If you have any spare cash this month (and I know that pre-Christmas, it’s not very likely!) then why not treat yourself to some new furniture? It may seem more logical to wait for the January sales, but if you’re like me you are already fed up of fighting your way through crowds of shoppers. Shopping online keeps stress levels to a minimum and as the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm, especially if there’s something you’ve been drooling over for months!! Top of the list has to be the Laura Ashley sale with up to 50% off home furnishings, lighting and home accessories. The Cotswold Company also has a preview of its New Year Sale on its website – you can buy these discounted products online now whereas everyone else will be waiting for the catalogue to come out! Finally – a note for your diary – the John Lewis sale starts a day early online on 26th December (and in the shops on the 27th). In the meantime check out their Special Offers section for the best savings.
December in the Garden December 9, 2007
I went out into the garden this morning for a pre-Christmas tidy up. Unfortunately all the plants are looking a bit sad and forlorn at this time of year but I was delighted to see a few Winter visitors hopping around - cheerful robin, a sweet little wren, and even a blue tit on the seed dispenser which was fantastic to see! 
We had our first snow over the weekend and it reminded me that birds may need all the help they can get over the coming weeks, so I hope they make good use of the berries that are on the bushes as well as the seeds. I also noticed that some of my daffodil and bluebell bulbs have already started to push through the soil and hope that they will survive until Springtime. Even though it seems like a quiet month in terms of gardening, there’s plenty to do – take a look at the BBC’s Gardening Calendar to keep check of the Essential Gardening tasks for December. And there’s plenty to look forward to in the New Year – now’s a good time to start ordering specialist seed catalogues from suppliers such as Marshalls, Suttons and the Organic Gardening Catalog.
