Features
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Inspiring Christmas gift ideas for teens
Buying gifts for my teen is a bit like extracting teeth. Yep, it’s painful, for the most part. And that’s only because I never know if the kid is actually going to like the gift. But more than that, I hate getting him gifts that are meaningless and just for show. I know, I come across as all hip and stuff (humor me, please), but in reality, my brain is like a spreadsheet (hence the name of this here blog) so I gauge everything according to how useful it’s going to be in the long run. Anyways, long story short (because let’s face it, I was babbling) I found a bunch of seriously cool gift ideas on the Cum Books online store the other day.
My kid is transitioning from young person to young adult (aaaack!) and I need to prepare the kid for the big world. My prayer for him is that he will remain the stable, level-headed guy that he’s somehow growing into and I thought to gift him with things that can encourage this. Here they are:
Man, if I had a teenage daughter, I would totally be getting her this gorgeous Inspire Bible for Girls. If you’ve been following my story for a while, you’ll remember that I have my own Inspire Bible. I love that these Bibles are decided to unlock your creativity, as you spend time getting into the Word of God. I mean, if you struggle to concentrate during your quiet times, this is the best thing! The new Inspire Bible for Girls is aimed at girls aged 8 – 12 years and is jam packed with things like: devotions, written by the amazing Carolyn Larsen, over 800 pages with space for creativity and amazing graphics for colour-in sessions, journaling prompts and Bible facts. Totally worth it at R399.95There are a bunch of really rad, creative Bibles for teen guys too! Check out the Cum Books online store for more.
If your kid loves arts and crafts, she’ll fall inlove with this Bible Journaling Kit. I mean, how cute is this? I want one for myself! The kit comes complete with Bible journaling supplies that is sure to inspire creativity, as she grows in the Word. I’m talking about the good stuff, like washi tape rolls, a black ink block and stamps, column inserts, sticker pages, glitter gel pens metallic gel pens and even a journaling template. Grab it for R549.95
This year, I am getting our boys some Christian resources as part of their Christmas gifts, because the kids need to learn about Jesus, yo! Fortunately, the wide selection of “teen gifts”, at Cum Books, makes it easy to find products that they will actually enjoy.
The 365 Daily Devotions By Teens for Teens immediately sparked my interest. These are written expressly for teen boys or teen girls, by actual teenagers who understand your kids lingo. The unique devotional is filled with personal experiences that are relatable and heart-felt. Through the stories of others, teens see how God works in our lives when we open ourselves to Him. The devotion includes hundreds of teen authors and teens love reading what their peers have written. Price: R189.95
Dave Strehler’s Amazing Stories for Young Believers is another one that immediately caught my interest. How cool is this devotional, you guys?! It contains 366 devotions for kids aged 8 – 12, and tells stories about Bible characters and the great things they did for God. Each day’s devotion gives a practical application based on a specific passage from Scripture, as well as another Scripture verse that reinforces the lesson for that day. A topical index at the back of the book arranges devotions according to themes. Dave is a children’s ministry stalwart, who has devoted more than twenty five years to equipping children and young people, by helping them to understand the Bible and enjoy reading it. Price: R189.95
I think the one I am most excited about is The Action Bible. I love everything about this illustrated version of the Bible! Firstly, it has more than 200 fast-paced narratives in chronological order, making it easy to follow the Bible’s historical flow and reinforcing the build-up to its thrilling climax! Secondly, the stories are illustrated in such a contemporary way that your teen will not be able to resist turning the page to learn more. This compelling blend of clear writing plus dramatic images offers an appeal that crosses all age boundaries. It’s a bargain at R399.95You can also pick up The Action Bible Guess It Game – a guessing game, derived from The Action Bible. I’ve added this one to our family game night and you guys, it’s so much fun! The 99 cards each has 20 questions about people, places or things, from the Bible. You have to correctly guess the identity of the person/place/thing, with as few clues as possible. Great for traveling or family game night, these action-packed cards will help expand youngster’s Bible knowledge in a fun and interactive way. Price: R129.95
WIN a Christmas hamper compliments of CUM Books!CUM Books is one of the largest stockists of Christian and inspirational books, Bibles, music, resources, movies and gifts, in South Africa! CUM Books focus is on spreading the Good News to the homes and hearts of people across South Africa. I’m also especially pleased that we can now shop online – the Cum Books online store is a dream!
But hey, I know why you’re here! You want to win an amazing Christmas hamper, compliments of Cum Books! We’re giving away TWO hampers, a His and a Hers, and you have until 16h00 today (Friday, 15 December) to enter!
For more deets check out these blog posts:
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ECMeetUp: do bloggers actually like each other?
On Saturday we got to hang out with some of our fave Eastern Cape bloggers at our final ECMeetUp of 2018. The event was unlike any other blogger meet up we’ve ever hosted, because we wanted to see if bloggers actually like each other in real life. I mean, it’s easy to be all quirky and polite behind a screen. Right?
And hey, I’ve built many a friendship via the internet (you know who you are, friend!) But the cool thing about us EC bloggers is that the Eastern Cape is small, yo. And we actually have a chance to hang out a lot more than some of the other influencers, in other parts of South Africa. And so Ella and I wanted to facilitate a gathering of sorts, where we could all just let loose and focus on getting to know each other better. The night was filled with festive games and laughter. Plus, prizes and gifts… need I say more? You can read more about that over on JustEllaBella today. But I’m here to talk about the people.
My favorite thing about living in Nelson Mandela Bay, is the people. I mean, yeah we have a slammin’ beach and really cool touristy attractions and all of that. But our people are worth their weight in gold! Our (sometimes over the top) friendliness can often be misconstrued as being fake or false or “this woman is not right in her head.” But, in retrospect, living in a smaller metropole has its perks and one of the perks is that we are a tightly knit community and so even though you may not know everyone, chances her your new friend knows someone who knows someone who once worked with your family member at Cadbury. Or Volkswagen. Or Edgars, Greenacres. You get the gist.
Anyways, my point is that I am simply over the moon that our little EC blogging community is growing so nicely. Why be happy, some would ask. I mean, doesn’t this mean that there is less opportunity for the rest of us? Uhm, NO. It means that there is more of us to take note of! (That was me throwing shade at the rest of South Africa, who, it seems, often forgets about us). We are a growing force and a thriving community and yep, we actually like each other. How about that?
Anyways, before I trail off into another mommy-lecture, allow me to introduce the EC bloggers who were in attendance this Saturday. Please feel free to stalk away!
Bernadene Freeman of Be You Daringly – Facebook Instagram
Catherine Richards of Curious Cat – Facebook Instagram
Clarice Geduld of A Healthy Travel Addiction – Facebook Instagram
Eleanor-Douglas Meyers of Just Ella Bella – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Eridene Coltman of Journey with Deenah – Facebook Instagram
Jenine Damons Marneval of The Fat Fairy – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Kelly Adams of Basically Kelly – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Kenastacia Asia of Kenastacia – Facebook Instagram
Luchae Williams of My Spreadsheet Brain – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Mandy Frank of – Frankly Mandy – Facebook
Maverick Coltman of Maverick Coltman – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Melissa De Klerk of Fox & Owl Media – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Miriam Maulana of New Kid On The Block – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Nadine Rose Larter of Passing the Open Windows – Twitter Instagram Facebook
Odette Johaar of Totally Confident and Completely Insecure – Twitter
Ralph Dirsuwei of Chasing the Rainbow – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Ruth Abercrombie of Pursuing Purpose – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Sandi Leith of A Life In Spring – Facebook Instagram
Sarah Dirsuwei of Chasing the Rainbow – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Simone Cameron of An Ordinary Gal – Facebook Instagram
Tanya Lilley of Just Me, T – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Tayla Rodger of Tailored Inspiration – Facebook Instagram
Theresia Muller of Lessons Learnt – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Venean Bosch of In the Meantime – Facebook Twitter Instagram
Yolande Holloway of Sheer Empowderment – Facebook Instagram
Yolandi Barnard of Styles by Yolandi – Facebook Twitter InstagramDisclaimer: All the pics in this post was “borrowed” from the EC Bloggers Instagram accounts. Give them a follow! You can check out all the meet up action, and exactly what the bloggers went home with, by searching for #ECMeetUp on social media.
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Three cool things to do with your family in Port Elizabeth
If you’re planning a visit to Port Elizabeth (now known as Nelson Mandela Bay) this holiday, firstly, you clearly have excellent taste. I mean, besides for the exquisite beaches, amazing nature reserves and friendly locals, Port Elizabeth also offers visitors a chance to get to know the city’s history. There’s something for everyone! Check out these three cool things to do with your family in Port Elizabeth:
The Beach
Always the beach. Whether you’re looking for a safe place to sun tan, or a shady area near the waves, to watch your kids play around in the sand, the beaches in Port Elizabeth are the perfect place to park your umbrella. The coastal region of Nelson Mandela Bay offers you 40kms of beautiful, golden beach! Kings Beach extends from the harbor wall to Humewood and is ideal for swimming and body surfing. Hobie Beach, which is in the vicinity of the Boardwalk and Shark Rock Pier, is a hot spot for volleyball enthusiasts and is the venue for the annual “Splash Festival”.
The History
My family and I are a sucker for a good adventure. We have spent countless hours exploring Port Elizabeth’s rich cultural heritage sites, such as the Fort Frederick, South End Museum and the Donkin Heritage Trail. The Donkin Reserve and Lighthouse building are famous monuments, and we’ve spent many a school history tour learning about these attractions and how they’ve played an integral party of the establishment of our city. But my most favorite monument of all has to be the Campanile. This historical building, erected to commemorate the landing of the 1820 Settlers, is situated at the entrance to the railway station and docks in Strand Street. It is 50m high and has a climb of 204 steps! The magnificent view of the harbor, once you’ve reached the top is priceless!
The Wildlife
While residing in Port Elizabeth is not exactly deemed as “outback living” we have our fair share of wildlife and nature. On the outskirts of Nelson Mandela Bay, you’ll be pleased to find an array of hot spots that showcase the natural beauty that the Eastern Cape has to offer. Some of these include Van Staden’s Wild Flower Reserve, Settler’s Park, Maitlands Nature Reserve, Baviaanskloof Wildnerness Area and Groendal Wilderness. You are also spoilt for choice, if gaming is your thing. Nelson Mandela Bay boasts an amazing selection of stunning game reserves and game drives that might bring you face to face with a member of the Big 7! For more, check out Addo Elephant National Park, Kragga Kamma Game Park and the Seaview Predator Park.
But hey, don’t take my word for it! You should totally give our friendly city a go, this coming Summer season! For more information do check out the Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism website, where you can find more deets on a NMBT pass card that will give you free access and many great discounts to many of these attractions!Disclaimer: This post was written in collaboration with SA-Venues.com.
All pics used in this post were borrowed from the NMBT website.
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My Top Five Christmas Party Games
If you love a good end of year party, like I do, then you’re probably the designated Christmas party planner for your office or group of friends. I see you, kindred heart! We’re the Jessica Day’s of this world, and that’s okay! So, obviously, you’ve sent out your invites (weeks in advance, duh, coz that’s how we roll) and your party is obviously a costume party (because what is a party without a theme.) And now you’re looking for a few super fun Christmas Party games and activities to entertain your guests with. I got you girl! Here are some of my favorite Christmas Party games:
Christmas Carols Remix
You’ll need 3 bowls, paper and a pen for this one. One bowl will contain strips of paper with all players’ names on it. Another bowl will contain Christmas song titles. And the last bowl will contain an instruction (i.e. sing the carol in reggae style or act out the carol as if you’re on Broadway). Take turns drawing a name, a carol and an instruction, awarding points for the best performances!
Dirty SantaThis is by far my most favorite of all games! Each guest will be asked to bring along a wrapped gift (it’s safer to give a value limit for the gift). Have the guests stand in a circle, with the gifts in the center of the circle. Each guest will then draw a number from a hat. Right, this is where the fun begins!
Guest number 1 will choose a gift from the pile and unwrap it to show the rest of the crowd. Guest number 2 will now have the opportunity to either take number 1’s gift OR draw a new gift, to unwrap and show the crowd. Guest number 3 will have the choice of 1 and 2’s gifts OR choose a new gift to unwrap and display. The fun starts happening when there is a gift that everyone wants! You may find tit making its rounds – hilarious!
Christmas Music Trivia
Warn your guests that you’ll be doing a Christmas Music Trivia, so that they can brush up on their Christmas tunes! Create your favorite holiday playlist and play the intro of the jams, for the your guests, giving them the opportunity to guess the name of the song and the artist name. You could spice it up by adding interesting trivia questions (multiple choice is better) about the history of the song.
Santa Belly Bust Okay so this one might seem a bit juvenile but it’s tons of fun, I promise. All players must place a large inflated balloon under their shirt, to represent a big Santa belly. Players will keep their hands behind their backs and, on start, must try to bust their gut, without using hands. You could have a prize for the winner, but it’s way more fun to have a “punishment” for the loser!
Christmas Pass the Parcel
This may take a lot more prep on your side, but a Christmas Pass the Parcel is a great corporate game, especially if you want to get to know your co-workers a bit better. Wrap your main prize up with layers and layers of gift wrap/newspaper. In between all the layers, add ‘Truth or Dares’ and questions (such as “What was your favorite thing about this year”) and small gifts. Have your guests pass the parcel, to a Christmas song, and stop the music every now and then so that someone else will get the turn to unwrap a layer.
What are some of your favorite Christmas party games?
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Fun games to play on a road trip with kids
With the school holidays looming, a scenic road trip could be a cool way to keep your young ones entertained. I know, a road trip can seem pretty daunting when you combine the compact space of a back seat with your kid’s extremely large levels of energy. But do not fret, dear friend! Fellow mommy blogger, Amelia, of Suddenly a Mom, has shared some cool road-trip games with us!
Fun road trip games for kids
We’re getting ready for an eight-hour road trip in December, when we head on our annual family camping trip to Yellow Sands, which is just outside East London. With a talkative 10-year old that loves telling the same jokes and expecting the same enthusiasm from us every time we hear it.So, I’ve become the mom that gives her earphones and an iPad and lets her watch movies while I convince myself that they’re educational. But, this year, we’re going to play some games along the way so that we can all pass the time with no mention of “What goes tick-tock-bow-wow?” (It’s a watchdog, by the way).
I Spy
How to play it: Say, “I spy with my little eye something beginning with {choose a letter}” and the rest of the family have to guess what you’ve seen. If your kids are younger, you can choose a colour, rather than a letter.
Why we love it: It helps with her spelling and passes the time really well (especially as you get more creative with the things you can actually see).
Licence Plate Maths
How to play it: Using only the numbers on the licence plate of the car in front of you, try to add, subtract, multiply and divide to get to a certain number (10, 15, 24, whatever). The person that gets the closest to the goal numebr is the winner of each round.
Why we love it: It’s so helpful with maths and out-of-the-box thinking, and it changes all the time (every time a different car is in front of you). I even play this on my own. I’m not ashamed.
Memory Games
How to play it: Start with, “I went to the corner café and I bought a {name one thing that you bought}”. Then, the next person needs to repeat the whole phrase and what you bought, and add another item to the list. Every person that follows needs to repeat the list in the correct order. So, you’ll end up with something like, “I went to the corner café and I bought a coconut, a bottle of water, a puppy, an exhaust pipe, a hotdog, a hairdryer, and balloons.”
Why we love it: It’s really fun hearing what random thing each person would add to the list and coming up with ways to remember them.
Twenty Questions
How to play it: One of you has to decide on a person or thing. The rest of the car can only ask 20 questions to figure out what person or thing you’re thinking of. To add to the intrigue, you can only answer the questions with “yes” or “no”.
Why we love it: It keeps us busy for AGES and it’s fun figuring out the riddle and strategising your questions.
Find the Car
How to play it: Choose one car make (BMW, Hyundai, Toyota, etc…) and keep on the lookout for it on the road. The person that spots the most cars of that make is the winner.
Why we love it: It’s great for a tween that is learning to read and for little ones that can identify the badges. It’s also fun to yell, “TOYOTA” in the accent of your choice. You just did it, didn’t you?
Would You Rather
How to play it: One person asks, “Would you rather…” and comes up with two hypothetical situations. Everyone in the car has to say which they would rather do or be and why. For example, “Would you rather be painted blue for the rest of your life, or only be able to see the colour blue?”
Why we love it: It gets bizarre and hilarious, but also makes us think.
Name Game
How to play it: The first person comes up with the name of an animal, country, colour, food, etc… Then, the next person has to name another thing (in the same category) that starts with the last letter of the one before it. So, for example, if we choose “country” as our category, I could say, “Denmark”, and the person following me would have to come up with a country that starts with the letter “K”.
Why we love it: This game is just the right combination of educational and fun.
Comment below if you have other great ideas for car games to play on long road trips.
Guest post by Amelia Meyer
Amelia is a freelance writer, wife and mom. She is based on the gorgeous Garden Route and blogs at Suddenly a Mom when she’s not ear-deep in projects for clients. She is also an owner, copywriter and editor at Voxate.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VoxateWritingEditing/
Twitter: @mieliepip -
JOHNSONS® Vita-Rich Smoothies for your skin! {Giveaway}
So when it comes to skin care, I’m usually not this dramatic. But you guys, when my friends over at Johnson’s Skincare sent me their new JOHNSONS® Vita-Rich Smoothies range, I pretty much freaked out! I mean, to be honest, everything feels tired this time of the year and my skin was in need of a vita boost. The timing was perfect!
The new JOHNSONS® Vita-Rich Smoothies range captures the power and goodness of Peach and Coconut or Honey and Oats, combined with yoghurt concentrate, to help effectively care for your skin. The range was designed to deliver lasting hydration – I’m talking 48 hours’ worth of moisture. Yep, it’s that good!
I love the creamy formula of both the body wash and the body lotion. And the scents? Oh my goodness! Could they be any yummier?! (Like, seriously, I want to taste them.) You can tell that these products are designed to help you experience a sense of comfort and well-being… what better way to treat yourself, after a long day at the office or, you know, the house. Your own house. Where you live. (It’s a job, yo.)I love the “smoothies” concept. The ‘Indulging’ Coconut & Peach range is my fave. As you know, coconut is a super food and coconut oil helps to prevent dryness and flaking of skin. It also delays the appearance of wrinkles. Peach is a good source of antioxidants and Vitamin C.
The ‘Comforting’ Honey & Oats range is also delicious! As you may know, honey is rich in anti-ageing ingredients and is a great moisturiser. Oats is also a popular health food, and is often used in skincare products to help moisturise, exfoliate and cleanse. Oats is also used to help relieve dry, itchy and irritated skin.
The clever addition of yoghurt was a smart move since this healthy superstar is packed with skin-friendly nutrients that help to regulate sebum that can cause breakouts. It’s also packed with Vitamin B2 that keeps the skin hydrated and protected.
WIN 1 of 2 JOHNSONS® Vita-Rich Smoothies hampers!Guess what! As part of my Christmas Crazy campaign, JOHNSONS® Skincare is giving away 2 delicious Vita-Rich Smoothies hampers to 2 lovely My Spreadsheet Brain readers! Aaaack! I know, I want to cry too. To enter the giveaway, score a point by doing any or both of the following:
- Check out the specially marked post on Instagram and follow instruction given there.
- Check out the specially marked post on Facebook and follow instruction given there.
Don’t worry guys, I won’t make you jump through hoops (or ask you to follow everyone and my mom) in order to enter. Buuut, please know that we will verify each entry, so sticking to the rules is kinda important. Oh and about dem rules, here are some more to take note of:
Terms and conditions
The JOHNSONS® Skincare Christmas Crazy giveaway closes on November 29 at midnight.
I’ll be announcing all my Christmas Crazy winners on November 30.
Each winner will be contacted via email and would need to respond within 24 hours, in order to claim the prize. (Since most company’s shut down in December, this kinda is a strict rule, so please do keep your eyes glued to your inbox/my social media, to check if you’re a winner.)
Please note: my Christmas Crazy giveaways are only open to SA residents. -
Our Christmas Tree Night traditions
Christmas Tree Night is the best thing! Yep, as the name suggests, the night is dedicated to unboxing and decorating our Christmas tree. For us it pretty much marks the start of the festive season and, because of that (and mainly because I’m a loony toon), I kinda made a whole event out of it. Whaaat, tis the season to be extra, fa la la la laaa la la la laaaaa! *cough* Right, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, allow me to share all the deets of a typical “Christmas Tree Night” ‘round about these parts. I mean, one does not simply just set up a Christmas tree. There has to be festivities, food and flair! We are making memories, with our kids, after all! Here’s how it all goes down in our neck of the woods:
The tree
Timing is everything! I usually wait until mid-November to set up the tree because one needs atleast a full 30 days with ones Christmas tree. Right? Anyways, I often get a few new ornaments to add to our growing collection of Christmas tree trinkets. Some of our ornaments holds a special memory, like the red beaded cross Chris and I bought while on honeymoon. We sometimes get really into it and hand craft a fresh batch of ornaments (and by sometimes I’m actually talking about literally one time). If you’re that kind of mom (I’m not that kind of mom), you could make it a tradish: each member of the family could create one new tree ornament to add to the tree each year. Such a cool way to create memories.
The musicSo you must know that when I unleash my inner jingle, I jingle all the way, baby! Christmas Tree Night is usually my way of letting the family know that, yep, it’s Christmas carols time! I have quite a collection of Christmas CD’s (totally unashamed about it) and I’m totally convinced that my collection of Christmas music can turn even the Scroogiest of Scrooges into a festive fairy! As you can imagine, Christmas Tree Night is not complete without some of our favorite carols playing in the background.
The food
You guys, Christmas Tree Night wouldn’t be complete without snacks. (But, I mean, is anything complete without snacks? Rhetorical question, the answer is no.) We keep it light and easy because we cannot share our Christmas tree decorating time with food preparation time. Some of our Christmas Tree Night staples include a bunch of family faves that have been passed down from previous Christmas Tree Nights. And that is how tradition is birthed you guys. Our staples include:
Loaded hot dogs. These are the same as normal hot dogs, except we only have it with freshly made relish (well, its tinned tomato and onion, don’t look at me like that Susan) instead of tomato sauce. I call it “loaded” because you can add a bunch of things to the relish and make it as festive as you want. Go wild with the green peppers, bacon bits and fresh garnish. I usually top it all off with cheese.
Fancy crackers and toppings. The kids love this because it makes them feel all special and grown up-y It’s basically Salticracks with adult-y toppings, you guys. Things like muscles and oysters, cream cheeses and tuna mayo.
Cream buns. As you can tell, the trend, for Christmas Tree Night is to make the food as quickly as possible because I don’t want to be slaving away in the kitchen when everyone else is having fun setting up the tree. So guess what, you guys, I feed my kids store bought cream buns and I feel not one ounce of guilt at doing that. Theresit.
Christmas milk. So I came up with this drink and I know it probably won’t, like, win me an award or anything. I call it “Christmas milk” and it’s literally a mix of custard and normal milk, topped with cinnamon. This is my alternative to eggnog and can be served hot or cold. You are literally going to make your custard as normal, but instead of a thicker consistency, keep it as runny and milky as possible without losing the flavor. Top it up with cinnamon and vanilla sticks and ta da. (Yes, I literally just told you how to make drinking custard. Whatevs. It’s Christmas Milk, okay?)
The traditions
When Chris and I started dating, and it was just four of us, we started this little tradition, where we would each make a paper ornament to hang on the tree. Each of us could cut out our own shape and decorate it with glitters and colors. This ornament was special because you had to write down how God had blessed you over the past year, and some of the things you were thankful for. I’ve managed to keep most of these paper ornaments but I’m so terrified that I will lose them!
And that is how the Christmas memory book was birthed. This memory book will only come out on Christmas Tree Night and each person will get a chance to write down their thoughts, or draw a pic, detailing their past year. (No peeping!) The book is then packed away until next year Christmas when we would all take turns to page through the book before adding our new ones.
Christmas Tree Night is the perfect time to start a new tradition with your kids. How about creating your own ornaments or hanging up special baubles, that represent each member of the family. There are so many fabulous ideas online! Find a few that works for you and your family.
The outfitsI love, love, love the concept of Christmas inspired pajamas, you guys! In fact, I’m totally eyeing some pajamas that I had spotted over on The Milk Memoirs. Christmas Tree Night is a great time to give your kids brand new jammies… I don’t know, wearing something new just increases the excitement somehow. And, I mean, who doesn’t love a cute pair of festive themed pajamas? But hey, if you’re a spreadsheet brain (like me) and you have a lot of children to clothe (also like me), don’t feel bad if you’d rather get, you know, normal pajamas instead. (And by “normal” I mean, jammies that are inexpensive and not themed, so they get more wear out of it.) For my kids, just the whole concept of new jammies is enough exhilaration for them! It’s one of the things that I’m adding to my Christmas Tree Night box, for sure! Btw, Santa hats are a must!
The memories
So you want to be taking all the pics and all the videos, to document all these great memories that you’re making with your family. But, truth be told you guys, I tried to find some decent pics of our previous Christmas Tree Nights and the ones I could find were either too blurry or too dark. When it comes to Christmas Tree Night, we just don’t have time to take pics and videos – there is too much going on! But, still, try to do it, you guys. I promise I’ll try too.
The activitiesSo once you’ve snacked and set up the tree and done all of your traditions, a great way to end the night is with some family games. Games like charades is a really fun and easy way to get some laughs going and you don’t need a board. If games are not your family’s thing, how about ending the night off with a Christmas movie. To be honest, chances are your little ones will be so exhausted after all the fun and excitement that they won’t make it through the movie. (Thank you and you’re welcome).
So tell me, friends, do you also have a Christmas Tree Night? What are some of your traditions?
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Oh baby! Nattou plushies are the best Christmas gifts
I remember my baby’s first Christmas. Well, mainly because it was like, last year. But that’s not the point. The point is that I desperately wanted to get my little boy a really meaningful gift that he would treasure for years to come. Something that was baby safe, but not, you know, boring. I’m sentimental and cool like that. And so I ended up getting him a plushie. I call it a “lovey” and I appreciate that I can leave it behind with him, when I’m not around. A really stunning plush toy is a great way to offer your baby some form of comfort in your absence. This is why I love, love, love the new range of Nattou plush toys!
You guys, these gorgeous new characters are just so beautiful… and practical! I fell inlove with the 24cm, 100% polyester plushies, sweetly named Lea Snow Leopard, Adele Elephant and Loulou Panda. They were designed to be baby’s first companion – exactly what I had been looking for – something that would serve as a play thing and a source of comfort.
Adele Elephant has to be my favourite you guys – and that was not an easy decision to make! With super cute pink accents, this bow bedecked cuddly is pretty much what I want for Christmas. But like, for myself.
For Jojo, it’s a toss-up between Loulou Panda and Lea Snow Leopard. Both are dressed to the nines in shades of blue and I simply love their colour palates! I mean, seriously, these plushies are such classic pieces, I can see my kids holding on to them for years to come! And that’s because the Nattou cuddly toys are created with fabrics and materials that are selected for durability, softness and safety.
Rest assured that the design of every Nattou toy – the fabrics, cutting, sowing and even the finishing – has all been meticulously checked, to make sure it meets European safety standards. Yep, this plushie can handle your toddlers tantrums, and then some!I actually appreciate that Nattou puts so much effort into designing soft toys that address the parents concerns. Their products are colourful, engaging and durable enough to accompany your little one, as baby explores the world.
Prima Baby has made these plushies available at Hamleys, Takealot and Kids Emporium for R249.99.
WIN 1 of 3 NATTOU PLUSHIES!But hey, friends, as part of my Christmas Crazy campaign, Prima Baby is giving away 3 plushies to 3 lucky readers! Aaaack! I mean, talk about perfect timing, you guys! To enter the giveaway, score a point by doing any or both of the following:
- Check out the specially marked post on Instagram and follow instruction given there.
- Check out the specially marked post on Facebook and follow instruction given there.
Don’t worry guys, I won’t make you jump through hoops (or ask you to follow everyone and my mom) in order to enter. Buuut, please know that we will verify each entry, so sticking to the rules is kinda important. Oh and about dem rules, here are some more to take note of:
Terms and conditions
The Nattou Christmas Crazy giveaway closes on November 29 at midnight.
I’ll be announcing all my Christmas Crazy winners on November 30.
Each winner will be contacted via email and would need to respond within 24 hours, in order to claim the prize. (Since most company’s shut down in December, this kinda is a strict rule, so please do keep your eyes glued to your inbox/my social media, to check if you’re a winner.)
Please note: my Christmas Crazy giveaways are only open to SA residents. -
Best End of Year Party Themes
If there’s one thing that I love more than Christmas itself, it has to be end of year parties. I love a good festive party! And I especially love that tis the season to wear costume (fa la la la laa?). Yes, I know, not everyone is up for a good ol’ costume party. But the joys of the festive season is that you can theme your end of year party however you want, Susan, and it’ll STILL be rad! Not convinced? Well, here are a bunch of seriously cool end of year party themes:
Formal Tops, Crazy Bottoms
If you’re looking to go crazy but, you know, not all the way crazy, how about a formal tops and crazy bottoms party. So what this means is that the dress code of the event is to wear something formal and classy as the top half of your outfit, and something totally wack as the bottom half. This is especially fun as a corporate end of year function… I mean, who wouldn’t love to see Martha from Accounting let out her wild side, in some crazy bottoms?Silly Hats
Okay, maybe Martha is not keen about revealing her ankles. Fine. How about a silly hat party? Yes, Martha, you can wear your sweater set… provided you pair it with a fun hat! This party theme is perfect for our more conservative counterparts.
Ugly Sweaters
So in America they usually host Ugly Christmas Sweater parties where guests are encouraged to come donning their most hideous or funny Christmas jerseys. Fortunately for us we have the most glorious weather during the festive season. So how about an “ugly t-shirt” party? Wear your most ridiculous Christmas t-shirt or hey, get creative and make one! Special prizes for the most creative t-shirts.White Christmas
Throw a glamorous winter wonderland inspired White Christmas party, where guests are asked to come wearing all white attire. You could go crazy with the snow-bedecked décor, magical lights and white draping. Add a touch of class with a Christmas jazz band or saxophonist.Santa Party
Invite your guests to a Santa Party, where everyone is dressed up in his or her own rendition of Santa garb. Make sure to play all the Santa-related games (pin the gift on the Santa?) and sing along to your favorite Santa inspired songs!
Christmas Costume Party
Come dressed as festive as you dare to the Christmas Costume Party. Yep, this means, all greens and reds, tinsels and bows! Go Christmas crazy with this one! (Tip: Offering prizes for the best dressed or most elaborate outfit always encourages people to go the extra mile)Christmas Mystery
Much like a “murder mystery party”, throw a Christmas Mystery party that is centered around a Christmas story line. Each guest will receive their characters name, proposed attire and some information about their role in the mystery. Upon arrival, guests are required to be in character for the whole night, as the Christmas Mystery story is unraveled. This will take a bit more effort on your side, as the narrator and director of the mystery. There are bunch of cool story lines available online.Once Upon a Time
I love the idea of a storybook themed party, where guests are encouraged to come dressed as a character of their favorite storybook. The list of costume ideas, for this one, is endless! (Disney, Pixar etc)So there you have it, some of my favorite end of year party themes! Let me know what you guys will be going with this year!
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Birthday parties: Let the kids play!
I get it, parents of the world. I get it. We want to give our kids the very best! Fair enough. But seriously, when I started planning Kari’s party I knew that it was not going to be a Pinterest-Fest. I had too much going on and the girl kept inviting more and more people to the party! She had a very specific guest list, you guys, so diva. She also insisted that we have an “Anna and Elsa” party. (Yes, Frozen. Sigh.) Anyways, so my strategy for the party was this: let the kids play, man! I mean, seriously, they don’t care about your perfect sugar cookies and matching tee-pee tent. They want to eat a lot of sweets and play until they fall asleep (you’re welcome, mom). And that’s what they did! Here’s the low down:
Venue: Bubbly Kids
We hosted the party at Bubbly Kids – an educare and kids party venue, located in Morningside, Port Elizabeth. The Bubbly Kids event venue offers you a large grassy area (for playtime), and even a pool and braai facilities. My favorite thing about the party venue is that you can literally just pay to hire the place (R1000, for two hours, which includes kids tables and chairs) and that’s it. No other costs! You can literally bring whatever else you’d like to have at your kids party. No special vendors that you HAVE to use and no little hidden fees that you HAVE to pay. I also liked that the venue has an old school jungle gym, to help build those muscles and develop hand-eye-coordination.As an educare, I really like the Bubbly Kids Educare ethos: learning through play. Their trained educators make learning fun for your little one. The classes are colorful and inviting and the setting is relaxed and homely. I mean, isn’t that every parents dream – to send your little one to a playschool/educare that feels like home away from home, right? They daycare caters for kids aged 1 to 4 years old and is open from 06h30 to 07h30. You can learn more about Bubbly Kids on their Facebook page.
Food:
We got some snacks for the parents and hotdogs for the kids. I did not fork out a wad of cash on a designer cake, because seriously. (That’s my reason: seriously) Instead, we had a really pretty (easy to make, but don’t look at me for the recipe you guys, I don’t bake) rainbow cake, that Kari simply loved. The cool Frozen party bags added an element of charm to the kiddies table. These were made by JustEllaBella. It was so funny to see the kids sling these bags over their arm, as they jump on the jumping castle (can’t leave the sweeties behind). But yes, it once again reminded me that the kids are not looking for designer-what-what. They want to play.
Activities:
Besides for the outdoorsy stuff (jungle gym, jumping castle, painted street with cars and bikes to zoom around in, balls etc) we also had an art section, where they could color-in their favorite Frozen pic. I think the highlight, though, was when Anna made an appearance. You guys, I thought Kari was going to cry! Well, I most definitely wanted to cry. The kids then ended up taking selfies with Anna – they were in awe. Best moment ever! If ever you’re going with a character themed party, I highly suggest you do something like this. The kids could not stop talking about Elsa. One little boy said “Wow, I can’t believe Elsa came all the way from Arendelle, to Kari’s party.”At the end of the day, Kari fell asleep telling us what an amazing party she had. Mission accomplished! And I didn’t even have to bust out my inner Pinterest-mom! Winning at life.
