Get your Christmas lighting from Dobbies and ready the magic!

Get your Christmas lighting from Dobbies and ready the magic of Christmas!

With the winter days getting shorter and the nights darkening up, our thoughts are turning towards all things festive. 

Christmas is just round the corner and the UK’s top garden centre, Dobbies, has introduced a fantastic new range of outdoor lights to turn your whole home into a magical winter wonderland.

With rising energy on our minds, Christmas lovers will be pleased to learn that the cost of running 480 Dobbies LED lights per day is just a little over tuppence, so running them throughout the whole month of December would add an extra 75 pence to your electricity bill. And to be honest, 75 pence does seem a decent and reasonable price to add some festive glow to your home.

So, whether you want to dazzle your whole neighbourhood with statement retro neon signs or surround and illuminate your own garden space with some discrete and delicate starry string lights, Dobbies has everything you'll possibly require.  Plus, with some great value options beginning at a very reasonable  starting £29.99, you can get the festive fever going for a lot less than you might have thought possible. 

There are some fun animal decorations available which are just bursting with personality, making them perfect for bringing your garden to life. 

Place them outside your doorway to create a welcoming front doorway or maybe create a character display?

Make a doggy area with the Acrylic Dachshund, complete with the Santa outfit, or for something a little more for the adults, try their resin stag and snowman, which are great additions to any festive garden.

The Neon Stag, £29.99; Neon Tree, £29.99; Neon Snowflake, £29.99

For a truly retro twist, affordable neon figures are sure to bring plenty of Christmas spirit to any home.

Options available are a red-nosed reindeer, an adorable Christmas tree, or an elegant snowflake for a bold window display that will light up those Christmassy winter nights.

Saucer Festoon Lights £49.99; Large Hanging Festoon Lights, £69.99

The cooler, older sibling of fairy lights, festoon lights give any outdoor space a refined yet mature feel. With their oversized glass globes, these on trend string lights will make even the chilliest night feel warmer and more cosy. Why not try layering your string lights to create intimate, cosy nooks where your family and visitors can gather?

Dobbies’ Senior Christmas Buyer, Lynsey Abbott, has some useful tips on how you can make an impact with lighting this festive season. Lynsey says: “I’m a big fan of festive lighting, and you don’t need to spend lots of money to make a great impact! 

"For a retro feel, you can opt for multi-coloured lights in varying shapes and sizes. Or for a more  sophisticated look, why not stick to neutral lights and classic characters like the popular Highland stag, which costs just 2p per day to light and will make an instant statement in your garden?"

She went on to say: “The tone of your lights will change the overall look and feel of your home. Cool toned lighting plays well with modern décor and will help you achieve an icy, on-trend winter wonderland effect.

"However, if you’re looking to create a more cosy display, warm lights will add a softer sparkle and complement traditional decorations extremely well.

“If you are hosting this Christmas, use lights to welcome your guests by lining your path or driveway with ground lights. Or for something a little different, adorn your porch with string lights overhead for a truly magical effect.”

Dobbies also offers a very useful range of battery powered wire lights, featuring stars, snowflakes and leaves from just £5.99, that can be used both indoors and out. 

For the full range of outdoor lighting, visit the Christmas shop at www.dobbies.com.

Sainsbury’s creates 18,000 special seasonal roles to help deliver customers the best possible Christmas

The Sainsbury’s Group of companies, including its iconic supermarket chain, is creating a most welcome 18,000 extra jobs for the Christmas seasonal to ensure customers receive outstanding Sainsbury's service this Christmas. 

15,000 roles are being created at Sainsbury’s, whilst there are also 2,000 roles at Argos and 1,000 in logistics.

The new temporary colleagues will offer assistance and support throughout Sainsbury’s and Argos stores, serving customers, keeping shelves stocked and picking, packing and delivering online orders. 

Logistics colleagues will be working in warehouses and ensuring product arrives at stores across the country, ready for customers to purchase and enjoy.

A spokesman said: "Sainsbury’s is committed to offering leading rates of colleague pay and in September announced a second pay rise and a total yearly investment of £150 million. Sainsbury’s and Argos temporary Christmas store colleagues will join existing colleagues and receive the higher pay of £10.25 and £11.30 in London. 

"And, as well as leading pay, colleagues who join Sainsbury’s and Argos for its peak season will benefit from a generous colleague discount card and free food during shifts for the first time."

And Angie Risley, Group HR Director for Sainsbury’s said: “We're thrilled to be able to welcome an extra 18,000 colleagues to our team to ensure we deliver the best possible service that we can to our customers this Christmas.

"Christmas is a special time of year but it’s also very busy, and with more customers returning to do more of their shopping in-store, this investment in service will ensure our customers can find whatever they need to celebrate this year both easily and conveniently. 

“We know how tough it is for households at the moment, and as well as excellent value for customers we're committed to leading colleague pay, also.

"Our new higher base rate, colleague discount and free food during shifts ensures colleagues will be well-rewarded for all their hard work.” 

Temporary colleagues will work up until 7th January 2023 on fixed term contracts of between three and 12 weeks. To become a temporary colleague at Sainsbury’s or Argos this Christmas, applicants should go online at sainsburys.jobs/christmas or visit their local branch for further details. 

St. Eval, Cornish Candle Manufacturer, Unveils 2022 Christmas Collections

My wife and I adore scented candles and we especially love Christmas scented candles, so we were particularly pleased to hear about the latest Christmas season offerings from St Eval, the Cornish Candle Makers. 

A spokesman from St Eval told us: "Drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of the autumn and winter seasons, we at St. Eval are thrilled to announce the release of our brand-new Christmas collections for 2022 which includes elegant pots, delightful gold-finished candles and the welcome return of festive favourites."

Celestial Magic

Taking inspiration from the sparkle of our star-studded heavens, St. Eval’s newest winter collection, Celestial, encapsulates the beauty of the night sky and celebrates the magic of the cosmos. Adorned with astronomical designs, this dreamy collection is home to a trio of popular fragrances; Inspiritus, Orange & Cinnamon and Winter Thyme, perfect for bringing the warmth of the winter season indoors.

Brand New Christmas Packaging

Evoking the joy of the festive season, St. Eval’s Christmas Pillars and Multiwicks are a beautiful addition to the season's decor, filling the home with the aromas of Orange & Cinnamon, Inspiritus, Figgy Pudding and Winter Thyme in complementary autumnal hues. New for 2022, these Christmas Pillars and Multiwicks are presented in stunning gift boxes, adorned with delightful winter scenes and charming characters making them even more perfect for Christmas gifting.

Nature Inspired Lamorna

Inspired by an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which is situated in stunning West Cornwall, St. Eval’s special Lamorna Collection celebrates the simple elegance of nature. A perfect gift for loved ones this Christmas, this collection is home to five evocative fragrances in St. Eval’s new unique blend of natural rapeseed wax. Showcased beautifully in elegant Glass Candles and Maxi Tealights, this collection welcomes two brand new scents to St. Eval’s fragrance portfolio: Orange Blossom and Sandalwood & Cedar.

Natural Bath and Body Care

Envisioned to capture the herbal healing of wild Cornwall, St. Eval’s Botanical Collection harmoniously blends pure essential oils to deliver calming, balancing, and healing effects. Perfect to help create a haven of peace and calm, this collection is suitable for vegans, is paraben-free and Leaping Bunny Certified (cruelty free). This Autumn, the collection welcomes four new products: shampoo, conditioner, body wash and body lotion, to join their popular hand wash and hand lotion duo launched in 2021.

Where is St Eval's located? They are nestled on a farm in the heart of North Cornwall, St. Eval sustainably craft their products and in July 2022 they officially became a Certified B Corporation, legally embedding their commitment to place purpose beyond profit in all company endeavours. St. Eval are immensely proud of their B Corp Certification, alongside their Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainably Development which they were honoured to receive in 2021. 

Together, these achievements recognise and celebrate the company’s commitment to putting people and planet first.

St. Eval are committed to creating new and exciting candles and fragrances, inspired by the natural world and following their core values; to protect, nurture and respect each other and the earth. 

St. Eval’s Christmas collections are available to purchase on their website, www.st-eval.com, or through your nearest St. Eval Stockist. Contact St. Eval for details of a stockist closest to you on info@st-eval.com.

Christmas wall Art From Emma’s Botanicals

If you want to give that extra special someone in your life a genuinely and truly fully 100% original Christmas gift for Christmas 2022, why not give them the gift of wall art for Christmas?

A hand painted watercolour print of a favourite fruit, veg or some flowers by London artist Emma van Klaveren, which is printed on specialist archival paper. 

You can order a print for £60 or if you wish, commission a bespoke piece for £300. 

Who is Emma? Emma is a London-based freelance Botanical Artist and Illustrator. She sells prints of her work and also sells illustrations to brands who use botanicals in their products, marketing and publications. 

She also welcomes private commissions.

Emma has a Diploma with Merit from The Chelsea School of Botanical Art, she is a Painting Member of The Chelsea Physic Garden Florilegium Society, The Association of Botanical Artists (ABA), The American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) and Amicus Botanicus.

To learn more visit her website www.emmasbotanicals.com.

The image shown is copyright to Emma and kindly supplied by her. 

Give a Little Local Box this Christmas

A gift that you'll want to give or to receive this Christmas is a Little Local Box.

Carefully and consciously selected regional gift boxes that are helpfully showcasing small independent businesses from all over the UK. 

Their ready-to-order gift boxes are entirely plastic-free, are guaranteed to be sustainable whilst also having a positive impact on the planet and its people. 

Their aim? To help conscientious and eco-aware shoppers support small businesses whilst allowing their loved ones to discover them when they open their Little Local Box.

There are gift boxes for her, for him, for parents, for grandparents, for fiancées, for friends, for teachers, for children, for teens, for tots, for siblings, for relatives including aunts and uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces and also for your pets!

And they provide Little Local Boxes for the rest of the year, too! And they have gift boxes for all budgets and all tastes.

To find out more please visit them at https://www.littlelocalbox.co.uk. 

Olive & Pip can really make your child glow this Christmas. For real!

This Christmas you can really make bed time a whole lot of fun with their Draw Your Own Pyjamas!

It's the ideal surprise gift for a child who loves to draw, these snuggly children's pyjamas can be made with their own artwork.

And if that wasn't enough fun, at night they'll come alive at night and glow in the dark! (Wow! I wish glow in the dark pyjamas had existed when I was a child!)

For children who find bed time a bit tricky, they can also add a print in your own handwriting on the sleeve with a secret message that glows in the dark for comfort. 

The designer reals a bit of a personal secret: "This was inspired by my own little one who suffers from separation anxiety, particularly at night."

So, forget your usual Christmas PJs that kids can only wear for the festive season, these pyjamas are perfect for Christmas Eve Boxes but are guaranteed to be fun all year round!

They are suitable for up to age eight and will cost £24.99.

​Check out Olive & Pip's website here www.oliveandpip.co.uk and see what else they have for the ultimate in Christmas gifting for every member of your family from the oldest to the youngest and for friends and relations.

Ideal Christmas gifts for animal lovers in your life

The porcelain cups and pin brooches from NishuraEast.com are the perfect gift for animal lovers for Christmas 2022. 

Carefully crafted in Seville by Japanese artist Yukiko Kitahara, each cup features a very charming animal which acts as the cup's handle.

The larger of the two cups feature a cow, or a sheep and lamb and are perfect for that morning cup of coffee. 

On the smaller cups you'll find a rabbit, or a horse and these are perfect for espresso, or are great for a drink of matcha, tool. 

There is also a Dove teacup, which comes with a saucer plus a cute stirrer which resembles a tree branch. 

As Yukiko makes each and every piece by hand, each one is totally unique and has its very own character. 

These delicate porcelain cups would be a perfect gift for that person who is perhaps not easy to purchase gifts for!

They also have a range of really cute and attractive porcelain pin brooches available, each with an animal that can accompany the gift's recipient as they go about your day. 

You can choose between a curious cat, a loyal dog, a flying dove, or a tranquil rabbit. Costing only £32 these little pieces of art are absolutely certain to put a smile on everyone's face!

And ultimately they have an elegant pair of porcelain dove earrings. The perfect piece of understated glamour, these birds will add the finishing touch to any outfit.

You can find out more about the cups and jewellery, and more about the artist, Yukiko Kitahara at NishuraEast.com.

Cocktail Recipes To Help You Spread Some Cheer This Festive Season from Swift and Moore

As the Christmas season draws near, Swift and Moore has a list of cocktail recipes to help you get into the Christmas spirit.

REGAL ROGUE

3-Step Apertif

Ingredients:

Regal Rogue Daring Dry (50ml) 

Indian Tonic (100ml)

A fresh lemon wedge and rosemary sprig

Directions:

1. Mix the ingredients together.

2. Serve over ice in a highball.

3. Garnish with a fresh lemon wedge and rosemary sprig.

Lively White Negroni

Ingredients:

Regal Rogue Lively 

White

Gin and Suze. 

Lemon Wedge

Directions:

Mix equal Parts Regal Rogue Lively 

White, Gin, and Suze. Garnish with 

a lemon wedge.

For more recipes please visit https://www.swiftandmoore.com.au.

Nemesis

Nemesis is a novel from Sam Bell.

It explores many interesting and important themes. Such as Could a friend be an enemy? Could your enemy be your friend?

And could you even tell the difference?

Nick de Carteret meets Tselmeg Yusupov who is an oligarch-cum-president of Kuikbakhistan. Nick is unsure if he should hate him or if he should love him.

However, Nick comes from a very troubled past. Born in very reduced circumstances and faced with abuse, he left home as a young teen and he set out on a mission to become validated as a human and he wants to become very, very wealthy indeed.

Yusopov selects Nick to manage his vast wealth. But he wishes the work he undertakes to be untrammelled by moral or legal concerns.

The two men can be seen as mirror images of the other. Both want to be the best, to have the best. And have a "damn the consequences" attitude to their decisions and to life in general.

Their relationship develops but as it develops it turns into a death spiral of violence and extremes. And each man wants to be the man at the top, no matter what the consequences. 

Whilst reading this novel I couldn't help but think of several oligarchs who have been in the media over the years including the late Robert Maxwell. Perhaps that's a little unfair on Mr Maxwell?

This book will be an excellent gift for those in your life who like crime and mystery thrillers in their Christmas stockings.

It's published by Troubador at £10.00.

The Office of Future Storytelling

The Office of Future Storytelling is an intriguing and fascinating novel by Neil Powell.

It offers the intelligent reader a critical exploration of language and the problems that face humanity.

The storyteller in The Office of Future Storytelling is weary. He is said to be tired of the same old same same old. 

 He doesn't wish to continue writing stories about God, love and beauty. But what should he do next? He hits on the brilliant and somewhat cunning scheme of inventing an English teacher at Davenport College called Eric Crawford.

He then begins to explore what is required to tell different, new stories. As a result he sees freedom calling him.

He creates a life for Eric, which includes his lecturing and teaching, his romantic life and his family life. He creates a troubled student who interacts with Eric, a protest movement that challenges the role of art in modern life. He also introduces reports of violent crimes in the grounds of the college.

This novel will make a very interesting Christmas gift for students of language and literature, of storytellers.

It's innovative and stylistically written work and as it is the debut novel of Neil Powell and I feel that readers need to watch for his name in the future.

It's published by Troubador at £9.99.