Boomf Instagram Marshmallows

What happens when two hipster trends - Instagram and marshmallows - collide? Sticky iPhones! And Boomf. A very clever company who print your Instagram photos onto vanilla marshmallows.

Boomf marshmallows are exactly what you buy the wonderful person who is a total pain in the ass to buy for. They're £12 for a box of nine (including postage) and the boxes are designed to slip through your letter box. And if you order by noon they'll be sent out first class the same day.

The marshmallows are gluten free (always a bonus) but they're sadly not suitable for vegetarians. Veggie marshmallows are a bugger to make. Let's focus on the fact that they print photos onto them. Because that's pretty magic.

Simple photos with a good contrast work best, so that sunset photo you took last week will look lovely. So will that photo of you and your best mate. The photo of 20 people in Where's Wally? fancy dress will be less successful (but if you do have such a photo, we'd like to see it).

The only downside is that you have to have access to an Instagram account to upload photos, which does make buying them as presents a little tricky. But you can still send nine pictures of your face to someone you love. Nothing says happy Christmas like tasty, squishy photographs of your face.

Excellent Games For Every Occasion

The nights are drawing in, the weather is crap-o-la and my evenings are now spent either huddled on the sofa with tea, blankets and the cats or attending one of the many friends and family gatherings that seem to become oh-so-common in the run up to Christmas (it's like they're trying to get you ticked off their 'to see' list so they don't have to actually put up with you on the big day, hmpf)

Anyway one thing I have noticed growing in popularity at these little soirees is the humble party game. Board games, card games and parlour games are a great way to wind down after a big meal or over multiple cocktails (although perhaps not Twister). Having an old friend around for dinner and long overdue catch-up? Why not do it over this gorgeous french wooden checkers set? The little stylish Parisian faces are reusable stickers and the cotton bag it comes in becomes the board! It's a tres chic £24.50 from Dowse, as is their version of Chess.

Now let's take a look at some of the best games out there for every type of get-together:

Forced family gatherings

Nothing says old school like Cluedo, still to this day one of my all time favourite board games. Ever. Perfect for after a family Sunday roast (what else are you going to do, watch Songs of Praise? Argue about who actually ruined Christmas 1998?) The less said about the sacrilegious "modern celebrity" version the better but thankfully they're still making the good old fashioned original version (complete with cast iron murder weapons!). It's available in multiple places but the cheapest I found was £27.06 from Play.com.

I have taken a life long vow to Never. Play. Monopoly. Again. All thanks to my best friend who has forever ruined this game for me by being not only unbeatable, but brutally, apocalyptically unbeatable. She made playing Monopoly such a demoralising and humiliating experience I never thought I could face that little metal doggie again. However I find myself wavering over my sacred vow in the face of this rather amazing Marvel Comics version. Want the chance to buy the Fantatiscar? That's $200 please, in Marvel-opoly money of course. Thankfully the actual game is only £29.99 from John Lewis.

At a dinner party, to go with the coffees

Bananagrams? (I hear you ask) Isn't that just a mini version of Scrabble? NO! (I yell) Because a) Scrabble is hard and I am bad at it and b) You don't need to be a massive swotty type to win! It's £10.81 from Amazon and can be furiously fast fun to play. You only ever need to use up your own selection of letters, not impress everyone with the fact you know fancy words like Impresario or Cavalcade. Or Douche.

I cannot explain in words how much stupid fun Absolute Balderdash is when played with slightly (ok, very) inebriated friends. And the best part is, you win points for knowing nothing! Don't know what Furfur is? No matter the whole point is to guess, you get a point for each player who thinks yours is the actual definition (for the record Furfur are flakes of dandruff, nice). The big proper version is £24.31 or you can get a mini version for just £4.99 both from Amazon.

On long dull journeys

We know there will inevitably be some long journeys in the next month and we will need something to combat that boredom. Pass the Pigs is one of those games I remember playing with my Dad on long flights or on holidays when the weather failed to live up to our expectations. Mostly I remember not entirely understanding the scoring system but I was OBSESSED with throwing a double snouter (when the Pigs both end up balanced on their little piggy snouts.) These teeny porkers are £8.00 from John Lewis.

For the times when you might be stuck with a know-it-all cousin or fatally unimpressed hipster sibling, these Typeface trumps cards are the answer. Not only are they super cool and pretty but also informative, each card tells you when, why and by whom the font was created. If that's not endlessly fascinating, I don't know what is (I'm not joking, I seriously find this stuff interesting). They can be yours for £9.99 from Firebox.

With many cocktails

God I love this game, it really doesn't get more simple or fun then Cards Against Humanity and they've finally released the UK version on Amazon! Back in July when I was desperately searching for a Hen weekend game I could only print out the smaller free version from their site (which is free, but very American and I had to back all the pages with duct tape and cut them all out. There were blisters, it wasn't pretty). I will definitely be buying this version which comes with 550 cards! It's £20 and all mine.

Ha you didn't think I'd forget about Dream Phone did you? Shame on you. I had the original massive 80s cellphone version when I was a kid and loved the beejesus out of it. Is my secret crush Chad? Adam? Jake? Does he hang out at the beach? Does he like hot dogs?! Weirdly my most persistent memory of this game was the guy that randomly said "Hello. I know who it is. But I'm not telling. Ha. Ha" like a smug robot devoid of feeling. I really hope they haven't removed him from this updated version which is £17.99 from Argos.

What will you guys be playing?

Shop in the Spotlight: Alice's Pig

I discovered Alice's Pig via American clothing favourite Modcloth. I'd spotted these bloody stupidly named 'blogger conference pants' (yes, really). After giggling to myself for a little while I realised that I really liked them and learnt that they were designed by a British company that I'd never heard of before. Alice's Pig is the creation of two siblings in Brixton, and they had nothing to do with the stupid naming of their kimono trousers.

Actually the Alice's Pig clothing line is pretty special. And their website is brilliantly designed in a sort of and fun to play with. And this harlequin dress is incredibly sexy.

This is a very excellent outfit. I am mega sorry for showing you something that's already sold out, but I think this piece illustrates just how well-cut and affordable the range is - the skirt/jacket combo was just £75.

I do like this lady and her t-bar/ankle sock combo. I also like this cute dress. I'm not usually the biggest fan of a peplum, but when it's teamed with a Peter Pan collar, I'm smitten. This is an excellent way to spend £66.

I wasn't totally taken with the skirts in the range, but Frances loved them. They're definitely her favourite pieces and this one ticks the tartan and pocket boxes (excellent boxes indeed). I might not be a huge fan of the skirt, but I think the blouse they've paired it with is beautiful. I like that none of the pieces in the shop are too matchy matchy.

Even though I can't wear a dropped-waist, I think this mustard dress is lovely. The yoke is so pretty! It's also £66. I really like the pieces in this current range and can't wait to see more of them. I might even wear one of their outfits to a blogger conference.

Dairy & Sugar Free: Apple & Chestnut Stuffing Loaf

It's getting festive, isn't it? Lots of our favourite flavour combinations are popping out of the woodwork, ready for the mince pie and mulled wine quaff fest that is the run up to Christmas. One of these has to be chestnuts. They are absolutely impossible to resist, eaten hot on a frosty day. Of course, that leads on to stuffing, with sage and apple... If we could, we'd eat stuffing for every meal.

What's this? We CAN eat it for every meal, with a stuffing flavoured loaf? Move over, stollen, here's some proper seasonal sustenance for long weekends tramping through the woods or wrapping presents.

This recipe is naturally sugar free, and the only dairy (or lactose) comes from the optional elements. You could add in some cubed ham or a sprinkling of sausage meat for a carnivore version, but this could also easily be made vegan, and indeed, gluten free by using one of our fabulous gluten-free flour mixes.

Dairy and Sugar Free Apple & Chestnut 'Stuffing' Loaf
You will need:

• 1 sachet active yeast
• 320ml warm water
• 350g strong bread flour
• 100g chestnut (or another nut) flour
• 2 tsp dried sage
• A good pinch salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp chestnut puree
• 1 large cooking apple, peeled and roughly chopped
• Large handful of walnuts, chopped
• A few fresh sage leaves, chopped
• Sprinkling of sea salt
• 50g parmesan (optional - often much lower in lactose than other cheeses)
• 2 tbsp milk (or egg, or olive oil if you're going dairy free)

Make it!

1. Combine the yeast and 2 tbsp water in a bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes or so.
2. Add both flours, dried sage and salt together in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add in the yeast mixture, remaining water and olive oil. Stir together and bring into a dough using your hands. 
3. Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes. Grease a pyrex bowl (or similar) and cover, leaving somewhere warm for 1 1/2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size. 
4. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and give it a quick knead. 
5. Roll out into a rectangle, about 40cm by 20cm. 
6. Spread the chestnut puree over the surface, followed by the apples, walnuts, fresh sage, sea salt and parmesan, if using. 
7. Roll the dough lengthways, until you have a swiss-roll type construction, tucking the ends under, so that you can fit them in the tin.
8. Place in the tin, cover and leave to prove and rise for 1 hour. 
9. Preheat the oven to 220C / 450F / Gas mark 8. 
10. Brush the top of the loaf with a little milk, egg or olive oil, and slash the surface with a sharp knife, if you prefer. 
11. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180 C / 350 F / Gas mark 4. Bake for another 20 minutes. The bread should sound hollow when tapped on the base. 
12. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, before turning onto a wire rack. 

Sluttishly Vegetarian: Winter Tagine

If you're after a comforting, healthy dinner for winter evenings but you're sick of chilli and curry, then get your tagine on. It's a rich, Moroccan stew, normally made with meat - this version substitutes the hearty chickpea instead. Cook it in a traditional tagine if you have one; the cone-shaped lid cleverly re-condenses the steam as it rises, keeping the dish tender. It's a slow cooked dish, so if you're lucky enough to own a slow cooker, simply put all the ingredients in and leave for several hours.

You should really add chopped apricots and raisins, but I hate stealth fruit in my dinner so I've left them out. A tablespoon of honey adds some sweetness, but you could always ditch this and add more chilli powder if you want a more fiery dish.

You will need:

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 onion
• 1 red pepper
• 1 courgette
• 1 stick of celery
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 carton of passata
• 2 tsp harissa paste
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tin of chickpeas, drained
• 500ml vegetable stock
• Handful of fresh coriander, chopped
• Small handful of flaked almonds

Make it!

1. Crush the garlic and chop up the rest of the vegetables. Heat a little oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, throw in all the veg and cook for 8-10 minutes until softening.
2. Add the ginger, cumin and cayenne pepper and stir well to coat the vegetables. Pour in the passata, then stir in the harissa paste and honey.
3. Add the chickpeas and then the vegetable stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan and leave it for 20-25 minutes until the sauce has thickened, the chickpeas are hot and the vegetables are soft. 
4. Sprinkle over the coriander and almonds, then serve with cous-cous, rice, baked potatoes or enormous amounts of fancy bread.

A Warm Hand for Winter's Best Gloves and Mittens

It's always about this point in the year when my body remembers how many more months of cold it has got to get through. We've dealt with this winter's best scarves and coats with hoods, so it's surely now time for me to tackle those freezing fingers. There are loads of different styles to pick from and - as we've got around 150 more days of this to go - I see no problem with getting a brand new pair, or five.

ANIMAL

Well, Pomber gloves are probably already the animal overlords of this particular category, but as a change from the woodland theme, I'd like to suggest these charming penguin mittens, available for £24 from People Tree. And, if you liked their polar bear scarf I wrote about last week, there's more happy news in the form of these polar bear mittens. In fact, you could probably have a zoo's worth of animal themed gloves if you'd fancied - look at these cat, swan and alligator designs too.

STRIPES

There's something always cheering about a stripe, especially as when they come in such a colourful form as Accessorize's luxe pop stripe glove, with no less then seven colours to marvel upon. And the fact they are only £15 is quite cheering too. For more mighty stripes, take a peek at these ASOS mittens or these lovely long Gap gloves.

BLACK AND WHITE

Black and white would look so chic with a new burgundy duffle coat. This pair of black and white leopard gloves is uber cheap too - only a fiver from Dorothy Perkins. To see more things in black and white, People Tree's rose mittens are blooming marvellous, as are Donna Wilson's delightful pointy mitts. And I've got monster love for ASOS's ridiculous faux fur pair.

LADYLIKE

If you prefer your gloves to conjure up images of Grace Kelly-style perfection, head straight to Accessorize. Hands down they've got the most ladylike selection around, including the suede and vent gloves pictured, which are £20, or a wool pair with a bow, and gloves with gorgeous scallop and button detailing as well. French Connection have a luxurious-looking leather pair in stock too, or you can go all dainty thanks to Debenhams and this button-detailed pair.

COLOUR

My favourite weapon in the battle again grey winter days and dark nights: colour! This haircalf bow pair from Banana Republic is definitely making me think pink. Hopefully it's so bright, I'll remember not to leave them on the bus this time. They are £49.50 and, handily (not a deliberate pun, for once) available in a number of sizes to fit larger or smaller paws. For colourful woollen alternatives, try Banana Republic again for this colourblock pair,  Jo Gordon's range at Liberty is lovely, or go all designer fancy with this Paul Smith pair, currently reduced at ASOS.

NORDIC

Like the jumpers, like the scarf, it's hard to escape a Nordic-style knit. It's pretty hard to resist them too, when they are as charming as Lowie Winter Forest mittens, £45 from Swanfield Boutique. I'm almost equally in love with the Icelandic mittens in stock at Hannah Zakari. Of the many alternatives available, a couple of nice cheaper options are A Wear's classic gloves or fingerless pair at Urban Outfitters.

NICE KNITS

This is where being an ace knitter or crocheter comes in handy - or at least cosying up to one and getting them to perform to your instructions. Fancy stitches make the plainest of gloves look appealing. Cheap Monday's mega mittens have a brilliant cartoonish quality, as well as a brilliant name. They're £18.50 from ASOS. I'm also admiring the stitch work on this pair from Gap and this one from Topshop, and promising that I will have finally taught myself to knit by this time next year. As usual.

MUFFS

Yes, muffs. Do you think the great British public is ready for a muff revival yet? Well, this Anastasia faux fur muff from Collectif looks quite charming, and quite toasty too for £25. Topshop are also getting in on the act, but have elected to call it a 'handwarmer', rather than a muff. Oh Topshop, I didn't know you were that prim but, frankly, if it'll keep my hands frostbite free for the next few months, you can call it whatever the hell you want.

Win! A Premium Whisky Advent or Ginvent Calendar!

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, falalalalala... sorry, we can't remember the rest, we're quite drunk. It's all Maverick Drinks' fault. They've got us tipsy on tiny drams, all in the name of Christmas.

As a result of our tipsy generosity, we're giving away the best advent calendar prize this year. One of you lucky folk will win your choice of either a Craft Ginvent calendar or a Premium Whisky Advent calendar. Each calendar has 24 windows hiding different 3cl drams of your favourite tipple for you to try (not at 8am before you go to work, drinky). We promise we haven't opened a single window and stolen any of the booze.

We've only got one calendar to give away but we've also got some gin and whisky taster sets to share with you. Five lucky runners up will get to choose between an Origins gin tasting set, or a Regions of Scotland whisky tasting set. We haven't stolen any of these either. Honest.

To enter this brilliant competition, just do one (or all - bonus chances!) of the following:

• Leave a comment below telling us a Christmas tradition story. Tell us about anything you do in the run up to Christmas to get you in the festive spirit. (If your comment just says "wow" or "Great prize! LOL!" it won't count. Shoo with your lazy competition entering.)
• Like or comment on our competition entry on Facebook. Which will probably be live about five minutes after this post has gone up. Give us a minute, we can't do everything at one.
• Tweet your entry! Just tweet "I want to win a @drinksbythedram boozy advent calendar with @domesticsluts! http://tinyurl.com/o3hq9qb" (Don't retweet someone else's tweet, lazybones. There's no guarantee we'll see it.)

We'll draw a winner at random, using the digital equivalent of picking a name out of a hat and then (providing you're over the legal drinking age), Master of Malt will get your prize out to you by December 1st so you can get enjoying your drams.

Good luck, everyone!

*LET'S ANNOUNCE SOME WINNERS!*

Main prize winner - Lia Buddle via Twitter.

Kate Swinscoe won a tasting kit! After leaving this comment:
The tree goes up no earlier than 12 days before. I like to do it on my own with a vat of mulled wine, some mince pies and A Muppet's Christmas Carol on the tele. (The greatest Christmas film of all time).

Vicki Senior via Facebook, won a tasting set.

Joolsteare via Twitter won a tasting set.

Diane Whale via Facebook won a Tasting set.

Charlie Cohen won a tasting kit after leaving this comment:
Every year we go out with our parents (we're all around 30 now) to do the Christmas Eve shop. It involves going to a big shopping centre and running around in a blind panic because inevitably my dad hasn't bought my mum anything. Then we return home to watch Mickey's Christmas Carol and watch my dad cry at how sick Tiny Tim is. Honestly, the man's got problems.

We've got in touch with those of you on Twitter and Facebook! Please email us by noon on November 28th to claim your prize!

The small print: You must be 18+ to enter - we will check before sending out your prize. The winning entry will be chosen at random and the competition will close at noon, 27 November and you must claim your calendar prize by noon on 28 November otherwise we'll pass your prize onto someone else.  If you leave an anon comment, your entry won't count and if you enter more than once, we'll discount all of your entries and tell you off. You must be based in the UK to enter, sorry lovely overseas readers. Oh, and do drink responsibly. Christmas is ages away yet.