Thursday 5 December 2019

What I Got For Christmas Last Year (2018)


Today, I'm going to show you what I got for Christmas last year, as I never did get around to blogging this post last Christmas. I took the photos, I had the text written up by the New Year, but I wasn't happy with my photos so I kept putting it off. I had hoped to retake them, but it never happened and before we knew it, it was Valentine's Day and far too late to be blogging about Christmas. It seemed a shame to delete a post I had spent ages working on, so I left it in my drafts, and at some point during the year, I realised I could just post it this Christmas instead. So that is what I'm here to do. Even if I still hate the photos and couldn't salvage the close up shots I took.

I know some people don't like these kind of posts, but I personally enjoy reading them on other blogs, and like to share mine every year. (Except last year, obviously). I don't do this to brag or to try to make anyone jealous or anything, but merely to share a part of my life with you guys, and make a record to look back on. I've actually been taking photos of what I got for Christmas since childhood, so I'm just keeping a tradition alive in a modern way. If Christmas hauls really aren't your cup of tea, you may prefer to click the 'x' button now. No hard feelings; I'll catch you next time. If you'd like to see what I got for Christmas, though, keep reading, and I'll get started. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.



Last Christmas I received some amazing presents from my family. I probably received less presents than ever before as we've stopped exchanging gifts with our relatives and my parents have began giving us less now they're either side of the retirement line, but I still feel like I was spoiled rotten. 

My older sister and brother-in-law generously bought me a Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 camera in lime green, with the matching 'groovy case', and a couple of packs of patterned film to start me off. It's easily one of the best presents I received last year. I've wanted an Instax for years as it's been ages since I last owned an instant camera, and this one is such a pretty spring green (not a garish lime, like the name would suggest). It's a great little camera and really fun to use. I love using it to document special occasions, and bringing it along when I get out and about to pretty places. It's still such a novelty to hold printed photos in my hands again- even if the quality will never compare to today's digital cameras.

On Christmas Eve, the sister also arrived home from Germany with some festive Peeps marshmallows for us (I got a pack of candy cane flavoured birds, and green Christmas trees), a pack of praline Succhards chocolates (not pictured 'cause I'd eaten them already), and a gift bag of goodies left over from her work Christmas do. Inside were some gingerbread flavoured Lindor chocolates, two mini peppermint snowman chocolates, and some mini Gucci Bamboo perfumes, which smell amazing.



My younger sister gave me Animal Crossing for the DS, which I started playing the day after Boxing Day, and haven't been able to stop playing since. I think I've missed one day this whole year! It's so fun and addictive, and it's safe to say that I'm now obsessed. She also got me the cutest Hedwig mug, and the most amazing heart-shaped Polly Pocket bag from Truffle Shuffle. Polly Pockets were some of my favourite toys when I was growing up in the eighties and nineties, so it's basically the best bag ever! TBH, it's long over due- she's owed me a replacement Polly Pocket since she threw my Polly Pocket toy / money box (with all my pocket money inside) in to the river in Worcester when I was seven. She blames intrusive thoughts, but she was only four, so I'm not buying it. It was mint green with a high street inside, and a compartment underneath to keep your coins in- like this one. It was my favourite, and I'm still gutted, TBH. Did anyone else have one?

I received a variety of presents from my parents, but my favourite has to be the pretty Cath Kidston Alpine Ditsy bluetooth speaker that I'd asked them for. It's a small grey speaker with a floral Cath Kidston print across the top and sides, and it's such a pretty little gadget. The sound quality is fantastic, too, especially for the price. (It was under £40 full price, and on sale for about £17.50!) You charge it by USB which can give you four hours play time, but I've found you can connect the USB cord to a plug (not included) to use it as long as you want without interruption. I've got so much use out of it this year. The speaker is sadly no longer available, but you may still be able to find one on eBay or through Cath Kidston's outlet shops.

Along with the speakers, my parents gave me the Cath Kidston floral colouring book, a navy Joe browns cardigan with adorable little foxes peeking out from the pockets, macaron and French bulldog themed PJs, two cute Cookies and Biscuit sampler cross stitch kits from The World in Stitches, a tube of Pringles, a Galaxy Selection Box, a Terry's Chocolate Orange, and a tube of Caramac buttons.



I also received a little Christmas money, which I decided to spend on books and a brooch from Erstwilder. I bought the Life by the Horns brooch, a purple rhino brooch from the Out of Africa collection that had been at the top of my Erstwilder wish list for months. I found it on sale for £18.95, so I just couldn't resist it any longer. It's even cuter in person and definitely one of my favourite Erstwilder brooches to date. 

The books I picked up include The Next Person You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, VOX by Christina Dalcher, and Bird Box by Josh Malerman. I've read all but Eleanor Oliphant this year, and I'd highly recommend all of them, especially Bird Box, which is one of the best books I've ever read.

I also bought two creative list journal books I'd been coveting for ages- 52 Lists for Togetherness by Moorea Seal, and the Breathe List Journal, which are both full of lists to fill in and gorgeous imagery. I'll do my best to review them both for you in the New Year because I think you'll love them, too.

If you'd like a closer look at anything, I took a video of my haul last Christmas, too. It's just a shaky amateur video, and not professional vlogger quality filming, but if it was all shiny and polished, you wouldn't know it was from me, would you?!



And that is what I was given for Christmas 2018!

Christmas really isn't about the presents for me (although, let's face it, they are a perk), but I got some fantastic presents from the family last year, and I'm so grateful for every present I was so thoughtfully given. Thank you, family; you did good!

If there's anything in these photos that you'd particularly like me to review, do let me know in the comments.

Hopefully you won't have to wait a whole year to see this year's Christmas present haul! I'll do my best to bring it to you straight after Christmas.

What did you get for Christmas last year?

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2 comments

  1. I HAD THAT MONEY BOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I loved that Polly Pocket! It was so cool!!!! I used to keep my money in it at my Dad's!!! Eleanor Oliphant is a great book!

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    Replies
    1. I love hearing that other people had one, too. It was my absolute favourite! I loved saving all my pocket money in it! I've heard good things about the book, so I need to find time to read it in the new year. :)

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