I’m just going to come out and say it, I love Christmas.
I wish I could say I had really good reasons for loving Christmas, but I don’t, I love a good Christmas movie, I love the food, I love Christmas Carols and probably more than anything else, I love the decorations.
Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not a case of ‘it’s all great’, I don’t want to be drowned in ‘Christmas’, I do have discerning taste.
I don’t do tinsel, but glitter is okay. Fruit mince pies are a big no, but Fruit Cake is essential. Not all Carols are created equal, and I believe the ultimate Christmas movie is Love Actually(the watching of is the only tradition my husband and I have).
When I first moved out of home I was working retail(have done most of my life) and as anyone who has worked retail during the holiday period knows it can really suck, and my love waned. I was going home to my parents for Christmas day so I didn’t feel the need to decorate, so my house was a ‘Christmas Free’ zone. I did make one great decision though, and that was to invest in three good Christmas baubles for a future tree, and I continued to do this for quite a few years before I purchased a tree to hang them on, and most years I will still buy or make something special to add.
The tree for me is the most important decoration, and I don’t really do much else. Growing up, putting the tree up was a big chore for my parents( as I’m sure it is for many) and it was put off until a week, maybe two weeks before the big day. Now I’m an adult though, 1st of December my tree is up. Last year we had a new puppy, and a destructive one at that so unfortunately our tree was a cute little timber thing on a high shelf, this year though, even once she is more mobile, I have confidence in its safety and I’m very pleased to have a ‘proper’ tree again.
My tree inspiration comes from my Nanna. I remember her tree sitting on top of the television, it wasn’t tall but it was wide and it was absolutely full of decorations. No tinsel, just baubles, and lights. And this is what my ultimate aim is for my tree. I have a 6 foot tree, but I prefer to use just the top of it so it can look as full as possible. My collection of ‘investment’ baubles always brings me joy and memories. My favourite though, is actually my Angel topper, I made it myself in probably the quickest DIY I’ve ever done with supplies I already had after the angel I bought just didn’t work, it’s just perfect.
At this time of year no-one has time to read a long blogpost of someone else’s Christmas love, so I’m going to finish here with a couple of my favourites.
Comment your favourites, and if you need to find some joy this Christmas, think about why they’re your favourites and why you enjoy the parts of Christmas you do, maybe it’ll bring a smile to your face.
Favourite Christmas Food: Fruitcake - providing its made by me, my ma, or my nan
Favourite Christmas Movie: Love Actually
Favourite Christmas Carol: traditional ‘O Holy Night’ (preferably by N*sync)
modern ‘A Spaceman Came Travelling’ Chris de Burgh
From Me and My Family, have a wonderful holiday
The putting up of the Christmas tree wasn’t really a chore, sweetheart, it was just no one would ever help to take it down. Ma 😘😘😘