List- It Wouldn't Be Christmas Without...

Merry Christmas guys! It's finally here!

I hope you're all having a good one so far, or had a great xmas day yesterday if you live on the other side of the world. And for those of you who don't celebrate Christmas, happy Thursday! 

I've put together a fun, light-hearted post today, since most of us will be too busy to spend much time online. It's a list of things that I associate with Christmas; things that happen every December and things it just wouldn't be Christmas without- good or bad.

♥ Putting the tree up as early as possible in December... but never before the 1st.

♥ Decorating the tree while listening to the album '100% Christmas'. (We've done so since '94!)

♥ Decorating the mantle with fir branches, pinecones, and other natural decorations.

♥ Getting sentimental over old Christmas decorations when we decorate the tree.

♥ Watching Santa Claus the Movie a million times.

♥ Screaming "IT'S CHRISTMAAAAASSSSS!!!" at least once. Don't pretend you've never done it!

♥ The Coca Cola Christmas advert.

♥ Attending my town's turning-on-of-the-lights event. (Although I've missed the last few years).

♥ Driving around to look for Christmas lights.

♥ Making my apple and blackberry trifle, and a cheesecake on Christmas Eve.

♥ Going to our annual Christmas Eve party at my Auntie's.

♥ Driving to and from the annual Christmas family gathering with a Christmas CD playing, while we watch out for Christmas lights.

♥ Going Christmas shopping and coming home with aches and pains everywhere, and bruised wrists from too many shopping bags.

♥ The smell of turkey and stuffing roasting in the oven on Xmas day.

♥ Being made to wrap up all of my Dad's presents to my Mum.

♥ Wanting to murder people in the supermarket during the Christmas food shop.

♥ Watching The Vicar of Dibley's 'Christmas Lunch Incident'.

♥ Wrapping presents beautifully while listening to festive tunes or watching a Christmas movie or two. Or three or four...

♥ The smell of real Christmas trees and fir branches.

♥ Listening to lots of festive tunes throughout the festive season.

♥ Baking on Christmas Eve.

♥ Laughing until my sides hurt during Christmas dinner.

♥ Indulging in a few Cadbury's Roses.

♥ Indulging in a hot chocolate or two from Costa.

♥ Making Christmas Crackers from a Hobbycraft kit and filling them with lovely treats.

♥ Buying Christmas cards from Paperchase. They make the best cards!

♥ Lush's Christmas range. I can barely remember a Christmas without it! I get some every year.

♥ Buying or receiving new PJs and slippers. An ideal ensemble for after eating way too much Christmas food!

♥ Watching the Gavin and Stacey Christmas special. It never gets old! "Six months?!"

♥ Tills crashing on the busiest shopping days known to man.

♥ Wearing a paper crown and groaning at bad recycled jokes.

♥ The smiles on loved ones faces when they open the presents you got so right.

♥ Visiting a garden centre or department store to buy new decorations, and to soak up the festive atmosphere in the Christmas department.

♥ Fairy lights! Fairy lights make everything better. Fact.

♥ Watching Home Alone and Home Alone 2.

♥ Hearing the Home Alone theme tune.

♥ Spending dark December evenings crafting Christmassy things.

♥ Lots of Christmas movie marathons.

♥ Seeing a concert, play, musical, and / or pantomime at the theatre..

♥ Adding at least one new decoration to the collection.

♥ Watching a Tim Allen Christmas movie... whether you want to or not!

♥ Watching Love Actually at least once.

♥ Singing along to The Pogues.

♥ Having at least one young kid trying to Christmas carol door to door for money. Give them a quid, and tell them to bugger off!

♥ Having your life choices judged at every gathering. (Yeah, thanks, distant relative, I'm already aware that my life isn't perfect but it's MY life, and I'll live it however I damn well please.)

♥ Reading A Christmas Carol.

♥ At least one bust up between friends or relatives who can't stand each other.

♥ Sound tracking the season with festive music.

♥ Christmas shopping at the crack of dawn to avoid the crowds.

♥ Writing Christmas cards to people you've not said two words to in fifteen years.

♥ My Mum's sage and onion stuffing; she makes it with sausage-meat, and it's the best stuffing ever.

♥ Crying at Noel's Christmas Presents.

♥ Wearing Christmas jumpers at every opportunity.

♥ Drinking before midday.

♥ Food comas.

♥ Claiming you'll never ever  eat anything again after eating way too much Christmas food..

♥ ...but still managing to eat cake or chocolate for breakfast on Boxing Day.

♥ Watching The Snowman on Christmas Eve. It always brings back a ton of memories of childhood Christmas Eve excitement.

♥ The John Lewis Christmas advert.

♥ Seeing the old Toys 'R' Us advert from the nineties.

♥ Playing board games on Christmas Day.

♥ Getting sellotape everywhere but on the right part of the wrapping paper.

♥ Wearing glitter nail polish at every opportunity.

♥ Wearing velvet, lace, sequins, and / or glitter to a Christmas party.

♥ The Body Shop's Cranberry range.

♥ Getting a new Christmas Dress to wear on Christmas Day.

♥ Watching Christmas With The Kranks, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street, The Family Stone, Elf, Deck The Halls, The Holiday, A Christmas Carol, The Santa Clause, The Polar Express, Meet Me in St Louis...

... I could keep listing for hours!

Merry Christmas everyone! Have a few drinks for me!