Tag: holiday

Support Local Businesses in Mallorca This Holiday Season

Mallorca is, of course, known for its summer sun, but increasingly it is diversifying into a year-round destination. The weather has been much milder this current winter, and as we lead up to Christmas, Palma and Calvià are becoming the go-to places for shopping, Christmas markets, and great food and drink.

Well done to Calvià Council for offering their voucher scheme again, where residents could receive up to €40 off at participating shops. There was a budget of €250,000 on offer, which ran out in a matter of days, but it was a welcome boost for shop owners who remain open throughout the winter. I have highlighted here a few businesses that are working hard up to Christmas with food, drink, and gift ideas.

No Christmas is complete until you get yourself a tree. Not a fake one though — in my opinion, it has to be real.

At Mallorca Christmas Trees, their arborists (that’s tree surgeons to you and me) have been growing and selling the highest-quality, most sustainable, and durable Nordmann fir Christmas trees since the industry commenced in Denmark in the early 1970s. Their philosophy has always been to prioritise quality over quantity, ensuring the ethical treatment of workers, the earth, and their clients. These values are essential to their organisation. For every 10 trees they cut, they replant 14.

Tree stands, branches for decorations, and delivery are available at an additional cost.

For more information, please visit http://www.mallorcachristmastrees.com, find Mallorca Christmas Trees on Facebook and Instagram, or call or WhatsApp Quentin on +34 611 718 440. Mention me and he’ll give you a little discount. 

Not sure where you’re going to buy your meat and fish this Christmas? Bespoke Provisioning has you covered. From high-quality free-range turkeys, succulent rib roasts, and whole gammons to fresh fish such as lobsters and langoustines, they offer an exceptional range.

They specialise in the highest-quality meat and fish, fully trimmed, cut, filleted, vacuum-packed, labelled, and delivered on time. You can find them on social media under Bespoke Provisioning, call or WhatsApp Simon on +34 619 593 387, or email sales@mn2v.co.

Amor de Palmera was founded by Yasmin out of her love of art and nature, combining the two through ceramics. She finds inspiration in the beautiful island of Mallorca and the concept of slow living, from creating her own collections to bespoke commissions. This vision is incorporated into all her ceramic pieces, conveying a sense of peace and tranquillity to those who use them in their homes and daily lives, bringing the spirit and energy of the Mediterranean indoors.

Yasmin also offers workshops where participants paint either a plate or a cup. After the workshop, the piece is taken back to her studio to be fired in her kiln and is ready approximately a week later, making it fully tableware-ready. There’s no need to worry about having a creative flair — anyone can enjoy ceramic painting, with plenty of guidance and support to help you achieve the design you’re looking for.

Whether buying one of her designs or creating one yourself, her ceramics make a wonderful Christmas gift this holiday season. You can view her full collection and contact her via Instagram at @amordepalmera.

This holiday season, let Elissa and Mike from World of Wine deliver the perfect gift straight to your doorstep. From exquisite wines and elegant champagnes to premium spirits, they cater to every budget and every occasion.

Whether you’re celebrating with family, thanking clients, or simply indulging yourself, they specialise in delivering directly to boats, villas, and private homes, ensuring your festivities are seamless. You can contact them on 669 075 466 or email sales@worldofwine.es.

All of the above offer great products, excellent service, and good value for money — and by choosing them, you’re also supporting local businesses.

May I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

December 1st!

December 1st has been named as the best date to put your Christmas tree up. According to the experts at Christmas Tree World, December 1 is the perfect date for other reasons too. By embracing the Christmas spirit early, families are left with enough time to establish their own traditions. Having the tree up can also encourage you to get ahead of the rush when it comes to buying presents for loved ones. Interestingly, minimalist Christmas trees have surged in popularity this year, devoid of tinsel, sparkling fairy lights and homemade decorations. Designs now proving popular with shoppers include trees with metal branches, or skeletal-like wooden frames. It comes after research suggested that traditional Christmas decorations are on the decline, with over a third (34%) of Brits saying they’re boring and half (50%) saying they want their Christmas tree to reflect their passions. Instead, people are opting for more meaningful decor, with more than three-quarters of Brits owning personal baubles that have a special meaning to them. 

Don’t forget, Mallorca Christmas trees are open for business in Son Oms industrial estate. For more information, please visit http://www.mallorcachristmastrees.com Mallorca Christmas Trees on Facebook and Instagram or call or what’s app (0034) 658 342 941.

Britain is a proud nation of fakers, with two-thirds believing we have perfected the art of receiving presents we do not like. As many as 69 per cent of Brits would not dream of telling someone they didn’t like a gift given to them – with a third (30 per cent) regularly pretending to like pressies they actually hate, according to a new survey. In fact, half (49 per cent) admit they often receive Christmas gifts they dislike – so much so that 60 per cent believe they have perfected the art of faking their joy. And, according to one in three (31 per cent) of the nation’s ‘faking experts’, exclaiming ‘thank you! It’s what I’ve always wanted’ in a big voice, is the best way to disguise your dislike, along with common phrases, ‘you really shouldn’t have’ (23 per cent) or ‘it’ll be souseful’ (22 per cent), according to the findings by online card marketplace thortful. Changing the topic quickly to focus on someone else (nine per cent) and hopefully quipping ‘it will look great when I put it on’ (nine per cent) are also among the top ways to hide dislike. In our family we do a secret Santa where we randomly pick a family name from an online app and each person can make up a wish list from Amazon, Etsy, JD Sports, Nike and Look Fantastic to the value of £50.00. Meaning everyone ends up with a present that they wanted and not having to come up with the excuses like above. 

Football league one side Stockport County has embraced the festive spirit with an innovative meal that’s sure to go down a treat at half-time, and it’s already gone viral. 

Food at football grounds can leave a lot to be desired, and you will normally pay through the nose for it. There’s a superb Instagram app called ‘footyscran’ which features good and bad food at football stadiums.

The ‘Christmas dinner in a cup’ has captured the imagination of fans nationwide, leaving them eager to sample it, and it’s already gone viral. The Hatters as they’re known have produced, a delicious offering of tender turkey, savoury stuffing, creamy mash, and rich gravy, and at £4.50 it is an absolute bargain. Complete with brussels sprouts, pigs in blankets, and roast potatoes, the cup prompted comments such as, 

“A lot of pubs would pour that on a plate and charge £18. Pick out the sprouts

and that’s a top half-time warmer!”

Another admirer remarked: “If clubs were judged on food, Stockport County would be in the Champions League. 

Last Friday, we started playing Christmas songs on the radio. Normally we will wait until December 1st but as that’s today, the listeners decided for us to start last Friday. Now just to make you feel old, this year marks the 40th anniversary of Band Aid song ‘Do they know it’s Christmas’ and the Wham! song ‘Last Christmas. Also, it’s the 30th anniversary of the East 17 song ‘Stay Another Day’. 

This week’s Official Singles Chart already has 10 Christmas songs in it, with Wham! The highest at number 8 and Mariah Carey at number 10.

I wonder what will be this year’s Christmas number one?