Merry Christmas!

After weeks of shopping for the perfect gifts, wrapping presents, putting up decorations, baking tasty treats, and having pity Christmas parties for one because we can't go to real ones, we've finally made it to what will hopefully be the most wonderful day of the year. It's Christmas!

It might look a little different for many of us this year thanks to Covid restrictions, lockdowns, and Boris Johnson cutting Christmas right back at the last minute. We might not be able to spend it with our extended families and friends, go out for Christmas lunch, take festive holidays overseas, or even go to church, (if those are traditions you observe) but I hope you're able to have a fantastic Christmas despite any changes you've had to make to your traditions this year. We all deserve to have a wonderful Christmas after the year we've all lived through- even if  it's just sitting on the sofa stuffing our faces with cake while watching feel-good Christmas movies with our pets.

Christmas Day should be a pretty normal affair in our house because we only ever spend it at home, just the six of us, and I'm so grateful for that right now.  My sister and brother-in-law will be joining us for the day, and I'm looking forward to every minute of it. After a busy month preparing for the holidays, I can't wait to finally take it easy, spend time with my family, enjoy some good food, watch lots of festive movies, dress my dog up in a Christmas jumper, and maybe even push the boat out and play a few board games before I crawl back in to bed to recover. I can't wait for some normality to help me forget about the pandemic for a day.  

I'll be back to tell you all about my Christmas in a few days, but until then, I hope you have a fantastic Christmas- or a lovely day if you don't celebrate it. Don't let the Corona Virus stop you from enjoying it. It doesn't deserve the satisfaction. 

However you're spending it, I hope you get spoiled rotten, have fun, eat your body weight in roast potatoes and chocolate, enjoy a few drinks, and find plenty of time to relax and recharge. You deserve it!     

Merry Christmas, everyone!                                                                    

What's In My Christmas Eve Box? 2020

Merry Christmas Eve!

I'm sorry this post is coming to you last minute. I had hoped to have it published a few days ago, but I'm stupidly unprepared this year, and I was only able to take the photos this morning. It might be a little bit late for you to gain inspiration to put your own Christmas Eve Box together (although, not impossible), but I hope you enjoy seeing what I've put in mine just the same.

This year, thanks to Covid, and Boris Johnson's last minute cancelling of Christmas in the UK, more of us will be staying home on Christmas Eve than ever before. 

My family would usually spend Christmas Eve mixing with family and friends at my Auntie's Christmas Eve party, but this year, we'll be spending it quietly at home. (Although, I have done since I developed chronic pain, anyway, so this year won't be any different for me). We won't be letting Covid spoil our Christmas, though; we'll just be making the most of the little things that make Christmas Eve special. We'll be baking tasty treats, watching Christmas movies together, and enjoying a Christmas Eve buffet for tea in the evening. I've also put together a Christmas Eve box full of festive things to enjoy as we count down the last hours 'til Christmas Day, because we need little treats to enjoy more than ever right now.

If you've never put together a Christmas Eve box before, this year could be the perfect time to start the tradition to make your Christmas Eve a little brighter. If you're facing a quiet night in, it will give you something to look forward to, and help make the night more special.

The idea is to put together a gift box full of little things for the perfect festive night in- think cosy new Christmas pyjamas, Christmas movies, chocolates, popcorn, hot chocolate, festive books, scented candles, etc.- whatever you consider necessary for a great festive night in. (If you're making it last minute or are just on a tight budget, you don't have to use all new things; just gather together items from what you already own, and add in a few edible treats)! 

I can't think of a better time to make one than during a pandemic when we're all stuck at home, and can't be out celebrating with our families and friends.

You can make one to share with your family, partner, or housemates, to gift to your kids or friends, or even just to enjoy alone. All you need to do is add in age-appropriate items, and the recipient's favourite treats.

Being a childless old maid hasn't stopped me from making my own Christmas Eve box to enjoy again this year- sometimes you've just gotta treat yo'self! I've added in a few things to share with my family, including chocolates and Christmas movies, but most of the contents will be enjoyed when I'm back upstairs winding down before bed.

So, what's in my Christmas Eve box this year?

♥ A cosy pair of Pusheen slipper socks from Truffle Shuffle.

♥ A pair of Christmas pyjamas to relax in, and hopefully look presentable in for photos on Christmas morning. (I couldn't afford a new pair this year, so I just added in an old pair from my collection).

♥ A couple of Christmas movies on DVD, including Last Christmas and The Muppets Christmas Carol for some fun festive viewing. (Even though we'll probably just end up streaming something).

♥ A beautiful clothbound copy of A Christmas Carol to read before I go to sleep.

♥ A bottle of The Body Shop's Festive Berry Shower gel so I can smell festive over Christmas.

♥ A tub of The Body Shop's Festive Berry body yogurt to give my skin a little TLC.

♥ A Body Shop Warm Vanilla soap to put by the bathroom sink so our hands smell festive over Christmas.

♥ A L'Oreal face mask to give my skin a treat.

♥ A red OPI nail polish in 'I Love You Just Be Cusco' so my nails look festive for Christmas.

♥ A new Erstwilder Christmas brooch to wear on Christmas Eve.

♥ A Cath Kidston mug for all those hot chocolates. (I forgot to add in the hot chocolate for the photos).

♥ Some mint chocolate Lindt Lindor truffles and Cadbury Jingly Bells to share with the family.

♥ A Make Arcade gingerbread man cross stitch kit to sew in front of the TV when I'm relaxing with my family this Christmas. (I never did manage to make it last year).

♥ A couple of Christmas Yankee Candles (Snowflake Cookie and Frosty Gingerbread), and a Nest Grapefruit candle to make the house feel extra cosy and smell delicious.

♥ My Too Faced 'Let It Snow, Girl!' snowman make up palettes to use over the holidays.

Here are some more ideas for things you could include in your own Christmas Eve boxes:

♥ Christmas face coverings.

♥ Festive-scented hand sanitiser.

♥ Cosy Christmas slippers.

♥ Novelty Christmas socks.

♥ A new Christmas dress / top / shirt.

♥ Christmas earrings or other jewellery.

♥ A Christmas colouring book and coloured pencils / crayons.

♥ Little Christmas craft kits- such as a mini cross stitch or ornament kit.

♥ Festive stationery.

♥ A hot water bottle. (Heat patches might also be appreciated for someone with chronic pain, since Christmas can be very demanding on our bodies).

♥ Christmas false nails or nail wraps.

♥ Festive bath bombs.

♥ Seasonal-scented bubble bath.

♥ Hand cream or body lotion.

♥ A cute soft toy.

♥ A gift card or subscription to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney +, or another streaming service for Christmas movie watching.

♥ A Christmas scratch card.

♥ Something alcoholic.

♥ Marshmallows.

♥ Favourite edible treats.

♥ Festive treats like mince pies, stollen, panettone, cakes, biscuits, chocolates, cheese boards etc.

♥ A new ornament to hang on the tree.

♥ A Christmas cracker.

♥ A selection of Christmas books for young readers, and a new festive-themed novel for older kids and adults.

♥ Small toys.

♥ A new Christmas stocking to leave out for Santa.

♥ A bag of reindeer food.

♥ A special plate to leave Santa's mince pie on.

I wasn't able to source a special Christmas Eve Box to present everything in (yet again) because I'm on a tight budget again this year, but it doesn't really matter since I'm only gifting it to myself. I just repurposed one of my slightly-festive-looking star-print storage boxes, and it does the job just fine.

You could use a pre-bought Christmas Eve Box, a gift box, gift bag, wicker basket, crate, Christmas stocking, tote bag, or any container you like to present your gifts in. You could even go all out, and decorate it with ribbons, pom poms, garlands, or all kinds of different decorations. It's totally up to you.

If you're planning to make a Christmas Eve Box as a gift, I'd recommend wrapping everything up in wrapping or tissue paper to add to the Christmas Eve fun and excitement, but you can leave everything unwrapped if the thought of wrapping any more presents fills you with dread. I get it. I never want to wrap another present, either.

I'm really looking forward to enjoying the contents of my Christmas Eve Box tonight, after a busy day of celebrating and getting ready for Christmas Day. It will be lovely to finally relax, indulge, and find time for some self-care after such a hectic month. Ah, I can't wait!

Merry Christmas, guys! I hope you have a wonderful few days despite this awful pandemic. 

Have you made a Christmas Eve Box this year? What would you put in one for the perfect Christmas night in?

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Sunday Favourites: Christmas Special #399

I'm back with my fourth and final Chistmas-themed Sunday Favourites post of the year. As usual, it's packed full of festive crafts, recipes, home decor ideas, art, and more to give you some last minute inspiration. I hope it gets you in the Christmas spirit if you're not swimming in it already! Enjoy.

Keep your feet cosy in style this Christmas by customising your slippers using Crafterward's fun Christmas light slippers DIY.

The House That Lars Built show you how to make these pretty Scandinavian-inspired oversized paper Christmas stars.

I love this personalised festive patchwork Christmas stocking from Eleanor Bowmer.

Can't choose between cake and Christmas cookies? How about making this adorable Christmas village cake from A Subtle Revelry which incorporates both?

These ornament Christmas hand pies from Club Crafted are so darn cute. They remind me of making jam tarts in primary school- although, they never looked this pretty.

The Crafted Life has a great DIY for Christmas tea towels to make your kitchen look extra festive this Christmas.

These Christmas Spritz cookies from Lovely Indeed look like the perfect snack for over the holiday season.

If you want to add a little something extra to your gift wrapping this year, how about making these DIY wooden Christmas Gift Tags from Tell Love and Party?

Short on space for Christmas decorations this year? How about creating this DIY vertical Christmas village from Oh Joy?

Margaret Scrinkl's paper art is so beautiful.

Some plastic-free wrapping ideas from Eco with Em.

Crazy Head Comics shared some helpful tips for surviving the holidays with a mental illness.

Our pets deserve to be spoiled at Christmas, too, and these DIY pet stockings from Handmade Charlotte would be perfect for filling with presents for our furry friends. I'd love to make one for Rosie.

This Christmas fawn embroidery kit from Alisa Handicrafts is so lovely. I'd love to pick up a kit to make for next Christmas.

Fat Mum Slim talks you through how to make the perfect dessert platter for the holidays. 

How cute are The House That Lars Built's Christmas village presents?!

I love these Christmas charcuterie dessert boards from Ain't Too Proud To Meg. There's only six of us this Christmas, but maybe I'll have to make a small one for us to graze on.

I've always wanted to try punch needling, and this punch needle embroidery pillow DIY from A Beautiful Mess looks super easy to make.

The House That Lars Built show you three clever things to do with wrapping paper. I love the origami Christmas shirt gift bags!

If you want something different to the more traditional green foliage wreaths you see everywhere at Christmas, why not try this fun holly wreath DIY from A Subtle Revelry?

And finally, these 12 days of Christmas SVG cut files from Persia Lou are so beautiful. They'd be perfect for creating unique gift bags, note cards, tags, ornaments, and more.

For more festive inspiration, check out my Christmas boards on Pinterest. You can also find all my previous Christmas Sunday Favourites posts here.

Thanks for reading!

Are you all set for Christmas yet? What have you got left to do over the next few days?

Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories Book Review

Last Christmas, one of my sisters gave me a beautiful hardback copy of Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories for Christmas.

I was in the middle of another book when I received it, so I saved it up to read this Christmas when I could truly appreciate the festive stories. I've been reading it a story or two at a time before bed this past week for some light Christmas reading, and it's been a joy.

Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories is a collection of short stories originally written in the 1940s-1960s for annuals, magazines, and radio by the author of the beloved classic children's book, Ballet Shoes. It features nine of her Christmas stories, including The Bells Keep Twelfth Night, Thimble, The Moss Rose, and The Princess, which have never been collected together in one book before. There are auditions on stage, and antics on ice, pantomime trips, holiday adventures, and laughter shared with family and friends. These old-fashioned children's stories are charming, heart-warming, and humourous, and entertaining not just for children, but for readers of all ages. If you liked Noel Streatfeild's books growing up, or enjoyed stories from other classic children's authors like Enid Blyton, you should find this collection of festive stories delightful.

I can't remember if I ever read a Streatfeild book growing up (although, my older sister adored the Shoe books), but there's something wonderfully nostalgic about these stories that remind me of the stories I loved to read when I was a child. They have a similar feel to Enid Blyton stories- which isn't surprising since they were written during the same era- except Streatfeild's feature more ballet shoes and ice skates.

There are tales of cats being dressed up in turbans and feathers to cheer up an old sick lady; a princess dressing as a commoner to go shopping who slips away from her teacher to perform in a ballet, and a young girl who picks up the wrong suitcase, and instead of returning it to the tube station, drives around with a mega phone in desperation to find its owner. They're wholesome and sweet, and undeniably funny. 

The book itself is the Virago Modern Classic edition, and it's absolutely beautiful. It has a navy cover framed by two silver trees decorated with colourful baubles, with a scattering of snowflakes coming down from the night sky. At the bottom, is a mouse in uniform wearing a cape, a blonde ballerina dressed in ice blue, and a Nutcracker soldier playing a drum. In the centre, the author's name and book title are printed in white and silver on a red ribbon, with golden bells, and an angel hanging from either side. The same trees, decorations, and snowflakes are printed on the back cover, and the author's name and book title are printed on a straight red ribbon on the spine.

When you open the book, you'll discover that the book is a lovely plain scarlet hardback, with light grey end-papers covered in snowflakes and hanging decorations. Each short story is introduced with the same design of trees, baubles, and snowflakes from the cover as a black and white line drawing, and you'll find one illustration in the same style included with each story. It's beautifully designed, and a lovely little treasure to add to any pretty book collection. I'm a sucker for beautiful books, and this one sure gets my vote of approval for aesthetics. It looks so lovely on my bookshelf with all my clothbounds and other beautiful hardbacks, and the illustrations make it a treat to read.

Sure, it's a children's book, but you don't have to be a child to be able to appreciate this collection of festive stories. In fact, it would probably appeal more to adults who grew up reading Streatfeild's stories, than to children, who might prefer something a little more modern. My childhood ended far more years ago than I'd care to mention, but now and then, I enjoy reading classic children's books from days gone by for a hint of nostalgia, and Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories has given me the loveliest reading experience. The stories have been helping me relax after a busy day preparing for Christmas, and they're so festive, I've had no trouble getting in to the Christmas Spirit.

If you're looking for a light-hearted Christmas read, or a last minute present for a book lover, I couldn't recommend this lovely book to you more.

Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories is available now from all good book stores, and all the usual places. Find it on Amazon here.

Have you read Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories yet?

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The Winterlicious Tag

I was looking back through old Christmas posts in the archives of my blog the other day, and came across The Winterlicious Tag, which I first filled out in December 2012.

I wrote the post so long ago that parts of it made me feel like I was reading about a different person, while other answers made me realise I haven't changed that much at all.

I thought it would be fun to revisit the tag eight years on, and answer the questions again to see how different (or similar) my answers would be now, so that's what I'm going to do.

Here's The Winterlicious Tag:

What is your most worn winter clothing piece?

I don't really have a winter wardrobe these days as I just layer up my dresses for winter, so probably just one of my cropped cardigans, or my black pleather biker jacket from Dorothy Perkins.

What is your favourite Christmas movie?

I love Christmas movies and have so many favourites, but I think my ultimate favourites are probably Santa Claus the Movie and The Muppets Christmas Carol. They're both classics I've been watching every year since childhood, and it wouldn't be Christmas without watching them at least half a dozen times each. I also really love Little Women (1994), The Family Stone, The Santa Clause, Home Alone 1 and 2, The Holiday, Christmas With the Kranks, While You Were Sleeping, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Snowman, and Miracle on 34th Street, to name but a few.

What is your most worn winter accessory?

It's probably between my old pair of burgundy studded ankle boots from Simply Be, a pair of fingerless crocheted navy and teal gloves from Accessorize I've had for years, or currently, my collection of Christmas Erstwilder brooches.

What is your favourite eye palette?

I'll be honest: I've barely worn make up this year, because I've only left the house a handful of times, and can't seem to find the motivation to wear it around the house. On the few occasions I have worn make up, I've been gravitating towards my Urban Decay Heavy Metals palette, which is filled with gorgeous metallics, and the Urban Decay Full Spectrum palette, which is a colour junkie's dream. It has some gorgeous greens and golds that are perfect for the festive season. I have so many eyeshadow palettes I enjoy using, though, and my favourites change all the time.

What is your favourite Christmas food / treat?

That's a tough one as there's always so much good food to eat at Christmas time. I'm not really a fan of traditional Christmas cakes and mince pies but I love my apple and blackberry trifle, my Mum's apple pie, and my sister's chocolate squidgy log. I'm also partial to some Cadbury Roses (Hazel Whirls are my faves!), my sister's goose-fat roast potatoes (from our Christmas meal), and enjoy turkey sandwiches for a day or two after Christmas. 

What is your favourite every day Christmas perfume?

My go-to perfume is a citrusy scent called Escada Taj Sunset, which I wear all year round, but I love wearing DKNY's Red Delicious at Christmas time, too. It has a sweet, fruity scent with top notes of lychee and raspberry, heart notes of bergamot, patchouli and rose, and base notes of leather, amber, and vanilla. It smells like red apples, and it's perfect for wearing at Christmas around all those Christmas spices.

What is your favourite Christmas song?

I'm not sure I could choose just one. There are so many Christmas songs that I love, and I have hundreds in my collection. I especially love the classics I grew up listening to every Christmas in the eighties and nineties, and every Christmas since, as the nostalgia makes them extra festive. Some of my favourites include:

♥ Last Christmas by Wham.

♥ I Believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake.

♥ Step in to Christmas by Elton John.

♥ Wonderful Christmastime by Paul McCartney.

♥ 2000 Miles by The Pretenders.

♥ All Alone on Christmas by Darlene Love.

♥ Stop the Cavalry by Jona Lewie.

♥ A Spaceman Came Travelling by Chris de Burgh.

♥ Mary's Boy Child by Boney M.

♥ It's Only Christmas by Ronan Keating.

♥ Underneath the Tree by Kelly Clarkson.

♥ Troika by Lieutenant Kije (London Symphony Orchestra).

And I could keep listing all day! It's impossible to choose just one Christmas song!

Favourite Christmas blusher?

I can't say I have such a thing as a 'Christmas blusher', but I guess I use The Body Shop's Shimmer Waves, and Stila's All You Need is Love cheek palette a lot at this time of year as they both have a lovely shimmer.

What is your favourite winter beverage?

I love a hot chocolate during the cold months, especially from Hotel Chocolat. Their hot chocolates are incredible!

What is your favourite lip product?

I don't wear lipstick or lipgloss very often as I prefer to draw attention to my eyes, so I'd have to go with The Body Shop's coconut lip butter. It's so nourishing on chapped, dry lips, and tastes good, too.

What is your favourite winter scent / candle?

I love the smell of gingerbread, clementines, Christmas spices, bonfires, real Christmas trees, and turkey and sage and onion stuffing roasting in the oven on Christmas morning. Not all together, obviously. As for candles, I love anything that smells of baked goods at this time of year, like Yankee Candle's Christmas Cookie, Snowflake Cookie, or Frosty Gingerbread. The scents are so comforting and make the house smell like someone has been baking up a storm in the kitchen.

Do you have any Christmas traditions?

I wish I could think of something exciting to tell you, but our Christmas traditions are just little boring things. We always decorate the family tree listening to an album called 100% Christmas, which we've done every year since 1994 (although, now it's added to a playlist with other songs). I like to wrap presents watching Santa Claus the Movie or The Muppets' Christmas Carol. I always set the table for Christmas dinner, and have done since I was about seven. My younger sister and I usually watch a festive episode of The Vicar of Dibley together on Christmas Eve night. I make an Apple and Blackberry trifle on Christmas Eve, and my sister always makes Delia's 'Squidgy Chocolate Log.' And my family always went to my Auntie's Christmas Eve party in Worcester on Christmas Eve, (although she hasn't hosted the last few years, since my Grandad and cousin both passed away in 2017), and we'd listen to Christmas music, and look out for the best Christmas lights on the drive there and back.

What is your favourite winter nail polish?

I love a red, racing green, or glittery gold nail at this time of year. A few of my current favourites are Essie's Russian Roulette, OPI's Bogota Blackberry, Barry M's Bright Red, and Barry M's Green Origin in Evergreen.

What is at the top of your Christmas list?

I haven't really got my heart set on anything this year. I'd love some new books or some Erstwilder brooches, but I'd be happy to just have a lovely Christmas with my family. Christmas isn't about the presents for me.

What are your plans for the holidays this year?

I'll just be spending Christmas at home with my family- my parents, sisters, brother-in-law, and our dogs. We won't be mixing with our relatives over Christmas this year. On Christmas Eve, we'll probably bake, watch Christmas movies, and put together a Christmas buffet for tea. On Christmas Day, we'll exchange presents, sit down for a turkey roast, watch more festive TV, eat too many chocolates, fall in to a food coma, and maybe even push the boat out and play a board game or two. It probably sounds boring compared to other people's Christmases, but we always have a lovely day together and a house full of laughter. I'm then planning to have a lazy Boxing Day sitting on the sofa in my PJs watching Christmas movies and eating cake with my family to recover from the hecticness of the past month. I can't wait!

And that's The Winterlicious Tag 2020.

I tag... anyone who wants to give this tag a go! If you do answer the tag, be sure to send me the links to your blog posts, as I'd love to read your answers!

What are your plans for the holidays this year?

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15 Christmas Films To Watch This Christmas

One of my favourite things to do at Christmas time is to curl up in bed or on the sofa with a cosy blanket and a Christmas movie. It never fails to get me in to the Christmas spirit, and there are so many films that bring up waves of nostalgia for my childhood Christmases.

I have a bunch of films I love to watch every year, and as more of us are spending more time than ever at home, relying on home entertainment to pass the time, it seemed like a good time to talk about some of my favourites with you guys.

Here are 15 Christmas films I think everyone should watch this Christmas:

Santa Claus the Movie

Santa Claus the Movie is an eighties classic. It was released the year I was born, so I grew up watching it every Christmas, and it wouldn't be Christmas without watching it at least half a dozen times. It's the story of Santa Claus through the ages until the 'modern day' eighties, when two children from New York team up with Santa and his elf (Dudley Moore) to save Christmas from a greedy, corrupt toy maker (John Lithgow). I love the bad eighties effects and film quality, and the music makes me so nostalgic for my childhood. It's the best!

The Muppets' Christmas Carol

Everyone knows the story of A Christmas Carol, but you haven't lived unless you've seen the Muppets' version of the Dickensian classic. It stars Gonzo as the narrator, Kermit and Miss Piggy as Bob and Emily Cratchit, and a brilliant Michael Caine as the cold, unfeeling (and badly dressed- gasp!) Ebeneezer Scrooge. It's one of the best Christmas movies ever, and my favourite adaptation of A Christmas Carol. I've been watching it every Christmas since I was seven, and it doesn't feel like Christmas until I've given it it's first play of the season.

The Santa Clause

Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) becomes Santa Claus when he puts on the suit of the Santa who falls off his roof on Christmas Eve. Everyone he knows thinks he has lost his mind as he transforms in to a sarcastic, dry-humoured Santa- especially his ex-wife and her partner who become concerned for their young son's safety and well being. The boy believes in his Dad even when all the adults don't, and it's basically a story to remind you of the importance of believing. This is another Christmas film I loved growing up, and I often watch it on Christmas Eve as it never fails to get me in to the Christmas spirit.

The Snowman

Is there anything more festive than the classic Christmas cartoon, The Snowman? The soundtrack takes me straight back to childhood Christmas Eves every single time I hear it, and the animated movie is just magical. It's about a little boy who builds a snowman, which comes to life one snowy night. He gives it a tour of his house, and then they fly to the North pole to meet Santa and party with snowmen from around the world. I've always loved the scenes where the snowman tries on different fruit for his nose, and dances with other snowmen at the North Pole, but the ending still gets me every time.

Home Alone

Is it even Christmas if you haven't watched Home Alone at least once over the holidays? It's a Christmas classic! It's another film I grew up watching every year, and I only need to hear the opening bars of the theme tune to feel festive. (It has the best soundtrack)! If you've been living under a rock your whole life, Home Alone is about an eight-year-old boy, Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), who accidentally gets left home alone when his family take a Christmas vacation to Paris. At first he enjoys his freedom, but then a pair of burglars set their sights on his home, so he takes some pretty sadistic steps to defend himself and his home from them on Christmas Eve. It's brilliant. Plus, it stars John Candy, so how can you go wrong?

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

The sequel to Home Alone is just as good as the first, except this time Kevin boards the wrong plane as his family travel to Florida for Christmas, and ends up in New York instead. He does what any kid would do in New York: sight sees, visits a toy shop, checks in to the biggest suite in the Plaza, and orders a shit ton of room service. All is well until the concierge (played by Tim Curry) suspects something is amiss, and Kevin bumps in to the Wet Bandits, who've escaped from prison. (And let's not forget the cameo from Trump, ruining it for everyone). He takes a photo of the bandits robbing the toy store, and lures them to his uncle's empty house, where he gets up to his old tricks to keep them from killing him. It's nineties comedy at its best.

Christmas With the Kranks

Depressed because their daughter has gone away and won't be home for Christmas, Luther and Nora Krank (Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis) decide to skip Christmas and go away on a cruise. Their Christmas-obsessed friends and neighbours are horrified, refuse to accept their Christmas sabbatical, and are relentless in harassing them to change their minds. It all comes to a head on Christmas Eve when their plans change, and of course, being a Disney movie, they all learn the true meaning of Christmas. It's the perfect Christmas movie if you enjoy cheesy humour and acting. My favourite bit is the supermarket scene with Jamie Lee Curtis and the Hickory Honey Ham!

The Family Stone

The Family Stone is such an underrated Christmas film I rarely see people talk about in these kind of blog posts. It's about a large, dysfunctional family coming together for Christmas. The eldest son (Dermot Mulroney) brings his uptight girlfriend (Sarah Jessica Parker) to meet the family for the first time, but they don't like her, and things get awkward. You can't help but cringe at her awkwardness and ignorance around them. The only person who gives her a chance is the youngest son (Luke Wilson), who sees in her what the others don't, and helps to break her out of her shell, while her asshole of a boyfriend starts getting closer to her sister (Clare Danes). The Mum (Diane Keaton) has cancer, which is why tensions are so high, and naturally everything falls apart over Christmas. It sounds awful, but it's actually a great romantic comedy, and one of my favourite Christmas films ever.

The Holiday

The Holiday is another of my favourite festive romantic comedies. It's about two women (Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz) who swap houses in London and L.A. for the holidays to escape from their heartbreak. They both meet local guys (Jack Black and Jude Law) who are just the guys they need to help them heal, and new relationships begin to blossom. It's such a feel-good Christmas movie, and the perfect film to curl up on the sofa with on a dark December evening.

Miracle on 34th Street (90s edition)

I've never seen the older versions of Miracle on 34th Street (despite having one on DVD), but I adore the nineties remake. It stars Richard Attenborough as Kris Kringle who believes himself to be Santa Claus. He gets a job working as the Santa Claus for a New York department store, and takes it upon himself to make believers out of his boss (Elizabeth Perkins) and her little girl (Mara Wilson), who don't believe in Santa. Of course, the adults believe he's senile, and a rival department store tries to set him up to look like a crazy old man. Kris has to defend his existence in court and make people believe in him in time for Christmas, with the help of the little girl, and a handsome Dylan McDermott. It's a wonderful family Christmas film, and it never fails to give me all the feels.

Little Women (1994)

Little Women is a coming-of-age story about four adolescent sisters Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March, and their friend and neighbour, Theodore 'Laurie' Laurence, growing up in the 1860s during the American Civil war. It begins at Christmas time, and has some beautiful Christmas and wintry scenes throughout the film that'll melt your heart, such as when Beth is given her piano, and their father returns home from hospital for Christmas after being injured in the war. The 1994 version with Winona Ryder, Clare Danes, Kirsten Dunst, and Christian Bale is my favourite version of Little Women, and one of my all time favourite films. It's so lovely and heart-warming. It's far better than the 2019 version, in my opinion, although that's worth a watch, too.

Elf

Buddy the elf (Will Ferrell) discovers he was adopted and is actually human, so he travels to New York to find his biological Dad. Everyone thinks he's mentally challenged because he dresses like an elf and has a childlike demeanor, and he causes chaos wherever he goes. His Dad doesn't want to know him, but Buddy never gives up trying. He ends up working in a Christmas grotto at a department store and falls for his colleague, Jovie, (Zooey Deschanel). Together, they have to help restore the Christmas spirit to help Santa fly his sleigh.

Meet Me In St. Louis

Meet Me In St Louis is a classic Hollywood musical following a large, rich family living in St. Louis around the turn of the 1900s. Everyone is looking forward to The World's Fair and can't stop talking and singing about it, until their Dad shatters their worlds with news of a move to New York. The horror! It's not technically a Christmas film throughout, but it has some gorgeous Christmas scenes towards the end, and it's the film Judy Garland's Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas came from. It stars Judy Garland, Lucille Bremer, Margaret O' Brien, and Tom Drake, has some really catchy songs, and the fashion is so bad it's fabulous.

While You Were Sleeping

While You Were Sleeping always seems to get overlooked in favour of more well known Christmas films, but it's actually one of the best Christmas rom-coms. Lonely Lucy (Sandra Bullock), saves her handsome crush (Peter Gallagher), who gets pushed on to the train tracks and knocked unconscious on Christmas Day. He ends up in a coma, and at the hospital, a nurse mistakes her for his fianceé. She can't tell his family the truth, so she goes along with it, and they welcome her in to their family with open arms. She begins to get close to his brother, Jack (Bill Pullman), and it's obvious they both have feelings for each other- except they can't do anything about it because she's supposed to be engaged to his brother. It all unravels when coma guy wakes up, and as you can imagine, things get messy. If you love a good nineties Sandra Bullock rom-com, this is the one for you.

Love Actually

I first saw Love Actually at the cinema with my best friend the day after my sister and brother-in-law got married what seems like a million years ago, so it brings back some good memories. It's a Richard Curtis romantic-comedy about lots of different love stories at Christmas, that are all magically entwined. It stars some of our best British actors including Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightly, and so many more. It's a great comedy to watch with the girls, but one to maybe avoid watching with straight-laced older family members, as there is some nudity, and the humour is quite cheeky at times.

And those are some of my favourite Christmas films, I think everyone should watch at least once.

Also worth watching are About a Boy, Gremlins, A Christmas Carol (Disney version), Deck the Halls, The Holiday Inn, Jingle All The Way, Last Christmas, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, The Polar Express, The Snowman and the Snow Dog, and White Christmas.

What are your favourite Christmas films?

Currently At Christmas

I've been so busy preparing for Christmas over the last couple of weeks, and feel like I've done more this December than the rest of the year combined. It seems like the perfect time to sit down, and have a catch up about what I've been doing and enjoying so far this festive season, so that is what I'm here to do.

Reading

I haven't found a lot of time to read so far this month, but I started reading my beautiful Puffin Classics copy of A Christmas Carol a few days ago because it has to be reread at Christmas time. I've only read a couple of chapters so far, but it's making me feel really festive. I'm also reading a psychological thriller called The Stolen Sisters by Louise Jensen, but there's nothing festive about that.

Watching

As it's Christmas time, I've been watching lots of Christmas movies and TV specials when I've not been blogging or sleeping. So far this month, I've watched Santa Claus the Movie, The Muppets Christmas Carol, The Family Stone, Christmas With the Kranks, The Holiday, Home Alone 1 and 2, Little Women (1994), While You Were Sleeping, Meet Me in St. Louis, and so much more. I've also been enjoying old reruns of Kirstie's Handmade Christmas on weekday evenings while I've been crafting, and have loved rewatching old favourites like The Gavin and Stacey, and The Vicar of Dibley Christmas specials. Christmas entertainment is the best!

Listening

I've naturally been playing lots of Christmas songs to soundtrack a lot of my festive activities. I've been listening to all the usual classics from artists like Wham, Mariah Carey, Elton John, Slade, John Lennon, etc. that I grew up listening to each Christmas in the eighties and nineties. They make me feel the most festive. I've also been playing Ronan Keating's Winter Songs Christmas album on repeat, as it's one of my favourite Christmas albums, and I've been tuning in to Magic Radio when I wake up because they're playing nothing but Christmas songs right now. I love a good Christmas song!

Playing

When I've had a spare second to relax, I've been logging on to Animal Crossing and enjoying the festivities on my island. I've been trying to make my island look all Christmassy with Christmas decorations, winter paths, a Christmas lights walk, and a Christmas room in one of my houses, and I really want to add a Christmas market, Christmas tree farm, and an ice rink somehow. I'm also loving the snow, and running around catching snowflakes, building snowmen, and hunting for new festive recipes to decorate my island with. I think this is my favourite season so far! The image shows the Christmas lights walk I recently made at my island entrance, except I've since changed the path to a white winter one to match the snow.

Stitching

I've been trying to cross stitch for at least an hour in the evenings this December- although, I've been hindered by an arthritis flare these last few days, which has made it too painful to use my hands to sew, so I've ground to a halt again. I had been making progress on the Satsuma Street Christmas wall hanging I began last Christmas, and am currently on the last section of the picture, which is an aquamarine-green bell. Once that panel is finished, I just need to go back and sew the snowflakes and lines through the bunting, which I've left until last as I can't decide which colour to stitch them in. They should be white, but I decided to sew the picture on white aida instead of natural as suggested, so I need to choose another colour so they'll show up. It's unlikely that I'm going to finish the picture before Christmas now, but I'll try to blog some photos of what I've done so far before the 25th- providing I find a spare second to take the photos.

Wrapping

I began wrapping presents in November, and have had a few present wrapping sessions so far this month. I've wrapped most of the presents I have so far, but still have a handful more to do, which I'm hoping to finish this week. I'm using the cutest pink wrapping paper for most of the presents this year, which I've been finishing with mint green or pink ribbons and mini baubles. I think they look so lovely under my tree, and I can't wait to give them to my family on Christmas Day. I wrapped the men's presents in cream retro Santa wrapping paper with red ribbons and baubles, since I didn't think they'd appreciate pastel pink presents, and have even wrapped the dogs' presents in festive dog print paper! Yes, I'm crazy! Haha!

Writing

I finally finished writing my Christmas cards over the weekend, and used Forever Friends and Paperchase charity cards. I didn't have loads to write, but it was slow-going and took me three sitting this month because of arthritis flaring in my fingers. Why must it always flare at the most inconvenient times?? I might just hire a PA to write them for me next Christmas! I'm just glad it's crossed off the to-do list for another year. 

Decorating

I finally started decorating my bedroom for Christmas last week. I usually start on the 1st, but had a nightmare trying to find a small fresh Christmas tree for my room this year (I'm assuming there's a shortage because of Covid). We finally tracked one down on the 8th, and I began decorating it the next day, but it's been slow going this year because I'm flaring. It took me a few days to decorate the tree, but I haven't quite finished putting the rest of my decorations up yet as I'm having to do a little at a time. My tree looks okay, though. It's adorned with colourful vintage-style decorations, and white fairy lights, and it looks super festive. We still have downstairs to decorate, although my Mum has put a few decorations up already. I think we're going to be decorating the tree in the living room in a day or two. 

This is a photo of the tree in my room so far, but I have a lot more presents and decorations to add until it's finished. I'll do my best to blog a little bedroom Christmas decorations tour in the next week or so.

Visiting

On Friday, I took a drive over to the Appleton Christmas Barn with my sister. It's basically a Christmas tree farm in Appleton near Abingdon in Oxfordshire, with a barn converted in to a Christmas shop, and a couple of reindeer to see, too (for free). We of course had to go see them on our way in to the shop. They were so beautiful, and it was lovely to see them eating and resting close up. We then headed in to the Christmas shop to browse their decorations, which thankfully wasn't too busy at all. They always have the most beautiful selection to choose from, and I came away with four pretty Gisela Graham dimple baubles. The larger two peacock-coloured ones weren't cheap at £7.50 each, but they're so gorgeous I just couldn't resist them. I would've bought a couple more if I hadn't had presents to buy. I'm really pleased to have found the smaller ones, too, as I bought a couple from a garden centre last year, and one fell off my tree and broke last Christmas. I was gutted as I love these vintage-style decorations, so I'm happy to have a couple more again. I just need to hunt down a blue one to replace the one that broke. It was only a quick trip out, but it was lovely to get out to do something festive just the same.

Instagramming

I've been working hard to fill my Instagram grid with festive photos I can look back on, and have so far managed to post every day this month. I've been sharing a peek at the nail polishes I've been getting in my OPI Advent calendar every day, and also posting at least one other festive photo a day. Considering my photos have been very few and far between all year, I'm really happy I've managed to stick to my goal and share so many photos. I love how festive my grid is currently looking.

Buying

Like everyone else, I've been busy Christmas shopping, and haven't really treated myself to anything new lately, except the odd bar of chocolate. I think I've finally finished my Christmas shopping now, after picking up the last few gifts I needed on the weekend. I'm sure I'll remember something I've forgotten, but right now, I feel relieved to have finished it, and finally feel like I'm getting organised. 

Eating

Virtually everything in the kitchen is reserved for Christmas, so I haven't been eating anything exciting lately. I think I'm going to treat my family and I to a box of Christmas Krispy Kreme doughnuts to enjoy in the interim. 

Loving

having Christmas decorations up in the house again, and seeing all the Christmas lights on the houses in my home town. It seems like everyone has decorated their homes more than ever before as there are soooo many with lights in my neighbourhood this year, and it's lovely. There's nothing like Christmas decorations to help brighten up the dark winter nights, and miserable Covid life. I love it! Maybe we should just keep the Christmas lights up until the pandemic is over??

Hating

that we've not been able to do some of the fun Christmas things we normally do like Christmas lights switch ons and family Christmas parties, and that we've had to cancel some of the Christmas activities we had planned because our area went up a tier to tier two after lockdown. It's not the end of the world in the scheme of things, but it's a shame more things I was looking forward to have had to go out the window. At least I'm used to disappointment, and there's always next year! I know I'm lucky because the festive season hasn't been that different for me so far at all.

Needing

A spare second to myself to relax! I feel like I haven't stopped all month, and I'm close to burning out. 

Wanting

A hot chocolate from Hotel Chocolat. They're amazing, but I haven't had one since last Christmas.

Wishing

Preparing for Christmas wasn't so stressful, and that Christmas stress didn't cause my Arthritis and Fibromyalgia to flare so badly. It's exhausting.

Looking

forward to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day now that we're getting so close to the big day. The atmosphere over those two days is the best, and I can't wait to spend a few days with my family, relaxing, watching Christmas movies, eating some delicious food, and just generally having a laugh. We all deserve a good Christmas after the year we've all had.

Well, that's my December so far... What have you been doing to prepare for Christmas?

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Currently On Lockdown: November 2020