I've just been to the garden centre at our local National Trust place. It's a beautiful big shop at the best of times, but today they had lots of stunning Christmas displays - not the tacky ones that I seem only capable of creating (apparently, lol), but really beautiful ones.

Then I got home to an amazon order of Christmasy things. Well, birthday things really. DD's 9th birthday is at the end of November and for her party this year she has chosen a Christmas theme. We are going to start making the props and games tonight.

I usually give her some Christmas themed birthday presents too so that she can use them throughout December. Some arrived today, woohoo. Amongst them is the cookbook 'Nadiya's Bake me a Festive Story' (we love the original non-festive one) and a Christmas songs piano book.

I'm getting a hint of that festive tingle now - sorry to all of you who manage to keep Christmas in perspective!

I bet some of you have also started shopping. How's it going?