let the holidays begin

today was my last day in work until the 29th of december,and once i'm done on that day,i'm off again until the 11th january!i'm doing a random day because i hadn't realised i also had a few more days booked off over christmas,besides already having two weeks booked off,and i offered to work the 29th because we were short staffed.besides i literally live over the road from work,so one day at work isn't going to inconvenience me much!so,i'm pretty chuffed that i have so much time off!it'll be nice to have lie-in's and just chill out.as well as spend more time with mikee and the boys.

i have finished wrapping my christmas gifts tonight.to be honest though there wasn't much to do,as i'm giving my parents and brothers the money.it may seem a little impersonal but i'd rather them have the £30 each to buy themselves something they really want.and if i know them they'd probably like the extra cash.i know i do!so,i only had a few people's presents to wrap,and seen as i know that besides sam and saffy,they definitely won't be reading this,here's what i got them...

tracy (my brother's wife and jasmine's mom): scrapbooking materials-lilac polka dot photo album from paperchase,stickers and adhesive ribbon from whsmith,scrapbooking papers from whsmith.
jasmine (my niece and goddaughter): winter bobble hat from h&m (kids section),'adopt violet the orangutan'furry hand puppet from whsmith (i brought her a year sponsorship of the very same orangutan a year or two ago.i know she's too young to understand,but i figured if we tell her she has an 'adopted' orangutan she'll be pretty happy!)
kayleigh (my twin brother's girlfriend): khaki furry bobble hat from h&m, orange woolly (not real wool,i do my very best to buy vegan even though the recipients aren't usually vegan!)handwarmers/gloves.

and that's it!told you i didn't have much to wrap!that's the good thing about being a small family (we've never really seen much of our extended family).i do still have gifts to buy for my dad's partner joan,my nan and my aunty.i'm thinking a nice winter themed bouquet each perhaps.i'll most likely get each of my family a small present as well as their money,just so they have something to unwrap:)

it's weird,when i was younger,christmas was almost all about what i wanted (as in presents!).but now when my brothers or parents ask me,i really and truly don't mind!my mom has already given me my christmas and birthday money (my birthday is close after,on january 4th) to go towards driving lessons,and i think my dad will most likely do the same.which will be awesome,my lessons cost just under £30 a week,so their money is super appreciated!

and tomorrow,mikee and i hope to pop up town,where i get to pick out what i want for christmas off him!we decided to spend £50 on each other this year,which i think is a good amount.and it stops me spending too much!mikee had a really dull present (in my opinion!) off me; some cables for his sound engineering/pa hire venture.i think i'm gonna pick out a few bits and bobs from primark.i really need some basic stuff like cardigans and jeans (wanna wrap up at the moment,it has been so so cold today!) and it'll be nice when i wear them,knowing that mikee brought them for me.awwww.

how are your christmas preparations going my lovely followers?

i have also not long finished putting together a christmas package for a girl i know from the vegan 'scene'.her lovely fiance (who i also know for the same reason) asked me to put together some dolly dearest things for her,as she brought a lot at the wolverhampton vegan festival (they were both the main organisers of that event).i have put a mini diary in there,along with a couple of hairbows,a hairband(with huge bow on it),a coin purse/mobile pouch,a ring and a sock monkey.all for £18 including postage and packaging.i think it was such a sweet idea for him to come up with!they are such a cute and lovely couple too!i hope they both like it!i think i might buy a little treat for myself with the money from that:D