After yesterday's rather sombre post, we thought we would give you two things to cheer you all up in today's blog: food, and novelty aprons! We'll be sharing a few fun, festive recipes for you to try over the holiday season, based on the 'chef' stereotype you fit best!


Cookie Monster: The Dessert Expert 

If your cookies, crumbles and creme brulee all put Mary Berry to shame, then why not try making your own festive dessert this Christmas?

Why not try this Peppermint Bark Cheesecake from Cooking Classy, or these delicious Rolo Christmas Cookies from Living Locurto:                                     
                                            

The Impatient Cook  

If you're looking for something quick and easy to whip up in the kitchen, then why not try out these simple 3 Ingredient Candy Cane Lollipops from BBC Good Food, or these Pan Roasted Brussel Sprouts With Bacon if you're after something savoury.

Kitchen Hero 

If you're a bit of a wiz in the kitchen, you'll want to try something extra special this Christmas to wow your dinner guests.  Why not try out this incredible Roast Duck recipe from Jamie Oliver, or this incredible Chocolate Cake With Homemade Marshmallows for dessert! 

Batman (The Dark Knight) Adult Apron
(Buy Apron here)

Foodie Frankenstein

If you like to try something a little different in the kitchen, then what better time of year is there than Christmas to test out some new and interesting recipes?

If you're looking for some interesting combinations to have a crack at, then take a look at this Brussels Sprouts, Chilli and Thyme Jam, or these Pork and Cranberry Sausage Rolls, both from bakingmad.com.


Danger - Man Cooking (Apron and Hat Set)
(Buy Apron here)

Boozy Baker

For a flashy fish dish with an added kick, have a go at this Beetroot and Vodka-Cured Salmon from Woman and Home. If delicious bakes are more your speed, take a look at this fantastic Hazelnut Liquor pastry dish from Half Baked Harvest.

6 Pack Apron
(Buy Apron here)
Christmas is a time for love, happiness and smiles all round, but sadly, the same can't be said for Christmas films . In fact, Christmas movies can be pretty darn depressing at times, as illustrated by some of the examples below. 

I should warn you that there will be spoilers below, so if you're planning on watching some of these and haven't already, it's probably a good idea not to read the descriptions....


The Snowman - Snowman melts:

This film broke our hearts as children, and it still does to this day. It sets about fulfilling a childhood dream, then goes and completely destroys it! A boy is led by his snowman companion, flies to the North Pole with him to meet Father Christmas, only to discover that he's a melted puddle by the next day! Traumatic to say the least...


A Christmas Carol (2009) - Christmas Past:

Don't let the combination of animation and Jim Carey fool you, this version of Dickens' classic is pretty dark and depressing at times, particularly during the 'Christmas past' section. Not only do we see Scrooge as a sad and lonely little boy at boarding school, we then have to watch as he endures the death of his sister, and loses the woman he loves due to his developing fixation with wealth.


A Muppet Christmas Carol - Tiny Tim prophecy: 

Although this version is far more light-hearted than the 2009 adaptation, it still has a few moments that leave us feeling rather emotional. Once such moment comes later in the film, as the silent and creepy Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come reveals that adorable Tiny Tim will not be alive next Christmas.


Jack Frost - Jack is put to rest:

Okay, so a few people may have commented that the snowman looks a little creepy, but there's still no denying that this is a heart-warming family film. At the very end of the movie, Jack has to part ways with his son Charlie, this time, getting a chance to say the goodbye he never got the first time round. This makes for a sad and bitter-sweet ending to a story of second chances, giving us all the feels, all at once.


Love Actually - Too many moments to count:

Love Actually has to be the best, British Christmas film, with a stellar cast and a host of both hilarious and sad moments. From Colin Firth's sad goodbye to his Portuguese housekeeper, to Andrew Lincoln's confession of love to Keira Knightly (his best friend's wife) on her doorstep, this film is filled with emotional moments to get those tears flowing. The award for saddest moment of all goes to Emma Thompson, however, for that emotional realization scene when she discovers her husband has bought a necklace for another woman. We can't even listen to that Joni Mitchell song without sobbing.

Edward Scissorhands- Hold me 

Although this film is pretty melancholy throughout, the part that hits us right where it hurts is when Kim lovingly asks Edward to hold her, to which the replies 'I can't'. Burdened by difference and doomed to a life without normality, Edward is forced to endure a reclusive existence once more, free from the judgement of humanity. 

For more Christmas Posts, follow us on Twitter. We promise they're a lot more cheerful that this one!
Do you love a challenge? Do you enjoy a good puzzle to get your brain working? If so, this Maze Cube - Large is perfect for you! 

This 3D Tetris-like puzzle has 19000 possible solutions, so it should keep you busy up until Christmas next year! It consists of 13 different pieces in red, blue and yellow, which make a thousand different configurations. When put together correctly, you can make a perfect cube.


If this Maze Cube interests you, then you'll be happy to know that it is our Deal Of The Week, and it is now reduced to £4.50! That's more than 50% off, what a bargain!

If you're looking for the ultimate brain teaser that will challenge you this Christmas, then look no further than our Maze Cube - Large! With over 19000 different solutions, you won't be getting bored of this in a hurry! 

Click Here to check out our other puzzles!
Below are some of the most popular and well-loved gifts of Christmases past, but looking back, it's rather difficult to understand the appeal of some of them... Just goes to show what great marketing can do for you.

Lava Lamp

You knew you'd reached the peak of maturity when you had one of these in your room! It almost felt like living in your own Nickelodeon TV show!

lava lamp

Nintendo 64

If you want to know JUST how awesome getting one of these for Christmas was, watch this video. With games like Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, it's still considered to be one of the greatest consoles of all time.
Nintendo 64 console

Baby Born

Because apparently, having a doll which could pee itself on demand was what every little girl in the 90's really wanted. And people think that the 'period Barbie' idea is strange....

Bop It

This frustrating, reflex-testing game was a must-have item at all your childhood sleepovers, before it was thrown across the room in frustration of course. When they came out with the 'Extreme' version, it all got a bit much for us.

Furby

Was it an owl, an alien? No one really knew, but everyone wanted one! If you think about it, this was probably a far better test of your parenting skills than Baby Born or Tamagotchi ever was, as you prayed every waking moment that it would finally stop begging for food and Go.To.Sleep!

furby toy

Mr Frosty 

We're pretty sure that everyone still has one of those ice moulds lying in the back of their kitchen cupboard somewhere.


Chemistry Set

What could be a more wholesome and innocent gift for your child than a box of flammable chemicals? Most of these had 12+ ratings on the box, but you ignored that because you were such a rebel! You soon got tired of it once you'd realized that just about the only fun thing you could do with it was to burn magnesium.

Mouse Trap

This game seemed like the best idea ever, but once you'd realized how long it took to set up, the rare chance of being able to set off the chain reaction soon lost its shine. Plus, if you ever lost a single, tiny part, the entire game was left totally redundant. 

mouse trap

For more fun posts about gadgets, gifts and pop culture, follow us on Twitter!

Christmas is a time to eat, drink and be merry, so we thought we'd share some festive drinkspiration with you, to enjoy with friends at parties and get-togethers this year. 

Cranberry Jelly Shots

All you'll need for this recipe is a pack of jelly mix, some cranberry juice and orange vodka.

Heat 2 1/4 cups of cranberry juice on the stove until it comes to the boil, then add in the jelly mix until dissolved. Add 3/4 cup of orange vodka before leaving them to set overnight. If you can't find the original ingredients, you could sub them to suit your needs, for example; using orange jelly and regular vodka. See the original recipe here.

Santa Shot

This awesome 2 colour shot is made with 1 part grenadine syrup, 1 part green creme de menthe, and 1 part peppermint schnapps.

First add some grenadine so it fills 1/3 of your glass. Then, add equal parts of the creme de menthe, and then the peppermint schnapps. If you've done it right, it should produce a lovely layered, look. See the full recipe here.

Eggnog

This one is pretty indulgent, so you'll need 1 litre of milk, 475ml of double cream, 12(yes you read that right) egg yolks, a tsp of vanilla extract, 475ml of whiskey, 12 egg whites, 200g of cater sugar and a pinch of ground nutmeg. 

Click here for full instructions on how to make this creamy Christmas cocktail.

Icy Holiday Margaritas


For this you'll need 1/2 cup of thawed frozen cranberry juice, 1/2 cup of tequila, 1/4 cup of orange liqueur, 3 tbsp of melon liqueur and 5 cups of ice cubes. If you're feeling creative, you can also add some decorative sugar and/or berries for extra flair.

Blend all ingredients but the ice cubes, then, with the blender running (carefully) add the ice cubes one at the time through the lid opening. Blend until slushy. For more details, click here.

To give your drinks an additional impact, we also have some great glasses and drink accessories:


Ice Shot Glasses

Ice Shot Glasses 4 Pack

Conundrum Wine Glasses

Conundrum Red Wine Glasses (Set of 4)

Mixology Mason Jars 

Mason Pint Jar (Set of 4)

Ice Ball Moulds

Ice Ball Moulds: Make Your Own Ice Balls
Mason Jar Shots

Mason Jar Shot Glass - Set of 4
For more festive inspiration follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Gadget Inspector | Gadgets and Gizmos, Gifts and Novelties
We had our fair share of fun over the Christmas break, but now it's time for us to get back to reality and back to work. Faced with the daunting task of endlessly hearing the same question of  "Good Christmas?", and giving the same drab reply on auto-repeat, it's already feeling like a bit too much to deal with this soon after the holidays! 

To cheer you all up, we thought we'd share some of our brilliant office gadgets, which are all sure to brighten up your workplace!


Just £8.50 

It's a stapler, shaped like a bunny rabbit! Surely you can't get more cheerful than that? This adorable stapler is the cutest desktop accessory in all the land, and is guaranteed to make stapling be the most enjoyable part of the day! 



Just £4.99 

It's the first day back and you're guaranteed to make some mistakes, so what better way to correct them than with this set of Novelty Rubbers! Whether zombies or soldiers are more your thing, these characterful erasers are sure to bring some fun to your stationary selection.


Just £8.00 

If you turned over a new leaf during the Christmas break and decided you want a nice clean desk to start the new year with, then this Genius Paperclip Holder is perfect for you! Save yourself the torture of having paper clips all over your desk, just stick them on Albert's head instead!



Just £9.99 

There is always one person (or a dozen) in the office who likes a good moan, but at this time of year you really don't need any more negativity. This Complaint Department Grenade Ornament is the perfect gift for to put them in line, and is guaranteed to get a few chuckles around in the office.




Just £4.99

After having so much fun during your Christmas break, you're bound to be slightly miffed about getting back to your regular nine to five! If that's the case, then why not brighten up your mood with one of our desktop game sets? After a few heated sessions of our desktop games you may even completely forget that you're back in work, so just remember to finish off your tasks by the end of the day! 


Just £14.99 

The mess from your lunch break stands no chance against this mini R2-D2 Desktop Vacuum! It's the perfect way to indulge your inner big kid, whilst also honouring your promise to keep your desk tidy!

 

Just £4.99 

These Desktop Standees are the perfect accessories to brighten your desk and add a little humour to your workspace! We realize that it's not quite like having a real office minion, but it's most certainly the next best thing (unless you plan on selecting a not-so-lucky employee to participate in spot of fancy dress!)

For more Gadget Inspector news and awesome gift ideas, be sure to follow us on Twitter!
If you're planning to see the New Year in by throwing an awesome party, you're going to need party supplies! We know how stressful it can be to try and organise a party, and with Christmas just gone, the last thing you want to be doing is adding more stress to your life. So, we're here to the rescue! We've listed out top party essentials that is guaranteed to make your party the best party of the year! 

From £1.60 

These Solo cups are the ultimate party cups! There is no other way to drink your alcoholic beverage of your choice than from one of these! You've seen these party cups countless times on American teen movies, and those parties always look the awesome and we it's all down to these bad boys! Prices start for from just £1.60 for a pack of 10, so they're really affordable to! 


From £1.75 

Of course Solo cups aren't the only party cups your guests can drink from, and if your'e planning on serving up some Jagerbombs at your NYE party, these Jagerbomb bomber cups are essential! It's not really a party until someone has a Jagerbomb! Get ready to drop one last bomb before the big countdown!



From £1.25 

It's guaranteed that people will bring plenty of booze to your party, but all of those bottles will go to waste if you've got no way to open them. You'll need a bottle opener at the very least, but if you want something special, we have a large range of novelty bottle openers! From Star Wars to Batman, you're guaranteed to find the bottle opener that's right for you! 
from £7.99 

Now it isn't a party until you start playing Beer Pong! We have a variety of Beer Pong Sets, each with a different twist to the game. There is no better way to bring everyone together and have fun than Beer pong! 



from £11.99 

Theres no better way to countdown the hours to midnight than playing a couple of  drinking games! And we have a few great Drinking games that are guaranteed to get everyone drunk and enjoying themselves! 

Click here to view our other Party Essentials.
As Christmas is very nearly here, we though we would share some fun festive trivia to keep you all entertained!

Toilet Brush Tree

Fake Christmas Trees date back to 1886, and were made in London from green raffia, which was more commonly used to make grass hula skirts. Other early versions were made from dyed goose feathers, and bristles more traditionally used to create toilet brushes!

Banana Christmas Trees

In the absence of the traditional fir tree, Christians in India celebrate by decorating banana and mango trees instead!

KFC for Christmas?

In Japan, KFC has become an important part of the Christmas tradition, with five to ten times the normal sales being made over the festive season!

Gifts in Shoes?

We're all familiar with the famous Christmas stocking, but in the Philippines, they have slightly different version on this tradition. Children leave their polished shoes and freshly washed socks on the window sill, for the Three Kings to leave presents in as they pass through the house at night.

This Nativity Stinks! 

In Catalonia, a figure called 'Caganer' is included in their nativity scenes, which displays the form of a defecating man!

Pick the Pickle

In the United States, families hide a pickle decoration somewhere on the Christmas tree, for family members to hunt out. The first person to find it is usually rewarded with a small gift, and is said to have good fortune for the following year. Although this tradition was originally thought to have originated in Germany, people now believe it to be wholly American Christmas idea.  

'Hark the Herald (silence)'

There is no mention of angels singing anywhere in the Bible, which means that your entire childhood nativity memories were all a lie!

For updates about Gadget Inspector products along with some general geekery, follow us on Twitter!
Everyone loves this little, green, lightsaber wielding Jedi master, and now you can have him for your own! Go on a range of intergalactic adventures from the comfort of your own home, with this RC Inflatable Yoda Pump and Play.

Once he is inflated and clipped into the drive unit, take the easy-to-use handset and drive Yoda forwards, backwards and in any direction you like, with the 360 degree turn function. He'll operate indoors and out, so the adventures can be taken with you wherever you go. Best of all, is the fact that he comes with 11 original sound effects from the films, so you can pretend that you really do have the famous Jedi master by your side.


At this point, you're probably wondering how you can get your hands on the this incredible toy. Well, you'll be happy to know that this RC Inflatable Yoda Pump and Play is this weeks deal of the week and it can be yours for just £34.99

So, if you're looking to grab that perfect gift before it's too late, then you'd better snap up this amazing deal while you still can! It'll have both the adults and children fighting over who's turn is it to play on it next..

Click here to check out our other Star Wars inflatables! 
The Force Awakens is finally heeere! Seeing as we're all as pumped as you are, we thought we'd take a break from the Christmas posts today, to bring you one about our awesome Star Wars gifts and gadgets!

R2-D2 Desktop Vacuum 

This little guy may not be able to project holographic messages, but he can keep your desk nice and tidy. This mini version of everyone's favourite droid has a USB-powered vacuum to suck up all the crumbs and dust from your desk, while also being a cute little companion for your work station.
R2-D2 Desktop Vacuum

Millennium Falcon Bottle Opener 

Forget dull, practical presents, that really isn't our style here at Gadget Inspector. Instead, we like to provide you with useful products that also look awesome, which is certainly true of this Millennium Falcon bottle opener! Depicting all the features of Han's famous ship in a sleek 2D design, this keyring is a unique and subtle way to incorporate your love of the franchise into your everyday life. You'll certainly want to be first on the case at parties when someone asks for a bottle opener when you have this on your keys! 
Star Wars Millennium Falcon Bottle Opener

Yoda RC Pump and Play

Ever wanted your very own Jedi Master? Well, this is probably the closest thing you'll get! This awesome inflatable RC depicts the iconic, little green, lightsaber wielding Jedi, and comes with 11 original sounds from the films! Sounds just like the real thing, it does, talk just like Yoda it will. 

yoda rc pump and play

Star Wars 3D Model Kit (Tie Fighter II)

If you're a bit crafty and fancy trying your hand at making your very own models to display in your home, then why not try putting together this incredibly intricate Tie Fighter II kit? With a sleek metallic finish, if you take your time and put it together properly, the end result should be a great addition to your Star Wars memorabilia collection! To see our full selection, click here.
star wars 3D model kit

BB8 RC Pump and Play

We're all ready and willing to love this adorable little droid, even though we haven't even seen the film yet! With the ability to spin 360 degrees and with 14 original sound effects, this little RC companion is almost as good as the real thing! He's super easy to inflate and let down, so you can always put him away neatly once you're done (not that we think you'll want to). 
bb8 inflatable rc
For more gift ideas and Gadget Inspector news and ramblings, be sure to follow us on Twitter!