Birthdays and Christmases all at once!

You know that saying, “It’s like all your birthdays and Christmases have all come at once” when something really exciting happens and you are as happy as it is possible to be?

Well, it isn’t just a saying, because not only did I have my birthday recently, a rather significant one at that, but we are also celebrating Christmas in July this weekend at Q, so you see, your birthday and Christmas really can come at once!

My 50th birthday

I recently celebrated my birthday, but not just any birthday, it was my 50th. Now, just to put it in context, I have never had a birthday party, ever, or a birthday cake with my name on it. I mean, over the years I have had birthday drinks and birthday weekends away and things like that but I had never had an actual proper birthday party, not even as a child. Nor had I ever been presented with a cake with my name on it covered in candles. The reason we hadn’t had them as children was because we were four siblings and three of us had our birthdays within four days of each other. As well as that, our eldest brother’s birthday was just a week later. So as children, mum would have one birthday tea for all four of us on one of our birthdays. Mum would put some sweets and crisps in some bowls and she would buy a little cream sponge from the local bakery. We didn’t get to invite lots of friends, or indeed any friends, because having all the friends of four children at a party in the house at one time, first of all would have been chaotic, and second of all, would have been expensive and mum just wouldn’t have been able to afford it. So I grew up unaccustomed to birthdays being a big thing or having a party, or indeed, a cake.

For my 50th, however, I decided I was going to do something big. A couple of years ago I told all my friends that I would rent a big country house or an old chateau in France, or something equally extravagant and everyone would be invited and we would have the biggest, wildest party ever. 50 years worth of parties, in fact. Well, that had been the plan.

As we all know, only too well, a small inconvenience by the name of Covid got in the way of so many peoples plans, including mine. Add to that mum being so unwell and needing 24 hour care and there was just no way I could have a party. Even without Covid, I wouldn’t have wanted to have a party without mum anyway.

So rather than a huge gathering of everyone, I went home to Northern Ireland and rented a house by a lake in Fermanagh and the family, along with a carer for mum, decamped there for a couple of days and nights.

I went running by the lake each morning and we spent our days relatively quietly with me sitting beside mum on the sofa holding her hand and just talking and watching old movies as the weather wasn’t great, but it didn’t matter because we were together. After the previous year and a half of lockdowns and isolations and not being able to see family, a couple of days together was all the birthday celebration that I needed.

My family didn’t let me down though, as I was awoken on the morning of my birthday to find that the house had been decorated in the middle of the night with banners and balloons and streamers. We had a birthday party and dinner in the evening and at the end of dinner I was presented with, yes you’ve guessed, my very own birthday cake with my name on it!

I was treated like a lord and rightly so because among my other presents for my birthday, I was presented with some Scottish titles. Unlike English titles, Scottish titles are based on land ownership and my family bought me a couple of very small plots of land which entitle me to use the titles, Lord of Glencoe and Lochaber. I have checked and apparently they are genuine titles and I can use them and even change my official documents to include the title if I wish. I obviously won’t be doing that, but can you imagine if I insisted on using my titles on air? Lol.

Well, it was a fun birthday in the end and a great first birthday party – it only took me 50 years to have one, I shall try not to wait as long to have the next one. In fact, I think I may even have another one next year! Before you know it, everyone will be having birthday parties every year! I really think it could catch on.

Christmas in July, on three Easy Pay!

Well it isn’t just birthdays but also Christmas we are talking about and every year, just like birthdays, Christmas in July come around again. We have a great one lined up for you this weekend. Before I tell you what’s coming up, can I also let you know that for the course of the weekend we have a voucher code for you: ALL3EZ. Using the code when you check out means you can get your goodies home on 3 Easy Pay instalments, all interest free (terms and conditions can be found on the website). So that’s just an additional little treat for us all to help with those early purchases.

I know I’ll be shopping this weekend because I am not leaving my Christmas shopping to chance, or to the last minute, this year. We don’t know what’s going to be available for shipping nearer the time or indeed if we will be in another dreaded lockdown and unable to get out and about, so if I spot something, personally I am going to grab it, and I’ll definitely be using the ALL3EZ code too!

Elemis Today’s Special Value

Among the many amazing goodies and treats we have coming up for Christmas in July is a Today’s Special Value from Elemis. Every year, the Elemis Christmas Today’s Special Value flies out the door and there is never enough available. So getting their Christmas in July one is a great way to avoid disappointment. Their products all have a long shelf life unopened, so you can get yours now and put them away safe in the knowledge that you are sorted for beauty gifts for Christmas.

The Today’s Special Value they are bringing us, which, by the way, is available to order right now on our website, is a six-piece Pro-Collagen Rose Nourish & Glow Collection and it features new Wildflower Cleansing Oil and your choice of Pro-Collagen Marine Cream or Pro-Collagen Marine Cream Ultra-Rich, plus Pro-Collagen Rose Facial Oil and a trio of rose-scented bodycare formulas. A rosy-looking glow from head-to-toe can be yours with a little help from the experts at Elemis.

The Value is outstanding too. If you were to buy the items in this Elemis collection individually from QVCUK.com, you’d pay £198.50 plus P&P. So for our Today’s Special Value price of just £63.96 plus P&P, you’re saving £134.54.

It’s a good idea to stock up for Christmas like I said, and if you are buying more than one, you save as well because every time you purchase another Pro-Collagen Rose Nourish & Glow Collection at QVC, you will receive a £4 saving. So, if you were to buy two collections, you would pay £123.92, if you bought three, you would pay £183.88, and if you bought four, you would pay £243.84 (plus P&P).

This Today’s Special Value is your opportunity to get your hands on the brand new Wildflower Cleansing Oil, a deeply cleansing formula that works to gently yet effectively remove make-up and impurities without stripping your skin of its natural oils. Plus, it helps to soften the feel of your skin while leaving behind a delicate scent you’ll love.

Also, if, like me, you’re a fan of rose scents, this is the collection for you. Not only does it boast Pro-Collagen Rose Facial Oil, but it also features Bath & Shower Milk, Body Cream and Hand & Nail Balm in the feminine and floral Modern English Rose scent. Just apply these skin-loving products and you’ll instantly be surrounded by the fragrance of a country garden.

Here is everything you are getting:

• 1 x NEW Wildflower Cleansing Oil (195ml) – working to soften the feel of your skin while deeply cleansing away make-up and impurities, this floral-inspired cleansing oil leaves your complexion feeling beautifully clean and hydrated
• 1 x Pro-Collagen Rose Facial Oil (15ml) – enriched with up to 17 varieties of organic roses that go into the making of this English rose oleo extract, plus rosa damascena and rosehip seed oil, as well as safflower oil, padina pavonica (a marine algae), roaring water kelp , coastal extract, plus the oils of sweet almond, jojoba and coconut. Ideal for all skin types, including sensitive skin
• 1 x Modern English Rose Bath & Shower Milk (300ml) – a skin-friendly formulation with a gentle, natural lather that helps to completely cleanse the skin without stripping it of natural oils. Infused with English rose extract and wild-harvested British elderflower, this indulgent shower cream will help leave your skin feeling thoroughly cleansed, soft and supple, as well as beautifully fragranced. Suitable for all skin types
• 1 x Modern English Rose Body Cream (100ml) – a luxurious body cream featuring a gorgeous aromatic inspired by a bouquet of roses, which is formulated to leave your skin feeling soft, moisturised and delicately fragranced. Enriched with English rose and British echium seed oil
• 1 x Modern English Rose Hand & Nail Balm (20ml) – a gentle balm formula blended with English rose and wild-crafted meadowsweet extract designed to soothe and soften dry hands
• 1 x bag – keep your Elemis haul together in this stylish bag

Plus your choice of:

• 1 x Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (30ml) – a beauty icon, this award-winning cream is designed to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and increase hydration, leaving your skin feeling smoother and firmer. Blended with a cocktail of three seaweeds – padina pavonica (a marine algae), porphyridium and chlorella, plus ginkgo biloba, rose and mimosa

Or

• 1 x Pro-Collagen Marine Cream Ultra-Rich (30ml) – specially formulated for dry skin, this luxurious moisturiser melts into your skin, helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, while promoting a radiant, supple complexion. Infused with three seaweeds: padina pavonica (a marine algae), porphyridium and chlorella, plus ginkgo biloba blended with precious rose and mimosa absolutes

I will be on air all over the weekend for Christmas in July and I would love to have you join me. I will be on air with the Elemis Today’s Special Value on Sunday at 4pm, so maybe I will see you then.

If you have any comments about the shows, you know you can get in touch via WhatsApp. You will see a QR code on screen, and all you have to do is point the camera of your smartphone at it and it will bring you directly to the WhatsApp page and you can message us on air! A great way to stay in touch live during the shows. If you do get in touch though, don’t forget to use my new formal title, Miceal Murphy Lord of Glencoe and Lochaber! Lol.

Until next time,

Miceal Xx