Hello 2026!! Yes, it’s January and its cold and dreary but hey, why not try and plan something nice for yourself to look forward to. Our daughter is heading off skiing so we have been trawling the post-Christmas sales nabbing ski bargains for her. Regatta has a great selection online and in stores and Dare2B.ie is brilliant for ski gear and essentials. They currently have a huge sale on which is helpful for the parents who are paying for these ski trips!!! An important thing you might not think about when skiing is sunscreen – it is so important to wear it on the slopes, the reflection of the snow against the sun can cause major sunburn and it’s best to have a really strong sunscreen. We love Elave SPF50, made in Ireland it is very effective and kind to sensitive skin.

If you are not jetting off to hit the slopes, or lucky enough to going on a winter holiday, then try to do something nice for yourself. It can be a small thing, like booking in for a haircut or a massage or even sneaking off for a walk, coffee and glossy magazine by yourself. I like to relax in a bubble bath with a magazine and maybe even a cheeky glass of wine. If it means I can go 30 minutes without someone calling ‘Mam’ then that’s good enough for me!

If you do feel like a mini break to break the January blues, Farnham Estate in Cavan has great winter breaks offers. Their outdoor pool is open all year round and is amazing! If you like to spend some time in Dublin, it can be tricky finding a nice hotel at a good price, so we usually check into Bracken Court and then hop on the train or bus into Dublin. It’s only 30 mins on the train. There are lots of cool events on in January including family friendly show Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at The National Concert Hall. Book at www.nch.ie

For some lovely new year competitions, go to www.mams.ie and follow our socials where we’ll be doing giveaways and offers to help chase away the January blues!