The Mindful Approach: How to Plan a Joyful, Budget-Friendly Christmas
Now we’ve popped the pumpkins away and started eyeing up the tins of chocolates during our weekly shop, Christmas is officially on its way...
Every year, someone utters the words ‘...it seems to get earlier every year.’ and secretly we are overjoyed that the planning can begin so that we can enjoy all the festivities; from nativities to work parties, from visiting the big man himself to the general feeling of wonder we get when we see the world bedecked in Christmas lights.
All these joy-filled moments can feel…well…stressful with time, energy and money being stretched over so much but we want to introduce a quality over quantity approach - one filled with conscious pre-planned choices and where the value really lies in the moments we create through December.
This Christmas, Sponge are all about making more - more joy, more connection, more smiles. Don’t get us wrong, we love a christmas crafting moment or an adventurous wish list-find as much as the next person but we want to simplify those more tricky parts and focus on creating more effortless shared sweetness which we remember year-on-year.
Time & Connection - Make More Memories
As the saying goes ‘there are only so many minutes in the day’ and at Christmas, you can sometimes feel like there are less, especially free, minutes. With our precious time being taken up by finding the perfect gift/food/drink/card (delete as applicable), those moments we hold dear from Christmas past get lost in tracking numbers, filter options and ads promising it all.
Now don’t get us wrong, we love all the season has to offer in getting creative but when it comes to time being spent with the people we love, creating smiles and enjoying the festive season to the maximum, it feels like there is no contest.
At Sponge, we like to make Christmas easy with online ordering up to three months in advance. Want to send some brownies to your niece at university as you know they are her favourite? Want Uncle Bob to have a slice of Spiced Orange and Cranberry Cake because it reminds him of being little? Well we have you covered, select your items and book your delivery for whenever you want to bake their day.
Know what tickles their tastebuds? Well Sponge have cakes for every taste! Whole cakes, cake cards and baby sponges come in classics like victoria, chocolate and coffee as well as the flavours which bring about unexpected joy such as apple crumble or lemon meringue.
Have a particularly hilarious photo you know would make them break into a big cheesy grin? Or will remind them of your 2025 adventures? Why not print it on a delicious sponge cake?
Available in Victoria or Chocolate, you can upload your shot and have it printed for posterity (or as long as the cake lasts which we bet won’t be very long!). Shop our Photo Cakes now.
Home & Joy - Make More Wonder
Warm, comforting, joyful; everything Christmas should be. It's about the convivial spirit and ambience which make it a special time of year. We use all of our senses to experience it - the scent of cinnamon and spice, the sight of twinkling lights, the sound of Mariah Carey, the feel of snuggly wool jumpers and the taste of treats we love to enjoy with our loved ones.
Create your mindful sanctuary using your senses and choose scents, sights and tastes which make you feel all the magic of Christmas. This will instantly signal to yourself that you have everything you need to create a relaxing, joyful home and will instantly reduce any tension you may feel. Leading to a more enjoyable festive experience and in turn more laughter and wonder.
This sanctuary can be a space for connection and is perfect for inviting people coming together to exchange gifts, enjoy a drink or just spend quality time together. A great addition to your hosting repertoire could be the edition of some great sweet treats for everyone to enjoy. Our Festive Brownie Mix, including chocolate orange, ferraro rocher, candy cane and hazelnut, is a great alternative to that classic box of chocolates or mince pies and ensures that everyone can try their favourite. Easy to order and can be posted through your letterbox, these are the perfect gift to give, receive and share.
Mindful Feasting & Sharing - Make More Joy
We always hear that Christmas is about the presents or the decorations but lets be honest with ourselves, it's about the food. Whether it’s nan’s secret-recipe stuffing or that very special cheese we include on our charcuterie board, we all have that thing which transports us back like Scrooge visiting Christmas past.
Every year we somehow romanticize that we didn’t spend the majority of our time in the kitchen when we invited our friends round for a pre-christmas dinner party or feel like we’d run a half marathon after cooking Christmas dinner. We don’t know about you but sometimes the people who bring the magic are sometimes already pushed for time and even thinking-space.
Well, here at Sponge we want to make it all a little easier by creating stress-free centrepieces which will mean you will be a present hostess with the mostest! Plus we offer a range which is deliciously inclusive with vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options so everyone can enjoy a slice of cake.
From deliciously moreish Chocolate Hazelnut to the slightly lighter but just as yummy, Spiced Orange and Cranberry Cake, the world is your oyster when it comes to flavour. It doesn’t have to stop there - know that Aunt Susan is partial to a brownie? Then our Festive Mixed Brownie Box will certainly make her eyes sparkle with flavours they will love including Forrero Rocher (oh ambassador you are really spoiling us?!)
We may be bias but we think Christmas should be about more joy, more connection and well…more cake. So order now with easy next-day delivery or book up to three months in advance for that extra gold star in your ‘I’ve-got-christmas-sorted’ reward chart.
So this Christmas be intentional with your time, make the most of the tools at your disposal and make more of every moment. Because it only comes once a year….