Festive Essentials

I am a Christmas Crazy - I love this time of year!

"It's the most wonderful time of the year.......!"

I love it when the festive season comes around. The air is all chilly and you wrap up in loads of layers to sip mulled from festive mugs, you get your party gear all looked out and glitter flys everywhere and any free time you can grab is spent curled up on the sofa in pyjamas with a Christmas candle burning in the background - ahhhh bliss.

And all the essentials you need are....

Christmas Day Sparkles

There was and article in a recent Stylist all about how the tradition of dressing up for Christmas really shouldn't be forgotten - and I completely agree. On Christmas day we unwrap stockings and tuck into breakfast in our pyjamas and as soon as all the presents have been unwrapped and the bucks-fizz polished off we head off to get all dolled up. Christmas is a time for sparkly clothes, dressing up and making an occasion out of it. I've got this gorgeous gold sparkly skirt packed for the big day and you should add as many sequins as you can to your Christmas Day outfit!

Magical Make-Up 

And to go with your sparkly Christmas outfit, your make-up should be just as wonderful! I love a bright red lip any time of year, but at Christmas it's even more perfect. I've got quite a collection, from deep dark reds, to a glittery special one to a bright pillar-box hue. This year I think I'll be going for the lovely Clinique red that I actually got as a freebie in Glamour - success! I also love a little bit of sparkle on my face and this gold eye-shadow stick from No7 is my new best friend. It just adds a dusting of gold sparkles and the stick means it stays all day, from the turkey to the charades and mince pies. Pop some glitter on your nails too - you know you want to...

Cosy Jumpers

Winter time is all about layering up. Quite often on Christmas Day we head out for a nice long walk in the snow. This calls for cosy jumpers - and to be honest I tend to live in big woolly contraptions this time of year. I love my big navy-blue roll neck, the oversized brown knitted number and the massive thick red cardigan that wraps around like a winter cuddle. You also need a little winter-specific number in their and this slogan one was a great buy from ASOS - the Christmas jumper with a chic twist - it's my airport staple as I fly home for Christmas.

Santa's Grotto 

Now that you're looking all Christmassy don't forget to dress your home! We're moving out of our flat in the new year so decided that going full-on Elf and completely transforming the flat just wasn't worth it. But, there is little things you can do to make your home feel Christmassy. I love having a Christmas candle glowing in the background, feeling the air with a beautifully Christmasy scent. I also pop up little decorations that I've collected over the years. Of course Christmas cards and a delicious advent calendar all help to create the special festive feeling. Next year we'll go all out with the biggest tree and plenty of tinsel!

Perfect Pyjamas

I love buying new pyjamas, there's something so lovely about pulling a fresh new pair in the prettiest pattern - nice pyjamas just make me feel special. I usually just head to Primark to get them too! They've always got a huge range of patterns and are pretty cheap so you can pick up as many pairs as you need! These were most recent purchase, I love the red and white, perfect for Christmas morning. And they look just as good snuggled up under a onesie with Love Actually on the telly and massive hot chocolate balanced on your lap.

The Finishing Touches

Don't forget the accessories! There's always so many festive finishing touches you can add! Festive earrings are always a hit. I love these snowflake ones for a more subtle hit of Christmas cheer. My Dad brought them back from a ski holiday and I love wearing them when winter snow starts falling. A novelty bag is always so much fun, and you can't go wrong with a chocolate-coin themed one! Perfect for filling up with the real thing hidden at the bottom of your stocking. Of course, faux-fur is always ideal for winter and I always pop on this furry headband - it makes me feel all classy and wonderfully warm.

The Big One... 

FAMILY!

Christmas would be nothing without my lovely family around me. Myself and my two sisters jet off to Switzerland to our parents, head up to the mountains and hide out for week of skiing and Christmas fun. As we all live in different places we're always so excited to spend time all together and revert back to big kids, screaming with excitement when Santa has filled our stockings and falling out over charades. I'm so excited to head over this year and my plane to the most important Christmas ingredient couldn't come soon over - see you soon Buchanans!