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Have you had your Royal Coronation Invite?

Royal Coronation Decorations

Have you had an invite to the Royal Coronation?

What will your Royal Coronation Celebration look like? I think Eilean Siar (the Outer Hebrides), where I am, might be the only council that isn’t having a bank holiday for the coronation – or perhaps you can tell me otherwise? But at least with it being on a Saturday that won’t stop us having a little tea party.

Will you be eating the Coronation Quiche?

5 funny facts about coronations

  1. During the coronation of King George IV in 1821, the King’s waistcoat was so tight that he had to be cut out of it.
  2. In the 17th century, it was believed that the monarch had the power to cure people of scrofula, a type of tuberculosis. As a result, the coronation ceremony included a “touching ceremony” where the monarch would touch the affected area of people’s skin to cure them.
  3. At the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, the Archbishop of Canterbury accidentally knocked the Queen on the head with the anointing spoon.
  4. At the coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066, the congregation shouted “God save the King” so loudly that it caused a nearby tower to collapse.
  5. During the coronation of Queen Victoria in 1838, a boy named William Jones snuck into Westminster Abbey and hid in the organ loft. He remained there for the entire ceremony and was discovered only after everyone had left.

I’d love to hear your plans for the Coronation – inspire me with your recipes and menu plans in particular in the comments below.

Are you Volunteering for the Big Help Out?

A couple of my children are volunteering at a local woodland pulling up trees (not as bad as it sounds, it’s the ones that have seeded themselves through a boardwalk they are pulling) and I’ll be taking my Cubs and Beavers for a beach clean, all part of the Big Help Out.

Are your Coronation Decorations up to Royal Standard?

Royal Jubilee Colour in Bunting

Royal Bunting

No Coronation party would be complete without some decorations and luckily we have just the thing to make your street fit for a King to visit!

20 pieces of Royal pageantry to colour in and string up to help decorate your party.

Tiara polished?

Not had the time to polish your tiara? Don’t worry you can make a new one!

Royal Jubilee Colour in Set
However you are celebrating the Coronation of Charles III (or not) let’s hope it’s a beautiful sunny bank holiday weekend where you are (and a sunny weekend here).

…and I hope you get a piece of cake!

Janet x

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Merry Christmas Bunting Elf on the Shelf Antics

Merry Christmas Bunting Phoenix Trading cards Elf on the Shelf

My Elf on the shelf has been busy.

“Merry Christmas bunting” from Phoenix Trading.

Merry Christmas bunting decoration Phoenix Trading cards

This Christmas bunting makes an impressive addition to your Christmas decorations. With 20 pieces and 4 m ribbon you can decide where to put the stockings, Santa and snowman. You can choose whether to hang in a single line, or split as shown above.

Elf on the shelf has been making up some new arrangements

If you’re stuck for Elf on the Shelf ideas than you these anagrams will help you to fill a few days of mischief. You can find many more anagrams of Merry Christmas online, a simple search will bring up a range of pages with ideas. These were my elf on the shelf’s favourite ones.Merry Christmas bunting decoration Phoenix Trading cards

And if you like my elf you can find more like him at Daisyfelts. I think he’s rather cheeky but friendly looking.

Can you think of any more?

10 Ideas for a Christmas Eve Box

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Things to put in a Christmas Eve Box

Christmas Eve Box

Ideas for a Christmas Eve Box

Thought I would ask my three older children (10, 7 and 5) what goodies they would like in a Christmas Eve Box and here’s what they suggested.

First find a box, add a few sweets and maybe some hot chocolate and you will keep the whole family entertained. Start the Christmas festivities off the night before. This one is ideal and not too pricey either.

1 Refill pack

Save yourself time and get the Christmas Eve Box Refill containing craft, colouring, decorations and games. Just add your own sweets and hot chocolate.

2 Snow

Even if it’s a beautiful sunny day outside, you can still have snow inside with this safe, non toxic instant snow – just add water. For a couple of quid you can’t go wrong with this in a Christmas Eve box.

3 Doodling

With 6 sheets in this Christmas Holiday Fun pack there are oodles of doodles to keep the whole family scribbling if necessary.

4 Colour in Ideas

Colour In Christmas TableclothThis huge paper tablecloth will keep everyone busy at Christmas. Either use it just as something to do or for maximum value put it on the table for Christmas dinner with a few pens, crayons or coloured pencils and watch all ages get stuck in. Also makes a great poster.

Alternatively try the colour in Christmas Tree from Flamingo Paperie, or their colour in nativity bunting.

5 Christmas Cracker

It’s Christmas after all, there probably need to be some sweets and what better way to add to a Christmas Eve box than in a cracker. Cadbury have lots of Christmas confectionary ideas as you would imagine. If you don’t do chocolate, e.g. if you’re dairy free then Hampergifts have some fabulous retro sweet hampers and packs.

6 Craft Ideas

If your children love craft activities then check out Flamingo Paperie’s DIY gift tags. They have other craft packs too.

7 Books

If you need some ideas of books for Christmas Eve then we traditionally read Twas the Night Before Christmas before they go to bed on Christmas Eve but they also love Illustrated Stories for Christmas. A Christmas Carol is also a great read for older children. Christmas Day will be so busy that bedtime stories probably won’t happen. I believe no Christmas Eve Box is complete without a story. Settle them down for bed and take the chance to stop for a minute and remember what Christmas is all about amidst the preparations. If you are true bookworms then plan ahead with some Christmas advent books.

8 Jigsaws

All my family, from ages 1 to 80+ love jigsaws. So I always get a couple of Christmas jigsaws in for the holiday. It’s just perfect for those ‘I’m bored’ moments when the weather is too bad to send them outside. When I get a chance to sit down for 5 minutes it’s great relaxation for me too.

9 DVD

It's a wonderful life dvdOf course there is always the option of a DVD. Why not schedule in an hour or two to put your feet up, get out the popcorn and watch a DVD together. Our Christmas favourites are Muppet Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street and Elf. What’s your favourite? Share with us in the comments below, it might give someone else who’s stuck an idea for their Christmas Eve box.

10 Chatterboxes

chatterboxes fortune tellersRemember these? We called them fortune tellers I think. This pack from Flamingo Paperie has 6 sheets, with jokes, forfeits, fortunes and more. Great fun for Christmas Eve and could be used for Christmas Dinner entertainments too. For just a couple of quid it provides lasting fun for all.

I haven’t tried myself but I did think if you are making your own Christmas crackers that you could include one of these in each cracker if you do some of the initial folding.

You can see a video I did of a Christmas Eve Box full of activities  here.

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Valentines Day Paper Chain Hearts

Valentines Day paper strip hearts

I’ve been having fun making some of the paper chain hearts for Valentines Day and made a wee video to show you how to do some yourself.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj0eluRY3ME]

I used Phoenix Trading’s butterfly and hearts paperchains. They are really sturdy and I love the fact they have patterns on both sides. However you could you wrapping paper and this double sided wrapping paper would look very cool. Just cut or guillotine in to strips and away you go.

These also make great Christmas decorations too, and you can string several together to make a pretty garland.

More Valentines Day ideas

Follow me on Pinterest for more Valentines craft ideas