Advent Calendars from Carluccio’s and Mariage Frères

Obviously the big day is still a little while away but we’ve started the countdown to Christmas and what better way than with a luxury advent calendar? 

And advent calendars do not get much better than the limited-edition luxury food and drink advent calendars from your favourite Italian brand Carluccio’s and luxury French tea purveyor, Mariage Frères.

You can enjoy the true taste of Italy this Christmas with the very best of artisanal Italian produce behind every door of your very special advent calendar.

Impeccably sourced products range from store cupboard staples like extra virgin olive oil, organic Italianavera tomatoes and Sugo alle Arrabbiata pasta sauce through to authentic sweet treats - thinking here of gianduiotti chocolates, Torta di Siena cake and Carluccio’s classic Amaretti Tradizionale!

And to help get you you into the proper party spirit, there’s a selection of boozy delights including the very best from Italian gin experts Malfy, a crisp Vai Vai Prosecco, aperitivo from Starlino and more besides!  

Beautifully packaged with vibrant, bold, geometric designs inspired by the work of Italian architect Gio Ponti with 1960s interconnecting patterns to reflect that Christmas is time to connect with friends and family, this year’s advent calendar can be repurposed and reused, or sustainably recycled, whatever you wish!

Available for pre-order from mid-October at www.carluccios.com, Carluccio’s 2022 Advent Calendar retails at £95 with products worth more than £140. Order early to avoid disappointment. 

#CarlucciosChristmas

www.carluccios.com

Mariage Frères.

The release of luxury French tea emporium and purveyor Mariage Frères’ iconic tea advent calendar has become a much-anticipated moment in the festive calendar and this year is set to be no exception. New for 2022 comes the NOËL OVER THE RAINBOW® Christmas calendar, a luxury, rainbow-hued and ribbon-tied advent calendar housing 25 premium teas from France’s iconic teahouse. 

Start each morning of advent with a truly elevated cup: behind every window you will find a luxury Mariage FreÌres tea. The brand has one of the world’s most extensive tea ranges and the calendar is the perfect introduction to Mariage FreÌres’ vibrant collection. 

The NOËL OVER THE RAINBOW® Christmas calendar is priced at £48 and is available to buy in store at Mariage FreÌres Covent Garden, Selfridges London and online for nationwide delivery at www.mariagefreres.com from late October. The stunning case can be kept for storing your favourite trinkets. 

Mariage Frères

38 King Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8JS

www.mariagefreres.com

@mariagefreresofficial

Why not buy both advent calendars? 

Advent Calendars from Schleich

Schleich HORSE CLUB Advent Calendar RRP £29.99

The HORSE CLUB was founded when the girls found a wooden chest full of mysteries. 

Just like HORSE CLUB Hannah, you’ll be opening a whole world of surprises with each door you pry open in the HORSE CLUB Advent Calendar. Each numbered door in the 2022 HORSE CLUB Advent Calendar contains a special surprise. 

This year’s calendar includes two horse figurines and a total of 24 HORSE CLUB accessories to build your collection. Picnic baskets and apples, grooming supplies and miniature animals. There’s something special in every box!

Schleich FARM WORLD Advent Calendar RRP £29.99

A schleich® Advent Calendar is a great starter kit to introduce little ones to the wonder and delight of schleich® toys. Every day of the holidays brings a new reveal and a special surprise for kids to look forward to! Each numbered door contains one of nine schleich® FARM WORLD figurines or one of 15 farm toy accessories. 

The farm animal figurines include a calf, a baby goat, a kitten, a rabbit, a dalmatian puppy, a guinea pig, a horse, a lamb, and a veterinarian.

Schleich DINOSAURS Advent Calendar RRP £29.99

The 2022 Advent Calendar from schleich® DINOSAURS is a mystery 250 million years in the making. Unearth a new dino surprise each day! Who will emerge from today's box? 

A Jurassic predator? A newly hatched baby dinosaur? Open the door to discovery this holiday season!

For details of stockists please visit www.schleich-s.com.

No matter what your budget these Christmas-Crackers are sure to earn you pudding points!

With Christmas fast approaching, we know some of you are dreading trying to find that perfect present for the person who is impossible to buy for.

Fear not! Our gorgeous gift guide is here to help; offering something to suit every budget and style. Meet these beauty-full prezzies, perfect as surprise stocking-fillers, secret Santa, or the majestic main event!

GIFTS £20.00 AND UNDER

COSRX – Acne Pimple Master Patch

£5.99 Feel Unique

Avoid pesky pimples this festive season with COSRX’s trusty Acne Pimple Master Patches. These little pimple patches are an overnight fixer to make whiteheads, blackheads and picked zits disappear by morning. 

It can even stay on through showering and can be applied under makeup! With three differently sized patches in a pack, you can choose which one will cover your bases.

Embryolisse – Lait-Crème Concentré

From £13.00, Boots and Feel Unique

Perfect for the TikTok or YouTube Shorts obsessed!

This cult-classic isn’t a celeb favourite for no reason! Bought every 13 seconds, this multi-tasking miracle cream works as a nourishing moisturiser, a restorative mask, an after-shave cream, and a (very) highly praised primer.

Formulated with a combination of natural ingredients that are rich in essential fatty acids and vitamins, this dream cream provides the skin with nutrients and water, leaving the skin moisturised, nourished, soft and supple.

The Jojoba Company - Ho-ho-ba Kissmas Holiday Gift Set 

£13.95 The Jojoba Company

Featuring two bestselling customer favourites: Australian Jojoba & Jojoba Lip Balm; this perfect duo will have your lips & skin glowing & hydrated this Christmas, making you mistletoe ready at all times!

 

The Jojoba Company - Ho-ho-ba Mist Holiday Gift Set 

£13.95, The Jojoba Company

There’s no better gift than hydrated skin! This gorgeous gift set features the superior Australian Jojoba & Jojoba Water Toning Mist; a dreamy duo which boosts skin hydration and delivers deep nourishment all day long.

Mylee – Ice Ice Baby Duo

£14.50, mylee.co.uk

Did someone turn down the temperature in here? The icy cool foil-effect of Below Zero and deep tones of Frostbite will have you shivering with that fresh-set feeling, from fingers to toes. 

We recommend protecting and maintaining your masterpiece with the MyGel Base Coat and a glossy MyGel Top Coat for a finishing glacial effect that can be cured in seconds under an LED or UV Lamp.

SOS Serum – SOS Treasures Christmas Coffret

£45.00, sosserum.co.uk

Perfect for the one who’s always on the go, this handy Treasure Chest has everything you need for Christmas trips and visiting family, and for protecting your skin!

Worth over £71, this Christmas Coffret features 50ml sizes of SOS Serum’s cult favourite SOS SPF50 and SOS Cleanse, their SOS Lip, and a 15ml version of their NEW SOS Night, as well as some Ginger & Black Pepper Essential Drops for a long-lasting home fragrance – this kit is the epitome of self-care.

GIFTS £20.00-£50.00

Rubis – Classic Slanted Tweezers

£25.30, Amazon

Rust and corrosion resistant, these tweezers have a non-slip grip, and the slanted tips provide the utmost accuracy for brow shaping and hair removal. They are designed by experts, and aim to provide comfortable use without compromising on their effectiveness.

 

GIFTS OVER £50.00

Carolina Herrera – Good Girl EDP 50ml

£62.00, The Fragrance Shop

Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world. (Something my wife agrees with!)

Good Girl is the perfect party fragrance. Fun and frivolous, this new, sexy oriental fragrance explores the idea of contrasts and captures a woman’s wondrous complexity by merging the sweet alluring qualities of jasmine and luminous tuberose with dangerously addictive notes of roasted Tonka beans and cacao.

Hugo Boss – The Scent Le Parfum EDP 100ml 

£82.50, The Fragrance Shop

Hugo Boss has reimagined BOSS The Scent Le Parfum with captivating notes of Ginger and Iris. The innovative inclusion of Maninka Fruit adds a deeply sensual element that is followed closely by a sturdy leather base. BOSS The Scent releases a refined masculine energy that is simply irresistible.

Bedew – The Essentials Kit

£85.00, bedewskin.co.uk

Give the ultimate gift of glowing, healthy skin, with The Essentials Kit from Bedew Skin. Perfect for those who want a barrier-building routine, and those who aren’t sure where to start with skincare!

This kit includes all of the essential steps you need in your routine to cleanse, nourish, exfoliate, hydrate and protect! Suitable for all skin types, this handy kit contains The Almond Oil Cleanser (with a Cleansing Cloth), The Instant Enzyme Peel (with Peel Brush), The Hyaluronic Hydrator, and Bedew Moisturiser.

 

Interactive Alcohol-Free Advent Calendars from The Wise Bartender

The interactive Wise Bartender advent calendars are back for Christmas 2022 and are ideal for anyone who loves a beer, cider, wine or spirit but who doesn't want an alcoholic drink every day of the month in the run up to Christmas. 

There are two calendars with the more traditional beer version including 24 hand-selected beers, the majority of which are from small, independent brewers. It provides some tried and tested favourites alongside brand new additions to the Wise Bartender range. 

Each careful chosen beer is 0.5% ABV or even less, and there are styles for everyone's tastes. There are  lagers, pilsners, stouts and IPAs. There are also wheat beers from brewers including UNLTD, Brulo, Nirvana, Nittenauer, Menabrea, Havabier and Northern Monk.

The second is a 'sweet and tasty' alternative which features cider, cocktail, spirit and wine alternatives from producers including Binary, Gunners, Corrigans, ISH, Caleno, Crafty Nectar and Lyre's. Besidesbeing 0.5% ABV or lower, all the drinks in this box are all vegan and gluten free.

Speaking at the launch of these innovative advent calendars Wise Bartender founder Tom Ward said: “Wise Bartender created the UK's first interactive alcohol-free drinks advent calendar to provide an option for those who don't want to drink every day in December but who most definitely do want to share in the excitement of opening an advent calendar door during advent and finding a tasty drink behind it. Our two options have grown in popularity ever since and we began getting queries about this years' calendars as long ago as August, so we're anticipating a high demand.

“Despite the overall beer market showing some shrinkage, research group IWSR reported UK drinkers bought $184m of alcohol-free beers (0.5% ABV or less) in 2021, over three times the figure of $52m from five years earlier. 

"And a recent report revealed over half (55%) of UK drinkers intended reducing their alcohol consumption during 2022 which confirms retailers must provide alcohol-free options for this growing number of mindful drinkers. 

"Whether people have given up completely or are just trying to cut back how much alcohol they drink, the Wise Bartender advent calendars means that they aren't excluded from this fun Christmas tradition.”

And the sense of anticipation will be heightened by the interactive nature of the calendars. “Every day, producers will take over the Wise Bartender social media accounts” explained Tom Ward “posting photos, videos and tasting sessions of that days drink.

"So, not only will everyone have a daily treat but they can join in with hundreds of other fans by tasting the same drink on the same day, learning about it from the brands themselves and sharing their own experience through reels, images or just by getting involved with our live sessions.”

The Wise Bartender advent calendars are now available to pre-order from WiseBartender.co.uk/Advent and retail at an introductory price of £39.99 + £4.99 delivery for the first 250 sold, with the price reverting to £59.99 inc delivery after that.

“Whether you regularly consume alcohol-free drinks, want to cut back on alcohol over the festive period, or just want to mix it up and try something different, Wise Bartender advent calendars have you covered” added Tom. “You can have the thrill of opening an advent calendar, enjoy a tasty alcohol-free drink, explore its background and celebrate Christmas in your own way.”

To learn more or to put your orders in please visit the Wise Bartender here www.wisebartender.co.uk.

 

For the person you love? Give them Pulsin!

Pulsin are renowned for their "feel good nutrition" products. All of which make for excellent Christmas gifts.

Today we are looking at a couple of items from their range.

The first item is their plant-based high fibre Double Choc Dream Brownies.

These are absolutely super smooth and you certainly can taste the highly delicious double chocolate in it.

It's guaranteed free of palm oil and is totally free of gluten and is dairy free. So it's absolutely safe for vegetarians and vegans to eat.

It's a cold pressed Brownie Bar made with cacao powder with some nice, nifty natural flavourings wrapped in 67% coconut blossom sugar chocolate. 

The second flavour that we are looking at is their plant-based Protein Choc Fudge bar.

It's a dairy free no added sugar protein bar with some delightful chocolate drops that has no added sugar, but does have sweetener, instead.

Again it is 100% vegan friendly with pea protein, faba bean protein and rice protein, plus loads of nice and natural ingredients.

What about the taste? Wow! It's a stunningly delicious chocolatey fudge bar that will make a great Christmas gift for vegans, vegetarians and for everyone else, too!

They come in fairly nice boxes so will make snazzy presents under the Christmas tree this year.

Pulsin also produce a wide range of other treats that are also make very good Christmas presents. 

18 x 35 gramme bars cost £17.82. 

You can order them from https://www.pulsin.co.uk. 

Christmas Party Season Is "Go" as Bookings Reach Pre-Pandemic Levels

After two years of disrupted Christmas get-togethers characterised by lockdown, enforced social distancing and isolation uncertainty, DesignMyNight saw traffic to quirky Christmas parties increase by 48.1% in September compared to the same month in 2021 and traffic to the Christmas party guide page shoot up by 62.64% compared to the same period last year. 

There have also been reports that some venues are already close to being fully booked 10 weeks before Christmas Day.

The discovery platform enables people to search not only for tables at restaurants, bars and pubs, but for venues that are hosting the best events and parties in their area (and further afield) as well as giving them the ability to make a booking and purchase tickets. It also provides a Venue Finding service that organises and coordinates plans for company events including the much-anticipated Christmas party.

Says DesignMyNight Senior Marketing & PR Manager Leighanne Bent: “The DesignMyNight Venue Finding Service is a good barometer of how the Christmas party season is shaping up and, as firms are thought to have spent over £1bn annually on Christmas parties pre-pandemic, what it's likely to mean for the country's pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants that are hoping to end another challenging year with a flourish."

Leighanne went on to say: “The working environment has changed beyond recognition and a survey by Advanced Workplace Associates learned office workers spend an average of only 1.5 days a week alongside colleagues in the office so there has been a huge shift in dynamics. 

"Having missed out on parties since 2019, seeing each other only occasionally and wanting an outlet to celebrate achievements together, companies are pulling out all the stops for their teams. They are asking the DesignMyNight Venue Finding team to create something special to recognise the difficult circumstances people have been working in, improve team dynamics and boost staff morale. 

"The Venue Finding team is seeing companies commit an average spend of £12,000 - £15,000  for employee parties and are dealing with many queries for something fun, plus great food and drink. Dinner and dancing are firmly on the agenda and the increase in activity-led venues, like darts, golf and virtual reality games, has opened up a much more interactive Christmas party scene.

“Other popular requests for 2022 include drag entertainment and immersive experiences, including escape rooms and cocktail making.”

But there are some signs that although most people are ready to go out and party and make up for lost time, there are still some pandemic legacies. 

“DesignMyNight is getting multiple requests for flexible venue cancellation terms” continued Leighanne: “indicating that there are still some nerves about committing 100%. We've also noticed the most popular dates have shifted forward to the earlier part of the month rather than the traditional last week before Christmas, with most demand being on 7th, 8th, 9th and 15th December. 

"This trend started last year and, although people are no longer mindful of having to isolate for 10 days if they catch Covid as they were in 2021, this suggests their mindset remains on enjoying a party with colleagues whilst minimising the prospect of spoiling time spent with family over the Christmas break due to illness.”

DesignMyNight has thousands of events in cities across the UK listed on its website for people wanting to make individual bookings but advises everyone to book as soon as they can.

“Many popular venues are already close to capacity,” points out Leighanne “but our Venue Finding team still has some wonderful options available for company parties, although they are booking up rapidly, as are individual reservations made through the DesignMyNight website. Our recommendation is not to put Christmas planning off any longer, but to be as flexible and secure your parties as quickly as you possibly can.”

https://www.designmynight.com.

N-4 Down The Hunt for Arctic Airship Italia

N-4 Down The Hunt for Arctic Airship Italia written by Mark Piesing is a stunningly gripping account of the search for a missing airship.

The internationally famous exploratory airship N-4, otherwise named the Italia, was making a celebrated and triumphant return from an expedition to the North Pole, when disaster struck, it became the victim of a severe and devastating storm, forcing it to crash somewhere on the Arctic ice.

This triggered what became the largest polar rescue mission ever.

In charge of the search and rescue operation was famed arctic explorer Roald Amundsen. However, Amundsen himself went missing in the Arctic wastes. As of 2022, his body has yet to be found.

The background is that Norwegian Amundsen and Italian airship designer General Umberto Nobile went into partnership in 1926.

Sadly by 1928 the relationship between the two men had soured very badly.

Nobile, his pet dog and a crew consisting of fourteen Italians, a Swede and a Czech set off to search for new lands in the Arctic Circle and to be the first airship to land men at the North Pole.

But close to the North Pole they were hit by a severe storm that forced the Italia to crash on the ice. 

Six crew members immediately disappeared never to be seen again. The injured subscribers, including Nobile, sought refuge on ice flows. They were not prepared for the dreadful conditions and had little hope of survival.

By chance there was a meeting in Oslo, the capital city of Norway, of famed Arctic explorers, assembling to celebrate the first successful flight from Alaska to Norway. 

On hearing of the dreadful crash Amundsen decided to strike out by himself to launch a desperate attempt to locate Nobile and any potential survivors. 

With the passing weeks the situation became more and more desperate with the survivors struggling with severe weather and marauding polar bears.

When they were eventually discovered the search plane landed. But in a dreadful twist, the pilot told the survivors that he only had room for one passenger.   

Piesing's book is a very well researched work that is exceptionally well written and profusely illustrated with a good range of photographs.

It's a "must buy" Christmas gift for those in your life who love reading about real life adventures, Arctic exploration and biographical stories. 

It is published by Custom House in hardback and paperback, £22.00 hardback and £12.99 in paperback, though it is discounted on Amazon.