insideKENT Magazine Issue 81 - December 2018 | Page 10

WELCOME
It seems the older I get, the more I remember
that childlike can’t-contain-myself excitement
for December 25th. When I was a kid, I couldn’t
wait to see what was under the tree on Christmas
morning, but these days it’s a much different kind
of excitement – one featuring plenty of wine,
mince pies, friends and crackling fires. And no
computer screens for at least a week!
ALL SET TO STAY DRY DURING
ANOTHER WET WINTER.
Forget the presents – who needs ‘em when there
are gifts to give instead, delicious food to share
and conversations to be had? Each year, I get
more excited about the actual experience of
Christmas – the real meaning of Christmas – not the
stuff I’ll find under the tree.
If you’re in the same boat and are just as excited as I am
about the magic of Christmas, you’ll love this issue.
From a visit to Father Christmas (p49) to yummy
Christmas treats (p73), to the cosiest fireplaces (p109) to
the most stylish seasonal wreaths (p119), you’ll
find plenty in these pages to put a Christmas sparkle in
your eye.
Speaking of sparkles in eyes, how about winning over
£2,000 in prizes for Christmas? We’re pretty sure that
would make even the grinchiest eyes twinkle! Every
year, the little insideKENT Christmas elves work hard to
find some of the best gifts out there, and give one of
our readers every single one of them. This year, our
Great Christmas Gift Giveaway features some of the
best prizes yet, including a spa day for two at Champneys
Eastwell Manor, Razor Turbo Jetts Electric Heel Wheels,
tickets to next year’s Leeds Castle Classical Concert and
so much more. Head over to page 129 to browse through
all of the prizes and find out how to enter.
All of us at insideKENT wish you the most wonderful of
Christmases, and hope you take some time to truly relax
and enjoy the season. Here’s to a happy, healthy and
successful 2019!
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MY FAVOURITE THINGS THIS MONTH…
BAMBOO DRINKING STRAWS
£5.99 (pack of 6), www.wearth.com
A majority of restaurants have jumped on the no-more-
plastic-straws bandwagon, so why not do it within your own
four walls? I’m loving these eco-friendly bamboo straws
– they’re not only stylish and reusable, but help slash the
number of disposable straws thrown away every year in the
UK (8.5 billion!).
LUXURY DARK CHOCOLATE
TASTING BOARD
£34.95,
www.notonthehighstreet.com
Forget wine tasting – bring on the
chocolate! This lovely set comes with
three delicious dark chocolate bars
from small artisan makers from
around the world, plus a carved
beech wood tasting board.
KOI CARP EMERALD CUSHION
£49, www.bridgman.co.uk
HAPPYSWEEDS FOREST UMBRELLA
£39.95, www.cloudberryliving.co.uk
When the winter rain seems neverending, I’ll take any
form of sunshine I can get. Lift your mood with this
Forest Umbrella – perfect for those gloomy days when
you’re yearning for blue skies.
10
I just moved house in October,
and I think 70% of my
renovation budget should be
spent on cushions. Sensible?
Perhaps not, but I do have a
thing for cushions; especially
this Oriental-inspired emerald
velvet beauty.