Window shopping in the Christmas aisles! #FridayFavourites

This isn't my usual Friday post, normally I share a few things I’ve been loving over the past week but things have been a bit busy here. Don’t worry, all good things and it's my birthday today. It has just been one of those weeks where I blinked and suddenly it’s Friday again. So instead of my usual favourites post, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea to share one of my absolute favourite things to do in the run up to Christmas. A good bit of window shopping in the Christmas aisles! (All of the items below are from TK Maxx)

There’s just something so magical about Christmas shopping, especially right now in November before the full on festive chaos hits and everyone’s elbow deep in wrapping paper and mince pies. I don’t even need to buy anything, I can happily wander around for hours just looking at all the sparkly, twinkly bits and pretending I live in a Christmas movie. 

I always tell myself I’m just going to have a look and most of the time I mean it! There’s something so nice about browsing with no pressure to buy. Just taking in all the decorations, admiring the colour schemes and mentally redecorating the whole house even though I know I’ll probably end up putting things exactly where they were last year.

Candles are my absolute weakness. I could stand in front of a candle display for ages sniffing every single one like some kind of candle expert. I don’t even need to light them, I just like having them around looking cosy and Christmassy. Give me a spiced apple or gingerbread scent and I’m instantly in a better mood. My family has learned that if they lose me in a shop, I’m probably somewhere in the candle section. I’ve got a slight candle problem, I own more than I could ever possibly use but there are far worse addictions!

The rest of the Christmas aisles are just as fun to explore. I love spotting all the different colour trends each year. The traditional deep reds, golds and greens, the kind of decorations that make you want to sip mulled wine by a crackling fire. Then there is the pastel, candy themed look with pink baubles and doughnut shaped ornaments that make me smile even if they’d never match my actual tree and don’t even get me started on the woodland themes with little foxes, owls and pinecones everywhere. I want to adopt them all.

It’s like every shelf tells a little story. You’ve got the classy luxury area where everything sparkles just the right amount and then right next to it the slightly chaotic section full of singing reindeer, light up penguins and novelty mugs that play Jingle Bells when you pick them up. I love it all!

Taking photos of all the displays has become one of my favourite festive pastimes. By the end of a good browse I usually leave with nothing but a phone full of photos, a smile and maybe a candle that somehow jumped into my basket when I wasn’t looking. It's the whole experience, it feels like a little seasonal treat, one I look forward to every single year.

Do you like browsing all the Christmas decorations?