#1 Book Tree
Do you have lots of old books at home? If yes, why not transform them into a booktree? It is easy to assemble and when January comes, the ‘branches’ can be put back on the shelf again for next year.
#2 Beer Tree
Wine and beer bottles look great when lit up and are a great way of recycling all those left over bottles from the parties held in the run up to Christmas.
#3 Lego Tree
The plastic fantastic is a Christmas memory for many, and many a childhood Christmas morning has been spent building a new set. As an adult, why not create new Christmas memories by building a giant Christmas tree out of Lego?
#4 Minimalist Tree
For those of you who like the idea of a Christmas tree but either have no space or no energy to go out and buy one, this minimalist tree might be the perfect option!
#5 Human Tree
Perhaps a more temporary feature in your home over the festive period than a permanent fixture, perhaps you could replicate this huge ‘tree’ in Thailand on a smaller basis with members of your family for a novelty Christmas photo/ card idea?
#6 Storage Tree
Where to put the artificial tree after January 6th? Turn the question on its head and make the Christmas tree itself into a storage solution idea!
#7 Mirror Tree
This lovely optical effect would be a centrepiece in any room.
#8 Decoration Tree
A Christmas tree stripped back of the branches and trunk to leave just the decorations hanging can look visually stunning.
#9 Cake Tree
This ‘tree’ is a lot of fun to build (bake!) and there will be no arguments about whose chore it is to take it down at the end of the Festive period!
#10 Ladder Tree
Perfect for DIY enthusiasts! The ladder tree particularly works well if the frame is wooden and is perhaps the easiest tree on the list to assemble/ dismantle.
Photos : Reddit
Makizushi, also known as “norimaki,” refers to a type of sushi where rice and ingredients are carefully rolled in a sheet of nori seaweed, which is then cut into smaller pieces. It’s believed that makizushi came into existence in the early 1700s, soon after sheet nori was invented with a similar technique used for paper making. The name norimaki is made up of two Japanese words: “Maki” meaning to roll and “nori” referring to the toasted sheet of nori seaweed used to wrap the ingredients.
Long, thin rolls typically featuring just one ingredient like a strip of fresh tuna, cucumber, or pickled daikon are called hosomaki. Futomaki (futo meaning fat) is a thicker variety of makizushi, and includes a combination of complimentary ingredients. Futomaki, unlike in foreign countries, is less likely to appear at sushi restaurants, but can usually be found in bento boxes and supermarkets. Uramaki, often called “inside-out sushi” in English, is a modern version of makizushi believed to have been invented in California in the 1960s. It’s made by first layering the rice onto the bamboo sushi mat, then laying the nori sheet on top followed by the remaining ingredients, before rolling. It’s often rolled in sesame seeds, which easily stick to the exterior rice or topped with tobiko fish eggs for extra crunch.
Gunkan maki is another type of maki—“rolled” or “wrapped” sushi—and was invented in a Ginza sushi restaurant in the 1940s. It’s made by wrapping a wide strip of nori around a rice ball while leaving enough space at the top to be filled with various ingredients. The name, translated as “battleship” or “warship” sushi, comes from its shape, resembling a tiny ship. Popular toppings for gunkan maki include uni sea urchin, squid, salmon roe, negitoro (a blend of fatty tuna belly and green onion), potato salad, and kanimiso (blended crab brains). Gunkan maki is commonly found both in takeout sushi bento boxes and at sushi restaurants
Temaki is a novel type of sushi with a shape resembling that of an ice cream cone. To make it, rice and ingredients are held within a sheet of nori wrapped into a conical shape. It’s popular at restaurants, as well as for making at home, given its simplicity. Temaki lends itself to a variety of fillings, with some popular types including umeshiso—a paste made of fresh shiso leaf and umeboshi (pickled plum), negitoro, squid with and without natto, and sweetened omelet.
Fermentation was a technique used the world over to preserve fish and other products before the invention of refrigeration. Japan’s narezushi—a dish of fish preserved for several months to several years in salt and rice—is a perfect example of this technique that dates to the Nara period (710–794). Narezushi is commonly regarded as the original form of sushi, even though the rice was originally discarded before eating. Over time, the fermentation period became shorter so that the rice could be eaten with the fish, which then gave way to more modern types of sushi.
These days, narezushi is generally less popular because of its extremely pungent flavor. However, funazushi of the Shiga prefecture remains popular, which is made using the nigorobuna fish from nearby Lake Biwa. Because it takes up to five years to ferment, funazushi is considered a regional delicacy due to its high price.
Oshizushi (pressed sushi), also known as hakozushi (boxed sushi), is a strikingly shaped style of sushi originating in Osaka. This variety is made by pressing ingredients into an “oshiwaku” rectangular box, then layering it with toppings and cutting the sushi into neat angular shapes like rectangles, triangle or small squares. The toppings include fish like mackerel or gizzard shad, and may also be decoratively layered with edible leaves like bamboo. Toppings may be placed in different arrangements, such as diagonally or with a whole fish from end to end, and this unique display makes oshizushi a popular choice for bento boxes and gifts.
In Japanese, “sasa” is a bamboo leaf, and sasazushi is sushi consisting of rice and toppings wrapped in a bamboo leaf. Sasazushi is thought to have come from the Nagano prefecture during the Warring States period (1467–1573), and differing accounts say that its origin was either because food was served on bamboo leaves, or because Nagano locals were looking for a dish to impress the visiting samurai warlord of the time, Uesugi Kenshin. Toppings include a wide range of wild vegetables such as mugwort and bamboo shoots, walnuts, mushrooms, miso, shredded omelet and salmon.
Another type of pressed, leaf-wrapped sushi is kakinoha-zushi, which comes from the Nara region of western Japan and dates to the Edo period. This version is wrapped in a persimmon (kaki) leaf. As Nara is a landlocked area, fresh seafood was often wrapped in persimmon leaves during transportation before the days of refrigeration; not only did the leaf preserve the fish with its antibacterial properties, it imparted a delicate aroma. Kakinoha-zushi is most commonly made by placing salmon or mackerel on top of the rice, but it can also feature other ingredients like prawn or eel. It’s a popular omiyage (souvenir) for visitors to the region, and is available at local department stores and train stations.
Temari is a less known variety of sushi overseas, and is also not as common to find in Japan, although it’s a popular style of sushi to make at home given its simplicity in form. It’s made with a small round ball of pressed rice topped with a thin layer of fish or other ingredients, which is fitting since the name comes from the traditional Japanese embroidered ball, temari, meaning “hand ball.” Often colorful and decorative, it’s a popular food for parties and picnics, and is often made for the traditional girl’s day celebration known as Hinamatsuri. If making temari for a picnic, it’s best to used cured or cooked seafood rather than raw sashimi.
Chirashizushi, translated as “scattered sushi,” is a bowl of rice topped with a variety of ingredients, with popular toppings including pieces of salmon, squid, cucumber, shredded omelet, and boiled prawns. It’s similar to a kaisendon (Japanese rice bowl topped with a large amount of seafood), with the main difference being that chirashizushi uses vinegared sushi rice whereas kaisendon uses plain steamed white rice. You can easily find chirashizushi throughout Japan as it’s widely available in convenience stores, supermarkets and department store food courts. It’s often included as a bento box feature, or enjoyed as a stand-alone meal, given its wide variety of ingredients. Its decorative, bejeweled appearance makes it popular to serve at celebratory occasions.
Inari-zushi is quite different from the other varieties mentioned above, since in its most common form it doesn’t contain any fish and is quite sweet in flavor. Inari is a pouch-like piece of aburaage(deep-fried tofu) that has been simmered in a seasoning of mirin, soy sauce, dashi and sugar. It’s named after the Shinto god, Inari, who is said to have had a fondness for tofu. The seasoned inari pouch is most commonly filled with vinegared sushi rice to create a sweet, slightly sour, juicy dish. However, inari-zushi can also be filled with rice mixed with other ingredients, or rice topped with a range of ingredients like mushrooms, squid, boiled prawns, chives or shredded omelet. The versatility, ease of making, and portability of inari-zushi makes it a popular item for bento as well as finger food for picnics and parties. 
Pieces : 7424 Minifigures : 8 RRP : $799.99, £649.99, 799.99€
The size of the 2017 Millennium Falcon is simply epic. The first clue to its enormous size is in the packaging; it comes in a huge box weighing in at 15 kilos.
The modular build reportedly takes between 17 and 50 hours to complete, but with 17 bags of 7424 bricks and parts, this is hardly surprising.
As one AFOL (Adult fan of Lego) called ‘Alfredoftwo’ wrote:
”All told, I’m glad I have this set. It was fun to buy in a rush of excitement, it provided a lot of enjoyable build time, and it looks absolutely magnificent on display! The sticker shock of spending $800 will wear off with time, and in the end I will be left with a true treasure.”.
Pieces : 5922 Minifigures : 0 RRP : $299.99, £199.99
The original Taj Mahal, in northern India, was built in the 17th century in memory of an emperor’s wife. It took 22 years and 20,000 workers.
The Lego model is recommended for experienced builders aged 14 and over but might not take quite so long to build as the original – fans reporting build-times of between 20 and 40 hours.
The model includes replicas of the minarets, domes and arches. Lego spokeswoman Jenny Brown said the Taj Mahal model was designed only for very experienced enthusiasts.
She added: ‘It will certainly present a worthy challenge to most Lego fans – but a fun one.’
The model even had a celebrity fan – David Beckham is reported to have enjoyed building the set in between matches.
Pieces : 5197 Minifigures : 5 RRP : $499.99, £342.99
A firm fan favourite from the date of the set’s launch in 2007 until its retirement. The set was the first falcon in the Lego range that was able to accommodate minifigures, and the 5 included with the set were a big hit. Fans also loved the build process, comparing it favourably to the ‘flat and boring’ Taj Mahal set.
Unlike other large sets, this one could also be played with!
Pieces : 4867 Minifigures : 19 RRP : $299.99, £259.99, 299.99€
The biggest Ninjago set produced, this set was more a display piece than a play item.
Fans particularly loved the variety of building techniques, the number of minifigures included and the visual impact of the set.
There were complaints, however, on the number of stickers this set employed – a total of 64, which were difficult to fix onto round pieces correctly without detracting from the aesthetics of the set.
Pieces : 4634 Minifigures : 10 RRP : $349.99, £284.99, 349.99€
Ghostbusters meets Lego…what’s not to like? This set has all the fun of the film with some fantastic minfigures, matched with a detailed architectural build of a classic New York fire house.
The set has three floors of fun and mayhem including a games room with pool table, a laboratory and even an arcade machine to keep the guys busy in-between hunting ghosts.
Pieces : 4287 Minifigures : 0 RRP : $239.99, £219.99, 219.99€
At over a metre long and taking 15-30 hours to build, this set is more display piece than playset.
And the set is gorgeous to look at. The microscale Routemaster and London cab are simply beautiful and bring the whole set to life.
In terms of size, the set does contain a lot of 1×1 pieces that boost the total. That being said, the end result is very impressive.
Pieces : 4163 Minifigures : 0 RRP : $249.99, £179.99, 219.99€
The second set to feature a London landmark on the top ten list. Big Ben features a detailed section of the Westminster Palace and the adjoining Elizabeth Tower, four detailed clock dials with movable hour and minutes hands, and a baseplate featuring a treelined garden and the river Thames. The set even includes a removable tower top to reveal a Big Ben bell inside!
Pieces : 4080 Minifigures : 7 RRP : $349.99, £299.99, 349.99€
This huge set sold out quickly and almost immediately became a collector’s item. It is easy to see why. The set is simply huge and combines the popularity of Disney with an epic build.
The Disney Castle measures over 29” (74cm) high, 18.8” (48cm) wide and 12” (31cm) deep. The set features a detailed facade with a stone bridge, clock, wide arched entrance, ornate balconies, spired towers, plus a four-story main building and a five-story, golden-spired main tower, both containing rooms with assorted Disney-inspired features and elements.
The set’s main criticism from fans was on the lack of minifigures at just five, with two grey knights decorating the castle walls. However, the overwhelmingly positive reaction in the summer of its release and its limited availability since then suggests that it has proved extremely popular with fans around the world, as one might expect of such an enormous and impressive model.
Pieces : 4016 Minifigures : 27 RRP : $499.99, £409.99, 499.99€
This set is only slightly larger in terms of number of pieces than Assembly Square but comes in at nearly twice the price. What really differentiates this set though is the sheer number of minifigures – at 27 perhaps a record in itself.
Some of the minifigures are also unique to this set such as ‘Imperial Navy Officer’, and ‘Grand Moff Tarkin’ which makes this set highly collectable.
Pieces : 4002 Minifigures : 9 RRP : $279.99, £179.99, 239.99€
2017 marks the tenth year of the Modular Building theme and this milestone is celebrated by the release of Assembly Square. The set contains 4002 pieces and is therefore the largest Modular Building yet as well as one of the most impressive based on the exceptionally positive reaction to its announcement in October 2016.
Prices and listings correct as of January 2019 
Sri Lanka is the oldest democracy in Asia. Politics of Sri Lanka takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Sri Lanka is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and Parliament. For decades, the party system has been dominated by the socialist Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the conservative United National Party. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The Politics of Sri Lanka reflect the historical and political differences between the three main ethnic groups, the majority Sinhala and the minorities Tamils and Muslims, who are concentrated in the north and east of the island.
According to the Democracy Index published by the United Kingdom-based Economist Intelligence Unit in late 2010, Ethiopia is an “authoritarian regime”, ranking as the 118th-most democratic out of 167 countries.[116] Ethiopia has dropped 12 places on the list since 2006, and the latest report attributes the drop to the government’s crackdown on opposition activities, media and civil society before the 2010 parliamentary election, which the report argues has made Ethiopia a de facto one-party state.
While many sources agree that the real power in Algeria is not held by its constitutional organs, they differ as to who/what does. According to the Economist magazine, the military is the primary powerbroker, along with “a select group” of unelected civilians. These “décideurs” are reportedly known to Algerians as “le pouvoir” (“the power”), make major decisions, including who should be president.
Winchburgh has an ancient history which saw it first mentioned in records in 1189. The name probably comes from the Old English for “Winca’s Fort”, and suggests the village may have stood here since being founded by someone called Winca during the period of Anglian or Northumbrian dominance of the area in the 600s.
There is no sign of Winca’s Fort today, nor of the village that stood here in 1314 when the English army that had been defeated at the Battle of Bannockburn and then their Scottish pursuers both passed through in the immediate aftermath of the battle.
Niddry Castle stands just a third of a mile south east of the edge of Winchburgh, though much of the area between them is covered by a huge oil shale bing, and by the Niddry Castle Golf Club. Niddry Castle dates back to the 1400s and was a base of the Seton family, better known for their estates in East Lothian. The most famous resident, briefly, was Mary Queen of Scots, who stayed here on the night of 2nd May 1568 after her escape from Lochleven Castle. The castle was abandoned in the 1700s. Today, Niddry Castle is famous for its golf course which hit the headlines in 2007 in the case of a golfer who lost his eye on the golf course and successfully sued both the golfer and the golf club for hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The second castle near Winchburgh is Duntarvie Castle, which stands just under a mile north, and was built by the Durham family in the early 1600s. It is currently being restored and transformed into an 
Quarrying began to take place to the east of Winchburgh in the 1790s, and in 1822 the Union Canal was built along a line that took it immediately to the west of the village. It cuts through the village just by the church forming a border that some locals joke marks the ‘Checkpoint Charlie’ between the New Village (West) and the Old Village (East).
Winchburgh gained a railway station in 1842 when the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was built, using deep cuttings to the north and south of the village and a tunnel running beneath the centre of it. On 13 October 1862, 15 people were killed when two trains collided head on in the cutting a mile and a half north east of Winchburgh.
In the 1860s oil shale began to be mined in the area, and in the 1870s an oil extraction plant was established to the south of Winchburgh. At the beginning of the 1900s a new extraction plant was built, known as the Niddrie Castle Oil Works. Its owners, the Oakbank Oil Company, built over 200 new cottages in Winchburgh to house the workers, and the oil works was linked by narrow gauge electric railway to a number of oil shale mines in the area. The Niddry Castle Oil Works was the last producer of oil from shale in Scotland when it closed in 1960.
Greendykes Bing in Winchburgh has been designated a ‘monument of national importance’ as one of the very few intact spent-shale bings left in central Scotland. The shale oil industry was locally important for about a century, and its pioneer, James Young, developed refining techniques still used in the oil industry. This bing, with its neighbour Faucheldean, gives striking evidence of the enormous volume of material processed in the extraction of oil from shale. In this case the operating company was the Broxburn Oil Co, active from the 1860s to c. 1940. Given its similarity to Uluru and its reddish hue, some locals refer to it as ‘Ayers Rock’.
