Games for the Big Day!

 The Chase Card Game – £7.99 // Picasso Game – £19.99 // Top of the Pops – £22.49 // House of Games Board Game – £26.99 // Incoherent Party Game – £19.99 // Taskmaster Board Game – £24.99 

Editor of The Frugality website says early gifting is key to keeping Christmas a breeze

It might only be November, but almost a third (31%) of us have planned on starting Christmas shopping already with a further 12% planning to get cracking before the end of the month.

And it seems this group have got the right idea, as writer and shopping expert Alexandra Stedman recommends ‘early gifting’ to get the most value out of Christmas. 

According to new research we are a nation of bargain hunters, with the majority of us (64%) shopping around for the best price of the item we want to buy.

This is likely to be even more prevalent at the moment, amid the cost-of-living crisis, with the research also suggesting that Christmas shopping this Autumn is taking slightly different shape.

Over half (53%) have said they are planning to spend less than last year, with many also looking to alternate ways of gifting.

Alex Stedman recommends getting creative with traditional gifts – for example, taking a multipack and splitting to make gifts for several recipients at once. 

Almost two thirds (65%) have said that they would re-gift a present, with 37% saying they would do so if they thought the recipient would like the gift, 36% doing so to save money and 19% doing so because sustainability and circular consumption is important to them.

Alex’s suggestions for ‘eco’ Christmas gifts include reusable mugs, water bottles and even pantry items like refillable olive oil pourers. 

This year, 36% have also said that they are considering making their own gift, 16% are not buying gifts at all and 1 in 10 would also consider restoring/upholstering a household item that they already have as a gift.

The 16% who’ve said they won’t be buying gifts say they will do something thoughtful for the people they care about instead.

To talk about these trends and advise people on being “frugal” with their spending this Christmas, Alexandra Stedman of “Thefrugality.com” has teamed up with TK Maxx to give her tips on saving and being economical when gifting this Christmas season.

Top 10 Savvy Christmas Shopping Tips by Alex Stedman i.e. The Frugality; 

1. Try and start buying presents early to help spread the cost. Whenever I see the perfect gift and put it aside.
2. Do you have someone who is notoriously hard to buy for? Useful gifts are always the best gifts, in my opinion! Kitchen essentials, hand soap, socks and even food (I love the Deli section at TK Maxx) will guarantee to be used.
3. Looking for more sustainable options? There are lots of eco cups, water bottles and gorgeous pantry items at TK Maxx like refillable olive oil jars which make great presents.
4. I love buying multipacks, like a set of 6 candles and then splitting them up, I will wrap a couple of candles with ribbon and give as a gorgeous dinner party gift. 3 gifts in 1! 
5. Save boxes and tissue from your home deliveries to reuse when sending gifts by post.
6. Write down gift ideas as soon as they pop into your head. That way you can start purchasing early, saving money but also ticking it off your list sooner! It also helps aimlessly shopping and overspending.
7. Stocking fillers don’t have to break the bank. TK Maxx often does great multipacks of books, hot chocolate, bath bombs and kids nail polishes which you can split up for added value.
8. Save any spare ribbon and giftbags to reuse – I love digging through my box of saved ribbons!
9. Try adding present boundaries. We have quite a large family so instill a one present rule – it helps us and our kids from expecting lots of gifts at this time of year and makes us really think about what we need.
10. A personal element is a great way to add extra ‘value’ to a gift. For example, we take a dessert in an oven dish for friends – and they get to enjoy the food and keep the dish after!

Alex Stedman said: “I have been an avid fan of TK Maxx for years, I love the thrill of the find and it’s truly the best place for finding the perfect gifts for friends and family. We usually budget for the gifting season and start planning and buying presents early which helps to spread the cost. I know a lot of people will be looking at ways to save this festive season and TK Maxx is the place to find quality and value gifts without the compromise.”

Celebrate Tricks or Treats: DC Super Heroes and Super-Villains come to McDonald’s Happy Meal® this Halloween

• Each Happy Meal® will come with either a Halloween-themed DC comic book or an aluminium DC Super Hero or Super-Villain toy
• Batman, The Joker, Cat woman and Harley Quinn all feature as toy options in the latest Happy Meal® promotion
• Available until 1^st November

DC’s Batman, The Joker, Cat woman and Harley Quinn bring a sense of adventure this Halloween as the DC Super Heroes and Super-Villains arrive at McDonald’s restaurants across the UK and Ireland with the latest Happy Meal® promotion.

Just in time for Halloween, McDonald’s collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Productsis available until 1^st November and encourages families to release their superpowers as Happy Meal® brings a spooky treat in the form of a DC and McDonald’s Happy Meal promotion.

Presented in a limited-edition Halloween DC Happy Meal® box, families have the choice of an aluminium DC toy tin (including a mini DC card game inside) or a bespoke DC comic book titled ‘A Dark Knight … For Tricks or Treats’.

The book features much-loved DC Super Heroes and Super-Villains like Batman and The Joker in a seasonal caper, as well as fun activities – from helping Wonder Woman draw pumpkin faces to helping Cyborg go through a maze to catch Poison Ivy, kids can join DC’s iconic characters on their Halloween journey.

Both options are 100% sustainable as all non-sustainable plastic has been removed from McDonald’s Happy Meal®.

McDonald’s restaurants will also be giving out Batman and Harley Quinn DC Halloween headbands for children to super-power their Halloween.

Available for £3, a Happy Meal® contains a choice of Fish Fingers, Chicken McNuggets or Veggie Dippers with an Apple & Grapefruit Bag, or Carrot Bag side, plus, drink options including water, milk, or Fruit Shoot.

Package highlights include:

• An overnight stay for the whole family with breakfast included
• Family ticket for the Scottish Seabird Centre
• Adoption of a puffin with certificate
• A special surprise gift for the children
• The hotel offers double double rooms which are great for families, with connecting rooms available upon request, subject to demand. Baby cribs are also available on a complimentary basis.

With a dedicated kids menu, a heated swimming pool and only a short drive away from the National Museum of Flight, East Links Farm and Bass Rock Boat tours, Marine North Berwick is the ideal location for families to spend half term.

Large Landscape Photo Book – from £20.99

The perfect sentimental gift that shows them just how much you care this Christmas. With every page, they’ll be filled with joy as they get to look back at their favourite memories and moments you’ve shared. This large photobook would make the perfect gift to display wedding photos, travel memories or as a family photo album.

Square and Heart Shaped Photo Magnets – from £14.99

This set of 10 personalised magnets is a unique gift that will help them brighten up any magnetic space in their home or workplace. Customise them with all their favourite photos whether it’s a holiday or milestone. They’re sure to smile when they open this gift.

Wood Prints  – from £24.99

If the person you’re buying for has a rustic décor theme in their home, this is the perfect gift for them. A beautifully unique piece of wall art that captures a treasured memory and can be admired for years to come.

Small Framed Photo Print – £10.99

Ideal to brighten up any space including a work desk, at home or the office, a bedside table or pride of place in the living room, this Small Framed Print is a thoughtful gift that they can appreciate all year round. Choose from a family memory, a newborn photoshoot or your favourite photo of the two of you that will come complete with a high-quality wooden frame.

Square Photo Book – from £10.99

This photobook has a fresh, modern look that’s ideal for displaying your best images as well as landscape and portrait photographs, making it the perfect choice for creating a unique travel album or memory book. Compile their favourite memories – whether it’s from a family holiday, wedding or fun weekend away. They’ll be blown away when they get to look back at their cherished memories.

Classic Canvas Prints – from £12.99

A beautiful gift for a loved one to display a treasured moment in their home. Choose from a family memory, a newborn photoshoot or your favourite photo of the two of the you – it’s something that they can appreciate all year round and will brighten up any room in the house.

Personalised Water Bottle – £26.99

Treat them to a personalised water bottle that they can take with them whether they go. Perfect for the gym, office or a long journey, this stainless-steel bottle with thermal insulation can be personalised with a photo and text of your choice. With a double wall insulated construction, it will keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot! A unique gift they can appreciate all year round.

Geoff Johnson, Director at cordless vacuum cleaner brand ROIDMI UK says: “Autumn is an essential time to give your home a deep clean as the falling temperatures and wetter weather outside, combined with windows being closed, creates the perfect conditions for carpets to harbour dirt, germs, and harmful allergens.

“It’s worth spending some time in autumn to give the house a post-summer deep clean ready for when the colder spells set in and you will just want to keep warm and watch TV on the settee!”

Geoff has offered his expert autumn cleaning tips: 

For muddy paw prints 
“We love our pets, but they can cause cleaning chaos with muddy paw prints and loose hair covering the house. I recommend waiting for the mud to dry to prevent spreading the stain. Once the mud is completely dry, use a vacuum cleaner, preferably with a hose attachment so you can really focus on the dirt. Then, you’re going to want to give the area a mop to leave the floor sparkling. Our ROIDMI X30 PRO is the ultimate machine for pet owners as it busts through the dirt with a selection of tools such as the pet brush and even has a wet mopping attachment, ideal for moulting pets and those mucky paw moments.”

Clean behind everything
“Remember to pull out sofas and large pieces of furniture to get to those hard-to-reach places that aren’t frequently cleaned. You will be surprised how much dirt builds up in a short time! To give your home a new lease of life, you could even try rearranging some of the furniture.“

Vacuum up high
“Get the vacuum cleaner out and suck up all the cobwebs and dirt from hard-to-reach corners, like above door frames, blinds, curtain rails, ceilings, and walls. Pop on the dust brush attachment to make light work of dusting shelves and ornaments too.” 

Give your mattress a freshen up
“When deep cleaning, you want to do more than just change the bedding. You can use your vacuum cleaner attachments to suck up dirt and debris from your mattress. Spritz the mattress with some fabric-safe scent spray for ultimate freshness.”

Clear out the kitchen cabinets
“Take some time to declutter your kitchen cabinets as you clean. Start by removing all items and choosing which ones you need to keep. Then, before you put them back, use a vacuum attachment to clean out crumbs and dirt, and wipe the cupboard around with your usual household cleaner.”

ROIDMI, the UK’s fastest-growing cordless vacuum cleaner brand, has recently launched its latest range of cleaners from £99 to £599 in the UK through Euronics local High-Street stores, their online shops, and the Euronics website. 

1.      Eggs: 14.4%

2.      Burgers: 11.2%

3.      Fry-ups: 9.6%

4.      Fried chicken: 5.6%

5.      Chinese: 4%

6.      Chicken wings: 3.6%

7.      Chips: 3.6%

8.      Pizza: 3.6%

9.      Hot dogs: 3.2%

10.   Roast dinner: 3.2%

Survivor also used artificial intelligence system DALL·E 2 to create concept imagery of the public’s ideal hangover food, though not necessarily the most beneficial recovery meal. Using “a photograph of food that is good for a hangover” as the prompt, the following images were created:



Contrary to the pictures above, eating greasy foods is far from beneficial for anyone struggling with a hangover. A common urban myth is that eating a greasy meal when hungover will help ‘absorb’ the residual alcohol, but by the time a person has woken up the next morning, all the alcohol has been broken down or remains in the bloodstream, not the stomach. What remains are the toxins, in particular acetaldehyde, as well as a number of symptoms such as inflammation, dehydration, sleep deprivation, and low blood sugar. Eating a heavy meal will further burden an already overwhelmed liver.

Analysing the top 25 posts on TikTok using #hangovercure, a hashtag with 325.1 million views on the platform, the most popular piece of advice to cure a hangover was submerging in cold water (40%). This included both hungover sufferers and medical professionals advising that anyone struggling with a hangover should dunk their face in water, swim in the ocean or take a cold shower.

Sudden cold water submersion triggers the diver’s reflex, a series of physiologic changes which shifts blood away from muscles, slows heart rate and suppresses breathing – offering a brief reprieve from the worst hangover symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, light sensitivity and nausea.

TikTok posters also recommended drinking plenty of water whilst out, before going to sleep and after waking up (20%), avoiding Tylenol (paracetamol) (16%), consuming carbohydrates for breakfast (12%) and drinking coffee and tea to consume caffeine in the morning (12%). Some pieces of advice were clearly satire, with one user recommending a combination of embarrassment, guilt and self-loathing to deny and suppress a hangover and another swearing by chugging an entire jar of pickle juice as an effective method.

Laurence Cardwell, co-founder and CEO of www.survivorlife.com, commented:

“There’s plenty of anecdotal advice on how to fight against hangovers floating across social media, some of which is unfortunately less rooted in evidence and science. Finding hangover cures and techniques to prevent a hangover the next day are an age-old riddle. There’s nothing wrong with a pleasant drink, but we have a responsibility to look after our body and reduce the negative effects of excessive alcohol consumption.”

All products are made with love and care, using fruit, vegetable and tropical flower extracts.
You’ll find no synthetic fragrances or dyes, no parabens, just lots of fresh, natural ingredients together with certified organic oils and extracts. And, as the name suggests, everything is grown without the use of chemical fertilisers.

They also use recyclable or biodegradable packaging, so you can feel good that you’re looking after our planet!

They’ve JUST LAUNCHED our Christmas body scrubs – made with organic sugar that gently exfoliates the skin without drying it out. At just £3.49 each, with FREE prime next day delivery, these are perfect for Secret Santa or last-minute stocking fillers.

Love the smell of freshly baked biscuits? The combination of organic ginger and organic cinnamon extracts in our Christmas Cookies Scrub perfectly tone your skin, leaving it feeling supple and soft at the same time.

Or indulge your senses with Gingerbread Body Scrub, containing organic ginger extract and organic orange oil, to leave your skin feeling firm, soft and radiant.

The colourful Candy Cane Body Scrub with organic vanilla and strawberry extracts hydrates skin during exfoliation and leaves a fruity, sweet scent.

Certified Cosmos Natural and suitable for vegans.

Available from www.amazon.co.uk/organicshop

Masterchef winner Steven Wallis has partnered with recipe box specialists Chefs For Foodies to launch the ultimate Christmas Recipe box.

Supplying all the ingredients you need to make a chef-quality Christmas dinner, the recipe kit feeds 6 people and is £130, the equivalent to just £21.60 per head.

The kit includes quality ingredients sourced from British suppliers and family-run butchers including a quality turkey breast fillet with prosciutto ham. The trimmings include, sage and onion stuffing, roasted parsnips with polenta and parmesan, bacon pangritata brussel sprout, roast potatoes, pigs in blankets and luxury gravy.

Chef Steven has also provided a video Masterclass with a seasonal, entertaining step-by-step guide crammed with Christmas tips to perfect the most important home cooked dinner of the year.

The Masterchef winner and judge commented: “The ubiquitous Christmas dinner is the most important meal of the year, but unfortunately, it’s also the most stressful to prepare and easiest to get wrong. This special pre-prepared Christmas menu contains recipes which not only bring something special to the table but are also crucially, easy to prepare. The Chefs For Foodies recipe box is the perfect solution for taking the stress out of Christmas day, while also wowing your dinner guests.”

Chefs For Foodies have also created a Vegan Christmas recipe box which includes a premium Portobello Mushroom Wellington, and four sides including a delicious Butternut Squash and Blue Cheese Crumble.

To ensure quality, fresh ingredients, the food boxes are delivered a few days before Christmas. Chefs For Foodies ensure minimum waste by supplying pre-portioned ingredients and recyclable packaging.

For a Boxing Day treat, Chefs For Foodies has also designed a Beef Wellington meal kit which includes a recipe for maple roasted carrots and a swede and celeriac mash with nutmeg brown butter.

For any festive occasion with guests there is also the ultimate Indian platter & drinks party box created by renowned chef DIpna Anand. The spicy recipes include Prawn Pakoras, Lamb Tikki Pitta Pockets, Turkey Malai Tikka, Onion, Spinach & Potato Bhajis all served with Traklemans cranberry & mint sauces.

Recipe Kits can be pre-ordered from the 20th end of October from the Chefs For Foodies website:

https://chefsforfoodies.com/pages/christmas-dinner-2-more-box

From humble beginnings building suitcase speakers in Jonny’s Brixton living room, to huge celebrity fans and customers including Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue, and Steven Tyler, BoomBocs speakers encompass everything artists and consumers love about the British music scene with the brand’s stand-out retro design and quality sound.

BoomBocs STUDIO Orange

The latest product, the BoomBocs STUDIO, is the ultimate portable speaker and is packed full of features including Spotify/Deezer/Amazon Music streaming built-in to free up your phone, internet radio, and a dedicated app. It comes in five fantastically stand-out colours – pink, orange, green, black, and white.

Founder Jonny knows music – he has worked as a sound engineer for some of the biggest names in the industry including Stormzy, Wu-Tang Clan, Kylie, Anne-Marie, Jessie Ware, and Pendulum among many more. His expert hands-on knowledge has helped him to create the BoomBocs signature sound.