in action on our YouTube channel

Devon Hampers Review

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers

Disclaimer: We received an Elves Christmas hamper for the purpose of this review but all words and opinions are our own.

Filled with festive treats, a food hamper is the ultimate gift to give (and receive) at Christmas. Devon is a paradise for foodies, so this fabulous Elves Christmas wicker hamper from Devon Hampers, packed full of delicious treats will make a fantastic gift for friends and relatives this Christmas!

First and foremost, let me tell you how fantastic the wicker basket is, it is a sturdy and well made and fastens with two buckled straps. I can see this basket being reused once all the items inside have been eaten, it would make a great picnic basket in the warmer months and could also be used as a stylish storage basket. But that’s enough about the basket, I’m sure you want to find out what’s inside………once again, the presentation was excellent, with wood shavings supporting all the goodies inside and it was really exciting lifting the top items to see what treats were underneath.

We were very impressed by the variety of items in the hamper, there was such a nice selection and there was something for everyone, sweet, savoury and alcohol – this hamper has it all.

The sweet toothed members of my family were delighted with Grandma Wilds brandy mince pies and the very festive sounding milk chocolate coated cranberry biscuits. The mince pies were delicious warm and the buttery pastry and combination of brandy and mincement was divine.

 I love fudge and especially Devon fudge so was thrilled with the Strawberries & cream fudge from The Devon Fudge Company. The 150g bag is the perfect size for sharing (or you could just keep it all for yourself- I won’t tell!) and the red chocolate hearts were loved by the whole family.

My husband is more a savoury person so the Grandma Wilds Mature Cheddar Mini Bites were soon paired with some tasty cheese and a glass of the Waqi Malbec red wine and went down a treat.

Christmas is a great time for snacking and with a bag of Spicy Sweet Chilli crisps from Burts and Mr Filberts Dry Roasted Peanuts these will go down a treat.

Finally, no Christmas hamper is complete without a Christmas pudding and inside the hamper is a scrumptious one made by Plymouth based The Carved Angel. This fruity pudding is nice and moist with a nice balance of flavours. Delicious with cream or brandy sauce.

This wonderful hamper is bound to add plenty of festive flair to your Christmas festivities, whether you treat yourself or give it as a gift. With a selection of food and drink which is sure to have your mouth watering there will be something for the whole family to enjoy this Christmas

The Elves Christmas Hamper is available in three different presentations with free delivery

Classic Box £49.50

Printed Box £61.50

Wicker Hamper £73.50

Devon Hampers have a great selection of hampers on their websites so take a look – you won’t be disappointed – the hardest thing is trying to decide which one to buy first!

Dog and Hat Coffee Subscription

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Family Life, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home & Garden, Plastic free, Subscription Boxes

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

For coffee lovers everywhere, Christmas is sorted with this coffee subscription service from Dog and Hat bringing coffee to your door every month!

Operated as more of a Coffee Club where members can logon, buy extra coffee and switch subscription types, Dog and Hat have operated since 2017 and have grown since then, not least because the pandemic had more people brewing at home throughout the day. 

What do you get in the subscription though? Well, there are levels of subscription, all of which are delivered to your door in recycled packaging. 2 bags costs £19, 3 bags costs £26, 4 bags costs £33 and there’s also a trial box of 2 coffees for £14.99. The bags which are delivered are all different and change each month too. They’re labelled up with where the beans are from, where they’re grown and what variety of coffee bean they are. There are over 140 roasters currently onboard and that list is expanding.

We were sent a box with three different blends; Missing Bean, Radical Roasters (Rugali) and Kiss The Hippo (Myanmar).  We were asked what type of beans we used before the box was sent as there’s a different to how they are packaged. I chose for a filter or cafetiere but you can also choose just beans or for machines too.  Each pack is 250g which is more than enough for a month for me!  There’s also a Specialty Brew Guide that comes with the delivery and a booklet giving more details about the blends, where they’re from etc.

Each coffee is in it’s own recyclable packaging. Starting with the Missing Bean blend, I followed the instructions of how long to let it rest in the cafetiere before pouring (it’s longer than you think!) and then enjoyed. The other two coffees I put through a filter but it’s roughly the same amount of coffee to use each method.

Each coffee was, as you would expect, better than the commercial coffees we buy in the supermarkets.  Much smoother, with longer lasting taste and I found them all to have less ‘bitterness’ than what I’m used to. The Missing Bean blend was less abrasive and the aroma lasted longer.  Radical Roasters coffee was lighter and slightly sweet compared to other coffees and the Kiss The Hippo blend also had a lighter tone and a fruitness to it.

For coffee lovers, this makes a great Christmas gift, either every month for a year or as a one off, or even as a trial box you can’t go wrong!  If you’re not really into coffee before trying these blends then be warned, you may end up a caffeine addict!

Available from the Dog and Hat website: https://dogandhat.co.uk

Top It Board Game Review

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Games, Learning

Disclaimer – we received this game for the purpose of the review but all thoughts and opinions are our own.


Does anyone else look forward to winter and cosy nights in playing board games with friends and family? My family certainly does, and it certainly wouldn’t be Christmas if Father Christmas didn’t leave a new board game alongside his empty beer glass and cake crumbs!

This year we will be playing Top It from Cheatwell Games, it is the perfect game to play at a family get together and can be played by 2+ players. It does say it is suitable for ages 10+ but we played it with our 7-year-old nephew and he was able to come up with plenty of answers but it does depend on the child – you can always select a different question to give them a little help.

The game is packaged in a carboard box and inside the box are
• 75 double sided Top It Topics Cards
• 60 Top It Cones
• 18 Letter Discs
• Sand timer
• Score Pad
• Pencil

It’s easy to play – each player is given 10 cones and then 9 letter discs are placed on a table and finally a topic card is selected.

The timer is turned and then the fun begins! Players shout out an answer that not only fits the topic but also starts with one of the 9 letters on show, they then place their cone on that letter. However, this is where the fun starts – if another player comes up with something starting with the same letter after you, they can then Top-It with their own cone.

It quickly becomes very competitive as the cones stack up, but only the last cone counts, winning all the points! The topics are quite wide and it was quite astounding hearing the items my family came up with to suit the topics. When “Things found in a garden!” came up my son shouted out “treasure chest” I’ve been searching our garden all week but I haven’t found it yet!!!!

This is a great game and a fun way to bring the all the family together this Christmas

RRP £26.99 available from Amazon

ARSENAL FC VODKA – CRYSTAL EDITION

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Drinks and Mixers, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him

Disclaimer – We received this item for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

With the festive season rapidly approaching its time to make a dent in our Christmas shopping lists.

One person I always struggle to buy for is my brother who is a huge Arsenal FC fan.

I wanted to gift something that was age appropriate yet represented his love for his beloved Arsenal FC.

Luckily Bohemian Brands had the perfect gift with their Arsenal FC Vodka.

Bohemian Brands take a creative and innovative approach when producing their beverages. Their unique methods leave customers enjoying their purchase long after their final drop.

They combine expert, artisan distilleries with well-know sports teams, movements and creative talents in the world to bring you premium spirits with a personal twist.

All of their world class vodka, gin and whisky is produced in small batches by highly experienced artisans in the UK and across the world to ensure each bottle meets their exacting standards.

Their exclusive licenses with some of the world’s biggest teams, brands and artists combined with their stunning range of bottle designs make their bottles the perfect gift for someone special or as a treat to yourself.

There really is something for everyone in the collection!

This stunning, officially licensed Arsenal FC Vodka bottle contains Bohemian Super Premium Craft Vodka, meaning that this is a perfect vodka gift or piece of Arsenal memorabilia that both tastes and looks incredible.

100s of Arsenal fans have already enjoyed this spirit, which has been crafted by artisans in their small batch UK distilleries.

Their vodka is made from 100% wheat which is distilled 5x to create an ultra-smooth, rich, velvety taste that you will struggle to find in lesser quality spirits.

This is one shot you can’t afford to miss!!

A truly unique gift which is bound to put a smile on the lucky recipients face.

Sizes: 70cl / 1.5 L / 3 L

Servings Per 70cl Bottle (25ml): 28 shots

RRP £37

Only £1.32 per shot of premium, artisan distilled vodka

ABV: 40%

Puzzles for Spies by GCHQ – book

Birthday Gifts, Books, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Father's Day, Games, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Learning, Mental Health Awareness

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Potential spies (and puzzle lovers!) beware! A new GCHQ book is out for Christmas to test your quizzical skills and to see if you have what it takes to be a code breaker!

#PuzzlesForSpies is a joint collaboration with Puffin books and GCHQ to create a new quiz book for families based on not just numbers or words, but code breaking, analysis, engineering and programming as part of a story. This is actually the third book in the GCHQ puzzle book series, and this one is aimed more at younger children. There are lots of different puzzle types to try, and briefing along each chapter to keep the kids entertained.  Don’t worry, there are answers at the back too!

There is a foreword by the [now] Prince and Princess of Wales as the Advance and Royalties of the book are being donated to the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for the organisation’s ongoing mental health work.

Looking through the book and doing some of the puzzles, they are very well written with clear instructions and not too complicated, but I was still able to challenge myself with each task. They are slightly more unusual puzzles too, different from the usual code breaking words and letters or solving mathematical problems.

At £9.99 this is a great a great Secret Santa or stocking filler, and would keep any puzzle lover occupied for hours!

Gin Botanicals Gift Set from Spice Kitchen

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Family Life, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Christmas gifts for don’t come better than this Gin Botanicals gift set from The Spice Kitchen. It has everything for the gin lover!

Any mixologist, whether new to cocktails or a dab hand will love this tin. It contains 7 botanicals to create nearly any gin-based cocktail, but if you’re stuck for ideas, there’s a handy recipe book included as well.

Gin Botanicals Gift Set from Spice Kitchen

So, to the botanicals! Included in the tin is; pink peppercorns, whole star anise, juniper berries, cardamon pods, coriander seeds, rose petals and citrus peel.  Each botanical has it’s own stainless steel cup for serving and a very smart spook for administering. All the items fit nicely in the tin for storage, complete with a see-through lid so you can see what items might need replacing. It also makes it easy for the recipient to see what’s inside when they open it!

Each of the botanicals were daisy-fresh when I opened the tin. The aroma when you open it is exhilarating, evoking the smell of a gin cocktail before you even open any alcohol.  Mixing any cocktail is easy with the silver pots with which to dispense each spice and garnish. I can see this set being used on Christmas Day to let guests help themselves and create their own drinks.  It would also be great for hen parties or a themed birthday party, so the versatility of this botanicals gift tin is more than just for Christmas.  Once any of the ingredients are used up, they can easily be replaced and the whole kit used over and over again.

This is a lovely present for anyone who loves cocktails, or wants to learn all about mixology!

Available for £30-£35 at https://www.spicekitchenuk.com/products/gin-botanicals-tin-with-7-fragrant-botanicals?variant=39727843770437

Prezzee Gift Card

Birthday Gifts, Children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Summer

Stuck for a thank you gift for your child’s teacher? The Prezzee gift card makes a lovely gift and is super easy to use. Easy to purchase online you can even add a photo, video or voice message to personalise your gift. The gift card can be sent instantly or scheduled for a later date and can be sent via text or email.

I thought the gift email was lovely, you get an email showing a gift card and the value and there is a button to press to redeem your gift. When you press this button, the parcel opens revealing a personalised note along with a voice and video message. To redeem the , simply enter the pin number from your email and then you can then swap your gift for a gift card from over 170 different retailers. There are so many different brands to choose from including high street stores, food outlets, supermarkets, garden centre vouchers, theatre tokens and hotels so there is bound to be something they will love. The Prezee card is available from as little as £5 and up to £500 so would also be great for a class gift too.

After swapping your gift card you instantly receive an electronic gift card which you can save in an electronic wallet or print. I chose a National Gardens digital gift card, and this arrived only a minute after placing the order, so I was really impressed with the speed of delivery.

If you have do have a query with your order there is a 7 day helpline, online chat, message facility or email option

I was really impressed with the simplicity of ordering and the speed of delivery and will certainly be buying more Prezee cards. I no longer need to spend ages choosing presents and the recipient will enjoy choosing something special to treat themselves to!

Disclaimer: We received a Prezzee Gift card for the purpose of this review but all words and opinions are our own.