All Things Christmas

Montag, 1. August 2016

All the pretty little things

During the last couple of days I was scanning the online shops and aisles of the local shops for a farewell present. I didn't find one - which is sad, but I found other fantastic things.
One online shop especially caught my eye. This is not a new shop to me - in fact I have known Torquato for several years already. I bought China, Kitchen Helpers, Accessories and Office Supplies there. Lovely shop with great quality products. And no, I don't get paid for this - I really like their products.
So as I was strolling through the online catalogue I found a couple of things that went on my "To buy for Christmas"-List, it is way too early to purchase them, since I don't have enough space for storage. I thought you might want to have a look at it. So here goes...

Santa Christmas Mailing Set

Do you love sending letters and postcards to your friends, colleagues and loved ones? I do and not only around Christmas. Also I love Vintage and this is one of the golden ones. And did I mention that the set comes in a lovely tin case? So what's in it? According to the description you receive 24 cards and envelopes + stickers + 3 stamps + inkpad = basically everything you need to make someone really happy. I am thinking a nice Advent Calendar is a fantastic way to use this set. It all comes to you for 22,50 EUR which is not the cheapest, but let me tell you from my experience, Torquato doesn't rip you off.

Vintage Christmas Stickers

So we already saw a little tin case with lots of delight in it. Here is a second one, that goes on my list without hesitation. 100 Vintage Christmas Stickers are in this little silver wonderland. Gift Tags and "common" stickers go hand-in-hand with all the little projects that come naturally during the advent season. The gift tag stickers are such and easy way to embellish presents from Santa. And you find yours so much easier with your name on it. I also put the non-gift-tag stickers on little notes in the office to spread the Christmas spirit. It really helps: Imagine, you are sitting on a list, that is driving you up the wall and someone hands you a note for a missed call with a little dancing Santa - it makes you laugh and tells you better things are on the road ahead, you just have to work you way towards it.
Torquato offers this set for only 14,50 EUR.

Wrapping Paper from Florence

Copytight Pictures: Torquato AG

Presents, presents, presents - there was something on my mind - yeah, I got it! Presents need to be wrapped. Well, honestly - they don't have to be wrapped to bring you joy and delight, but a wrapped present is more fun for both the person opening it and the one wrapping it.
I love wrapping presents. If I have more than one present for someone I wrap every part individually. It brings me so much joy thinking of color combinations fitting either my holiday theme, the present or the person receiving it. Wrapping a present can be quite simple and fast or take up to two or three hours, when you build a diorama around it for instance (Yes I do those kind of things - but you have to get on my "Very Nice"-List for this). Me and Santa have a little wrapping contest going on each year. Most of the times the jolly man wins (many years of experience ahead), but every once in a while he is quite pleased and surprised with my wrapping skills.
But let me get to the product at hand. I love wrapping presents in papers, not everyone uses. So I was excited to find those Florentine Papers from the family owned company Rossi 1931 at the Torquato Shop. They offer 6 variations of decorative paper. Each variation costs 10,90 EUR and each order includes two sheets of paper (100x70cm). I can see myself wrapping a couple of presents in those lovely patterns. My favorites are the Ilex and Cinnamon prints ... with a red or green bow and some cinnamon sticks ... Christmas bliss.

A Present for a colleague

Though I was looking for a totally different present, I stumbled upon the best present for one of my colleagues in the US. She was looking for a Christmas ornament, when she was visiting the German office last year. Though there was none. No I found a set of three Christmas birds hand-crafted in a glassblowing in Lauscha, Thuringia. They are a total bargain with 9,80 EUR per set and they come in 3 different colors: red, silver and golden. I like the red ones the best - I think it goes marvelous with the green backdrop of a christmas tree as well as with a glass display or snow covered branches in a vase. I hope this comes in a lovely little box - otherwise I will just have to find one - since this bird has to fly over the ocean.

Freitag, 15. Januar 2016

After Christmas is the new Before Christmas

Let's be honest - last year was kind of mean. It's not last year's fault - it just drew the wrong number in the big lottery.
So this is my reason for not updating the blog.
At least I had good Christmas and a fantastic Christmas surprise by one of my beloved friends.

So much for the past and the After Christmas part - let's focus on the Before Christmas part - so this year can be full of relaxation around the holidays.

I found an old magazine, where they had a couple of tipps for a great Christmas and I want to share them in a shortened way with you,

Find a motto for your Christmas party and decorations
Decorate with wreaths and fresh-cut flowers alike
Set Fire...to glam up the atmosphere - think fireplace not arson
Spend time outside
Welcome your guests in a warm way
Think of the little things
Make a program for the out-of-town-ers

I will take a close look at a couple of the tipps. and will share this with you.

Mittwoch, 2. Dezember 2015

Christmas Calendars - Competitions and Prize Draws - Part 2

Welcome back - and a happy 2nd December 2015.
I loved my first and second day of the L'OCCITANE en Provence Christmas Calendar. It is an amazing and calory-savyy way to kick off the christmas time and count the days.
No chocolate calendar for me this year - instead soft hands and nice scents. Hmm what a great thing.

In addition to this I am still surfing the web for some great prize draws and calendars.
Here are some more I found in the www:

As soon as I got more - I will let you know.

Good luck.

XOXO

Miss Xmas

Dienstag, 1. Dezember 2015

Christmas Calendars - Competitions and Prize Draws

Each year there are thousands of Christmas Calendar prize draws all across the World Wide Web.
I had reasonable luck in the last years and love entering the draws. Yes, ok - they get your data and everything, but honestly: Do you think they wouldn't be able to get them anyhow?
But I drift off topic. So, here I would like to present to you some links to Christmas Calendars (in German) that are fantastic...

Then there are a couple of companies not doing calendars, but competitions.

Mulberry (Ends 13th December 2015): I totally love the Mulberry Competition. The Video is amazing. I did like the one last year much better though.
Galeria Kaufhof and Tommy Hilfiger (Ends 13th December 2015)
Galeria Kaufhof (Ends 6th December 2015)

There are plenty more in the web and I will keep posting more of them - cause I think it is a fun way to test your luck.

Donnerstag, 26. November 2015

Limited Edition - Soft Cakes

During the Holiday Season I love strolling through the shops to look for limited editions of products.
While I am at work - I can use the supermarket and there I found the GRIESSON Soft Cakes in the seasonal edition. This year it is "Quince and Apple flavour with a slight hint of Honey". I bought it. I tasted one of the Soft Cakes and I realized they taste as every Soft Cake: Juicy and sweet. Perhaps something is wrong with my taste buds, but for me there was no difference to the orange ones.
What I really like about it is the packaging. It really caught my eye. The blue with the tree and the snow - just puts you in the winter mood.

Mittwoch, 25. November 2015

I can't wait

Do you love the tradition of christmas calendars? I do! Usually I make about 20 each year for my friends and family. This year I only made one - but this is another story, which should be told on another day.
My christmas calendar this year is a store-bought one. It is the L'OCCITANE en Provence Christmas Calendar, which is only produced in a limited number and you have to shop for them latest at the beginning of October. I found mine at the Munich Store "Ludwig Beck". Score!
Now it is waiting next to my wardrobe and I am so excited to open the first little door and enjoy the first little treat.

The format as a book with a satin ribbon is just awesome and do you see the graphic. Those little pictures are just adorable.
May the fun begin!

Dienstag, 24. November 2015

It's the most wonderful time of the year

It's the first real week of chill temperatures and the scent of snow in the air here in Munich.
The year was more than hectic and busy - yet I aim for a wonderful time around christmas.
In 2014 I decided to move all my blogs to one and one blog only - but today I ignore this and start something I always felt the need for. My own little Christmas Blog.
Do you hear the jingle bells in my hair ringing while I nearly jump up and down in excitement?

Well I am Miss Xmas - ok, actually I am Franzi, but in my little circle of friends I am "Miss Xmas" - okay actually I am more of a Christmas-Franzi or even a "Christmas-Nazi" (quote from the TV-Show "Roswell" - yes, I am a bit like Izzy when it comes to Christmas planning).
During that special time of year (which acutally starts on the 27th of December and last until the 26th of December the following year) I am just a Christmas nerd.
Now travel with me through this most wonderful time of the year.

XOXO
Miss Xmas