Hey everyone!

IRL, didn't really give any individual gifts but I added the money I was saving for a new laptop to what my brothers put in to get my mom a really nice rose gold watch and some DKNY Handbag and my dad a new satnav and phone. I wasn't able to get my new laptop but I'm not too salty since the Holiday season is about giving and it made me feel good.

I recieved a new phone (moto g 2nd gen same as the one we got for my dad) - this was a godsend since my old Nokia's volume up button, power button and camera button were all broken and it would turn off at any time. Also got some aftershave that smells like parma violets (those dozen or so small circular sweets wrapped like a tube in plastic that are violet flavoured). The bottle itself is neat since the spray handle thing is all along one side so you hold it like a staple gun when you spray if that makes sense. As well as that, got a QI book and some chocolates and £40. Pretty happy with that, looks like I'm going to have to save again!

I was hoping to get a new laptop of course and I let my parents and brothers know that I was saving up for one and really needed a new one but to no avail. The phone wrapping was sneaky though. On the outside of the wrapping there was like a DKNY tag they stuck on so I thought 'this is going to be aftershave or some boxers or something' then I got a nice surprise when I opened it.

Guess that ties into what I'm wishing for which is the laptop, but sometimes wishing isn't enough. You gotta get it yourself. What I'm going to do is that there is a 6 week lab placement that I want to do targeted at exceptional pupils from less financially well-off backgrounds, so I should qualify for that. Need to write a cover letter, CV, go in for an interview, its just like getting a job I guess. As well as gaining valuable experience and something that will look great on my CV when I apply for Uni, you get paid up to £80 a week