Now that the holidays are drawing to a close, take a moment to appreciate this touching poem by Rebekah Knight which you may have seen in circulation on Facebook:

Slow down mummy, there is no need to rush,
Slow down mummy, what is all the fuss?
Slow down mummy, make yourself a cup tea.
Slow down mummy, come and spend some time with me. 

Slow down mummy, let's put our boots on and go out for a walk,
Let's kick at piles of leaves, and smile and laugh and talk.
Slow down mummy, you look ever so tired,
Come sit and snuggle under the duvet and rest with me a while. 

Slow down mummy, those dirty dishes can wait,
Slow down mummy, let's have some fun, let's bake a cake!
Slow down mummy I know you work a lot,
But sometimes mummy, its nice when you just stop. 

Sit with us a minute,
And listen to our day,
Spend a cherished moment,
Because our childhood is not here to stay! 

Sending thank you cards or notes is a wonderful tradition to show appreciation for the gifts or experiences offered by family and friends over the holidays.

Having received some truly thoughtful gifts this year, I wanted to find some beautiful notecards and scoured Pinterest for inspiration and discovered a plethora of delightful printable designs which we can use for free!

Here is a hand-picked selection of my favourite Christmas thank you printables, including designs suitable for both adults and children. If you've not already organised your post-holiday stationary, you're sure to find your something ideal for your needs in this list!

Here is a beautiful poem by Sharon Jaynes which I would like to share with you. It is based on the Bible verses from 1-13 of Corinthians, and was originally posted on A Girl Called Jack.

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator. 

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook. 

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing. 

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on love, I have missed the point. 

Love stops the cooking to hug the child. Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband. Love is kind, though harried and tired. 

Love doesn't envy another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens. 

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way. Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t. 

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. 

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.

Photo credit: Jenny Downing, via Flickr 

It's the most wonderful time of the year... But even the most organised among us need a little extra help from time to time.

To make your festive frivolities run a little more smoothly, here is a selection of clever Christmas tips to get you through the season, from last-minute gift-wrap ideas to fun ways to keep the kids entertained on Christmas eve.

I hope you all enjoy these tips, and wish you all a verry merry start to the holidays!

During the run-up to Christmas, I love nothing more than curling up with a good book in the evenings. There's something magical about cosying up indoors during the winter months to enjoy a fantastic story. Stories before the younger children head off to bed help build up their anticipation for our favourite day of the whole year, while I particularly enjoy my own fix of grown-up literature to arouse my festive spirits.

In this post, I've collected 25 festive and winter-themed books for all ages. Some are our personal favourites, while others have been recommended by fellow book-lovers as titles particularly suited for Christmas.

I hope you enjoy this collection, and find a few new titles to add to you Christmas reading list this year!

"In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer".

A beautiful, inspirational quote by Albert Camus to give you a warm feeling as the cold draws in. Wrap up warm and cosy up with your family - the brightest of holidays is only ten sleeps away!

Photo credit: torremountain, via Flickr.

Some of the most precious gifts are those which are hand-crafted with thought and love. But unfortunately, not all hand-made gifts are made equal. Home-baked cookies and embellished photo frames have become somewhat commonplace in the realm of DIY gifting.

For this post, I set out to collect a huge list of gift ideas which are truly remarkable: those which I would not only feel proud to have made, but would secretly like to keep for myself... Furthermore, if supplies are needed to create these clever DIY projects, the total should not exceed $10 (or about £5) per gift.

Whether you are on a tight budget or simply want to create a more meaningful gesture this Christmas, consider making one of these 65 desirable DIY gifts for friends and family members to enjoy.

A warm welcome to all new Glamumous readers and subscribers! Over the weekend I was awed to discover a huge jump in visitors and followers, due to a surge of interest in my 101 Household Tips post. I'm so happy to know so many people enjoyed this post and wish you all a great big thank you for helping Glamumous reach so many new people!

I'm currently writing new articles (with a slant towards festive themed posts). In the meantime, why not check out some high-quality posts from the archives. Here are a few of my favourites: