Keeping it real…

Jackie’s Top Tips to Surviving Christmas!

Greetings from MoM Towers, where our thoughts are currently turning towards the C word. Still too early? Who cares? I’m going to put it out there and be controversial.

 

I don’t really like Christmas.

3 minute read

I just hate the enforced jollity thing, I hate the TV adverts of the perfect festive happy family. I hate the ‘you deserve it; it’s Christmas’ thing (like you needed an excuse or reason, just do it already). And I really hate the expectation that everything will be perfect and clean and tidy.

So! Now you know how I feel about Christmas I wanted to share with you my festive survival guide. These are the tricks and strategies that I use to get me through the festive season. I’m not going total Scrouge so please don’t think I will be dragging myself kicking and screaming through the holiday. I will be enjoying spending time with my perfectly imperfect, messy, irritating family; it's the other crap around it that I can’t bear.

1) Do not have ANY expectations of how the day will go.
We’ve all been there; you imagine the day itself: You will looking abso f*cking amazing in a gorgeous outfit, the food will all be cooked perfectly and your children will offer to come and help prepare/empty the dishwasher. I also imagined the day would be like that and so when I threw hot roast potato fat all over
my new cream wool skirt I had a meltdown of such epic proportions which was utterly disproportionate to the roasties mauling my skirt, family members stood, open mouthed, whilst I ranted and raved about how useless they all were.

So my point is this: do not imagine what will happen, or how it will be, because you are setting yourself up for a fall. Accept that it is what it is and it will probably be a fab day (as long as you wear an apron - incidentally Christmas Day is the only day I do wear an apron because of the aforementioned incident).

2) Do not overthink it
Christmas Day lunch is basically a pimped up Sunday roast right? Maybe with a few more sides. There is always loads left over (see my later point about Twixtmas please). Bread Sauce? Buy it. Cranberry sauce? Buy it. Gravy? For God’s sake buy it! Once I removed the expectation that the meal on the Big Day was not really that big things got so much easier. Go big on snacks, dips and things you can eat with one hand and no cutlery.

3) Guests do want to help so for God’s sake let them!
I always love it when I offer to bring something for a party and the host takes me up on the idea. I feel like I am genuinely doing something to help and it makes their life so much easier. If someone offers for you please let them. All too often the temptation is to try and do it all yourself and it’s silly. (You might not see
that tray/plate/platter for a while though!). 

4) Buy your own gift. Relying on others for a good present is a bad idea.
I am a huge fan of buying treats for yourself so you have something to look forward to. Buy yourself one nice present and then you will deffo have something to get excited about. Some lovely face cream so you can treat yourself in the evening or a nice bath oil so you can look forward to a comforting soak once the 
madness is over. The same goes for snacks. I have a secret stash of Belazu’s Truffle nut mix squirreled away.

5) Buy the men in your life washing up liquid and Marigolds for their stockings.
I appreciate that this might sound a bit passive aggressive but really dropping hints never seems to work in my house and if there was ever a day for a proper division of labour today is the day.

6) Have something planned for Twixmas
So the big day is over and now what? You have that funny bit between Christmas and New Year where everyone basically wallows in Quality Street wrappers and half drunk bottles of Baileys doing the square root of diddly squat for 5 days. For me this is the best bit but only if I have something planned. It’s the
time to really relax (after all the hard yards have been completed) and do something great for yourself. Any suggestions gratefully received!

I will be Live on IG at 4pm on Christmas Eve if anyone fancies joining me for chinwag and a drink. I will be reviewing the best cocktails in a can and would love to hear your suggestions!

Love Jackie x

Our knowledge sets us apart

Winter Soil Health – The Importance of the Cover Crop

Written by Farmer Mike, December 2024

Winter may not be the time where we see lush fields teaming with crops but that doesn’t mean it’s not an essential time of year for Farmer Mike and his land where the hemp for Made Of More’s Hemp Seed Oil is grown.

Sustainable Packaging: The Intimate Serum

Our sustainable packaging choices are top of the agenda for us; we take pride in our commitment to doing things better without harming the environment.

Makeup ‘must-knows’ with makeup artist, Ali Gunn

From finding the right base to looking at uneven skin tone, a quick, easy and streamlined application is key! Here we ask Ali some quick-fire round of the makeup ‘must-knows’ and what everyone really wants to ask! What are the most commonly asked makeup & skincare questions?

A Mini Christmas Edit with MORE

Hands up who feels utterly exhausted after the Black Friday shenanigans?! And hands up who still has various gifts to buy?! Well, we’re hoping this might help – a mini edit of some of our favourite things (and people) out there to give you a helping hand.

Don’t forget, Jackie will be going live on the 24th December should you fancy joining her for a glass of something and a frantic last minute wrap!

Download here

Questions? We’ve got answers

We typically process orders in 1-2 business days and your product should arrive within 5 working days via Royal Mail. The world of shipping is however currently experiencing supply-chain related delays and so this is an estimation only. You will receive an email notification when your order has been sent.