Oh, the weather outside is frightful, But the fire is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go, Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow !
When we finally kiss good night, How I'll hate going out in the storm;
But if you really hold me tight, All the way home I'll be warm !
Well, that's what I felt like singing when I saw this fabulous selection of winter warmers that Aldi sent us through from their end-of-year collection. This being Aldi, I was rather stunned when I saw the prices too, so if you're looking out for Christmas gifts, or even if you need to kit yourselves and the kids out for a trip to the ski slopes or some warm-as-toast playing in the winter wonderlands at home, you might want to pop instore to grab some bargains.
I immediately grabbed those fab fleecy slipper boots (£3.99, on sale 12/12) to warm my tootsies. You can see just how soft and snuggly they are so they're perfect for keeping my feet nice and warm, especially if I remember to put them on the radiator so they're heated up and waiting for me to slip my feet into when I get home from work. Both me and Madhouse Daddy love silly socks so we were both very chuffed with our new character socks (£2.59, on sale 28/11). Madhouse Daddy likes the idea of secretly wearing Superhero socks along with his suit when he goes to work, and the "Feeling Snug!" message on mine seemed to sum up the general mood nicely. Madhouse Daddy also gave the 100% cotton men's pyjamas (£8.99, on sale 28/11) a thumbs up, saying they felt nice on his skin and were much warmer than his usual grotty T-shirt and boxers combo ! He was a bit of a killjoy and refused to allow me to take a photo of him dressed for bed though !
The most impressive item for me though was the brightly coloured kids' snow boots (£8.99, available in sizes 6-2). They're not only funky but also functional - they're waterproof, so perfect for playing in the snow or splashing in puddles before the snow arrives, but they also keep little feet warm because they have a fleecy lining.
I always find that it's hard to find Christmas gifts for the men in the family, so if you're stuck for a gift for the man (or dad or grandad) in your life, these might just help you out. The snuggly men's dressing gown (£9.99, on sale 28/11) is really nice quality and Madhouse Daddy loves the fact that it's got pockets for keeping the remote control in (*sigh* !). They come in two sizes - S/M and L/XL - and a choice of four colours (Grey, Blue, Black or Burgundy). While we're looking at keeping the guys warm, you might want to check out the Men's Lambswool Knitwear range too (£16.99, on sale 28/11), which comes in a variety of styles, including Zip Neck, Button Neck or Full Zip and several colours - Beige, Dark Chocolate, Denim or Charcoal.
Another item that I absolutely love is the range of Infant and Junior Snowsuits (£9.99, available in 3-12 months with integrated feet and roll over mittens for the Baby Suit and 12 months - 3 years for the Junior Suit). All three of the Madhouse kids had one of these when they were smaller and if you use a baby carrier/sling, they're perfect for keeping your little ones warm (because you can't bundle them up in a foot muff and blankets as you would in a pushchair !).
Older kids and adults aren't forgotten though - the ski range is very comprehensive, including thermal undies, ear muffs, snow goggles, ski trousers and jackets, even helmets and two-way radios. I don't actually know the going rate for ski gear in other shops, but the prices look very reasonable to me and lower than I would have expected.
The only bad thing is that Aldi’s Specialbuys are available in-store every Thursday and Sunday and are only available while stocks last... so get your skates on (see how I kept up the winter theme there ?!) if you want to grab some of these bargains and sort out some of your Christmas shopping.
Disclosure : I received a selection of winter warmer products from Aldi in order to write an honest review.
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