For many of us, becoming a godparent is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and it is a great honor to be trusted with such an important role. Apart from taking care of the baby and being a helper for their parents at all times, being a godparent also means gifting your godchild memorable presents, especially on their Christening day. If it is your first time in this position and you don’t know anything about what would make a useful and appropriate gift for such an event, you are sure to find something to your liking in this article.

Silver

Since the Victorian era, it has been common for godparents to present silver things, like coins, christening cups, or rosary jewelry, to the freshly christened baby. Back then, giving such a gift was an investment that insured the child would always have some money to their name, despite any hardships. Silver keepsakes are still given as Christening presents in many cultures today, and since it is so much more affordable than other precious metals, they make the ideal present for a godchild. Traditional gifts like a rosary chain or an engraved silver spoon are wonderful options that will be cherished for a very long time, while modern gift suggestions include silver picture frames, piggy banks, and even bubble blowers.

Aran blanket

Blankets make another traditional present for your godchild and the Irish blankets are definitely the best ones you can find on the market. What makes them stand apart from all the other throws is the super soft and cozy Merino wool that they are made of that provides great temperature insulation, is breathable, and will cause the baby to neither overheat nor freeze. You can find Aran blankets made of luxurious merino wool, as well as many other Irish Christening gifts on https://www.shamrockgift.com/ireland-gifts/irish-christening-gifts. Moreover, such a present will not only keep the baby warm but is also a meaningful way of giving the godchild a blessing. Aran blankets feature traditional knit patterns like the basket, rope, or diamond stitches that symbolize a wish for good fortune and wealth.

Growth chart

One thing about newborns that completely astounds me is how quickly they grow up. It seems like yesterday you helped your pregnant friend set up the crib, and now the baby is smiling widely and staring at you with silly faces. A growth chart is a Christening present that will help the parent keep track of the baby’s growth and height as they get bigger. The best part about it is that it is customizable, for example, you can personalize it with the baby’s name, date of birth, their first photo, and even a cute message or a blessing.  Such a meaningful present will also symbolize the baby’s life journey and as well as the fact that you as a godparent will always be there for them.

Winter is almost here and for many of us, it is the least fashionable season of them all. It is really hard to dress up in cute outfits when the only thing that you’re thinking about is how to survive the inhumane cold weather and winds. You’ve probably already browsed hundreds of blogs and #winteroutfit to find inspiration, but it seems like all these people live in some sort of utopian world where they can wear mini-skirts with bare legs or thin sweaters with a leather jackets in the middle of December. If you want to spice up your wardrobe without compromising your comfort and warmth, we’ve selected three cute and fancy outfits that you can wear this winter.

Outfit 1: Early winter chic

Winter is generally known as the season of woolen sweaters, oversized hoodies, and puffer jackets and although all these things are perfect for the cold weather, sometimes it is difficult to feel elegant and feminine when you’re looking like a giant dumpling walking down the street. This is why we should take advantage of the warmer early December and late February days and dress as cute and fancy as we can. Start your outfit by wearing a cotton button-up shirt and pairing it with a colorful sweater vest to create a preppy look. For the bottoms, you can wear a pair of jeans if you want to keep it simple or you could get yourself some fleece-lined tights that are all over Instagram and combine them with a mini skirt for an outfit that will be both warm and put together. Some golden bracelets and a long necklace will make the perfect accessories, while a pair of knee-length leather boots will gracefully complete the outfit.

Outfit 2: Cozy knitwear

Knitwear is undeniably an absolute must in anyone’s winter wardrobe for both practical and aesthetic reasons. We obviously can’t ignore sweaters, as they are often the go-to choice for an easy and warm winter outfit, but other more original pieces such as cardigans should also be taken into consideration. An Irish cardigan made entirely of wool, for example, the ones on Keilys, can make a nice addition to your already existing favorite outfit as well as a centerpiece of another attire that you put together. For the coldest winter days, start by wearing some thermal base layer leggings and a long sleeve top underneath a fit turtleneck sweater. Pair it with some black trousers and the Irish cardigan to ensure a cozy outfit that will protect you from any harsh winds. You can dress it up with some massive accessories and a classic black leather belt or you can simply throw a coat over it and call it a day.

Outfit 3: Colorful Christmas Eve

Christmas is the most important as well as the most beloved winter holiday and it is also a wonderful occasion to dress up in clothes that you normally wouldn’t wear. Our advice is to go as colorful as possible and play around with different accessories and shoes. A knit red dress is already a classic for Christmas Eve, but we suggest getting one made of finer, more luxurious fibers, for example, silk. Pair it with some black heels and an elegant clutch bag and you have a colorful and comfortable outfit for the night. Emerald green is another popular color for this holiday season and an off-shoulder satin dress will surely make you the highlight of the night. However, if you’re not a big fan of dresses and would like to wear something more casual or if this year you’re celebrating Christmas somewhere where it would be impractical to dress up, a brightly colored sweater paired with some jeans or trousers make a perfectly good holiday look.

Children are generally very energetic and enthusiastic. As a parent, you may not always be able to keep up with them. Their excitement and their constant need to explore are most of the time wholesome and impish, but sometimes their playfulness can get them in trouble if it’s not dealt with productively. It is important to let your kids make the best of their energy and curiosity by engaging in educational and stimulating activities. That’s the best way to make sure that your children will grow up healthy, smart, and happy.

Sports

Any form of physical exercise brings a lot of health benefits. If exercise is incorporated in your child’s daily routine, you’ll notice great improvements in his or her physical health, but also in mental and emotional wellbeing. Studies show that exercise can help children deal with behavioral disorders and can build up their cognitive skills, self-confidence, and self-esteem. Sports are a great option for children because they learn very fast. Any kind of sport is beneficial, whether it’s a competitive sport, individual sport, martial arts, or whatever else your child manifests an interest in. All of these can keep your child excited, engaged, and disciplined.

Dancing

If we’re talking about physical exercise, we should not forget about dancing. It brings pretty much the same health benefits as sports. But not only that, dancing is a great way to let children explore their creativity and help boost it. Movement and rhythm come naturally to kids, so dancing allows them to get their energy out in a fun and exciting way. For some, it’s a culturally significant activity. In Ireland, for example, learning Irish dancing is a regular extracurricular activity in many schools. Irish kids put on their Irish dance shoes like the ones from  https://corrsirishshoes.com/  and learn to memorize and execute those unique steps that the Irish dance is so well known for. Basically, they learn to practice and perseverance while also keeping in touch with their cultural heritage. It seems like a great example to follow for Irish and non-Irish alike!

Board games

Playing board games is a mentally stimulating activity, so it’s a great idea to teach your kid to play at least one kind of board game. Chess, puzzles, roll and move games, secret identity games, cooperative games, numerical board games can help your children develop some very important cognitive skills: critical thinking, problem-solving ability, improved memory capacity, language skills, improved focus, and so much more.

Reading

Although it might sound like a cliche, reading can definitely help your child develop cognitively. Reading is the best exercise for a child’s brain because it builds up vocabulary and language skills, develops a child’s imagination, and improves concentration. Besides, stories usually teach morals and life skills, so reading is a great way to give kids a better understanding of the world around them.

Different kinds of hobbies

There are so many different types of activities that your child can engage in. You should always listen to your child and see what he or she manifests an interest in. Childhood is a very malleable period and you should encourage kids to explore their interests and find what they are passionate about, then encourage them to pursue it. After all, developing a hobby, whatever it may be, is pretty much a guarantee that your kid will grow up disciplined, strong-minded, and happy.

Garages are a great place for storing things that you want to keep but don’t need immediate access to. When it comes to shelving, you generally have three main options: free-standing units, units that you can attach to the wall, and units that hang from the ceiling.

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The amount of weight that shelves can hold depends on what sort they are. They can hold anything between 45 kg (wall-mounted) and 450 kg (free-standing) per shelf.

Free-Standing Shelving Units

Although these are very basic and require little to no assembly, they can hold the most weight. They are also inexpensive, and you can get units with wheels (to make them easy to transport).

There are, however, a few downsides to these. They can get in the way, they use up valuable floor space, the area underneath can be hard to clean, and if the legs are uneven/the floor is not level then they have a tendency to wobble.

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Wall-Mounted Shelves

There are plenty of good-quality wall shelf systems available that are capable of holding reasonable amounts of stuff. These include heavy-duty garage shelving such as the Rhino Shelf system.

There are a few basic drawbacks: wire shelves allow things to fall through the gaps, and they don’t tend to be very deep (usually a maximum of 18 inches).

The main advantage is that they do not take up floor-space, meaning you can in theory put them on the walls all around the garage and still have your car/bikes/boats in there too.

If you would like to know more about the various shelving solutions for your garage, why not take a look at the website of an expert in heavy duty garage shelving such as https://www.garage-shelving.co.uk/shelving/heavy-duty-shelving/ today?

If yours is a commercial garage environment, it is worth checking the HSE guidelines on storage.

Ceiling Storage

This is a great way to reclaim your garage space and utilise the ceiling in a unique way.

The downsides are that they can be tricky to assemble (often needing two people), require advance planning, and they hold less weight (under 70 kg per joist).

What to Consider When Deciding on Garage Shelves

– What items do you want to store?
– How easily do you need to be able to access them?
– Can you utilise wall/ceiling space and keep floors free?

We all like to indulge in our passions from time to time. From love for all things horticultural to a penchant for the drums, the chances are that we all have a special something we use to escape the rat race; however, our passions and hobbies are rarely cheap.

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The average art student in the UK spends hundreds of pounds annually on subsidized materials, while hobbyists may spend even more. Art remains one of the worst-paid jobs in the UK and across Europe, however, with just £10,000 as an average annual wage.

You may want to show your artistic friend you care with a thoughtful gift, but what items should you choose to help them stretch their artistic muscles?

Art equipment

If you have ever visited a friend’s studio, you will have seen just how all-encompassing art can be. It is not uncommon to find a pal buried under mountains of pens, paint, and cardstock. This equipment is essential, with a creative mind probably saying that it is necessary to add even more.

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Storage can become a huge problem. Purchasing an item such as a canvas brush roll to keep your friend’s paint brushes pristine would be a huge help, or how about an antique plan chest for your artistic chum to squirrel away their paper? Your friend can free up space in their room to relax in and be creative. Artists often use their surroundings as inspiration to draw and there is nothing like the outdoors. Looking through a window in a conservatory or through your garden doors and drawing nature would be an artists dream come true. To make this a possible option can be found at a Double Glazing in Cheltenham company.  Notebooks are also a good item for budding artists to carry to improve their shading techniques. Some like to rest their notebook on inexpensive lap trays so that they can draw in comfort.

The techy gift

More and more artists are embracing the technical side of art. With a laptop and some software, you can recreate the effects of many art mediums. The benefits are obvious. With less equipment comes more space to work. You also only have to maintain one item rather than replenish materials as they run out.

An artist can refine their drawing techniques by using add-on equipment, making this an excellent gift. A drawing tablet and stylus simplifies fine detail work – due to their similarity to a pencil and paper, the artist can control their pencil or brush pressure, pressing harder for a darker effect and relaxing the hand for a lighter stroke. This is the perfect digital artist’s companion.

There is something universally elegant about a maxi dress. Depending on the style you choose, it is something that really can suit every occasion.

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It’s easy and practical

A maxi gives you space to move without the tight waistband of your favorite jeans. They’re also really easy if you need to use a public bathroom while you’re out and about – you’ll be in and out in no time!

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It’s flattering

Above all, they’re really flattering! There are people who think they’re too short or too tall, too thin or too fat, but everyone can look good in a maxi dress – you just need to find the right style and fabric for your body type.

If you like bold colours, the AX Paris red maxi dress was designed with you in mind!

There are no seasonal restrictions

They’re ideal for all seasons – cool in the summer and warm in the winter – especially if you wear leggings or tights underneath. If you prefer to have bare legs, no one will know either way.

It’s versatile

They really are a wear-anywhere garment. Dress up a neutral-colored dress with some bold accessories, or choose something a little more subdued if your dress has more to say on its own. On the other hand, you can dress down your maxi dress with a pair of lace-up canvas shoes. Wear it to the supermarket or a wedding!

Hurry up!

We’re all busy people, so having a “grab and go” wardrobe staple is a definite asset. When you can’t decide what to wear, you’ll know there is something you can instantly pull over your head to look amazing and ready for anything.

There’s something for everyone

Whatever your size or shape, there is something for you as long as you know how to accentuate your good points and play down the bits you’re not so keen on. Choose a fitted waist to draw attention to that area, which can be an asset whatever your size. If you are conscious about a big bust, avoid a strapless dress. Wide straps can always hide bra straps.

For more reasons to love a gorgeous red maxi dress and other summer dresses, see https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/fashion/what-to-wear/news/g30493/summer-dresses/.

Your dress can be a wonderful way to express your personality, and that might change with your mood, too.