Mothers Day Gifts - A Present Mum Really Wants!

She brought you into the world, looked after you when you where poorly, comforted you when you where sad, laughed with you when you where happy and encouraged you to make most of your life - she did all this with, as the song says, 'No Charge' ... and then each year you forget to buy her a Mother's Day gift, how could you!..

Beware - this year, Mothering Sunday in the UK is early and falls on Sunday 2nd March.

The Fabu-licious.com girlies believe that all Mum's deserve a special Mothers Day, and wanted to find out what would really bring a smile to her face this year. They decided to survey their Mum's on how they really felt about Mothers Day, and what would make it Fabu-licious for them.

One comment from our esteemed mothers was '"Well I really don't like Mother's Day. I don't like to think of my child having to save her pennies to buy me a gift just for being her Mum! A goodnight kiss and a cup of tea in bed would make my day!"

OK, fair enough we thought, although having questioned the adult child concerned it seems until now the gifts she had offered her mum in the past where poor to say the least.

So, we then question Hayley Rogers, owner of Fabu-licious.com and Mother to a 10 year old daughter, what her opinions of the day where. This is what she said, "My daughter is very thoughtful, and as long as the money for a gift doesn't come out of her piggy bank, she would give me the world! To be honest I do agree, to a certain extent, with what the other Mothers have said - in that a kiss and a cuppa would be fab; However, I would be a liar if I said I didn't like receiving a small thank you gift! Personally, I think any Mum would love to receive a gift that has been chosen with love, didn't cost the earth and was something to be kept and cherished - a nice cuppa and kiss would just make the gift perfect!"

So, there you have it, according to our small survey, the general consensus is to buy with care, not to spend too much - extravagance doesn't work on Mum, and to always ensure it arrives on time.



A Short History of Mother's Day

Throughout history there have been a number of ceremonies based around the idea of mothers. One of the first seems to be traced to the ancient Greeks who celebrated Rhea, Mother of the Gods, with a festival of thanks in early spring.

In 16th Century England, the Church is believed to have diverted the idea of the pagan festival to a celebration for the 'Mother Church'- the spiritual power that gave life and protected from harm. This ceremony was held on the fourth Sunday of Lent, and called 'Mothering Sunday'.

Over time, people began honouring their mothers as well as the Church on this day. It was during this time that many of the poor worked as servants. Most servants would live at the houses of their employers, however on Mothering Sunday the servants would be given a days leave and were encouraged to return home and spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called the Mothering Cake, was often taken home as a gift of thanks. Other traditional cakes used at this time of year throughout the UK also included Simnel; a rich fruitcake, a dish called Furmety and in northern England and Scotland a type of pancake was also offered.

A little romantic history

At various stages of my life, I have as a woman, adored the day when cupid offered both a secret admirer the opportunity to slip out of the shadows and reveal himself, and the excitement and kudos of receiving mystery cards and gifts. Equally, however, I have hated it and observed the madness with a more cynical eye, wondering why romance can't take place all year round and not just once a year - to be honest though, these feelings usually arose when I was seemingly the only girlie in the world not to have an admirer!

To try to make sense of this, now commercial, festival and help us create a new meaning for the day we must start at the beginning. So, let's look into the real history behind Valentine's Day, and see if together we can re-capture some of the essence that once was…

There are many stories of how this celebration started, too many to mention, and each version seems to be a mixture of history, tradition and hearsay.

One version stems from a pagan celebration, the 'Feast of Lupercalia', where Roman shepherds paid homage to their God, Lupercus. On the 15th February each year the shepherds would gather to praise Lupercus in the hope that he would protect their flocks. At the same time a great celebration was held in honour of Juno, wife of Jupiter and Queen of the Gods and Goddess of women and wedlock. During this fertility festival, women would write billets, known to us as love letters, and leave them in an urn. The men of Rome would then take it in turns to draw a note from the urn then ardently pursue the woman who wrote the message for the coming year; the couples would also exchange gifts.

As the Church became more influential this pagan festival, along with many others, was stopped. But the Romans where still keen on the idea of the annual love lottery, and continued this part of their tradition. In a final attempt to stop the love lottery, Pope Gelasius in 496A.D. changed the 15th into a day to honour Saint Valentine. To further sever all remaining connections he then moved Saint Valentine's Day, as it was now known, back a day to the 14th of February, which was the alleged day of Valentine's execution (see below). Citizens were now encouraged to use the lottery to pick out a Saint's name and to emulate that Saint for the following year.

Despite the best efforts of the Church's, this Saintly Lottery didn't capture the imagination of the people and Valentine's Day still echoed Lupercalia in at least one respect - the love lottery. This appears to have continued well into the eighteenth century. Gradually, however, a shift did take place. No longer did both parties exchange gifts; instead, gift-giving became the sole responsibility of the man! (Hurrah … I hear you cry!) It's no surprise then that this is where the traditional-style lottery came to an end. Many men were unhappy about having to give gifts (often expensive) to women they were not attracted to. Instead, freedom of choice came into play and the 14th February became more like the Valentine's Day that we know today.

Some experts insist that pagan festivals had nothing to do with the creation of this day. They say that it originated from the death, and subsequent martyrdom, of a Roman priest named Father Valentine who is said to have been executed on the 14th February 269AD by Emperor Claudius II. At this time Rome was under attack by many rebel factions and the unpopular Emperor was finding it increasingly difficult to recruit new soldiers to sustain his dwindling army. He decided the main reason for his recruitment problems was the increase in Christian marriages. He reasoned that once married, men would not want to leave their families to fight in battles, so he passed a decree that outlawed marriage and cancelled all engagements. Father Valentine refused to submit to this new law and continued to perform secret ceremonies. When he discovered the loving priest's activity Claudius immediately arrested him and tried to convert the priest back to the pagan way. In return the priest tried to convert the Emperor to Christianity, neither succeeded and Valentine, a kind and wise man that had many friends, was condemned to death by club beating and decapitation. His friends vainly begged Claudius to free him and sent the Father many letters and flowers. Many think these were the first "Valentine" letters and flowers ever sent.

Another school of thought suggests that Valentine was actually a Roman citizen who was martyred for refusing to denounce his Christian faith. Legend has it that during his incarceration he healed the sight of the jailer's blind daughter through the power of his faith and they fell in love. Before his execution, he sent her a farewell note signed "From Your Valentine."

Back in England a popular theory of how Valentine's Day was first linked with romance, is through Chaucer and his dream poem ' The Parliament of Fowls' which he apparently wrote to honour the engagement between Richard II and Anne of Bohemia. In this medieval period it was believed that birds chose their mates on February 14 and it is with this in mind that Chaucer based his ode. He wrote: "For it was on St Valentine's Day, when every fowl cometh to choose his mate." Chaucer was not the only one to make this connection, Shakespeare also made mention of it in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. Theseus awakes the lovers in the woods and asks, "Good morrow, friends. Saint Valentine is past: Begin these wood-birds but to couple now?"

Superstitions have also sprung up around the bird theme. Apparently, If you spot a goldfinch, you will marry a millionaire. If a robin flies overhead, you will marry a sailor. If you see a sparrow, you will marry a poor person; but be very happy. Alas to see a single crow…it's a wedding of woe

So, with all this in mind, what should Valentine's Day really be about in these modern times?

Looking back on past Valentine Day rituals I am not sure I'd be keen on the revival of any of them. The Love Lottery idea could mean you end up with someone completely unsuitable for a whole year! However, it does have its merits, for one thing no one would ever be alone on the 14th. The option of picking a Saint for the year would not such a bad idea if it meant that people started to care more and fight less, I doubt it would help locate a suitable partner though. So then there is the bird superstition… although it's a nice idea that if you spot a goldfinch you will marry a millionaire, with my luck… relying on this option would mean that a single crow would follow me around all day, so I think I will give it a miss.

Personally, I think we should move forward not back, looking at the world today it is clear to see that although we all have excessively busy lives, love and romance is still something we crave. I am a firm believer that there is a Mr or Mrs Right out there for everyone; it's finding them that's the problem. Nowadays there are many ways to search, be it on-line dating, speed dating or simply having an active social life. However, I feel that one great big opportunity is currently being missed - Valentine's Day. So, don't just wish someone a Happy Valentine's Day, declare your love and make sure a happy Valentine's Day is had by one and all. If everyone, male and female, stopped worrying about embarrassment and sent a Valentine card or loving gift to that special person they secretly fancy, who knows, there may be fewer singletons searching for a mate and the new age of people saying 'I hate Valentine's Day' banished forever. For those of you who are lucky enough to have found the right one, remember, never, never take them for granted, using Valentine's Day to bring fresh romance to your relationship and re-light a dwindling fire can make the rest of the year so much more fun! So what are you waiting for, make sure that you don't miss out on your chance to connect this Valentine's Day.

New Winner for May!

BBQ Bucket Competition May 2007

Thank you to everyone who entered this great competition to win one of the much sort-after Picnic BBQ buckets.

Our winner this month is - John Price from Brighton

Congratulations John on your win, we hope that you and your friends will have many happy BBQ's this summer!

Don't forget to check out all the fantastic new gifts just in!

March's winner is announced

Congratulations Charlotte from Fife from all at Fabu-licious.com - Gorgeous Gifts for Girls

Charlotte was the lucky winner of the pink Garden Kit which included all high quality garden tools and trug all in the fabulous colour of pink!! . The draw took place on the 2/04/07 at 10am and Charlotte was notified by email of her win, and her prize will be despatched for her today.

As always we would like to thank everyone who joined in the competition and to remind everyone that although they were not our lucky winner this month, another competition will be announced very soon.

Please check out all the fabu-licious NEW STOCK that is arriving daily for the spring/summer season.. we are sure you will find what you are looking for and with our Free UK delivery and excellent prices you will be able to make a saving in the process!

March is here and so is our next competition!

Spring has arrived, and we are all starting to look at our gardens (or window boxes) and thinking that we must start planting soon if we ever want any flowers to cheer us up!




Well March on to our competition page and enter this months competition to win the much acclaimed Pink Garden Kit - a must-have for any descerning gardener.

We have a Winner!!!

Congratulations Emma from Wigan from everyone at
Fabu-licious.com - Gorgeous Gifts for Girls

Emma was the lucky winner of the Sexy Valentine Pamper Set which included Natrual Products essential oil massage set plus heart shaped massager, luxury towelling heart shaped bath pillow and 'We Live Like This' bath confetti. The draw took place on the 12/02/07 at 12pm and Emmas' goodies where rushed to her via Special Delivery.

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who took part in the competition and to remind everyone that they will have the chance of being one of our Fabu-licious lucky winners again very soon in the Mothers Day competition.

WIN A SEXY VALENTINES TREAT

Visit Fabu-licious.com for a chance to Pamper yourself or even your partner with this sexy Valentines prize.

Relax on a soft bath pillow in a hot, steamy tub filled with pretty heart-shaped confetti. Sound like bliss? Well, then add a sensual massage with a ‘Heaven Scent’ massager and essential oils – and you’ll be in heaven…To win this fabu-licious prize, all you have to do is answer one easy-peasy question…

Who needs a night out, when you can have a night in?!

Its official women want romance for Valentine's Day

If you're looking for inspiration - use our imagination

Fabu-licious women have claimed that the usual flowers and chocolates are no longer top of the gift list when it comes to making a girl feel special on Valentines Day; If you really want to win her heart showing that you have spent time to select a romantic gift will achieve much better result on the lovemetre - impress the one you love this Valentines Day... after all if you are willing to spend hours trawling the Internet for that ideal gift, then it's worth getting something memorable. With Fabu-licious.com the UK's Gift Central for Girls, you will find inspirational on-line gifts, gadgets and jewellery so there's no excuse for being forgettable...

Sweets for your Sweet ... Sterling silver hallmarked 'Love Heart' sweet, a perfect replica of the classic sweet we all remember. Say 'I Love You' with solid silver candy! Why not make this Valentine gift last a lifetime, and engrave the silver sweet with a personal message just for her, she will treasure the gift forever.

No chocolate.. She's on a diet! Buy an alternative to chocolate this year; surprise her with this gorgeous 'With Love' Rose Bath Fizzer collection. They are presented in a chocolate style box with clear plastic lid; and each fizzer is wrapped in pretty pink foil. Simply drop one or two, (take the foil off first!) into a warm bath and watch them melt away leaving your bathwater fragrantly fizzed! No extra calories.. just romance and good clean fun

If you want to be memorable, romantic, and imaginative, fear not - we've done the hard work for you. Just log on to http://www.fabu-licious.com/and view our range or Jewellery and heart inspired gifts and we'll do the rest. We'll inspire you with the newest, funkiest, most exciting range of Valentine's gifts, we'll gift wrap for FREE and send your parcel to your loved one via our fast, reliable delivery service, we even offer a FREE UK Postage option! So now you have no excuses, buy that perfect Valentine's Day gift for your girl and bring the romance back with the Fabu-licious Valentine Day range.

How to Shop Safely Online

Top shopping safety tips for girls…

Recent surveys have shown that UK women are relying more and more on the Internet for their retail therapy. Online shopping offers a vast variety of fashion, gift, cosmetic, home accessory and gardening products to name just a few, and the best thing is - you do not even have to leave the warm to reach it. So say "Goodbye" to long queues, bustling crowds and problem parking and say "Hello" to competitive prices, fast delivery and a fabulicious product selection - But how do we as shoppers safe guard our purchases?

It's wise to be cautious, so before you start buying here are some questions you should be asking yourself:

1. Is the site secure?
2. Does the website clearly show its Terms and Conditions?
3. What is the Privacy Policy?
4. Where is the company based?
5. What are their delivery times?
6. Are there any hidden costs?
7. How do you contact them should anything go wrong?

Ok, here is how you answer these questions -

1. The website is a secure shopping environment if when you enter checkout a key or lock appears in the bottom of your browser, click on this sign and you will be able to view the company Security Certificate (SSL). The address of the web site will also change from http://www... to https://www... signifying that the site is secure. Dependent on the browser you are using you may find that the address bar or text may change colour/highlight, or the padlock may look different or appear in a different place, however something should always appear to indicate you are on a secure site. If you are in doubt, contact the company it is better to be safe. If the website that you wish to shop at does not offer a secure server - you need to be very cautious about entering your credit card details. Don't hesitate to email or telephone the company and ask them a few questions to put your mind at rest!
2. You will normally find the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy links located at the bottom of the website page or in the navigation panels. They should be clearly marked and easy to find.
3. The wonder of the Internet is that you are able to purchase goods from all over the world; naturally shopping abroad will incur certain extra costs. Make sure you are aware of these costs and are happy to accept them before you make that purchase.
4. Always check out the company delivery times, after all once you have made that purchase you will want the item straight away, and not in a months time!
5. Occasionally products are shown with out VAT, or postage is not displayed etc. this can change the cost of your purchase, check out the customer 'Help' section to ensure you fully understand what the costs involved before you proceed to checkout.
6. If your product arrives faulty or simply doesn't turn up at all you will want to know how to deal with the situation. Companies should by law clearly show what their returns policy is and their contact details, preferably including a telephone number. If in doubt contact them before the purchase to find out what sort of response you receive - a reputable company will be only to happy to hear from you. Remember a telephone number begining - 0800 is a Free Call number and 0845 is a local call number, most other 08 or 09 numbers are charged at a premium rate.

Naturally, consumers are protected by law when shopping online - for more information visit http://www.oft.gov.uk/Business/Legal/DSR/default.htm - For your convenience here is a quick run down of your rights.

Online retailers must:

• Offer clear information about their products and services
• Offer written confirmation of order
• Display a clear Returns and Refund policy
• Display Company contact information
• Display clear Terms and Conditions of use.

Products must be:

• Safe and of satisfactory quality (faulty products are not acceptable)
• Be suitable for the purpose for which it was purchased

Finally here are a few further precautions to take into consideration when shopping online:

• Always print out your order confirmation.
• Check the delivery times and prices before deciding to purchase.
• Check what the shops after-sales and refund policy is
• Pay by credit card for additional purchase protection.
• Never leave the computer unattended whilst making a purchase.
• Always Log off properly when you have finished shopping.
• Keep a copy of the company contact details.
• And lastly and most importantly… have fun!!

Happy Shopping Girls…

Have a Fabu-New Year!

Hi Girls, we hope that you have had a great start to the New Year and are looking forward to an exciting 2007!