What I Got For My Birthday (2018)

I finally got around to taking photos of the presents I was given for my birthday last month, so I thought it was about time I showed you the lovely gifts my family spoiled me with this year.

Please excuse the terrible photos; I've been pulling my hair out trying to edit them, and they were the best I could do.

My older sister, Marie sent me the most colourful parcel of presents over from Germany. The presents were nestled under layers of tissue paper in all the colours of the rainbow, and the gifts were wrapped in the cutest, colourful Care Bears wrapping paper. It was one of the most cheerful parcels I've ever received in the mail! I mean, seriously, look how cute that gift wrap is / was! You couldn't not be happy opening a box full of presents wrapped like that!

Marie gave me seven presents altogether, including an amazing grapefruit-scented NEST candle, a beautiful Puffin in Bloom edition of Little Women (one of my favourite books), and some lovely American make up. I was given three Physicians Formula products including the Mineral Wear Correcting Powder, Argan Wear Ultra Nourishing Argan Oil Blush, and the Organic Wear Fake Out Mascara, along with a beautiful Milani blusher in Blossomtime Rose, and they're all so gorgeous! She also originally gave me theBalm Nude Beach eyeshadow palette, but she'd accidentally been sold a tester that had been swatched already, so I had to send it back for her to swap. She couldn't get a replacement, so she swapped it for the equally gorgeous Anastasia Modern Renaissance eyeshadow palette for me instead. I'll admit I'm a little gutted to have lost the Nude Beach palette because the shades were so pretty, but I'm also thrilled to have the Anastasia palette because it's full of dreamy shades, too. I've never tried any of these brands or products before, so I'm really looking forward to trying them all out. Would you like me to review any of them for you when I do?

I have to say, Marie always sends me the best American goodies from the American air force base she lives at in Germany. (They have a huge BX (military base shop) there filled with American branded goodies with American prices). When she visited last week, she brought me back some amazing Bath and Body Works products, Dove chocolates, and a big bag of candy corn- it's definitely a perk of having her living where she is.

My younger sister, Sarah, gave me a gorgeous clothbound copy of Jane Eyre because she couldn't believe I'd never read it, as it's one of her favourite classics. I love the clothbound classics, so I'm glad to have another in my collection, and I'm looking forward to reading it this Autumn.

She also spoilt me with a Nintendo 2DS, so I've been having lots of fun playing Mario Kart 7 lately, which came pre-installed. The best part is, I discovered you could download old Sonic the Hedgehog games from the nineties from the Nintendo app store, which I used to love playing on the Sega Mega Drive growing up, so I've been getting all nostalgic playing Sonic the Hedgehog 2 circa 1992! I'm such a loser, I know!

My parents and two of my Aunties gave me some money for my birthday, which I pooled together and spent on three Erstwilder brooches, Eric's Otters, Michelle Sea Turtle, and Sandy the Shy Seahorse. (Which I've previously reviewed here, along with a couple of others). I thought my collection could do with some sea creatures for accessorising summer outfits and wearing on trips to the seaside or aquarium, and in the end, I couldn't resist these beautiful pieces. I mean, look at them! They're all amazing. My favourite has to be Michelle the sea turtle because she's made from the prettiest resins.

And those are the lovely gifts I received from my family for my 33rd birthday. It may not look like a lot to some of you with a lot of friends, but I don't have a lot of people in my life to celebrate my birthday with now I'm chronically ill and house bound. (I know, I know, tiny violins...) I'm not looking for sympathy, though; I really appreciate what I have and all the presents I do get, and feel like I was spoiled rotten by my family this year (as always). I'm a very lucky girl!

Thanks, family, for the lovely birthday presents; I love them all! (Apart from the '40' card from my little sister telling me it was pointless to resist turning 40. I turned 33. She turns 30 next week; I will get the bitch back!)

What's the best birthday present you've ever received?

You Might Also Like

What I Got For Christmas Haul 2017