All be it November, Christmas is in full swing! This time of the year has got to be one of my favourite times of the year. The nights are drawing in, it's starting to get a lot colder, the thick coats and hats are coming out and it's all very exciting. I genuinely cannot think of anything better than coming in from the cold to a nice warm house with a cup of hot chocolate, a Christmas candle burning, grabbing a thick blanket and putting on a Christmas film. Pure bliss! However, one part of the festive period people aren't so keen on is Christmas shopping...but surprise surprise I love it. It's the one time of the year you can pull out all the stops, go all out and spoil the people who deserve most. With me having a part time job as well as doing A Levels, I am struggling to find days where I can get fully engrossed in the Christmas spirit and hit up the high street in search for gifts for people. However, on Saturday I put aside any other plans other than to get wrapped up, grab my car keys and prepare my bank card for some serious damage.
I didn't set out with anything in mind, I just wanted to purely enjoy having a wander around the shops, taking in the decorations and displays and making a start on my list of things to buy. Weirdly I started with getting some essentials for wrapping. When it comes to gift wrapping I get far too involved than I should. To me, there is nothing more special than taking an extra 5 minutes to wrap a present with something a little different rather than a bodged up corner and a sticky on bow. I am going to do a completely separate blog post on wrapping ideas in the next few weeks. I then wandered into the Body Shop with my friend to get a little body wash as a start of a 'Care Package' for my mam with the idea that she can go into it when she's had a tough day and needs to relax. These little shower gels are great for £2 if your mam/sister/girlfriend travel or like little mini toiletries. They did have other smells besides Mango too.
Superdry is known for it's quality clothing so I had a wander in thinking of something for my Step-Dad. As the store in Durham had a huge clothing range, I thought a nice thick hoodie for winter would be great. It was £49.99 which is a fair bit cheaper than Jack Wills and do a wide range of sizes. I also would recommend a gift receipt if you are unsure with sizes as you have a little longer to return the item after Christmas.
Of course it wouldn't be a good Christmas shop unless it involved the obligatory pit-stop at a coffee shop. My friend chose Starbucks which had a impressive display of all the Christmas treats you can enjoy with your coffee. My favourite's are the caramel waffles and the almond and pistachio biscotti.
With my having a Starbucks the day before however, I chose to take a trip to Costa. Their Christmas range is amazing to say the least...The Orange Hot Chocolate is essentially Christmas in a cup! However I went for my favourite last year, the Gingerbread Latte. A shot of espresso, steamed milk warm ginger syrup running through your drink topped with a swirl of whipped cream, golden stars and even a mini ginger bread man to finish is just what you need. Also Costa wins my vote for the best Christmas cups.
Little outfit shot. This parker hasn't been off my back for the past two weeks. Purchased from Topman, it is soon becoming my new winter staple. Oh...if you're really looking you can see a cheeky Starbucks festive edition cup in the Superdry bag. Just what you need for coffee on the go.
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Coat: Topman: £95
Jumper: Topman £9
Watch: ASOS |
All this shopping called for some food. When we parked up, we spotted a man handing out free pizza samples with vouchers for 25% off the bill at "ASKITALIAN". Unable to give into temptation, and never having tried the restaurant, we thought we'd give it a go. The prices are average but it was a bonus that we had the voucher. The deco is simplistic and it has a really cool, lively vibe to it. I chose a 'Raspberry Lemonade' and it was sooo good! I could have had easily 3 glasses of it.
The food arrived and we sure weren't disappointed. We went for two peperoni and one margarita and there was plenty to go around. The bases were lovely and thin and with a topping of grated parmesan and black pepper was just what we needed.
Stomachs full, we went to finish off our trip with a visit to a few more shops. This window display caught my eye at 'Fat Face' and it really captures what Christmas is all about, thick jumpers, fluffy socks and an abundance of ribbon.
As the dark came, the lights came on and I felt it only necessary to get a shot of the Christmas tree and the sky covered in stars. Durham always go subtle with their decorations but it always looks great.
All be it brief, I made a start on the list of items to buy and got right into the Christmas spirit! The drive home consisted of Michael Buble, Terry's chocolate orange segments and a good old sing along to Mariah Carey and WHAM. Prepare yourself for a lot of Christmas related posts in the coming weeks, I have a few posts planned so be sure to follow my blog so you never miss out.
Thanks for reading as always,
Luke.
