The other day I went searching for shot glasses in my favourite charity shop, expecting the sparkling array of glassware I have seen a hundred times before. However, they are having a revamp (I am secretly quite excited and intrigued) and have a very limited selection of everything out on display. How infuriating! Fortunately at the back of a dusty shelf were this set of six glass tumblers. 6 for £1! They are black at the bottom and fade to grey at the top. They have a lovely shape and are perfect for my New Years Eve project.

I have used glass paints to make a perfect cheers. We will each have a number and as I have a couple spare we can use them for the next two years (well the back of them as I am using them this year for lime and lemon wedges)! When we clink glass rims at midnight we will literally ring in the New Year.

We are having our best friends and their little girl to stay for a sleepover!

I really love cocktails and want to have a different cocktail on the hour, as a countdown to big ben.

I have been researching recipes and found this great guide on Pinterest. I will post my chosen 5 before the big day in case you fancy joining in my cava countdown! You can follow my cocktail inspiration here.

by Loku

Which sounds like your favourite? I adore the idea of serving the different cocktails in a variety of glasses. We used my Granny's old mismatched crystal for our Safari Christmas and I am going to have another hunt for some second hand glass treasures before Monday. I am on the hunt for some tall slim but deep glasses almost like test tubes.I have also ear marked these beauties for when I next visit my brother in New Jersey (hopefully in February). I will have hand luggage full of mason jars!

I loved the way the rim of the glass turned out for my Christmas Cocktail so I have come up with a list to try which I will post tomorrow as some stick better than others!

What are your plans for New Years Eve? I say staying in is the new going out! Well if you have babies and no babysitter that is!

My Cousins and Cousin in Law are off to work in Kenya in the Spring so a Safari Family Christmas was the perfect send off!

I made crackers from toilet rolls, animal print tissue paper and ribbon with Kenyan phrases instead of jokes and a packet of animal print tissues inside!

We used felt rectangle sheets from Hobby Craft as place mats and strips of silver birch as mats for the curry, tagine, rice and cous cous. I used little plastic animals on top of strips of animal print card for table names and a large sheet of hessian burlap material for a rustic table cloth.

My Granny's silver cutlery and mis matched crystal glasses finished the table off beautifully. We toasted to absent friends and had a riot in the make shift photo booth complete with a leopard print duvet cover as a back drop and my charity shop haul of props.

I found this great site which sells all animal print decorations and couldn't resist the paper pompoms which would have taken me hours to make!

We have two new arrivals coming in 2013 ...

The boys were a scream and totally bought into the Safari experience! My two little tigers were terrific!

Of course we just had to have an animal wreath at the door and a tiger door man ready to greet the guests!

A wonderful family time. Of course it wasn't quite complete we were missing the American contingent! It is times like this that my heart aches for my brother.

Have you had an alternative Christmas this year?! We are having a traditional Christmas with my in laws later today and tomorrow so we won't miss out on a turkey!

Merry Christmas everyone! It's finally Christmas Eve!

Who says Christmas has to be in traditional red, gold and green?! My Christmas is going pink!

I love Rosé wine. I could quite happily drink it all year round. So here's my Christmas Rosé cocktail! Plus there's a non alcoholic version for the drivers, pregnant ladies or kiddies at your Christmas parties!

You will need:

• Fruity Rosé wine (sweeter works better with the syrup so go for a Zinfandel)
• Lemonade
• Sugar syrup (you can but it ready made and flavoured in the supermarket coffee aisle or make your own with a 1:1 ratio of sugar and water. Bring to the boil then simmer and cool)
• Cranberries
• Cinnamon and sugar for the rim

Pour some of the sugar syrup onto a shallow plate. Hold your glass upside down to coat the rim.

Transfer the glass to a shallow plate of a cinnamon and sugar mix and turn the rim through the sugar and spice mix until coated.

Fill the bottom of your glass with cranberries and dribble a little syrup over the top. Pour in half a glass of Rosé and top up with lemonade. Watch the cranberries bob to the top!

Enjoy!

For a non alcoholic version use cranberry juice and sparkling water instead. I used an old Frappuccino glass jar for the kids and skipped the syrup!

Cheers to the Christmas holiday season!