Tips – Mum in Zone One

Christmas Gifts 2025

“Jesus gotta be top of the list at Christmas;
Jesus gotta be top of the list all year.”

Colin Buchanan is right as usual. But if you need gift ideas, either for your own children or other people’s, here are a few from me. We got most of these last year and they’ve been a success. I’ve saved the best for last, which I think is what bloggers are supposed to do.

As always, there are no affiliated links here. And if you’d like to see my previous suggestions, they are here, here, here and here. These might be especially useful if you are buying for younger children, as my children used to be younger than they are now.

Play:

Exit the game – If you know a child who likes escape rooms, these games are good. They can only be played once, but for me that’s a bonus as our flat is very much full of games. My son received one last year (it was the Enchanted Forest one) and we played it as a family. It took us about 2 hours, which I think means that strictly speaking we should still be trapped in the forest, but we enjoyed it nonetheless.

A more expensive game but one my boys have really enjoyed this year is Hero Quest. I don’t pretend to know what it is, but I do know that adults and children alike enjoy it. My son says it’s called a ‘dungeon crawler.’ It involves mini figures and dice. I think if you like Dungeons and Dragons or Warhammer then this is a good choice.

If you’re looking for a more active gift, a rebounding trampoline is a great way for children and teens (and adults?) to expel energy. There are loads of rebounding workout videos online. These are much more compact than full size trampolines, but I can say from experience that if you’re keeping it indoors you might want to think about where you’re going to put it. (I’ve sometimes put mine in the bath but that’s not a permanent solution.)

Make and do:

If you haven’t come across Eugy toys yet, I’m not sure how that’s possible. So I’m sorry if this is old news but my youngest two children (12 and 9) LOVE them. Some children love things they can collect, and these are sweet little things which keep them occupied for a good half hour while they build them! There are so many as well, that if your child likes them it can be their stocking filler for the next few years at least. (These are currently 3 for 2 in Hobbycraft. A great deal!)

Last year we gave our daughter a sewing machine for her 15th Birthday. It’s an expensive gift but one that we hope will last her many years. A sewing box is also something that can last a lifetime. John Lewis sell really beautiful William Morris print sewing boxes.

If you have children who enjoy games with mini figures, then paints and maybe an airbrush set would also be a welcome gift.

Read:

Murdle – My older son really likes these books. They’re for children and adults. They’re puzzles. To be honest I’ve never done one but I know they’re hugely popular so you probably know more about them than I do!

In a similar vein, these Sherlock Holmes Escape Books are really good for children who like puzzles and riddles and escape rooms and that sort of thing.

Abigail – for children (dare I say, girls?) aged 7+, these books are a great gift. I have a 9 year old daughter, so these overtly Christian (and American) adventures of a 9-year-old girl are fun and easy to read. I’ve read some of the Christmas book with her, and it’s oh-so-realistic depiction of a family Christmas helps children to process the ups and downs that can come as an extra special (so, so extra and special) Christmas gift each year. The excitement, the high hopes, the crowded house… what could possibly go wrong? The somewhat far-fetched thing is the way Abigail processes things, which I feel is the way we hope our children’s process their emotions etc. but I’m not convinced is realistic. However, my daughter really enjoyed it and I think Abigail is a great role model for her!

Green Ember – I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but these fantasy stories about rabbits have really captured my son’s imagination. He is 12 and I’ve been reading them aloud to him but he could definitely read them himself. They have Christian themes but are not overtly Christian – not yet anyway and we’re on Book Three.

Hot off the press! Jane Austen is really rather good. Last year I got ‘Mansfield Park’ from Classic Novels and it’s really lovely. I thought it was great value so I’m just giving them a little shout out.
Did you know, she may have had Addison’s Disease like me (google says it’s her cause of death) and she almost has my Birthday? (One day off!) I feel like I deserve a prize: if anyone reading this works for a publishing house – do reach out!

Advent Gifts

If you’d like to give families you know something a little different, it’s a nice idea to give advent gifts at the beginning of December rather than at Christmas. I recently bought these advent candles with the name of Jesus on them. You could give those to a family at the beginning of December, maybe with a little candle holder. It’s a great gift for godchildren (my daughter’s godparents bought us our first one).

It would also be really thoughtful to include an advent devotional for any grown-ups or older teens in the family. This year I’m reading With Heart and Soul and Voice (shown above – I’ll post a more detailed review of this next week.). Tim Chester is always an encouragement. In previous years I’ve also enjoyed Sinclair Ferguson’s devotionals. The great thing is you can always re-read an advent devotional, as the wonderful news of the incarnation is the same every year!

In the past I’ve also given people homemade Christmas bunting and a ‘Russian doll’ nativity set (the same as this but not from this website), which are good to give in early December so they can be enjoyed during advent.

Budget-friendly gifts

I’m aware that some of the above are quite pricey. My previous posts have usually had some more affordable ideas. I do recommend trying to find things in the January sale which you can then give next year. But it’s too late for that now so here are a few ideas:

A framed photograph. You can get cheap white photo frames in the supermarket and they do the job perfectly well!
A baking kit so they can make some cookies or muffins in that in-between time before they go back to school.
Some shower gel and a shower puff like this. My son got that for his teen sister last year and it was a lovely gift for about £2.50 if I remember rightly. We put it in a gift bag and it was perfectly presentable. (The puffs are currently £1 in Tesco, just saying.)
If you’re giving to relatives or family friends, you could give the children a ‘baking lesson’ – i.e. take them off their parents’ hands for an hour while you bake some cookies! Your time is a precious gift.
Sorry to generalise but most young girls (I’m guessing aged 8 to 18) love stationery. If you’re going down this route, I recommend your nearest big supermarket. I always raid the bargain stationery shelves for our Christmas Shoeboxes and I’ve found some incredible bargains.

Winner: Best Gift of 2024

Last year I was given the Salter Milk Frother/Hot chocolate maker. (Mine is black but otherwise I think it’s the same.) This is the gift we have used every day. I wouldn’t say it’s amazing for hot chocolate – it just mixes and heats it but I can do that with a kettle and a spoon.

However, it does make beautiful frothy milk which we have used in coffees and hot chocolates, and in the summer it makes frappe milk which can be used for iced coffees when we’re so hot we want to cry.

The only downsides are: it’s quite expensive (I think mine was £30) and you have to hand wash it.

But if people in your family like hot chocolate and/or frothy drinks, this is a luxury worth buying.

I’d love to know your ideas! Don’t be shy, please let me know.

Seven Myths about Hospitality

Can you remember a time when you were on the receiving end of some generous hospitality? I bet you can. Hospitality can cover a range of things, and I believe that Christian hospitality is about showing the welcome to others that the Lord has shown us. Put another way, we move towards people, because our God has moved towards us. Often those receiving a warm welcome will remember it fondly, long after the person offering it has forgotten all about it.

Is your Sunday church gathering welcoming? I hope so. That’s a form of hospitality. But if we look in the Bible, I think it’s clear that we’re expected to open our homes to people and share with them, as a way of showing them love. There are some people who cannot do this – but not many. So assuming you are like most people, I want to encourage you by sharing seven myths I think we often wrongly believe about hospitality.

When I searched ‘Hospitality’ on Biblegateway, it came up with seven times the word is used in the New Testament. Coincidence? (Yep.) So I’ve interspersed my ‘myths’ with quotes about hospitality, so you can see for yourself. (NB: Myths and quotes not necessarily especially related!)

Note that a couple of people are commended in God’s word for their hospitality. What an honour! God must think it’s worth mentioning.

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2

You have to be good at baking
I think I used to believe this, but it is frankly ridiculous. There’s nothing in God’s word about having to be good at cooking or baking. People in the Bible did work hard at it, as far as I can tell. However, they didn’t have the mod cons we’ve got. As my mam says, ‘Grandma used to say that homemade is always best, but she didn’t shop at M&S.’

Having said that, I do think that the more love and time we invest in getting good at making something to bless people with, the more we’ll enjoy sharing it with those people. There is something special about eating something that someone has lovingly prepared with their own hands, even if it’s chocolate crispy cakes. (I’ve decided they’re one of my all-time favourite cakes, by the way. Give me an easter nest over a swanky French macaron any day of the year.)

But if you hate baking, don’t have the equipment, or don’t have time, then shop-bought with joy is still an absolute delight.

2. You have to entertain
As far as I can tell, entertaining is a performance. I’m showing my guests what I can do. That means that if they perform well for me when I go to their home, I’m obliged to perform just as well – or hopefully better! – when they visit me.

This is a lot of pressure. It’s also quite self-serving, when you really stop to think about it. If my aim is to impress my guests, and even make them feel inferior, then I’m not loving them. When we’re inviting people into our home, we’re not putting on a show: we’re inviting them to join in with something beautiful, which is a household living by God’s grace. “Come and see,” we’re saying to them. “The Lord is good.”

Even if you’re ‘entertained’ by someone else, why not try inviting them over and just serving them selflessly? If your home is small and scruffy compared to theirs, it’s an opportunity to boast in Christ. He’s all we need in our homes to have a good time.

No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. 1 Timothy 5:9-10

3. You have to have money and space
Hospitality does cost money, there’s no denying it. But God knows our means. He can use what I offer up in hospitality and bless people with it. Inviting someone in for a hot drink is probably something we can all afford to do. You could even ask them to bring the biscuits! (Shop-bought is fine.)

Let’s remember that the early church were poor. If God can enable them to be hospitable then he can certainly do it for us. We can pray and ask God to multiply our food so we have enough. We can put others first and see how the Lord provides everything we need.

Don’t underestimate the power of simple, humble hospitality offered in faith.

I’ve written before about how blessed I’ve been when people with very little space have invited me into their home. Not to put down anyone with lots of space, but when someone in a tiny one bedroom flat invites my entire family over for dinner, it’s the kind of humble, Christ-like selflessness that sticks with me.

We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. 3 John 1:8

4. It’s a cultural thing
Some cultures are more hospitable than others. I recently visited a country which is known for its hospitality. I’m also northern, where people tend to pop round for a cup of tea without warning. But now I live in London, which is known for being inhospitable and where you have to book cups of coffee weeks in advance. So yes, hospitality is a cultural thing.

But the Kingdom of God is a hospitable culture. Our King welcomes anyone! So if we live in a community – like London – that’s not hospitable, it’s really easy for us to shine like stars by opening our homes to others. And if you’re not from a background that values hospitality, then you can rejoice! The Holy Spirit has made you new. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our family and friends noticed how much more welcoming we’re becoming, year after year?

[Publius] welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. Acts 28.7

5. You have to be an extrovert
It’s great that people nowadays are often aware of how they’re energised, whether it’s by being alone or being with others. But God doesn’t command just the extroverts to practise hospitality. And he also knows us and what we need.

We all need to be around people, whether we find it draining or not. And remember that being hospitable doesn’t mean you have to be the life and soul of the party. You can go and wash the dishes while everyone else chats, if that’s what you need to do.

I’m not trying to burden anyone, but just as extroverts need time alone, praying and reading God’s word, so introverts need to spend time with other people, loving and serving them. And the Lord is so kind – he thwarts our plans when they would do us harm! (He’s cancelled many of my plans which in hindsight would’ve tipped me over the edge!)

Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings. Romans 16:23

6. It’s just not for me.
Some people will find hospitality comes naturally to them and others won’t. Some people find prayer easier than others. Some people are naturally joyful and positive; others aren’t. But we’re all called to joy, prayer and hospitality. I do know some people who actually can’t invite people over for different reasons. But there are other ways to be hospitable, and I’ve seen these people find creative ways to show hospitality. You can invite people out for coffee or food. You can organise a social. You can invite yourself over to someone’s house and offer to cook. These are all ways to move towards people with love.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Romans 12:12-13

7. It’s not important
Satan hates hospitality. If you don’t believe me, invite some people over. See how many ways you’re tempted to sin against your guests, your family, and anyone else who you come across. Or see how the thing you’ve cooked thirty-seven times before collapses or gets dropped. Or notice how plans have to be cancelled and rearranged over and over.

God’s word says, “How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!” Psalm 133.1
I’m convinced that hospitality is one way that unity is nurtured and maintained. Remember that the early church”devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2.42.
As we eat and drink with people, we’re either sharing fellowship or inviting people into the fellowship they could have in Christ. We’re imitating our generous God to those who know him or those who don’t. Satan hates this and the Lord loves it. Don’t underestimate it.

So if you consider yourself a pretty hospitable person or if you’ve never tried it – please be encouraged. Put on the armour of God and go out there and take the next step.

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9

Further reading: ‘Extraordinary Hospitality (For Ordinary People)‘ – read my thoughts on it here. Also ‘The Ministry of a Messy House’ by Amanda Robbie is a classic I keep coming back to.

How to have a Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas Eve! I hope you’ve got a restful day planned – but I know you might be working/travelling/prepping. I really hope your day doesn’t involve any Christmas shopping, eek. But if it does, I’m sure all will be well!

I love buying gifts, but I find it difficult to think of gift ideas for all of my children several times over. I can buy them gifts, but when their lovely grandparents, uncles, aunts, family friends etc. ask me what to buy for them, I run out of ideas.

My daughter has her Birthday in November (every year!), so we have enough trouble trying to think of what to give her, and then as soon as it’s over we’re asking her what she’d like for Christmas. She can never think of anything.

I’m similar, because I spend all year trying to practise contentment, not coveting my neighbour’s donkey, and then suddenly I’m asked to come up with an entire list of things I want. (And my Birthday is in December – every year.) I don’t mean to complain about this, I just find it a peculiar shift.

For weeks I’ve been asking my daughter what she’d like, and she’s been apologising – apologising! – for not knowing. In the end I told her, it’s wonderful to be content. That’s the right thing to be. Well done.

I don’t mean it’s sinful to ask for the latest Richard Osman book for Christmas. But godliness with containment is great gain. I try not to mind either way if I get what I’ve asked for at Christmas. We try not to encourage our children to write lists and especially not to get their hearts set on anything in particular. Maybe this is weird? But we just try to set their expectations low.

So here’s my big Christmas Eve tip. Let’s prepare our hearts, and our children’s hearts, for a contented Christmas Day. Let’s warn them that someone else will probably get a gift that they’d really like, and someone will buy them a gift which they don’t want. It’ll be wrong. It’ll be very wrong or just not quite right. That gift will likely be from me. Sorry in advance!

We can pray that God would make us thankful instead.

Thankful that he gives us breath in our lungs.
Thankful that he gives us people who love us.
Thankful that he has given us the greatest, most costly gift.
Thankful that he is all we need and more.

What freedom there is in being thankful!

¹⁹Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. ²⁰They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart. Ecclesiastes 5

⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 1 Timothy 6

Christmas Top 5 (Plus a bonus)

I love Christmas music of many different genres. I’ve chosen a few songs here that you might find encouraging, in no particular order. I even made a Spotify playlist, although Spotify have added some other songs to it. As ever, I’d love to hear your favourite Christmas songs. Do get in touch and let me know!

Who would’ve dreamed? Sovereign Grace

I heard this performed by a band at the school carol service at work two years ago and it’s really stuck with me. Such a beautiful tune and glorious words. “But to this little town of no great renown, The Lord had a promise to keep.” Let the sense of anticipation build in your home this advent!

Messiah, You Have Come by Skye Peterson

We first heard this song when we watched an Andrew Peterson concert online and he invited his daughter up to perform. I think it was 2021, when we were covid-weary, and this mellow little song just hit the spot. Sometimes you don’t feel like bopping around to Wizzard. Sometimes you want a gentle song like this to warm your heart. “Oh the baby in the manger Would trample over death.”

When the Fullness of Time Had Come – Randall Goodgame

This might be my favourite. It’s not even a traditional Christmas Bible verse. It’s beautiful, it’s amazing, it’s sweet. It will teach you this verse, and the reference, in the English Standard Version(!): ⁴But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ⁶And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” ⁷So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 4:4-7)

Happy, Happy Day – Colin Buchanan

Colin’s Christmas album is absolutely brilliant. I have a particularly fond memory of my children singing this song at the top of their voices whilst doing some sort of insanely messy crafts. But the whole album is top notch and full of joy. Our family nativity play always ends with a positively frantic rendition of ‘On that very first Christmas.’ If you’re wondering why all my suggestions are so mellow, crank up some Colin and enjoy yourself. “Angels singing, Do Not Fear, Christ the Servant King is Here.”

Joy, Seeds Family Worship

We love the memory verse songs from Seeds Family Worship. They are fantastic at getting scripture into your memory, where they will stay for good. They’re supposed to be for children, but we all know the adults need them just as much. I remember driving up the M1 singing Joy with my husband. We were both marvelling at how brilliant it is. His favourite part is the same as my favourite part (I wonder if it will be yours, too). The children weren’t involved in this conversation! But the song does feature in our annual nativity play. The Lord Jesus really is good news of great joy for all the people. Belt it out.

(Fun fact about driving home for Christmas: Chris Rea, who sang ‘Driving Home for Christmas’, is from Middlesbrough like me. So when I’m driving home for Christmas, I’m driving to the place he was thinking of when he wrote that song. Top to toe in tailbacks indeed.)

Bonus track:

Lapwing, Hope Christmas Gets You to Me

In 2020 I got in my car one day just at the moment that Radio 2 were playing this song. It was the first (and possibly only) time it’s ever been played. Later that day I found out that the band is composed of some dads from my nieces’ school gate. What were the chances? They were in shock as suddenly thousands of people were watching the video they’d made in Glasgow city centre.

“Cause I’m missing the touch of the ones that I love,
Couldn’t care less what’s under the tree;
I don’t know what I’m getting for Christmas this year,
But I’m hoping it gets you to me.”

We were absolutely desperate to see our family that Christmas. The words really resonated. Then, Boris Johnson cancelled our trip. We didn’t get to see each other after all. Gifts were frantically posted. I had to race to Asda to buy food for Christmas dinner. My sister-in-law had an enormous turkey crown to go round 5 people. I wept in my husband’s arms.
But God is faithful. Christimas wasn’t really cancelled. Jesus is more than enough to celebrate. This song is a good reminder of what a blessing – a bonus blessing – it is to be with family at Christmas.

5 Affordable Advent treats

(plus a couple which are less so)

Most of these ideas are not especially Christian as such, but are a way of celebrating the season of advent and Christmas that the whole thing is full of joy and the children have happy memories of family Christmases. I want my children to associate advent and Christmas with excitement and joy because the Lord Jesus is our Emmanuel – God with us in the flesh.

Amidst all of this silliness and pretty, sugar-plum cosiness we always try to make the Lord Jesus the focus. We read Scripture every day with our kids and we have a family nativity play – which essentially involves the children reading out Scripture whilst wearing homemade costumes. Please don’t think I’m suggesting you lose focus on Christ. Without him, all of this is just tat.

Here are just a few ideas of how we do have festive fun in our family, which might give you some ideas that you haven’t tried before. I’d love to hear your ideas. If you can’t comment below (?), send me a message on Instagram!

A Christmas lights drive. This is actually one of my favourite things to do in the run up to Christmas. It does require a car, which admittedly night not feel affordable. But of course you could go for a walk around some Chrsitmas lights. Most places have a street where the people go all out with their Christmas lights. I like doing this in the car because we can eat snacks and listen to Chrsitmas music and everyone is contained. The streets are always absolutely heaving, but it’s the one time it doesn’t really matter as our sole purpose for being out is to look at the buildings. (If you’re in London, beware the congestion charge!)
Hot chocolate with marshmallows. I always hide a tray of hot chocolate somewhere silly, like in the oven or in the bathroom, and the children love it. (I got this idea from Rachel Jankovic at Canon Press.) Last year I found some M&S gingerbread men that sat on the edge of the mug, which were fun. (I think they were called – somewhat inappropriately – hangovers?) If you don’t fancy hot chocolate, you could have “festive” s’mores* – especially if you have a BBQ or fire pit. But I’ve been known to toast marshmallows on our gas hob. It’s less picturesque but children don’t care! If you use chocolate orange segments I’m sure that makes them festive.
*If you’ve never had s’mores, in the UK we tend to toast a marshmallow and stick it between two chocolate digestives. In the USA they use something called Graham crackers which we don’t have here, but I’d say a digestive is just as good. With these things, it’s your enthusiasm that will make such a simple thing into a treat. Plus, you know, the sugar.
Christmas Workshop: I once bought a paper crafts Christmas book from the book people, before that company disappeared forever. It was a cheap book but now seems to be unavailable. I can’t tell you how many hours of fun we had with that book. It was simply a book of different patterned craft paper, with five or six ideas for what do to with it. But without that book, we can still have laods of fun making paper chains and ‘snowflakes.’ You don’t need to use festive paper but you could do it with some cheap wrapping paper and the children will really enjoy it. You could always suggest they decorate their own bedrooms with their creations! Unless you’re happy to string up their paper chains around your living room, which I’m sure would look lovely. As with everything, listening to Christmas music makes this a party.
Fun fact: In Norway it’s traditional to invite people over to make festive crafts and do your Christmas baking. They call it Juleverksted (or Christmas workshop). Of course, in Norway everything looks beautiful and smells of pepperkake (gingerbread). But I’m sure your children will love your version!
Read a Book! In December 2020 when we couldn’t see our relatives, my husband printed out copies of CS Lewis’ ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ and we read it together as a family. Each person had a different character to read out. Although we haven’t done this since, I think I’m going to try it again this year.
If you think your children wouldn’t go for this, you could always just embrace a Christmas movie night by making popcorn and cosying up under your favourite Christmas film – The Star is a really good Christian one. (I also recommend A Muppet’s Christmas Carol, which is remarkably faithful to the text! More so than the Old Vic’s production of A Christmas Carol, which I do not recommend.)
NEWSFLASH: If you’d like to try ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ this year (which I’m excited to watch), it’s available to stream for free on Apple TV+ on 14th and 15th December. You do not need a subscription. This film ends with Linus reading Luke 2.
Another fun thing we often do is a sort of festive photo booth. You might have been to a party where they have a big selfie camera and some props with a fun background. But you could do this in your house with some Santa hats or some silly glasses etc. My children love using the photo booth app on my computer. You might (might) even end up with some nice photos to send to your relatives.
A similar thing which our kids find hilarious is the Elf Yourself app. They can spend ages making a hilarious video and then when it’s done you can send it to friends and family. It’s very silly indeed.

Bonus: Ideas for when you can afford to spend a bit more:
– Ice skating: I do recommend this if your children can manage it. There are some beautiful spots and there’s something very satisfying about doing something so active and then ending with a nice hot drink. (We go home for the hot drinks, we’re not made of money!) If you’re in London, the Battersea Power Station ice rink is worth a visit.
– The theatre: It’s a great time of year to get your children into a live show of some sort. If you can’t afford a big pantomime (they are pricey), there are local plays and pantos all over the country that are a lovely night out. Some places have a ‘pay what you can’ policy – just Google ‘Pay what you can’ and your town/city name. There also might also be some music concerts happening in local churches etc. that your children might be able to engage with. I think live performances are inspirational for children and if you’re able to do it, it’s really worthwhile. But if you can’t, please don’t feel sad. Your children only really need God’s word. Anything else is a bonus.

Advent 2024: Christmas Gift Ideas

My Christmas gift idea posts have been extremely popular in the past. And I’m OK with that! Even though my blog is really supposed to be about following Jesus. You can find my previous posts here, here, here and here. I can’t remember what I said but I assume I still stand by these recommendations!

Here are 5 ideas for 2024, in no particular order:

This may seem an unusual idea for a Christmas gift but I do highly recommend Brad Franklin’s book, ‘When Sorrows Like Sea Billows Roll.’ The book review can be found here and you can buy it here. (It’s in the sale! I paid twice that a few weeks ago for my copies which I’m giving as gifts.)
Every year I give my mum a photo calendar full of photos of our family. I always get myself a copy, too. I enjoy making these and I especially love looking at them. This is a great gift for grandparents.
I also made a photo book this year after a wonderful time hosting my brother and his family. I ordered a second copy and gave it to my niece for her birthday. Maybe you know someone who’d appreciate a photo book! I use photobox but I’m sure there are other good sites.
Portable charger – my eldest asked for this for her birthday and I imagine many teens would appreciate one! You can buy ones with built-in cables which seem to be very handy. This way hopefully their phone won’t die when they’re out and you’re trying to call them!
Bop It! This is an oldie but a goodie. But only if you can stand the noise – unless it’s for someone else’s child! In which case just go for it. Personally I don’t mind noise if it’s keeping children occupied and doesn’t involve a screen.
Splendor – This is a board game my sister-in-law bought for my children last Christmas. A family game is a great gift idea and this one is easy to pick up and my children really like it. My 10-year-old enjoyed it but I’d say 8+ could probably get into it.
Bonus: Stocking filler ideas:
To me, stocking fillers are not expensive. Perfume is not a stocking filler. These ideas may be obvious to you but I hope they might spark some inspiration!
– Fairy lights
– A baking kit from the supermarket (like 12 cupcakes or cookies etc. To be done on 27th December when you’ve run out of ideas!)
– Any sort of small puzzle or build-it kit eg. fake Lego or fake Meccano-style things. Gives the kids something to do for 10 mins on Christmas morning. (Flying Tiger is good for this kind of thing.)
– A book of paper aeroplanes (you can get origami versions for those who feel they’re too grown up for this!)
– A little card game to play at the table – they sell these in the supermarket.
– Pants and socks
– A hot chocolate bomb or “spoon”.
– Nail varnish
– Lip balm
– A new toothbrush
– An ‘erase your face’ cloth – bamboo cloth for removing makeup
– A magazine or comic, rolled up
– A Puzzle book
– Sweets/chocolate
– Fruit!
– Stationery

I hope you found this helpful. I love giving gifts. It truly is a blessing. And in doing so, whether it’s a small, homemade gift or something expensive, we reflect our Heavenly Father, who has given us the most precious gift. As my man Colin (Buchanan) says, ‘Jesus is the greatest gift that there could ever be!’

Advent Calendar – of sorts

Happy Advent, my lovely faithful readers! Who’s excited? I am!!

I had an idea to do a sort of advent calendar of blog posts this year, with a short encouragement or tip 6 days a week throughout advent.

But then I decided that for those of you LOVELY people who subscribe to my blog, it might get irritating to receive an email from me nearly every day.

Therefore, since I don’t have the technological savvy to allow you to ‘pause’ my emails, I’m instead going to group the posts together. I’ll be sending one each Sunday evening, which includes 6 different ideas. I expect you’ll read them all at once, but this way you have a week to get around to it!

I do hope and pray that these posts will encourage you and give you a little boost when you’ve got sellotape stuck to your sock and you’re a teeny bit sick of hearing Wham!’s “Last Christmas” for the forty-seventh time, and you realise you’ve forgotten something very important that somebody needs tomorrow for school. (Of course it would be best if you didn’t end up in this situation in the first place but I’m just being realistic!)

Love you all. See you on Sunday for 6 Gift Ideas.

Christmas Shopping 2023

In previous years people have quite enjoyed my Christmas gift ideas, so I’ve tried hard again this year to make some good suggestions for you. I hope you’re excited about Christmas and not feeling stressed about the shopping. My previous years’ posts are here, here and here.

I’ve been reflecting on how amazingly generous God is, and what a privilege it is to be able to celebrate him by showing generosity to people we love. (Let’s try to keep that in mind when we’re in the queues or we’re behind on the wrapping!)

For Baking Lovers:

My daughter loves to bake and we’ve enjoyed a few recipes from the the ‘Fitwaffle’ lady, Eloise Head. For her 14th birthday this month her aunt bought her the ‘Baked in One‘ book and a 20cm square tin to go with it. (Every recipe in the book can be baked in the 20cm square tin.) I thought this was a really lovely gift. Maybe check out her videos to see if it’s the sort of thing your baking-lover would enjoy.

3D puzzles

My son really likes building 3D wooden things. In fact, so does my husband. They’re a step up from those dinosaur ones you get in museums or owl ones you get at the Wetland Centre – you know what I mean. There are loads on Amazon. If you’ve got a tween who’s good at puzzles they should be able to do it – perhaps with the help of a willing adult. (Not me, sorry. I’ll be baking something from Fitwaffle.)

2D Puzzles

If you know someone who likes a good jigsaw at Christmas, I think this would be a lovely gift – it’s a different jigsaw to do on each of the 12 days of Christmas. Here’s the Waterstone’s link to buy it but it is sold elsewhere. Each jigsaw is quite small but I think it’s a fun idea and could be enjoyed by little ones and oldies alike. The description says ‘Minimum Puzzle Dust’ which is a problem I didn’t know I could have. I’m grateful to have it kept to a minimum!

Cool notebooks

This website, Atoms to Astronauts, has some unusual notebooks. They’re not cheap – it’s a small business – but would be a lovely gift if within budget for a teen if you’re stuck for ideas! They’re made in the UK.

For Bible-readers who like pretty organisation…

Someone bought my daughter some index tabs for her Bible and they’re just the sort of thing that many girls her age (or even women my age) find really satisfying and beautiful. They also help you find the Bible book you’re looking for. There are a selection at Cheerfully Given.

For the Home

My daughter has been making and selling macramé plant hangers and they’re lovely! They’d be a great gift for anyone with a house plant. If you’d like to buy one, you can go to Vinted or message me on Instagram.

This is an idea I wish I’d seen when my children were younger. It’s a picture frame with storage so you can store your children’s pictures inside and then just keep adding the latest picture to the front. It’s easy to open the front of the frame and add the latest picture. This would be a good gift for a toddler who’s already got enough toys, or for a family who’d appreciate the neatness of it. (I’ve put a link above but there are a few different companies making them.)

For babies and toddlers

I’m sure any parent appreciates a gift that can stack for storage. We like these stack and roll cups from Fisher Price. They’re simple and pleasing.

The other thing that’s good, although not as stackable, is this ramp. Apparently this is good for a child’s development. I’m sure that’s true. And it’s one of the few toddler toys we’ve kept.

Books

The Dreamkeeper Saga books are a good option for children who enjoy fantasy books involving dragons etc. My ten year old enjoyed ‘The Dragon and the Stone.’ He said he liked the magic in it and that ‘foes become friends.’ Mysterious!

I’ve also heard very good things about the Green Ember books so we’re going to try those out this Christmas. They’ve got rave reviews so I’m looking forward to it.

For tight budgets remember that some Christmas cookies, baked with love, are a thoughtful gift. It’s also a lovely idea to frame a good postcard, and nice white frames can be bought very cheaply in the supermarket.

Suggested by a Reader

One of my Instagram followers suggested the Yoto player. I’ve never seen one in real life but perhaps you should check it out. We do love an audio book in our house.

I hope this has been helpful for you. Do comment below if you’ve got a brilliant idea you’d like to share! Happy Shopping x

Book Review – Raising Confident Kids in a Confusing World

Hi there, I’ve written a review – or more of an exhortation – over at the Delight Podcast blog about Ed Drew’s new parenting book. A less mature person might call it a Book Reddrew but I’m a teacher, I have standards.

I wanted to tell you the story of how I first met Ed Drew, but it could be misinterpreted so I didn’t want to inadvertently slander him. However, I will tell you that I last saw him at the Choir!Choir!Choir! 80s night at the Clapham Grand in which we learnt a four part harmony to Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’. This isn’t relevant to anything really, I’m just glad I got to tell you about it. Please read the review, and more importantly the book. And, you know, don’t stop believing [in Jesus].

Christmas Ideas 2022

Pumpkin and chocolate chip bundt cake, recipe from sallysbakingaddiction

Here I am again with some ideas for Christmas presents! These seem to be quite popular posts so if you’d like to read last year’s, it’s here. Or you can click on the category ‘Tips’ and should find them there. As usual, there are no affiliated links here.

Last year I got my children:

Something to wear (Harry Potter PJs)
Something to read (a book…)
Something to play (a pack of cards from Theory11. They make really intricate and fun playing cards with different themes. I got Star Wars ones for various family members last year. I’ve just realised they’ve since made a Harry Potter set… so tempted!)
Something they need (eg. ballet shoes/ dressing gown etc.)

I know it’s usually ‘Something they want’ but I changed it for ‘Something to play,’ partly because I discourage them ‘wanting’ things in favour of contentment, and partly because I’d bought the Theory11 cards!

Books:

For an adult I recommend the Tim Chester book ‘Into His Presence: Praying with the Puritans.’ It’s a really pretty hardback book containing Puritan prayers, edited for a modern audience and put into helpful categories. It would be perfect for anyone wanting a bit of help with their prayer time (who doesn’t?).

For children, I’ve told you before about Seek & Find in my interview with the author, Sarah Parker, and this year they’ve made a Christmas version (Seek and Find, The First Christmas). It’s fabulous! Beautiful pictures – fantastic use of colour and imagination. Anyone who portrays Gabriel as a black man in gold armour gets a big thumbs up from us! I recommend it for under 7s. You can read my review and find out more about it here.

This year I read my favourite Christian book of the past few years at least: Nick Tucker’s 12 Things God Can’t Do. You can read my review of it here. I’ve already bought it for my sister-in-law’s birthday and would gladly buy it again for a teen or adult whom I love.

Something different: If you’re looking for a good story for someone aged 10+, I highly recommend Judith Kerr’s autobiographical books, When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit and Bombs on Aunt Dainty which I read this year. Granted, they’re about 50 years old so not exactly hot off the press. They’re both told in a gentle style* and would be a sensitive way to teach young people about the Holocaust. In Bombs on Aunt Dainty, Anna is living through the Blitz and it’s the most detailed account I’ve ever read of that. It felt very topical to read this year since she writes from a refugee’s perspective, and we were welcoming Ukranian refugees into the UK. I’m looking forward to reading the third in the trilogy, A Small Person Far Away, but can’t recommend that as I’m yet to start it. (*Although there is one short but very sad description of a professor being treated appallingly in a concentration camp.)

Other Gifts

If you’re looking for a gift to help with hospitality, I recommend Dobble. I’ve probably recommended it before but it’s surely worth reiterating. Dobble takes about 20 seconds to explain to a guest, and they can get playing straight away. I love hearing shouts of, ‘Elephant!’ ‘Crocodile… argh!’ while I make last minute dinner preparations and my children entertain the visitors.. Kids love it and there are several versions. We’ve got three. Dobble Kids is the one I’d start with.

So Bomb bath bomb making kits – These are surprisingly good! Somebody kindly bought my 6 year old daughter a set and they’ve provided much fun and excitement. The best thing about them for me is that they soon disappear once they have a bath with them! I don’t need more stuff in my flat.

Discover the World Game. This is a fantastic board game. It’s simple enough that it’s easy to understand what to do, and it teaches children where places are in the world. Thank you to my mother-in-law who gave it to my children last Christmas. My 6 year old loves it the most but it’s probably great for 5-13 year olds I’d say.

Thrifty Ideas

If money is tight this year, remember you can give homemade gifts that people will love. Sometimes the smallest and most thoughtful gifts can be the most precious. Also, remember you don’t have to buy brand new things for people. Second hand is called vintage or preloved nowadays and is totally acceptable!

Last year we made baking jars for some families we know. Once we’d worked out what to put in them it was quick and easy to make them and they looked lovely. They also provide a welcome activity for little ones in the days after Christmas when it’s raining and they’ve already watched too much TV. Then they get eaten, so again you’re not cluttering up somebody’s house! It’s win-win if you ask me. You can find examples of these on Pinterest. Amazingly I don’t seem to have taken any pictures of ours last year. What was I thinking?