Well, that time of year is approaching at a real gallop - so fast, especially with everything that's going on in the world - and many of us will already be looking to plan and buy for Christmas and the holidays.

And if you're looking for something special for your dog and/or cat, and the idea of an Advent Calendar is a consideration, take a look at Lily's Kitchen!   They make delicious recipes for dogs and cats to keep them in the best condition and give them food they will love at the same time! 

They have an Advent Calendar for cats AND one for dogs and so while you're devouring chocolate after chocolate or huge slices of Christmas cake, your cat or dog can enjoy the treats Lily's Kitchen have put in their Advent Calendars.  (Chocolate made for people is very dangerous for dogs so please don't give them chocolate treats meant for human consumption.)

This is the Advent Calendar for cats for £8.50. 
with treats!

WOOF!  And here's the one for dogs...

There's an Advent Calendar for Dogs, too!  Also for £10.50
Fetch more information here.

As well as Advent Calendars, they've got lots of lovely Christmas treats for your cats and dogs so that you don't need to feel guilty when you tuck into your treats!   Remember, dogs can't eat treats meant for humans e.g. chocolate.  

Lily's website also has a Pet Care section with help and advice for cat and dog owners, including tips from Rory the Vet, feeding your pets, insurance - there's even a Game Time section to keep your dog active, indoors and out!  

SPECIAL OFFER for you!  

Until 23:59 on Monday 1st December 2025, you can make the most of a special offer giving you 35% off EVERYTHING** at Lily's Kitchen!  All you have to do is use the code BARK35. 

There are Festive Treats with Turkey for cats for £2.50
 

There's Countdown to Christmas with your Cat - 
a bundle with the Advent calendar and 2x festive treats for cats

Wag your tail and pounce on this special offer!

Visit Lily's Kitchen here 

**Terms & Conditions: 35% off everything is valid until 11:59 pm on Monday, 1/12/25, and cannot be used with any other offer. All products are subject to availability. Lily’s Kitchen reserves the right to cancel this offer at any time

Into the Blue list a wide range of gift experiences around the country, catering for all sorts of budgets.  And they cover a wide range of gifts and interests, with everything from flight simulators to water sports, days out to afternoon teas, short breaks to animal experiences.  They also have an incredible range of creative and craft gifts and outdoor gifts to choose from too. 

SPECIAL OFFER!!

What's more, they've got a fabulous 23% off for you!  It covers all experiences up to £250.00 until midnight on Sunday 30th November 2025 - there's no minimum spend, although some products are excluded from this offer.  Just use the code...

ITBBF23

You could give a dog lover
a Sheepdog experience in Yorkshire!

How about a Swinton Estate Lunch & Garden Tour (Ripon, Yorkshire)?
Enjoy talks, garden walks & lunch at Swinton Park
See other Gardening Workshops and Floristry courses here


There are a number of Rural Craft experiences
including this Traditional Basket Weaving Course in Surrey

 
Fly off to see the Falconry experiences -
give them the chance to meet, handle and fly a bird of prey!

Fly off to Into the Blue to see their full range of experiences! 
 
Don't forget, the code ITBBF23 for 23% off experiences up to £250.00 until midnight on Sunday 30th November 2025, although some products are excluded from this offer.

Wow!  It's not long before Christmas, and, Emma Bridgewater's Christmas range has launched and it's got lots of wonderful products to choose from, including the 12 Days of Christmas!   They would either make great gifts or you can use them to decorate your home with - and keep for Christmas after Christmas!

So among them you'll find a bauble for the tree, napkins to put on the table for everyone to use, a tray to put things on, and a biscuit barrel to store lovely Christmas goodies in!   There are also gift bags (medium and large sizes)! 

Here are some gift ideas from the 12 Days of Christmas range... Now, many of them are Club Exclusives - there are details as how to join the Collectors' Club below! 

There's the 12 Days Of Christmas Partridge In A Pear Tree 1/2 Pint Mug for £30.00 (Collectors Exclusive). Why not use it to put springs of holly in?

There's the 12 Days Of Christmas Six Geese A-Laying Medium Dinner Plate, 8.5 Inch for £30.00, another Collectors' Exclusve.  Just the thing for Christmas eats!

 Or how about these?  

There's a 12 Days Of Christmas Six Geese A-Laying Medium Old Bowl, a Collectors' Exclusive, for £58.00.  Don't you just want to help yourself to a chocolate?!

This is the 12 Days Of Christmas Six Geese A-Laying 1/2 Pint Mug Boxed, a Collectors' Exclusive for £30.00 I love the geese!

There's the Six Geese A-Laying Medium Tin Biscuit Barrel
for £12.50

There are the 12 Days Of Christmas Premium Crackers
for £21.67

There's the Partridge In A Pear Tree Round Tin Tray for £8.33

and more to choose from! 

Visit Emma Bridgewater here

By the way, if you're not a member already, you can join the Collectors Club for just £10.00, and enjoy...

• Access to the Member's Only section of Emma Bridgewater's website with exclusive news, behind-the-scenes content and competitions
• Access to exclusive Collector Club pieces plus preview access for other new or limited edition items and to the Member's Only section of the website with exclusive news, behind-the-scenes content and competitions
• Early access to seasonal sales and dedicated Collector Club promotions including Black Friday discounts!
• Invitations to Emma Bridgewater's annual Factory Open Days, product previews and launch events!
  
  

By the way.....
Emma Bridgewater's Black Friday Collector Preview Event is live and running until Wednesday, 19th November 2025!  You can save 30% across a range of mugs, kitchenware, glass, gifts and more!  Collectors, you have to log in to see the 30% savings 30% savings at checkout. And if you're not a collector, why not join today?

Join the club here.

 The 7^th November is National Hug a Bear Day.

The idea is to help us all understand how important hugging is and how it can benefit us all.  This isn’t just about hugging each other – it’s about hugging teddy bears as well!

This day is about giving your lovely teddy bears and the people you love a hug!  Show them you care about them and love them.  We can give our pets a hug or a special cuddle on National Hug a Bear Day.

So it’s a good chance to raise awareness of the joys a bear can bring us and to raise awareness of bear charities helping bears, be they in the wild or captive.  Here’s a list of bear charities – many will have ways you can sort of envelop a wild bear with love and a hug by doing something to help them. 

Why not adopt a bear or become a bear carer with Free the Bears who rescue bears from captivity? These bears are in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.  Some are rescued from bear bile farms and others have been kept as pets.  Free the Bears have bear sanctuaries where they can recover and enjoy life with all the best food, veterinary care and love!   They have a wonderful calendar featuring their rescued bears - perfect for bear lovers in 2026! 

You could send a bear a gift – a pot of honey, for instance.  Bears love honey!  And if you buy the bears the gifts of a Cub Care Kit (£18.00), Enrichment Mix (£8.00), a Pot of Honey (£11.00), a Treat Ball (£61.00) or a Bear Hammock (£51.00) gifts, you can dedicate your gift to a friend or loved one & email them an e-card.  See the gifts you can send bears who've been rescued by charity Free the Bears here

Alternatively, why not send or give someone a teddy bear? 

When my aunt was in hospital, I bought her a tiny teddy bear (so it wouldn’t take up much room) to remind her that we all loved her and wanted to help and support her.  She could look at her bear and know that she wasn’t alone.  The bear represented all of us.

Just look at that face!
Don't you want to hug Hamleys® Bear With Bowtie?  So handsome! 
 Take a look at the teddy bears at Hamleys
and lots of bears - including Paddington, of course!

Or why not just give someone you love a big hug to celebrate National Hug a Bear Day!

Introducing Hamleys Harry Potter Gryffindor Bear
You can see more Harry Potter Bears from Hamleys here

Hugging is a very soothing action, if you like a hug – and some people don’t, so you need to bear that in mind.  The verb “to hug” comes from “hugga”, which is an Old Norse word meaning to soothe.  And it’s related to the German word “hegen” which translates into the verb “to cherish”.  So you can see why National Hug a Bear Day was created to show how good it is to hug and to be hugged.

Hello!  I'm little Brother Bear, so cute and cuddly!
I'm from English Heritage
(they've got other bears and soft toys too, but we won't mention them...)

Hugging someone means putting your arms around them and holding them tight.  But the word “hug” an also refer to something that hugs ground or water e.g. the road hugs the coast – so the road stays close to the coast.   

This is a good chance to think about our loved ones and what they mean to us, and the great thing about hugging is that it’s free!  Happy National Hug a Bear Day!  

Can it really be that Halloween is only a couple of months off?  I cannot believe where this year is going - it is flying by and the nights are starting to draw in...

And Emma Bridgewater has produced a lovely range of goodies all ready to decorate your table with in time for Halloween!   

What's more, there's a sale on at the moment! 

There are Spooky Savings to be had with up to 40% off their Halloween products! 

I love this Halloween Trick or Treat Bucket for £5.83  NOW £4.08!
You could put sweets and chocolates in it to distribute!

There's a Halloween Runners for the table, Wise Witches lunch napkins, a Halloween Tea Towel,  Trays, - plenty to choose from!    

This is the Halloween Toast Favourite Witch 1/2 Pint Mug, 
now £13.00

This is the Wise Witches Black Cats 1/2 Pint Mug
Now £17.33

(There's an offer on at the moment:  buy two half pint mugs and get 20% off, T&Cs apply.)

I love this The Wise Witches Small Side Plate, 6.5 Inch!
for £15.00, now £9.00


How about the Halloween Toast Medium Straight Jug  now £33.33?
Perfect for serving your potions! 

There's a Halloween Toast Large Enamel Cooking Pot now £27.50
Just the thing for a warming casserole on a dark night
for those family get-togethers! 

This is the Halloween Toast Small Tin Tray.  
It's 15.8cm wide, and 24cm long - 
and it would be great for bringing out to add an extra bit of magical tone to Halloween!
Was £5.00, now £3.50

Visit the Halloween range here - there's lots to see.....