Christmas has just ended but I think we are all still in the christmassy mood of tiredness, cosiness and a constant food coma *the struggle is real, right* but I am coming to you today with a brand new post; it feels like ages since I just sat down and wrote a blog post but it's actually been just over a week or so.

Christmas to me has become less magical over the years, it was always so incredibly exciting as a child but now...not so much, I've just bought a car vacuum in the sale. However, while it isn't nearly as magical at the grand old age of 24, there are still a lot of things I adore about the festive season including the christmas markets, constant movies, fairy lights (which I think should be mandatory all year round), festive decorations, gift giving and receiving and the food or should I say, the acceptability of being able to eat ALL THE FOOD.

I'm a vegetarian, as is my grandad so christmas food isn't that exciting to either of us as traditional christmas food usually involves meat but there are treats that we both like such as warm chocolate cake with custard (which I definitely didn't eat for dinner yesterday), gingerbread biscuits, hot chocolate and mince pies. Rather annoyingly I have really quite sensitive teeth and some festive treats that include anything cold, such as ice cream or even just cold drinks will have me running to the kitchen to find something warm to reduce the pain.
In comes Sensodyne to the rescue (cue angels singing) with their new *True White Mint Sensitive Toothpaste (£7.99, 75ml). The new toothpaste is the lowest abrasion formula from Sensodyne (it's ten times less abrasive than other Sensodyne toothpastes) and is a specialist whitening toothpaste for sensitive teeth. Most people, myself included, want whiter teeth especially at this time of the year when you're meeting new people, visiting friends and family more and having Christmas/New Year parties to go to. I've tried a few whitening toothpastes and they don't seem to do that much for me personally and they can be so minty that it almost leaves a raw, burning feeling with my teeth and gums feeling even more sensitive than before but this new offering from Sensodyne is so incredibly gentle and it doesn't have a very minty taste either which is amazing for me!

I've been using it for about a week now and I'm loving it; it's so much more pleasant to use compared to the Colgate one I was using previously which by comparison is just mouth burningly minty and harsh. I also love the packaging as it keeps the tube less messy. I haven't noticed a massive change in terms of the whiteness of my teeth but I definitely think it's starting to help and it's also helping a little with sensitivity even though I haven't been using it for very long at all.

Here are Dr Amit Rai's top tips for a kissable Christmas and New Year:

• Brushing your teeth twice a day and using floss or interdental brushes in-between can help remove plaque and prevent bad breath 
• Research shows that 75% of people asked want their teeth to be whiter so give your teeth a top up with a gentle, low abrasion whitening toothpaste 
• Don't skip brushing your teeth as it can lead to an increased risk of gum disease, decay and acid wear 
• Keep your breath kissmassy fresh with a mouthwash but use it at a different time to brushing your teeth as if you use it straight after brushing, you could be washing away your toothpaste's beneficial ingredients 
• Don't go too overboard with the sugar treats as it can lead to a risk of decay 

To be honest, until recently I wasn't really a watch person, I found then awkward to wear and I could just use my phone for the time but now I love wearing them as they act as a practical accessory so I don't have to get my phone out all of them time and it adds an extra detail to my usual basic but classic and minimal outfits. Like pretty much every blogger on the planet, I'm obsessed with rose gold, I would have everything in copper/rose gold if I could and I think during the festive season it is perfect!

I was sent this incredibly beautiful watch from the generous and lovely people at House Of Florrie; I chose the stunning *House Of Florrie Pearl Rose Gold Expander Watch (£75) which I cannot stop staring at! The watch features rose gold plating and an iridescent mother of pearl sub dial. The watch comes in one of the most beautiful boxes ever - when products look this good, it makes photographing them ten times easier *no editing required*.
This watch is from the 'pearl expander collection' and there are two others in the collection including pretty gold and silver options. All three watches have an elegant 1920's inspired design that looks so classic but the rose gold plating gives it is a contemporary and on-trend look. One of my favourite details about the watch (as well as the pretty box, rose gold finish and design) is the unique mother of pearl sub dial. I own a few watches but none of them have a sub dial feature which makes it look very luxe and expensive!

It has a expandable, stretchy bracelet/strap so you don't have to worry so much about choosing the correct size, if you are buying it as a gift because it can fit a range of wrist sizes. Although I have ridiculously tiny wrists and all watches are too big on me so I will have to get this one adjusted very slightly to make it fit more snugly on my wrist.
I think this watch would make a heavenly and very luxurious gift this Christmas and I can't think of any one of my relatives or friends who wouldn't want to find this stunning gift under the tree on Christmas day! I adore the rose gold finish, unique and almost vintage design and the mother of pearl sub dial as well as the beautiful presentation box which could be used to store it while you aren't wearing it. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5!

How it is almost Christmas! This year has been pretty awful, generally with the world and it has gone by so quickly! Today's post is my penultimate gift guide for 2016 and it features so many lovely gift ideas, most of which are beauty related but there are some fantastic accessories and lifestyle gifts too so hopefully you'll find something for friends and family...or yourself.

*Bodhi & Birch Unwind Set (£20)

In my previous gift guide, the Under £15 Gift Guide, I featured the gorgeous Bodhi & Birch Allure Set which I definitely recommend as a lovely gift for mums, aunties, friends or grandmas but in today's post I have the equally gorgeous 'Unwind' set which contains: Rosemary Chai Bath & Shower Therapy, Rosemary Chai Lotion, Jasmine Falls Bath & Shower Gel and the Jasmine Falls Lotion. All four are 50ml each so they'd be great for anyone who travels a lot or as a trial set for anyone who hasn't tried the brand before. My favourite scent of the two is the Jasmine Falls scent but they're both heavenly.
Now for a couple of lifestyle gifts including this gorgeous *STM 'Grace' Laptop Case (£24.95) in the colourful but not too colourful option called Coral Dove which is my favourite of the four available. I have the 15" option but there's also a 13" one too. The case is really well padded and cushioned and it has an incredibly soft interior so your laptop is going to be really well protected on the go whether you take your laptop to work, school or travelling. I adore the design and I think it would be a perfect practical gift for workoholics, travellers, commuters or students - you can't go wrong. It can be bought from Amazon or Currys online.

*GANT Women's Cashmere Blend Gloves (£45)

I LOVE giving practical gifts and more luxurious gifts and these glove tick both boxes! Winter accessories are great gifts for Christmas as they're going to be needed with the gloomy and chilly English winter. These gorgeous and cosy gloves from Gant came in such a beautifully presented box with a ribbon so aesthetically it would make a luxe and fancy gift! The gloves are made of a wool and cashmere blend which makes them feel so soft, smooth and cosy. The design is simple and the colour will go with everything; my mum would love these gloves. If you want to give a practical and useful gift that is also really luxe, high quality and cosy then look no further! They have a lot of other gloves and products to choose from for men and women so I'm sure you'll find one...or ten things that catch your eye.

*Yves Rocher Ambre Noir EDT Pour Homme & Neroli EDP (£16.40 sale - 50ml, £18.40 sale - 30ml)

I have been lucky enough to try a few Yves Rocher perfumes and I have loved all of them, you can check out my reviews of them if you want more info! They also make gorgeous men's aftershave, the Ambre Noir EDT contains notes of patchouli, vetiver, bergamot, cardamon, lavender and tonic bean absolute. I love the packaging and I adore the fragrance, it's very musky, rich and typically masculine so I think it would be a hit with so many recipients this Christmas! Also the price is amazing!

The Neroli EDP contains notes of orange blossom, neroli, bergamot and orange. Again, the packaging is just gorgeous as is the bottle - they're very photogenic! The fragrance to me is very unique which is an unusual to come across with SO many fragrances on the market. It's sweet, floral, fresh and just gorgeous; I know I'll get so much use out of it, especially during the spring months. I cannot recommend both enough!

*Truffle Shuffle Stranger Things Tote (£6.99)

Is anyone else a bit obsessed with Stranger Things? I know I am! I have watched the series a couple of times already and I cannot wait for the second series which will be released sometime next year. *hurry up!*. I was very kindly sent this amazing tote from the lovely people at Truffle Shuffle. I use tote bags all of the time for blog products to be photographed, books and groceries. I can't recommend it enough and I think it would make a great present or a gift bag for fans of the show!

*Roger & Gallet L'Homme Sport Wash Bag (£22.50)

I love Roger & Gallet gifts, they all look so gorgeous and this offering is no exception. The practical and wintery wash bag comes with the shaving foam (150ml) and the after shave balm (75ml) so it would make a great gift for travellers or for anyone who hasn't tried the brand. I love the wash bag, it's really spacious so it would be perfect for a weekend away. The L'Homme Sport products have a fruity, woody and musky fragrance that I think will be a hit with most, I know my dad will love this set!

*Warner Bros DVD Set 

I was very kindly sent a range of DVDs from the super generous people at Warner Bros that would be perfect gifts for the men in your life. I received Batman vs Superman, Black Mass, Creed, Point Break and Mad Max Fury Road, none of which I've watched before so I can't wait to have some family and friend movie nights over the festive season to watch these! I've heard great thing about Batman vs Superman. I'm currently hosting a giveaway on my Twitter (@ofbeautyand) with Warner Bros in which you can win all five of these DVDs!

One of my favourite things about Christmas are all of the gorgeous and sparkly tree decorations, fairy lights, outdoor lights and the lovely, glittery homeware that is very hygge (forget about thing life, I'm all about that hygge life!). I personally love metallic (rose gold/copper/gold) decorations and lights at this time of the year especially so I want pretty much everything from Cox & Cox!

Cox & Cox have an incredible range of gorgeous homeware and Christmas decorations, trees and lights that I'm kind of in love with. I love Nordic and Scandinavian style homeware, minimal designs and mixed textures so this site is perfect *I can't wait for their Boxing Day or January sale as I'll be buying everything*.

Miniature Birch Tree  -  Copper Glass Stars  -  Wooden Frosted Tree  -  Copper Wire Stars  -  Copper Star Tree Topper

Can you tell that I love copper and stars...I'm a blogger cliche! I think everything I've chosen would be perfect for christmas, I love everything and I'll definitely be picking up some of these items for next year (I wish I had known about this amazing site sooner as their products and product photography is genuinely gorgeous). They'd also made lovely Christmas gifts for new home owners! This is a collaborative post.

Today's post is one of my last gift guides for the year *how has 2016 gone by so quickly, especially the past couple of months!*. Blogmas is coming to an end and it's gone by really fast but I still have some christmassy posts coming as well as another gift guide after this one so there's still some festive posts to look forward to. Today's post features some incredibly lovely gifts that would be great for mums, friends, aunties, brothers or dads from lots of amazing brands. 

*Bodhi & Birch Allure Gift Set (£15)

I've tried a couple of products from the natural brand Bodhi and Birch and I couldn't recommend their products, I tried the ylang-ylang shower gel and lotion which are both heavenly. So when this set arrived in the post I had to rip it open and smell everything immediately. The set contains: ylang-ylang body therapy bath and shower gel, ylang-ylang lotion and the camomile sky bath and shower therapy. All three for large minis, so they'd be great for travelling and they all smell divine. Bodhi and Birch products are a treat for the senses and the mind as they all make me feel so relaxed and pampered! I couldn't recommend this set enough and it comes beautifully packaged too. 

*Gift Company Cinnamon Spice Candle (£6.99, sale)

*Gift Company Christmas Candle (£6.99)

*Gift Company Gingerbread House Diffuser (£6, sale)

*Gift Company Mince Pies & Brandy Butter Diffuser (£6)

*The London Sock Exchange (£15 - £60)

*Dr Paw Paw Lip Balm (Original + Red Sparkle, £6.95)

I have seen this brand on twitter so many times but I haven't until now tried their famous lip balms. The balms are multi-use so you can use them as lip balms, cuticle balms or a general skin balm; I've been using them as a cuticle balm and lip balm. The original is really useful and I have been keeping it in my bag for on the go. The limited edition 'red sparkle' version has a very slight red tint as well as glitter for a festive touch (due to the glitter I'd only use it as a lip balm). They're really inexpensive and great as stocking fillers!

*Look Good Feel Better Makeup Sponge (£7.49)

I use my Beauty Blender so much for foundation and concealer application but I'm always happy to try new ones especially as the Beauty Blender is really expensive for what it is. This sponge is made by LGFB which is a worldwide cancer charity and between 8-12% of the price of the sponge will be donated. The sponge is fantastic for applying and blending my foundation.

*Magi Bobble (£2.95, pack of five)

I love giving practical presents and these would make a great stocking filler or as part of a beauty hamper! The bobbles are designed to tie your hair up in a ponytail or bun easily without snapping. I have the white ones from the new pastel collection but they have a range of hair colour or fun colour options to choose from.

*Susino Floral Filk Super Mini Umbrella (£14.99 each, white/black)

*Roger & Gallet Bois d'Orange Set (£6)

*Inspired Colouring Christmas Book

 *Essence Cosmetics 

Images from Pinterest

One of my favourite things about Christmas, now and when I was a child, were all of the Christmas decorations and lights on our street and while driving around. Growing up, there was a house close to us that was known to us as the 'Christmas house' because every year it had SO many lights on it that it stood out so much and always made us smile going past it. We've never done anything that over the top but we always have lights outside and as children we put up our 'santa stop here' sign in the front garden.

Now things are a little different as my inspiration and wish list is coming from Pinterest and or Etsy so I don't want lots of lights but I do want fairy lights, wreaths and cute homemade decorations. There are so many gorgeous outdoor christmas decorations and christmas light inspiration photos on Pinterest that are just perfect - some of my favourites are above.

I love all of the ideas in the photos above, especially the gorgeous wreaths, we have one now from Matalan that lights up but next year I'd love a real one for the front door - they make me think of Victorian Christmases. I'm not a fan of tacky lights or decorations, some of my neighbours have inflatable decorations which I personally don't like but I do love more homemade, traditional indoor and outdoor decorations for the Christmas season...well I like fairy lights in the garden all year round! I think fairy lights look great around trees and scrubs which is something a lot of the homes around mine seem to be doing this year. Garden designers, Floral & Hardy, offer a range of garden design services to create your perfect garden including personalised garden plans so that when Christmas comes around you'll have a gorgeous garden and outdoor Christmas decorations will look amazing!

During the autumn and winter months, I burn so many candles, probably more than I do for the rest of the year; candles are a hygge essential and I'm all for hygge! Candles make me feel so incredibly cosy, warm and relaxed which for the past week has been so important as I've had a few stressful things to deal with including driving lessons and I'm taking my driving test today so positive vibes would be amazing!

I was very kindly sent a couple of cute candles from Tangy Melon which all have quotes and hashtags on so I think they're perfect for teens and also bloggers. All of their candles are made with 100% natural waxes and oils.

*Tangy Melon #Dope Candle (£9.95)

The first candle I chose was the #dope candle which is lavender and rosemary; if you've been following my blog for a while then you'll know that lavender is one of my favourite scents ever so when I see a lavender candle, I have to go for it! The candle smells absolutely heavenly, I could smell it all day and the candle is actually quite strong when it's burning so much so that when it's in the office, I can smell it down the stairs! It burns evenly, the packaging is cute and I adore the scent - I couldn't recommend this one enough! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5!

*Tangy Melon #WhiteChristmas Candle (£9.95)

Again, the packaging is really cute and I do prefer it to the previous candle - it's very festive. This candle is supposed to be pumpkin and spiced apple so obviously going by that description I had to choose it as I love scents like that; however the candle to me doesn't smell anything like pumpkin or apple, in my opinion it has a artificial watermelon scent which I'm quite disappointed with. It burns evenly and the scent throw is pretty good but I definitely prefer the lavender and rosemary candle by far. Overall rating: ★★★☆☆, 3/5.

Overall, I couldn't be happier with the lavender and rosemary candle as it smells so relaxing, calming and gorgeous to me and the scent throw is really impressive but the pumpkin and spiced apple candle is quite disappointing unfortunately. Make sure you check out their Twitter and Instagram.

I have featured Snapfish on my blog previously and I've also bought quite a few items for family myself as I love how quick and easy it is to create personalised gifts that look fantastic and are so special. Everyone who has received a gift from Snapfish has loved it and it's especially nice to receive a photo gift or personalised item for Christmas!

As well as amazing photo gifts, they have have an option for photo/personalised cards including Christmas cards. Family photo Christmas cards would make a lovely surprise for family or you could create a friends card with a group photo too. I've kindly been allowed to pick a few items from Snapfish to personalise and review:

*Snapfish Christmas Cards (£1.99 each)

I chose three cards, one for my grandad with photos of myself and my sister, one for my auntie with family group photos and one for a friend with a group photo of us and our closest friends. I chose the designs: Confetti Christmas Joy (which is my favourite), Bright Merry Christmas Lights and Christmas Wood and Leaves. All three designs are unique, festive and would make a lovely, special cards for family and friends. You can not only add photos to the front of the card but to the inside as well which is what I have done for all three of the cards. Here are some tips for family photos from Snapfish:

• Get an extra pair of hands or alternative use a tripod and remote 
• Make sure you get the best lighting you can, whether it's natural or artificial 
• Festive or formal wear is always best 
• Photo props can make great additions to group photos as well as family pets - don't leave them out
• Keep it fun and maybe tell a story with the photo 

They also make photo gifts too including notebooks, canvases, prints, keyrings, cushions, coasters, phone cases, calendars, magnets, Christmas ornaments and more. I've made a few photo books via Snapfish, either with a voucher that I've been sent or with my own money and they are fantastic but this time I opted for a cute mug and keyring.

*Snapfish Porcelain Mug (£8.99)

They offer a range of mugs but I chose this lovely porcelain mug which is dishwasher and microwave safe. You can add your own photos or you can add photos to an existing pre-made design which is what I did. I picked one from the 'friends and family' options and changed it with text and photos so it would make a lovely gift for my mum. The photos can out really well, I love the design and I know my mum will love it!

*Snapfish Keyring (£2.99)

The final item is a cute keyring that I've made for my dad featuring one of my favourite photos of myself, my sister and my dad together when I was around four years old *in a cute dress, that I wouldn't mind having now!*. The photo is printed on both sides and the plastic is scratch resistant so it should last for years.

Overall, I couldn't recommend Snapfish enough for amazing and special christmas gifts as well as lovely christmas cards that would make anyones christmas! I've bought items from Snapfish myself and everyone who has received a Snapfish gift or card has always been happy with them. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

*AA Essentials Skincare Rose & Pomegranate Duo (£11.88)

*Mary Berry Cook The Perfect Step by Step (£25)

*Neals Yard Remedies Essential Oils (£16.99)

*Rose Gold Love Story Gift Set (£34.95)

*Merry & Bright Mini Tweezer and Mirror (£25)

*All That Glitters Holiday Set (£29.95)

*Crabtree & Evelyn hand Therapy Sampler Set (£26)

*Dermalogica Body Buffering Set (£15.50)

*Gooey Chocolate Mug Cookie Mix (£5.95)

*Tangy Melon Candles (£9.95)

Photography is a massive part of blogging so after blogging for over four years now, bloggers pick up a lot of simple tips and tricks for taking great blog photos and also for social media as well and they definitely come in handy when the festive season come around. The autumn and winter months are awful for bloggers as the darker days make taking blog photos so much harder, especially when it comes to taking food photos! Here are some of my simple photography tips for fantastic festive social media photos:

Use a DSLR

Since I bought my Canon 750D and lenses I've seen a massive improvement in my blog and social media photographs and as it has wifi, I can easily transfer photos from my camera to my phone to edit or share directly on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook - I can't recommend the Canon 750D enough!

Filters & Editing 

However, if you don't have a DSLR, no problem! Filters and editing can make any photo so much better within moments. I love the following apps to edit my social media photos: ColorStory, Afterlight, Polarr and PhotoCollage. I edit or add a filter to every photo I upload to social media, even if it's just to sharpen or brighten. Usually I want bright, white photos but for the festive season I want rich, sumptuous and vivid photos and I find the Clarendon, Lark, Juno and Ludwig filters on Instagram make the colours of my festive photos more intense and richer.

Switch up the angles 

I love experimenting with different camera angles for my blog and social media photos as there is more to Instagram and blog photos than flatlays! You can see from the festive table layout photos above, all of the different angles you can approach the same photo - experiment and you'll be surprised by the results.

Don't stick to an Instagram theme

Instagram themes are probably just a blogger or brand phenomenon where you stick to a certain filter and photography style and I've tried to stick to a theme so many times but it's not for me as I want to have the freedom to post what I want on my social media. I need to switch up the filters and style I use otherwise my feed gets really boring and samey; also every photo needs a different filter or style especially at this time of the year so don't restrict yourself or stress yourself out about it.

Add extras & Textures

Adding photo props or extras can make a photo look so much better as there's nothing worse when it comes to blog or social media photos than bare and boring photos. I love adding props and also textures to photos, it makes them more interesting and dimensional, if that makes any sense.

Overall, there are my simple festive photo tips and tricks for the christmas season. It is easy, especially if you are a blogger, to become stuck in a rut with your blog or social media photos but I think the main thing to remember is to keep it simple, experiment with filters, angles and apps and most of all, don't stress out about it - it's your account and your photos! Check out this article from The Furniture Market for more instagram photo tips. This is a collaborative post.

Christmas is almost here *it's 25 sleeps away!* so I have another gift guide to help my lovely readers find gifts for loved ones...or yourself and today's gift guide is all about gorgeous and luxurious gifts which will be perfect for the women in your life who deserve an extra special gift this year! I know my mum and aunties would adore all three of the gifts in today's luxury gift guide.

*Wedgwood Arris Teacup & Saucer (£45)

I think anyone would be happy to receive a gorgeously indulgent teacup and saucer and especially from the world famous brand, Wedgwood. My mum and aunties love afternoon tea so this would be perfect to recreate an afternoon tea experience at home. I adore the simplistic but luxe design with golden detailing. It's made of fine bone china and it comes in a beautifully presented gift box so it would aesthetically make a lovely and unique gift this Christmas!
*Joan Collins I Am Woman Fragrance Set (£45)

Fragrances are also a fantastic gift, I know I love to receive perfume for my birthday and as a christmas gift. I have to say that the packaging for this fragrance gift set is so luxe and fancy! The set contains: Joan Collins Luxury Body Lotion, Joan Collins Eau de Parfum and the Joan Collins Fragrance Essence - the bottles for all three are so fancy! The fragrance has citrusy top notes, sensual musky notes and floral notes with woody base notes. I love the eau de perfume, it's musky, woody and perfect for the time of the year or as an evening fragrance.
*Sekonda Ladies Snowflake Watch Gift Set (£69.99)

Last but not least, my favourite item of the three! A jewellery or watch gift set would be perfect for the festive season as it's usually not the thing that you'd buy for yourself. This gorgeous set contains a lovely watch, bracelet, necklace and earrings all of which are sparkly and have a wonderfully festive snowflake design. The watch and earrings are stunning...well all four items are! It comes in a gorgeous gift box so it's already beautifully presented and perfect for any jewellery lover this christmas, I mean come on, how gorgeously sparkly is this gift set!

Overall, I love all three gifts and I think they'd be perfect for so many recipients this christmas and I know my friends, mum and aunties would love all of them! All three are luxe but not too expensive and look beautiful! Thank you so much to the lovely and generous brands featured in this gift guide. Here's my own mini luxury wish list:

I've already published my Stocking Fillers Gift Guide which went down really well so today's post is my roundup of a selection of gifts for him, whether's that is your brother, dad, husband, cousins or friends so I hope you like the gifts and this post gives you some ideas for this christmas season...I want to keep all of these for myself to be honest though.

*Smartphone Projector (£18.99)

The first gift is one of my favourites and I've been using it so much! It's a cardboard smartphone projector which is perfect for the colder months as you can have a cosy movie day in bed! The projector is suitable for use with all iOS and Android smartphones so it should work with all iPhones (I have an iPhone 5C and it fits well). It comes with instructions printed onto the box and it is a little time consuming to put together *I'm more used to putting together Ikea wardrobes...* and it takes a while to get the distance/set up right but it is a little DIY project on Christmas day and will mean that you can watch movies and embarrassing christmas home movies over Christmas Day and Boxing Day instead of the awful TV!
Last year I only read about six or so books but this year my goal was 30 which seemed almost insurmountable at the time but I'm now on my 72nd book which I'm really proud of and one of the publishers that I've loved is Pushkin Press; their books are beautifully published and so unique! So I obviously have a few books in my gift guides this year as I think books can make lovely gifts.

First up, these two incredibly beautiful books from Pushkin Press, *Triumph and Disaster and *Genius and Discovery by Stefan Zweig (£9.99 each). I have to be honest and say that book covers definitely affect my interest and catch my attention and I think it's important for Christmas gifts to look the part. I adore the metallic, foil detailing on the books, especially the copper shade *heart eyes emoji*. These dramatised historical studies of some of the most poignant moments in history are so interesting and will make a unique Christmas gift or stocking filler. I'll have full reviews next month or in the New Year (my current TBR is huge!).

The majority of the people in my life love food, baking and cooking so cookbooks are great and safe gifts to give; however they can get a little repetitive but in comes Hoxton Street Monster Supplies to the rescue...you can probably tell by the store name that this isn't your usual cookbook. The Hoxton Street Monster Supplies Cookbook (£13) is a unique cookbook designed for the living, dead and undead alike, it's full of interesting halloween and monster filled recipes such as Classic Kraken Crumble, Boiled Bile Jam, Dragon's Egg Tarts and so many more amazingly macabre recipes - I love it! Also I adore the illustrations, cover and it's a fantastic price; there are so many stocking fillers on their site too and I want them all!
My dad is awful to buy for, he's so picky with everything so I always just end up buying him aftershave which he likes but it's not very interesting so I think this gift set from Crabtree and Evelyn will be the answer! The *Crabtree and Evelyn Indian Sandalwood Traveller Gift Set (£24) contains travel sizes of their hair and body wash, shave cream, after shave balm and cologne in the heavenly 'indian sandalwood' scent. I adore the scent, it's woody, masculine and musky but it's different to all of the generic men's scents. It's presented so nicely and it would make a perfect Christmas gift for dads, brothers, friends and the men in your life who travel.

I think for most men, skincare and grooming products on the whole are a little confusing or feminine and I know my dad wouldn't know what to buy so I'm always the one to choose products for him and he does actually use them. The Chambers & Co Balm For Active Feet (£8, 60ml) which is perfect for dry skin. It contains carrot oil, hemps seed oil, vitamin E and more fantastic, natural ingredients. The *Chambers & Co Balm For Active Hands (£8, 60ml) also contains great ingredients such as aloe vera, coconut oil and almond oil. Both would be fantastic as men's or womens stocking fillers or as part of a hamper - perfect for this time of the year when your skin needs a little TLC.
Food is also a go-to gift but it's usually chocolate, coffee or hot chocolate but this is much more unique but just as practical and yummy! The *Easiyo Yoghurt Maker (around £18) is a quick and easy to use yoghurt maker that uses packet mixes (£2 each) which makes up to 1kg of yogurt per packet. I have the 'forrest fruit' and 'greek style with honey' flavours, the first is amazing. The yogurt maker is so simple to use and you can have smooth, creamy and delicious yogurt in between 8 to 24 hours depending on how quickly it sets. I think it would make a great family gift as it's something parents/guardians and children could make together! There are also so many yoghurt flavours to choose from and they're vegetarian, gluten free and contain natural flavours and colours.
This final gift is probably my personal favourite and all of my friends, family and neighbours that have tried it have loved it too so it would be perfect for share the experience with over the Christmas season, parties and New Year! The *Immerse Virtual Reality Headset (£39.99) is a virtual reality headset in which you place your smartphone and you can play and explore virtual worlds (via free apps you can download from the app store) as well as 3D movies and videos. I've downloaded a few apps and the best so far have to be the Jurassic VR and Haunted Rollercoaster apps - the jurassic one is amazing as you are in a jurassic park like environment with dinosaurs roaming around! The headset is so easy to use and I love the experience of virtual reality; the only negative I have is that the headset is a little heavy with a phone in it and there aren't a tonne of apps right now but I'm sure that will change soon. My grandad, aunties, friends, parents and neighbours all loved it, it's a great talking point and everyone wants to try it (they're all impressed by it!).

The Christmas party season is coming up and I'm always struggling to decide what to wear that will be relatively warm, formal or party appropriate and comfortable but with the suitable glitz, detailing or lace for a christmas party or new year celebration. Thankfully there is still plenty of time to choose an outfit or two and Coast have so many gorgeous pieces!

Coast isn't a store that I ever really shop at but browsing their site last week, I found so many gorgeous dresses that are lacy, flattering and christmas appropriate but minimal which is what I always go for. Also there are gorgeous bags and glitter and sequin covered pieces that would be perfect for the upcoming festive season.

Party Glitter Clutch  -  Red Shift Dress  -  Black Lace Panel Dress  -  Black Lace Jumpsuit 

I adore the clutch bag, especially the design and glitter covered exterior; I'm not usually a fan of clutch bags but it's gorgeous and it does come with a chain strap *I have added it to my very long wish list*. Also I never really like jumpsuits but I love the simplicity of this one and the lace detailing makes it so gorgeous and festive party ready! This is a sponsored post.

It may be too early for some but I am always really organised when it comes to christmas gifts so having gift guides and gift ideas in November (or earlier...) really helps when I'm trying to decide what I could buy for friends and family. This year I have a couple of little ones to buy for and that means I get to go to toy stores and press all of the buttons on the toys and run away. Here are some stocking filler and gift ideas for the little ones in your life:

One Day On Our Planet Book  -  Lamb Steiff Teddy  -  Bubble Maker  -  Boo! Book  -  Butterfly Light  -  Lush Snow Fairy FUN  -  T-Shirt Graffiti  -  Santasaurus Bubble Bar  -  Secret Writing Set  - Butterfly Backpack  -  Pusheen Unicorn  -  Rocket Backpack

I would have loved these gifts as a child, especially the adorable butterfly light (I actually had a light like this growing up but I think it was from Ikea), bubble bars and FUN, teddies and the secret writing set! I know my friend's little ones would love some of these gifts! There are so many gifts out their for children but I think any of these would be great - prices range from £6 to £20. This is a sponsored post.

 I have relatively long, thick, frizzy and tangle prone hair *I'll stop bragging now* so brushing my hair has always been a painful experience, especially as a child where detangling shampoos did bupkis and my mum would pretty much rip out my hair trying to brush it but stay so long to tangles with Tangle Teezer.

I was very kindly sent two of their brushes to try including the *Tangle Teezer Limited Edition Lulu Guinness Compact Styler (£13.50) which has such a gorgeous Lulu Guinness design! It can be used on wet or dry hair and it's designed for minimal breakage. The compact styler comes with a cover to protect the bristles so it would be ideal for travelling or keeping in your bag on the go.

I've been using the brush on wet and dry hair and it works so well both ways, particularly on wet hair when the tangles are the worst. It does really help to detangle knotty hair and it's as gentle as it can be but it does still hurt; however it works much better than my regular paddle brush and I am really happy with it! I think it would make a cute but practical stocking filler or as part of a beauty hamper.
I also have the *Tangle Teezer The Ultimate Finishing Brush (£15) which is my favourite of the two and I've been using it pretty much everyday since I received it. It has a handle so it is a little more comforting and easy to use than the compact styler. It cannot be used with heat and I wouldn't use it on wet hair but it's amazing on dry hair to smooth, detangle and reduce frizz which is amazing. When my hair is dry, I usually have a halo of frizz that not even a pass with my GHDs can help with but the brush really helps smooth out my hair so much, it's a christmas miracle!

Overall, I love both designs and they are both very effective even on my long, thick, frizzy and tangled hair. I have been using the compact styler on my wet hair to detangle and the finessing brush on dry hair to help reduce frizz and to smooth. They'd make perfect little, practical stocking fillers! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.