Glowtopia is getting into the festive spirit with a Christmas Tree Decorating Competition!
Post a picture in the comments section of our pinned Facebook post of your decorated Christmas tree, to be in with a chance of winning a glowing Glowtopia voucher worth £20!
This Facebook-only competition will be the perfect time to display your lovingly and fabulously decorated Christmas tree, while entering for a chance to win some great vouchers ready for the New Year.
(You need to Like the Page and Share the Post for a valid entry, please read the terms and conditions below)

Entry Rules:

1. In order to make a valid entry, participants must take a photo of their decorated Christmas tree in their home, office, garden or on their own property.
2. The photo must be uploaded onto the Glowtopia Facebook page - ONLY on the Christmas Competition post pinned to the top of the page.
3. Entrants must Like the Glowtopia Facebook page and share the competition post in order to complete the valid entry.
4. You may not use commercial images of Christmas trees - the tree must be your own.
5. Competition closes at midnight on 22nd December 2019.
6. Winning entry will be announced on 23rd December 2019.

Terms & Conditions:

1. Entry is open to residents of the UK except employees of Glowtopia, and any other companies associated with the competition.
2. Entrants must have a registered account on Facebook.
3. Entrants do not need to make a purchase to be eligible to enter.
4. Prizes are subject to Glowtopia's terms and conditions.
5. The promoters reserve the right to reject entries from entrants and remove posts from the page if they are unsuitable or inappropriate for the audience. Such entries will be disqualified from the competition.
6. Competition terms may be modified at any time.
7. The winning entry will be selected at random from all the valid entries submitted on .
8. Confirmation of the prize will be notified to the winner(s).
9. The winner(s) must claim their prize by contacting Glowtopia directly by phone or email with their details within 7 days of the announcement.
10. Reasonable efforts will be made to contact the winner(s). If the winner(s) cannot be contacted, or are unable to comply with these terms and conditions, the Promoter reserves the right to offer the prize to the next eligible entrant drawn at random.
11. By entering the competition, you agree for your entry details (including name and Christmas photo) to be used by Glowtopia.
12. By entering the competition, you agree to receive promotional material from Glowtopia.
13. Where applicable, the decision of the Promoter is final.
14. The voucher will be sent by email and will be be provided as a single use voucher code to be redeemed online in a single transaction.
15. The voucher prize will be valid for 6 months from the date of delivery.
16. Failure to respond and/or provide an address for delivery, or failure to meet the eligibility requirements may result in forfeiture of the prize.

I'm yet to meet anyone or go anywhere where Halloween is not a thing. Certainly in the western world, Halloween is big business, but how many of us actually know what it is or where it came from?

Well, it's origins go all the way back to celtic traditions some 2,000 years ago, with the festival "Samhain", pronounced SOW-IN ("ow" as in "cow") when pagan folklore in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Northern France governed the beliefs and ceremonies of the people. Celebrated on the 1st November, the pagans believed this to be the most important of the fire festivals as it marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of the dark nights which consumed the winter months.

Over time, more traditions began to emerge. Carved pumpkins for example, originated from the Irish Celtic tradition of carving beets and turnips into lanterns filled with coal. At the early celebrations, candles and lanterns were lit to help guide the spirits back the Other World after the festival. As time progressed, fruits of the harvest were carved into scary faces as a deterrent to ward away evil spirits, which eventually became a legendary, Halloween tradition with the story of "Stingy Jack"  and the birth of the iconic "Jack O' Lantern" we all know today.

Since the 1980s, as a revival in pagan and wicca culture and traditions has been resurrected, the original festival is finding its way back into our modern celebrations. Over the 2 days of 31st October to 1st November, there are celebrations which focus on the death of the Summer and gratitude for the harvest. Death is a central theme in the festival as modern pagans celebrate the dead and invite them to join in with the celebration with communal bonfires and feasts. It moves away from the modern ideology as death and spirits are not to be revered, but a welcome and necessary part of life.

So as you celebrate Halloween this year, when you're dressing up and carving out your pumpkins, you now know where the traditions originated hundreds of years before. Maybe you can incorporate some of the pagan traditions and celebrate with family and friends with a feast or bonfire to pay homage to the ancestors of one of the biggest festivals of the year?

We think it's amazing that we continue the Samhain traditions year after year, and have done so for centuries.
Whatever you do and however you celebrate Halloween or Samhain, we hope you have lots of fun. And stay safe.

“The General Assembly declares 4 to 10 October World Space Week to celebrate each year at the international level the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition”

UN General Assembly resolution, 6 December 1999

World Space Week is an international celebration of all things SPACE. It is the largest space event on Earth with a proud claim to more than 5,000 events celebrated in over 80 countries across the World! It even has its own dedicated website: https://www.worldspaceweek.org/ and a board of directors that help to ensure that there is a whole heap of resources available to help make the most of this extraordinary, cosmic event.

World Space Week encourages and supports ANYONE to create space education and outreach events.

With so many organisations, educators and families getting involved, it is an amazing opportunity to come together as a community of interested individuals to arrange and participate in such a large scale event. There's no strict rules about what you should be doing, as long as its space themed then its a celebration.

Check with your local council and clubs if there is an event near you. Many places of interest, such as parks, woodlands, museums, theme parks and public spaces with visitor centers etc often run events, especially for children and families so its worth looking around for any events that they may be holding. Everyone can get involved, schools, clubs and organisations, but if you can't find an activity that is happening near you, why not plan your own?

Any space related activity will do, from a drawing activity to big group quiz. You can create your own crosswords or write a story about your trip to the Moon! Build a space den, create an experiment, eat some space food... There are so many free resources available on the internet... all you have to do is explore the possibilities!

Well, as I am sure you may have guessed, we did not want to be left out of the Space Party!

So, we got our heads together and decided to do a Glowtopia Space Week event. Now, we had every intention of building a rocket, but honestly, we just didn't have enough cardboard to build a vessel we could all fit inside! We thought about trying to make our own miniature moon, creating a model solar system or even a life size planetarium... but in the end, the little people at Glowtopia outvoted us all.... and so fancy dress day it was!

And yes, you guessed it... if Glowtopia are doing a Space Week fancy dress day, it's going to be glowing!

Well, we were already off to a flying start with our Alien Eyes Headbands! We couldn't exactly have a space themed dress up and leave those out of the equation. I thought it would be a great idea to make the kiddies' heads the alien, and then have their bodies as the space...  The kids decided they HAD to have the Light Up Crazy Hair (it seems all aliens have a squiggly, coloured, tentacle type things spilling from their head!) that was easy...

Obviously it wasn't enough lights! We picked up some metallic star, planet and alien stickers, and the kids had great fun sticking them all over their black tops and trousers, but to make sure they really stood out, we had to get some "dazzling" stars on there too... So, we went and got our LED micro lights and wrapped them around them T-Shirts. If you do this at home, please be careful! DO NOT wrap the light strings anywhere near the neck area, we wrapped ours in an X around the front and back going over the shoulder and under the arms so as not to move around and get caught up. DO NOT leave children unattended while wearing the string lights!

Now that we had finished with our space outfit, Alien eyes and Alien hair, it was just the facepaint left to go. We copied the eyes from the headbands on the eyes of the kids, making wide white circles on the whole eye area, and with their eyes closed we painted coordinating coloured pupils and iris to match. We painted an alien body shaped design over half of the face in colours that matched the headbands, gave a few space spots to the aliens, and painted little white alien claw feet (a bit like a crab).

Nope.... still not enough! So we added some highlights with our UV Neon face paint and used our new chunky glitters to add a bit of detail to the faces and just like that, with the speed of light (well not quite) we have 3 mega little martians ready to celebrate World Space Week!

We really hope you join in the fun this World Space Week.... and beyond!

Whatever you do, wherever you go, take that giant leap for mankind and always reach for the stars!

In case you missed it, early 2019 fashion trends saw a massive revival of the 1980s Neon fashion statement with high street clothing retailers adding bright bold accessories and clothing lines to liven up the winter days and long nights. Of all the 80s fashion trends, it is undoubtedly the neon craze which left an unrivaled imprint on us back in the day, and throughout the decades as seen in all our 80s style cos play and themed dress ups. It has remained a staple statement for all rave wear, hen parties and charity dress ups and has continued to make an appearance in sportswear ever since, but this year it has made a come back on the catwalk and on the streets and doesn’t seem to be waning anytime soon.

So, we wanted to get a head as we move into Autumn with our brand new neon range of clothing accessories – and what better way to launch the range then with some top tips on how to wear neon to rock your look with a fresh new vibe.

However you decide to get your neon on this Autumn/Fall, we hope you find our tips helpful to ensure your look radiates wherever you are.

For most of us, we are almost approaching the half way point of the long School Summer Holiday break. Many of us would have packed our bags and had our Summer vacation as soon as the children break up from school, and the rest of us are either still waiting for the big holiday or trying to keep sane while saving the pennies for a holiday later in the year or beyond. Whatever your situation, as we get half way through there's always that burden of running out of ideas to keep the kids occupied, or finding the cost of taking time off work, childcare and keeping them entertained is starting to eat away at the funds and our rationality.

Here at Glowtopia, we have put together some fun, free and cost effective tips and tricks to get you through the second half of the holidays. We couldn't help to add a glowing twist to some of the ideas, because.... well that's just what we do.... and we figured that if you are working in the day, it will give you some ideas of things to do when it starts to get dark.

I strongly recommend you print out a planner for the holidays and stick it to the fridge or pin it on the notice board for all the family to see. It takes so much pressure off the holidays if everyone can see what days things are planned and what days are "pyjama days", "chill days" or "home days". If the kids are in holiday clubs or you have to work, put those dates on there too, as well as the fun stuff. It helps everyone to adjust to the lack of routine and it will give focus for counting down to all the days out you do have planned.

That said, you can take it a little further.... Whether you are taking the kids and the dog for a walk, or you're packing up for a week's camping, take a little time out to plan ways to make it a bit special. Obviously, if its a holiday, the level of planning is going to resemble a military operation, but if you're just taking the kids to the park, put it on the planner and discuss with them before you go on ways to make it more of an adventure. Can you meet up with friends? Can you bring things with you? Maybe organise a couple of activities such as a bug hunt, treasure hunt, or simple family games like "What's the time, Mr Wolf". You'll be amazed at how much fun you can have if everyone contributes to the ideas and builds a little anticipation for fun, family bonding before you go. It also actually helps to teach children some important life skills such as prioritising, making arrangments, time-keeping and if you're planning as part of a group, it also teaches them how to compromise!

Yep - I am serious!

Aside from the fact that teaching the little people that the bank of mum and dad isn't an infinite pot of money and there is a limit to the days out and expenses that one can afford over the Summer, it is actually quite good for small people in other ways too. If managed well, when children get bored it can open the mind to opportunities to fill that empty time with something creative and imaginative. So first up, make your family a boredom jar - it really couldn't be any easier.

All you need is an empty jar, any jar or container will do, and sit down with the family to make a list of some jobs and activities. I used lolly sticks from a craft store when I made my first boredom jar as it was easier for little hands to pull out a stick, but now we write our tasks on a piece of paper, fold them and pop them inside the jar. Our boredom busters include activities for indoors and outdoors - from lego challenges, story writing and singing.... but also chores and jobs like cleaning their room, sweeping the floor and feeding the fish. If you click on the pictures below, you'll find links to our favourite templates on Pinterest!

And whilst I fully sympathise with the parental pains that accompanies those endless cries of "I'm bored!" there is plenty of evidence that being bored has its benefits for children (check out this article). Being bored will actively trigger the imagination to try and fill that empty space in time. So even though it may sound as though the siblings are going to argue for an eternity, or the tantrums and whining may feel like it's spiraling to a new level, their creativity and imagination will (eventually) kick in and will teach them a bit about resourcefulness and how to entertain themselves - a really important ability for growing minds and for fostering a healthy attitude to different situations.

All kids love building dens, and with so many possibilities, its such a versatile activity for all the family.

You can plan a trip to the woods, many of which like the National Trust Parks run den building sessions, or you can search online for den building tips before you go. If there's an abundance of large sticks and branches you can build a den that you can get in yourself, but if you can only find little sticks and twigs, build a hedgehog house instead.

If you're stuck indoors on a rainy day you can create a den in a bedroom or even on the sofa using blankets, sheets and pillows. Give your den a theme such as a reading den, games den or movie den, or if you're feeling really adventurous, make it a sleepover den and bring a friend. It's a great family bonding activity for afternoons and evenings if you have had to work during the day and want to spend some quality time with the kids.

If you have the supplies, you can always make a den in the garden. A tent would work well, but don't let it stop you if you don't have one. You can use tarpaulin, blankets (if you don't mind them getting damp overnight), play tents or really get to grips with the DIY and build one from scratch like this tutorial from the Eden Project.

And if we're talking dens, well the best time to get the most out of your garden or indoor den is when it starts to get dark... and the best thing for dens in the dark has got to be some glowing stuff! It doesn't matter what stuff, but as long it glows you will keep the kids occupied for hours.

Our ultimate favourite den must have has got to be our Interactive Glow Pillows - if any home accessory was made for camping, dens and sleepovers it has to be this!! All dens need a comfy pillow, but with a dual purpose, glowing aspect that you can create your own games and designs on, you won't regret treating the kids. Play tic tac toe, draw pictures and write secret messages that will glow and fade so you can start again.

If you have any glow sticks floating around, you can use these to make an ambient light source that you can hang inside the den. If you're using a tent, tie some to the guide lines so they can be easily seen. You can also stake a few sticks around the outside so it can be easily seen. They are lovely when you pop one in an empty jar to make a decoration for the den. You can use LED string lights to drape around the outside and hang inside the tent to add some gorgeous illuminated decorations too! We also love colour changing LED lamps - they also release a beautiful, calming ambient light which changes colour automatically. They make perfect night lights so they are ideal for sleepovers in a den, but if you wanted to it to feel a bit more traditional and old fashioned, you could use LED candles instead, they do look beautiful!

We all know the British weather has its ups and downs, but one of the best things to do with the kids is go to outside. Whether it will be sitting in the garden, taking a stroll, or getting to the beach, it really is important. Check out your local on What's On Guide, local newspaper and those little family magazines that usually turn up on your doorstep or in your child's school bag near the end of term.

There are generally lots of free activities you can join in with in your local community. There may be local fun days, council funded events such as firework displays and Summer sports for all events. You can find volunteer groups that will go on conservation activities such as litter picking or park and pond care, which is an excellent opportunity for educating children in a community spirited and fun way. If you search the internet you'll certainly find free, downloadable bug hunt packs, bird watching tick sheets, foraging and exploring ideas and outdoor crafts, but if getting about is a problem, there are garden activities you can do together, whether that be adapting the park ideas on a smaller scale, playing games, having a picnic, creating a vegetable patch or even some messy play and a paddling pool. The main thing is getting outdoors in the fresh air and giving the little people a break from TV screens and devices. It's good for the health and the mind, and you'll be thankful when the kids go back to school that you spent that time with them. We love Glow in the Dark games and there's lots of ideas where you can adapt your favourite games and add a glowing spin such as Glow in the Dark Hoopla (using glow stick), Light Up Tennis (using LED balls), Glow Ker-Plunk, Glow Bowling and many more! (Check out Pinterest for inspiration)

We never forget our best holidays, and the Summer Holidays are so long there's always so much excitement, but when we get back to the normal school routines those memories can quickly fade. So this Summer, make a conscious effort to talk about the holidays and things you have done. Ask the children to keep a diary and to write about the best things they have done and why. Not only will this give them something to look back on and makes a special keepsake in their childhood memory boxes, but its also a good, practical way to keep their minds active and continue the writing practices that they do at school so they can hit the new school year running. Take lots of photos and collect lots of little keepsakes and treasures from your adventures, and then on those rainy days you can print the pictures and make family collages and a photo montage of the holiday, and make a memory box to store all the little valuables.

So whether you are going abroad, having a staycation, or enjoying the comfort of your home surroundings this Summer, fill it with as much fun and family time as you can, and make those special memories that you will always look back on in years to come with a smile.

Happy Holidays to you all, from all of us here at Glowtopia!

Party with PRIDE and radiate in RAINBOW

Check out our radical range of rainbow coloured adornments. From get up gear to awesome accessories, bold body paints to wonderous wands - be proud and loud with Glowtopia!

Our radiant rainbow coloured accessory pack contains the ultimate essentials you need to celebrate with chromatic charisma!

Only £9.99 (saving over 30%)

Brand new and just for Pride we have stocked this funky fedora to bring the rainbow to the rally.
From £2.60

We want to share the glow this Summer, and what better way than to run a little freebie giveaway just in time for the school Summer holidays and some pretty big festivals and camping adventures!

Our Festival Glow Pack is an ideal package for the August bank holiday, Summer Camp, Kids' Clubs and of course.... Festivals! But even if you're having a "Staycation" this Summer, this party pack is still a great bit of fun for adults and kids - why not build a den or camp in the garden and enjoy glowing family fun at home.

It's super simple to be in with a chance of winning...

1. Like Our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/glowtopia/

2. SHARE this competition post on our facebook page

3. TAG 3 friends

Pack contains:

• 10x 12″ Mega Glow Batons
• 4x Glow Caps
• 4x Glow Glasses Connectors (each use 2x Glow Bracelets)
• 100x Glow Bracelets
• 2x UV Paint Sticks

On 23rd July 2019 at midday we will select one winner at random and announce it on our page. The winner will be tagged in the post and we will send you a direct message to get your delivery details. We will even cover the cost of postage and packaging!

GOOD LUCK!!
From everyone at team Glowtopia!

Gay Pride is a world-wide celebration of colour with street marches, dancing, rainbow coloured outfits, and a whole load of fun in honour of social and self acceptance, the LGBT achievements, the evolution of legal rights and of course... a show of PRIDE! What started out as a demonstration of human rights almost 50 years ago, has grown and gained momentum all across the western world with many Gay Pride Parades now promoted as a tourist event. These parades such as Brighton and London City attract over 300,000 people each year, and can proudly boast that they boost the local economy as well as supporting many charities and trusts. With this many people in attendance Pride Parades have evolved from a Parade into a Festival with a Carnival-like atmosphere, often including Concerts, Beer stands, Food traders, Barbeques, Sports and Games, with activities for families and a welcoming vibe of inclusion for everyone.

But behind all the glitter and extravagance there is a historical significance to the parade.

The 1960s were not welcoming times for LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender). It was illegal to display ‘homosexuality’ in public, for people of the same sex to dance together and people were forbidden from selling alcohol to gay people.

A Bar in New York City had set itself up as a place for LGBT people to go and completely be themselves without the risk of being arrested! However because the Bar was operating without a liqueur license, in 1969 it was raided by the New York City police. One lady was hit over the head by a police officer, resulting in a gathering crowd which grew larger until eventually it turned into a full blown riot, in which 13 people were arrested.

Police officers came from all over the city to help control the riot, they managed to disperse the crowd and control the situation. However this wasn’t the end, merely the beginning. The following six days, demonstrations continued to take place outside the Bar, with thousands of people showing up to express their solidarity.

This was a breaking point for the LGBT community, a group of activists pleaded to the Easter Regional Conference of Homophile Organizations (ERCHO) in Philadelphia to allow them to hold a march to commemorate the one year anniversary of the raid. The proposal was for an annual march with no dress code or age restrictions. The plea had been accepted, and the activists began planning their march.

Word spread, and San Francisco decided to commemorate the riot, by holding their own march in which 30 people attended. Since then, word has spread worldwide, with not only major cities, but towns now holding their own march. The march has now turned from a walk through the streets to a full blown festival; Pride festival, celebrating, raising awareness and campaigning for the freedom to allow the LGBT community to live their lives on a genuinely equal footing.

In 2016, 1 million people took to the streets of San Francisco to attend the Pride Festival.

For a full summary of the History of Gay Pride have a read; How Activists Plotted the First Gay Pride Parades.

Gay Pride Festivals across the UK begin as early as February, with the majority of parades taking place between June and August, and continuing until the end of September. We have the biggest Pride Festival in Dorset next weekend 12th - 14th July in Bournemouth! https://bournefree.co.uk/

So what are you waiting for? Cover yourself in body paint, grab some rainbow Pride Accessories and get yourself down to your next local Gay Pride Festival!

To find out how you can get involved with your local Gay Pride Festival; head on over to Pink UK.

To find out more about this year's San Francisco festival read the San Francisco Chronicle's review here. 

Check out this footage:

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/video/4115449-san-francisco-pride-parade-2019-segment-17/

We’ve also created a Pinterest Board to give you some inspiration and ideas on how you can get your bright and colourful Pride Glow this year!

Your feedback is super important to us, so when you tell us something, we are all ears!

Our lovely customers asked for our party bag fillers to be all in one place to make it easier to browse, and so a few newsletters ago we shared the link to our new Party Bag Fillers category. You were right! Our little loot items have been flying out the warehouse ever since, so as another thank you, we want to give you money off any party bag fillers you purchase for the rest of 2019!!