1474 Seasons mag winter 2011.indd
Transcription
1474 Seasons mag winter 2011.indd
WINTER 2011 Enjoy the very best of Christmas as you join us for the festive season here at Grosvenor. Time to shop Of course, you can shop online 24 hours a day at www.grosvenorgardencentre.co.uk/onlinestore Monday to Saturday 9am - 6pm* (Café 9am - 5.30pm) Sunday 10am - 4.30pm (10am - 10.30am is browsing time) Please order before Sunday 18th December for delivery in time for Christmas. *Late nights Thursdays and Fridays until 8pm in December up to and including, Friday 23rd. Café closes 30 minutes before Centre. We always love to hear your feedback – it really does help us to enhance our service, so please do email us at info@grosvenorgardencentre.co.uk Time to eat and drink If you would like to receive exclusive, year-round offers, please join our mailing list at Customer Services, email info@grosvenorgardencentre.co.uk or scan the QR code below with your smartphone. Monday to Saturday 9am - 5.30pm Sunday 10am - 4.30pm Time to relax Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. We close at 5pm Monday – Saturday from 27th December until 28th January All you want for Christmas... Wrexham Road, Belgrave, Chester CH4 9EB Telephone: 01244 625200 Email: info@grosvenorgardencentre.co.uk OUR G I T O YO F T U Join in the Grosvenor conversation EARN @GardenCentre Printed on an FSC® Certificated material Consistently one of the best! The only Garden Centre to be awarded ‘Garden Centre of Excellence’ for 11 consecutive years. £££ s TO S P E N D IN JA N ! (See pa ge 3) ANOTHER YEAR HAS FLOWN BY and the winter months are almost upon us once more. This edition of Seasons is full of great gift ideas and those all-important essentials for the perfect Christmas. There are plenty of great offers available all year round (too many to mention here in Seasons), so look for our great value offers every time you visit and you can enjoy big savings and a great day out at the same time! We work hard to offer you inspired ideas and this edition is no exception - from creating spectacular Christmas gifts with Louise’s step-by-step guide to gift wrapping; to treating wild birds by making Elaine’s ‘Birdy Balls’ and planting your real Christmas tree after Twelfth Night. Every year I thank you for your continued support of the Garden Centre and now it is our turn to show our appreciation with many fantastic in-store offers, gift ideas and plenty of news about our recent additions in every department. IAIN WYLIE And it’s never too early to enjoy a glass of mulled wine, so make our recipe on page 9, put your feet up and get into the Christmas spirit with your copy of Seasons. Managing Director Grosvenor MERRY CHRISTMAS! PAG E 2 In this issue... PAGES 4 & 5 Setting the scene for a fantastic Christmas PAGES 6 & 7 Enjoy a festival of real Christmas food PAGES 8 & 9 Celebrate Christmas in our café PAGE 10 It’s great outdoors – winter gardening tips PAGE 11 Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree – real or artificial? The choice is yours! PAGE 12 Blooming lovely – houseplants, plants and our 5 year hardy plant guarantee PAGE 13 Birdy treats for a nourishing winter PAGES 14 & 15 From food to Santa – there’s plenty to do at Grosvenor PAGE 16 Hampers – a great gift for everyone! PAGE 17 Cookware treats for the festive chef PAGES 18 & 19 Great gifts for the whole family PAGE 20 Baby, it’s cold outside – wrap up warm this winter PAGE 21 A ‘how to …’ gift wrap guide to creating a special surprise PAGES 22 & 23 Has Santa been? Toys and magical treats for children PAGE 24 Those all important Christmas essentials – cards, wrap and more! PAGE 25 Read all about it with books for the whole family PAGE 26 Collectable gifts PAGE 27 Win a hamper worth £100! PAGE 28 Make a note of our Christmas opening times Our Gift toYou We know how demanding organising Christmas can be and we really appreciate your loyalty and custom. So as a little thank you for choosing Grosvenor for your Christmas shopping, for every £10 you spend before Christmas in December, we will give you a £1 voucher to spend on pretty much anything in January! They’ll soon mount up – especially as we’re bursting with gorgeous, thoughtful gift ideas for everyone on your list – and you can spend as many vouchers in January as you like! SPEND RECEIVE DEC 1ST – 24TH TO SPEND IN JANUARY £10 = £1 Vouchers issued against spend from 1st-24th December 2011.Vouchers can be redeemed between 2nd-31st January 2012 but you can’t exchange them for cash in full or part and no change will be given.The only exclusions that apply are sale or reduced items, gift vouchers, cut flowers, items from the Café and from concessions. PAGE 3 Setting Scene THE Decorating your home for Christmas gets everyone in the festive spirit! Whether your style is traditional, modern or a bit of everything; whether you’re adding to your existing collection of decorations amassed over the years or fancy starting afresh – we have so many to choose from! Choosing your Christmas tree is the first step. For a memory-inducing scent of Christmases past, you can’t beat a real tree. A roaring fire and a large real tree epitomises the Christmas scene – see page 11 for help choosing yours. We also have a wide range of artificial trees too, see page11 for just one of our great offers! Do you opt for a colourful array of bright coloured baubles, or a muted collection of contemporary colours? Childhood memories are filled with home- and school-made decorations carefully placed on the Christmas tree. So create new memories with our fantastic selection of themed decorations. Try something new this Christmas. To make your life easier, we display our coloured collections in themed areas – so you know whatever you choose from the individual ranges, they will look good together. Choose from the best selling ‘Woodland Wonders’ in rich shades of russets and coppers, traditional reds and greens – or the elegance and opulence of creams and soft golds. Santa’s elves make an appearance in our ‘Nordic Gingerbread’ theme and the silvers, whites and soft greens of our ‘Snowberry’ theme create a fresh feel. Every year bright colours prove highly popular so choose your favourites from our ‘Toy Circus’ collection now! Last year you missed our spectacular range of light-up village scenes so they’re back – bigger and better than ever! Choose from lighted Victorian houses, cottages, post offices, shops, pubs, windmills, markets and more – figurines and accessories will bring your village to life. We always value your feedback and another popular favourite – the candle arch – sold out quickly last year, so this season, you’ll find a much wider selection. Fantastic larger than life baubles will give any tree a lift in a variety of colours to mix and match or pile them into a big glass bowl for instant glam! It’s time decorating TO GET PAG E 4 PAGE 5 If you picked your sloes earlier in October, your own homemade sloe gin will be ready for Christmas and the New Year – but if you prefer to let someone else do the hard work, choose our new Sloemotion range with gift packs including truffles too. Tasty! Our Real Food Festival in July, proved so popular that we are holding a Christmas Festival on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th November from 10am until 4pm. • Pre-order your vegetable boxes including potatoes and seasonal vegetables (collect in the two weeks before Christmas) • Order your turkey from Sally Hawkins, our favourite turkey farmer • Buy your Christmas gifts for foodie friends and family! • Taste before you buy! Our real ales (featured in the spring and summer edition of Seasons) have proved so popular we are now introducing even more full bodied beers from Lymestone Brewery in Staffordshire. Adding to our collections from local brewers including The Coach House Brewing Company, Frodsham Brewery and Spitting Feathers, discover Lymestone Brewery’s hearty beers – they are made using homemade honey from the brewery’s own bees! Don’t miss our Christmas Real Food Festival Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th November Of course you can buy all your Christmas essentials and treats in our food department, every day of the week and this season, we have more than ever before to choose from! We’re delighted to welcome some new faces including… Jamie Ward and his delicious free-range pork and bacon from Oswestry. Start your Christmas Day with the tastiest bacon butty and use Jamie’s bacon for your pigs in blankets too! Happy Beef from Alison Davies located in Crowton, near Northwich (each of Alison’s grass-fed Hereford cows has a name). When your visitors have gone home and you can finally put your feet up, what better way to relax than by enjoying a warming tipple from our new range of whiskeys. This gift selection contains premium, first edition malts dating back to 1994 and comes complete with tasting notes. PAG E 6 Mark Jones, from our Food Department has asked Garry Clark, award-winning Sommelier at The Chester Grosvenor and Spa, to select his favourite wines for us to offer here in our Food department. From his choice of 24 wines now available, Garry’s selection includes: 1. Chapel Down, Flint Dry Kent, England 2. Chateau Baudoc, Bordeaux Rose Bordeaux, France 3. Hush Heath, Balfour Brut Rose Kent, England 4. Le Altanza, Gran Reserva Rioja Rioja, Spain 5. Ridgeview Vineyards, Grosvenor Cuvee Merret Sussex, England 6. Vallet Freres,Auxey Duresses, Burgundy Burgundy, France We can’t get more local than fresh venison from Eaton Estate – a best seller between September and January! We have introduced an exclusive range of pies and pâté made using venison from Eaton Estate by our popular producer of local, frozen meals, Eaton Lane – and they’re both Complete your delicious! But don’t just take with a delicious meal our word for it – try them board from the cheese next time you visit us tastiest cheeses in Che – both will be the perfect shire! addition to any festive feast. PAGE 7 Christmas Worried about keeping the kids entertained and those unexpected guests? Relax. Here are two mouth-watering recipes for you to make in advance and share with family and friends. IN OUR Whether you love spending every spare moment preparing festive dishes or you’re happy to shop for everything you need; we all need a treat, so why not enjoy a delicious, cious, home-cooked Christmas dinner in our Café? afé? Locally-sourced ingredients such as our free-roaming turkeys are lovingly hand-reared by Sally Hawkins. Meet her at our Christmas Real Food Festival on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th November and taste Sally’s turkeys keys at our Open Evening on Wednesday 7th December, 6pm – 9pm. This one is perfect for keeping children busy over the school holidays and, beautifully wrapped, they make brilliant homemade gifts. £15.95 for 2 courses £17 .95 for CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES 3 courses Christmas Menu YOU WILL NEED: • 200g cream cheese, softened. • 350g icing sugar, sifted. • 500g plain chocolate, melted. • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla essence. STARTERS Spiced celeria c and apple so up (v) Chicken and pearl barley broth Game terrin e piccalilli and with pistachio, homemade br ead Fig and Perl Las (b with Eaton Es lue cheese) salad tate honey (v ) METHOD: 1. Beat cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. 2. Gradually beat in icing sugar until well blended. 3. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until the streaks disappear. 4. Refrigerate for 1 hour. 5. Shape into balls, approx. 2.5cms. 6. Decorate with sprinkles from our Food Department. MAINS Norfolk bron ze free with all the tr range turkey immings Eaton Estate grain mustard venison casserole with mash and se asonal vegeta bles Steamed salm on fillet with crushed ne w potato crispy chicken wing, capers es, and lemon Butternut sq ua sh, cheshire and spinach cheese wellington w ith se vegetables an d roast pota asonal toes (v) DESSE RTS Grosvenor pl um pudding with brandy Chocolate an sauce (v) d chestnut tr uffle cake (v) Local cheese board with ho memade crackers and chutney (v) bread, Tea/coffee w ith Grosvenor bakery treats (v) Book your Christmas dinner now in our Café. Available every weekday from: Thursday 1st – Friday 23rd December, 11.30am – 3pm. Either pop in, call 01244 or email: 625220 cafe@grosvenorgardencentre.co.uk to make your reservation. PAG E 8 TO P TIP Be care fu the cho l not to heat co long or late for too cry begin to stals will form. MULLED WINE YOU WILL NEED: • 2 bottles of robust red wine (we’d recommend a ‘jammy’ Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz). • 4 small oranges. • 1 large lemon. • 2 tablespoons honey. • 12 cloves. • 2 sticks of cinnamon. • 150ml ginger wine. • Aniseed, nutmeg and fennel optional. METHOD: 1. Grate the peel from one orange and the lemon into a pan and squeeze the juice from both into a cup. 2. Insert 4 cloves into each of the remaining oranges, add to the pan with the cinnamon sticks (add optional spices now). 3. Pour both bottles of wine into the pan and warm to approx 60°C/140°F, do not boil. 4. Add the cup of juice to the pan once the wine has warmed. 5. Stir slowly, adding ginger wine and honey to taste. 6. Serve and enjoy! PPAGE 9 Outdoors! IT’S GREAT You could be forgiven for thinking that the colder, shorter days mean that your garden can afford to be neglected for a couple of months. Wrong! There is plenty that can be done now to prepare your garden for the beginning of the spring season, including protecting your established plants, trees, shrubs and of course, your Edible Garden. Christmas Our cut, real Christmas trees really do make Christmas – that fantastic, evocative scent as soon as you enter a room creates that unbeatable feeling that Christmas really is just around the corner. As you know, our excellent quality speaks for itself so you have added peace of mind that you are choosing only the best. Wander through our ‘forest’ display where we present the perfect tree for your home – just walking through it will make you realise Christmas is only weeks away. But how do you know which variety will suit you the best? Simply ask one of our horticulturalists – they are waiting to help you make the perfect choice and ensure you have the best tree for a magical Christmas. We even offer free local delivery for your Christmas tree – just ask for details. • Make sure you rake up fallen leaves regularly and add them to the compost heap to make excellent home-grown mulch. • When raking and digging look out for wildlife to avoid disturbing their hibernation hideaways! See page 13 for great habitats for wildlife. Christmas trees are one of the most efficient plants at absorbing carbon dioxide and a container-grown tree will help you conserve the environment even fur ther if you plant it in your garden after Christmas. This is easy to do and won’t take long so simply follow these steps. • Lift pots and containers onto pot feet to avoid breaking frozen pots as they begin to thaw. 1. Prepare early so when you have bought your container-grown tree, keep it in the pot for 2 weeks and make sure it is cool and well watered. • Lift and store tender summer flowering bulbs once they have begun to die down. A handy tip is to label each plant so you know exactly what you’re re-planting in the spring. 2. Straight after Christmas, dig a hole twice the size of the root ball and treat the hole with tree and shrub planting compost. 3. Plant your tree at the same depth as it is in the pot and fill the hole with soil. • Always wear a good pair of gardening gloves to keep your hands protected and toasty while working outdoors. 4. Your tree should begin to thrive within six months. The RHS and Burgon and Ball have joined forces to bring you a high quality collection of tools and gift ideas perfect for gardeners this Christmas. So even on the coldest day you will want to be outdoors in the garden using this new range. PAG E 10 Spruce up your £79 When it’s gone, it’s gone! Why not take advantage of this amazing offer of a 6ft Verona Pine Artificial Christmas Tree – RRP £129, now with a special price of only £79, saving you £50! We also have artificial Christmas trees in plenty of sizes and shapes. Visit our website or scan this code with your smartphone to see the range! OUR G I T O YO F T U EARN £££ s TO S P E N D IN JA N ! (See pa ge 3) PAGE 11 BL MING What better gift to give than a living plant for Christmas? Not only do they purify the air around us, they provide a festive, fragrant touch to any room. lovely Feed the birds As members of the Cheshire Wildlife Trust, we are supportive of its work towards making life better for the birds and wild animals in our region. And with our comprehensive range of bird and wildlife care, we can help you create a haven for the wildlife in your garden – quickly, easily and cost-effectively. ELAINE’S BIRDY BALLS LS OUR TOP TIPS! Which plant to choose? We have a stunning array of houseplants and planted containers. Best of all our hardy plants, trees and shrubs are all backed by our famous 5 year plant guarantee. We can even create exclusive tailor-made containers – either for yourself or someone you know who would really love such a special gift. Ask one of our horticulturalists to prepare it for you – we can even gift wrap it too! Buy from Grosvenor – all hardy plants, trees and shrubs are backed by our 5 year hardy plant guarantee! Make sure you have plenty of fleece handy – colder weather isn’t too far away! Move winter pots nearer to walls and fences for added cover from the harsher elements. Deadhead cyclamen, pansies and violas for continued flowering throughout the winter. Winters can be very dry with little rain – so remember to water your baskets and containers during dry spells (unless Jack Frost pays a visit!). ONLY THE BEST... We only source optimum plants from the very best suppliers and we support the finest growers in our area. They know what it takes to make us – and our customers – happy. A family run nursery located less than 25 miles away, has been supplying us with cyclamen and poinsettias of exceptional quality for more than 20 years. And this gives us peace of mind that we are providing you with the very best choice and value. Buy a 13cm Poinsettia and you can buy a pot cover for only £1! PAGE 12 Attracting different species of birds to your garden is easy with feed blends to bring a multitude of wild bird species to your garden so that they thrive over the winter months. Choose sunflower and hedgerow seed blends to encourage species including blue tits and bullfinches, chaffinches, robins and nuthatches, woodpeckers and even bramblings and siskins. With a wide choice of bird tables and boxes, feeders and feeding station kits to choose from here at Grosvenor, the birds will be frequent visitors to your garden. We even have habitats for frogs, hedgehogs and toads too! Read Elaine’s tips to make your own birdy balls – you can use up your kitchen waste and create tasty morsels for the birds at the same time! INGREDIENTS: • 3 packets lard. • 1 stale loaf (blitzed in food processor to form breadcrumbs). • 2 handfuls bird seed. METHOD: • Melt the lard. • Add all ingredients, stir and leave until mixture begins to set. • When cold, mix into balls, place on a tray and freeze until needed. TO P T IP your ers to Add leftovFor a deluxe . lls ba y rd ies, bi d cranberr version, ad anuts, worms pe crushed t is endless! …the lis OUR G I T O YO F T U EARN £££ s TO S P E N D IN JA N ! (See pa ge 3) PAGE 13 There’s so much to see and do at Grosvenor this Christmas including visits from Santa and his reindeer! Call in, telephone or visit our website for full details and to book forthcoming Grosvenor events. Or use your smartphone to scan this code to find out more. Events are subject to change, please check our website for up-to-date information www.grosvenorgardencentre.co.uk/whats_on.html Grosvenor Real Food Festival Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th November, 10am-4pm Just forYou –Your Open Evening Wednesday 16th November, 6pm-9pm Discover special offers and Christmas inspiration. Shop to the dulcet tones of ‘Mountain Harmony’, enjoy a glass of wine, canapés, hand massages from the Chester Grosvenor and Spa therapists, festive food and tree dressing demonstrations. Santa’s Reindeer 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 17th & 18th December, 11am-3pm See Santa’s reindeer, join in a cartoon drawing workshop* and there’s festive music musicyou plus pluscan you track candown track down a golden a golden reindeer reindeer to win a chocolate to win a chocolate treat! treat! *excl.18th December Christmas Open Evening Wednesday 7th December, 6pm-9pm Shop ‘til you drop and warm up with mulled wine and mince pies. Christmas demonstrations will inspire and be pampered with hand massages from the Chester Grosvenor and Spa therapists and taste the best turkey in town! PAGE 14 Charity Christmas raffle Raffle tickets are just £1 each and will be on sale throughout December at the Welcome Desk. Win Grosvenor vouchers, luxury chocolates, Wax Lyrical gift sets, crackers, food hampers and more… so get yours now! Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a visit to see Santa, and our Santa events cater for children of all ages!!! Friday 11th November & 9th December, 10am-2pm Discover the best tasting local produce available – venison from the Eaton Estate, Mrs Bourne’s cheeses, seasonal vegetables, home baked cakes, hand made bread, tractor wheel pies, pasties, chutneys, pickles and more! Our Gift toYou Thursday 1st – Saturday 24th December OUR G IF T O YO T U EA RN £££ s TO SP EN D IN JA N ! (See pa ge 3) For every £10 spent in store between 1st – 24th December you will receive a £1 voucher in store to redeem in January. See vouchers or in-store for terms and conditions. Christmas Garden Workshops Tuesday 13th December, 1pm-4pm £15 including make and take-away Christmas Wreath/tea/coffee/mince pie. Jenny and Elaine show how to use natural products from the garden to decorate your home. Bring your own scissors, secateurs and garden foliage. Magical Christmas Weekend Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th December, 11am-3pm Visit Santa’s reindeer, enjoy magic, juggling and balloon modelling, festive music, face painting and hunt down a golden reindeer for a chocolatey treat! Don’t forget to book to see Santa too! Registered charity number 1004058 Santa Claus is coming to... Grosvenor! Farmers’ Markets The very best of local, seasonal foods for for you you to taste to taste andand buy!buy! Stock Stock up for up Christmas for Christmas and get started and get on started your giftonlist.your gift list. You can order your turkey or Boxing Day beef too! ALL PROCEEDS IN AID OF Santa’s arrival Sat 26th & Sun 27th November, 11am The sound of sleigh bells can mean only one thing – Santa is on his way! See him arrive on his sleigh pulled by reindeer in our Santa parade complete with stilt walking and brass band. Santa and his reindeer will be here all day for you to say hello! Story time with Santa Sat 3rd – Sat 24th December £7.95 per child (free entrance for 2 accompanying adults). Book in advance to avoid disappointment. Join Santa as he reads The Jolly Christmas Postman, find out about the postman’s adventures as he goes on a very special journey. Enjoy a Christmas cookie and juice while you listen to the story. With plenty of time for photos and to tell Santa what’s on your wish list, you’ll also receive a very special collectable Raymond Briggs, The Snowman Mug, made by Portmeirion, is perfect for leaving Santa a mug of milk on Christmas Eve too! Breakfast with Santa December 17th, 18th & Christmas Eve, 8.30am £8.95 per person, booking is essential; maximum of 8 per table. Start with a bowl of cereal and then choose from scrambled egg on toast or toast with jam and butter or a sausage or bacon sandwich and freshly squeezed orange juice or unlimited tea and coffee – Santa’s helpers will take your order then show you to your table where you can make your own Christmas name sticker while your breakfast is prepared. While you enjoy your breakfast Santa will visit you for photographs and to deliver special gifts of a Jellycat Beanie toy and collectable Raymond Briggs,The Snowman Mug, made by Portmeirion. Doors open 8.15am; Santa will arrive shortly after 8.30am. Letter to Santa Post your Christmas list to Santa and come back in a week’s time to find Santa’s reply hanging on our letter tree! Last post Wednesday 21st December. Book online NOW! www.grosvenorgardencentre.co.uk/ onlinestore – or just scan the code opposite with your smartphone and fill in the booking form, it’s that easy! PAGE 15 hosts Hampers, most... FOR for everyone WITH THE A GREAT GIFT The interest in home baking is on the increase so crack an egg or two with us as we expand our range of baking necessities! Can’t boil an egg? BeepEgg will time your egg for you for eggcellent results every time! Softly boiled? No problem – BeepEgg will play ‘Killing Me Softly’ as soon as your egg is ready; “I wish I was a Hen” for medium and “Carmina Burana” for a hard boiled egg! Healthy for you and the environment – the Green Pan range of ceramic non-stick coated cookware uses new technology for a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions, is fully recyclable and comes with a lifetime guarantee! The kitchen is the heart of every home and never more so than at Christmas when the delicious smells of festive cooking fill the air. Our cookshop offers everything you need for the kitchen and dining room all year round so visit us soon for our latest festive additions. Hampers are a popular gift idea all year round but this Christmas we have excelled ourselves with a fantastic new collection of ready made hampers for you to simply pick up and buy. From traditional baskets to a more contemporary feel, the coloured boxes are versatile for any use once the delicious foods inside have all been enjoyed. Our Christmas Essentials hamper is brimming with mince pies, Christmas pudding, brandy butter, festive tea, stuffings, bread sauce, cranberry and poultry gravy. So you can relax and know you have those all important Christmas essentials covered – in one hamper! PAG E 16 With so much choice, you’ll discover there is a perfect hamper for everyone. Don’t forget that we can create a bespoke hamper using any item from around the store too. So if you have an idea of what you want, please just let us know and we will do the rest! We are happy to help! Enjoy 10% off any hamper ordered before 30th November with a collection date to be arranged or we can deliver it for you – usual delivery charges apply. Visit our website or why not use your smartphone to scan this code to view all our hampers in more detail. For all those parties you have lined up this Christmas (and a great gift idea for your host!) have a look at our new range of bar accessories. Buy any item from the range and receive a free set of 6 shot glasses (RRP £8). Choose from cocktail shakers, water jugs, wine coolers or ice buckets. New for autumn – a welcome addition to our ever popular Maxwell and Williams collections. The ‘Motion’ range is a contemporary styled dinner service in plain white with sleek lines and complementary items including cake stands, sauce dishes, teapots and coffee pots. FREE glasses RRP £8 Buy any item from the barware range and receive this set of 6 shot glasses FREE until 24th December 2011 / 1 2 PRICE RRP from £25-£40 Choose from any of our Vertigo Glassware collection and enjoy 50% off! SAVE £10 Maxwell and Williams turkey platter RRP £30, now only £20. But hurry, only while stocks last! PAGE 17 Gifts for the whole family Exchanging gifts, decorating ecorating trees and burning yule ule logs are all winter-time traditions ons that have become interwoven with the holiday and history of Christmas. hol mas. And we love them all! Choosing a gift for someone can speak volumes and show them just how much you care, so over the coming pages we have chosen our favourites to give you just st a taster of the many gift ideas we have here at Grosvenor. Men are ‘always difficult’ to buy for – or are they?? Y Your ffavourite and it iindoor d d outdoor games company, Jaques, has excelled itself with a great range of indoor games for the winter months. From air hockey to backgammon, bagatelle to chess and even football tables too, Jaques use only the highest quality woods and materials so your gift will be treasured for many years to come. AND FOR THE GOLFER IN THE FAMILY... Turn your home into a 3-hole golf course or simply practise your putting skills with this box set. PAG E 18 The funky new Nano Blocks will keep your man (and the rest of the family) entertained for hours. If you loved Lego as a child, you will love these. Tiny blocks that slot together to build a range of sculptures, the Nano Blocks are available in two sizes and include tiny animals and the Wonders of the World. These ‘cake’ soaps look so yummy that we just want to dive in – and they smell delicious too! Can you spot them on the cake table in our Café? And of course, we see the return of our popular ‘whole cakes and muffins’ which are actually made from hand towels, flannels and fruit decorations! Who could resist? H How can we forget our furry friends? The fabulous ‘‘fi fish’ bowl for cats and ‘bone’ bowl for dogs d are already flying off the shelves here so treat your pet to a new bowl this Christmas and tr create a stir in the kitchen! cr The range of gifts in a tin is a great hobby idea with something for everyone including card making, flower pressing, traditional games, a garden discovery set and even a train set – everything you need in the tin! Our candle department is a popular attraction all year round but a candlelit room at Christmas time is truly magical. Spicy candles and holders will awaken the senses and provide a beautiful scent throughout your home with evocative fragrances including patchouli and juniper. A spa experience in your own home is a must during the festive season. Our toiletries are natural and calming (perfect during the Christmas rush!), so add your favourite to your Christmas list, or why not treat yourself? Don’t forget you could also choose a selection from our different ranges and ask a member of our team to create a hamper of treats for you. Read on for even more great gift ideas at Grosvenor! OUR G I T O YO F T U EARN £££ s TO S P E N D IN JA N ! (See pa ge 3) PAGE 19 Wrapped Up! WE’VE GOT IT ALL As temperatures cool, we all hope our winter is mild, but here at Grosvenor we are prepared for arctic conditions yet again! We have plenty of cosy scarves, hats and gloves to keep everyone warm this Christmas and a delightful new range of children’s accessories and hoodies too. Y You’ve ticked off everyone on your list and are ready to enjoy Christmas when you remember you’ve not wrapped a single thing! C Relax… we can help. Louise’s step-by-step guide will R eensure you present each gift with a flourish – and she uses scraps of o paper too so nothing is wasted – a great eco-saving idea! What woman doesn’t love a new handbag at Christmas? Our great new range of hemp bags made from sustainable, eco-friendly materials will ensure you have great style this winter without harming the earth! The Pyramid Braintree’s vibrant stripy socks are made from breathable, supersoft bamboo and will cheer up any winter outfit. 1. Cold Outside! IP TO P Tn is easier ribbo akes Wired with and m ing k er r to wo bow; try lay bon. a 3D han one rib t more Our Heat Holders always sell well this time of year O so be sure to pick up a couple of pairs to keep your yo feet toasty. PAG E 20 PAGE OUR G I T O YO F T U EARN s TO S P E N D IN JA N ! (See pa ge 3) 1. 2. 5. 4. TO Experim P T I P ent with differen sizes and pap of templates, t ers – th is endle e choice ss. Making a Basic Bow Unisex snow boots are perfect for even the harshest conditions and will keep even the coldest toes in the family warm and protected – available in all sizes and for all ages. £££ 3. 1. Draw template onto piece of card as shown and cut out. 2. Score each line and cover with wrapping paper. 3. Punch a hole centrally in each point. 4. Thread with ribbon and fold into a pyramid shape. 5. Decorate with baubles, cones and/or tinsel. BABY IT’S A nnew dress scarf makes a fantastic gift idea and also adds elegance to an outfit. Accentuate with stunning out hand-made jewellery from our han newly-expanded collection and you’ll new be the envy of any Christmas party! 2. 3. 4. 1. Make a loop with a ribbon and where the ends cross, keep hold. 2. Bring the cross and the back of the loop together ; pinch and secure with wire. 3. Cover wire with shor t length of ribbon. 4. And finally, don’t discard old ribbon remnants – these can be made into loops and clustered together with pine cones and cinnamon sticks. See our website for more of Louise’s guides to gift wrapping – including The Pom Pom and How to Wrap Awkward Shapes. Don’t forget we can gift wrap your purchases for you here at the Garden Centre too – just leave them with us and we will do the rest! For only £1.50 per item, our gift wrapping service will save you time and you can enjoy a lovely cappuccino and relax in our Café while you wait! PAGE 21 Santabeen?! ...has The magic of Christmas is never more complete than when the younger members of the family realise Santa has paid them a visit! Of course they’ve been good – so let’s hope Santa treats them to some of our favourites this Christmas! Fantastic dress-up kits will instantly transform little ones into Fairies and Pirates so let those imaginations run wild ! Sing-a-ma-jigs were the best selling toy in the USA last Christmas and received the Toy of the Year Award! Each of these soft toys will sing to its heart’s content and bring a huge smile to any face this Christmas so why not collect them all? For the inquisitive mind, there are science and space toys to keep them occupied and budding magicians can enjoy playing tricks on the whole family with these retro magic tricks and games. And don’t forget those allimpor tant stocking fillers for Santa’s sack – we’re sure he’d be thrilled with our great range including Glow in the Dark stars to create a bedroom ceiling universe any child will be proud of. Discover Mystery Mazes, vintage puzzles, Anamalz and funky Snifty pens with delicious scents of berry, choc chip, doughnut and raspberry to waken up any pencil case! We also have a brilliant range of eco-toys and puzzles. PAG E 22 OUR G I T O YO F T U EARN £££ s TO S P E N D IN JA N ! (See pag e 3) PAGE 23 Festive ESSENTIALS Read ALL ABOUT You have now read all about our fantastic gift ideas for all the family plus festive fayre, toys and even tips to keep your winter garden looking good throughout the colder months. But we must not forget those all important Christmas essentials – cards, for example. You want your Christmas card to stand out from the crowd and let’s face it, we all receive so many, how do we ensure ours is distinctive at the same time as letting your friends and family know how much you care? it For the bookworm, our extensive department of great reads is bursting with bestsellers – each one a great gift idea for that someone special. Food lovers will appreciate the great selection of new and exciting recipes from well-known chefs including Gordon Ramsay’s ‘Cooking for Friends’ and Jamie Oliver’s ‘Great Britain’. And the popular Usborne book range sees a new collection of cookery books for children - a great way to keep them busy over Christmas! If they are too young for helping in the kitchen, they will still appreciate a Christmas book – which you will probably still be reading to them in August! With new ranges this festive season, we have some great designs to choose from. This collection of twinkling, light up cards will stand out on any mantelpiece – each with a wintery design. And these pull-out cards complete the picture with honeycomb snowballs, snowmen and snowflakes too! With so many Christmas card collections – many on ‘buy one get one free’ or ‘3 for 2’ offers - you really need to visit us to choose your own selection. PAG E 24 Take a look at our fantastic money-saving gift wrap offers with patterns for children and adults alike. We have 4 rolls for £5 or Tom Smith 4m luxury rolls – 2 for £5! We even have sellotape! We also have a wide selection of Christmas crackers to amuse and entertain on Christmas Day with luxury, minis and kids’ crackers too! With the resurgence of interest in the magician’s world, a book of magic tricks will be perfect for young wizards, and a book light will be a useful addition to any book lover’s gift – especially as there are many colours to choose from. Our household planner has plenty of space for appointments for all the family. £2 will be donated to ‘Help for Heroes’ from every purchase. DON FORG ’T ET LAST P FOR 2N OSTING DAT E D CLA SS C AR DS 17 th Dec 20 thDec AND 1 ST CLA SS IS PAGE 25 Adorable,loveable, Collectable We all like to have a prized collection of something whether it’s stamps, books, dolls, handbags, you name it! Here at Grosvenor you’ll discover a varied selection of collectables – whether you’re just starting out, or adding to an already growing collection – there’s something for everyone and they make brilliant gifts! Matryoshka was the original name for wooden nesting dolls and each of our dolls has been handmade, hand-painted and comes complete with its own ‘family’ of different sized dolls. If you are an avid collector of popular, hand carved Willow Tree figurines, you will find our extensive selection hits the mark. Each piece evokes that lovely, warm feeling when you know someone has spent time choosing the perfect gift – just for you. With simple designs appealing to all ages, we have a diverse choice so there really is a special Willow Tree figure to suit everyone. Enter our fantastic competition to win one of our exclusive hampers brimming with £100 worth of goodies perfect for Christmas! Simply answer the following question and hand this coupon in to the Welcome Desk. Our Gift _ _ _ _ _ Our Charlie Bear collection proves more and more popular each time we introduce a new bear and these new additions are made from the highest quality, softest mohair. Meet them on your next visit to us – you won’t be disappointed. PAG E 26 worth £100! If you have read your Seasons magazine closely, the answer will be easy! What is the name of our December giveaway in which for every £10 you spend in December, you will receive a £1 voucher to spend in January? Genuine Russian dolls are more popular than ever and our Matryoshka nesting dolls are truly beautiful. As a result of the popularity of our Charlie Bear collection, we have also now introduced a handpicked selection from the world-famous Steiff bear collection too. Renowned for its excellence, and that all-important tiny button in each bear’s ear, the Steiff company has been making bears and stuffed animals for more than 130 years! If you have not already met a Steiff bear, take your pick and become a collector today. WIN A HAMPER Name Address Postcode Telephone Email Please tick this box if you wish to be added to our mailing list to receive exclusive offers all year round. All entries to arrive no later than Friday 9th December 2011. The winner will be picked out of a hat on this date and notified immediately by telephone. There are so many other beautiful ranges to collect too – Portmeirion crockery, hand-painted Schleich animal figures, Spaceform glass gifts… the list goes on – so come in and take a look! DO YOUR BIT… Pick up one of our Bags for Life on your next visit to Grosvenor – this strong, stylish bag is perfect for transporting your goods and is reusable time and time again! £3 PAGE 27