Bags of gifts from Fiorelli

Fiorelli is a non-leather accessories brand and they are justifiability proud that they don't use animal products. 

It's their belief that a Fiorelli handbag isn't a mere accessory, it’s the finishing touch to an outfit and a trusty companion to carry your essentials in style. Fusing fashion with function to elevate your everyday style is what Fiorelli does.

So if you have someone in your life who would look good with a Fiorelli bag this Christmas, please take a look here!

The Agatha is a recent addition to their range. It's  our a hero grab bag. It features an origami fold detailing at the corners.

It's a spacious grab bag which is separated into three compartments offering optimal organisation capabilities.

The central compartment provides extra security with a zipped top and the front of the handbag has a handy zipped pocket adorned with a beautiful pull. 

This classic black bag suits any occasion. It can be worn on the shoulder using the detachable strap when you're on the go or as an elegant top handle work bag. £79

Fiorelli’s iconic and popular Anna backpack has been refreshed for this season with some brand new colour mix options. The Anna can be worn as a work backpack or carried by the top grab handle. 

The multi-functional bag with discreet side and back pockets will fit a laptop (or a Chromebook. Or is that just me?) in the main compartment plus all your daily essentials. Practical and elevated, the Anna is their favourite everyday commuter, work or school bag. £75

Or if the crossbody style of this Rami bag is more to your liking, then there is Fiorelli's newest crossbody. It  features padded detailing, their embossed logo and a functional front pocket. 

When you want to travel light, this black crossbody bag with two interior slip pockets and  one interior zip pocket will keep your valuables organised and secure. £45.

This is an interesting design. It's stylish, yet also "slouchy". It's in a heavy grain fashion and eminently practical. 

It's a timeless design with one main compartment which has a funky zip top closure which is perfect for keeping your essential bits and bobs safe and secure. 

It has soft pleats and is, of course, crafted with non leather materials. It's perfect for when you are on the go. £75.

And if the person you are looking to buy a Christmas present for needs a nice new purse, then the Finley will be ideal for them. Or you, too, should you need a purse.

It's an integral part of their iconic Finley range, this purse in enchanted forest is a stand-out style. The Finley purse has two note compartments, a back slip pocket for your travel card, a wristlet strap and a zipped coin pocket. 

It's an absolute must for the Christmas party season, slip this handy purse into your handbag or carry as a wristlet. The Finley makes a great, fun gift. £29.

Visit www.Fiorelli.com to order or to learn more.

Preparing the Ultimate Butter Board for Christmas

This is something I wasn't aware of, and I'd liked to thank Trewithen Dairy for bringing this to my attention. 

What am I talking about? The new phenomena of Butter Boards!

Butter boards, topped with vibrant, delicious delights are sweeping the nation. If you haven't already seen this trend on TikTok, a butter board is all about fresh butter being spread onto a board, before being decorated with an assortment of toppings, served with bread for dipping. 

These sharing platters are perfect for gatherings and a novel way of serving bread, especially at Christmas time, we at That's Christmas feel.

As butter is the star of the show, it's worth sourcing the good stuff. Trewithen Dairy's Salted Butter is luxuriously smooth textured with a silky richness. It's the high butterfat content in the Cornish cream that gives it such an exceptional mouthfeel and transforms a hunk of bread into something very special indeed.

Trewithen's butter is enhanced further with the addition of Cornish Sea Salt, which is hand-harvested from the ocean waters west of the Tamar. The salt's unique, concentrated flavour enhances anything it is paired with. It is this rich, complexity of flavour that brings Trewithen Dairy butter to life.

How to make a butter board

Soften a block of butter so it is spreadable but still firm

Take your favourite wooden board or sharing platter and spread the butter onto the board

Using a spoon, create ripples and grooves in the butter to fill with your toppings

Top with an assortment of delicious delights

Serve with a cut-up french loaf for dipping

Butter board flavour ideas 

Savoury

Chilli flakes, anchovies, rosemary, lemon zest, crispy bacon

Olive tapenade, sun dried tomatoes, red onion slices, fresh basil, olive oil

Chutney, walnuts, crispy sage, balsamic glaze, orange zest

Sweet

Banana slices, caramel sauce, digestive biscuits

Caramelised figs, orange zest, maple syrup

Raspberry jam, crumbled shortcakes and desiccated coconut

Trewithen Dairy Salted Butter

Raspberry jam

Fresh raspberries

Orange Zest

Maple syrup

Croissants for dipping

The Appetiser Butter Board

Trewithen Dairy Salted Butter

Gordal olives

Marinaded red pepper

Crispy sage leaves

Toasted pine nuts

Olive oil for drizzling

The Sunday Brunch Butter Board

Trewithen Dairy Salted Butter

Nutella

Toasted hazelnuts

Slices of banana

Toasted french bread

A Trewly Cornish Christmas by Trewithen Dairy

Those great folks at Cornwall's Trewithen Dairy has created a collection of recipes for the festive period, with each dish featuring a uniquely Cornish twist.

Their 'A Trewly Cornish Christmas by Trewithen Dairy' collection presents dishes that all share a deep rooted sense of Cornish regional identity, with foundations of tradition and seasonality. 

With showstopping centrepieces, prep-ahead party dishes and irresistible side dishes, the recipes contain everything you need to create the perfect Christmas feast. 

The Trewithen Dairy website contains further festive recipes including edible gifts, crowd-pleasing leftovers and traditional favourites. These unique dishes are sure to help you find the magic along the way.

Francis Clarke, MD at Trewithen Dairy says: “I'm really proud of our 'Trewly Cornish Christmas' collection. Each dish celebrates the sense of belonging and pride we feel for Cornish culture and I'm sure you will love these dishes as much as we do.”

The main event

Try your hand at a Red Onion Tarte Tatin with Blue Cheese and Cornish Clotted Cream. Layers of flaky pastry topped with buttery, caramelised onions makes the perfect vegetarian Christmas dinner or a great Boxing Day buffet centrepiece. Crowned with rich blue cheese and Cornish Clotted Cream for a luxuriously festive finish.

The all-important sides

No Christmas dinner would be complete without the requisite Brussels sprout dish, so we've come up with a Creamy Brussels Sprout Gratin with Cornish Gouda. The humble sprout comes alive when swathed in a rich and velvety sauce of Cornish clotted cream, Cornish Gouda and a generous twang of mustard. This wooly blanket of a dish is the perfect winter antidote - perfect served simply with crusty bread or as a festive side dish for the main event.

This year it's all about the Saffron Bun Stuffing. This Cornish twist on a classic stuffing is bound to steal the show this Christmas. Plump dried fruit and the golden glow of saffron makes Cornwall's famous treat, the saffron bun, a terrific alternative to bread for a very special festive stuffing. Combine with salty bacon, onion and hardy herbs for a flavoursome side to your main event - don't forget to make extra so there's plenty for the ultimate left-overs sandwich!

And for pud 

Get ahead this Christmas with a Festive Meringue Wreath with Cornish Clotted Cream, Spiced Apple, Fudge and Salted Caramel. It can be made in advance and simply constructed on the day - saving your kitchen from mess and washing up. This delicious dessert centrepiece is a fun alternative to traditional Christmas pudding and sure to impress your guests. Decadent Cornish Clotted Cream marries perfectly with spiced apples, salted caramel and is topped with crumbly fudge that's sure to put a smile on everyone's face.

Finally, the ideal dessert for handing out at parties - introducing Cornish Mead Christmas Jellies with Cornish Clotted Cream. Festive fruit, honeyed mead and warming spices combine in these Christmas jellies. This easy, no-bake dessert is perfect for making in advance and serving at gatherings - complete with a spoonful of unctuous Cornish Clotted Cream and a twist of orange. 

Visit www.trewithendairy.co.uk/recipes for A Trewly Cornish Christmas collection and their entire recipe catalogue.

The image is credited to Kate Whitaker. Recipes by Harry Hook for Trewithen Dairy.

 

Heavenly Devon-Baked Flapjacks Delivered to Your Door For This Christmas

Carol Myott and Sally Jenkin, founders

Flapjacks are the best ever treats, and perfect for polishing off a festive Christmas meal, or even starting the festive days. (Flapjacks for breakfast? Yep. I'm good with that!)

Packed full of the best British ingredients, gluten free and delicious, and delivered to your door in a recyclable box, Flapjackery have elevated these humble treats to the most decadent status and their selection of Christmas gifts are sure to have their recipients licking their lips in joy.

The full range of Flapjackery Christmas gifts are available here (https://www.flapjackery.co.uk) and we've selected some of the most popular ones.

Create your own Flapjackery box and add a special message!

Flapjacks are one of the most treasured sweet treats around the world. Thrill your loved ones and create a bespoke flapjack box full of delicious flavours and add a personal message written in white chocolate on a giant Millionaire's flapjack.

There's a huge selection of gluten free flapjacks to choose from that are handmade in Devon using the finest British oats and locally sourced ingredients.

This delicious and thoughtful gift adds decadence and status to a humble household favourite and is sure to tantalise the taste buds.

Millionaire's Message Plaque with 4 Additional Flapjacks £34

Millionaire's Message Plaque with 8 Additional Flapjacks £50 

Add £2.50 for gift wrapping

Shipping is £6.50

Santa's Favourites Flapjack Box

Flapjacks are one of the most treasured flapjacks around the world and Santa's Favourite Flapjack Box is a delicious and thoughtful gift.

Flapjackery adds decadence and status to a humble household favourite and is sure to tantalise the Tate buds. 

Santa's Favourites Flapjack Box contains three giant pieces of gluten free flapjack, made with the finest British ingredients, and each individually wrapped with a shelf life of three months and suitable for freezing.

Box of 3 £12.00

(Dark Chocolate Orange, clotted cream & Granola)

Box of 6 £24.00

(Dark Chocolate Orange, Clotted Cream, Granola,  Raspberry Millionaires, Chocolate Fudge & Millionaires)

Add £2.50 for gift wrapping

Shipping is £6.50.

Christmas Flapjack Family Sharing Box

Flapjackery's 12 Piece Christmas Family Sharing Box is filled with the most decadent and delicious flavours, hand-made using British oats and topped with mouth-watering flavours. There's something to suit everyone's taste so grab your family, snuggle up together and delve in, or pull on your warm, woolly jumpers and coats, and fuel an outdoor winter adventure with flapjacks.

The 12 gluten-free flavours are individually wrapped with a shelf life of three months and suitable for freezing.

Box of 12 £48.00

(Millionaire's, Chocolate Fudge, Raspberry Millionaires, Granola, Clotted Cream, milk Chocolate Orange, Caramel Latte, Dark choc salted caramel, Florentine, raspberry millionaires, Mince Pie & creamy hazelnut)

Christmas Taster Flapjack Box £35.00

Give your loved ones the gift of experiencing Flapjackery's delicious award-winning flapjacks with this brilliant flapjack selection box pack full with 16 amazing flavours. From decadent Ginger & Dark Chocolate Flapjack to the classic Clotted Cream Fudge Flapjack, each flapjack is handmade in Devon with British oats, locally sourced West Country butter and fairtrade brown sugar. The flapjacks are all gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians. They come individually wrapped and are suitable for home freezing.

Christmas Taster Flapjack Box £35.00 16 half pieces of flapjack

All these wonderful Flapjackery flapjacks are available in the Christmas Taster Flapjack Box.

Dark Millionaire's Flapjack

Golden Millionaire's Flapjack

Caramel Latte Flapjack

Chocolate Fudge Flapjack

Granola Flapjack

Chocolate Orange Flapjack

Clotted Cream Fudge Flapjack

Creamy Hazelnut Chocolate Flapjack

Florentine Flapjack

Ginger & Dark Chocolate Flapjack

Millionaires Flapjack

Mince Pie Flapjack

Ruby Millionaires Flapjack

Salted Caramel Fudge Flapjack

Traditional Flapjack

Raspberry Millionaire's Flapjack

 

Sleigh this year’s Christmas gift giving with ARRAN Sense of Scotland

Gift a slice of Scottish island life this Christmas and put a smile on the face of your loved one with a sumptuous range of self-care products from ARRAN Sense of Scotland.

The countdown is on to Christmas 2022 and soon the gifting season will be in full swing. According to Retail Week, health and beauty is one of the only sectors expected to be in growth during the festive season as people look for indulgent gifts, stocking fillers and host gifts as Christmas parties and events return with a bang. 

Available from as little as £10, discover gorgeous gifts and stocking fillers for every member of the family. From luxurious wellness products and popular home scents to travel must-haves and bath and body care, there’s something to delight everyone on Christmas morning. Plus, ARRAN's relaxing range of high-quality cruelty-free products will ensure that even your eco-conscious and notoriously difficult to buy for recipients are impressed.

Gifts for her

Treat her to a little luxury in her own home this Christmas with ARRAN’s signature scents of After the Rain, Glen Rosa and Glenashdale. 

Glen Rosa’s velvety fragrance combines the warmth of ripe, honeyed fig with the freshness of crushed green leaves. ARRAN’s soothing glen rosa body care gift set is the perfect gift for your loved one. Presented in a beautiful ARRAN Gift Box proudly inspired by their island home, with fully recyclable gift presentation boxes.

Always on the go? ARRAN’s After the Rain Wash Bag is perfect for those travel lovers. Made from durable cotton canvas with a water-resistant inner, this expertly crafted Female Wash Bag contains a full-sized Bath & Shower Gel, Body Lotion, Hydrating Hand Cream and Eau De Parfum in ARRAN’s most-loved fragrance, After the Rain.

Looking for stocking filler ideas? ARRAN has a selection of hand creams, rollerballs and body mists across their scent ranges including Glenashdale. Invigorate your senses with the energising zest of rasped lemons, oil of grapefruit, uplifted with the fresh, citrus notes of bergamot. 

Glen Rosa Body Care Gift Set, £30; After the Rain Female Wash Bag, £60; Glenashdale Body Mist, £15; Glenashdale Hydrating Hand Cream (40ml), £12

Treat a lucky lady in your life to ARRAN’s gorgeous gift sets such as the Hydrating hand cream set  everything you need for nourished, hydrated hands all in one collection. Featuring ARRAN’s most popular fragrances, After the Rain, Glenashdale & Glen Rosa. 

Looking for something simple? Introduce her to the citrus notes of Glenashdale with ARRAN’s Glenashdale Discovery Set. An awakening blend of grapefruit and green leaf. Each Set includes a 30ml Bath & Shower Gel, Shampoo, Body Lotion and Soap.

Hydrating Hand Cream Gift Set, £30; Glenashdale Grapefruit Discovery Set, £10

Gifts for him

Indulge him in the scents of Lochranza. A delicate fragrance from ARRAN Sense of Scotland, combining patchouli and anise to create a spicy base note, peppered with aromas of a warmer floral scent. The Lochranza Eau de Toilette is a great gift from ARRAN’s best-selling range, guaranteed to put a smile on his face. 

For avid travellers, the Lochranza Wash Bag is a great option this Christmas. The stylish grey carrier will keep bathrooms clutter-free, and he can enjoy a full-sized Bath and Shower Gel, After Shave Balm, Shave Gel and Soap Bar in this warm earthy fragrance.

Lochranza Men’s Eau de Toilette (100ml), £42.50; Lochranza Men’s Wash Bag, £45

Create an ARRAN shaving experience for that special man in your life with ARRAN’s Machrie collection. A clean, crisp scent, designed for men, Machrie combines essential oils of sea salt, labdanum, myrrh, clary, sage, patchouli and rockrose. An awakening and refreshing fragrance, ideal to set him up for the day ahead.

Can’t decide? Introduce your loved ones to the spicy warmth of Lochranza or the mineral freshness of Machrie with the new ARRAN Mens Discovery Set. Includes Lochranza 30ml Shower Gel & 30ml Shave Gel and a Machrie 30ml Shower Gel & 30ml Shave Gel.

Machrie Mens Shave Stone & Soap, £25; Machrie Mens Shave Cream (100ml), £16; Machrie Mens Shave Gel (100ml), £16; Machrie Mens Shower & Shave Gel Discovery Set, £10

Gifts for them

ARRAN Sense of Scotland offers a gorgeous unisex Apothecary range, inspired by the ancient crafts of alchemists. The three scents in this range are tried and trusted, the perfect antidote to modern living with cleansing, restorative, and healing properties.

Apothecary Seaweed and Sage Discovery Gift Set, £10; Apothecary Seaweed & Sage Body Lotion (200ml), £14

Or give them the full luxury experience with ARRAN’s Home Fragrance Gift Set in their signature After the Rain fragrance. Bringing the beautiful aroma of rose, sandalwood and lime to the front room, ARRAN’s reed diffuser uses essential oils to provide an awakening and enlightening scent to the home.  

After the Rain Home Fragrance Gift Set, £40

Transport them to the south of the island with ARRAN’s newest fragrance, Kildonan.  A blend of sweet and delicate violet warmed with the glow of velvety orris. Encapsulating the tranquillity of Kildonan basking in the later, summer sun. Escape to paradise with ARRAN’s Kildonan Hand Wash, Bath & Shower gel and Hand Cream products. 

Kildonan Hand Cream (300ml), £16; Kildonan Bath & Shower Gel (300ml), £16; Kildonan Hand Wash (300ml); £16

Looking to create your own ARRAN gift bundle? Try out ARRAN’s gift builder. Choose your products and ARRAN will wrap everything up in their personalised gift boxes, perfect for creating a unique ARRAN scent experience for that someone special this Christmas.

You can shop ARRAN Sense of Scotland’s full collection at www.arran.com.

Find ARRAN’s gift builder here: https://arran.com/collections/personalised-gift-builder 

Get in the Festive Spirit This Winter With Double Dutch Christmas Cocktails

As we move ever more quickly into the Festive season and get ready for those colder winter nights, it's time to spice up our go to cocktails and discover new Christmas flavours and tasty winter warmers. 

See you later summer fruits, it's time to welcome ginger, cinnamon and cranberry back into our cosy homes and taste the most wonderful time of the year with this range of new cocktail recipes from female-founded Double Dutch. (The real meaning of Girl Power as far as That's Christmas is concerned!) 

Double Dutch is the award-winning producer of some delicious premium tonics and mixers that are first-class, fabulous and eminently flavoursome. 

Led by twin founders, Raissa and Joyce de Haas, the brand's range of refreshing soft drinks are the perfect pair to any event, or sister serve to any spirit. 

A favourite amongst bartenders, their drinks take inspiration from the world of natural flavours, and are double the fun with unique, bold and unexpected flavour pairings, made with high quality ingredients and no artificial flavouring, colours or preservatives. 

To try the Double Dutch range, but also try some of the season's most festive cocktail recipes, turn your hand to these easy to make delicious cocktails perfect for making at home for Christmas parties and family gatherings.

Double Dutch European Highball 

INGREDIENTS 

Double Dutch Ginger Ale 

50ml Irish Whiskey

Dried Orange Wheel 

Ice

METHOD 

Pour 50ml of Irish whiskey into an ice filled highball glass. 

Top with Double Dutch Ginger Ale. 

Stir gently to combine.

Garnish with a dried orange wheel.   

Double Dutch Limoncherry 

INGREDIENTS

Double Dutch Cucumber & Watermelon 

50ml Limoncello  

Maraschino Cherry 

Long Lemon Twist 

Ice

METHOD 

Pour 50ml of Limoncello into an ice filled wine glass. 

Top with Double Dutch Cucumber & Watermelon. 

Stir gently to combine. 

Garnish with maraschino cherry and long lemon twist.  

Double Dutch Gin Pom Pom 

INGREDIENTS 

Double Dutch Pomegranate & Basil 

50ml Dry Gin 

50ml Fresh Pomegranate Juice

Fresh Basil 

Slice of Lime 

Pomegranate Seeds 

Ice 

METHOD 

Pour your dry gin and fresh pomegranate juice into an ice filled highball glass. 

Top with Double Dutch Pomegranate & Basil. 

Stir gently to combine.  

Garnish with a sprig of basil, a slice of lime and a few pomegranate seeds. 

Double Dutch Blood Orange Gin-ger Spritz 

INGREDIENTS 

Double Dutch Ginger Beer 

50ml Blood Orange Gin

Blood Orange Slice 

Cinnamon Stick 

Ice

METHOD 

Pour your blood orange gin into an ice filled highball glass. 

Top with Double Dutch Ginger Beer. 

Stir gently to combine. 

Garnish with a fresh orange slice and a stick of cinnamon. 

Double Dutch Paloma Negra 

INGREDIENTS 

Double Dutch Pink Grapefruit Soda 

30ml Coffee Liqueur 

25ml Mezcal or Tequila 

Pink Himalayan Salt 

Grapefruit Half Moon 

Ice

METHOD

Salt the rim of a highball glass with pink himalayan salt and fill the glass with ice. 

Pour your coffee liqueur and tequila or mezcal into the glass. 

Top with Double Dutch Pink Grapefruit Soda.  

Stir gently to combine. 

Garnish with a grapefruit half moon. 

Double Dutch Winter Tonic (alcohol free) 

INGREDIENTS 

Double Dutch Cranberry & Ginger 

50ml Fresh Apple Juice 

Cranberries 

Slice of fresh Apple or Pear 

Ice

METHOD 

Pour your fresh apple juice into an ice filled wine glass. 

Top with Double Dutch Cranberry & Ginger.  

Stir gently to combine. 

Garnish with cranberries. 

The full range of Double Dutch flavours are available via the Double Dutch website, with some of the brand's mixers available at Waitrose or Ocado as well being available to purchase via Amazon.

https://doubledutchdrinks.com.

Looking for a good gift idea? Nip down to Lidl!

My wife is a gardener, RHA trained, so she knows her stuff.

She has been sorting out our gardens, front and back, and has decided that the gardens required some new bulbs.

She had decided that the garden requires some new bulbs for the spring and she looked at several nearby garden centres and on line and could not find quite what she wanted.

After several days of searching, visiting and thinking, she suddenly said: "I think a trip to our local Lidl branch is called for to see what they have available as someone told me they have some bulbs available."

This morning my wife visited our nearest Lidl branch and returned with a whole shopping bag filled with a wide variety of bulbs.

There are Iris hollandica mixes, Narcissus mixes, Black Parrot Tulipia (which look awesome!) some Tulipa Triumph 'Seadov", some lovely alliums, some Tulipa Crispa Mix and so on.

Available bulbs include Crocus, Narcissus and Hyacinths and cost £1.29 per bag of bulbs. Others cost £1.49 a packet. "A vast difference to the £16 a packet other places are charging!" she has just informed me. 

My wife points out that the bulbs are all of very good appearance and cost a fraction of the price of bulbs from places where she would usually buy bulbs from.

Which set me to thinking. If you have someone with a small garden, or who has a flat with a balcony, why not get yourself off to Lidl, buy some bulbs and plant them in suitable compost (also available in Lidl) and give them out as unique and very acceptable Christmas presents?

If you want to learn more about what's available at your nearest branch of Lidl you can check out where your nearest branch is at https://www.lidl.co.uk.

They also have, at the moment, a special range of indoor and outdoor plants which are on a "when it's gone, it's gone" basis, so worth while hurrying down there ASAP!

It's also worth checking out Lidl's rival retailer, Aldi, to see what they have. You can visit Aldi here https://www.aldi.co.uk.

Incidentally this isn't a feature officially sanctioned by Lidl or Aldi, I saw the large bag of bulbs bought at a very decent price and thought they'd make nifty Christmas presents!