I hope you all had an absolutely fabulous Christmas and are looking forward to a sparkling New Year! The Boy and I spent our first Christmas alone as a couple, so it was a [...]]]> Photo Credit

I hope you all had an absolutely fabulous Christmas and are looking forward to a sparkling New Year! The Boy and I spent our first Christmas alone as a couple, so it was a laid-back, quiet celebration involving great food, buck’s fizz with breakfast, squealing with delight over books and Secret Santa delights, Doctor Who and Downton Abbey,  lie-ins and days spent curled up on the sofa. 

I’m feeling re-charged and ready for an exciting 2012, I hope you are too! 

The Christmas season is finally upon us, and this post is all about some of the seasonal elements that I look forward to year after year. I’m not talking about the big traditions of family, presents, religion, carols, [...]]]> Photo Credit

The Christmas season is finally upon us, and this post is all about some of the seasonal elements that I look forward to year after year. I’m not talking about the big traditions of family, presents, religion, carols, etc. here, I’m talking about the little things that have become, to me, my own personal Christmas essentials, those things that without which, it wouldn’t feel properly “Christmassy” because they’re always part of my festive celebrations. A few of the things I always look forward to include:

* My father asking me to select which wine to drink – For some reason, he seems to think I know about these things, despite the fact that whenever he does this I always read the labels and just choose the one that the label suggests would go best with whatever we’re eating. Usually if I’m buying wine myself my first priority is whether or not it’s currently on special offer! (I would, however, like to learn about wine at some point in my life.)

* Eating Christmas cake icing – I don’t like fruit cake at all, but the soft, white sugary deliciousness that is regalice is a wonderful thing, and there’s usually some in my mother’s ‘fridge, left over from covering the cake. I end up eating chunks of it and ending up on a sugar high to rival that of most 4 year-olds.

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* Cats – Our rental contract doesn’t allow us one (or fifteen – I fully intend to be a crazy cat lady as soon as I’m allowed) of our own, so when we say we’re looking forward to visiting family, it usually means we’re especially looking forward to spending a few days entertaining one of our respective parents’ cats. I can’t wait to see my Daisy cat next week!

* Geeky TV – My two favourite shows that I have to watch every Christmas are Doctor Who and the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. It’s probably rather nerdy of me (well, the latter almost certainly is) but those two shows just make my festive season. I was always really jealous of the kids who got to be in the audience for the lectures (still am really), and, well, Doctor Who is amazing, and anyone who says otherwise has no taste!

* ‘Fridge-raided Meals – Boxing day fayre at my parents’ house tends to consist of a general reminder when it’s around meal times to get whatever one wants from the ‘fridge if we’re hungry. Meals usually consist of cold turkey (of course), other cold meats, cheese, salad vegetables, bread, fruit and cake. ‘Fridge raiding – particularly from a very well-stocked ‘fridge – is one of my favourite types of meal!

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* Essential movies that must be watched over the festive season:

• An old favourite I can quote from beginning to end.
• A kids’ movie that’s actually really good.
• A kids’ movie watched only for nostalgia value (because actually, with hindsight, it’s quite terrible)
• Any Bond film, bonus points if it’s on ITV at around 3pm on Boxing Day.

* Food and drink, aside from the traditional Christmas dinner, cake, etc. that must be consumed:

• Bacon and cheese rolls, preferably from Marks and Spencer, which usually cause mouth burns when accidentally eaten a little too soon after coming out of the oven, but which are nonetheless delicious.
• Chocolate from a selection box.
• Copious amounts of After Eight mints.
• Port.
• Smoked salmon for breakfast, watched intently by the cat (I always give in).

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* Other – That wonderful feeling when you see someone open a present and you know they love it, Buying fairy lights, not as seasonal decorations, but for everyday lighting when I get back home, All the many excuses there are to dress up, Seeing sparkle everywhere, Lots of happy faces!

If you celebrate Christmas, what traditions do you have that help make it that little bit more magical? If you don’t, how do you spend this time of year?

Those of you who celebrate it, I hope you are having a wonderful Xmas day! xx

Happy 1st December! Advent begins today, the season of bad music, mulled wine and excessive food consumption is almost upon us! Here’s some suggestions from me as to what to do before it arrives!

1. If [...]]]> Photo Credit

Happy 1st December! Advent begins today, the season of bad music, mulled wine and excessive food consumption is almost upon us! Here’s some suggestions from me as to what to do before it arrives!

1. If you haven’t already done so, buy / make an advent calendar, preferably with chocolate in it!

2. Decorate your house / room – even if you just put a few shiny baubles, or a bit of tinsel, every little helps!

3. Buy or otherwise choose your Xmas party outfit! Even if you’re having a quiet one this year and not attending any, pick something beautiful yet comfortable to wear on the day itself to help it feel that little bit more festive!

4. If you’re a student or self-employed, finish all your assignments / tasks in good time so that you can take a real break and enjoy the Xmas break without thinking about all you have to do when you start working again!

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5. A very practical one now, prepare a list of all the things you still need to buy / prepare - this includes household essentials, you really don’t want to run out of toilet roll halfway through Xmas day when there are no shops open!

6. Visit your local German Christmas Market at least once, they’re great fun and a brilliant way to get into the “festive spirit” (alcoholic or otherwise!). I’m going to the Nottingham one tomorrow!

7. Unless you reallylove them, don’t listen to any Xmas songs unless you have to, otherwise you’ll be totally sick of them by around the 10th!

8. If you’re a blogger, write those scheduled posts as early as possible so you don’t have loads to do when you’re panicking about your last-minute shopping!

9. Go out specifically to look at the lights, and take photos.

10. Try and find out when your local supermarkets are having Xmas food tastings, and arrange your grocery shopping trips to coincide with them.

11. Get together with friends you may not see over Xmas itself for a pre-seasonal drink and catch-up.

12. Buy at least one ridiculous Xmas-themed accessory – snowflake earrings, a flashing Santa badge, even simply a piece of tinsel to wear as a belt, then wear it to work!

How are you preparing for the approaching holiday?

With Christmas Day falling on a Thursday this year, what better day to celebrate the things we love in life! Merry Christmas to all of you, here’s what has made the holiday wonderful for me!

*  Champagne – [...]]]>

With Christmas Day falling on a Thursday this year, what better day to celebrate the things we love in life! Merry Christmas to all of you, here’s what has made the holiday wonderful for me!

*  Champagne – I adore it, if I could afford to, I’d drink it every day! My parents bought a particularly pleasant bottle this year that was thoroughly enjoyed by all over dinner.

* My Nephew – He really is a rather entertaining child, though somewhat energetic!

* The Doctor Who Christmas Special – I was going to make this post a while ago, then I remembered it was on, and everything has to stop for The Doctor! I’m a big geek, but this year’s was brilliant!

* All the Merry Christmas posts – Sadly I haven’t had time to reply to them all, but I’ve loved looking at all the photos and enjoying all your messages to your readers.

* The bacon from the top of the turkey – For me, the best bit of the Christmas dinner (aside from all the booze!)

* Glitter – Covering myself, my mother, and anyone else who would let me in M.A.C. reflects gold!

* Presents! – I received some really lovely, thoughtful things this year, including a granite pestle and mortar from my brother and sister-in-law, which is something I’ve considered buying so many times before and decided against it because it’s too heavy to carry home. Yay, many real curries will be made!

* Looking back on 2008 and realising it’s been a really great year!

So, thank you to all of you for making it so fabulous, I hope you are all having / have had a fantastic Christmas Day (or a relaxing holiday if you don’t celebrate Christmas).  Enjoy the rest of your celebrations and I hope your hangovers aren’t too bad tomorrow!

xx

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Not a very original title I know, and I’m sure there are probably a million posts out there headed with exactly the same words, but I can’t really think of anything [...]]]>

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Not a very original title I know, and I’m sure there are probably a million posts out there headed with exactly the same words, but I can’t really think of anything more fitting to the post. It’s that time of year again where everyone is making their “Merry Christmas, I’m off to X for 2 weeks” posts, and whilst I am going away for a few days, I hope to be able to update at least sporadically while I’m celebrating with the family.

Although the run-up to Christmas drives me insane at times – the repetitive music, the crowds in the shops, the stress of trying to get everything wrapped and sent to people on time – overall, I rather enjoy this time of year. It’s a time when everything glitters, when most people are determined to put on a happy face and a positive outlook, and it’s the best excuse in the world to consume enormous amounts of delicious food and drink!

It did take us a while to buy a tree this year however. After weeks of trying to work out  where to put a full-size one, the other half went out this afternoon and bought this cute little minature tree with blue fibre-optics… and that’s the extent of our decoration aside from my fairy lights, which I use all year round.

Please excuse the low-res webcam photo, un-brushed hair, lack of makeup and mildly evil facial expression!

I just want to say Merry Christmas to everyone, and hopefully you’ll read this before you leave for wherever you’re spending the holidays. Enjoy your seasonal traditions, eat lots of great food and I hope your Christmas both sparkles and glitters.

xx

Image by ninahale

Between calls and comments about customers, the sound of hummed Christmas music is currently drifting through the office as people are getting into the seasonal spirit. Most of the larger shops have had the same five or six songs on a [...]]]>

Image by ninahale

Between calls and comments about customers, the sound of hummed Christmas music is currently drifting through the office as people are getting into the seasonal spirit. Most of the larger shops have had the same five or six songs on a loop since the 1st and the lights make the town sparkle as soon as it gets dark.

Is this all a bit… premature though? I for one find listening to Christmas music from as early as the end of November, as seems to be the convention these days, to be a little counter-productive. By the time the party season really kicks off, later on in the month, I’m so sick of most of the songs I don’t want to hear them anymore, which is something of a spirit-killer. One Christmas song that always makes me smile however, is The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl’s classic Fairytale of New York.

This song brings back memories of wandering through town with friends, fortified with mulled wine, singing at the top of our lungs and not caring how stupid we probably sounded. The only Christmas song I never tire of, even if I’ve heard it every week since mid-November!

How about you? Are you fed up of the Christmas music already, or do you enjoy every minute of it? What’s your favourite song to get you in the festive spirit?