Going All Out For The Christmas Party

A Christmas party is a nice end of year function to celebrate the work and struggles you’ve overcome in the previous 12 months apart from celebrating Jesus' birth.

So you want your party to look the best Christmas party ever has? Here’s some ideas to make it easier to plan, and to make sure it looks and feels great. 

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How to Decorate

That can be easy once you’ve got a clear idea in mind. Use both the inside and outside to your advantage here, as your home can be cosy and warm for people to mingle in, or you can add an extra element of flair to it with a bit of clever lighting and some music. 

Hang up fairy lights over your porch, and put some Santa shaped ornaments either side of your door. Of course they can be any shape you want, as long as it adds a little more magic to the scene. Hang up a Christmas wreath, and let the hum of Christmas music float to the outside through the wood. 

What to Make

Christmas parties take a special kind of catering. Once you’ve bought the decorations, it’s time to move onto the biscuits and sweet treats your guests will love to nibble on. Some old time family favorites include cheese straws, gingerbread, mince pies, and of course there’s the mulled wine. However, we can mix it by throwing in some extra ingredients!

For example, take the idea of the mince pie and throw a bit of Baked Alaska on top of it, which is super yummy and looks great on a tablecloth. You can also make the cheese straws spicy or crunchy, for a little hidden flavor we always miss! 

How to Dress Up

Just because it’s a Christmas party doesn’t mean everyone has to come as a version of Santa and his elves! Instead, use this time to really show off your style and be the best dressed person in the room by taking the look of Christmas tinsel, baubles, and festive cheer and putting it into an outfit. 

A suit and blazer will always go down a storm, as it’s easy to maneuver in for the dancing and you can dress in multiple layers. Similarly, a playsuit or jumpsuit has a sense of festivity about it as they’re usually covered in a blotched or spotted pattern, perfect for that candy cane feeling whilst not looking overly dressed, and you can wear fluffy cardigans around your shoulders. 

Similarly, make sure your kids are outfitted just as nicely! For the younger ones this isn’t really a problem, they’ll look cute in everything. But if you have older children, you might find they have some issues with choosing the perfect outfit. So, if you’re having a trouble finding an outfit your teen will love, look into mermaid prom dresses, as they’re sparkly and flow out lovely around the ankles; sure to make your adolescent feel like a million bucks!

A Christmas has never had so much homemade cheer to it!

It's Time To Put Your Financial Fears To Bed!

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There are a lot of things that are worth worrying about in modern life. Of course, even if they aren't, most of us are going to end up worrying about them anyway. From family to friends to work, the list of things to worry about just goes on and on. Of course, there's one thing that causes people to worry more than just about anything else. That thing is, of course, money. People can often spend huge amounts of time worrying about their finances. So much so that it often gets in the way of them living the rest of their lives. However, that's not the way it has to be. Here are a few simple ways that you can put your financial worries to bed.

Don't ignore your bank balance

One of the most common things that a lot of people do when they start to worry about money is that they refuse to look at their bank balance at all. Sure, this might help you forget about it for a little while, but eventually, it's going to creep into the back of your mind again, and you're not going to be able to ignore it. Not only that but over time it could end up making things worse because you're likely to end up making financial decisions that you're not really sure about. Make sure that you always know what your bank balance is. Even if it's less than you'd like, at least you'll know about it.

Give yourself a safety net

Saving can be hard for a lot of people, but it really is worth putting in the effort so that you have at least a bit of a financial safety net. Having money set aside means that, even if you fall into something of a financial slump, you've got a pile that you can dip into in order to make sure that it doesn't have any kind of long-term negative effects on your circumstances. Even if you're just putting away a little bit each month, it can be a huge help.

Get informed

One of the most common reasons that so many people end up panicking about their finances is that they simply aren't aware of what their money is doing. For example, it's incredibly common for a first time home buyer to have no idea about the process or what kinds of costs are involved, which leads them to panic about whether or not they can afford it at all. Similarly, a lot of people panic about debt because they simply don't understand the impact that it's actually going to have on their current financial situation. By making sure that you're as informed as possible, you're going to be in a much better position to take control of your money.

Of course, no matter what you do, money is always going to be something that you think about. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. The truth is that it's important to be aware of your finances. Otherwise, you're just going to end up falling into the trap of ignoring them to the point where something bad ends up happening.

5 Signs Of Aging You Can Do Something About

Did you know those very first signs of aging can appear before you reach thirty? There are lots of reasons why they might show up early for some and a little later for others. Diet, exercise, and genetics will always play a part. Of course, if you’re skilled with your cosmetics, you can do well to hide them for ages. And if you have invested in a great skincare routine, you might be able to put them off for even longer. Here are just 5 of those early signs, how they’ll develop, and what you can do to slow them down:

Fine Lines

These are likely to be the very first things you notice. As soon as you do, you might think that your face is changing shape a little too. This is a sign that the plumpness of the skin is reducing. Collagen keeps young skin soft, supple, and plump. Muscles can help here so try some facial exercises to refine your shape. Your fine lines will eventually deepen into wrinkles. Some say botox injections help slow that down, but a good skincare routine including moisturizer will work just fine.

Staying beautiful as you age. (Picture source)

Saggy Jowls

The skin can appear to sag under and around the jawline over time. It becomes more noticeable after 40. Some experts think that hormone changes at this time of life can contribute to this problem. Reduce the risk of weight gain by maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise. If you have a look at the websites of companies like Carolina Facial Plastics, you can see images of how this area can be affected as we age.

The beauty of maturity. (Picture source)

Wrinkly Decolletage

The decolletage is the area of the neck down into the cleavage. This area tends to look aged more than others because it is exposed to and not protected from the sun. Use a good moisturizer here every day, and remember your sunblock. You don’t have to cover up when you’re out, but it might help slow down this sign of aging. Again, hormones will probably play a part past the age of 50. Hormone Replacement Therapy can help to reduce the speed at which the loss of hormones will affect your body.

Will it all start with a fine line? (Picture source)

Thinning Lips

The lips thin mostly for the same reason the rest of the skin loses its youthful plumpness. You can keep the circulation going by rolling your lips together a few times per day. This increases the blood supply to the lips and gives them that natural rouge color. Some celebrities swear by fillers and lip plumping. There are also a few cosmetics that claim to be able to re-plump the lips. Clever application of lipstick can help give the illusion of fuller lips.

Thinning Hair

Thin hair is something you can’t avoid as you age. Hormone replacement therapy can help slow it down, but over time, your hair won’t be as plentiful. Look after it now by wearing it down, and cutting down on harsh coloring, styling, heating, and treatments. Will you fight the signs of aging when they happen to you?

How To Ensure Your Child Gets More Fresh Air

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Today, most of us live in a world which is far from being connected with nature and the great outdoors, meaning our children today are often sat in a car, an air-conditioned classroom, and stay indoors on their gaming devices - rather than be exposed to nature and get the abundance of fresh air they need to develop.

Getting fresh air has measurable benefits for children in terms of their physical health, especially in terms of receiving their daily dose of Vitamin D, which is provided from exposure to sunlight and assists in them growing strong bones and also lowers their risk of cancer. Some studies have even shown children who play outdoors are less likely to have visual issues, later in life, such as nearsightedness.

Exposure to fresh air helps your child to get a good night’s sleep and is instrumental in regulating sleeping patterns. Of course, the term “fresh air” doesn’t relate purely to the air that your child is breathing into his or her lungs, it captures an essence of physical activity, play, and social interaction - though there are certainly health benefits associated with your child breathing in an abundance of replenishing oxygenated air.

Time outdoors has proven to lower the risk of hyperactivity and depression. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that children spending more time watching TV and playing video games than playing outdoors, tend to have shorter attention spans - which is, perhaps, because children that play outside in places like PDPlay areas are more likely to engage in ‘creative play’ and use their imagination… they are in the active position of creating entertainment rather than the passive position of receiving entertainment (e.g. watching TV or playing video games).

There are three basic principles to follow in terms of encouraging your children to be more active and spend more time outdoors.

GO WITH THE FLOW

There’s no need for things to be too rules-based, as an example, if your child is playing an organized sport one minute but then starts chasing after a butterfly - go with their curiosity and allow them to discover what they want to discover.

CHALLENGE THEM

The age-old game of “tag” is a great way to keep your children active. It is a mental and physically stimulating game that creates an element of competitiveness which allows you to bond… without it being too rigid and formal. Often, children love to embrace challenges, but they don’t want to feel the pressure of competitive sport - make it fun, keep it loose, and you’ll encourage them to participate much more.

TURN OFF THE TV

Kids aren’t born lazy. They are conditioned to be lazy, because as human beings, we all look for the path of least resistance, and for many of us, the easiest way to be entertained and quasi-stimulated is through sitting staring at the TV. Whilst the TV can certainly be a good tool to use from time to time, particularly when you are too busy to engage, it shouldn’t become habitual to the point that children get home and see it as the ‘only option’ or ‘preferred option’. There’s a whole world to explore but children need to be encouraged to get up and explore the world, rather than watch it, from the comfort of their arm chair.

A House With History, Or A Decorating Nightmare?

We all look for different things in properties. For some, a contemporary space is essential. Such individuals look for crisp, clean homes. It makes sense. A new house is a blank canvas on which to paint your style. Plus, you can ensure there won’t be any unpleasant surprises with the condition of properties like this.

For some of us, though, the bonuses aren’t enough to sway us away from period properties. If you’re after an old house, you’ll look out for character and features. A wood beam here, an authentic window there. Rather than look out for pristine properties, you’ll want something with history.

While old properties can work wonderfully, they can often have a few problems, too. Old houses just weren’t designed to the standards we’re accustomed to. Instead of being crisp and sharp, most old houses are a little wobbly. ceilings are often curved, and floors are sometimes uneven. While part of the character, these touches aren’t always practical. Which is why we’re going to look at a few ways to smooth the slopes in your old home.

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The floors

For the most part, carpet covers a multitude of floor sins. But, if you’re attempting to lay tiles, you may stumble across issues. Trying to lay any hard flooring on an uneven surface can be incredibly tricky. In this instance, it’s worth turning to concrete. A layer of concrete on top of your original flooring is all it takes to even things out. Head to companies like rollingercompanies.com now to find out how this could work for you. Bear in mind that, once a concrete layer is in place, it won’t be easy to remove it. Make sure this is what you want before taking action!

The walls

Uneven surfaces and wonky ceilings aren’t too tricky to maneuver when painting. But, if you want to lay wallpaper, things get much more complicated. The main issue is that wallpaper will show those slopes and uneven angles much more clearly. Plus, you’ll find it difficult to pattern match on a wonky wall. The good news is, sites like thebestwallpaperplace.com have some fantastic solutions. In extreme cases, you may need to plaster the surface. Again, this will give you a smooth foundation to work with. Or, you could use textured wallpapers which hide a multitude of sins. Have a think about which would work best, and then get to work. 

The windows

The windows of old properties are often the most charming feature. But, they aren’t without their issues. Old window panes and glass fittings aren’t designed with modern standards in mind. The panes certainly aren’t double glazed. In a drafty old house, the heat which escapes through your windows will make a huge difference. But, you don’t have to get rid of those beautiful classic frames. You could head to sites like www.diynetwork.com, and find some simple solutions. Many companies will also replace single panes with double glazing, and leave the frame intact if it’s in a good condition.