Sparkles!

Today I braved Ikea (in Thurrock) and Bluewater shopping centre in one day!

This meant a flit under and over the Thames. In Ikea I bought replacement glasses, plates, a crate of several rolls of wrapping paper + ribbons and so on and a shed load of good stock of tea lights which will fill up all my sundry decorative holders for a while. I only go there before Christmas nowadays because I like the decorations and packs of coloured candles. A bit miffed that they seem to have stopped selling big boxes of ordinary candles in red and green. There were lots of pillar candles in red but they won't fit in the candlesticks!
I got the distinct feeling I was being steered into buying what they wanted to sell...

I popped into Bluewater because the shops have declared all sorts of 'X% off' deals today, but they didn't make me part with much cash! The mood was lovely though. The decorations were lovely. Cheerful shoppers and shop staff, so I came home feeling more in the spirit of things!