This week my Word of the Week is: Christmas!! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

It has to be! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, whatever you were doing.

I worked through my Christmas Eve to-do list and got everything done and by teatime I was ready for a sit down. I got lots of the Christmas dinner cooked in advance so there was less to do on Christmas Day, it worked out really well.

We were up early on Christmas Day at half past seven, just in time for Becky and her friend getting in from work. Becky's friend was staying with us over Christmas so she didn't have to rely on a lift to and from work with there being no buses. We were up so early so we could all open our presents together! Everyone was spoilt rotten! The girls had a few surprises which they were happy about and so did I. I got some perfume off Stu, which I wasn't expecting, a fab Bon Jovi mug and from my dad, a tonne of bath stuff, which might seem a normal gift but coming from my dad it isn't, he is so not into girly things so it was a big surprise.

The morning was spent going through our presents, speaking to family on the phone and helping Ellie set up her new phone. She takes security seriously and has a different password for everything and never writes them down, so that was fun. It's a good job I kept a record of her login details for her bank because she didn't have a clue as she uses her fingerprint to log in to most things but when you have a new phone you have to log in to everything first before using your fingerprint.

We could have eaten Christmas dinner at midday as most of it was ready but it felt so strange to be eating that early on Christmas Day, so we held off until about 2pm. It was just Stu, Ellie and I as Becky was still sleeping for work. I'm blowing my own trumpet here and I have to say the Christmas dinner was one of the best I have ever made! We ate our fill and then relaxed for the afternoon.

Just after half past five, Becky and her friend were up and out of bed and were ready for their Christmas dinner. I always think I am just an OK cook and I get nervous cooking for other people, but the friend said the food was amazing! Phew! I also made them a packed lunch to take to work full of picky bits like pork pies, sausage rolls, chicken bits and things like that. They loved it and were so grateful as there would have been no buying snacks from the shop with it being closed. It might even have convinced Becky that packed lunches are a good thing and she doesn't need to spend money each evening at work buying food. Hehehe.

Yesterday we spent the day doing nothing much at all apart from watching the new episodes of Stranger Things. We slept until late and ate lots and we didn't even bother getting dressed properly. It was the best PJ day ever!

How was your Christmas? I hope it was as wonderful as ours. I don't think Anne is hosting her Word of the Week linky this week but I do like writing these posts.

Doing nothing! Our Boxing Day routine!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Day! Ours was lovely. We were up early to open presents with Becky when she got in from work and the day was spend doing nothing much apart from watching TV, eating and exploring our presents.

Boxing Day in the UK really comes in two very different flavours. There’s the out in the wild version where people voluntarily go on chilly morning runs, take part in Boxing Day Dips in the freezing sea, head to pubs packed with football fans yelling at screens and then there’s my version of Boxing Day. The quiet, cosy, no one speak to me unless it’s about snacks or a TV remote version.

The day always begins with a lie in because we have no plans for today. There's no need for any sort of alarm clocks and we sleep until we wake and roll out of bed, whenever our bodies decide it's time! Then the most important part of the day begins: changing into the Boxing Day outfit and by outfit I obviously mean brand new pyjamas that I received yesterday, fluffy socks and oversized hoodies are all encouraged too. Usually Stu has the cheek to suggest getting dressed properly in case we go out later and the rest of us will just stare at him like he's suggested something truly crazy!

Breakfast slowly merges into brunch or even lunch. It will be nothing fancy, I'll grab a croissant, they are a boxing day treat and cover in in leftover cranberry sauce. I will also find myself nibbling on cold roast potatoes every time I walk through the kitchen and pigs in blankets and mini sausage rolls. Today will be all about the leftover food. Sandwiches stacked with turkey,  stuffing, cranberry sauce, the Christmas trifle and the snacks never truly stop with bowls of crisps, mince pies and there is of course all the tubs of chocolate which I always overbuy because I panic that we’ll run out (we never do).

The afternoon tends to be one long, cosy stretch of nothingness. We will watch a lot of TV. Boxing Day becomes catch up day watching the Christmas specials we missed yesterday, then we move on to films we’ve seen 37 times but still love and Stu will be watching the football, shouting at the TV like the players can actually hear him.

By this point I’ve lost all sense of time. Is it 2pm or 7pm? Who knows and who cares. I’m still in my pyjamas and staying this way until bedtime and while I could be sensible and make something light for dinner, not a chance. Boxing Day is all about round two of Christmas dinner. I always enjoy the Christmas dinner on Boxing day as I haven't had to stand in the kitchen for long and the microwave does all the work. Turkey, stuffing, mash, veg will all be reheated to perfection. The plate looks very similar to yesterday’s just slightly messier and without the pressure of everything needing to be served nicely.

Today is all about not rushing, no pressure, just comfort, leftovers and the kind of laziness you don’t even feel guilty about. It's the one day a year where doing nothing feels right!

What do you have planned for today??

Merry Christmas! Here’s a little note from me!

Here we are, Christmas Day! Can you believe how quickly it’s come around again? One minute I was wondering if it was too early to buy mince pies and now here I am, last night with the turkey cooking in the oven, a glass of bucks fizz and my Christmas pj's on.

I won’t keep you long, today’s all about soaking up the magic, eating far too much chocolate before noon and spending time with your favourite people. Whether you’re surrounded by family chaos, enjoying a quiet festive day or somewhere in between, I hope you find a moment to take it all in and feel that cosy glow that only Christmas brings.

If you’re reading this today here’s to you! May your day be filled with laughter, good food and maybe a nap that lasts just long enough to wake up in time for pudding. I hope your Christmas is everything you need it to be: joyful, peaceful and a little bit sparkly. Now go on get back to your celebrations! I’ll be doing the same, probably wearing a paper crown at a very questionable angle and wondering if there’s room for just one more roast potato.

Wishing you and your loved ones the merriest Christmas and a new year full of lovely things.

With love,

Kim xxx

My Christmas Eve to do list!

Christmas Eve has a mix of excitement, chaos and always a little panic about losing a present that I hid so well. For me it's the day where everything comes together, the food, the gifts and a day when I feel like I never sit down. Every year I make a Christmas Eve to do list. Not because I’m that organised but because it keeps me from getting swept up in the flurry of glitter and mince pies. My family do help but this year it's just Ellie and I home today. Eek!

On my to-do list today is:

Cook the meat!

As soon as I get up I get on with cooking the meat. This year I am cooking a turkey, gammon and beef joint. The hours it spends cooking are worth it just for the smell wafting through the house. It might seem like a lot of meat but we all don't like the same things and the joints are not huge!

Visit the farm shop!

Every year I visit the local farm shop for the vegetables! Somehow, the carrots, parsnips and sprouts taste better from here than anywhere else, the farm shop is way better than the supermarket as they never run out and everything seems bigger and fresher! I always say that I am just going for veggies but always end up buying chutney's, pork pies and sweet treats!

Prep the veg!

Back home and it’s time to get the vegetables prepped. Carrots, parsnips, sprouts, potatoes and so on. I will peel and chop everything ready to cook on Christmas day. This is where I feel organised but at the same time slightly overwhelmed.

Make party food for tonight!

While the turkey is doing its thing in the oven I think about tonight. It’s Christmas Eve which means picky bits and snacks for tea. Mini quiches, pizza, cheese straws, chicken on sticks, corndogs, all the usual suspects. I will cook it all in the air fryer. I like to keep it simple and maybe sneak a little taste of everything along the way because I never make time to sit down and eat lunch.

Make a trifle!

I don't know how this tradition started but as a child there would always be a home made trifle in the fridge over Christmas and a big one! A layer of jelly with sponge fingers, custard and cream are essential for a proper trifle. Making it is as much fun as eating it. I always think of the trifle from the TV show Friends, mine won't have the beef or peas. hehehe

Wrap the last of the presents!

This isn't my job, it's Stu's. There are a couple of bigger presents which need wrapping and some extras that I recently bought that never made it to my pile when I was wrapping.

Tidy a little!

Before the festivities truly begin, I like to do a quick tidy. Not a full on spring clean, that can wait until January but a little decluttering to make the house feel festive and welcoming. It’s amazing what a few minutes of putting things in drawers, fluffing cushions and wiping surfaces can do.

Drink fizzy wine!

This deserves its own step because it’s basically my Christmas Eve fuel. Whether I sip it while prepping vegetables or just standing there like I waiting to do something, it makes everything more festive and by this point I’ve earned it.

Set the dining room table!

Christmas dinner might be tomorrow but setting the table early gives me one less thing to worry about. I like to go all out with festive napkins, the best cutlery and of course Christmas Crackers. This will be a job for Ellie but I know I will go and rearrange everything to how I want it. Oops.

Have a soak in the bath!

After all the running around I take some time to relax. A long soak in the bath is my Christmas Eve treat for myself. I throw in a bath bomb and will put a face mask on. 

Put on Christmas PJ's!

After all the prep I finally get to slip into my Christmas pj's and make my family wear theirs too. I will spend the next 10 minutes trying to get a photo of us all.

Bring the presents downstairs!

I try to bring all the wrapped presents downstairs tonight and put them all in piles for everyone to open in the morning! Seeing the piles makes me so happy!

An early bedtime!

Finally, as the clock creeps closer to bedtime I do something I never do and go to bed early!

What do you have planned for today?

A photo every day for a year! 14th - 20th December! Week 51 of #Project365

Are we all ready for Christmas? I feel ready. All the presents are bought and wrapped, we've visited family, the big food shop is coming tomorrow and now we just need a good tidy up which I am going to get the family to help with.

We are having a nice quiet weekend. Ellie and I have dyed our hair and done our nails. She was very excited to have long nails back on, they're not practical for college so she's making the most of them during the Christmas break!

I have decided that next weekend the 28th when my Project 365 will usually be posted I am going to hang on and post it on the 31st, finishing the year of in one post and starting from day one the following weekend. I hope that makes sense.

Now for a photo every day!

348/365 - 14th December

The WWE wrestler John Cena. He had his last match in the early hours of Sunday morning and I stayed up to watch. He didn't win but he went out the right way. It was worth staying up just to see everyone come from back stage to show their respect and give him a big cheer.

349/365 - 15th December

I never buy a paper TV guide apart from at this time of year! I like to go through and mark off what I am planning on watching on TV and what I need to record. Are paper TV guides still a thing or do they just get created at Christmas for people like me who have this tradition?

350/365 - 16th December

I caught up with Neighbours, my last ever catch up because the show has ended again. Hmmf! I am sure at some point it will be brought back. I really don't understand why it was finished, every time I went on Amazon it was in the top 10 most watched things on there!

351/365 - 17th December

Becky was off to her works Christmas party. She had a lovely time with great food and fantastic company. She brought her Deadpool Christmas jumper out for the occasion.

352/365 - 18th December

It wouldn't be Christmas without getting a new Christmas mug. I got this from Morrisons for a couple of pound! I think it's so pretty!

353/365 - 19th December

Christmas nails, I bought them months ago and put them somewhere safe. Isn't it funny how that somewhere safe place is somewhere that you would never think of putting things like this, it took me a while to find them. They were in the kitchen junk drawer. 

354/365 - 20th December

Hair dye day for Ellie and I. I'm going bright red, probably pink, my hair doesn't seem to like the red anymore and dark red for Ellie.

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What I’m buying for myself while Christmas shopping!

Christmas shopping, the magical time of year when you leave the house determined to be a generous, thoughtful human being and return home with bags of treats for yourself. It’s basically tradition at this point. If Santa can reward good behaviour so can I! So let’s talk about the things I definitely didn’t plan to buy for myself this December. hehehe.

December shopping does something to my brain. One minute I’m hunting for stocking fillers and the next I’m holding a fluffy cardigan thinking this will help me survive winter. It’s always pretty, it’s always soft and it always comes home with me. I try to imagine gifting it to someone else but then I picture myself wearing it and it's too precious to let go.

Nothing tests self control like a shiny skincare gift set. I go in for wrapping paper and come out convinced I need a three step routine that involves serums, massaging and misting. I buy them for myself every year and I always feel like I’m doing something responsible. Never mind that I’ll forget step two by mid January and end up using the fancy night cream as hand lotion. The thought was there.

I fully intended to grab a candle as a gift, something classy like Frosted Woodland something but then I spotted one that smelled like gingerbread and happiness and next thing I knew I was buying two. One for them and one for me because what am I supposed to do live in a house that doesn’t smell like Christmas! 

Socks are always marketed as a gift but who are we kidding, no one appreciates them the way we do. The second December hits my feet are suddenly freezing and if my feet are cold the rest of me is so when I see fluffy socks in festive colours my brain goes these are needed to live just like food and water. I try to justify it by thinking I’ll give them to someone but once they’re home I become attached to them, they’re mine now. Oops!

Every December I become a new person. I see a fresh notebook and think this will change my life. I will become organised, write plans. I will journal daily but jump to February and three pages filled, one of them containing a shopping list and the phrase remember bins but I still buy it because who doesn't like new stationery.

Every year I buy a fancy box of chocolates to either gift to someone or have out when guests come over, then two days later I’m eating them alone while watching TV and pretending the box ripped itself open but December calories don’t count in case you didn't know!

There is no marketing stronger than the words worth £80 but now £20. I don’t even care what’s in it. It could be eyebrow glitter or make up I don't know how to use, I’m still tempted. I tell myself it’s smart shopping, I’m saving money. Never mind that I wasn’t planning to spend the money in the first place.

There’s always something in the supermarket that jumps into the trolley. Mini mince pies, fancy crisps, hot chocolate with marshmallows shaped like snowmen. I tell myself it’s for Christmas week. Then it disappears during a random December afternoon when I need a break from real life.

December is stressful enough without pretending we don’t treat ourselves while we’re out shopping. We’re juggling lists, crowds, budgets, wrapping disasters and that one person who keeps saying they don’t need anything. (my dad). So if something brings a little happiness or warmth I say go for it!

Do you buy yourself treats while doing the Christmas shopping?

The Christmas traditions I miss now that my girls are adults!

You know when people warn you "enjoy it while they’re little, they grow up fast!" and you’re like yeah yeah, well it happened! My girls grew up fast!! Don’t get me wrong, I love having grown up daughters. They’re smart, funny and are tall enough to reach the top of the tree! So here’s a nostalgic ramble about the Christmas traditions I miss now that my girls are very much grown ups living their best lives.

Letters to Santa!

Remember those letters, the ones that where kids would confess everything! Dear Santa, I’ve been good this year except when I pushed my sister and when I drew on the wall but that wasn’t really my fault, there were the doodles, spelling mistakes, and the100% belief that the man in a red suit could deliver a pony even though we lived in a terraced house with a tiny back garden. One of my favourite parts was when they wrote their letters at school. My friend worked there and was the one in charge of writing Santa’s replies. Bless her, she’d give me the heads up on what my girls were dreaming of that year because the letters they wrote at home and the ones they wrote in school never matched. At home they wanted a teddy or a Barbie but at school they were asking Santa for an iPad, a mansion and a unicorn that pooped glitter. lol

The Advent Calendar!

Back in the day my December alarm clock wasn’t my phone, it was my girls bursting into my room at 7am practically shaking with excitement. It’s day three they’d shriek like it was the most urgent newsflash ever. Every morning in December, that tiny cardboard door became the most important thing in the world.

Over the years, the calendars evolved. Chocolate was the main treat then there was the Roblox calendar, the Friends TV show calendar, one with crystals, and even a rubber duck one. We still do advent calendars now but it’s different. There’s no urgent excitement and sometimes they even skip days and play catch up. It’s a small thing, but it’s one of those traditions that made the countdown to Christmas feel the run up to Christmas extra exciting.

Baking Together!

You haven’t lived until you’ve baked Christmas cookies with kids and spent the whole time saying things like: please don’t eat the raw dough, no flour is not snow, how did you get icing in your hair already! It was messy but so much fun! They still like to bake now but won't let me be involved. Hmmf!

Making gingerbread houses!

Our gingerbread houses never looked like the ones on Pinterest, not one single year! They were sticky, they collapsed, the icing drooped, the walls slid and they were held together by nothing but sugar and hope! Those were some of the best afternoons. The girls would be so proud of their creations even if the roof fell off five minutes later. The house would smell of ginger, there’d be icing in someone’s hair, sprinkles rolling under the fridge and a smear of sugary glue on the table that would still be there in February. hehehe

Christmas Eve chaos!

There was a routine and it was adorable. Christmas Eve boxes filled with crafts to keep the girls busy, special PJs, hot chocolate with enough marshmallows to suffocate a small elf. We’d watch The Snowman on TV, track Santa on the NORAD website, leave carrots and mince pies out and sprinkle reindeer dust like we were in a fairy tale. The girls would be itching to go to bed but not to sleep. One would peek downstairs, whispering is Santa here yet . I loved that chaos, that excitement and the next morning drinking strong coffee to keep me going because of course they were up at 5am after I had only gone to bed a few hours before. lol

Elf on the Shelf Shenanigans

Ahh! The elf, the tiny plastic troublemaker who stole both my sleep and my sanity for several years. Starting Elf on the Shelf was one of my greatest parenting mistakes and also one of my greatest parenting successes. The first week was magical but about halfway through December I would run out of ideas. I’d be lying in bed at 11pm just dozing off to sleep and remember I hadn't moved the elf. lol but I miss it. I miss hiding that tiny judgemental creature in ridiculous places, hearing the girls coming up with their own dramatic theories about how she travelled around the house.

Handmade Decorations!

Oh, the decorations they made. Wonky stars, pipe cleaner angels, baubles that looked like they’d been through a traumatic event. My tree basically had the look of a charity shop window but it was perfect!

Being sneaky after their bedtime!

I deserve an award for the stealth skills I developed as a parent. Wrapping presents quietly, tip-toeing around the house and don’t even get me started on arranging presents around the tree like I wanted it perfect! I wish I could do that all over again. Stu, probably not as he would always get the big presents to put together on Christmas eve! The dolls’ house incident comes to mind: power drill at the ready, trying to assemble it without waking the girls. They weren’t asleep and curious little heads would pop up at just the wrong moment.

Christmas morning magic!

There was the rush to the tree, the squeals, the paper flying everywhere, watching my girls tear open presents, see the things they wished for or didn’t even know they wished for and feeling the sheer magic of it all. It isn't the same now that they are older. I miss it but things change and there are still surprises under the tree for them.

Now our Christmases are quieter. The girls are older, more independent, they don’t burst into our bedroom early on Christmas morning, don’t leave flour trails through the kitchen, they don’t build gingerbread houses that collapse within an hour but instead we exchange gifts calmly and reminisce about the old days, laughing at the chaos we survived and the magic we made.

What do you miss about past Christmases?

My December playlist: Festive cheer & Zero Buble!

Every December something strange happens to me. I go from being a perfectly reasonable human to someone with very strong feelings about Christmas music!! One minute I’m feeling all calm and twinkly and the next I’m acting like a security guard of my own playlist! It’s crazy how a song can flip your whole mood. One jingle and I’m ready to deck the halls and another and I’m contemplating a long walk into the snow. hehehe So welcome to my December playlist: the good, the bad, the absolutely not on my listen list!

Fairytale of New York - The Pogues

The second those opening notes start I don’t care what I’m doing, I could be wrestling with wrapping paper or trying to find the end of the Sellotape for the 400th time. I’m transported straight into a pub at Christmas where everyone’s singing loudly, no one knows all the lyrics and someone’s spilled their beer but no one cares because it’s festive.

Feliz Navidad - Jose Feliciano!

If joy had a soundtrack this would be it! I could be having the worst morning known to humankind but three seconds into this song and I’m smiling like I’ve just won the lottery! There’s no emotional backstory, no drama, just an instant good mood. 

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - Wizzard!

This song feels like sugar, glitter and someone who’s had too many Quality Streets. It’s loud, it’s joyful and it has the energy of a kid who’s been up since 4am asking if Santa came. 

Underneath the Tree - Kelly Clarkson!

This song turns me into a woman who thinks she can sing. I can't, not even a little but Kelly comes in with that festive power and suddenly I’m belting the chorus like I’m auditioning for a Christmas special. 

All I Want for Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey!

People pretend they’re too cool for it until that twinkly intro starts. Mariah owns December and I support her reign. If loving this song is basic then hand me my hot chocolate and leave me be!

Driving Home for Christmas - Chris Rea!

I don’t drive. I don’t even understand road signs but this song makes me feel like I’m gliding along a snowy motorway in a red car wearing a festive scarf, heading home to my family. It’s soothing, gentle and nobody is crying about heartbreak.

Merry Christmas Everyone - Shakin Stevens!

It’s the musical equivalent of a sparkly jumper your nan knitted you, slightly ridiculous but impossible not to love. It makes everything feel soft and snowy even when it’s just raining sideways like a typical December.

Step Into Christmas - Elton John!

It sounds like Elton bursts through your door shouting put your coat on, we’re going out and that’s the kind of energy I need in December!

Do They Know It’s Christmas? - Band Aid

Big and dramatic! It's not something you sing quietly while making tea it’s definitely a sing out loud song! 

Merry Xmas Everybody - Slade! 

It basically kicks the door in and shouts IT’S CHRIIIIIIISTMAS like someone who’s had three Snowballs before lunch. The second Noddy Holder starts yelling, every British person suddenly remembers it’s December. It’s crazy, loud and feels like being hugged by an overexcited relative!

What's not on my playlist and why! 

Anything Michael Bublé!

I know he is a lovely person, he seems like the kind of man who’d help you carry your shopping but the second he starts singing Christmas songs I can feel my soul leaving my body. There’s just something a bit too smooth, too perfect and slightly smug about him. It's like he knows he’s the soundtrack to half of December and he’s fine with it.

Anything overly repetitive or novelty!

Novelty Christmas songs are funny once maybe twice but Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer or I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas quickly crosses the line into chaos. After the second chorus, I start questioning my sanity! 

Last Christmas - Wham!

I loved George Michael, the man had charisma, style and a voice that made you feel things you didn’t even know you were supposed to feel but Last Christmas! Ugh. You can’t escape it. You hear it in every shop, every cafe, every random playlist and suddenly it’s less a festive classic and more a background noise that makes you question why you ever liked it in the first place!

Festive remixes!

Overly modern pop remixes of the classics! Don’t give me Silent Night the DJ Frostbite remix or O Holy Night featuring a random rapper! Nothing ruins my mood faster than a techno remix of a classic carol. No, thank you!

Long instrumental tracks!

They're lovely for about 40 seconds but after that, my brain starts itching. I don’t need a 10 minute jazzy piano version of Silent Night. I can’t wrap presents for 10 minutes straight to that sort of noise, it's just cruel! 

What are your favourite Christmas songs? Which don't you like?

Floor, tape and Marvel movies: My Christmas wrapping routine!

Every year without fail I tell myself the same thing: This year I’ll be ahead of the game, by the beginning of December all the presents will be wrapped, stacked neatly under the tree and I’ll even have time to sip a hot chocolate and watch Christmas movies! hahaha.

Here we are middle of December and somehow not much is wrapped, in fact nothing is! The rolls of paper are still rolled, the ribbons untouched and the scissors are already missing! I even got my eldest to buy some new one's yesterday and those are lost too. The pile of gifts is more of a mountain and as much as I say I hate doing the wrapping, I am sort of looking forward to it. There’s something about wrapping presents that is part of the magic of Christmas.

I’ve tried over the years to have a proper place to wrap presents like at the dining room table or even sitting on the sofa but I always end up on the floor. It’s just easier. I spread everything out, claim a corner of the living room as my own and just deal with the fact that I will have a numb bum and legs for the next couple of hours.

The floor is where it happens, there's a mix of scattered paper scraps, sticky tape stuck to everything it shouldn’t be and a pile of all the price tags if I remember to pull them off. There’s something nice about sitting there, it’s part of the wrapping routine even with the the mess, losing the end of the tape and the way the paper always seems to roll back on itself . Hmmf.

I begin every wrapping, scissors in my hand, ready to slice through paper like a pro but 10 minutes later the scissors are gone! I know I had them, I can see myself holding them but somehow they disappear! Then comes the tape. It sticks to everything except the gift it’s supposed to stick to. I spend half my wrapping time untangling the tape from itself, trying not to scream and the other half of my time trying to find the end of it! I even have one of those tape holders which should make my life easier but it doesn't!

After years of mix ups and lost gift tags I finally found a system that works for me: one wrapping paper design for my eldest and a completely different one for my youngest. There's no guessing and no panicked moments on Christmas morning. The paper itself is the tag!

No wrapping session is complete without some background entertainment. For the last 5 years or so I have watched Avengers: Infinity War while I wrap one of my girls presents and my dad's birthday and Christmas presents. My reason being that it is a decent length film and gives me plenty of time and then when I have my 2nd day of wrapping my other girls presents and everyone else's I watch Avengers: End Game! In total the movies are about 5 and a half hours long so that's plenty of time to wrap everything! The films make the process feel less like work and more like a tradition. I don’t wrap faster, but I wrap happier!

The presents are never wrapped perfectly and it takes time to tidy up but it's all part of the wrapping routine. Even if I tell myself next year everything will be wrapped by the beginning of December I know deep down it won’t happen but that’s OK.

When do you wrap the Christmas presents and where?

My Christmas decorations - 2025

I said in my post "Things I am not doing in December" that I wasn't going to over do the Christmas decorations this year. Over the last few years our decorations have got more and more, streamers on the ceiling, every wall filled with some sort of hanging decoration and every surface covered, it looked like Christmas had exploded in our house This year I said no, we were keeping it simple and only decorating the living room and I have stuck to it and I must say it looks pretty darn good!

I did get a few new bits but not loads and they all came from Temu. Temu is dangerous, you go on there just for a look and suddenly your basket has 27 items in it and somehow it's all still under £20. I have found them to be really good for decorations, they are so cheap, cheerful and surprisingly well made! I expected things to fall apart in my hands but everything I bought feels like it’s going to last a good few years and if it doesn’t it was so cheap that it's not a great loss. They have now been mixed in the our old faithful's, decorations that we've had for years which I will never part with.

This year I fancied something different for the tree, something very sweet shop at Christmas so I went with a candy cane and red bauble theme and the whole thing cost me about £15. 

I already had the red tinsel tucked away but considering I once paid £15 for one set of Harry Potter baubles, I’m calling this a win! It all matches without being too grown up and screams Christmas! The tree doesn’t have lights and before anyone gasps, listen to me. Lights look lovely but I cannot deal with them flashing and blinking, they give me migraines and the way they flicker in the corner of my eye gives me a headache so this year it’s no lights. Just tinsel, baubles, sweets and candy cane.

This snowman has been with us forever. I got him when Becky was a baby so he’s about 21 years old now. He’s lived in three houses with us, survived the moves, Christmas clear outs and curious toddlers. I can’t even remember where he originally came from. I think my dad gave him to us but who knows. He just sort of appeared one year and has stuck around like part of the family. I can’t imagine decorating without him.

At the top of this post you’ll have seen the new Merry Christmas sign it was one of my Temu finds. It’s made of felt so it will last years without fraying or turning weird like cheap plastic sometimes does. I’m quite proud of that one and then I got two wooden Christmas tree ornaments. Again about £2 each. When I ordered them I fully expected them to arrive the size of a postage stamp because some things always look bigger online but they turned up a really good size! They’re simple but lovely and exactly what I wanted.

The shelves are a bit of a mish-mash of things, some old and some new. I don’t do that fancy thing where everything matches. My shelves look like Christmas walked past, sneezed and left a sprinkle of memories behind.

The gingerbread man is a good few years old, we did have two but one went missing. I think Ellie took it when she was younger as she loved them so much. I do love a Christmas gonk, they’re like the unofficial mascots of Christmas now. Every year they multiply and before you know it you have a whole gonk family watching you. The glass looking ornament in the middle is one of the last things that my great Aunty Jean gave me, the last time I saw her. She was one of my favourite people ever so it is something that I treasure. I always think of her when I put it up and it brings a nice sort of happiness. The pretty, wooden things at the front are new and I think they are so cute! The other shelf is even more mish-mashed but I love these little things, the gonks and of course the snow globe, that is Becky's. She is The Grinch mad!

This felt Christmas tree has been part of our family since the girls were little. One morning, many Christmases ago the Elf on the Shelf magically made it appear. The girls were tiny and the look on their little faces could have lit the whole house up. We still laugh about it now. The decorations on it attach with Velcro, so every time someone walks past, they end up rearranging them, even now! The “Santa OMG I Know Him” sign is another Temu buy and it’s one of my favourites this year. I did have to explain it to my dad though because he’s never seen Elf. Eesh!

There is the garland right along the fireplace, a couple of Jack Skellington ornaments which I don't know how we ended up with two. I think Becky bought one thinking Ellie would love it without realising that I had already bought one and then there are more gonks, I told you I love gonks. hehehe

So that's the grand tour of my little festive living room this year. It might not be as over the top as past Decembers but it feels cosy and us which is all I ever really want at Christmas anyway.

Have you got any new Christmas decorations this year?

Things I’m not doing in December!

This is the month of twinkly lights, festive chaos and a never ending queue of to-do's. I’ve made a bold decision. I’m saying no to things which will bring me stress, to things I don't really enjoy doing or will cost too much money.

Here are the things that I am not doing this month:

I’m not braving the shops on the weekends!

I love the thrill of a good Christmas bargain but the thought of elbowing my way through crowded aisles while someone’s toddler throws a tantrum over a glittery unicorn, no thank you! December is crazy in town and this year I’m staying at home! I don't see the point of getting stressed when online shopping is available. I still shop locally and support small businesses and will shop during the week but not on a weekend!

I’m not overcommitting to festive events!

December can feel like a never ending string of social gatherings and events to go to but I am not going to go to everything. I did a lot of my festive things last month so I am going to say thank you for asking but no. I’m only going to the things I actually want to go to, the ones that bring that warm, happy glow rather than that why did I agree to this dread!

I’m not wrapping gifts at midnight because I forgot!

Last minute gift wrapping is not happening this year! If the gifts aren’t wrapped by the time they are needed I am not worrying, they can go in a gift bag or just as they are! I have actually been saving gift bags up to reuse. hehehe

I’m not buying fancy food we all pretend to like!

You know those Christmas nibbles that only ever get eaten on Christmas Day because we feel weirdly guilty throwing them out. The weird cheese nobody remembers buying, the posh crisps that taste like disappointment and the tin of biscuits where everyone just wants the chocolate ones. If it’s not going to be eaten, it’s not going in the trolley!

I’m not sending Christmas cards out of obligation.

I love a handwritten note but I send out Christmas cards just because I think I have to. There is the cards to buy and all of the stamps, have you seen the price of stamps! Eesh! My Christmas cheer will be shown digitally this year with funny messages, memes and maybe even a GIF or two!

I’m not baking lots!

Well not more than a couple of times this month. Pinterest makes it look easy: gingerbread, cookies, cranberry bread, chocolate dipped pretzels, cakes that looks like reindeers! Nope, it's not happening! I will be picking a couple of tried and tested recipes and that's all you're getting from me.

I’m not overdoing Christmas decorations!

This year I’ve made a very sensible, very grown up decision! I am not turning my house into a Santa’s Grotto this year! I love Christmas I really do but somewhere along the way decorating for Christmas has got too much! I’m decorating just enough to feel festive but without going over the top!

I’m not stressing about the perfect Christmas!

Instagram will try to tell me that I need Pinterest worthy decorations, a perfectly styled tree, a feast that could win awards and matching outfits for everyone in the family. This year I’m letting go. My tree will not be perfect, dinner might include a shop bought shortcut or three and the only thing we will have matching is our Christmas Eve pj's. Perfection is overrated!

I’m not comparing my December to anyone else’s!

Scrolling through social media is dangerous at this time of year. Someone’s house is sparkling like a winter wonderland and someone else has homemade mince pies arranged like art. This year I’m doing my own thing. My December doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s to be wonderful!

I’m not overthinking New Year’s resolutions!

Then comes the New Year’s resolutions. I’ll think about goals when I feel like it, in my own time and not because a calendar says I must.

What are you not doing in December?