The John Lewis Christmas Collection 2016

Who's ready for Christmas? No, me neither, but John Lewis certainly is and I was lucky enough to get an invite to their Christmas press launch in Saint David's Shopping Centre in Cardiff a few weeks back. It was a bit disorientating for my poor little brain, firmly planted in Halloween mode as it is right now, to suddenly be flung into a full-blown Christmas extravaganza, but it was so beautiful and magical that, by the end of the evening, I was well and truly in the Christmas spirit.

 Their decorations are split into different collections and you can wander through a series of little showrooms to see how everything ties together and just how beautiful everything looks in a real-life setting. From traditional reds and whites to tropical splendour, there really is something to suit everyone. I had a hard time choosing my favourite!

The Chamonix collection really appealed to the traditionalist in me. I could just picture myself curling up next to that (admittedly artificial) fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate on a snowy winter's day.

Monthly Musings: September

What a month! I climbed a mountain in torrential rain, started university and reached the ripe old age of 25. I bought my first ever pair of 'sensible shoes' and even set myself a budget. I know, I know, who am I and what have I done with the real Aimee?

And now summer (or the weird rainy haze we in the UK are forced to refer to as summer) is suddenly over and we're into Autumn. That happened really fast, right? But here's a recap of my September and all the weird and wonderful things I got up to.

Magical Moment

This month I turned (gasp!) 25! How terrifying is that? I'm officially closer to 30 than I am to 20 now. Eww.
In the weeks leading up to my birthday my quarter life crisis went into overdrive. I was plagued by Facebook photos from people I went to school with, smiling into the camera with their babies/engagement rings/houses. They all seemed to have "I have a pension plan" written all over their faces. When did everyone become so grown up?
But, loathed as I was to face up to being another year older, I really enjoyed my birthday. For the first time in my life I didn't have a party. Instead my niece and nephew descended and we stuffed our faces with pizza and Disney princess birthday cake (because I'll never be a real grown up) and watched Top Gear (because even on my birthday, I still don't get control of the TV). It was low-key and chilled, but it was lovely.

#FAIL of the Month

Either my house is haunted and some kind of mischievous spirit is taunting with me or I'm losing my mind. Either way, I'd call it a fail.