AD | The Gift of a Break this Christmas
This post is written in collaboration with Jet2Holidays.
Four days to go and counting. Quickly and there’s a few givens as the big day approaches;
There’s someone you’ve forgotten to buy for and have to make a last minute dash to town.
You’ll stay up way past your bedtime wrapping just. one. more. present.
Love Actually will be on TV at least twice.
Someone will give you a Christmas card and there’ll be that awkward exchange when you’ve obviously not written theirs….”I planned to drop yours round on Christmas eve honestly”
You’ll polish off the sweet treats before the 25th and have to brave the supermarkets for more supplies.
The need for a break has never been more apparent when the clock ticks midnight on the 24th.
I for one am counting down the minutes until my emails are shut down at 5.30pm this evening and my Christmas break begins. The year is winding down, I’m starting to reflect on what’s passed and think about what’s to come and holy moly am I in need of some down time.
Starting a new job has been exhausting and whilst I’m fully in the swing of employment, everything else in my life has been a whirlwind so when Jet2 got in touch to talk Christmas breaks and hampers, it was a no brainer on my part.
This Christmas, for the last minute buys and the people you want to treat most - why not gift them the gift of a well deserved break.
A Holiday:
If there’s one time to splash out why not make it Christmas and cure those January blues by booking a last minute city break. 8 days after my return to work in January I am hopping on a plane to wintery Copenhagen with my favourite blogging friends and it’s not costing me an arm and a leg. Still stuck on that perfect present for your other half? Why not forgo traditional gifts this year, book a post Christmas get away together and wrap up your passports as a clue on the day.
Weekend Away:
So maybe a city break abroad isn’t within your budget this year or maybe the idea of lugging your suitcase onto a flight isn’t your ideal of a relaxing New Years dream but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a break a bit closer to home. The UK is full of beautiful places to visit right on your doorstep, or book a cheap Air BnB for a weekend an hour from home and stuff cosy pjs and snacks into the car and get gone.
Day Trips:
A break isn’t all about being away from home or staying overnight. Why not gift your loved ones a day out instead? I’ve bought Harry Potter studio tickets as gifts before, a day trip to the zoo and this year a morning out for my Mumma (but no spoilers till the 25th). Maybe it’s a spa day for you and your bestie, maybe it’s a theme park day out later in the year or that photography course they’ve always fancied. Christmas doesn’t have to be able physical presents when there’s so many options for day trips and experiences.
Time Off:
I always find this time of year to be the most draining, when you’re already weary from another year gone by and then you add shopping and wrapping and money and presents and SO MUCH FOOD and all the social events under the sun - just some time off would be the best gift I could get. For those family members who always profess not to want anything for xmas day, why not give them the chance for some time to themselves. Maybe it’s babysitting the kids so they can have a date night? Maybe it’s offering to cook a meal every night for a week for the whole family, maybe it’s simply some coffee vouchers and a shove out the door to ‘take some time off' Mum’. Whatever the gesture, a break from normal life is underrated.
Vouchers:
And on that note, why not make vouchers so someone can have the gift of a break all year round? My Mum once made a cheque book of vouchers for a homemade cake a month for a friend and I for one cannot imagine anything nicer than a monthly break with a big slab of something yummy and a cuppa with a pal. Other homemade voucher ideas could be a date night per month on your bank card, doing their most hated chores for them or go classic with something like a cinema gift card or a meal for two.
Hampers:
And if all else fails then what better way to combine treating someone to a well earned break with the way to their heart other than a hamper full of all their favourite stuff? Jet2 sent me the biggest box to work this week full of inspiration for their winter breaks and filled it with goodies to get me to stop, take a break (and maybe consider a holiday in 2019). I’m a sucker for a food hamper and always try and put one together for someone special every year but novelty hampers are becoming way more interesting with loads of drinks ones popping up on the market. Other hamper ideas could be sweets, cosy bits, toiletries, makeup or even crafts.
A big thank you to the team at Jet2 for my lovely festive hamper.
So this year why not avoid the stress of a last minute run to your local town for the presents you' haven’t managed to sort yet. Why not give the gift of a break to the ones you love most, to those who deserve it and don’t forget to look after yourself with your very own break too.
