Christmas has arrived in our home!

Christmas is now just over a week away and I am getting totally excited. This is the first Christmas that will be spent in our first house. We've had to buy all our Christmas decorations in to ensure it could be as festive as possible. I've put little bits of Christmas throughout the downstairs of our house. As you would imagine, there is a lot of gingerbread! I've bought a couple of decorations in the run-up to Christmas but had a few from last year that friends and family bought as presents. The one with our names on was given to us last year by my Mum, it is so cute and such a special, unique decoration. When I pulled them all out to put on the tree, I couldn't believe how much gingerbread there was! I'm so pleased with how my tree came together. Mum was always into white and silver decorations, whereas I have gone all out traditional red, green and gold. I love it, it's so festive!

As well as the Christmas tree I've added festive tea lights holders, gingerbread houses on the fuse box, a cuddly Santa on our phone table, tinsel to the bannister and some twinkly lights in the front window. There are lots of little bits to ensure our house looks festive! I'm so pleased with how everything looks and I don't think I could fit another Christmas themed item in the house, well except stockings and Santa sacks on Christmas day! Do you like our decorations? Have you posted about yours? Link me!

Christmas Fair Haul - Living North Newcastle Racecourse

At last weekend's Living North Christmas Fair I made a few purchase both foodie and Christmas related. I wanted to show you what I picked up and maybe introduce you to some local companies you might want to look into.

First off is CAKE! The Pudding Parlour had an amazing selection of cakes on offer including rainbow cake, marshmallow fluff cups and mint aero slices. I chose I piece of chocolate Ferrero rocher cake and ate it when I got home. Well I only ate half as the slice I got was so big, I had to eat it in two sittings. The cake was lovely and fluffy with thick chocolatey icing. You could definitely taste in the icing that it was meant to be Ferrero rocher as it was distinctively nutty. I've been looking at their website to see where I can get my next fix and it seems that they work on orders but also have a concession in Fenwick in Hexham!

Next up is some fudge I picked up in the food hall. Forever Fudge's stall was packed full of tonnes of different flavoured fudges. I had to come home with some chocolate for me and some vanilla for the boyfriend. Yet to try this but I'm sure it will be yummy!

I picked these two little cheeky chappies up to fuel my gingerbread obsession and continue on with my Christmas tree decoration shopping. Not sure which stall it was but they were £4.00 each and such good quality. I can't wait until they can take pride of place on the tree!

I came across this amazing business called Magnificent Marshmallow Company who sold a range of gourmet marshmallows. They come in many flavours including coconut, raspberry, cherry, blueberry, elderflower, banana, orange, lemon and peppermint. They are fat-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, gluten-free and additive-free. The packaging is so creative, I love how they have branded their marshmallows. I picked up a pack of strawberry which was a little expensive at £3.50 but I think they are worth it for the quality.

Last but not least is the two bits I picked up from a local small business based in Middlesbrough, Lots of Loveliness. The stall had a great range of different candle scents from Pintail Candles which come in these cute little paint pots. I picked up the spiced apple compote ready for Christmas and also some little gingerbread people Christmas tags. I'm a little obsessed, what can I say?

Have you been to any Christmas fairs recently? What did you pick up? Link to any posts below!

I think they got the hints...

As I've said maybe a million times, I like gingerbread men. So for Christmas you can imagine I was plied with gingerbread men goodies...

Gingerbread Yankee Candle holders from Mum.

Gingerbread Candle from Tesco, from Mum. 

A present for me and Matthew, an ornament for our tree when we move in together from Mum.

Lots and lots of Body Shop ginger sparkle goodies from Mum and my friend Jess.

Little fabric Christmas tree decorations from Jess and my boyfriend's family.

A very cute gingerbread man bag from my boyfriend.

Gingerbread chocolates from Jess.

Gingerbread biscuits from Mum.

I think that is about everything gingerbread I got for Christmas, although I am sure I've missed some! So grateful to have so many people who buy me presents and are so thoughtful.

Link me to your Christmas goodies posts!

My nana knows me so well...

Everyone that knows me knows that if they buy me something gingerbread man related I will love it. My Nana recently found these gems in her local shop in Markse and I've fallen in love with them.

As you can see she bought me a tea pot and two mugs from the same collection. These were from a shop called Coopers Gifts in her local village.

I can't wait to use these and display them when I get a house!