Christmas brings great pleasure to me every year, and the best part of the Christmas period is most definitely the atmosphere. With everyone getting into that joyful mood, the freezing evenings and burning log fires, families spending time together it's a happy occasion. I think one of the main factors that makes Christmas is if you have kids, because you can keep up that hope of there being a St Nic. It's also a time when young ones get animated and to be truthful the effect rubs off onto older generations. There is nothing more pleasing than seeing a kid open their presents on Christmas day, ripping apart the wrapping paper with a massive smile on their face as they can't wait to see what's hidden beneath, and even as a mother and an adult I am very much similar. Christmas turns everyone into a kid for that one day.



If you happen to be on a budget Christmas doesn't have to be a demanding and perturbing time if you spend what budget you have wisely. Low prices gifts don't have to be tacky and nasty; there are a lot of good quality bargains that can be brought if you surf online or go into the high streets. For example one of the best ideas is to purchase bottles of wine that you can get for ?3 - ?4, then buy some wine presentation bags for them and your done, a low cost gift that will go down well and save you purchasing pricey items.

If you would rather, homemade goods can go down a storm, so if you are a whizz in the kitchen you could bake cookies, chocolate muffins or mince pies, carefully box them up, pop a bow on them, and they will look fantastic, again saving you money.

The Christmas holidays are about the thought of giving and most notably spending quality time with those close to you.