My new obsession - what I can make on the end of a stripey straw! Today it's Father Christmas!

Ingredients:

• Pink Marshmallows
• Icing sugar and water
• Plastic sandwich bag
• Desiccated coconut
• White chocolate chips
• Black icing pen
• Strawberries
• Straws

Mix up your icing into a bowl and dip your marshmallow. Coat the bottom third. Then dip into the coconut to make the beard. Dip the bottom of 2 chocolate chips in the icing and place on as eyes. Draw on pupils with the black icing pen. Leave to set on some baking paper so they don't stick. Push a straw into the bottom of the beard when dry.

(Big boy decided he needed to prod Santa's head with a straw. Poor Santa. Easier to just hold and dip!)

Cut the top off a strawberry and use a blob of icing to attach it to the top of the marshmallow. Pour a little icing into a sandwich bag and snip the corner. Squeeze a little on the top of the strawberry to complete the hat!

I love printables. I also love words. I say to big boy "use your words" a hundred times a day and even though our small boy still only has a vocabulary with a grand total of 2 words (at least one of them is Mama), I hope that both of them follow our family tradition at this time of year and say proudly "Compliments of the Season"!

It might take a couple of years for small boy!

Download your favourite colour scheme and print. Frame and place on a table or mantelpiece or use it as a background for Christmas bunting like me. I used some old string, Christmas tree decorations and some buttons I bought from a charity shop for 10p!

Compliments of the Season to all you lovely readers! Now where is that mistletoe?! xx

ps there are 7 colour ways for you to choose from.

Christmas Printable

I have been scouring all our local charity shops and over the last few weeks have amassed a great collection of excellent condition story, picture and puzzle books. 24 to be precise.

I have wrapped them like old fashioned parcels, in wrapping paper I had under the bed, and hung them from our bathroom towel ladder!

I used some old scrap book paper and dolly pegs I got for 50p at a car boot sale to peg the days of December.

All the books ranged from 10p to 50p. I even got a few 4 for £1. A bargain Advent calendar, chocolate free and gifts that will last longer than the month of December.

Don't worry I am not completely mean! Grandma and Grandad have sent Thomas the Tank and Peppa Pig chocolate calendars in the post! Happy December! Let the Festive Season commence!