Fantastic family fun with Imagination Games

The whole family, from the littlest to the biggest will be in for some fantastic Chirstmas fun with some really neat games from Imagination!

There's Burping Bert.
Hear Burt burb, parp, sneeze, snore and belch his way through the game!

What do players have to do? Press his belly button to hear a truly gross sound. Then get rid of one of the cards in your pile by being able to match it to the sound that Burt has just emitted.

But be careful! Because if Burt snores, then that's your turn to pick up another card!

The first player who gets rid of all of their cards is the winner!

The second game from Imagination that Burt is looking at is The Hungry Frogs, a 'magic sound' board game. 

It's aimed at children who are 4 and older, and can be played by two children or more at a time.

They'll take turns to spin the special spinner, and hop around the board.

If they land on a lilly pad, they will turn over a token. If there is a fly on the token, you keep it. The first player who earns three tokens is the winner.

But just to add to the fun, any player who is sitting on a log when the magic sound button is pressed must return to their home space!

Spot to the Rescue is the third game we are looking at. Which is also from age four and with two players or more.

Oh, no! There's a poor kitten, stuck up a tree! But don't worry! Spot the Dalmatian puppy will rush to his rescue, with a little help from the human players!

Players must spin the special device. This tells you how many moves you can make or of you have to press make a sound.

Players progress round the board and the first person to find three kitten tokens is the winner of the game!

You can find details of these games from www.imaginationgames.co.uk

Santa Claus to Run 4 Cancer!

Santa Claus Run 4 Cancer

Run 4 Cancer, the cancer charity for runners, is pleased to announce that it has secured a further 50 places for this year’s Santa Run London. This year's Santa Run will take place in Greenwich Park on Sunday the 9th of December 2012.

Run 4 Cancer, pronounced run for cancer, was set up by a group of running enthusiasts who have all lost a close friend or relative to cancer. Run entirely on a voluntary basis, the team at Run 4 Cancer raise funds by taking part in running challenges all over the world. The funds raised are used to provide days out / short-breaks for families living with cancer and to make grants to palliative care centres. The running charity also funds research into the positive effects of exercise and how it can help both prevent cancer and assist in recovery post diagnosis.

The Santa Run London 2012 attracts over 2,000 Santas every year and thousands more spectators. Open to all runners from the age of eight upwards, the course is also suitable for disabled people in wheelchairs.

For the £20 entry fee, Run 4 Cancer supporters receive a complimentary Santa Suit comprising hat, jacket, trousers, belt and beard. Runners are able to keep the Santa Suits after the race.

For 2012, two distances are available – either 5Km or 10Km. The 5Km circuit takes in the sights of Greenwich Park and the recent Olympic show jumping arena. To take part, runners are asked to raise a minimum sponsorship fund of £100. In addition to receiving a Santa Suit, each participant will be given a secure online fundraising page on Run 4 Cancer's website to collect both donations and words of encouragement.

Commenting on the event, Run 4 Cancer Chairman Stu Bowker said “I’ve run in previous Santa runs in Brighton and they are great fun. In fact, it’s rather difficult to concentrate on running when you’re laughing so much. Seeing 2,000 Santas run in a massive group is guaranteed to bring a smile to the faces of both runners and spectators alike.”

Stu concluded “This year, I’ll be running for my girlfriend’s uncle who recently lost his battle with cancer. Running 10K in a Santa Suit is actually quite a challenge but I am really looking forward to it. It’s a great event and loads of fun. If anyone else would like to get involved in the charity, please get in touch”

For more information, call 0845 408 1849 or visit http://www.run4cancer.org

Tea Party for your unique Christmas Do!

Absolutely perfect for a team party, a small business or even just as a treat with friends

Special Offer - £24 per person

Tea Party in North London is special! Now in its 3rd year, it’s time to announce it’s Christmas tea parties, absolutely perfect for a small Christmas do.

This totally unique private venue holds up to 20 guests in its gorgeous pink surroundings.

It was featured recently on ITV's Lorraine and has been used for lots of photo shoots appearing in both national newspapers & magazines.

Absolutely perfect for a team party, a small business or even just as a treat with friends

The gorgeous gem situated on a high street with its pink candy stripped walls, floral background and big pink chandelier just looks so cute set for Christmas.

. The Christmas Menu consists of:

• Unlimited tea
• Ice cool lemonade
• Festive finger sandwiches
• Scrummy scones, jam & lashings of clotted cream
• Christmas decorated cupcakes
• Chocolate dipped cookies
• Table flowers & Christmas tree!
• Christmas crackers
• Pretty napkins
• Served on vintage china

• Extra items available to add to your fantastic Christmas tea party include: Chocolate Yule log, mince pies, cake pops, cookies, mini xmas fruit cakes etc

You can even bring your own bubbly too!

The special offer of £24 per person is available for weekdays & weekday evenings.

Check out our website page for more info on booking a Christmas Tea Party: http://www.teaparty.uk.com

We find the top games for Christmas!

Giant Pass The Pigs

Lord of the Rings Top Trumps

Top Trumps

Winning Moves, the innovative games company behind many classic family favourites including Top Trumps and Pass The Pigs, today reveals the coolest must-have games for Christmas 2012.

Whether you’re buying for your own family, friends, colleagues or neighbours, you’ll find there’s a game to suit every taste in the Winning Moves range:

The Eye of Sauron – Lord of the Rings Top Trumps Collectors’ Tin (RRP £12.99 ages 5+, 2+ players):
Relive the greatest adventure of our time with the Lord of the Rings Top Trumps Collectors’ Tin. The stunningly detailed Eye of Sauron tin houses two exclusive Top Trumps packs: 30 Heroes of Middle-Earth and 30 of Sauron’s Forces. Lord of the Rings fans will particularly love hearing the Black Speech of Mordor when they open the tin on Christmas morning!

GIANT Pass The Pigs (RRP £14.99, ages 8+, 2+ players):
The classic party game Pass The Pigs gets a SUPER-SIZE twist this Christmas! Perfect for parties all year-round, these giant inflatable pigs can bounce around the living room, garden or beach. It’s Pass The Pigs like you’ve never passed them before! Inflate your pair of porkers, throw them and see how they land. Will you get a Leaning Jowler, a Mixed Combo or will you Pig Out?

Top Trumps (RRP from £2.99, ages 5+, 2+ players):
No Christmas stocking is complete without a pack of Top Trumps. With a theme to suit everyone – from classics such as Dinosaurs and Baby Animals, to hot licensed packs including Lord of The Rings, Moshi Monsters, Spider-Man and James Bond – Top Trumps is the ultimate stocking filler or Secret Santa treat for kids and adults alike. The perfect gift for the hard-to-buy-for friend or relative in your life!

Bananagrams (RRP £14.99, age 7+, 2-16 players):
The fast and fun anagram game that drives players bananas! Requiring no pencil, paper or board, Bananagrams comes in a small portable banana-shaped pouch and is perfect fun for kids from 7 – 107 years-old, at home or on the go.

All games are available to buy now on the High Street from a wide range of retailers, or online at http://www.winningmoves.co.uk/shop.

Christmas in a Box with Chesil Smokery!

Whether it's for Uncle George, Cousin Tim or for your foodie friend Emma who has everything (of course!) a fishy, meaty or mixed box from the award-winning Chesil Smokery in Dorset makes the perfect gift this Christmas - so why not give them something they will actually be thrilled to receive this year that won't be put straight in the present re-cycling drawer?

Choose from cold-smoked salmon and trout and hot-smoked mackerel, gravadlax and kippers in the fishy box; a selection of hot and cold smoked venison, duck and chicken breast in the meaty box; and a collection of smoky poultry, meat and fish in the mixed box. Each beautifully packaged box costs from £25, and includes a personalised note; boxes can be ordered from www.chesilsmokery.com (18 December is the last day for Christmas delivery).

• The Taster Box from £25
• The Old English Box from £40
• The Sharing Box from £50
• The Shindig Box from £75

The full range of delicious smoked fish, meat and poultry from the Chesil Smokery is available from www.chesilsmokery.com.

Chesil Smokery in Bridport, Dorset, is the brainchild of managing director Mark Firth, who has been hooked on fishing ever since leaving school at the age of 18 to become a gilly on the Spey, and has travelled the world in his pursuit of all things piscatorial. Now he has channelled that passion into restoring an old smokery at Bridport and helping it to rise, quite literally, from the ashes.

Using English oak and apple wood in its kilns to produce a beautifully sweet and delicate aroma, Chesil Smokery sources only the finest produce - the fittest, leanest salmon (never fatty or oily) from the icy waters of the Shetlands; fresh fish from Samways, the famous fish merchants of Bridport, and the tastiest and freshest free-range chicken and poultry from Creedy Carver of Crediton, Devon. What's more, all the wonderful fish, meat and poultry have lived the right kind of life (as far as humanely and practically possible). 

Consumers Are Getting Social With Merchant Gourmet® For Christmas

Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without Chestnuts, whether they are roasted over an open fire or enjoyed as the bases of some hearty homemade stuffing or stews. Knowing the popularity of their chestnuts range over the festive season, MERCHANT GOURMET®, have launched the 12 weeks of Christmas Campaign, which will engage consumers through the use of social media.
 

Unlike traditional Christmas Campaigns, they have fully embraced the ethos of social media by encouraging people to interact with Facebook and Twitter. The more people engage online, by either answering weekly questions or sharing the campaign with their friends, the more chances they have to win a selection of prizes.
 

Sanjay Davda Head of Grocery at MERCHANT GOURMET®, spoke about the innovative approaches being taken to interact with their consumer base and attract new customers.
 

“This is a really exciting campaign and one that we think will help consumers think of MERCHANT GOURMET® as a brand of choice for Chestnuts.  We have lined up a whole host of Christmas treats for our consumers, such as Kelly Bronze Turkeys, Stellar Organics Wines, Oromo Coffee and Rude Health Cereals, to ensure that our engagement maintains momentum and our reach is maximised over the next three months.”
 

Alongside the weekly treats, the campaign will also result in one lucky person winning a trip to the famous Charlottenburg Christmas Market in Berlin. To enter, customers simply have to check the packs of MERCHANT GOURMET® Chestnuts and MERCHANT GOURMET® Chestnut Puree products for further details. 

Speaking about the reason for linking the on pack promotion with the social media campaign Davda said: “The popularity for traditional ingredients is on the rise, and last year we saw an eight per cent growth year on year in the volume sales of our whole chestnuts. This year we are also planning stronger promotional activity in store in the build-up to the festive season and we believe that this campaign will really bring this product to life and get our customers engaging.  

"We believe that building a two way dialogue is essential and from our success so far it appears that our consumers really appreciate this. After only a few hours of the campaign going live we had increased our Facebook following by nearly 5%, so we are really excited to see what the next 12 weeks have to offer.“
 

Speaking about the overall purpose of the campaign Davda went on to say:“What we want to achieve from this, is to make sure that our chestnuts are the ones of choice for consumers, particularly over the Christmas period. However we also want to attract them to other products within the MERCHANT GOURMET® range whilst simultaneously attracting new consumers. “
 

To enter check out the Merchant Gourmet Facebook page and start liking http://www.facebook.com/MerchantGourmet?ref=hl

You'll click with this gift! An online photography course!

A Christmas gift of a photography course with some of the world’s best photographers is just a click away as MyPhotoSchool launches a unique online gift certificate

MyPhotoSchool, the online school photography school with personal tuition from the world’s top photographers, has today launched gift certificates for each of its online photography courses, in time for Christmas. This makes it possible for people to buy a course right up until the moment they see their loved ones on Christmas Day.

The beauty of a course from MyPhotoSchool is that the world’s most acclaimed photographers teach students popular photography topics, ranging from macro photography or low light photography; child photography and pet photography; bird photography, architecture and flower photography; travel photography and child photography; taking beautiful landscape photographs, and everything in between. This makes is possible to find a gift for everyone, from the most discerning photographer to the keen photography enthusiast to someone simply looking for a great new hobby.

Those wishing to buy a gift certificate for loved ones simply need to choose the online photography course they would like from the MyPhotoSchool website and click through to the individual course page. In addition to a course overview, details about the course tutor and a taster video, visitors will find a ‘Gift this Course’ button. The button leads buyers through the very simple ordering and payment process, and provides a printable certificate with an online code that enables recipients to book any course to begin at a time that suits them.

All MyPhotoSchool courses cost £145, last four weeks and begin on the first Saturday of every month. The beauty of MyPhotoSchool photography courses is that you meet experts in the comfort of your home.

Each course includes step by step video tutorials, downloadable course notes, and the facility to chat with tutors and fellow classmates online, in a ‘virtual classroom’. The classroom may be ‘virtual’ but the camaraderie is real, and the technology is very intuitive and easy to use.

All of the MyPhotoSchool tutors are outstanding in their field (and studio), being accomplished photographers and acclaimed photography writers. Courses cover everything from getting to grips with the equipment, understanding light and exposure, perfecting composition, professionally editing and making money from photography. Tutors at MyPhotoSchool, include world renowned wildlife photographer Heather Angel, former president of the Royal Photographic Society (RPS); David Handley, Sony Fashion Photographer of the Year; Phil Malpas, professional photographer and author of colour photography best sellers; Nigel Hicks, Associate of the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP), professional photographer and author; Tony Worobiec, Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, founder member of Arena, journalist and author; and Paul Harcourt Davies, professional photographer, author and conservationist. For more information on all of the MyPhotoSchool tutors and the courses that they teach, please go to: http://www.my-photo-school.com/courses/

MyPhotoSchool also provides a free photography website and a monthly themed competition for members registered to its website, with prizes available. Please go to http://www.my-photo-school.com/ for more information.