Disneyland Paris At Christmas - Ten Things I Missed in 2020

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This time last year Disneyland Paris announced they were to remain closed over the Christmas period. When I read Disney's announcement of the closure it brought tears to my eyes as this time of year is usually when we are preparing to head to Paris for a Disney break and it's sad that last year we couldn't go. Disneyland Paris at Christmas time has become a little bit of a tradition and I then got more upset thinking of all the things I will miss because we were unable to go. 

Watching Big and Little J's face when we tell them we are going to Disney that night

John and I are very good at keeping secrets and we manage to make it right up till before the journey to the airport before we tell the boys we are going. We usually get an early evening flight so we always have the suitcases packed and in the car, pick them up from school for a quick change of clothes and head to the airport. Their faces are priceless even though we usually go every year they never know when so are always surprised. 

Arriving At The Hotel

Again we usually keep the hotel a secret until we are almost there. We have stayed in all the hotels over the years and I love watching them guess which one we are staying in based on little clues we give them. I love walking through the hotel doors knowing we all wake up in Disney the next day.

Walking down Main Street from the Christmas tree to the Castle. 

The Tree and Castle take my breath away every year. Seeing the tree as you enter the Disneyland Park never gets old, it's my favourite. I love walking down Main Street with the castle in the distance, Christmas decorations all around and the Christmas songs playing. It's just the best feeling ever. 

Planning Our Days

Christmas time at Disneyland Paris is fairly quiet compared to other times of the year so we usually head there for 3 full days and that is more than enough time to do everything we want to. I don't usually plan the days beforehand however we usually spend a day in each park and then do half a day in each park on the last day. I love watching little J as he gets out the park maps and starts planning where we are heading to first and what rides to go on. 

Our Little Thrillseeker

Although he is only eight little J has been riding some of the bigger rides in theme parks for a few years now as he is very tall for his age so is over the minimum height required. Every year he chooses a new ride and is more than happy to push himself out of his comfort zone. Although a family ride his first thrill coaster at Disneyland Paris was Big Thunder Mountain, then he moved on to Crushes Coaster and last year it was RC. I think last year he would have chose Indiana Jones Coaster or Tower of Terror. 

Big Thunder Mountain In The Dark

This has been one of our favourite things to do at Disneyland Paris for as long as I can remember. There comes a time in the late evening where Frontierland goes completely quiet. Big Thunder has almost no queue so we keep going round and round riding again and again and it's just one of those small things that we do and it makes us happy.

Meeting the Characters in their Christmas clothes

Like all the other seasons the Characters dress in their best for the Christmas season and we love meeting Christmas Winnie, Christmas Stitch and a personal favourite Christmas Jack Skellington. Again the queues are always pretty quiet so we never have a problem meeting them and I find they spend lots of time with the boys than they do at other times in the year. 

Choosing A Christmas Decoration

Our Christmas tree is filled with Disneyland Paris decorations that we have bought over the years. Some have the year on, others don't. It will be really sad not adding a Disneyland Paris Christmas decoration to the tree this year. 

Watching The Tree Lighting Ceremony

Every evening Mickey and Friends gather at the bottom of the huge Christmas tree and put on a show for everyone which ends in the whole of Main Street going dark whilst we then watch the tree light up as Christmas carols play in the background

Spending Time Together

Although over the past two years we have spent more time together as a family than usual it is always nice to spend quality time together especially on holiday away from screens and distractions. It's nice to chat, laugh and watch the boys enjoy the magic of Disney together.

Disneyland Paris is so magical especially at Christmas time and there are so many more things that I missed last year but I know it's was best to stay safe. This year we are hoping to visit at Christmas time for the first time in two years and I cannot 

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Have you missed Disneyland Paris since it's been closed? Leave us a comment below and let us know what you have missed the most

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Michelle

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How To Make December Birthdays Special

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Disclosure - This is a collaborative post - 

As you probably know Christmas starts showing up in stores from September and it's pretty hard to keep away from it especially when you start hearing Christmas songs as you're walking round doing your weekly shop. I always think birthdays that are in the last quarter of the year must be tough, especially December birthdays. You have to wait all year for your special day then Christmas is just around the corner too. It must also be hard as a parent or family member to come up with children's gift ideas for both birthday and Christmas in the same month. I think those that celebrate their birthdays in December should have lots of extra fuss and here are some ideas on how to make December birthdays special.

No Christmas Until The Birthday Is Over

This may be tough to do if the birthday is in the second half of the month but I think if the birthday is within the first two weeks of December there should be no Christmas until the birthday is over. Make sure you have lots of birthday banners, balloons and other party decorations for the birthday boy or girl. If the birthday falls in the last two weeks of December make sure you still put up lots of birthday decorations, banners and balloons as well as your Christmas decorations. 

Give The Same Amount Of Presents You Would For Any Birthday

Christmas time can be very expensive but it's important not to give the birthday boy or girl less than you would if the birthday was at another time of year. They have waited all year for their birthday and just because Christmas is in the same month they still want lots of presents. 

Keep The Birthday And Christmas Separate 

When buying birthday and Christmas presents make sure you keep the presents separate and use both Christmas and birthday wrapping paper for the gifts. Try to stay away from seasonal gifts too, keep them for Christmas. 

Plan A Birthday Party

We all like people to make a fuss about us on our birthdays and what better way than to have a birthday party. The weather in December is likely to be cold so you can choose to throw a birthday party in the house, hire a party venue or if it's for the kids then there are lots of indoor play centres that have great party packages. 

Most Importantly Plan

Planning is the most important part of making a December birthday special. 

Presents become harder to buy in December as there is such a huge demand especially for the most popular items. Make sure you buy well in advance to prevent disappointment. 

Make sure you have birthday cards and wrapping paper bought in plenty of time before the shops are overrun with Christmas. 

Birthday cakes can also be hard to find, maybe decide to bake one instead. 

If you are planning on hosting a birthday party make sure you get your invites out super early as December is such a busy time for everyone, give people plenty of notice. 

I'm sure those that celebrate their birthdays in December don't mind as they are used to it but it's always nice to be made a fuss of no matter the month.

READ THESE NEXT

FIVE GIFT IDEAS FOR SEVEN YEAR OLD GIRLS.

WAYS TO MAKE AN ADULTS BIRTHDAY SPECIAL

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Michelle

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Horrible Histories - Horrible Christmas Book Giveaway

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We have been reading Horrible Histories - Horrible Christmas Book and it's a Horrible Histories version of Christmas with all the nasty bits left in. This hugely entertaining festive edition is stuffed full of strangely interesting facts and gruesome tales from days of Christmas past. From pantos and Christmas characters to foul food and curious festive customs, Rattus guides you through with the usual one-liners - it's a cracker! Learn about silly Santa's, spooks and spirits, why making a Christmas pudding used to be a crime and even how to get rid of carol singers. Full of dreadful jokes, rotten recipes and even a Christmas quiz to cheer up the family Scrooge.

I've teamed up with Wicked Uncle to give away a copy of Horrible Histories - Horrible Christmas book and to enter is simple.

Sorry the giveaway is now closed. You can check out our recent giveaways by visiting out giveaways page or you can buy the Horrible Histories - Horrible Christmas Book over on Amazon

Win a Horrible Histories Horrible Christmas Book

Michelle

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Make Your Own Christmas Book Advent Calendar

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You may have seen our post recently about Advent Calendar's for kids who don't like chocolate. We included lots of alternatives but there was one advent calendar that we didn't include and it's one we have each year - Our make your own Christmas Stories Advent Calendar.  I look forward to make this each year and it's very simple and little J loves it. He loves books whether it is trying to read them himself or a bedtime story and having a book advent calendar is a perfect treat to open just before bedtime. 

How To Make Your Own Book Advent Calendar

Making the advent calendar is very simple all you need is

24 Christmas or Winter Stories

Wrapping Paper

Scissors

Sellotape

Sticky Labels numbered 1-24

Once you have the 24 books all you need to do is wrap them up and number them with the sticky labels from 1-24. Pop them in a box or tub and place in your child's bedroom. 

Each night once their  bedtime routine is finished they can open up a story to read before bed.

The best thing about making your own Christmas Book Advent Calendar is you do not need to buy 24 new books each year. Most of the books we use are from previous years but as we only get them out at Christmas time little J still gets excited as he can't remember most of them so it's like a new story. 

As the years have gone by we have added a few new stories to his advent calendar as he may be too old for some of the books he previously had but the majority he's had for years. 

Christmas time is so special and this is a lovely way to read about Winter and Christmas before bedtime to add to the excitement.

You can always add some little treats to the advent calendar too. Maybe a pack of cookies to enjoy with a glass of milk or a chocolate coin.

I like to start with a few Winter Stories for the first few nights and then build up to the Christmas stories and I always make sure 'The Night Before Christmas' is numbered '24' so we can read it together on Christmas Eve. 

Have you created your own book advent calendar? If you are looking for some inspiration I have added our favourites here. 

Do you have any Christmas books? What are your favourites?

If you found this post useful there are a few ways that you could say thanks and support Playdays and Runways.

Leave us a comment below.

Visit our Advent Calendars post for more Advent Calendar ideas

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Michelle

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Christmas Gift Guide | For The Adults

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Disclosure - We were gifted the items for inclusion in our gift guide. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own. This post contains affiliate links - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

I find buying for adults really hard. I tend to look online for inspiration and this year I have found some really nice gift ideas so I thought I would share them with you.

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Christmas Gift Guide 2019 | For The Kids

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Disclosure - This post contains gifted items for the inclusion in my gift guide. This post also contains affiliate links - purchasing an item through an affiliate link adds no extra cost to you but might earn me a few pennies. 

If you are looking for some gift inspiration for the kids then check out our 'For The Kids' Christmas Gift Guide. 

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Giveaway | Win A Cosy Night In

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To celebrate that December will soon be here we are giving you the chance to win a cosy night in. Christmas time for us means Baileys, chocolates and a good Christmas movie. For your chance to win a bottle of baileys, a tub of chocolates and a £10 Netflix voucher enter our giveaway below.

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Make Your Own Christmas Wreath | AD

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Disclosure - This post is a paid collaboration with Rainbow Chalk.

When it comes to Christmas decorations around the house and on our tree our theme each year is always 'anything goes'. I love seeing photos of trees and houses that are decorated in certain colours but since big J was little we have always added homemade decorations each year to our tree and I wouldn't have it any other way. We have already started creating some decorations and this year little J asked if he could make a Christmas Wreath. We browsed the internet for lots of ideas but in the end he just went with what he felt right and he created the most perfect wreath ever, and I love it.

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If Injuries In The Movies Where Real

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Disclosure - This is a collaborative post.

It's that time of year when we start writing down all the movies we want to watch before Christmas comes. Every year we try to add at least one new addition however we do have our favourites and Christmas just wouldn't be the same without them. Our favourite family Christmas movie has got to be Home Alone closely followed my Home Alone 2. I don't know why watching Kevin inflict lots of pain on Harry and Marv is Christmassy but it just is and we all belly laugh every time we watch it. 

I actually saw a post just recently on Compare Compensation Claims that talked about movie scenes from some of our favourite movies that involved accidents or injuries. It looked in to how much compensation the character would receive if those accidents were real. 

It actually lists Home Alone as one of the movies and details the injuries that occurred when Harry and Marv break in to Kevin McCallister's home.

The injuries included mild scarring, blowout fracture, severe burns, deep cuts, facial fractures and head injuries. Now when you read the injuries involved those burglars really did have a tough time from Kevin! So based on the injuries that are inflicted throughout the film to the characters they would be expected to receive £114,370 each. 

There are lots of other movie scenarios but the highest paying was from a scene in Mean Girls. i'm sure we have all watched Mean Girls and you will probably guess the scene I am talking about. It's when Regina George gets hit by a bus. Now this injury causes Regina to have a spinal injury that is life changing. If this would happen in real life you could expect to receive £141,150. To be honest this doesn't seem a lot to me but like most I'm still shocked she actually survived such a horrific accident!

There are lots of other movie scenarios which I have attached below for you to browse over. 

Do you know any of the movies or recognise the scenes? Do you think the expected payout for the injuries involved is enough?

Michelle

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Choosing An Eco-Friendly Christmas | AD

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Disclosure | This post is a paid collaboration with Liverpool One. All thoughts, opinions and photographs are our own.

I was watching a series of instagram stories from a celebrity I follow recently and she was making her own Christmas crackers. I was intrigued so I watched as she made them and filled them with prizes that she knew the recipient would like. It got me thinking about the amount of crackers we have pulled over the years and how all the plastic toys inside have just ended up in the bin. It's such a waste and not very environmentally friendly at all. I am actually thinking of making my own this year too. I have also been looking at more ways that we can enjoy an eco-friendly Christmas.

We did start thinking more about waste and our environment a few years ago and we started to make some steps to becoming eco friendly. We made a decision to stop giving and receiving cards, not just at Christmas but birthdays too. Not only do they cost a small fortune but it's such a waste and they do end up in the recycling bin anyway.

This year I will definitely be making our own Christmas crackers and I am thinking about ditching the wrapping paper for brown paper and string. I actually think it looks so much prettier than the multi-coloured paper.

We love heading to Liverpool One at Christmas time to buy all our Christmas shopping. There are so many ways that you can enjoy an eco-friendly Christmas and you could start by making little tweaks when it comes to buying gifts.

John loves coffee and we have a lovely Nespresso coffee machine at home so for Christmas I am thinking about buying him a nice supply of Nespresso pods and a new reusable take out cup. This way he can make his own coffees in the morning and use his cup. Then once he has finished with his Nespresso pods we will take them back to the shop for them to be recycled. I know there will be some morning when he will feel like a Costa Coffee and that's fine, all he needs to do is take his reusable cup with him and they will fill it with his favourite drink. Not only is he helping to save the planet but the pennies too as Costa will take 25p off the cost of his drink.

John will probably head to Lush for some goodies for me this Christmas and if you didn't know already the black pots that Lush products come in are not recyclable everywhere so to encourage you to help the planet Lush asks that you bring back your pots so they can be reused. As a thank you for every five pots returned they give you a free face mask. The Body Shop also offer you the chance to return bottles to them for recycling and whilst there is no reward it is nice to know that you are helping the planet.

These a just a few ideas that we have in mind for this Christmas and whilst they are only small if everyone made just a little effort we could all be enjoying an Eco-Friendly Christmas.

Michelle

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New Thorntons Liverpool One Store Unveiled | AD

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Disclaimer - This is a paid collaboration. We were invited to Thorntons for the purpose of this post and we were gifted with chocolates to take home.

We visit Liverpool One at least once every few weeks and almost every time we go, we will pop in to Thorntons for an ice cream or a chocolate treat. So, when we were invited to the opening of the newly refurbished store at Liverpool One, we were very excited to have a sneak peek before it opened to the public. It was such a lovely experience and definitely felt like a chocolate lovers dream as we had a tour of the new-look store and everything it offers.

As we walked through the doors, we were greeted by a brilliant display of chocolates in the Thorntons Craftery. The Craftery is the perfect place to create your own personalised box of chocolates. You can decide how many chocolates you’d like and select your favourite flavours to have in your own box. The bespoke chocolate boxes come in three sizes and can contain either four, nine or twelve chocolates.  The chocolate maker at the Craftery will help you to select each individual chocolate and place them in a box which is then hand tied with gift ribbon. The larger boxes make the perfect presents and it's so nice to create a box that is personal to you, or to the person you are buying for, with all their favourite chocolates inside. 

Next we arrived at the ice cream counter which has a wide selection of flavours where you can create your own milkshakes or enjoy a hot chocolate to take away. 

If you are looking to purchase some Christmas treats this year then you will want to check out the Cheeky Elf range. The Cheeky Elf is a cute design which is perfect for not just little ones but all the family. You can now also purchase a personalised Cheeky Elf advent calendar, which is a great way to make the countdown to Christmas truly special!

New for this year is the Thorntons Chocolate Block Library. You can select up to five of your favourite flavoured bars from a range of 12 flavours, which are then placed in a box and gift wrapped with ribbon. It's such a lovely idea and the presentation in the library style box makes it an ideal gift for your loved ones. 

Everyone has a favourite Thorntons chocolate and mine are the Viennese and Alpini. However, there are times when I like to try different flavours and the Classics range is perfect for these occasions. 

All of the Thorntons Classics flavours are found in this one box and you can choose from a Classic selection, Classic Milk or Classic Dark box, giving you a perfect way to explore the wider range and maybe even discover a new favourite!

Once you have browsed the store and purchased your chocolate treats you can take them to be gift wrapped and this was my favourite part of the Thorntons experience. Watching the staff member wrap our chocolate box with such passion and skill was so inspiring. So much care was put into wrapping up our gifts and they looked beautiful afterwards. I can't wait to pass the love on and gift our box to a friend. 

If browsing the store and you need a break, then you can pop into the Thorntons Café towards the back of the store. Here you can enjoy a hot or cold drink, a choice of sandwiches or a delicious cake.

A new addition to the Thorntons Cafe is the Afternoon Tea for two. You will be served a tiered platter of sandwiches, cakes and of course Thorntons Chocolates with your choice of hot drink. I am sure the Afternoon Tea will be a popular choice at the Thorntons café, there’s no need to book in advance so if you are out in town and get the urge to enjoy an Afternoon Tea you can just pop in store.

The newly refurbished Thorntons store is bright, inviting and an amazing experience for chocolate lovers. We’ll definitely be returning soon!

Michelle

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Portable North Pole Magic Pass | Review

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Disclosure - We were gifted a magic pass for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are our own. 

Halloween and Bonfire Night have been and gone so I can now start to get excited for Christmas. It's just 8 weeks till the big day and I cannot wait to start all our Christmas shopping and enjoy family days out. We have lots of Christmas traditions and one of them is the boys receiving a video call from Santa through the Portable North Pole App. We have done this since they were little and each year it just gets better and better. This year we are trying out the Portable North Pole Magic Pass.

If you may not have heard of Portable North Pole before, if you haven't its an app thats very easy to download and simple to use.

Once downloaded all you need to do is enter as a parent. You input all your child's details in for example their name, age, school year, country they live in and within moments a personalised video message will be sent to your child. It's truly magical and I can still remember the look on little J's face when he receives a special message each year.

There are lots of different videos to choose from for both kids and adults.

To access the parents corner you will need to pop in your phones passcode. This prevents little ones finding things they shouldn't! They do have access to the children's sections which has lots of different activities.

Santas Advent Calendar is locked at the moment until the 1st of December and we can't wait to click on the doors to see what's behind.

Bedtime stories is a lovely feature which has Santa telling a variety of stories. Choose from 10 stories including The Elf in the Storm, The Sock Drawer or Christmas in England. All stories are less than 4 minutes long.

Talking Elf is a new game that when you say something in your phone the elves will repeat. Lots of fun hearing what you would sound like if you were an elf.

Tree Shaker is a fun game were you have to shake the tree to bring down as many decorations as possible in 30 seconds. Can you beat your high score?

Memory Game is another game which has you flipping and matching the pictures on the cards.

There is also a Santas Voicemail section which is coming soon.

The magic pass is the perfect way to create personalised messages for your little ones. We have been using it for years and its lovely to hear that PNP has delivered over 220 Million messages since it was created in 2008.

The magic pass is currently priced at £12.99 however there will be free videos available closer the the big day so make sure you visit Portable North Pole for more information and updates

Michelle

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Closed Giveaway | The Littlest Reindeer DVD

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Over the next week or so I will start making my Christmas movies watch list. I do it every year and the list is filled with everything I want to watch between now and the big day. This year I will have a new entry to the list The Littlest Reindeer.

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Christmas 2018 | Gift Guide - The Foodies

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 At Christmas we have to buy for all different types of people. This Christmas gift guide is one for the foodies. We have included gifts for all tastes including Spice Pioneer, Mad Millie and Eat 17.

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Christmas 2018 | Gift Guide - The Book Lovers

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As a family we love books. Whether it's a bedtime story for little J, A rom com for me or a game guide for John we love reading. Here's a few of our favourites this November.

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Christmas 2018 | Gift Guide - Gamers

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I'm sure every family has a gamer to buy for, we have three here. These are our top picks for Christmas gift ideas for the gamers including Fortnite, Roblox and the very popular FIFA.

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