Christmas Peppermint Hot Chocolate Recipe

Hi guys. I'm sure you all know that feeling of having guests turn up at your house last minute around Christmas time and it's often hard to know what to give them upon their arrival. So today, I thought that I would show you this super simple yet impressive peppermint hot chocolate recipe! I originally got this recipe from the BBC Good Food website here but I have adapted it ever so slightly to make it even more minty and delicious. Let's get started!

To make six servings of this yummy drink, you will need:

200g of plain chocolate
600ml of milk
150ml of single or double cream
6 candy canes
1/2 a teaspoon of peppermint essence
A can of whipped cream
Cocoa powder (for dusting)

1. Break up your chocolate and add into a pan along with the milk and peppermint essence. Gently heat the mixture until all of the chocolate has melted. Continue to heat the mixture until the milk starts to steam.

2. Then, remove the pan from the heat and incorporate the cream into the mixture. Pour your mixture into each cup.

3. Add some whipped cream on top, pop on your candy can and sprinkle a little bit of cocoa powder on top for decoration.

And voila, a tasty and warming peppermint hot chocolate within a couple of minutes! This drink will be bound to impress your guests upon arrival, even though the recipe is so quick and easy to make! Do you like the look of this minty drink? What will you be serving to your guests over the festive period? Please let me know by leaving a comment below.  Also, this will now be my last post until a few days after Christmas Day, so I hope that all of my lovely followers have a lovely Christmas and get lots of wonderful gifts this year! Thank you :)

A Christmas Lip & Nail Combo

Hi guys. The other day, I picked up a few new products from Boots in order to update my make-up collection for the festive period. I was seriously lacking both a long-lasting and reliable red lip, as well as a cute metallic and glittery nail polish. So, I picked up these two absolute beauties!

After trying the shade 'Frambourjoise' from Bourjois' Rouge Edition Velvet (£8.99) range when it was first released, I had been meaning to pick up another shade for quite some time. So, this time I have opted for the shade 'Personne Ne Rouge' which is a classic, vivid red colour. The main reason that I love this particular product is that even though it gives a matte finish, it does not dry out my lips too much unlike other brands do. Plus, the formulation of this liquid lipstick is so lightweight that it barely feels like I am wearing anything at all! The fact that this product is a long-lasting stain also means that it is perfect for this time of year, where you tend to be out eating, drinking and partying the night away! Most of the time, I do not have to reapply this product at all so it is perfect for creating a fuss-free yet glamorous make-up look for around Christmas time.

To go with my red lip, I wanted to buy a glitzy and metallic nail polish to go alongside it. I do not wear glitter nail varnishes that often but of course, Christmas is the perfect time to do so. You can never have too much sparkle at this time of year. So, I picked up Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure (£6.99) in 'Shoot To The Moon,' which is strangely not available on the Boots website but it is definitely available in store! I have owned a few Sally Hansen polished in the past and I have loved all of them. They go on evenly, dry relatively fast and the flat, wide brush makes application an absolute breeze. This striking silver shade is perfect for this time of year which has a lovely metallic finish with fine particles of glitter running through it, so you get the best of both worlds in that respect!

I think that these two product combined make the perfect lip & nail combo for this time of year. What do you guys think? What make-up you will be wearing over the festive period? Please let me know by leaving a comment below!

A Festive Night Out Outfit

Hi guys. Today I thought that I would show you a little outfit collage that I have put together for you. I came across this gorgeous cut-out velvet dress from Topshop the other day and I just knew that I had to feature it on my blog! Of course, you could style this dress in many different ways but I thought that this would be a cute look for a festive night out. The look I have created is rather simple with understated black and gold accessories, so that the focus is all on the dress. Whether you're attending a Christmas party or meeting friends for drinks, you're bound to turn heads in this burgundy number!

Topshop Cut-Out Velvet Skater Dress - £48.00
As soon as I saw this dress on the website, I immediately loved it. Not only is it the perfect colour for this time of year but the cut-out design makes it ever so slightly sexy too. Velvet, of course, is another great trend in the winter months too so this dress is an absolute winner in my eyes! Unfortunately, this dress is an online exclusive so you will not be able to try it on in a store before you purchase it but it is beautiful nonetheless!

New Look Black Zip Detail Textured Clutch - £12.99
One thing that I love about the design of this clutch bag is although it is rather simple, it has some lovely detailing on it. It features two faux leather fabrics that create a little bit of interest, as well as the gold chain and clasp too. I also love the fact that this clutch has a matching chain strap attached to it as well, which means that you do not always have to carry the clutch and you can have it on your shoulder instead.

River Island Black Teardrop Repeat Woven Necklace - £12.00
Although the dress itself is quite bold, it is still a block colour and so I thought that a statement necklace would finish off the look quite well. To coincide with the clutch bag, I chose this black and gold teardrop necklace from River Island. This necklace really caught my eye as it has woven detailing throughout the design that make it rather unique.

New Look Black Mid Heel Chelsea Boots - £24.99
Last but not least, I wanted to complete the look by adding a simple pair of black ankle boots from New Look. I think that these boots are the perfect height for a laid back party or an outing with friends because they will still be super comfy to walk around in. I definitely think that these boots are worth investing in because they are so versatile and are a key piece to any winter wardrobe!

So, I hope that you all like this festive outfit that I have put together! This ensemble would also look amazing with a pair of tights to keep your legs warm in the cold weather and a cute coat or jacket too. Which piece is your favourite? What accessories would you use to style this dress? Please let me know by leaving a little comment below. Thank you for reading!

Stay Cosy This Christmas!

One of my favourite things about this time of year is getting into some comfy pyjamas, drinking hot chocolate and snuggling up under a big blanket. As the evenings are progressively getting colder and darker, I am finding myself having a lot more cosy nights indoors sprawled out on the sofa. I am a huge home body and I would pick comfort over style any day; so, I thought that I would share some of the great nightwear options there are on the high street at the moment with all of you. Not only would these items be a lovely treat to yourself to this winter, they would also make great Christmas presents as well. So, let's get started!

Topshop Nude Teddy Robe - £32.00
What can I say about this dressing gown, it's just adorable! The teddy bear ears on the hood are super cute and add a little something extra to an otherwise plain cream and beige robe. The fluffy material of the gown makes it feel really luxurious and snuggly too and trust me, it really is as soft as it looks (I may or may not have had a feel of it in my local store!)

F&F Christmas Pug Pyjamas - £10.00
I love anything pug related, so these pyjamas are right up my alley. This set contains a three quarter length t-shirt with a Christmas pug motif and a pair of plaid bottoms to match. I think that these PJ's would be really fun to wear on Christmas morning whilst opening your presents. Also, they would make a fantastic gift for any dog lovers in your life!

New Look 2 Pack Red Fluffy Slipper Socks - £3.99
Fluffy socks are definitely a winter essential and this pack of two from New Look are nice and festive. One pair features a cute stripey pattern and the other has a snowflake-esque design. Just shy of £4, these socks are a bargain and would also make a great stocking filler for your friends or family.

Topshop Snowflake Hot Water Bottle - £10.00
Hot water bottles are one of the best ways to keep warm when the temperatures are dropping outside. This red and white festive number from Topshop, complete with fluffy pom poms, would be perfect to warm your feet up on during the Christmas period. Plus, again it would make a lovely gift for fellow homebodies too!

New Look White Fleece Christmas Pudding Pyjama Shorts - £5.99
Last but not least are these fleecy pyjamas shorts. The Christmas pudding pattern is really fun and the shorts fasten at the front with a bright red bow to finish off the design. They may not keep you as warm as full length bottoms would but these shorts were just too adorable not to mention in this post! 

So guys, those are some of the best cosy Christmas items from the high street at the moment. I hope you like my selection! Please let me know which garment is your favourite by leaving a comment below and whether you will be buying any of them for yourself or a loved one! :)

The Christmas Tag

Hi guys. Today I thought that I would do a Christmas tag after seeing so many bloggers do one. I thought that it would be nice to share with you some of my family's traditions and see how they differ from everybody elses. Let's get started!

Do you prefer a real Christmas tree or a synthetic one?
My Mum is quite fussy and always demands that we get a real tree as they look much nicer. I always tag along with my parents to our local Christmas tree farm each year and help them pick out a tree. This year, my Dad accidentally knocked over a bunch of trees whilst we were there and I literally could not stop laughing. I cannot take him anywhere!

You're in a coffee shop, it's December, what do you pick up?
I have become addicted to Costa's Honeycomb & Cream Hot Chocolate this year. I definitely recommend it!

What's your favourite colour scheme for decorating the tree?
As our living room is quite neutral in colour with a few green pillows and so on, (I promise it looks nicer than it sounds,) we tend to match our decorations to that. So our colour scheme is gold, browns and greens. It looks really elegant and classy I think!

Giving or receiving?
Definitely giving. I get really into buying presents and I get so much excitement out of doing so. I always really try and make my gifts personal whenever I can, especially when it comes to my closest friends.

To mince pie or not to?
Unfortunately, I do not like mince pies.

What's your traditional Sunday lunch?
On an average Sunday we will have some form of meat with roast potatoes, an assortment of vegetables that Mum honey glazes and cooks in the oven (yum!) and Yorkshire puddings. However, at Christmas, there are obviously plenty of trimmings such as chipolatas and sausage meat.

What do you wear on Christmas day?
I try to dress nicely on Christmas day in a dress and tights but this year, I think we are all wearing Christmas jumpers for fun. Also, even though we spend Christmas day at home and do not leave the house, I still like to make an effort with my hair and make-up.

What's your favourite Christmas song?
I'm not a huge fan of Christmas songs because when I worked in retail, they were all I heard for about three months on a loop. If I had to choose it would probably be 'Last Christmas' or 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday.'

What's your favourite Christmas film?
Elf without a doubt and I'm sure most people will say the same! It's so funny and I can quote so much of it.

Do you open presents before or after lunch?
We normally open them around mid-morning once my Nan has arrived. We usually all take it in turns to open one present each and go around in a circle.

I hope you enjoyed reading this fun, little tag and please feel free to link me if you have done this tag or a similar one, as I would love to read them and see the similarities and the differences between everybody's Christmases! Also I would like to tag my best friend, Laura, to do this tag too. She has a great blog called 'Just A Random Rambler,' which I recommend you take a little peek at. Thank you :)

My Favourite Festive Nail Varnishes

The festive season is well and truly in full swing now and I absolutely love it! For me, my favourite thing about this time of year is all of the gorgeous decorations and lately, I have become obsessed with all things sparkly. So, I thought that I would share with you some of my favourite glittery nail varnishes that I will be wearing over the Christmas period. I have always been a hoarder of nail polish from a young age and now that I have recently acquired my nail qualification, (which you can read about here,) my collection is always increasing. Three of the polishes I will be talking about today are from a China Glaze Christmas set called 'Be Merry,' which I picked up from my local beauty supplier but you can also buy it from Beauty Bay. In my opinion, sparkly nails are a great edition to any outfit over the festive period and it really adds a little something extra. So, without any further ado, lets get started!

China Glaze Nail Polish in Santa Red My List

This magenta pink polish is the first from the aforementioned 'Be Merry' China Glaze Set and it is gorgeous. The glitter is very fine and is the most understated of the bunch, which is great if you only want a subtle shimmer as opposed to going the whole hog!

Barry M Nail Paint Limited Edition in 347
Next up is this extremely bright silver shade. I got this product free in Boots as I spent over £6 on Barry M cosmetics whilst picking up some little gifts for my friends Christmas goodie bags. The glitter in this polish reflects a whole bunch of colours and gives a really pretty, rainbow effect in certain lights.

China Glaze Nail Polish in Be Merry, Be Bright
This polish has both bright pink and violet/blue glitter running through it, which gives such a lovely effect. This is another one of the colours from the China Glaze set and it is definitely the most in-your-face of the bunch. This particular varnish would look great either as a built-up colour after a few layers or simply as a top coat over another polish.

China Glaze Nail Polish in Mingle With Kringle
'Mingle With Kringle' is a very traditional gold-coloured polish with an extremely fine glitter. This particular gold is quite bright and could be seen as a little garish, but I think it is perfect for this time of year as it really makes a statement!

Essie Luxe Effects Nail Polish in 'A Cut Above'
This polish was mentioned in my November Favourites post recently and I absolutely love it! The baby pink glitter is really pretty and as this varnish has the chunkiest glitter of the bunch, it doesn't chip and is very long-lasting. I highly recommend this product and there are a few colours in this range, so there is one to suit everybody's taste!

China Glaze Nail Polish in Put A Bow On It
The third and final polish from the 'Be Merry' China Glaze Set is my favourite of the bunch, as purple is my all time favourite colour. This varnish builds really quickly and so it is hassle-free in terms of application. This polish probably has the finest glitter of the bunch and it is very striking on the nails.

China Glaze Nail Polish in CG In The City
Last but not least is this beautiful charcoal-grey colour. The shade is actually a lot darker in real life, however, my camera didn't pick it up so well. I love wearing this nail varnish rather than black, as I think it looks a little too harsh on the hands. I love this product because it goes with every outfit and has just the right amount of shimmer in it.

I hope you have all enjoyed reading about my favourite festive, sparkly nail varnishes. I would love to know what your go-to nail varnishes are at the moment, so please do not hesitate to leave a comment below :)