Christmas is around the corner and for families up and down the country that means it’s time to decide what makes it onto the Christmas lunch plate. This year we’re heading to my Mum’s for the Christmas lunch (I’m not going to lie, I’m so looking forward to having a year off from cooking) and as yet there’s no guarantee that turkey will make an appearance on the big day. We’re fans of mixing it up when it comes to Christmas – but one thing that will always feature no matter what is roast potatoes.

We’re big fans of Aunt Bessie’s from being the hero of midweek roasts to lending a hand to making a change with a vegetarian roast. Aunt Bessie’s Roasties are rated by Mumsnet (check out the Mumsnet badge on the packet) with over 75% saying they would recommend them. They’re super convenient, no more part boiling; 25 minutes in the oven and they’re done – always a winner when you’re playing oven tetris trying to juggle everything in the oven. I’ve learnt that Aunt Bessie’s Roasties are also vegetarian and gluten free – perfect for those guests over Christmas who like to casually drop into conversation their dietary requirements while you’re dishing up lunch.

With a break from the duties of Christmas lunch I’ve focused this year on a number of festive feasts for our nearest and dearest throughout December. Anyone who knows me will know that I like to be the hostess with mostest and for me that means not spending too long in the kitchen away from our guests and with Aunt Bessie’s roast potatoes heading straight for the oven from the freezer, it’s one less part to prep and frees me up to enjoy the festive period.

Last weekend we kept hosting laid back with a roast but with a difference – lamp rump wellington, with honey roasted parsnips, carrots and shallots plus the obligatory bowl of Brussel sprouts (hands up who else are secret lovers of Brussel sprouts? Me and Boo love them and eat them throughout the year!) with my famous and ever faithful fool-proof Yorkshire puddings plus the one tradition that’s here to stay: a bowl of roast potatoes.

Christmas is a time of year that should be spent being merry with those closest to you not being tied to the kitchen, Aunt Bessie’s roasties are a tasty hack that aren’t just for Christmas… although it’s a pretty good place to start.

Disclaimer: I am a member of the Mumsnet Bloggers Panel, a group of parent bloggers who have volunteered to review products, services, events and brands for Mumsnet. I have not paid for the product or to attend an event. I have editorial control and retain full editorial integrity. A fee has been received for this post.

Boo first discovered Smiggle nearly two years ago and ever since then she’s been on a one child campaign to own every single item. From backpacks to cola scented pencils she has it all and loves spending birthday and Christmas money on new collections and firm favourites.

Whilst I’m normally a big fan of online shopping of which Smiggle has a great website, when it comes to children, they enjoy heading out to a store and seeing everything in real life and enjoying the shopping experience as a whole. We would either head to the Epsom store or Westfield for Boo’s Smiggle fix but it’s now got a whole lot easier and closer with the opening of the brand new Smiggle Store in Sutton.

The bold and bright new store is on the upper level of St Nicholas shopping centre next to Primark and Pandora. I headed down to the new Smiggle store last week and was pleasantly surprised to see it is one of their bigger stores; it’s nice and wide with plenty of space to browse. I managed to pick up a couple of last minute presents for upcoming birthday parties as Smiggle is always a present winner for Boo and her friends.

Boo’s love for Smiggle is nothing new – she’s currently loving a small stationary goodie every morning with her Smiggle Advent Calendar and with the new Smiggle store now open in Sutton, it’s easier than ever for Boo to check out the latest Smiggle products to make it on to her must have list.

When you travel as much as we do, it’s no surprise that I have a soft spot for luggage. I’m still on the hunt for the perfect luggage set for Boo and I that will be versatile enough for all types of travels; from last minute city breaks with and hand luggage only right through to long haul holidays with extra large luggage allowances.

There’s a few things that are a must for us when it comes to luggage: wheels – who wouldn’t want wheels! Our luggage doubles as an impromptu chaise lounge for Boo between terminals. I also think it’s important to consider the material of the luggage, for me it has to be lightweight and durable, no one likes doing the dance of prayer at the luggage carousel waiting to see if your suitcase survived the baggage handlers.

Tumi Canada is a versatile brand that not only has a brilliant range of luggage in all sizes but for those trips that are a little outside the family travel box they’ve got you covered. I never thought I’d by the person who wants a travel backpack, but the time has come where I’ll admit to browsing different backpacks int eh search for one that’s practical enough for hands free travel with Boo but also stylish enough to hold it’s head amongst the designer bags in the lounge. I especially like this Tumi Voyage Calais Leather Backpack – it ticks all the boxes for what I need and more. There’s also a canvas fabric option but for me the leather gives that little bit more and makes it less a piece of luggage born out of necessity and more out of style.

What are you must haves who it comes to luggage? Let me know in the comments below..

Disclosure: A fee was received for this post.

The great thing about football is that it’s a global sport played in pretty much every country around the world. Some countries may call it something different like soccer, and the popularity of the sport in each country might differ massively, but the fundamental game remains the same. That means that there’s often a game being played around the world every day of the week. That being said, there will always be quiet times out of season and it’s highly likely you won’t be as interested in a lower league game being played in a different continent. So what do you do when there are no games to watch? Here are three different games you can play to pass the time until your favourite team is back on the pitch.

Among Us

Among Us has been one of the most popular games of 2020. If you haven’t played it yet, it’s highly likely that you will have seen someone share a video of the gameplay online on their social media feed. The rules are very simple, you work as a team of aliens to carry out jobs to prepare your spaceship for take-off. The only problem is at least one of your team isn’t on your side and is instead working to secretly kill off the rest of your team one by one. The great thing about this game is that it can be played on pretty much any platform. You can even play it for free by downloading the app onto your phone. It’ll probably be very easy to spot as it’s been high up the most downloaded chart for a lot of 2020.

Bingo

You might think that this game is only popular with pensioners visiting their local village hall for something to do, but you’d be massively wrong. Bingo is one of the most popular games around the world with people young and old. If you haven’t played before or if you haven’t played since you were a child, you’ve been missing out on a really exciting game. Whilst the rules might be very simple, the excitement of getting a full house is anything but dull. You don’t even have to leave your home to play the game. There are so many versions of the game available online, and some of the top bingo sites even let you play for big prizes.

FIFA

Of course, just because football isn’t being played, that doesn’t mean you can’t play football. This  game is so popular it really needs no introduction. Whether you’re playing on Xbox or Playstation, make sure you’ve got the latest copy of this game so you can play as part of the latest squads in the most up-to-date stadiums around the world.

You can even challenge your friends to a game wherever they are in the world via the internet. If you don’t feel like playing a full game, you could even try and build the ultimate team in the very popular card collecting mini-game.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.