50 Things I Want To Do This Christmas

So, last week I shared a list of 101 things to do this Christmas.

Today, I thought I'd share a list of the things I personally want or need to do this Christmas. I always make a long list of Christmas goals, so I can make the weeks leading up to Christmas as festive as possible. I'm a self-confessed Christmas geek; it's what we do.

I've got over fifty goals on my Christmas bucket list, and I'm going to do my best to cross off as many of them as possible, but I'm not going to put too much pressure on myself, because what's fun about that? There's bound to be a handful of goals I'll never manage to do, but that's okay. There's always next year, right?

 

1. Dress my bedroom for Christmas. I'll hopefully get stuck in to it tomorrow, although I made a start today!

2. Decorate the house for Christmas while listening to lots of awesome Christmas tunes up loud.

3. Go out and buy a small Christmas tree for my bedroom.

4. Finish my Christmas cross stitch sampler. I still have loads to do, but you never know, it might happen.

5. Finish all of my Christmas cross stitch cards. Two down, four to go.

6. Make the little Christmas cross stitch ornament I've had for about three years. Not likely. I've got too much to sew!

7. Make a ton of festive hoop art. I've made two so far, but I'm raring to go!

8. Put together a Christmas Eve box of things to enjoy on Christmas Eve night. This one's in progress, and I'll be blogging about it soon.

9. Buy new pyjamas to wear on Christmas Eve night. (Check! I got these ones).

10. Make it to my town's Christmas lights event. (Didn't happen. I was in too much pain to go).

11. Go to Bourton-on-the-Water's Christmas lights event.

12. Get a beauty advent calendar to enjoy every day during advent. (Check! I bought the L'Occitane one this year).

13. Have a fake-Christmas dinner with my family, for my brother-in-law while he's back on his R&R. He's been deployed to Dubai since July, and will be home next week for about a fortnight, but has to return just before Christmas for another six or seven weeks. Since he won't be home for Christmas, we're planning to have a family dinner with a turkey and all the trimmings before he leaves so he still gets to enjoy one this year.

14. Visit a European Christmas market.

15. Finally get around to watching It's A Wonderful Life, and the original Miracle on 34th Street. I bought both on DVD last Christmas, but never found time to watch them.

16. Read my beautiful clothbound copy of 'A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings' by Dickens. I've read A Christmas Carol several times, but I've not read his other festive stories yet, even though I bought the book last year.

17. Make Christmas crackers. I'll probably do this on Christmas Eve with one of my sisters.

18. Make table favours as a little extra treat for my family during Christmas dinner. I must also buy some chocolates to put in them!

19. Light candles every night in December. I have plenty of Yankee Candles and tea lights ready to burn.

20. Go late night Christmas shopping in Oxford. I've almost finished my Christmas shopping, but I'd go just to soak up the festive atmosphere.

21. Write all of my Christmas cards and send them out on time this year.

22. Make my blackberry and apple trifle. I've made one every Christmas Eve for about a decade now.

23. Get all of my finished Christmas cross stitches framed and up on the wall. I have three to frame, from the last three Christmases, four when I complete the one I'm working on. Considering how many hours I spent on them, I really shouldn't have them stored away in a box.

24. Watch a festive film at the cinema. I want to go see 'Christmas With The Coopers'.

25. Buy a new dress to wear on Christmas Day. I have my eye on this red polka dot number from Lindy Bop.

26. Buy at least one new Christmas novelty bag.

27. Get hot roasted chestnuts from a street vendor.

28. Visit Blenheim Palace while it's decorated for Christmas. I've wanted to do this for years.

29. De-stress with a Christmas colouring book or two. I bought one from Hobbycraft last month and will be blogging about it soon.

30. Go to Hobbycraft and buy all the festive things! (Check! And then some!)

31. Make a feature wall out of my Christmas hoop art. This one will depend on whether I manage to make enough of them in time.

32. Try some Christmas nail art. 

33. Bake and ice Christmas cookies and cupcakes. It has to be done, right?

34. Buy a pretty wreath for the front door.

35. Read a new-to-me Christmas-themed novel. Know any good festive reads, besides A Christmas Carol, and Little Women?

36. Go foraging for foliage to dress the mantle with. It'll probably just end up being in the garden.

37. Buy a new Christmas jumper.

38. Take flatlay photos of some of my old Christmas tree decorations. I'd love to take some good photos of them in case they ever get damaged or lost for whatever reason. I'm way too sentimental!

39. Take lots of photos, and at least one a day. I'll have no problems with this one! It would be more of a challenge to go a day without taking a photo!

40. Do some Christmas art journaling to record the good times this Christmas.

41. Go out for a hot chocolate. 

42. Make a yule log. I haven't made one since I was in primary school.

43. Make some kind of feature out of our honeycomb decorations, instead of just hanging them up wherever there's a gap, like last year.

44. Wear lots of glittery nail polishes.

45. Treat myself to a Lush bath bomb or two, and have a long relaxing bubble bath. 

46. Play board games on Christmas Day. It's the law, right?

47. Buy some cute Christmas earrings. I love these ones from ASOS, and these ones from Accessorize.

48. Have a go at some festive creative writing.

49. Try a seasonal coffee. I've never tried one!

50. Watch a new-to-me Christmas movie. Any suggestions?

I doubt I'll manage to do all fifty of my Christmas goals, but I'm sure going to have fun trying to do as many as possible! 

If you want to use any of my goals or blog your own Christmas bucket list, please feel free to do so! I'd love to see your lists if you decide to blog them, so leave me your links below so I can have a read!

What do you most want to do before Christmas is over?

Fifty Things I Want To Do During the Festive Season

Now it's December, there's no denying that Christmas in nearly up on us. I have absolutely no idea where the last few months have gone; in my opinion, the time is ticking away too fast. I want to slow it down and savour every moment of the festive season before it's over for another year.

I've always been a bit of a Christmas enthusiast, I won't deny that. I often begin to get excited for the festivities as soon as summer is over, when I usually start preparing for it all. It's my favourite time of year without a doubt, and I love the atmosphere, festivities, and preparations leading up to the twenty-fifth... probably more than the day itself. In short, I'm one big Christmas nerd!

So, lately, I've been brain-storming lots of ideas for things I would like to make, bake, and do over the next few weeks, as well as all the usual things I still have to do before the twenty-fifth, to get the most out of December. I thought I'd share my list with you guys, in case it's of any use to anybody looking for some ideas for Christmas activities that aren't just aimed at families with young children. Enjoy.

1. Decorate the house ready for Christmas. Put up the tree, dress the fire place, add some festive cheer to my bedroom and deck those halls!

2. Buy or make a wreath for the door.

3. Wrap presents for my family and friends.

4. Write and send cards.

5. Make and fill Christmas crackers. (I bought a kit from Hobbycraft).

6. Fill Christmas favour boxes with edible treats.

7. Personalise the place setting cards for Christmas dinner.

8. Count down the days with an advent calendar.

9. Have at least one Christmas movie marathon.

10. Discover a new (to me) Christmas movie. (I've always wanted to see 'It's a Wonderful Life').

11. Spend a few hours having an epic listen to all those great Christmas tunes.

12. Buy a new Christmas decoration.

13. Make a cross stitch Christmas ornament for the tree.

14. Finish Christmas cross stitch picture and have it framed. (Almost done!)

15. Drive around to see Christmas lights.

16. Take a walk on a cold night to see Christmas lights.

17. Go to a Christmas market.

18. Go to a Christmas craft fair. I want to go to one at Blenheim Palace.

19. Go late night Christmas shopping.

20. Try a festive-flavoured hot chocolate or coffee.

21. Go for a Costa hot chocolate on a cold day. (Check!)

22. Make or bake some festive treats. The possibilities are endless, but I'd love to try making truffles, peppermint creams, a yule log, and / or some Christmas cookies, alongside my traditional trifle and cheesecake.

23. Get roasted chestnuts and mulled wine. 

24. Go to a Church service on Christmas Eve, preferably Midnight Mass. I'm not religious- as much as my Dad tried by bringing us up Catholic, but I'd like to go for him, and to hear the carols.

25. Put a Christmas Eve box together, full of things to enjoy on Christmas Eve night.

26. Buy new pyjamas to wear on Christmas Eve / Christmas morning.

27. Read a festive themed book. I've downloaded a collection of Charles Dickens' Christmas themed stories to curl up with in the run up to Christmas. You can't beat A Christmas Carol!

28. Get a new Christmas jumper.

29. Get a new Christmas dress.

30. Come up with a festive eye make up look.

31. Try some Christmas nail art.

32. Buy sparkly red and gold nail polishes.

33. Buy some utterly tacky Christmas accessories and wear them with pride. I have no shame.

34. Make popcorn and cranberry garlands to drape around the house. I've always wanted to give this a go!

35. Make a snowman if it snows.

36. Use edible glitter on something. Everything is better with edible glitter. Fact!

37. Make a gingerbread house.

38. Try stollen and panettone.

39. Take lots of photos.

40. Take some group family photos. (We never do anymore!)

41. Decorate the tree with candy canes or chocolates.

42. Do the cliche thing and play board games with the family on Christmas Day.

43. Go to a concert or to see a show at the theatre.

44. Try a new dessert recipe for Christmas Day, to mix things up a little. Who knows, it may become a new tradition to make it every year.

45. See a festive film at the cinema.

46. Light festive candles every evening. Yankee candles and Cath Kidston tea light holders at the ready!

47. Make a festive playlist to get my family and I in the festive spirit.

48. Go for a walk and collect foliage for rustic, natural decorations.

49. Enjoy a festive alcoholic beverage or two. Will you join us in a mint Baileys for Christmas??

50. Create a Christmas journal page or two. Chronicle, record, and document Christmas 2013.

I don't know how many of these goals I'll actually manage to cross off the list, but I'm sure I'll have plenty of fun trying to complete as many of them as possible!

I've also included a few more ideas that came to mind, below. I know I probably won't be able to achieve most of them, so they didn't make the cut, but perhaps you'll be eager to give some of them a go!

And some other Christmas tasks that came to mind...

Make a Christmas stocking.

Make an advent calendar.

Make Christmas cards from scratch.

Make a Christmas cake or pudding.

Try making Christmas condiments and drinks from scratch.

Sing Christmas carols.

Fill a box with presents for the under-privileged, in need, or for our hard-working soldiers over seas.

Donate and / or volunteer your time for a worthwhile cause. Look after your elderly neighbours and friends. Do something for the animals in rescue centres at Christmas.

Spread a little cheer by buying a drink or a meal for the person behind you in a restaurant, coffee shop,  or drive-through.

Hang mistletoe.

Decorate the home with holly, fir branches, and pine cones. They always look fantastic!

Drive around to see Christmas lights... in pyjamas.

Go to see a pantomime.

Go out for a meal or a few drinks with your loved ones, friends, colleagues, or host a get-together.

Party, party, party!
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Please feel free to use any of the ideas I've listed here, and if you want to blog your own Fifty Things to do During the Festive Season, please go ahead! You can also use the image above- just please credit back to me where possible. Have fun and happy holidays!