A Few Practical Birthday Presents

This birthday, I couldn't really think of anything I really wanted or needed when it came to giving OH and LB ideas for gifts to buy me.  It's getting increasingly difficult as I get older.  If I want something I buy it and it's come to seem such a waste of money to me, to receive expensive luxuries just because it's my birthday. As a consequence, the presents I got were pretty random really.

They included this one off purchase of May's Vegan Kind beauty box, which I'd asked OH to buy me a few weeks ago. Included in this box were the following;

This Syphoto Total Protection Serum, which I'd tried a sample of and liked,

a full size Green Frog Botanic geranium and peppermint body wash,

a Crazy Rumours tinted lip balm,

a highlighting stick

and some Z-kin skincare samples.  I was quite pleased with the contents. Pretty good value for money for the £18.15 it cost, which included postage.

I also received this lovely book from OH, which will hopefully come in useful when it comes to making more of my own beauty products, along with some Sweet Orange essential oil from LB to add to my growing kit.

I also received some bottles of spirits from OH, which makes me sound like a bit of a lush, but I'm not. I just like the occasional gin or vodka and we'd run out of both. I also persuaded him to buy me this new drink that was being promoted in John Lewis.

It's called Coole Swan and is a white chocolate equivalent of Baileys.  A bit pricier, but very tasty. They mixed it with something green and minty in store to make a minty cocktail, but I wasn't sure exactly what it was.  It needs to be kept in the fridge, but that's fine by me.  I'm partial to drinking a nice glug of this over ice, especially now the nights are drawing in.  It makes me feel all snug, cosy and warm inside. A bit fattening, being made from real cream, so I do try to limit myself.

I also received a lovely surprise present by post from a friend, namely this electric propagator. I've never had one before and am not quite sure how to use it, but I'm sure I'll figure it out. Hopefully it will help me raise better plants for the allotment and garden next year.

Mostly consumable gifts this year, which is all good.  I think I might be turning into one of those people who is very difficult to buy a present for.  I don't quite know how that happened.  Having said that, I'm always grateful for and appreciative of any gift that I receive and loved everything I received this year.