To most people dolls houses are designed for the amusement of children or collectors, and serve no real purpose other than to keep one occupied; or, in the case of children, out of mischief. However, just a little research into the history of the dolls house reveals a far more interesting background than one might imagine. Spanning across thousands of years, the humble dolls house…
Just think — festive decorations, the smell of mince pies baking in the oven, and a Christmas tree surrounded by Christmas toys and gifts of all shapes and sizes. It’s a classic image; but when you have children to buy for it can sometimes seem as though Christmas Eve will never come, and you will be forever walking round the shops trying to find those…
For children whose birthday falls on, or near Christmas, choosing new children’s toys as birthday gifts can be easier than it sounds. All the cool new toys will be in the shops in time for Christmas kids to choose their ideal birthday toys at the same time. This gives you, as the gift sender, the best possible choice. Before you hit the shops looking for…
They say it is not what happens to you in life that matters, but how you react to it. Were you prepared? Did you see it coming? If not, how have you adapted to it? These are the burdening questions faced by many of us coming to terms with the various toils of adulthood. Almost all of us are willing to admit that at one…
There are few better feelings than escaping the worries and frustrations of modern living by going on holiday — if only for a few days — to some island paradise where the normal rules just don’t apply. For many of us, true freedom to enjoy a well earned break can only be achieved when all loose ends back home have been tied up — preferably,…
As if the trauma of losing a loved one isn’t massive enough, subsequently finding out that the deceased was not insured against unexpected death and therefore made no financial provision for their family or dependants makes the situation far worse. The primary concern of any life insurance is the consideration of those left behind following the death of an insured person. Certainly, anyone who owns…
A home is generally the largest financial investment most people will ever make. Buying a house or flat is a costly process but one that can, and usually does, pay off in the future. Whether the benefits are financial such as when it comes to selling it on and gaining equity, or practical by simply ensuring a family home for years to come, they will…
The old adage that a dog is a man’s best friend remains true in modern times as pets of all kinds are now being treated more as one of the family. One of the easiest ways to include a pet in a home is to give it the same sorts of treats as the human members of the household. Celebrating a dog’s birthday, for instance,…
Research has shown that children who begin reading from an early age develop more of an appetite for books and tend to perform better at school. Whilst some kids seem to be natural bookworms, others sometimes need a bit of a prod before sitting down to read, and with such a wide range of titles now available there is something that should interest any prospective…
Life is going well and you’re ticking all the important boxes on your ‘to do’ list — you’ve moved out, you’ve got a partner and now you’ve had your first baby together. Your friends and family have all visited and ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’ at your precious bundle of joy, but as they leave you realise that some of them live so far away that they…