What I Got For Christmas 2018

Well, that's Christmas over for another year!

All the rushing around is done and we're currently in that weird period where no one really knows what day it is. I hope you've all had a wonderful time eating pigs in blankets, watching films and spending time with your loved ones. I had a quiet Christmas with my family but it was lovely, filled with love, laughter and lots of gin! 

As I do every year, I thought it would be fun to tell you about some of the thoughtful gifts I received. This isn't because I want to brag but because I'm nosy about this kind of thing and I know some of you are too. 

I didn't ask for much this year, the main things were money towards driving lessons and a Saints shirt to wear when we go to the rugby. I didn't want anything that would be shoved in a cupboard and after listening to Martin Lewis speak about wasting money at Christmas, I decided that I wanted to spend time with my friends instead of spending money on presents that none of us would use. Therefore, I wasn't expecting much this year but Santa thought he'd treat me to some extra special things and I've been the luckiest little lady. 

The main present from my parents and the biggest surprise was a FitBit Alta. I've really been getting into the gym recently and they thought it would be the perfect thing to keep me motivated whilst helping to track my fitness. I absolutely LOVE it and I've been walking around the house like a maniac since Tuesday morning trying to get my steps in. 

Every Christmas, my parents get me another addition to my Pandora bracelet and this year it came in the form of Walt and Mickey. Okay, so I kind of knew that I was getting this charm because I picked it up when I was in Disneyland Paris but it has a lot of meaning behind it. We were lucky enough to be in Disney on Walt's birthday so not only does it remind me of that particular holiday, but that it all started with a mouse. 

We all know how much I love going to the rugby. I think my Dad and I spent the majority of the year at the Totally Wicked Stadium cheering on the Saints, so it only seemed right that I got a Saints shirt. This is something that I asked for but never expected to receive. It's even got the name of my favourite player on the back and I'm so ready for the new season to start!

Another surprise gift was a bottle of Marc Jacobs 'Daisy Love'. I smelt this perfume back in the summer and have been mithering about it ever since so when I unwrapped it on Christmas day, I was absolutely over the moon. It's the perfect fruity, floral scent. I also got another bottle of my trusty No.7 Stay Perfect foundation, a Saints mascot bear and lots of chocolate.

My lovely friend Caroline treated me to some gorgeous things from the Body Shop including my favourite strawberry scented hand cream and moisturiser. I'm basically obsessed with the smell of this stuff, it smells like calpol and if that doesn't remind you of your childhood then I don't know what will. I dragged Caroline into the Body Shop to smell this stuff so the fact that she remembered really meant a lot to me, and I also smell like strawberries all the time so I'm not complaining. 

As well as giving me some money towards driving lessons, my Grandparents very kindly got me a copy of the Greatest Showman on DVD. I know that I'm very late to the party but I've been desperate to watch it since January. On Boxing Day, it was finally time to see what all the hype was about and all I have to say is that the soundtrack has been on repeat since and I'd go as far as to say that it's the best film of all time. 

That is all.

My friend and personal horoscope reader Tori bought me a cute Tinkerbell brush and Gemini mug. I'm forever brushing my hair so a brush with one of my favourite Disney characters on the back slotted perfectly into my handbag and my new mug already has pride of place at work. I've really been getting into astrology this year and as I am a Gemini in every way possible, this was the perfect, meaningful gift. 

One of the loveliest things about 2018 has been getting to interact with different bloggers, meet new people and make new friends. I started speaking to Beth in the summer after we were both going through some relationship issues. Since then she's been one of my biggest cheerleaders, she understands all the girl struggles and gives the best advice whilst also making me cry laugh. We decided to swap presents this year and as she knows me so well, she got me a gorgeous ring, some nails, a notebook and the cutest Disney print for my wall. I couldn't be more grateful to her and I wish her all the love and success for 2019. 

And finally, would it be Christmas without some new additions to my gin collection?  

My boss very kindly got me some mini gin samples to try over the Christmas period, on the condition that I didn't come into work hungover (oops!). From the minute I finished on Christmas Eve to the second I went to bed on Boxing Day, gin was the only beverage I consumed. I've still got some little samples left over so I'll be cracking them open to welcome in the new year!

I also received some more thoughtful gifts including books, notebooks and a few more bottles of gin. I've been so very spoilt this year and I can't thank my family and friends enough for their kindness and generosity. I feel so loved and so honoured to be ending one of the best years of my life with the people who mean the most to me. 

I'd love to hear all about what you got for Christmas, because I'm incredibly nosy, so leave a comment or link me to your blog post. I can't wait to have a read!

Lots of Love,

Meg

xxx

What I Got For Christmas 2017

I can't believe that Christmas has been and gone!

I hope you all had a lovely day eating lots of yummy food, drinking gin and spending time with your loved ones. I had a quiet Christmas with my parents and grandparents but that's how we like it, and rest assured that it was full of nothing but love, laughter and pigs in blankets.

Last year I did a post telling you all about the things I got for Christmas and surprisingly, it went down really well - it's one of my most viewed posts of all time. So, I thought I'd do it again this year. When it came to my Christmas list, I didn't ask for much - it was mainly just stuff that I'd use and wouldn't be shoved in a cupboard. I think the main things I asked for was my Effaclar skincare and some more of my trusty foundation from Boots. 

However, Santa thought he'd treat me to some other things and I have been the luckiest little lady this year. I've been well and truly spoiled by my loved ones, and I obviously spoiled them in return. You'll be glad to know there are no trips to London this year, but we're taking Dad to see Jersey Boys on tour and Mum's got a Fitbit (she won't stop walking up and down the living room and it's driving me mad). 

I wasn't expecting a 'main' present this year as I hadn't asked for anything big and I treated myself to a new iPhone earlier this month. So, you can imagine my surprise when I unwrapped one of many Pandora bags. My Mum and Dad got me a Pandora bracelet last year and since then I've been after some spacers to separate the charms. I would've got them sooner but I haven't been able to afford them. Very kindly, Mum and Dad got me Mickey and Minnie clip-on spacers to go on my bracelet and I am so in love. I'd been looking at these charms for months and Mum had always talked me out of getting them, at one point she told me that she thought they were scruffy and looked cheap. Now I understand why. They make my charm bracelet look complete and I've officially started my Disney Pandora collection. 

 Along with the charms, I got this beautiful leather bag. It's available to buy when you purchase some of the Disney charms and it's perfect for any Disney fan. Mum said that when she saw it, she couldn't say no. It's only small, so would be perfect for my next Disney trip - whenever that may be. It comes with a strap so it can be used as both a clutch or an over the shoulder bag, and the little box it comes in is just the cutest thing ever. 

Pandora was full of freebies and because my parents spent a certain amount of money, they got this limited edition Pandora Christmas Bell. It's white with little snowflakes engraved on the sides and it says 'Pandora 2017' on the front. It can be hung on the tree or over the door and it's the perfect keepsake to remember a productive yet challenging year - it's definitely been a year full of change. I love how subtle the decoration is, I'm pretty sure you could keep this up whatever time of the year.

If you know me well, you'll know that I'm obsessed with jumpers. I have a wardrobe full of them - every style and every colour. I think they're the perfect item for any winter wardrobe and I was super excited when I opened this beautiful, orange jumper from M&S. I've had my eye on this for months and this was another one of those presents that I wasn't expecting. I've already had it on (I wore it on Boxing Day) and it's the warmest, cosiest jumper I own. Be expecting it to feature in a post in 2018.

I love gin. There I said it. 

From the moment I finished work on Christmas Eve to the minute I went to bed on Boxing Day, gin was the main beverage that was consumed. I'd happened to mention to my parents that I'd like some gin for Christmas and I was just expecting a bottle of Gordons. However, they went a step further and got me the 'Gin House' collection featuring some of my favourite gins with the flavoured tonic that they should be paired with. I think I'll crack that one open at New Year. 

Last year, I really struggled to get a diary. I like my diaries to be a day a page and each night before I go to bed, I make sure that I write about my day. I've found that it's helped my anxiety as my diary is a personal place where I can write my thoughts and feelings, plus it's fun to look back on in a few years time. My Mum and Dad got me this pretty pale blue diary and I can't wait to start writing about my adventures in 2018. 

It's not Christmas without chocolate. It's tradition for my parents to get me a box of my favourite Lindor chocolate and a Cadbury's selection box - the popping candy Freddo has been a personal highlight. I haven't finished all of the chocolate yet, I'm trying to save it as it only feels appropriate to have Lindor at Christmas. 

Something I asked for was my La Roche Posay Effaclar skincare products. I've been using these for over two months now, after my dermatologist recommending them to me. I know that you need to give them a bit of time to work and so far, I've been seeing very positive results. It's on the expensive side, more than I would normally spend on my skincare routine, however, it's working and it just goes to show that you get what you pay for. If you're looking for some products to help your problematic skin then I highly recommend this stuff. 

I didn't ask for much make up this Christmas as I've pretty much got everything I need at the moment. I've also got nowhere to store my products so more make up was the last thing I needed. I've been running out of my trusty No.7 Stay Perfect foundation and my Soap & Glory Supercat liquid liner, so I was really happy when I unwrapped these. No matter how many foundations or liquid liners I try, I always find myself coming back to these two. 

And now back to Pandora. My Grandma and Grandad got me this stunning Belle charm for my bracelet. They know that every time I pass the Pandora shop, I always have to go in and look at the charms and I've had my eye on this one for months. It's such a pretty little charm and the detail is immaculate. Belle is one of my favourite Princesses as I relate to her imagination and love of books. When I was in school, I was bullied for being a bookworm but Belle helped me to realise that reading doesn't make you weird - if Belle could do it then so could I. It was such a heart-warming surprise and I can't begin to tell you how lucky I feel to have received such beautiful gifts. 

I've added another Disney film to my collection and it had to be my favourite Princess, Snow White. I collect the DVD's in the shiny cases and I've always wanted to add the first Princess to my collection. Receiving this was such a surprise and it had a lot of sentimental value. My Grandma and Grandad introduced me to Snow White and it's because of them that I love her so much. They used to watch the film on repeat with me after school and I hope that we can all sit with a hot chocolate and watch it together over the Christmas break. 

Another gift with sentimental value is this beautiful gold chain. I don't know if any of you have ever noticed, but I always wear a necklace with the letter 'M' on it. My Grandparents bought it for me for my 18th Birthday and since then I've never taken it off. However, the other week the original chain snapped and I was GUTTED. It may only be a small, thin necklace but not wearing it makes me feel empty - it's become a part of who I am. I'm so lucky that they bought me a new chain and I feel complete again now that I can wear my necklace. 

I got through beauty blenders like there is no tomorrow. As much as I wash them, they just don't last long so this pack of Real Techniques beauty blenders was definitely appreciated. I love the fact that I received gifts that I'm going to put to good use - and if you haven't tried out these beauty blenders yet then where have you been? They're the best! 

And for my final present from my Grandma and Grandad, they very kindly got me a bottle of my favourite gin. Like I said, I love gin but my favourite will always be Hendricks - it's a classic. I only ever have Hendricks when I go on a night out, so being able to make my favourite gin at home is amazing. I'm so grateful as I know that Hendricks isn't cheap. Plus, when I've used the bottle, I'm going to put some flowers in it and use it as a quirky vase. 

I took part in a few secret Santa gift exchanges this year. I love doing this sort of thing as my favourite thing to do at Christmas is buy presents for other people. From my blogging secret Santa kindly organised by Beth, I received a Gin & Tonic making set which includes a measurement glass (something I definitely need), a Little Miss Sunshine travel mug and some Beauty and the Beast bath petals. It's very clear that my secret Santa knows me well, but I'm yet to find out who it was, so if you sent me these lovely gifts then let me know so I can personally say thank you. 

The next secret Santa was from my lovely friend Tori who I go to Uni with. We've spent many nights in the library stressing over deadlines and watching videos of puppies so I'm surprised I didn't guess that she had me. Knowing me as well as she does, she got me a 'Gin & Bear It' coaster, a Beauty and the Beast purse and a huge book of 624 things to write about (something I'll be needing when I'm struggling for inspiration next semester). 

And for my final secret Santa from a member of the lovely Disney community. I received a beautiful Tangled plaque featuring my favourite scene from the film, a Briar Rose bow which I'll be wearing in a Disney Bound and a Seven Dwarves pencil case which I'm either going to use for Uni or as a makeup bag. It's clear that everything has been handmade and I can't help but feel so fortunate to be surrounded by so many talented, generous people. 

I've mentioned it a few times on the blog, but I absolutely love my job. And more than my job, I love the people I work with. I didn't expect my bosses to get me anything this year but they went above and beyond and handed me a box containing a UGG scarf and hat. I was overwhelmed by their generosity and I feel very lucky to work with people who treat me like family. 

And finally from my close friend and work colleague Sarah. We always have the best laughs in work and from her, I received a personalised gin glass (no one is getting hold of that) and two cans of Gordon's G&T. It was the perfect gift and another gin to add to my ever-growing collection. From the amount of gin I received, you'd think that I really, really liked it or something...

I also received some more chocolate and more gin (obviously). I've been so incredibly lucky this year and I can't thank everyone enough for their kindness, support and generosity. I feel so loved and I'm ready to start the New Year surrounded by the people who mean the most to me. If you've done a post showing everything you got for Christmas then link it in the comments as I'd love to have a nosy!

Lots of Love,
Meg

xxx

What I got for Christmas 2016

Merry Christmas Everyone!
I know I'm a little late wishing you a very happy Christmas, but it's better late than never. I hope you all had a lovely day spent with loved ones and ate lots of yummy food! I thought I'd take a break from the Disney Halloween posts for a while and talk about the festive season; my blog has been lacking festive cheer and I felt that it was time we changed that. After asking on Twitter, and getting a really good response, I'm going to be sharing some of the lovely things that I got for Christmas. I love reading these posts because I like being nosey, so here's a chance for you to be nosey with what I received. Just a disclaimer before I start: I am in no way bragging or trying to show off. I'm incredibly grateful, and lucky, to have received so many wonderful gifts. 

When it came to writing my Christmas list this year, (yep I still write a list to Santa) it was much smaller than normal. This doesn't mean that I ask for loads of things, but I normally just give my parents and grandparents an idea of what type of thing I'm into. I think the only two things I asked for  this year were the Charlotte Tilbury matte lipstick in Glastonberry and the Urban Decay Naked palette. 

I have been the luckiest girl this year and have been well and truly spoiled by my loved ones. I spoiled them in return of course; in a few weeks, I'm taking my parents to London to see the Lion King and we can't wait! I was so overwhelmed with how many wonderful gifts I received this year; as you can tell by the photo above, Santa was very generous. 

My main present from my parents, and something I seriously wasn't expecting, was this gorgeous Moments Pandora bracelet. I've wanted a Pandora bracelet for such a long time, every time I walk past the shop in town I stand at the window and look at all the pretty charms. This was the perfect present for me because I'm a really sentimental person, so i'll be able to get charms that remind me of special moments in my life. As you can tell, I don't have any charms for it at the moment but I'm hoping to get one with the money I received; I think it's going to be a Disney one. 

The main present from my grandparents this year was the Zoella Lifestyle backpack. I've had my eye on this for months; it's a gorgeous colour, a beautiful style and I've always wanted a fashion backpack that I can take out with me. I was in complete shock when I opened this, again it was not something I was expecting. It was actually something I was going to purchase with some of my Christmas money. It's not just the backpack either, inside it there was a pack of pencils, a key ring and the cutest travel mug which I'll definitely be taking to University with me. I'm so in love with everything, and I can't wait to take them out with me. 

Believe it or not, I don't own a fluffy dressing gown, so I thought it was about time that I treated myself to one. This is one of the presents that I knew I was getting because I was with my Grandma and Grandad when they got it for me. I'm absolutely in love with it, I haven't taken it off since I got it. The only way I can describe it is that it feels like you're wrapped up in the fluffiest cloud. If you're looking for a new dressing gown then I really recommend this one, it's got a hood with little ears and I promise when you get it on, you'll never want to take it off. I pretty much wear it all the time I'm in the house, it's so warm and it makes me want to curl up and go to sleep. If anyone would like to know, it's from Topshop. 

To go along with my new fluffy dressing gown, I got these cute little slippers from my Auntie. I'm really loving these kind of slippers at the moment, they're like a slipper sock and a slipper in one and they are the comfiest thing you can wear on your feet. The fact that these slippers are based on mini Bichon Frise's just makes me love them even more, and their red bow just matches all of my outfits. Again, I'm wearing them every single day and I am completely in love with them. 

It wouldn't be Christmas if I didn't receive a lot of Disney things, and one of the first things I received was this Mickey Mouse t-shirt. This was another gift from my Auntie, and I really really like it. It's quite baggy so it's really comfy, and it's one of those t-shirts that I'll be wearing to uni when I'm not really in the mood to make an effort. Funnily enough, I'm wearing it right now. 

My friend Lauren got me the cutest Tinkerbell Pop Figure. I couldn't stop going 'Aw!' when I opened it, and it's currently got pride of place with all of my Peter Pan things. As most of you already know, Peter Pan is one of my favourite Disney films, so having my own little Tinkerbell is the perfect addition to my collection. I've been looking for some Disney Pop figures for ages but haven't been able to find any. It's clear Lauren knows me very, very well. 

Secret Santa is one of the best things about Christmas and my lovely friend Eleanor came up with an amazing idea to do a secret santa between everyone in the Disney Community. My Secret Santa really must know me well; I received this adorable Marie portrait, a Peter Pan Mug, some Marie socks and a bar of Galaxy chocolate. I'm still not over how cute this Marie picture is though, it fits perfectly on the shelves in my room. Thanks to my amazing Secret Santa! 

If you follow me on Twitter, you'll have seen me rambling on about how much I love the Christmas scented candles from Yankee candle. My friend Kathryn must have been stalking me because she was so kind and got me the full set of them along with the prettiest mosaic candle holder and a purple nail varnish. All the perfect ingredients for a pamper evening. 

Now for the present from my best friend, and the present that made me cry as soon as I opened it. Liv got me a beautiful wooden plaque with the quote 'True friends are never apart, maybe in distance but never in heart' and if there's one quote to sum up our friendship, it is definitely that. Liv moved to London a few months ago to start a brand new adventure at University meaning that we are apart for months at a time. Our friendship has definitely grown stronger, and this quote just proves that we're probably going to be friends forever. To go with the plaque, Liv got me the sequel of one of my favourite books and I cannot wait to read it with my box of malteasers. Be expecting a review really soon! 

Because Liv knows how obsessed I am with the NYX soft matte lip creams, she treated me to one in the most gorgeous colour of red. It's in the shade Monte Carlo and I can't even begin to tell you how pretty it looks. It really suits my skin tone and reminds me of the lip colour Taylor Swift had in her shake it off video. I'm so lucky to have a best friend who knows me so well. 

Speaking of books, that leads me on nicely to my next present. My friend Caroline got me the book 'All the Bright Places' by Jennifer Niven. I've heard so much about this book, so many people rave about it and I've wanted to read it for such a long time but never got round to it. Thank goodness I finally have the hard copy and can settle down and read it over these next couple of weeks. I'll be writing a review on this really soon too. I wish people would send me books for free, I just want to read more books!

Now I'll move on to some of the beauty and cosmetics products people kindly bought for me. From my Grandma and Grandad, I received the 'Preppy Princess' perfume by Vera Wang. I used to wear this perfume when I was 15 and it was one of the first designer perfumes I owned. However, I was told it had been discontinued and couldn't be bought anymore so when I unwrapped this on Christmas Day, I was in shock. It's one of the nicest perfumes, and it's definitely going to be the scent I wear from day to day. 

From my Parents, I received the 'Paris By Night' perfume from River Island. This was one of those things that I'd seen and really liked but didn't expect to receive. I normally stick to my favourite 'Blush' perfume from New Look but when I smelt this, I absolutely fell in love. When I spray it onto my wrist, I have to keep smelling it because it just smells SO good. It's a very strong scent and definitely the perfume I will be wearing when I go out. 

As previously mentioned, one of the things on my list this year was the Charlotte Tilbury lipstick in the colour 'Glastonberry'. I'm really into my dark lipsticks, especially for nights out and the autumn/winter months. My Parent kindly got this for me and it is the perfect berry shade. The packaging is so beautiful, it's rose gold and it looks so rich. I just keep looking at it wondering how one thing can be so beautiful. As for the colour, it's stunning. I can't even think of a word to describe how perfect it is, it's going to be the colour I wear all the time. 

My Grandma and Grandad amazed me again and treated me to the Urban Decay Naked palette. I don't have any good eyeshadow palettes and have wanted one of these for years so finally being surprised with one meant the world to me. Now I realise that paying more for make up really does make a difference because the pigment in this palette is amazing. I normally buy the Revolution palettes but from now on I think I'll be sticking to Urban Decay. It's so beautiful and I'm absolutely made up with it. Now it's just time for me to learn how to do my eye makeup properly! 

To go alongside my new eye shadow palette, my Mum and Dad treated me to the Soap and Glory Eyes Box from Boots. I'd asked for some more Mascara because I was running out, but I never expected to get one of these amazing boxes. I love it when Boots release quirky little gift sets like this at Christmas, you get so many good products! In my eyes box I received a mascara, eyeliner pen, eyeliner pencil and an eyebrow pen. I absolutely love everything, it was so satisfying doing my make up on Christmas Day.

For any girl to do her make up, she needs the perfect mirror. I have always been stuck with those mirrors you get with bronzer and highlighter but they're just not good enough. Now, I am the proud owner of a new mirror to do my hair and make up in and it has a ring light around it so that you have the perfect lighting in every situation. It makes me feel like a Hollywood star with my lights on my mirror. I look forward to doing my make up everyday; how sad! 

And finally I got a lot of chocolate, a lot of alcohol and three Disney DVD's; Beauty and the Beast, The Aristocats and The Little Mermaid. I've been so incredibly lucky this year and I can't thank everyone enough for their kindness and generosity. If you've done a post showing all of your Christmas presents then link it in the comments because I'd love to read it! 

Lots of Love,

Meg

xox

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