Asda, quality wines for Christmas at affordable prices!

There's now less than a month to go until Christmas and Asda has revealed an unmissable offer across one of the most important categories of the festive ‘big shop’ - wine!

Asda's offering customers a startling 25% off when they purchase six or more bottles of wine. The offer is available on selected wines which are priced at £4.75 or over, including wines already offered at a reduce price, so this means Asda customers can make massive savings just in time for Christmas.

Shoppers will receive 25% off the total cost of all six bottles (or more) and the offer can be used to ‘mix and match’ or buy six or more of the same variety. It really is your choice!

Whether Asda customers are in the market for a family-favourite wine, the perfect tipple for those cosy winter weekends, or they’re looking to stock up on extra special bottles that’ll make Christmas dinner that little bit more magical, there is something for everyone with Asda’s current offer.

Best-sellers available in the offer include:

Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva Red Wine, was £9.50, now £8.50 – just £6.39 in the Buy 6 deal

Jam Shed Shiraz, was £7, now £5.50 – just £4.12 in the Buy 6 deal

Barefoot Pinot Grigio, was £6.75, now £5.99 – just £4.49 in the Buy 6 deal

Freixenet Prosecco D.O.C., was £12, now £10 – just £7.50 in the Buy 6 deal

Premium wines available in the offer include:

Extra Special Chateauneuf-du-Pape, was £18, now £16 – just £12 in the Buy 6 deal

Ferrari Trento Rosé, was £22, now £21 – just £15.75 in the Buy 6 deal

Extra Special Chablis Domaine La Levee, was £15, now £14 – just £10.50 in the Buy 6 deal

Asquith Gardens Traditional English Sparkling Wine, was £16.50, now £16.00 – just £12 in the Buy 6 deal.

For shoppers in Scotland, the Buy 6 deal does not apply, but Asda shoppers can make huge savings across premium and own brand wines until 11th December. Available on selected bottles including:

Montagne Saint Emilion, was £8.50 - now £7.50

Extra Special Chateauneuf-du-Pape, was £18 - now £16

Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, was £10.25 - now £8.50

Louis Jadot Les Petites Pierres, was £11 now £9 (Scotland only price)

There's some very good quality wines available in this offer. I especially love Freixenet Prosecco D.O.C., which I think goes with pretty much anything, including the traditional Christmas dinner. 

Need new Christmas decorations?

It's happened to many of us over the years. We think we know where the Christmas decorations are but, somehow, they're not in that box we thought they were in in the attic.

Or someone accidentally put a heavy box on them and most of them are crushed and broken so will never see another Chirstmas tree again.

Or perhaps you are starting out in your first flat, apartment or house of you own and want to buy Christmas decorations to start your own Christmas story and Christmas memories?   

So, what to do? Go over to the online shopping website of Melody Maison https://www.melodymaison.co.uk and check out their wide range of high quality Christmas decorations. 

They have a new festive collection, and their Christmas decorations span a wide array of colours, styles and designs.

The new collection includes baubles, plaques, tree toppers, tree skirts, wreaths, garlands and much more, besides.

Also Melody Maison has a wide range of scented candles, home décor and other fantastic items, including some new ranges for you.

Experts promote drinking more water over Christmas

Leading hydration experts, Vidrate are urging us Brits to look out for less common signs of dehydration and drink more water over this Christmas period.

This comes after the disturbing and shocking news that only 6% of our nation is hydrating properly and consuming the correct amount of water.

And further, a recent study conducted by Vidrate found out of 30,000 people surveyed, under 1% drink the recommended 8 glasses of water per day. 

Why is this so important now?

Nick Hird, Co-Founder of Vidrate says, “Winter hydration is just as important as staying hydrated during the summer. In fact, a study from the University of New Hampshire found that your chance of dehydration actually increases during the colder months. Since people don't feel as thirsty when the temperature drops and many forget to drink enough water.”

“Not only this but over the Christmas period, people's alcohol intake tends to increase which can also lead to severe dehydration. Other factors that could lead to dehydration may include indoor heating and dry air, and layers of clothing can cause excess sweating.” 

Common signs of dehydration

Thirst is a common indicator we need to refill with fluids, but often dehydration can occur before we even begin to feel thirsty. This means we can be experiencing negative side effects of dehydration without even being aware that we’re dehydrated.

Other symptoms of dehydration include dark-coloured urine, fatigue, headache, dizziness, dry mouth, and peeing very little throughout the day.

If dehydration is not dealt with, it can potentially lead to more severe side effects such as heat stroke, brain swelling, seizures, kidney failure, coma, and even death. These side effects are rare and only occur in very extreme cases of dehydration. 

However, if your dehydration symptoms persist even after rest and drinking plenty of water you should seek medical attention.

Nick Hird, Co-Founder of Vidrate says, “The best way to avoid getting dehydrated is to, well, stay hydrated. This means making a point to drink more fluids throughout the day and increase your intake of electrolyte-rich fruits and vegetables. If you have trouble remembering to drink water, set a timer on your phone for at least once every hour as a reminder to hydrate.”

“You may even want to consider buying a reusable water bottle that you can refill throughout the day so that you will always have water nearby. If you’re planning on doing a workout or engaging in any kind of vigorous activity, prepare ahead of time by drinking plenty of water. 

"Be sure to bring some with you to consume during and after your workout as well, and don’t forget to bring an electrolyte sachet with you if you are going to be active for more than an hour. It's recommended to drink electrolyte-enhanced beverages after about an hour of vigorous exercise for best health practices.”

“And remember, even if you are not thirsty you may still be at risk for dehydration. Don't wait until your mouth is dry before you reach for your water bottle. Stay vigilant about your hydration and you’ll be rewarded with a healthy functioning body. Do yourself a favour and drink up.” 

To learn more about how Vidate can help you with your hydration please visit https://www.vidrate.com.

Actually, these look like some nifty Christmas presents for those in your life who are into exercise.

You, cleaning, Christmas and ROIDMI

Christmas is a truly magical time of year meant for family, homemade food and presents, but according to a ROIDMI UK poll we average Brit spends between four and five hours cleaning our homes preparing for Christmas Day, and the national press suggested some homeowners go so far as cleaning their homes for an hour or even more on Christmas day. 

Geoff Johnson is a cleaning expert and Director at cordless vacuum cleaner brand ROIDMI UK, and he reveals his top tips to help you get your home prepped for a stress-free Christmas season so that your home can stay cleaner and fabulously festive for even longer.  

Geoff says: “Christmas should be spent enjoying time with friends and family, not fretting and worrying about mopping and vacuuming. Spending a bit of time prepping your home for the big day in advance will give you more time to take part in all of the festive fun.”

Pesky pine needles 

"Vacuuming keeps your home looking and feeling fresh but fallen pine needles are a daily battle over the Christmas season. When vacuuming, ensure to never use the brush head, especially on hard floors, as this can send those pesky pine needles flying across the room. Only vacuum small sections at a time and remember to empty the bag regularly to avoid blockages. Top tip: Try using a lint roller or Sellotape, this also works on soft furnishings!"

Deep clean your kitchen

“Christmas is a time of year we tend to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so it’s a very good idea to prep your kitchen for all the heavy-duty Christmas cooking. A week before the big day you should clean out the fridge and cupboards and throw out any old products.”

Clean your decorations 

“Christmas decorations spend most of their time hidden away in dusty attics or cupboards waiting for their time to shine. I recommend that you give them all a good cleaning before you hang them up, so they look good as new and impress your guests on Christmas Day." 

Invest in cordless 

"A cordless vacuum cleaner like the ROIDMI X30 Pro makes cleaning up Christmas day mess more convenient than ever before and will make light work of pet hair, pine needles, and spillages. They are light and easy to use and will mean you can spend more time with your feet up watching Christmas movies and less time cleaning.”

ROIDMI, which is the UK’s fastest-growing cordless vacuum cleaner brand, has launched its latest range of cleaners from £99 to £599 in the UK through Euronics local High-Street stores, their online shops, and the Euronics website https://www.euronics.co.uk.

https://roidmi.com/en-gb.

Some houseproud people will be very thrilled to receive a vacuum cleaner as a Christmas present. Trust me on that!

Shaffay luxury slippers make the perfect gift for the Lady in your life this Christmas

Shaffay makes luxury slippers for women that bridge the gap between elegance and comfort. Designed in Britain and made to last, these fabulous slippers are created using only the highest quality materials.

They use the finest Nappa leather, a soft cosy pile lining and a robust non-slip rubber sole. For extra comfort there's even a small hidden wedge in the heel and a memory foam inner sole, too.

The colours and stylish clean lines of the Signature Collection effortlessly complement daywear, leisurewear, loungewear and sleepwear, too.

Shaffay slippers are easy to slip-on but their clever design ensures that they simply won't fall off. Which is very important for safety.

As the lucky recipient of your gift wears them, they will mould and adapt to their feet, whilst not losing their shape and will become an essential component of their homewear wardrobe.

Each pair is £95 of the best, most luxurious slippers they'll ever wear.

www.shaffay.com

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Feel stressed or angry every Christmas? BAAM can help you

Want to avoid doing a "Will Smith" this Christmas? There are new ways to help you manage your temper that form part of this year’s Anger Awareness Week, which runs from Thursday 1 to 7 December 2022.

In today’s stress-filled world, many people find themselves in hot-water situations when their anger becomes difficult or even impossible to control. (Which often happens at Christmastime.)

Although anger has many causes, it’s often rooted in childhood traumas. To help people work out where their anger may be coming from BAAM (the British Association of Anger Management), is asking the public to take a free ACE (Aggressive Childhood Experience), test about common traumatic experiences. The test takes a mere five minutes to complete and offers insights into the causes of people's anger, the first step to managing society's growing problem.

In addition to the free ACE test, BAAM has other free-use resources available on its website as part of this year’s Anger Awareness Week. These include an A to Z of Anger and an A to Z of Stress. Helping the UK to conquer Anger.

Mike Fisher, who is a leading Anger and Stress Management expert and the Founder of the British Association of Anger Management said: "The extremely harmful nature of Adverse Childhood Experiences are often more long-lasting than people realise, and makes it more likely people will suffer from stress and anger as adults."

He went on to add: “That’s why we want to make it simple for people to learn about Adverse Childhood Experiences which can mean people suffer from serious mental and physical issues later in their lives. These can include anger management problems, heart disease, toxic stress, depression, anxiety, risky sexual behaviour, poor academic achievement, and substance abuse, also.”

The Adverse Childhood Experiences test involves 10 simple Yes/No questions and results in a score.

If the score is high, it can mean Adverse Childhood Experiences are a cause of social and emotional difficulties, relationship issues, and anger problems.

BAAM (the British Association of Anger Management), has been helping people manage their anger issues for in excess of a quarter century. Their Adverse Childhood Experiences test has already been completed by over 2,000 people.

Many people suffer from anger problems in their personal and professional lives and this test is a great way to start managing anger. It’s another way people can start to reclaim their inner calm. That's so important at this time of year as Christmas, when people are together at home, is when anger can ruin not just the holiday but people's relationships, too.

https://www.angermanage.co.uk/adverse-childhood-experiences-ace-test.

BBC Apprentice Star backs Pump Aid’s Giving the Gift of Water this Christmas

For communities in Malawi, which is a small landlocked country known as the warm heart of Africa, accessing safe water is a daily struggle. Many water pumps are broken because of a lack of spare parts and expertise to repair them. Women and girls walk up to 6km to collect water, losing time and opportunities for school or work.

At this time of year some of us reflect on things for which we are grateful. Having clean water on tap is a luxury that millions across the world simply lack.

Joanna Jarjue, Ambassador at Pump Aid and BBC Apprentice Finalist, “I strongly believe no person, regardless of their location or circumstances they were born in should endure such hardship whereby some of the things we take for granted in more developed countries are scarce; especially something as crucial to everyday life and health such as water.” 

Pump Aid trains and supports local people in rural communities in Malawi to become Pump Mechanics. And Pump Mechanics keep water flowing by repairing and maintaining pumps in local communities, promoting sustainability and self-sufficiency, as well as creating jobs.

Pump Aid are taking part in the Big Give’s 2022 Christmas Challenge to raise £61,000 in just one week! These funds will be used for to train and support Pump Mechanics to fix broken pumps to improve water access to more than 25,000 people.

If you would like to support Pump Aid’s vital work in Malawi, you can donate to their Big Give campaign from 29th November until 6th December. Visit www.pumpaid.org for more information as to how you can make a real difference this Christmas.

Tesco, FareShare and the Trussell Trust open doors to The Give Back Express, as need for food banks and charities soars

In the run-up to Christmas, Tesco and its charity partners are launching The Give Back Express its first ever ‘reverse supermarket’ to drive donations as FareShare and the Trussell Trust reveal they expect to provide food support to more than 1.2 million people this winter.

The Give Back Express pop-up encourages customers to purchase the products most needed by the charities, but leave with nothing as everything bought will be donated.

And Tesco will match the value of all goods purchased at the pop-up.

Marking the 10th anniversary of the retailer’s partnership with FareShare and the Trussell Trust, the pop-up store launches ahead of the Tesco Food Collection, which once again encourages customers to donate products in their local store, with the retailer topping up the value of these by 20%.

As FareShare and the Trussell Trust report they expect to provide food support to more than 1.2 million people this winter, Tesco and its charity partners have launched The Give Back Express - their first ever ‘reverse supermarket’ to help spread Christmas joy and boost donations.

Visitors are invited to buy and donate the 25 most needed items as identified by Tesco and both charities – including tinned food, tea and toiletries – at The Give Back Express pop-up store. Customers simply pay for the products they have chosen, with the value of all purchases donated to the charities on their behalf by the supermarket. Passers-by can also scan a QR code located outside the store to make a monetary donation through their Clubcard vouchers, or online via https://secure.tesco.com/clubcard/donate-to-charity. Tesco will match the value of all goods purchased at the store.

Located on London’s Poland Street, The Give Back Express is open from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th November - one of the busiest shopping weekends before Christmas, -and all money raised will help support communities right across the UK.

FareShare forecasts it will redistribute over 13,000 tonnes of food to people this winter, while the Trussell Trust reported that 320,000 people used a food bank for the first time between April to September this year, with the need continuing to rise.

Tesco is also encouraging customers to get involved in its annual Food Collection - launching in Express stores from Monday 28th November to Saturday 3rd December, and in all Tesco stores nationwide from Thursday 1st to Saturday 3rd December. Customers can donate items in their local store, via a charity donation at the checkout, or by purchasing a pre-packaged donation bag full of essentials. As in previous years, Tesco will once again top up the value of donations made in stores as part of the Food Collection, by a further 20% in cash.

During the festive season, giving back is particularly front of mind for many. The annual Tesco Christmas Report revealed an anticipated rise in charitable giving and requests for donations in place of gifts, with over half (52%) the nation planning to carry out some form of charitable act this Christmas5.

Ken Murphy, Tesco Group CEO said: “This winter will be increasingly challenging for many people who are facing food uncertainty. And food banks and frontline charities need our help more than ever before. We have been working with FareShare and the Trussell Trust for 10 years and during this time, our generous customers have helped donate over 100 million meals to communities across the UK, with Tesco topping up donations by 20%. 

"Whether it’s at the Give Back Express; in your local store through our annual Food Collection; or via your Clubcard points online, even the smallest donation can make a real difference and help to spread a little more Christmas joy this year.”

Lindsay Boswell, FareShare CEO said: “The cost of living crisis is driving millions of people into food insecurity. At a time when food prices and energy bills are rising, the demand for food from FareShare has skyrocketed with 75%6 of our charities telling us they need access to more food. What we are also hearing from the charities we support is that this situation will only worsen, and they are worried they may not be able to meet the extra demand this winter.

“As we prepare for a challenging winter, The Give Back Express will help us to raise awareness around the work we are doing across the UK to provide food to people facing economic hardship and enable us to show shoppers how they can support us with vital donations via our partner Tesco.”

Emma Revie, CEO at Trussell Trust said: “We are extremely grateful to Tesco for the invaluable support that they have provided to food banks across the UK over the last decade. Tesco and its customers are the biggest single source of food donations for the Trussell Trust’s network of food banks, but our partnership has also offered far more than just food. 

"In addition to millions of pounds worth of generous donations, Tesco’s 10 years of support has helped food banks to recruit volunteers, attract new supporters and make their communities aware of the support they provide. Now, at a time when food banks are facing a tsunami of need created by the soaring cost of living, we would like to share a heartfelt thanks to Tesco for their ongoing commitment to helping the Trussell Trust provide people with access to essential items, while we work to create a future where everyone is free from hunger – for good."

LOCATION AND OPENING HOURS:

• Friday 25th November – 12pm – 8pm

• Saturday 26th November – 10am – 8pm

• Sunday 27th November – 10am - 8pm

Location: 12 Poland Street, London, W1F 8QA

Nearest tube stations: Oxford Circus (5 min walk) and Tottenham Court Road (8 min walk).