Saturday 17 December 2011

That's Food and Drink: Tesco Real Food sets SOS helpline to save Christma...

That's Food and Drink: Tesco Real Food sets SOS helpline to save Christma...: Tesco Real Food has set up a unique Christmas dinner SOS helpline to rescue Britons from k...

Festive chores dominate Christmas family time

toptable research reveals Brits spend over 2 working days planning and delivering their perfect Christmas celebration. 

British families are spending less time with each other and more in the kitchen and supermarket, according to a Christmas survey by the leading online consumer destination for restaurant bookings in the UK, toptable.com

Despite Christmas being traditionally earmarked as a time to spend with the family, more hours are being spent planning festive celebrations and doing the chores. Over half (51%) of respondents admitted spending up to five hours planning the Christmas dinner, with a further 42% saying they will commit to three or four hours preparing and cooking the meal for the family, rather than spending time with them. In fact, nearly one in two (46%) also owned up to doing the cleaning for two hours instead of sitting down with their loved ones.

Supermarkets are also popular attractions for families as over a third of respondents (36%) confessed to trawling the shops for approximately four hours to make sure they have planned every mealtime. What’s more, one in five (19%) even tend to miss their family arriving for Christmas altogether, as they are too busy with festive chores.

The number of people catered for over the holidays can also have a big effect on the amount of work required. The study revealed that over a third (35%) of hosts tend to cater for an average of eight different people over the Christmas period, with a further one in three (33%) families arguing about a lack of helpers with the festive preparations!

Head of restaurant relations at toptable, Lucy Taylor says: “We know that Christmas can be an extremely busy time for families and sometimes you forget what the holiday is all about – spending time with them. Families can save hours of stress by taking time out and booking a local restaurant over the festive period.”

To book your Christmas fun for all the family, go to toptable.com

“This year I will ... get fit, learn a language, take up a hobby.” Sound familiar?

If you start each January 1st with a list of New Year’s Resolutions, then www.tasterlab.com is a must-visit website which could help you fulfil your wishes – without burning a hole in your pocket.

Featuring 100s of activities in and around London, www.tasterlab.com gives you the chance to try something new with completely free or heavily discounted trial sessions. You can even create your own ‘wish list’ on the site and be sent news about the experiences that you have chosen.

Main categories include: adventure sports, alternative therapy, art, crafts and textiles, dance, film, food and wine, health and fitness, languages, lifestyle, martial arts, music, photography, sports, theatre, and writing.

Free Tasters

There are a range of free taster sessions on the site, including:

• a great opportunity to start the year on a positive note with a free, 30-minute life coaching session;
• discover whether you could cut it on ‘Strictly’ with a free introduction to Tango; or
• bang out your frustrations with a free 30-minute drum session.

Discounted Tasters

As well as the free tasters, everything else on the site is discounted:

• unleash your inner Masterchef with three-hours coaching from a professional chef, in your own home, for £22.50, saving 50%;
• get ‘street’ with a £5.00 introduction to Parkour (street running), or a £5.00 Street Dance class – both half price; or
• improve your Franglais with 50% off an hour’s private French class for £17.50.

Unlike other discount sites, there is no minimum number of participants needed. You can buy vouchers for specific activities, or a general www.tasterlab.com gift card which can be used for any activity on the site.

For further information and to sign up for free visit:

http://www.tasterlab.com
http://www.facebook.com/tasterlab
http://twitter.com/tasterlab

That's Beauty and Living: Get 75% off selected brands with MeeMee.me

That's Beauty and Living: Get 75% off selected brands with MeeMee.me: Edited online fashion store, www.MeeMee.me is offering customers a massive 75 per c...

White Christmas?

Could Britain have a White Christmas again, this year?

The Met Office has issued the following warning for the next several days:

"Wintry showers will affect parts of the UK at times over the weekend, notably the north and west, although a few parts of the east may miss the showers altogether. The public should be aware of the risk of ice on roads and pavements, particularly each night and morning."

The public is advised to take extra care, further information and advice can be found here: www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/links.html

Will these snowy conditions develop and last until Christmas Day? The Bookmakers have reduced the odds for a White Christmas for Christmas 2011.

Terry’s Fabric’s Reduce Items by as Much as 80% in Time for Christmas

Customers looking to find a bargain in the run up to Christmas should look to Terry’s Fabrics this month as the site has just announced a sale that will see them drop their prices by as much as 80% on selected items. Amongst the range of products on offer are items that Terry’s Fabrics sees as being perfect Christmas gifts for friends and family members keen on interior design and homemaking.

The items on offer include everything from rugs and curtains to bedding and table cloths. In fact, there are items from pretty much every section of the sites overall range all reduced to prices that make them even more affordable. Customers who would like to see the range of reduced products on offer at the site can head to Terry’s Fabrics homepage by clicking here. There they will also find information regarding the latest products and designs that the site has recently unveiled for their winter range for 2011/12.

The winter range has seen the sites team of designers create a selection of products aimed at creating a warm and cosy home space for their customers. This has seen the designers focus on a number of things including the use of luxuriant materials such as silk and wool and the use of rich, dark colours which customers can see on products such as the Comet Cushion Chocolate.

The site recently announced that will also extend its price match guarantee in order that customers receive the cheapest price possible. This states that if customers can find their products cheaper elsewhere online then they will be more than happy to refund the difference in price accordingly.

AllSaints Christmas sale!

AllSaints launches a 25% off promotion, exclusively online, for one day only. Plus, purchase gift cards in store and online; the ultimate Christmas treat for your loved ones.

Struggling with those last minute gift ideas? AllSaints have launched an exclusive online promotion just in time! For one day only receive 25% off EVERYTHING at AllSaints.com, when using the promotional code, CHRISTMAS, at the online basket page.

This promotion ends at 23:59 GMT on Friday 16th December; which is also the last day for guaranteed Christmas Delivery to UK addresses.

For some festive inspiration we recommend shopping for her from the Knitwear and Embellishment ranges, where you will find delicate, but densely hand-embellished pieces like the Orna Devo Dress and Erodes Skirt. The Cashmere jumpers and cardigans, inspired by traditional Pearly Kings and Queens, feature mother of pearl components and metal beads; adding a quirky take on a Pearly Queen graphic.

Meanwhile, for Him, we’re looking towards the Sterling Silver collection; exclusively available online only. The Encrypt Ring is a classic style and comes with a suede leather pouch. Or for the Technology-minded loved ones, the Hoist iPhone and iPad cases are essential gifts!

Still not sure what to purchase ahead of the big day? An AllSaints Gift Card is the ultimate last minute gift, perfect for all your loved ones. AllSaints Gift Cards come in the signature distressed style; allowing the recipient to choose their most coveted pieces from the Winter 2011 collection. The AllSaints Gift Card is redeemable both in standalone UK stores and European stores and online with a purchase value of up to £1000/€1000.

Gift Cards can only be spent in the currency of which they were purchased. GBP Gifts Cards can only be redeemed against UK Sterling (£) purchases. EUR Gift Cards can only be redeemed against EUR purchases.

Please also note that online Top-Up for existing Gift Cards is currently unavailable.

Gift Cards are not included in the one day Christmas online promotion.

Shop online at www.AllSaints.com