Easter at Thorntons

When I was little, my parents bought us a Thorntons Easter egg each with our names on them. Last year, I bought one for C and I will continue the tradition on.

This year, Thorntons have enlisted the help of their resident bunny, Harry Hopalot, to deliver their Easter chocolate. 

After his introduction last year, he's back this Spring with with an array of milk and white chocolate items; from the mini 60g Harry Hopalot (£3.50) to the impressive 250g model (£7) or even the giant Harry Hopalot which is an amazing 1kg of milk chocolate (£50).

Brand new this year, Thorntons have introduced an indulgent range of Dessert Eggs in exciting flavours inspired by their range of Choc Blocks. You can treat your loved one to Caramel Cheesecake, Hazelnut Brownie or Eton Mess, all at £15 each.

Easter is all about keeping the kids happy and smiley, and what better way to do so than with The Footy Fanatic Egg or The Cupcake Egg (£4 each). They can even be personalised in store!

If you are wanting to impress this year, look no further than the new Dreamy Desserts Egg (£25) which is a combination of dessert and chocolate. This milk chocolate egg comes with 16 miniature dessert inspired chocolates in flavours such as Passion Fruit Mousse and Pecan Tart. 

Back by popular demand is the Marvelously Magnificent Egg (£20). A whole kilo of creamy milk chocolate - yum!

My dad actually bought me one two years ago so here's a little size comparison pic with a 7 month old C!

Lastly, you can pick up lots of mini treats for under £1 such as a bunny-shaped milk chocolate Harry Hopalot Lolly for 99p or the Continental Alpini Treat Egg for 95p!

(Disclaimer: I received a sample of chocolate in exchange for this post).

Mother's Day Gift Ideas: Pocket Money Ideas that Won't Break the Bank

I find that when it comes to occasions such as Mother's Day, people feel obligated to buy big, expensive presents that they can't really afford and others feel bad that they can't buy anything deemed "nice" if they'r short on cash. I've put together a little guide of gift ideas that are lovely but won't leave you out of pocket.

Thorntons have a lovely range of smaller chocolate gifts that are sure to satisfy a sweet tooth.

You can get their 63g 'I Love Mum' cups for only £3.50, their 100g Heart Plaque or 350g Vanilla Fabulous Fudge for £5.00 each.

Hawkins Bazaar have a fantastic selection of unconventional Mother's Day gifts.

I'm forever taking photographs of my children but very rarely do we have pictures together. If your mum is anything like me and into gadgets, a selfie stick (£7.00) would be a great idea as she can have lots of family photographs (including her) that aren't just faces!

For the music-loving mum, you can treat her to some very cute Flower Earphones (£3.49) so she can listen in style.

If you'd rather not stick to the standard box of chocolates, why not try a gift the Russian Roulette Chocolates (£6.00)? Eleven chocolates are praline but one is a powerful chilli chocolate. Fun and delicious at the same time!

At Beauty @ Creightons you can find some great value items to pamper your mum.

The Squeeky Clean beauty range which leaves you feeling fruity fresh and full of zest can be purchased from Poundland for, yes, just £1 each! You can choose from a Scrubaholic Face Scrub (100ml), Pore Pow Wow Face Mask (100ml), Movie Matte Photo Finish Moisturiser (100ml), Daisy Fresh Shower Detox (250ml), Body Better Body Lotion (200ml), Super Strong Nail & Cutie Cream (100ml), Glow Stopper Instant Tan Matte (100ml) and Saint or Shimmer Lotion (100ml). I love the vintage style labelling and they smell divine!

The Argan Smooth range has been specially formulated with Morrocan argan oil which is rich in anti-oxidants to nourish your hair and body. Each item in the range also costs just £1 and you can find them in Home Bargains or Poundland. You can choose from Deep Moisture Shampoo (250ml), Deep Moisture Conditioner (250ml), Handwash (500ml), Gradual Tan Body Lotion (100ml), Creamy Bath (500ml), Shower Gel (150ml), Body Cream (200ml) and Hand & Nail Cream (100ml).

Finally, you can pick up the Beautiful Brunette and Beautiful Blonde shampoos and conditioners for £1 in Poundland too! They are formulated to improve manageability and combat colour change, dulling and dryness.

(Disclaimer: I received samples of these items in return for this post.)

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas: Thorntons Chocolates

When it comes to Valentine's Day gifts, I think one of the first things that pops into everyone minds is: chocolates! It's a go-to gift and everyone loves them. 

Master chocolatiers, Thorntons, have released a range of chocolate-y items specifically for the season of love. 

Firstly, the Irresistibles range. These retail at £6.00 each and you can get get Gooey Caramel (200g), Nutty Pralines (200g) or Belgian Chocolate (220g).

If you're after something a little more fancy, look no further than the Marc de Champagne Chocolate Truffles (210g) for £10. They are a luxurious fusion of fresh, juicy strawberries with a hint of pink champagne in the finest milk chocolate, dusted with icing sugar.

The Hearts & Kisses Box (75g) at £4 is a lovely gift idea for a caramel lover. This heart-shaped box is filled with chocolate hearts with soft caramel centres. I definitely think these would be my favourite to receive!

If you're still looking for "The One", why not treat yourself to one of Thorntons signature Continental collection? The Alpini box and Viennese Truffle box both retail at only £5.

I love a good personalised item so this Heart Plaque (£5) is one of my faves. You can get your own message iced on or you could opt for the I Love You cups (63g) for £3.50 to spell out how you feel.

Finally, if you are looking for an add-on item to your main present, Thorntons also have a Milk Chocolate Heart Lolly (63g) or bag of Milk Chocolate Caramel Hearts for only £1!

You can find out more about Thorntons on their website or follow them on Facebook & Twitter.

(Disclaimer: I received items in exchange for this post.)