Your merry and bright Heyday Friday newsletter
A rather different Christmas-themed blog, some great gift tag hacks, an inspiring listening recommendation and a roaringly cheerful video to enjoy in this week's newsletter
December is well and truly underway, and so is my Christmas content on Heydays. But this year I’m doing things a bit differently.
Because the first of my festive blogs is all about the things I’m not going to be doing this Christmas.
I realise that sounds as if it’s all a bit humbug. I promise it isn’t! One of them is because the time has come for it to happen, another is an attempt to keep my Christmas costs down, and another is to help out a group who really need support.
CLICK HERE to discover what’s on my not-this-year list. I’d love to know what’s on yours.
FRIDAY FUNNY
I definitely won’t be following the not-this-year idea from late comedian Bernard Manning
THIS WEEK I’VE BEEN……LISTENING TO
I can’t apologise (too much) for using this slot for a bit of shameless self-promotion this week. Because The Extraordinary Ordinary is the podcast from Women of the Year, which, if you’ve been around a while, you’ll know I’m very involved with (I wrote about this year’s incredible Women of the Year Lunch in THIS BLOG).
But more than that, I’m actually one of the two presenters of this, third, series of the podcast which shines a light on amazing women you’ve probably never heard of but whose passion, dedication and fierce determination has changed communities, society and the wider world in ways that are absurdly inspiring.
The women I and my lovely co-presenter Jo talk to include a fabulous and funny Parkinson’s sufferer and advocate, a remarkable martial arts trainer who’s dedicated her life to empowering women and girls to rediscover themselves physically and mentally through martial arts at the women-only club she runs, a former RAF physiotherapist who, after suffering a severe breakdown transformed herself into an adventurer and mental health campaigner, and the first women to be voted fisherman of the year who gives a fascinating insight into her life and the complicated challenges of the fishing industry.
Each one has a story to tell that will inspire, fascinate and entertain you and leave you feeling a little more hopeful about the world.
There are six episodes of THE EXTRAORDINARY ORDINARY and you can find them all wherever you get your podcasts, including Audioboom
Returning to the Christmas theme for this
SMART SAVE TIP OF THE WEEK
with a trio of ideas for fun home-made gift tags
Picture perfect
If you’re anything like me, you’ve got loads of photos of family members going back over the years. Cut out - in festive shapes if you fancy - they make great gift tags. And the older the pic of the recipient, the more hilarity-inducing the better
Swatch watch
You know those paint colour swatches you can get at DIY stores? Well, they make great - and even better, free - gift tags, again cut into suitably festive shapes.
Wrap it up
Your festive wrapping paper isn’t just for gifts, it can be used for the tags as well. Just cut out part of the pattern, or those festive shapes again, and stick onto a plain tag. Simples. (I couldn’t find a good pic for this one, but this gives you the idea)
WHAT’S MADE ME HAPPY THIS WEEK
Thank you to all of you who wished me well for my weekend with my little grandgirls. It was huge fun…..and almost as knackering as I expected!
I like to think of myself as a fully invested grandmother, but this one takes it to a whole new, hilarious, level.
I do love the deep-rooted truth of these
WORDS OF WISDOM
about grandparents; whether you’re a grandparent yourself, or remember your own.
That’s all for this week. I’m off to rummage through my old family pics - I may be gone a while!
See you next time