Enjoy a Babingtons Blends Christmas Tea

Curated by Chiara Bedini, the debut UK collection is available in loose, refill & filter (tea bag) formats. 

Join them in celebrating this unique fusion of aroma, taste, style, eccentricity, wit, and independent behaviour.

All Babingtons Blends teas are sustainably sourced, hand blended and are 100% natural with no artificial colourings or flavourings. All packaging is biodegradable, so it's eco-friendly, too!

Taste: aromatic and spicy

Predominant Hints: cinnamon, ginger, cloves, apple, vanilla 

Goes well with spicy dishes, curries, chicken, and bacon sandwiches 

Sweets: Christmas cake, plum puddings, mince pies and carrot cake 

Time of day: ideal morning and afternoon

Babingtons Blends Individual Teas, from £6.99

Hero teas in the debut collection include Earl Grey Imperial, Breakfast Special Blend, Karha Chai, Moroccan Secret, Forest Fruits, and Sweet Dreams.

Blends are available in loose leaf and tea bag format.

Available to pre-order online now

www.babingtonsblends.com

 

Make it a CLCKR Christmas!

The most useful gift you can send this Christmas - CLCKR phone case stand and grip This phone case with stand or universal grip is absolutely a gadget you don’t know you need until you use one. And it makes a pretty neat Christmas gift, too!

It stands your device in landscape, portrait or telco mode. It allows you to video call handsfree, watch Netflix, see your favourite movie or workout at home without propping your phone up against a water bottle!

https://www.clckr.com/uk from £29.99 

CLCKR car mount: the CLCKR car mount is a unique product which allows you to store your smartphone whilst in your car. The 2-part mount comes with a small magnetic silver clip which slides onto your CLCKR Stand & Grip allowing it to magnetically connect to the air vent attachment. https://clckr.co.uk/products/car-mount-air-vent £14.99 rrp

CLCKR Wallet: The CLCKR Wallet with built in Stand and Grip is the perfect all-round accessory for your device. The Wallet slides down providing space for up to 3 cards and closes securely so you know your cards aren’t going anywhere. The built-in patented Stand & Grip enables you to use your phone in multiple modes including, portrait, landscape or conference mode. 

https://clckr.co.uk/products/stand-wallet £19.99 

High performance Air Wearables - AirPop - Face masks have quickly become an everyday essential that we can't leave the house without.

AirPop have a range of high-performance air wearables available in multi-use disposable masks, washable masks with disposable filters and masks for children. https://www.airpophealth.com/uk/ From £7.99. An ideal gift for family members who need a bit of air filtration.

Gifts for Tea Lovers: Ahmad Tea Unveils New 2022 Christmas Collection

Give some (tea) love this Christmas with a tea gift from Ahmad Tea's all 2022 Christmas collection.

 Featuring a New! 24 days of Tea Advent Calendar to surprise and delight tea lovers with a different tea every each and everyday in the Christmas run-up, and New! Kew loose leaf tea Christmas baubles from the brand's Great Taste Award winning collection with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the collection has been carefully curated to cater for tea gifts big and small. 

 Tracey Wakelin, who has the enviable job of Global Head of Marketing at Ahmad Tea, says: “As one of the finest tea brands in the world, we want to give tea lovers the chance to spread a little joy this Christmas.

 “From crop to cup, a lot of love goes into producing our tea to ensure every sip is worth it, from hand plucking the best leaves in the world's finest tea gardens, to tasting the tea at each stage in its journey.

 “Beyond great tasting tea, an Ahmad Tea gift is also one that gives back - as a brand we put people and planet first, and we donate 20% of our profit to local grassroots projects to help communities in need, from working with Children In Need India to support women and infants in Assam (which produces half of India's tea) to delivering clean water to hundreds of thousands in Niger affected by soaring temperatures.”

 The 2022 Christmas collection from Ahmad Tea includes:

 NEW! 24 days of Christmas Advent Calendar: What better way for tea lovers to count down to Christmas than with this fun NEW! calendar from the fine tea experts at Ahamd Tea? Featuring 24 foil fresh teabags, there is a tasty blend to try each day, from classics such as Darjeeling, Earl Grey, Cardamon, Ceylon and English Tea No.1, to more exotic flavours such as Mango & Lychee Green Tea, Apple Refresh, Cinnamon Haze, Camomile & Lemongrass, Honey & Vanilla, Rooibos & Cinnamon, and Berries & Hibiscus. RRP £13.99.

 Kew 'Beyond the Leaf' Loose Leaf Tea Caddies: An exciting Great Taste Award winning collection from two iconic British brands, balancing Ahmad Tea's beautifully blended teas with the natural beauty and heritage of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Four classic blends (Majestic Breakfast, Splendid Ceylon, Garden Afternoon and Elegant Earl Grey) are available in 100g loose leaf tea caddies - the perfect gift for tea lovers. RRP £7.99.

 NEW! Kew 'Beyond the Leaf' Bauble Caddies: NEW! for Christmas 2022! The Great Taste Award winning loose leaf teas from Ahmad Tea and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, are now available in a stylish Christmas bauble! Choose from Majestic Breakfast, Splendid Ceylon, and Elegant Earl Grey. 25g loose leaf tea bauble caddy. RRP £3.99.

 Kew 'Beyond the Leaf' Teabag Selection: The same Great Taste Award winning collection from Ahmad Tea in collaboration with Royal Botanic Gardens, also available in a convenient teabag selection caddy! Choose from Majestic Breakfast, Splendid Ceylon, Elegant Earl Grey, and Garden Afternoon. 4 x 10 foil fresh teabags. RRP £11.99.

 Diamond Teabag Selection: A deluxe, gold selection caddy featuring some of Ahmad Tea's bestselling classic blends including English Breakfast, Chai Spice, Cinnamon Haze (3 x 10 selection box, RRP £3.99) plus Earl Grey, English Tea No.1, and Cardamom Tea (6 x 10 teabag selection, RRP £9.99.)

The 2022 Christmas gift collection from Ahmad Tea is available to buy from uk.ahmadtea.com and Amazon from October 2022.

Plastic-Free vegan-friendly Shaving Brush. The ideal eco-friendly Christmas gift

A massive advantage of using a shaving brush is the absolutely luxurious feel.

Plus they will help you get a closer shave, cutting down on pesky skin irritation, and fewer ingrown hairs! (Thank goodness!) Once you switch, you'll never look back! It's perfect for the green-minded Christmas gift recipients in your life.

The bristles are made from sisal bristles, which is a type of grass.

But the problem is that, even for some people who aren't vegetarians or vegans, they don't actually like the idea of using a real bristle brush on their skin. 

And as for those of us who are vegetarians for vegans? They'll have to avoid the luxury of a bristle brush shave with real, foaming soap.

But not now! Because now you can buy them the perfect stocking filler, a Plastic-Free Vegan Shaving Brush!

Not only is it totally plastic-free, it's also vegan friendly and completely cruelty free, offering them an improved shave performance using a perfect shaving brush, with a stylish wooden handle.

It costs £14.97 and is available from Clear Confidence.

https://www.clearconfidence.co/product/plastic-free-shaving-brush.

Christmas Morning Marmalade Buns

This is another wonderful festive recipe from our friends at Cottage Delight. It uses their Winter Warming Thin Cut Marmalade

Prep: 1 hour (including rises): 4 hours 30 mins  

Cook: 25 mins

Makes: 12 buns

For dough: 

240ml whole milk

135g dark brown soft sugar

2 tsp mixed spice

½ tsp ground cinnamon

2 sachets instant yeast (7g per sachet)

115g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, cut into 4 pieces

2 large eggs, lightly beaten at room temperature

½ tsp salt

563g strong white bread flour, plus more for surfaces

2 tsp oil for bowl 

For the marmalade filling: 

1 x 340g jar Cottage Delight Winter Warming Thin Cut Marmalade, at room temperature

100g unsalted butter, very soft/room temperature

For orange cream cheese frosting:

55g full fat cream cheese

250g icing sugar

2 tbsp double cream

2-3 tsp orange extract (taste for desired flavour) 

Method

• Grease a large bowl using 2 tsp of oil, set aside. Heat milk to just below boiling point to scald. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature (must still be warm). 

• In a stand mixer, using the dough hook attachment, combine all dry dough ingredients. Add eggs, followed by the warm milk. Mix at a medium speed for 10 minutes before tipping onto a lightly floured surface. (Dough will be soft).

• Knead dough into a ball and place into a large, greased bowl. Cover tightly with cling film and move to a warm spot to prove for 2 hours, or until double in size. 

• Once proved, knock back the dough. Tip onto a lightly floured surface. Gather into a neat ball and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 50x35cm rectangle, making sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick as possible. 

• Place the rectangle of dough with a long edge facing you. Spread the softened butter all over the dough, ensuring you go right to the edges. Spoon over jar of Winter Warming Thin Cut Marmalade (reserve 1 tbsp for dressing) and spread over the top of the butter. 

• Starting from the long edge furthest away, roll the pastry towards you, keeping the dough as tight as possible as you roll (make sure the seal is on the bottom). Take a sharp knife and trim the ends (roughly 1-2 inches each side). 

• Cut the rolled dough in half, then halve your two halves again (leaving you with 4 quarters). Slice each quarter into 3 equal slices and place on their cut side into a greased and lined 20x30cm baking tin. 

• Cover the rolls tightly with cling film and allow to rise until doubled in size (approx. 1 hour). 

• Pre-heat the oven to 200°/180°C fan/gas 6. Once doubled, remove cling film and place in oven for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly golden on top. Place tin on wire rack to cool. 

• In a medium bowl, using a hand-held or stand mixer beat the cream cheese on a medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add double cream and sifted icing sugar. Switch to high and beat for 1 minute. Add orange extract and beat on high to combine. (Taste for desired orange flavour).

• Spread the icing over warm rolls in swirls and serve immediately. 

• Dust with cinnamon and decorate with reserved Winter Warming Thin Cut Marmalade. 

I have a feeling that these buns will not make it to Christmas morning at our house as they'd be chomped down with some festive tea as soon as they were baked!

Fuze: An ideal Christmas gift for the gamer in your life

Debut 'Made with FUZE' game release, SUPER FUNKY BOWLING for Nintendo Switch™ opens the gates for budding game developers, Bedroom Coders and Homebrew Heroes everywhere. 

FUZE Technologies removes the barriers to entry, making the process of games development and publishing more accessible than ever before!

FUZE Technologies are the creators of FUZE4 Nintendo Switch, an application designed to make learning real coding as accessible and beginner-friendly as possible. With its comprehensive suite of features and tutorial content, users can learn the fundamentals of coding in a forgiving environment, therefore removing the barrier to entry often found in professional platforms.

Made with FUZE is a channel for FUZE4 Nintendo Switch users to get their games on the Nintendo eShop, allowing them to start earning money for their games and leaving the complexities of publishing to FUZE.

The debut ‘Made with FUZE’ release is the incredibly awesome ‘SUPER FUNKY BOWLING’ by FUZE community member Nathaniel Strub (aka. Scrubz). The game was created for a high-profile competition judged by video game veterans (including Jeff Minter, Eugene Jarvis and the Oliver Twins) and exemplifies beautifully what is possible in FUZE!

David Silvera, FUZE Product Manager, said: “This is all about lowering the barrier to entry for new developers, celebrating hidden talent and opening doors for people with less access to the support they need to get started.”

Over the past several years, FUZE has seen the creation of a thriving community of coders at every stage of their journey - enthusiastic beginners and seasoned programmers alike are sharing their knowledge, lifting others up and collaborating on awesome creative projects. Their work is celebrated by both FUZE and the community alike, fostering an environment of support and empowerment.

“Game development has always just been a fun hobby for me. I’ve never made a game expecting to make a profit from it. Sure, I’ve dreamt of publishing and selling my games somewhere special, but the process seemed too convoluted to be worth it. Then the FUZE team came along, took a game I made with FUZE, and did the hard work of putting it on the eShop for me! How awesome is that!” – Scrubz, Super Funky Bowling Developer.

Super Funky Bowling is available exclusively on the Nintendo eShop from October 14th 2022 for only £2.99 

Who are they? FUZE Technologies Ltd, Oxfordshire, England has a core focus on making learning to code as easy, accessible and enjoyable as possible.  As well as local Coding & Gaming activities, FUZE provides award winning, curriculum-mapped, computing workshops to schools and STE(A)M events country-wide.

FUZE developed FUZE4 Nintendo Switch, an application designed to bring accessible coding, and even games publishing, to the world’s best-selling games platform and will soon announce versions for additional platforms.

Supporting its activities, FUZE offers freely downloadable teaching content, a vast number of YouTube coding tutorials and operates the FUZE Arena, a community driven platform for coding advice, creative inspiration, and events such as Game Jams and competitions.

To find out more about FUZE Technologies Ltd: fuze.co.uk.

FUZE Arena, YouTube, Twitter & TikTok / @fuzearena

General & Education enquires: contact@fuze.co.uk

 

Meet tonies® - This Year's Fastest Growing Preschool Toy Brand - Set to be on Every Child's Christmas Wish List

tonies®, said to be the world's largest interactive audio platform for kids, is readying itself for a bumper Christmas season this year. 

The latest NPD data for July 2022 has revealed tonies® to be the fastest growing preschool toy brand in the UK for the year to June 2022. 

Their iconic Toniebox ranks as the fastest growing toy in the overall UK market*, making tonies® the toy brand to watch this Christmas.  

No wonder families across the world love the Toniebox so much, it gets played 148 times more than the average gifted toy.

Lucia Kreuzer, the General Manager for the UK and Ireland at tonies®, said: "We are thrilled with the latest NPD results. Being the fastest growing preschool toy brand over the last 12 months is a testament to the team's hard work and commitment to create a product and content that children love. 

"These results are also proof of the strong collaborations we have with our wonderful retail partners and licensors. Knowing we are the top toy brand on gift lists this Christmas is something we're obviously very proud of. But we're far from complacent and we will continually strive to find new,  exciting ways to bring joy and happiness to families and children via the magic of audio entertainment."

Designed for children to replace bright and overstimulating screens, the Toniebox is a robust, softly padded musical storytelling box, designed and built exclusively for kids.

With an extensive range of accompanying hand painted figurines, called Tonies, they are simply placed on top of the Toniebox to play music, songs and also educational content. 

The award-winning, intuitive audio system with its child-safe, wireless,  screen-free approach is transforming the way in which young children independently play and learn.

tonies® has taken the toy world by storm since they were launched back in 2016, developing over 600 different Tonies and selling in excess of 3.9m Tonieboxes and 47 million Tonies globally.  

To date, every second child in Germany owns a Toniebox.

On Black Friday last year, tonies® was the third most searched for brand in its home country Germany, and sold out within hours in the UK. 

tonies® have won multiple awards worldwide. tonies® partnerships have included the launch of educational Tonies with National Geographic and the CBBC favourite, Horrible Histories, besides expanding the growing portfolio with British storytime favourites from Roald Dahl, Julia Donaldson, Enid Blyton and Michael Rosen. 

The brand has also launched collaborations with the UK's top educational resources platform Twinkl, and a partnership with Moshi, the sleep and mindfulness app for children, launching this month, demonstrating their strong commitment to supporting parents and caregivers with content that helps enhance children's educational and emotional wellbeing.   

tonies® has attracted a worldwide fanbase, with celebrity fans in the UK including Millie Mackintosh, Giovanna Fletcher, Martine McClutcheon, Cath Tyldesley and Helen George, to name just a few. Loved by the whole family, it's easy to see why the Toniebox has developed a cult following since its launch.

For parents, grandparents and others looking for Christmas shopping inspiration, the tonies® collection is the ideal present to light up little faces and is the gift that keeps on giving.  With a raft of screen-free content, the Toniebox (£79.99) and accompanying Tonies (from £11.99) provide hours of entertainment for different ages, making it a cost-effective purchase which will be loved for many years. With a range of matching accessories including headphones, carry cases and a car organiser, the tonies® collection is perfect for travel too, allowing kids to enjoy the magic of tonies® at home or away.

To buy your Tonibox visit them at https://tonies.com.