It’s beginning to smell a lot like Christmas!

It almost Christmas and for many of us, the festivities are well underway. As Mariah, Elton, and Wham! fill our ears with our favourite festive tunes, there are also certain smells that just give us that warm festive feeling. A recent nationwide survey has revealed exactly what those scents are.

The study found that the majority of us (88%) associate different smells with the festive season. Unsurprisingly, for two thirds (66%) of us it is mince pies, nearly three quarters (72%) say it’s festive candles, 63% state it’s cinnamon sticks and 57% admit that the smell of pine needles is what they need for a room to smell festive. These smells have been proven to make Brits feel festive (35%), nostalgic (26%) and cozy (19%).

However, the study also revealed that it’s not just the aroma of sweet treats and warm spices making us feel Christmas nostalgia.

The survey found many associated the smell of Lynx Africa, proudly the no.1 men’s fragrance brand in the world, with Christmas too. This particularly rang true in major cities like Leeds, Newcastle and Nottingham with almost 20% of people saying they associated the iconic scent with Christmas. I mean, what’s the holiday season without a Lynx giftset or two.

A spokesperson from Lynx, said: “Lynx is a Christmas staple and something we see flying off of the shelves around this time of the year, so it’s no surprise to hear that for many people our fragrances are synonymous with festive scents.

“We actually sell more Lynx gift sets than Christmas trees, here in the UK. With around 23 million being sold each year.”

Lynx product range and giftsets are available to purchase at most leading retailers nationwide including Asda, Boots, Superdrug, Sainsburys, Tesco, Sephora UK and online, making it the perfect choice for those last-minute shoppers.

Community Carols at Granton Campus

TONIGHT from 6 – 7.30pm

🎄 Need help getting into the festive spirit?

Head along to The Hub at Granton Campus tonight (Wednesday 13 December), from 6 – 7.30pm, for a festive evening of carol singing, choir singing and live music performances.

Find out more: https://ow.ly/hXCP50QfQBK

Edinburgh Leisure has Christmas all wrapped up

Gift the gift that keeps on giving this Christmas – a year’s membership to Edinburgh Leisure’s three soft play centres across the city!

The perfect solution for grandparents, godparents, and aunts and uncles who are fed-up of giving ‘plastic fantastic’ gifts that are surplus to needs, instead inspire the kids to get the active habit and sample the world of sport and fitness from an early age. Their parents will thank you for it.

Costing £179 for 12 months, the annual soft play membership means little adventurers can visit as many times as they wish, enjoying unlimited fun at any of Edinburgh Leisure’s three soft play venues across the city at Clambers at the Royal Commonwealth Pool, Tumbles at Portobello, and Scrambles at EICA: Ratho, which will keep little ones entertained and burning off energy as they explore the amazing soft plays.

Edinburgh Leisure’s play frames are suitable for children up to ten years old and there are frames for babies, toddlers, and juniors up to 10 years.  Each venue has a café where healthy snacks and tasty treats can be enjoyed.

With great member benefits including special offers, members’ events, discounts to popular seasonal parties and other exclusive perks, the annual Edinburgh Leisure soft play is available to buy in venue or online. Purchasers will be presented with a Christmas Gift Card, which can then be given to the child.

Find out more – https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/activities/soft-play

Sign up the kids up for a year of unlimited fun here.

Healthy Heart Tip: Keep moving this Christmas!

After sitting down to enjoy Christmas dinner, many of us head straight to the sofa to spend the remainder of Christmas Day watching TV, playing board games, snacking or taking a nap.

It is estimated that the average person in the UK consumes two to three times their recommended calorie intake on Christmas day, so why not get off the sofa, get moving and burn off some extra calories this Christmas?

Get on your bike


In 2020, there was an increase in bicycle sales. If you own a bike, why not get out for a Christmas Day cycle and make the most of the roads being quieter than usual. If your kids got bikes for Christmas, why not join them for a cycle around your local area.

Walk the dog


Dog ownership also increased in 2020. If you or your family have a dog, try not to miss out on your usual walk on Christmas Day. If you normally do two walks, try to stick to the plan and don’t skip one of them. You could even increase the distance of your walk to burn off a few extra calories on Christmas Day. 

Dance the day away


Dance floors may have been out of bounds in 2020 due to COVID-19, but don’t let this stop you from getting your groove on! Why not put on your favourite tunes and dance around the kitchen as you prepare Christmas dinner. You could put your favourite 2021 music videos on and get your household dancing in the living room after dinner.

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: 

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/

Christmas wreath making workshops at North Edinburgh Arts

Want to get into the festive spirit and make something special for your home?

Come along to one of our free wreath making workshops and create your own beautiful festive wreath using evergreen, foraged and recycled materials. The workshops will be led by artist Natalie Taylor, and all materials will be provided. Continue reading Christmas wreath making workshops at North Edinburgh Arts

Greenpeace spoofs Coke Christmas ad

As Coca Cola launch their new ‘Holidays are coming’ Christmas TV advertisement, some of the brand’s fans have been viewing a version that’s a little more realistic. In an attempt to take advantage of Coke’s huge PR push at this time of year, Greenpeace produced their own Coke Christmas ad, launched on the same day, highlighting an unfortunate side effect of bottled fizzy drinks. Continue reading Greenpeace spoofs Coke Christmas ad

Port of Leith Christmas Fayres this weekend

Port of Leith Housing Association’s (PoLHA) sheltered housing complexes are hosting their Christmas fayres this weekend.

Jameson Place’s event is taking place tomorrow (Friday 28 November) from 12-2pm and St Nicholas Court’s, on Leith’s Ferry Road, is on Saturday (29 November) from 12-2pm.

There will be an array of stalls including a raffle, tombola and home bakes. Some of the residents have spent time knitting and crafting Christmas gifts and creating gift sets.

The funds raised will go towards supporting activities for residents including day trips, theatre trips, exercise classes and lunch clubs.

Maureen Tait, Sheltered Housing Services Manager, said: “The Christmas fayres are always great fun for the staff and residents and a great chance for us to interact and have a good time with the local community.”

BellsandHolly