Charlie's Christmas in Center Parcs

Hi, Charlie here,

I hope you had a brilliant Christmas and are looking forward to 2009. 

I was lucky enough to go to Center Parcs with my family for Christmas. We had a great time and went down the wild water rapids so many times that I lost count after fifty! 

For Christmas I received some tennis balls, clothing and tennis socks (I asked for the socks, they're a classic Christmas gift, I know!). I also unwrapped some DVD's and CD's including Leona Lewis's Album. I love her voice and her version of Run is beyond outstanding! 

My family loved the gifts I bought them from QVC which included a Yamaha keyboard, SanDisk MP3 player and Charlie Bears to name a few! I also bought the Samsung notebook for my other half on Easy Pay - she was thrilled I'm pleased to say.

New Year resolutions next! Have you come up with any yet?

Take care

Charlie

Alison: My Christmas and Thursday's Today's Special Value

Isn't it amazing how we spend months planning Christmas and then it's all over in the blink of an eye! I found a turkey in the end, and even had all my presents wrapped by midday on Christmas Eve which was quite a feat for me.

I recorded The Polar Express which is a truly traditional Christmas film in which Tom Hanks plays every character with the exception of the reindeer and that's only because they don't speak, and then I forced my boys to watch it! Even though they're 19 and 15 it brought the spirit of Christmas back for them and they had already opened their stockings by 8am Christmas morning!

We had a lovely day and not only did we all get some lovely thoughtful gifts but lunch was served on time and every morsal was eaten. I have to let you know that I had some help in the kitchen, courtesy of our New Year's Day Today's Special Value. I'll be bringing it to you at midnight on the 1st January and I know you're going to love it.

Jilly: Merry Christmas everyone!

Hi, just a quick last minute Merry Christmas!

I hope you all have a great time over Christmas and here's to a healthy New Year! Thank you so much for all your cards and best wishes, they really mean a lot.

Don't forget to join me Boxing day night, especially as Leighton Denny will be joining me at midnight!

Lots of love and Christmas kisses

Jilly xxx

Catherine: Our Christmassy call center in Liverpool

I ran up to our QVC call centre in Liverpool last week to judge their team Christmas decorating competition. It all looked wonderful, as you can see by the picture of a penguin on a trapeze(left)!

See more of these fantastic decorations and read all about it in Craft Etc now.

Have a very merry Christmas everybody!

Love,
Catherine x

Catherine: Five years at QVC!

Wow. Five whole years at QVC and so much has happened in that time! I always say that how I came to be a presenter on QVC is a real 'Cinderella' story.

I was working as a dental nurse when one of the companies we sold toothpaste for asked me to represent them on QVC as a guest for 'Janina whitening toothpaste'.

I did it as a favour and was paid in toothpaste! Well from there I was asked if I would audition as a QVC presenter and several months later. Out of thousands of applicants, to my bemused surprise, I got the job!

I was looking back through some old photos and thought I'd share these with you. I always try to appreciate every moment and never forget where I came from and how blessed I have been. When I saw my lighted mirror in my dressing room I was so excited! Don't ask me why, it's just kind of special.

Alison: Only a few days to go...

... and I've just realised that I haven't bought the turkey!! There's gammon in the freezer, and Christmas pudding in the cupboard, but I'm praying I won't have to resort to chicken pieces on Christmas Day!

I have to be honest and tell you that one year I put the turkey in the garage as there was no room in the fridge. It was meant to be below freezing overnight... unfortunately the temperature rocketed and the rather attractive pistachio green tinge that coloured our bird meant drastic measures had to be put in place, hence the chicken pieces. I thank my Girl Guide Training for that one! 

I hope you've managed to be a little more organised than me?!

Debbie on her family Christmas night out

I can't believe it's almost Christmas! I went to the girls' Christmas carol concert last Thursday, which was lovely, and last night we went on our family night out.

It's always an adventure for us going into the West End of London. For years we would queue up in Harrods for three hours to see the real Santa (it was DEFINITELY the real one), and then to Hamleys for the girls to buy each other their Christmas presents.

Afterwards, we’d go to Trafalgar Square to see "the biggest Christmas tree in the world." Now that the grls are 11 and 14, we're a little bit more "sophisticated".

Pipa: Nativity plays and my Christmas CD

I went to see the children’s Christmas Nativity plays this week and they reminded me of all those wonderful carols and Christmas songs we sing each year!

'Little Donkey' is one I haven’t heard for a long long time!! I remember doing that one and standing behind a star in a big white sheet when I was about six-years-old – funny the memories we hang on to! I think my favourite school play was 'The Owl and the Pussycat'... although I think I was behind yet another star!!

Talking of Christmas music, I've been chuffed to bits to hear from loads of you who've been enjoying the CD I released last Christmas!! We played it last week on air whilst talking about the Sandisk MP3 player (which I've bought for my husband for Christmas as we love the voice recorder feature which many MP3s don’t have) and since then I've been inundated with queries.

Catherine: Presenters' Christmas lunch

I always think it's a shame we presenters don't get more catch up time, sometimes we're just ships that pass in the night...or 'blurs' that pass by the dressing rooms! Well Christmas is always a very good reason to get together with friends so we took some time out and went to lunch together.

Obviously as QVC is on 17 hours live every day we couldn't all meet up in one go, as someone has to hold the fort back at QVC Towers, but we had quite a gathering last week with many faces you know very well; Anthony, Julia, Charlie, Sara, Jill, Julian, Anne and myself.

We did a 'Secret Santa' but we always end up telling each other who bought what so it's not that secret in the end. I was delighted when Ant ended up with mine as part of it was a pair of 'beer goggles' and I knew he'd be up for modelling them even though he's a teetotaller, doesn't he look fab?

Alison: Cooking for ten and the QVC Christmas party

Well it's been a busy old week and, having fully recovered, I've been dividing my time between home and QVC Towers in preparation for Christmas. 

The silicone bakeware TSV came in handy when I had to make a chocolate cake at short notice and also Sunday lunch for 10! My cake came out of the sandwich 'tins' without a hitch even though it was the first time I'd used them.

I also did roast gammon with a honey and mustard glaze, and the glaze didn't burn or turn to toffee as it has done when I've used a metal roasting dish! So not only was I spared expensive dental bills but the washing-up was a treat! 

I also made it to the annual QVC Christmas party which was fab! It's always really nice to meet up with the hundreds of other people who work behind the scenes and who I rarely get to see. Everyone looked gorgeous: a sparkling sea of satin, tafetta, velvet and lurex - and that was just the men!! 

I managed to find a lovely dress this year, wore my Honora Pearls necklace, a Diamonique watch and ring, and my fab two-tone gold sparkly bracelet which was a TSV years ago. I felt very glam!