Belated Blogmas - Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Hello all! Hope you had a fab Christmas. I honestly thought I'd have time to post something on Christmas Day, but relaxed with family instead. The day was more relaxed as I worked Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. I had croissants with nutella for breakfast, opened presents and loved watching the dogs opening their own presents. It was so funny. Click here to watch my adorable babies opening their toys with treats wrapped up inside too!

My last 11 Blogmas posts have tried to promote positive aspects of Christmas or at least be as humourous as possible. I have tried to stress the importance of giving, but it would be a lie to say I hated getting gifts. I love it. I'm not an alien!

Today's post hopes to share the stuff I received on Christmas Day alongside the stuff I received prior to Christmas on the 23rd and 24th of December, Christmas Day was filled with amazing presents including lovely gifts from my parents and one of my friends. My Mum and Dad bought me an organiser and to do list which I knew about in my wishlist post, lots of nail polish from OPI and Nails Inc, foldaway primark bag, two lovely midi skirts, Lola Rose bracelet, lots of chocolate (again as asked for in wishlist) and Dad bought me and Mum hats from a recent work visit to Belgium.

 I love the slogan - it makes me feel positive for the new year ahead. Also like it as it reminds me of a lovely gift that my friend, Julie got to cheer me up this year.

 I just love doing to-do lists. Even if I don't tick everything off, it makes me feel like I'm doing something. I love the colours of this. Great purchase from Paperchase!

 Fab choice of colours from both Nails Inc and OPI. I love the theme of Audrey Hepburn for my gifts this year! People know me too well... I've already tried one of the nude shades in Nails Inc for my nails and toes and love it.

Who doesn't love having a foldaway bag for when they go shopping?

I also received a burgundy midi skirt. They are both lovely and just my style!

I love burgundy for starters, so think this is perfect! I received a green Lola Rose bracelet from my parents for my birthday in October and fell in love. Anyone who knows me will know my love of jewellery. I used to be much more flamboyant with my choices wearing statement necklaces, large rings (including one ruler style and a huge eye once) and huge earrings. However my long love for bracelets has continued and is the main jewellery I now wear.

I love that Dad bought this back for us. He doesn't often buy things as he hates shopping, but when he does, it is so thoughtful. The lining is so soft and warm. Who thought I'd be excited for more cold?

Then, I opened my present from my close friend, Julie which included an amazing array of gifts including a scratch world map, skirt and scramble photo frame:

I love how two friends got me travel related gifts. I love hearing about travelling, seeing new places and having an adventure. I don't want to get older and regret not seeing places. Unfortunately due to different circumstances haven't done the last two years, but who knows 2017 might be the year!? I certainly hope to see more of the UK if nothing else...

I love this mini skirt. Recently after visiting Glasgow, and shopping together, we both bought the same skirt. I guess she must have another one which is a cute tradition! Might need to buy her the next matching skirt...

I love this truly personalised gift! I can't wait to find the perfect picture to fill it with.

My friends did well for gift buying this year, not that you're friends with people for their talents in buying the best pressies, but it doesn't hurt!

After Boxing Day, my grandparents visited and left yesterday. They got me some lovely gifts and ticked off some more amazing things from my wishlist including the Audrey Hepburn biography I'd been wanting, Liz Earle beauty items, my favourite mascara (Benefit Rollerlash mascara), more chocolate, clip-on earrings, Autograph nail polishes and M&S Pjs.

I think this is by far, my favourite present this year!

Audrey Hepburn is an amazing woman, who I greatly admire. She had a tough childhood being raised during world war 2, was hugely talented, very beautiful (never knew it), successful in her career, extremely fashionable with no effort, a mother and of course, most admirably did fantastic charity work for charities such as UNICEF. I don't want to say too much more without reading and knowing thoroughly. I thought who better to talk about her life than her son, so when I heard he had written a book, I knew I had to read it!

I love Liz Earle products, and it probably sounds cheesy, but is true...their products have changed my life. When I started using their cleanse and polish I realised I hadn't previously been getting all my foundation off, my skin improved (I often struggle with acne and scarring) and best of all, people comment on how healthy my skin now looks. When Gran gave me this, I was excited as these are two products I've not tried and I've tried a great few.

This is another product I adore and swear by. I adore Benefit mascaras, but this is my favourite by miles! I like how gentle it is on eyes, how long my lashes look with less time than usual and weirdly I even like the smell of it.

Got plenty of chocolate this year. Mum got me 4 bags of these too. They are my favourite chocolate buttons and sold in Aldi. They honestly do the best chocolate despite the low-low price. Gran also got me a pack of mini chocolate oranges, which I had put on the floor while opening other presents. My crazy dog thought it was a toy or something to destroy; she ripped it open (luckily without eating as it is poison for dogs). However it was funny to watch. She even growled when I got it off her.

Love the choices here. I've missed wearing the occasional pair of earrings since my piercings seem to have sealed up, so feel these clip-ons will be the best solution. Already worn the top blue pair from Accessorise.

I've also been lucky with my choice of nail polishes this year. I feel I might even need to get a proper box to store all my colours in now! Has anyone ever tried Autograph nail varnishes? I've never come across them yet and big on painting nails. It's the only thing that can stop me biting them. I don't picked the colour off as often as I used to either!

Finally, I got this gorgeous PJ set which I adore, and wear as I type this! They are so comfy and baggy just how I like them! My Gran also bought me another pair from M&S but didn't want to bore you too much with every picture!

As well as this, I received £100 for driving lessons and a gift card to spend in M&S from grandparents. Yesterday I even booked my first lessons for Ipswich. I'm excited, but also nervous as I've not driven since my failed test attempt in March, where I was actually shaking and highly emotional!

It's fair to say I received lots and Santa was very generous! I definitely realise how lucky I am, and hope others got everything they wanted. I hate receiving technology gifts as somehow means less to play with, and almost feel bad asking for something like that at my age. At 24, I should get something like that myself!

I learnt many things about Christmas this year:
1. Just because you get older doesn't mean it can stop being fun. You just need to adjust what you like now
2. Don't ask for chocolate as you'll get too much, eat it all and hate yourself!
3. Appreciate what you have and give where you can!
4. Looking towards goals  is one of my favourite parts (just reconfirmed what already knew)
5. As cheesy as it sounds, Christmas is all about family and enjoying time together

I love the New Year. Honestly no idea why because short of watching the countdown, my new year traditions haven't changed much since being a child. I spend the day with my parents, relax and have festive food. Then at the strike of midnight, we hug/kiss each other and wish each other a happy new year. I've only spent two years outside the house and one away from my parents. One was watching the fireballs in Stonehaven, which was lovely but very cold and crowded. Definitely something I'm glad I did, but wouldn't do again. The other was my first year moving out, and spent with my flatmate and her sister. They both fell asleep which was a disappointing start to the new year.

Why do I like new year? Well, I'm someone who loves setting goals and looking for things to look forward to. I might have already mentioned my goals for 2017 in my post: 10 things as I discuss my 10 hopes for the year ahead. Love to hear if you have any goals for the new year!

I've learnt so much this year as described in two posts: What being overweight taught me and Moving & Updates. I've learnt to accept my body shape, and increased my confidence from doing so. I've learnt what works best on my skin which is Liz Earle. I hope to write about this more in the new year! I've learnt from no longer working in fundraising and within the third sector, what it means to me. Most importantly, I've rediscovered my love of writing since starting this blog in July. 2016 has been a difficult year for not just me, but many others but I believe I've learnt many more personal lessons, which will help me in the future.

Hope you enjoyed reading my very belated Blogmas post. I wish you a merry Christmas, and my next post will be in 2017! I honestly can't wait for the new year. Happy celebrations!