Alternative Christmas Log Recipe

With the last of the Christmas preparations underway, we're imagining lots of festive baking taking place to ensure all our closest family and friends are well fed and thoroughly stuffed this Christmas!

No Christmas is complete without a classic Christmas Log to finish off after dinner.

We discovered a recipe from a French online magazine which has our mouths watering for their Nutella® filled Chocolate Log (pictured centre above). A perfect alternative Christmas Log recipe for those choco-holics and any one (everyone) who is a Nutella® fan! Get the recipe here and translate it with ease here - you can even view their handy video tutorial to guide you through the baking process.

Whether you fancy trying out this alterntaive Nutella® Christmas Log recipe or if you have a traditional family recipe to follow, we are all agreed that it needs to be topped off with some classic Christmas decorations, aren't we?

Festive Lamppost Decoration  |  Santa Cake Topper  |  Snowman Decoration  |  Snowdog Resin Topper  |  Postbox Scene Topper

If you're inspired to make a traditional Christmas log, we have a whole host of festive cake picks to create a beautiful snowy scene atop your chocolate log or Christmas cake! From Snowy Lamppost Cake Toppers to Resin Christmas Carollers! For those will be watching the Snowman classic this week, then these Snowman and Snowdog Christmas toppers are exactly what you need!

Or for a more modern twist to your festive chocolate log, some Shiny Christmas Crackers or a Prancing Golden Reindeer cake topper will be perfect. With prices staring from just 15p, you can build up your own chocolate log or Christmas cake wonderland scene!

Christmas Crackers Cake Decoration  |  Merry Christmas Topper  |  Golden Reindeer Cake Pick  |  Holly Log Pick

All these are available in store for you to stock up with before Christmas Day arrives. Check our opening hours here, to make sure you don't miss out. (Remember, our website elves are away celebrating Christmas, so online ordering is unavailable at this time unfortunately.)

Whilst you pop in store at 73-75 Gloucester Road, Bristol - remember to check out all our Christmas fancy dress which now has great big 50% off!

How will you be topping your Christmas log this year?

Christmas Opening Hours

Need to pick up some last minute Christmas or New Years Eve party essentials? Make sure to check our opening times before you pop in store at 73-75 Gloucester Road, Bristol. Our Christmas Party Elves are taking a well earned break between December 23rd and January 5th and consequently online shopping will be unavailable during this period. So do get your final NYE orders in as soon as you can for a it to be delivered in time for the big night!

If you need to order something online to collect in store, please give us a call on 01179 312206 and our team will do all they can to help. 

The Christmas countdown is almost over! 

We wish all our wonderful customers a very Merry Christmas! 

Christmas Table Colour Inspiration

Getting all the family to sit down around one table for a big Christmas dinner is, for many, the highlight of Christmas day. An opportunity which only only comes around once a year in many households.

Will you be making extra special effort to decorate your Christmas table this year to celebrate this important part of the day? Are you a fan of the traditional red and greens of Christmas? Or perhaps you prefer the chic tones of white and gold to decorate your home with this time of year?

Or are you going for an even more luxurious look and think that black and gold could be the colour scheme of your dinning table this Christmas? This is certainly a more unusual colour combination but striking none the less!

Draw inspiration from our Christmas tableware moodboards above when choosing your Christmas table decorations this year. We have a wide range of Christmas tableware available online. Use napkins, table covers, runners, disposable foil platters and even the cutlery, to decorate your Christmas table to suit a specific colour scheme and try to recreate some of the looks above. And we always fans of scattering  festive confetti across the tabletop for added sparkle!

So grab all your Christmas table decorations online or in store at Flinger Party Shop. But be quick if ordering online! Check all our important delivery dates here to make sure you get your tableware essentials in time. Otherwise, take advantage of our free Click and Collect Service to pick up your order in store.
 

Have you entered our Facebook competition to WIN £50 this Christmas? There is only a few days left to enter to don't miss out!

Kids Christmas Nativity Costumes

Over the years, the traditional Christmas nativity play has evolved to include a much broader range of narratives and characters. See the classic Christmas nativity scene in Love Actually for case in point!

But it wouldn't be the real nativity without the main stars in the tale! Whether your son has been cast as big bad King Herold or your daughter as the Virgin Mary, make sure they look the part. At Flingers you can pick up the perfect Christmas nativity costume for their moment in the spotlight. Not forgetting the other key parts, including the big bright star to lead the way throughout the traditional Christmas play.

Christmas Star Costume   |   Kids King Costume   |   Virgin Mary Costume   |   Shepard Costume   |   Little Donkey Kit

We've got a selection of Kids Christmas Costumes which will be great for taking centre stage at this years school nativity. All available both in store at 73-75 Gloucetser Road, Bristol and online with delivery starting from just £1.40. Hurry before they're all gone!

Now, getting all dressed up for Christmas isn't just for the kids. Whilst you're shopping for the perfect nativity costume for the rest of the family, remember to check out our wide range of adults Christmas fancy dress to see you through the festive party season too.

Have you entered out Christmas Competition yet?

Christmas Competition - Win £50

It is the season of goodwill, gifts and good times after all! We've decided it is the perfect time to offer one lucky customer the chance to win £50 to spend at Flingers this Christmas.

To be in with a chance of winning, all you need to do is Like Flingers Party Shop, Share the competition and Tag a friend to share the good fortune.

The winner will be announced on Friday 19th December. Just in time for the lucky winner to use their £50 voucher and stock up on lots of festive tableware ready for the big day, Christmas baking goodies or even the perfect Christmas costume to see you through the party season!

Don't miss out.... enter our Christmas competition now!

DIY Christmas Bunting

Have you started decorating for Christmas yet? We're counting down to Christmas and have been getting crafty with some of our decoration ideas this year.

Taking some left over wrapping paper from last year, we created this festive string of Christmas bunting! It is a great for using up spare offcuts of wrapping paper, and a cheap way to create some stylish DIY decorations.

You can customise your DIY Xmas bunting by using coloured/patterned wrapping paper that co-ordinates with your Christmas tree or the rest of your decoratiosn this year. And you can make as much or as little as you like! It will be completely unique to you.

We think it is a great Christmas decoration idea and best of all it is really simple to make! A perfect activity to keep the kids busy over the weekend, and we're sure they'll be super proud to hang it up to decorate their bedrooms once it is complete. Try the tutorial below to craft your own Christmas bunting.

DIY Christmas Paper Bunting Tutorial


1. All you need for this tutorial is some Christmas wrapping paper, string, a hole puncher, scissors, ruler, and glue. 

2. Cut a 30cm wipe strip of wrapping paper, fold it in half and secure with glue. You should now have a double sided strip of paper you can begin to mark out your bunting triangles on.
Carefully measure out your festive bunting pennants using a pencil and a ruler so they are symmetrical and straight. Then, use the scissors to follow your guides and cut the strip into triangles. Repeat this process until you have the required amount of bunting flags.

3. Take each of the bunting triangles and use the hole punch to make two holes along the top.

4. Feed each bunting pennant onto a piece of sting, ribbon or even some wool. We alternated between the patterned paper and the red paper for our string of festive bunting. Once you have threaded all your bunting flags onto your string, hang from the ceiling, stand back and admire!

This DIY bunting is perfect draped around windows, over staircases and from curtain poles! Hang some obligatory Christmas paper chains too and you will be all set for Christmas!

After all that hard work, you will have certainly earned yourself a mulled wine or two! Once Christmas is over, you can always store away your DIY Christmas Bunting to re-use next year too.

Will you be trying out our DIY Christmas Bunting Tutorial?

Santa Claus is Coming To Town

Santa Girl   |   Luxury Miss Santa   |   Deluxe Santa Costume   |   Ms Claus Fancy Dress   |   Santa Boy

Will you be dressing up this Christmas? Santa is a key guest for any Xmas party you have planned this festive season. Or maybe you need a quick Father Christmas costume to help hand out the office secret Santa gifts this Christmas?

Well at Flingers we have a huge selection of Santa Claus costumes and the equally important Ms Claus fancy dress in stock to get you through the party season. For both adults and kids.

Or if you rather dress up as Santa's little helper? After all, Christmas wouldn't be the same without the Elves! With lots of festive Elf costumes to choose from, we have the perfect fancy dress to suit your upcoming Christmas event, work's party or the kids' school disco!

Elf Boy   |   Fever Elf Costume   |   Ladies Elf Costume   |   Christmas Elf Costume   |    Santa's Little Helper

As you can expect, these are some of our most popular Christmas fancy dress options, so be sure to get your perfect Mr or Ms Claus costumes and Christmas Elf fancy dress before you miss out!

Order online now with delivery starting from just £1.40 or collect in store for free. Whilst there, make sure you  pick up all the essential accessories to make your incarnation of Father Christmas or Ms Claus the best!

Are you looking forward to Christmas?

Christmas Cupcakes

With December on the doorstep, there is no way to ignore that Christmas is right around the corner. We're starting to feel the festive spirit and are looking forward to enjoying the season of goodwill, good food and good company!

These Christmas cupcakes we discovered online are adorable! We think we will defiantly be making them over the coming weeks, to share some Christmas treats with our friends and family.

Whilst these festive cupcake designs look very professional, they are actually really easy to create! We've put together a quick tutorial and recipe to show you how to make these festive treats yourself once Christmas arrives!

Christmas Tree Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients
Cupcake:                                         Icing:
110g Softened Butter                   140g Softened Butter
120g Caster Sugar                         280g Icing Sugar
110g Self Raising Flour                1-2 tbsp Milk
2 Lightly Beaten Eggs                   Green Food Colouring
1-2 tbsp Milk                                 White Milk Chocolate
1tsp Vanilla Extract                       Edible Decorations

Recipe
1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
2. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl.
3. Beat in the eggs a little at a time.
4. Fold in the sifted flour. Adding a dash of milk until the right consistency is achieved.
5. Spoon into cupcake cases lining a muffin tin and bake for 10-15 minutes (or until a knife comes out clean after begin inserted into the centre of a cake).
6. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
7. For the buttercream icing, beat the butter in a large bowl until soft.
8. Slowly add the sugar whist beating, adding a dash of milk until smooth and creamy.
9. Mix in a few drops of food colouring until a even colour is achieved.
10. Spoon icing into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe in a spiralling motion onto the cooled cupcakes to create the Christmas tree effect on half the cakes.
11. Decorate the trees with a few edible sugar balls and a star to top of the creation!
12. To create the modern chocolate tree design, use a clean knife to spread an even layer of butter icing on the remaining cupcakes.
13. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a simmering saucepan.
14. Use a spoon to drizzle some melted chocolate onto a flat sheet of greaseproof paper in a zip zag shape about 2 inches tall.
15. Carefully place some edible sugar balls into the chocolate and allow to cool.
16. Once completely cooled, carefully remove from the paper and stick upright into the layer of icing on the last batch of cupcakes. 

Then your Christmas cupcakes are complete! Display on a cupcake stand to present them to your friends and family before they get gobbled up!

Will you be baking festive cupcakes this Christmas?

Frozen Party People

We love a Frozen party here at Flingers. It has been one of the most popular party themes of the year, and we don't think it is going to go away just yet.

If you are planning a Frozen themed party in the coming weeks, don't forget to invite along the Frozen crew! Sure to be a bit hit with all the guests, use lifesize cardboard cut outs of the Frozen characters to make your party an authentic Frozen experience!

You could even use them as photo booth props so everyone can have their picture taken with their favourite characters from the Disney film! Or if you know someone who is a true Frozen fan, why not spoil them this Christmas with their very own cardboard Olaf or Anna cut out as a surprise Christmas present?

Or if  the Frozen fan you know doesn't have much spare room for a lifesize cut out at home, you could always treat them to a more manageable but still very fun balloon! At Flingers, we have a great selection of Frozen balloons, from Olaf supershape balloons, to huge bubble balloons, or holographic foil balloons available both online and in store.

Holographic Balloon  |  Olaf Balloon  |  Frozen Supershape Balloon  |  Bubble Balloon  |  Handheld Frozen Balloon

If you're looking for more Frozen party inspiration, take a look at our Frozen moodboard of fun decorations and treats to get inspired for the party theme.

You can order your Frozen lifesize cut outs online or head in store to find out more information. Whilst you're there, check out our full range of Frozen party essentials to get your party planning well underway!

Are you a Frozen fan?

DIY Photobooth Props

No party is complete without some photo booth fun! Getting all your guests in front of the camera and having a giggle whilst hiding behind some silly glasses or a large moustache is a great way to capture special memories of all your closest friends and family.

If you are only planning a small get together with your closest friends and don't want to splash out on renting an expensive professional photo booth for the party, why not make your own DIY photo booth and props? It's so simple!

Firstly you need a background. At Flingers we have some awesome Scene Setters available which would be perfect for this! From Hollywood Landscapes and Beach Scenes to Disco Backgrounds and much more.

Secondly, you need the all essential photo props! We've put together some fun free printable Photobooth Props for you to download and make at home in five easy steps.

How to make your Photobooth DIY Props:

1. Print our DIY Photo Props out onto A4 paper.
2. Mount each prop onto some cardboard or foam using some spray adhesive. 
3. Carefully cut out each prop and shape using a sharp scissors. 
4. Attach a short stick to each prop to allow them to be handled easily.
5. Let the party begin!

Download your Free Printable Photo Booth Props

Will you be trying out a photo booth at your next party?

Movember Bakes

Are you taking part in Movember this year, or do you know someone who is?

By growing some (sometimes peculiar) facial hair, men are raising money for and raising awareness of mens health. If someone you know is struggling to style their upper lip growth, point them in the direction of our tips for styling their new moustache or use this handy diagram to pinpoint which type of moustache is best suited for them.

Moustache Cookie Cutter

If you are not growing a moustache this month, why not get involved and raise money for charity by baking and selling some well themed biscuit treats?

Or surprise someone who is attempting to grow a facial masterpiece this month with a box of Moustache biscuits as a great way to inspire them to keep on going.

Create your moustache biscuits with a cookie cutter fit for the job. Pick up a Moustache Cookie Cutter for just 99p before end end of the month to get baking your Movember treats.

However you are taking part, remember to donate and raise money for the issues at the heart of the Movember challenge.

Are you taking part in Movember?

Paper Cup Craft | Frozen Crown

At Flingers we love a crafty party tutorial using simple partyware, and turning it into something fun, pretty and colourful! So it is obvious that we love this Frozen Crown Tutorial, made by simply using a spotty blue paper party cup!
 
You can find the tutorial on kidschaos.com and it is super simple but sure to put a big smile on the face of the princess who wants to be the star of her very own Frozen party.

Frozen is a big party theme this year and it looks set to stick around through the Winter months making the party theme feel a lot more magical as the temperature outside drops. If you are planning a special birthday party soon, get inspired by some Frozen party inspiration that we posted on the blog recently! Full of perfect touches to create the Frozen theme at your party.

The great thing about this paper cup tutorial is that is lends itself well to any sort of party theme you may be planning. Using different coloured paper cups and fluffy pom poms, you can create a crown fit for any occasion!

At Flingers we stock a wide range of coloured and patterned cups that would be perfect to use for this crafty party tutorial. Stock up now and you could make all the guests at your next party turn into paper cup royalty!

Do you know a frozen princess who would love a crown like this?

Make it a White Christmas

It's never too soon to start dreaming of a white Christmas! At Flingers we are stocking up on all things festive to make sure that your Christmas parties are winter wonderlands.

Rather than relying on the weather, the best way to make this Christmas a white one is with lots of wonderful decorations! We think these hanging snowflake decorations are the perfect way to add some festive frost to your home, work or Christmas party.

Make your Christmas party a festive one this year with lots of crisp white decorations and partyware to get the wonderful white winter feeling. We've already picked out some winter wonderland party essentials including scattering silver confetti across tabletops for some added sparkle. We are also looking forward to using crepe paper streamers to create our own Christmas decorations this year. Or  create the ultimate winter wonderland at your festive gathering by hanging a lovely Christmas scene to any blank wall.

1. Frosty White Tablecover - £0.69
2. Joyful 3D Snowmen Decorations - £3.79
3. Silver & White Crepe Streamers - from £0.99
4. Silver Stardust Confetti - £1.39
5. Silver & White Paper Plates - from £0.99
6. Silver & White Paper Napkins - from £0.89
7. Winter Wonderland Room Roll - £11.99

Remember, you can order this and much more online at Flingers Party Shop now. With delivery starting from just £1.40. Keep an eye on the website for all the latest Christmas fancy dress and festive costumes too. We're here to get you through the party season!

Are you planning for a white Christmas?

Spiced Apple Autumn Bakes

Are you looking for a tasty Autumnal treat to get baking with this weekend? Our mouths are salivating at the idea of Valerie over on fromvalerieskitchen.com's apple cake with butterscotch sauce recipe.

Apple Cake Recipe

We think this is the perfect cake to officially welcome in Autumn with this weekend. Is there much better than the sweet smell of spiced baked apples wafting from the kitchen to make the house seem so much more homely?

You can find the recipe for this spiced apple cake here. As well as the recipe for the delicious butterscotch topping to go with it. Yum!

If you're planning to get baking this weekend, remember you can stock up on your bakeware essentials at Flingers. We think getting to enjoy this spiced apple cake whilst it still warm from the oven is one of those hearty treats that are good for the soul! It has apples in it, so it must be good for you!

Will you be baking up any treats this weekend?

Bonfire Night Plans

To us, Bonfire Night signals the start of Winter. After the madness of Halloween, we notice how much the nights have drawn in and there is a chill in the air making us reach for our woolly scarves and gloves to keep us warm.

If you can't make it out to a local organised fireworks event this year but don't want to miss out on all the fun, why not throw you're own Bonfire Night party? At Flingers, we're looking forward to inviting over all our close friends and family to watch our very own fireworks show this week. But of course we must keep or guests warm and happy with lots of hot snacks and drinks!

We've picked out all our party and tableware essentials to get a sophisticated Bonfire party on the go this week. Of course, black and silver and key colours for this kind of party. With a few glow stick bracelets and fountain cake candles to bring a little bit of the sparkle indoors. All you need to supply, are the fireworks!

1. Jet Black Table Cover - £2.99
2. Silver Glitter Cutlery - 24 pieces £3.39
3. Jet Black and Silver Paper Plates - 8 pack £1.99
4. Silver Star and Gold Star Balloons - 25 pack £10.99
5. Jet Black Paper Cups - 8 pack £1.99
6. Silver Paper Napkins - £1.29
7. Glow Stick Bracelets - £1.99
8. Ice Fountain Cake Candle - 2 pack £1.99
9. Foil Balloon Weight - £0.99

All this and more is available now at Flingers Party Shop. Order online and collect in store for free or pop along to pick up your Bonfire Party essentials in person.

Will you be going out to see a fireworks show or staying at home to enjoy your own?

What's in our Halloween Punch?

The last preparations for Halloween have begun. Have you got all your Halloween decorations ready? From spooky hanging decorations, to creepy doorway curtains to toilet seat covers! Every corner of your home or party venue should be decorated in style to achieve the full Halloween effect.

Not forgetting the drinks table either! We've been preparing lots of frozen ice hands to keep our Halloween punch both creepy and chilled all evening long. Fill plastic gloves up with water, freeze overnight and once you have prepared your punch, carefully drop in your frozen hands to bob away all night long and add an eerie touch to your punch bowl.

Martha Stewart - Halloween Punch Bowl

We got this idea from a classic and simple tutorial for Ice Cube Face and Hands from Martha Stewart where you can get some great ideas for our Halloween punch this weekend. Including some equally creepy frozen faces to float alongside your spooky frozen hands!

Are you excited for Halloween too?

DIY Ghostly Garland

So you have your Halloween fancy dress sorted, you've stocked up some spooky Halloween party food, all that is left is the decorations!

At Flingers, we discovered this DIY Ghostly Garland which we think is perfect for our Halloween party this week. Its so simple to make, all you need is some paper serviettes, cotton wool balls, a permanent marker pen and some ribbon!

Whilst the kids are off school, you can get them all working together to make lengths of this ghastly garland ready for any parties you have planned this weekend. Your ghostly paper ghouls don't have to just be white either, stock up on some red, orange or even silver paper napkins to make a more colourful but equally effective Halloween decoration!

Check out this handy Mumsnet tutorial and learn how to make your very own!

Are you all set for Halloween? With just three days lefts until the big night you still have time to pick up all you need to celebrate the holiday in style. Make sure you don't miss out, order online now and collect your frightening fancy dress and spooky Halloween essentials in store for free!

Will you be trying out this DIY Halloween tutorial?

The Top 5 Scary Costumes at Halloween

Halloween is the time of year when some of us really must face our fears. Confronted with our friends, family, co-workers and neighbours, all dressed up as the scariest thing they can think of! If you're still struggling to decide what to dress up as for Halloween this year, take a look at our Top 5 Scary costume ideas to help inspire you.

5. Ghosts and Ghouls

Ghastly Ghoul   |   Ghost Bride Costume   |   Ghastly Girl Ghost Bride

Fear of the unknown has many people afraid of the afterlife and paranormal experiences. Spooky stories are full of ghosts, ghouls and spooky spirits at Halloween.

4. Childhood Dolls

Official Chucky Costume   |   Women's Horror Doll Fancy Dress

Who isn't frightened of Chucky! We must admit there is something really creepy about dead eyed  china dolls that chill us to our core.

3. Grim Reaper

Dealer of Death   |   Children's Skeleton Reaper   |   Grim Reaper Robe

Death, the Grim Reaper, whatever you want to call him a cloaked skeleton coming towards you with a large scythe is enough to give anyone a fright!

2. Clowns

Sinister Green Clown Mask   |   Scary Clown Mask   |   Freaky Red Crown Mask

Clowns can be scary at the best of times, but these guys are seriously something else!

1. Zombie Apocalypse

Worked to Death Zombie   |   Bavarian Zombie   |   Nightstalking Zombie Child   |   Zombie French Maid Costume

Now, if you're not afraid of the Grim Reaper, then the only thing left is a zombie apocalypse to finish you off. Just think blood, more blood, open wounds, spooky contact lenses, an unblinking stare and a hunched stagger - a Halloween favourite every year.

Do you enjoy being scared at Halloween?

Free Halloween Face Painting

At Flingers we understand how important some incredible face paint can be to make your Halloween costume the scariest around! So, on October 31st and November 1st we are offering free professional face painting for everyone and anyone.

So when you are popping into pick up your last minute fancy dress accessories, party games or or tableware for that super scary Halloween party you have planned, you can get your face painted for free too! Just join us in store at 73-75 Gloucester Road, Bristol to get involved.

If you can't make it in store on those dates, not to worry. You can order all you Halloween face painting essentials online. We have an extensive range of face painting tools, brushes, kits and guide books to help you add the finishing touches to your Halloween fancy dress. Including over 30 different shades of Snazaroo face paints. So you'll be able to find the perfect tone to match your costume idea.

Over 30 shades of Snazaroo face paint available at Flingers

In fact, Snazaroo have some great tips and tutorials on how to create amazing Halloween face paint ideas. From creepy cave monsters, to angelic angels to dreaded Dracula! We can certainly recommend them to give you some great Halloween face paint ideas this year!

Snazaroo Face Painting Tutorials - Werewolf | Dark Angel | Cave Monster

Will you be joining us in store to get your face painted for free this Halloween?

And the Best Costume Award goes to....

This Halloween, why not add a little competition to the party?

A great way to celebrate the creativity of all the kids and adults who made the effort to get dressed up for Halloween. The winner can even take home to their very own Best Costume Trophy! Or hand out Halloween Award Ribbons for first, second and third place if you don't think you will be able to pick just one winning costume!

These spooky ribbon awards are also great for the winners of any party games you may have planned. Bobbing for apples is always a Halloween party game favourite! But we have a soft spot for our FrankenMonster Piñata. He always goes down well at Halloween. Fill him or the Pumpkin Pull Piñata up with lots of sweets, treats or party favours like Spooky Spiders Rings, Bloody Body Parts and Glow in the Dark Eyeballs!

Get all this and lots more Halloween party games, favours and treats online or in store at Flingers. Order quickly to avoid disappointment as lots of our most popular Halloween decorations, fancy dress and accessories are already limited in stock. Delivery starts from just £1.40 or use our free Click and Collect service to pick up your scary Halloween essentials in store.

What party games are you planning this Halloween?