Germany 

*Silvester* 

German New Year’s Eve is called “Silvester”, in honour of Pope Sylvester I, who died on Dec 31st, 335. Legend has it that non-believers choked on fish bones, so superstitious people avoid fish that night. 

Carps 

Carps are considered a lucky charm in Germany and therefore a typical Silvester dish for Germans. If you keep a carp scale in your wallet it is meant to bring you good luck for the New Year. 

“Guten Rutsch” 

Just before New Year’s Eve, people start wishing each other a “Guten Rutsch ins Neue Jahr” which means “a good slide into The New Year”. It is believed that the word ‘Rutsch’ comes from the Yiddish word “rosh”. Rosh Hashanah is the name of the Jewish New Year. 

Lucky Charms 

Germans give each other a “Glückspilz” on New Year’s Eve, which is a little mushroom usually with a cute little face made of marzipan. Ladybugs, four-leaf clovers and little pigs are typical too. 

Dinner for One 

A classic British sketch from 1963 that has been aired on German TV for many years, and became the most frequently repeated TV programme ever. It is of course in English, but the humour is very easy to understand. It is simply hilarious. A must-watch for anyone who doesn’t know it! 

“Prost Neujahr” 

A midnight toast is an international tradition, but Germans have a specific expression to say cheers – “Prost Neujahr” or “Prosit”, which comes from Latin and means “may it succeed”. 

The Chancellor’s Speech 

The chancellor’s New Year’s speech has been broadcasted to the nation since 1986 and has rapidly become a tradition. 

England

*New Year’s Eve* 

Hugs and Kisses 

As soon as the clock hits midnight, everyone, wherever they may be, greets their loved ones with hugs & kisses. 

Good Luck Traditions 

It is believed that the first person who steps foot into the threshold of the house will bring good luck to everyone who lives there for the entire year. The ‘first footer’ should always enter through the front door and exit through the back door. Another duty is to place fuel on the fire, place a loaf of bread on the table & pour water for the head of the household and gift a mistletoe to any other household member. 

New Year’s Gifts 

Since New Year’s Eve is so soon after Christmas, the tradition has died out a little but it’s still a popular tradition amongst many Brits. Lots of people still like to exchange New Year’s gifts whilst wishing each other a Happy New Year. 

Burning a Bush 

This is a symbol of burning away all past evils and bringing in new beginnings. A very positive way to start the new year, especially for those who have had a bad year. 

New Year’s Day Walks 

Some people get up early on the 1st of January, ready to hit the sales and others just want to get their head clear after all the many Christmas and New Year’s celebrations and go for a walk. It is also a time when many people decide to start a diet and cut out alcohol for at least a month. 

Dry January 

Very typical and probably a good idea – to start the new year sober. Dry January is a tradition not only in England but in many other places around the world. It is a form of detoxing and losing all the pounds that were gained throughout Christmas. 

Ireland

*New Year’s Eve* 

Friends and Family 

Typically, people spend it with friends & family. Everyone sits together around the dinner table in the evening and waits for the New Year to arrive. The Irish remember and pay homage to those who passed away in the old year and do this by leaving a place for them at their table and keeping doors unlocked. 

Pubs and Bars 

New Year’s in Ireland isn’t much of a party night. A few pubs, clubs and bars here and there will be open but even those are closed earlier than usual. 

New Year Parades 

Many parades are found across the cities, towns and villages and they draw huge crowds from both local regions as well as far-off places. The largest one takes place in Dublin which artists from all over the country attend. 

New Year’s Dips 

Cooling dips are organised in the Irish Sea or the Atlantic Ocean. People have short swims through ice-cold water to feel fresh and new. 

Good Luck Traditions 

It is believed that cleansing the house will bring good luck in the coming year. Cellars are filled with coal, and unmarried women are meant to put mistletoe under their pillow before they sleep on New Year’s Eve which is supposed to deliver them true love in the coming year. 

First Footing 

A dark, tall, young, good-looking man is expected to enter the home first on New Year’s Day. It is a symbol of good luck in the New Year. If a woman – blonde or redhead – arrives first, it is meant to be a sign of grief and bad luck. 

Scotland

*Hogmanay* 

Hogmanay 

The Scottish equivalent to New Year’s Eve is called Hogmanay. It is one of the most legendary NYE parties in the world & received elevated importance after the banning of Christmas in the 16th and 17th centuries. It’s a 3-5 day celebration. 

Redding the House 

A major clean-up of the house is a tradition in many countries and one of many Hogmanay traditions. Sweeping out the fireplace is the most important part of it. 

First Footing 

This is the most deeply embedded tradition of Hogmanay. When the clock strikes midnight, people across Scotland visit each other, bearing traditional symbolic gifts like a black bun (fruit cake), shortbread, coal (for warmth), salt (for health) & the visitor is offered a small whisky – “a wee dram”. Like in other countries, the first person to enter the house could bring you luck. The luckiest was a tall, dark, handsome man & the unluckiest was a red or blonde-haired woman. 

Fire Festivals 

The fire festival during Hogmanay is believed to have Pagan or Viking origins – fire is meant to purify and drive away evil spirits. These fire festivals were first celebrated in Stonehaven, Biggar & Comrie and are now also celebrated in Edinburgh where thousands of souls march the city with blazing torches (which is called Torchlight Procession). Men hold blazing balls of fire and continuously swing these over their heads. This is believed to bring purification & sunshine. 

Auld Lang Syne 

Robert Burns’ version of Auld Lang Syne is sung all over the world during Hogmanay. People join hands and sing it together. How this has become THE New Year’s song is something of a mystery. 

The Saining of the Horse 

Blessing the house and livestock with holy water from a local stream is a very old tradition and has nearly died out, but in recent years it has made a comeback. The woman of the house goes from room to room with a smouldering juniper branch to fill the house with mean smoke 

Spain

*Nochevieja* 

Lucky Grapes 

In Spain, they call it “12 Uvas”. It’s believed that if you manage to eat all 12 grapes, one by one, during every stroke of the clock as it strikes 12 o clock, you are in for a year of prosperity & good luck! 

Cupid’s Red Underwear 

Wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve is meant to bring you love and good luck. However, this only works if the red underwear you are wearing were a gift. (knickers & boxers) 

Lentil Soup for Lunch 

Lentil soup with black-eyed peas and ham for lunch is a Spanish tradition. They believe that each of the small round lentils represents a coin so eating a soup of “coins” is believed to bring them wealth in the New Year. 

Gold and a Glass of Cava 

Spaniards drop a gold object into their glasses of Cava before midnight. It is meant to bring good fortune in the New Year. 

Starting the Year on the Right Foot 

In Spain, many people believe that the New Year should be started on the right foot – literally. If you spend New Year’s Eve elsewhere, you should also enter your house with the right foot first. Others believe it is when you leave your house on New Year’s Day, that you should leave with the right foot first. 

Cookies and a Coin 

January the 17th is the day that Spaniards celebrate the day of San Antón who was a patron saint of animals, and it is believed that he cured animals on that specific day. This is celebrated by making “panecillos” which are small round cookies marked with a cross. If you save one of these cookies with a coin – you are in for financial luck. 

Italy 

*Anno Nuovo* 

Red Underwear 

Italians have many similar traditions to the Spaniards – one of them being red underwear, which is worn on NYE and will help to fend off evil spirits & negativity and bring happiness in the coming year. 

Tombola 

Playing tombola (like bingo) with family and friends is not only popular throughout the Christmas period, but also a long-lived tradition on New Year’s Eve. 

Party Until Sunrise 

Nothing is done by halves in Italy so be prepared to keep the party going until the early hours of the morning. This is done to watch the New Year arrive. 

Throwing Things 

In some Southern parts of the country, it is tradition to throw your possessions out the window. Throwing crockery out of the window to show that you are ready for the New Year is very popular. It is also believed to scare away evil spirits. 

Superstition 

Legend has it that the first person you meet after midnight on New Year’s will dictate how the rest of your year will pan out. If it happens to be an older person of the opposite sex, then you are in luck because it means that you will have a great year. If it is a baby or someone of the same sex, then your year has not got off to the best start. 

France 

*La Saint-Sylvestre* 

Cards 

French people don’t send Christmas cards but they send New Year’s cards instead. ‘La bonne année’ is wished throughout the whole month of January. 

Etrennes 

Gifting money to people who serve you regularly like the concierge of your building or your local postman, gardener or family doctor etc. 

New Year’s Eve Dinner 

‘La Rèveillon’ has the same name as Christmas Eve dinner. The celebration on the 31st of December is called ‘la Saint- Sylvestre’ or ‘le réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre’ since the last day of the year happens to be the saint’s feast day. 

Public Transport 

On the night of the 31st of December, public transport in the larger cities of France is free that night to discourage drivers from drunk driving. 

Street Parades 

On New Year’s Day – ‘Le jour de l’an’ in French – Parades fill the streets in most parts of France which can also be watched on TV if you can’t stand to be in the cold. 

Party at Home 

‘Des soirées déguisées’ (costume parties) are popular this time of year. Spending NYE at home with friends and family, celebrating, dancing and of course eating is what most French people enjoy doing that evening. 

Making Noise 

It is expected and almost demanded that you must make as much noise as possible when the clock strikes midnight. Car horns, people shouting ‘bonne année’, blasting songs on full volume, firecrackers – take your pick – but it has to be LOUD. 

Partying in the Street 

If you don’t want to stay home or aren’t invited to any house party – spend it on the street. Paris has 3 very popular spots for that: the Eiffel Tower, on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, and at the Sacré-Coeur in Montmartre. Fireworks are unfortunately no longer allowed to be set off in the capital. 

Sweden 

*nyår* 

Spent With Friends 

After all the family Christmas gatherings & festivities, NYE is spent with friends. It is very cold in Sweden at that time of the year so people tend to come outside completely covered up from head to toe. 

12 Grapes 

The same tradition as in Spain. 12 grapes are eaten during every Stroke of the clock at midnight, which is believed to bring you luck in the New Year. 

New Year’s Verse 

There is a ritual of chiming bells and speaking out a New Year’s Verse to the nation on NYE. This happens in the Skansen open-air museum and is broadcasted live on TV to the entire nation. 

Promises 

When the clock hits midnight, it is tradition to make a promise, to yourself or out loud, to be a better human in the coming year and to get rid of bad habits. It is a form of New Year’s Resolutions. 

Russia 

*Новый Год* 

New Year 

It takes place on the 31st of January like in most other countries. The Russian Santa “Ded Moroz” and his female companion “Sengurochka” come along to hand out gifts. What we consider a Christmas tree, Russians consider the New Year’s Tree which usually has a red star at the top. 

Old New Year 

Old New Year or Orthodox New Year is on the 14th of January. This was the only big Winter holiday that Russians had left after all religious holidays were banned in the Soviet Union, so they celebrated the Old New Year to compensate for the loss of Christmas. 

Celebrations 

Many Russians attend concerts and fireworks displays. Most families have a late dinner and watch the presidential speech on TV at 11:55 in each of Russia’s time zones. He reflects on achievements of the past year and at midnight, the Kremlin Spasskaya Clock Tower goes off and the Russian national anthem begins. 

Food 

A ‘Zakuska table’ is set up for the guests which is covered with snacks that go well with drinks like caviar, pickles, bread etc. 

Australia 

*New Year’s* 

Celebrations 

New Year’s celebrations go on for 6 days in Australia. The most famous one takes place in Sydney Harbor where the bridge is lit up by more than 80,000 fireworks, accompanied by music. 

Beach Parties 

Since it is Summer in Australia at that time of the year, many parties take place across the beaches. Bonfires and camping is a very typical thing to do. 

Chinese-Australian Rituals 

Another major attraction is the traditional practice of ‘sacrificing to ancestors’ performances, in the Chinese area of Melbourne. 

China

*Xin Nian* 

Dinner 

The most important dinner of the year for the Chinese is New Year’s Eve dinner, and it’s preferred at home. This is a family reunion dinner. Typically, the Chinese have fish for dinner or dumplings. These 2 dishes signify prosperity. 

Shou Sui 

After the New Year’s Eve dinner, some family members normally stay awake throughout the night. Legend has it that there was an evil beast called ‘Year’ that came out to harm people and animals. People found out that it is afraid of the colour red, fire & loud sounds. 

Red Packets 

A red envelope with money inside is usually given by adults, especially married couples & the elderly, to young people. This money is believed to suppress the evil from children and keep them healthy. 

Markets 

Temporary markets that sell New Year’s goods such as clothing, decorations, fireworks, food and small artwork are set up over the course of the New Year’s celebrations and are adorned with many lanterns. 

Small Year 

A small year is on the 23rd or 24th of the last month of the year. It is believed that this is the day when the ‘food god’ leaves the family to go to heaven and reports the activity of the family to the Emperor of heaven. People then take down the paint of the food god and in the New Year they buy new paint from the food god and put it in the kitchen. 

Cleaning and Decorating 

The entire house gets a good clean to welcome the New Year and then it gets fully decorated with red items. The most popular pieces of decoration are an upside down fu, dui lain, lanterns, papercutting, year paint & door gods. 

Japan

*Shogatsu* 

Hatsumode 

This is the first visit to a Shinto shrine of the New Year. Some people also go to Buddhist temples and call it ‘hatsumode’. This normally happens during ‘sanganichi’ or the first 3 days of the Year. During Hatsumode people throw ‘Taisen’ or money donations into a box called ‘saisen bako’, and ring the bell in front whilst they make a wish. 

Nengajo 

Simple postcards labelled with two kanji characters reading ‘nanga’ (new year) with red ink. These postcards get sent out in the old year so that they arrive in the New Year. 

New Year’s Eve– Omisoka 

The entire house is cleaned up to start the new year with a fresh mind. They call this ‘osojo’. The Japanese use the last days of the old year to make preparations for ‘osechi ryori’ which consists of eating traditional Japanese foods which are served in beautiful boxes called ‘jubako’, and are placed in the middle of the table at dinner. 

Joya No Kane 

Bells are monotonously ringing for about 1-2 hours. This is a Buddhist tradition and they call it ‘Joya no Kane’ which is one of the most important rituals of the year for Buddhist temples in Japan. The bell will strike exactly 108 times because it is believed that human beings are plagued by 108 types of earthly desires and feelings called ‘Bonnou’, which is exemplified by anger, jealousy & adherence. Every sound of the bell is believed to remove one of these troubling ‘Bonnou’ from you. 

Otoshidama 

This is a Japanese tradition all kids look forward to – They will receive small envelopes with cash in them from their parents, grandparents or close relatives.  The amount they receive increases as the kids grow up. 

America

*New Year’s* 

American Feast 

It is believed that black-eyed beans are very lucky. It is typical to prepare different cuisines to gather for family feasts. Hoppin’ John is one of them. It is a special soul food with rice and is eaten with black-eyed beans. 

South American Traditions 

The new year is called ‘Ano Viego’ and people create dummies stuffed with waste and firecrackers and place them outside their homes. At midnight they are set on fire which depicts welcoming the new Year and leaving the old year in the past along with evil. 

USA Celebrations 

Streets are crowded with people who welcome the New Year with joy. Fireworks, parties, musicals, etc. New York is the main attraction during NYE in the USA and Times Square hosts several events which are hosted by Dick Clark on TV. American New Year customs are generally very colourful. 

Colourful Underwear 

In Mexico, Brazil and some Latin American countries, legend says that the colour of your underwear will influence what kind of year you’ll have. Yellow: prosperity & success. Red: love & romance. White: peace & harmony. Green: health & well-being. 

Canadian Traditions 

Clapping and roaring at midnight is supposed to sway away all evil and negative energies. Some people go for a polar bear swim on New Year’s. Kissing is also a tradition – it shows love and wishes to someone and strengthens pleasant ties with your loved ones. 

Want more fun facts about how the rest of the world celebrates special occasions? Check out our 75+ Christmas Phrases to Avoid a Snooze Fest and discover what festivities look like in our neighbouring countries. 

The post New Year’s Traditions from Around the World  appeared first on Bagsoflove Blog.

How To Personalize Your Life Book 

The cover of the Your life album or book can include a personalized message or the name of your loved one. It is also available in a range of colours. The album is then printed and hand bound according to your specifications. Personalised photographs can be mounted using photo mounts. Giving a personalised life story book is the perfect gift for anybody and can make the ideal addition to a themed party or as a fun gift idea. They are ideal gift ideas from your photos. 

How Does It Work? 

You select the size and format and add it to the cart. You choose from four cover colors. The last stage in the process is where you create the Title you want to appear on the album, e.g. the ‘Life and Times of….’ and then add a name. We then make the cover to order with exactly what you request printed on it. 

Personal and unforgettable, your own Life Book. 

The post Personalized This Is Your Life Books And Albums  appeared first on Bagsoflove Blog.

Why you should prepare early for Christmas

With October just a few days away, the festive season will be here before you know it. Planning is the best way to save money, headaches, and even your sanity! 

Have your family already started having the “Christmas Chat?” Who’s going to host? Where is it going to be? What time will lunch be made? Who is being invited? What are you getting for so-and-so? And so on. If you leave everything till the last minute, or even till just approaching Christmas, you could find yourself stressed out, unhappy, panicking, and not even looking forward to the most wonderful time of the year. 

Getting ready for Christmas 

We can’t help it. We love Christmas. As such, knowing how to prepare for Christmas early is practically in our blood. The very simple way to start is to make a list. Once you have a list, everything is so much more manageable. Advance holiday planning truly puts you in charge, and can help alleviate all those unpleasant things that can come with Christmas if you don’t prepare early, stress, debt, and chaos! 

What you need for preparing early for Christmas: 

1. Work out a budget 

Before you even start thinking about getting ready for Christmas, you need to work out your budget so that you can prepare wisely. Remember to involve everything you will need. This includes food, decorations, presents, outings, obligatory tacky jumpers…even postage stamps for Christmas cards, and parking at the shopping center. Work out what you will need to spend and where and write it all down. You can then get a better idea of how to manage your money, without any unnecessary splurges closer to the big day. 

2. Start filling in your calendar 

December and the lead-up to Christmas are manic. Make sure you start filling in your calendar and diary with everything from parties to school events, family gatherings, term times, and anything else that might slip your mind. If you have kids at school, make sure to include when they break up and any festive plays that might be thrown. Planning on ordering a turkey? Make a note of when you can order and when you can pick it up. Don’t fear being pedantic. Go as far as jotting down the days to do the big Christmas food shop – the more organized you are now, the better it will be then. 

3. Decide who is hosting Christmas Day 

If you know you are going to be hosting, you have even more reason to prepare early. Have the conversation now so both you, and they, can be fully prepared. They might need to tell other friends and family members that they will be having Christmas Day at yours, so the more notice that can be given to all parties, the better. 

4. Who’s coming?  

Now you know you will oversee Christmas Day, you need to get on that guest list! Figuring out who and how many people will be attending will help you get organized. Make your list (check it twice) and start inviting people – the sooner the better. Will some guests need to stay over? If so, start planning what you and they will need. Things like extra toilet rolls, spare beds, bedding, deciding who will be sleeping where, etc. 

5. Send out the invitations

It’s never too early for sending out those invites. Let your nearest and dearest know now that you are hosting Christmas Day, and get numbers in. You don’t want to start preparing for 20 people, only to find out in a month’s time that half of the intended guests have already had another invitation. While you are extending the invite, find out if any of your guests have food allergies or preferences. If you have a family of vegetarians coming, you will need to ensure there is enough food available that they can eat – bonus, it could mean more turkey for you! 

6. Start present shopping early 

There’s no time like the present(!) for this one. Some very smart shoppers buy their gifts during the sales; either on Boxing Day from the previous year or in the summer. We can’t all be that organized though, and, to be honest, getting a head start now still makes you more organized than about 90% of the population. Remember that between now and Christmas are the infamous Black Friday sales. This is the perfect opportunity to stock up on a whole host of presents. Do your research thoroughly. Make a list of everyone you need to buy for (remember those such as the kid’s teachers, colleagues at work, and maybe even the dog). Taking your time will really help you choose presents wisely and carefully – and you won’t have to worry about delivery times! 

7. Look up your recipes 

Thanks to celebrity chefs, cooking programs are in abundance and seem to constantly be on TV. We love the Christmas specials, which are repeated year after year, and always have such great ideas for the big day. Record any Christmas specials that you like the look of scour websites and food blogs for interesting recipes and ask friends and family for any special festive recipes of theirs that you have loved in previous years. Start stockpiling those recipe ideas now and listing the ingredients so you can be prepared well in advance. 

8. Prepare food early where you can

Are there any components of your Christmas feast that can be prepared in advance and frozen? With some food, such as gravy and stuffing, you can prepare it, cook it, and freeze it a few months in advance, so that all you need to do on Christmas Day is defrost and reheat! Are there a lot of dry ingredients you can buy now so you don’t have to worry about them in December? Make a list and head to the shops, then create an area in your cupboards, especially for Christmas food prep. When can you order your turkey? Speak to your butcher or supermarket of choice and find out their Christmas ordering dates. Get on the culinary case! 

9. Check Royal Mail delivery times 

Sending out Christmas cards and presents to your nearest and dearest around the world, can always be a bit stressful – due to how manic the post office becomes over the festive season. If you are sending out a lot of cards this year, buy your stamps now, so you don’t have to worry about those nightmarish queues in December. The same goes for sending presents and parcels. Let friends and family know that their presents will be arriving early and put them away for Christmas morning. Check the Royal Mail delivery times and start preparing and getting everything out before the rush. 

To help get ahead, start planning those presents now. Click the button below to get started. Remember, planning the holiday season early will allow you to fully enjoy it when it comes around. Knowing how to prepare for Christmas early will prepare you for the fun chaos of the festive season. This is a time to spend with those you love, and the only thing that could ruin it is a stressed-out you! Well, that or an undercooked turkey… 

The post How To Prepare For Christmas Early: 9 Tips For Getting Ready for Christmas appeared first on Bagsoflove Blog.

So, we decided to help you by preparing a simple guide on how to wash feather pillows.

1. First things first. Remove your personalized pillow/cushion cover and replace it with a laundry bag or plain white cover ensuring that all open ends are sealed to prevent a feathery disaster. Put two cushions at a time for a wash to keep the load even.
2. Now I am guessing you have a washing machine at home, else you can always go to a launderette. Choose the following settings – ‘Delicate’ cycle at 30°C, rinse twice to make sure the detergent is removed thoroughly, and spin twice to remove as much water from the feathers as possible. It is advisable to add a few towels along with the cushion to keep the machine running smoothly.
3. Once the washing is complete, fluff the cushions before putting them into the dryer.
4. Set the dryer at low/medium heat and place 2/3 tennis balls in the dryer to make the cushions fluffy and prevent the feathers from clumping as they dry.
5. Stop the dryer every 15 minutes to fluff the cushions.
6. In regions with limited sunshine, utilizing a dryer proves to be a superior alternative compared to depending on outdoor drying methods.
7. But if you are short of a dryer you can opt to leave the cushion outdoors or in an airing cupboard which may take longer than a day to dry especially in winter. Alternatively, the next best option would be to leave it on a sheet next to the radiators.
8. Lastly, make sure the feathers are dry before use as damp feathers can smell like mildew.

The guide is as simple as it gets with washing feather pillows. Follow it step by step so you can enjoy your pillows for much longer.

The post 8 Tips on How To Wash Feather Pillows and Cushions appeared first on Bagsoflove Blog.

The History of Birthdays

Birthdays started around 3,000 years before the common era, conceptualized by our good old friends the Egyptians. But not necessarily in the sense that we celebrate them today. Despite the clues in the name, you know, birthday, day of birth, this isn’t what the Egyptians celebrated. When you boil it back down to the origins of birthdays, they were celebrating the birth of someone as a god.

“What’s that?” I hear you ask. What is birthday-becoming-God-celebration and what does it have to do with the Egyptians? Well, when pharaohs were crowned, it was considered that they had become a god. For them, and to be fair, anyone, the day man becomes a god is waaaaay up there above being, physically born.

The History of Birthday Candles and the Origin of Birthday Cake

Ladies and gentlemen, and those yet to make up their minds, this one goes out to… the Greeks. Super-early days the Greeks adopted those Ancient Egyptian birthdays, celebrating the birth of a god, and as you may well remember from those primary-school-project days, Greek culture was big on gods and goddesses.

Enter Artemis, the lunar goddess. The Greeks had a thing for offering sacrifices to the gods and as a tribute to Artemis, one of the best inventions ever came to be. The Greeks would offer her moon-shaped cakes. Cakes were adorned with lit candles. This two-part symbolization birthed the traditional confectionary we now adore. The glowing radiance of the new-found birthday cake recreated the beauty of the moon. The candles signify the sending of prayers.

The History of Birthday Celebration

The History of Gift Giving and the Origins of Birthday Gifts

The Romans were among the first people to celebrate birthdays as we know them. That being, they are probably the most succinct answer to “Why do we celebrate birthdays?”. The Romans were the first to celebrate the birth of the common man. They did this with lavish parties where they would shower the birthday boy with gifts, thus starting the history of birthday presents.

Unfortunately, though, it was a very much literal interpretation. The common man. That’s right, I couldn’t have experienced these birthday celebrations, alas, I would have to wait until around the 12th Century to take part – some eleven-hundred-and-something years later.

The History of Birthday Parties

Why celebrate birthdays without cake? Parties and cake go hand in hand, and we did cover this briefly earlier, with the sacrifices to the moon goddess Artemis conceiving the idea of a birthday cake. However, that is indeed not a birthday cake as we know and love it today, and nor is it a gull birthday celebration. The growth and progression of the history of birthday cake is what sparked the birthday party. That is, well, a Kinder Surprise.

That’s right folks, German bakers pretty much revamped the birthday cake to become the icing-topped-colourful-glory that we celebrate with today. By now, birthdays are commonplace, both for men and women, pretty much all around the world. German birthday parties were held for children from the late 18th century. These parties were called Kinder Feste and very closely resembled birthday parties as we know and love them today. Each child would be given a cake with a candle on the top for each year of their life so far, as well as one extra for hope.

Making Birthdays Modern

Well, it took quite a considerable amount of time to get birthdays from the original concept of ‘I’ve-been-crowned’ to the celebrations that we know and love today. However, we’ve upped our game in recent years when it comes to bringing birthdays into the future. Make the next birthday celebration a special one with personalized gift ideas. Head to Bags of Love for our huge range of beautiful birthday gifts.

The post History of Birthday Celebrations: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know – And Then Some appeared first on Bagsoflove Blog.

On a birthday, a gift tag is something quite simple. You pop the birthday boy or girl’s name on it, with a “Happy Birthday” wish and your name. Easy. When it comes to weddings, there is a little more etiquette involved.

What to write on a wedding gift tag to show you care

Even if you are not the most eloquent of writers, don’t worry. There aren’t really any hard rules about what to write on a gift tag, just some simple steps. The gift tag is the first thing the couple will see when they look at your present. The wrapping needs to look beautiful of course, but the tag will initially tell them who it is from and a message direct from the gift giver. It is basically the first impression, so you want to make it a good one.

Wedding wishes need to indicate 2 things ideally:

1. They need to offer the couple a loving and positive wish for their marriage and their new life together.
2. They need to be heartfelt, loving, and sincere.

That’s not so daunting.

Traditional wedding etiquette states that you should either send your gift to the couple a few weeks before the wedding (if it is after you have received the invitation), or you should bring it to the reception. If you choose to bring the gift with you, then the tag is of utmost importance, as it differentiates your present from everyone else’s.

What should my gift tag look like?

Gift tags come in all shapes and sizes. You can opt for a standard label size and shape (rectangular or oblong), or perhaps something a little more themed, such as a heart-shaped gift tag. If you want to go all out, you can create your own custom wedding gift tags, where you choose the layout, design, and text.

Design your own wedding gift tags to ensure your presents look perfect.

If you are opting to buy a gift from a registry, you might find that the company can create a digitally printed gift tag. Although this might not look exactly how you want it to look, design-wise, you will still be given the option to write the message.

Do you have any top tips for writing the perfect wedding gift tag?

From funny and intimate to soppy and sentimental, there are so many wonderful things you can write on a gift tag. You can spend an age deciding what present to buy, and the thought behind the gift tag just falls by the wayside. A beautiful gift will show you have taste, and you know what the couple will like, but the words on the gift tag can take your present to a whole other level. And you might even make the happy couple well up…in a good way!

We reached out to some wedding industry experts to get their opinion on what to write on a wedding gift tag.

Alison Tinlin from Plans and Presents Wedding Blog (www.mrspandp.com) believes that the best approach to writing a wedding gift tag is to be open, and personal and for the sentiment to come straight from the heart:

“I just want to wish you the best of everything today, and always. May you be a blessing to each other, throughout the journey of your lives.”

This option is ideal for taking a slightly more formal, yet still heartfelt approach. The positive wish for the day and the future is sincere and loving, without sounding over the top and too sentimental.

Rachel Mcvey from the wedding blog Bridal Chic in the City (www.bridalchicinthecity.co.uk) recommends a slightly more jovial approach, if writing a gift tag for a close friend. Preferring to keep things light and on the humorous side:

“Personally when writing our gift tags for a friend’s wedding, I like to keep it short and personal…with a funny quote or joke relevant to the couple. I like the idea of keeping things cheeky over soppy!“

Keeping things sweet, funny, and a little cheeky is a wonderful approach if you are very close to the couple. Friends, siblings, and cousins are great examples of where this will work.

Debbie Marks, Director of Qube Events and Productions (www.qubeevents.co.uk) believes that keeping it personal and sharing special memories or moments is the best way to go:

“Make sure you make it personal! Think what would make the bride smile when they read your tag. Maybe share a memory from the past of a time that you shared together, that relates to your gift. End with a positive hope for their future for the perfect finish.”

We love the idea of keeping your message personal to the couple. It will help your gift stand out and is guaranteed to make the happy couple smile – before they’ve even opened the present!

What are the best words to use when writing a gift tag?

A wedding is the most joyous time in a person’s life. There are words that always go hand in hand with a wedding to highlight this:

• Luck
• Love
• Happiness
• Wealth
• Health
• Prosperity
• Laughter
• Fun
• Joy
• Beautiful journey

What about the word “congratulations?”

Believe it or not, this used to be a wedding day faux pas! This is because it was thought that by saying congratulations to a newly married woman, you were congratulating her on catching and landing a man. Yes. We’re serious. Nowadays, however, this is no longer the case. It is far more common and apt to wish a couple congratulations on their special day. However, in some traditions and religions, there are different well-wishes used. In the Jewish faith, instead of saying congrats, you say “Mazel Tov” which is the Hebrew equivalent of congratulations.

If you are ever unsure of what is appropriate to write, and you want to avoid your own wedding faux pas, then we suggest using “Best Wishes. “

A general rule of thumb: keep the message short, simple, and sweet. Wishing the couple, a wonderful life together, a beautiful wedding day and all your love for the future is perfect. Think about how you can incorporate these sentiments in your own words and personalize them slightly to suit the couple.

Think about the couple.

• Who are the couple?
• Are they close friends, relatives, or acquaintances?
• Is the wedding a formal, traditional, or casual affair?
• Is the wedding religious?
• How close are you with the couple?
• Consider their personality and interests!

Once you have answered these questions, it should be a lot easier to write the gift tag.

REMEMBER to be personal and use a warm and friendly tone. Try writing your words out first in rough to make sure you get it just write. Finally, spell-check it. The chances are these cards and gift tags are going to be kept and treasured forever, so make sure you get it right. No pressure!

Some final gift tag inspiration…

If you are still after some inspiration for what to write on a wedding gift tag, then we have rounded up some classics. These should help even the most puzzled of you out there:

Funny wedding wishes to write on a gift tag:

• Thanks for the free food and booze! Best wishes for a long and happy marriage.
• Now you are married, (groom’s name) must master the art of saying “yes” when you want to say “no.” Congratulations!
• Congratulations! You have just paid for all of your friends and family to have the biggest party of their lives. Thank you!
• Thanks for getting married and putting all the remaining pressure on me. Love you both

Formal wedding wishes

• We wish you a lifetime of love, joy and happiness
• May your joining together in marriage bring you more joy than you could possibly imagine
• May the love and happiness you feel together today last for all your years to come

Wedding wishes for friends

• Of all of big life events we have shared together over the years, this tops the list. Congratulations
• Here’s to you, to love, to friendship and for sharing many more happy occasions together
• Congratulations to a wonderful friend and his/her new husband/wife! A have a new best friend-in-law

Wedding wishes for a family member

• Many congratulations on your wedding day and welcome to our family
• We are so thrilled at (name) has found “the one.” Welcome to the family
• We are so excited to add another member to our family. Congratulations to you both

Want to create an even more special gift tag? Print photos of the couple and memories on gift tags.

The post What To Write On A Wedding Gift Tag appeared first on Bagsoflove Blog.

One of the perks of making your own cushion covers is that you can make them any size or shape. That’s great if you need to fill a particular space. It’s easy to make your own cushion covers, and here’s how.

Guide to making a cushion cover with a zip

Step 1 – Cut the fabric

Cut your printed fabric leaving extra material for the hem and allowing for the plumping up of the cushion. If you would like a 40 x 40cm cushion, cut your fabric into two 48 x 48cm squares.

Step 2 – Hemming

Pin a hem of about 1cm along one side of each of the fabric cutouts. This will be used to attach to the zip.

Step 3 – Sew the hemming

Sew the hems in place with a machine. Then fold both hems over once more and machine again to create a double hem.

Step 4 – Sew the cushion cover zip

Open the zip and pin to both sides of the double leaving about 3mm of fabric above the teeth of the zip. This will hide the zip when closed. Sew the zip in place.

Step 5 – Folding

Fold the fabric pieces together so that the printed sides are touching, and the cover appears inside out.

Step 6 – Repeat

Pin the other sides of the cushion cover and sew about 3cm in from the three edges. Maintain the shape you are wanting to create.

Step 7 – Remove access from the cushion cover

Trim off the excess fabric and turn it inside out.

Tadaaa.

When making your own cushion covers you will have much more variety when it comes to fabrics to choose from compared to pre-made cushions. So, showcase your creative talents with homemade cushions and reap compliments from friends and family!

The post How To Make A Cushion Cover With A Zip At Home [Step by Step Guide] appeared first on Bagsoflove Blog.

Fear not, we’re here to offer a helping hand – of course, we can’t do it all for you, but we can certainly give you some things to think about. Whether it’s a friend, relative, or even your partner, we can help you work out a few Christmas phrases to write on a Christmas gift tag or even box.

What to Write on a Christmas Gift Tag

There are multiple ways that you can go about this, from the smushy to the silly and everything in between. We feel like it would be neglectful if we didn’t give you some examples of what we mean by this, to help you work out what to write on a Christmas gift tag.

1. Short and Traditional

• Merry Christmas and a happy new year
• Glad tidings for the festive season
• Wishing you a happy Christmas
• Have a happy holiday
• Christmas wishes with love

2. Sentimental Family Message

• Family is the greatest gift of all
• Family is the gift that keeps on giving
• I love spending Christmas with family
• Family is what makes my Christmas
• I’m lucky to have a family like you

3. What to Write on a Christmas Gift Tag Using Song Lyrics

• Baby, it’s cold outside – That must mean it’s Christmas
• IIIIITTTTSSSSS CCHRRIIISSSTTTMMMAAASSSS!!!!
• It’s the most wonderful time of the year
• I wish it could be Christmas every day
• Have a holly jolly Christmas

4. Christmas Cracker Jokes

• Why does Santa have three gardens? So he can Ho Ho Ho!
• What do snowmen wear on their heads? Ice caps!
• Why are Christmas trees bad at sewing? They drop their needles!
• What’s the difference between Santa’s reindeer and a knight? One slays the dragon, and the other’s draggin’ the sleigh
• Which side of the turkey has the most feathers? The outside!

5. A Pinch of Sarcasm

• Merry Drunk, I’m Christmas
• Christmas calories don’t count
• May your bells jingle all the way
• I wish you love, peace, and weight gain this Christmas
• Happy Jesus’s Birthday

6. Corny Christmas Phrases

• You’re exactly what I wanted this Christmas
• Waking up next to you is the best gift I could ask for
• Spending Christmas with you is a dream come true
• My favorite part of Christmas is being with you
• I want to spend all of my Christmases with you

7. Cheeky Cheer

• Meet me under the mistletoe
• You jingle my bells
• Feel free to deck my halls
• All I want for Christmas is you…in a bow
• You’re sweeter than a candy cane

8. Playful Puns

• Dachshund through the snow
• There’s a snow body quite like you
• Christmas is Claus for a celebration
• All this festivity is making me sentimental
• Let’s get up to snow good

9. What to Write on Christmas Gift Tags for Friends

• Thank you for being such a great friend this year – Merry Christmas
• Your friendship is the best present I could hope for
• I told Santa how nice you’ve been – thank you for everything
• I am grateful to have you as my friend this Christmas, and always
• Friends like you make the holidays fun and festive

10. What to Write on a Gift Box for Your Colleagues

• It’s been a pleasure working with you – enjoy the holidays
• Thanks for your help and hard work, Merry Christmas
• May your holiday be as bright as you make the [workplace]
• Enjoy your holiday, you definitely deserve it
• Merry Christmas to you and yours

11. What to Write on a Christmas Gift to Your Boss

• Thanks for being a great boss, enjoy your holidays
• Thank you for your support this year. Merry Christmas
• Merry Christmas to a great mentor and friend
• You make work so much fun, happy holidays
• Thank you, here’s to another great year. Merry Christmas

12. Christian Christmas Wishes

• Christmas wishes, I hope you have more than 12 loaves and 5 fishes
• Jesus is the gift that we all are given this Christmas
• Blessings to you and your family this Christmas! Have a peaceful holiday and a Happy New Year (as a new creation)!
• Merry Christmas, brothers, and sisters! May God be with you in this glorious season of celebration!
• Rejoice, for God is with us – this Christmas and forevermore! Have a blessed holiday season!

13. What to Write on a Christmas Gift Tag to Send Yule Wishes

• Have a cool Yule
• Blessed Winter Solstice
• Yuletide wishes
• Blessed be my friend
• Solstice Greetings

14. For Those Who Don’t Celebrate Christmas

• Happy Holidays
• Have a happy holiday season
• Wishing you a season full of happiness
• Wishing you peace, love, and laughter
• Wintery wishes and tidings of joy

Merry Christmas from Bags of Love

One of the things we pride ourselves on (other than beautifully handmade, personalized photo gifts) is the diversity in our office. So, we asked around and collected some of the great traditional Christmas wishes from the team.

Greetings from Around the World

• English: Merry Christmas
• Spanish: Feliz Navidad
• French: Joyeux Noel
• German: Fröhliche Weihnachten
• Italian: Buon Natale
• Russian: C nowim godom
• Romanian: Crãciun fericit!
• Norwegian: God jul
• Portuguese: Feliz Natal or Boas Festas
• Polish: Wesolych Swiat

The post What to Write on a Christmas Gift Tag: 75+ Christmas Phrases to Avoid a Snooze Fest appeared first on Bagsoflove Blog.

So, first things first, what exactly is a champagne birthday? Unfortunately, for most of us, myself included, it’s nowhere near as adult as it sounds. Put simply, it’s when you reach the age that your birth date is. So, take me for example, I was born on 14th January, which means that my champagne birthday was when I turned 14. And pretty much just like everyone who was born in the first three-quarters of the month, they will have missed this celebration by not even knowing it existed.

We looked into the details of the champagne birthday and noticed five global trends that are affecting champagne birthdays and the way in which they are celebrated.

1. It’s On the up

Champagne birthdays are increasing in popularity at the moment. They are being talked about a lot, and although there are peaks and drops, generally the trend is on the up. Take a look at the Google Trends chart below that shows worldwide searches since 2004. This means that future generations are more likely to celebrate their champagne birthday as they will be aware of it from a much younger age – should the trends continue.

2. Interchangeable terms

There is a lot of using words interchangeably out there, take for example infamous and notorious. Both of these have negative connotations and are used when you are describing someone who is well-known for doing bad things. This is entirely correct for infamous, however notorious simply means well-known, with no positive or negative attachments. The same is happening for the champagne birthday, as people will also refer to this as their golden celebration. Which as it happens is another thing entirely. This tends to happen when you’re somewhat older (depending on location, sometimes too old to be likely to reach it) and so people are celebrating at a later stage in their life. Find out more about golden birthdays here.

3. People love a celebration

I mean, we can’t blame them, we do too! As a result of this passion for parties, people are celebrating the champagne birthday of their children, nieces and nephews, or anyone that they know that might have it coming up that they might not be aware of. If you can’t celebrate a champagne birthday with champagne, what better what to celebrate it than with cake and ice-cream?

Champagne Birthdays

The main thing we learned from this was that people love a good party and will constantly find new and interesting reasons to hold one. Gone are the days when your 13th and 21st were your only more youthful milestones. If you’re like me and you have missed your champagne birthday, don’t forget to check out your golden birthday and see if you are likely to see that. And remember, you can have champagne on your birthday regardless!

The post What is a Champagne Birthday? 3 Global Trends That Will Affect Champagne Birthdays appeared first on Bagsoflove Blog.

Well, if that’s the case, then don’t worry – I’ve done some research – and now I am here to share it with you. Once you’ve read our handy guide on how to give a Secret Santa gift, you’ll finally be able to start enjoying it for the office fun it really is.

How to Give a Secret Santa Gift

The whole idea is that anyone could be your Santa, and everyone is someone’s Santa. There are so many things that you can do throughout the whole Secret Santa process to try and eliminate ruining the fun. We mean for both you and your colleagues. We’ll go through some of them in a minute. The main thing is don’t tell anyone who you’ve got, or what name you pull. We mean anyone! That way there’s no temptation for them to tell someone, and the office doesn’t turn into a trade-off to try and find out who picked who.

How to Give Clues for Secret Santa

Now this one is a strange one, and it’s a personal preference. We’d recommend making some ground rules when you start your Secret Santa. Some people like to share who gifted what, after the gift-swapping has happened, and others keep it a secret forever. However, if your workplace has decided to do it, you could give some clues about what’s inside the gift. One of our favorites is putting a riddle on the front that gives an idea of what the present is, without totally giving it away.

How to Collect Secret Santa Gifts

In my years of Secret Santa-Ing, I have been able to test many ways of gift collections. For me, there is a clear winner. One person, preferably not a participant, will go around and collect all the presents in a big sack. Sounds simple? That’s because it is – and that’s why it works. Other ways that aren’t totally disastrous include: having a collection bag somewhere, dropping them off in a room/on a table/at a set location and even leaving them on your colleagues’ desks, but those all have (in my opinion) more flaws than the get-in-the-sack method.

How to Give Out Secret Santa Gifts

Again, there are many methods of doing this. Similarly to the collection, we prefer the one-man-and-their-sack method. It stops there from being a giant free-for-all to get to the presents. It’s much less important this time whether the sack guardian is a participant or not – it just needs to be someone who doesn’t mind waiting till last to open their Secret Santa gift. Needless to say, with the left-on-desks method, the gifts are already distributed, however getting the right gift to the right desk is often tricky without being spotted. Unless of course, your sack-keeper delivers each one to their respective recipients’ desks – but that feels like it’s overcomplicating things.

How Does The Gift Exchange Work?

By this point, it may not surprise you to hear, that there are yet again numerous ways that you can do this. The idea is that it works on a round-robin basis. This means that you don’t need an even number of people to set up a Secret Santa. Imagine you have five people, and you stand them in a circle. Each person writes their name on a piece of paper. The papers are then passed to two people to the left. Now everyone has a piece of paper with someone else’s name on there. Nobody has themselves, and none are duplicated.

How To set up a Secret Santa Gift Exchange

Obviously, if you all stood in a circle and did it that way, everyone would be able to work out who got who. To keep the anonymity, you can throw the names into a hat. The hat method does have a chance of people pulling their own names. Sometimes people will pretend they’ve pulled their own name so that they can swap for an ‘easier’ colleague to shop for. Another great option is to use a website, that has been built for that purpose, like Elfster. This will hold information such as dates, details of the exchange, and the budget and does all the name swapping for you.

How to Wrap Your Gifts

The main thing that matters when it comes to Secret Santa is to remain anonymous. The lengths people go to in hiding their identity vary greatly, from getting someone else to write the label for them to not using a label at all. Sometimes people print a label rather than risk the handwriting detectives. One of our favorite ideas is to get stickers printed with the recipient’s face on it and use that in place of a label.

What to do if You Forgot Your Secret Santa Gift

We must be honest here, our best advice is just to not forget. There are ways around it if you do, but being blunt, not one of them is ideal. Set a reminder in your calendar. Add it to your alarm text that morning. Leave yourself a note, write it on your hand, and do whatever you need. Just don’t forget.

If you do forget, there are a couple of ways that you can try and save face. Gift vouchers, albeit not very personal, are usually a quick save. You could get a card and put an I.O.U in there, but, and I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH, make sure you do bring one in. I have been at the receiving end of “I’ll bring it next week” and then…nothing. In this research, I’ve read blogs written by others that have too. It does not feel pretty. Still, just don’t forget in the first place if you can help it.

Now You Know How to Give a Secret Santa Gift

You know how to give a Secret Santa gift, the ins, and outs of how Secret Santa works, and tried and tested ways of gift collection and distribution. Our only other advice would be to stick to the budget – it’s there for a reason. No matter how much you think “so-and-so will appreciate that I have spent the extra”, it just isn’t the done thing. Now, what to get for your Secret Santa? Well, that one’s up to you.

The post How To Give A Secret Santa Gift: The Complete Guide To Avoid Public Embarrassment appeared first on Bagsoflove Blog.