The Winter Tag

As I've ran out of photos for the other festive posts I have planned, and I haven't felt well enough to take any these last few days, I thought it would be fun to do another Christmas tag post to fill the void while I get myself organised.

Today, I'm giving The Winter Tag a go. If you'd like to know what my favourite holiday tradition is, if I love or hate snow, or where I prefer to spend the holidays, this is the day you'll find out.

1. What is your favourite holiday tradition?

I think it's probably sitting down to Christmas lunch with my family on Christmas Day. We only have a meal around the table together two or three times a year, so it always feels pretty special. The food is always delicious, and we always end up laughing about something random until someone almost chokes on a Brussels sprout. What's not to love?

2. What is your favourite winter scent?

I love the smell of turkey and sage and onion stuffing roasting in the oven on Christmas morning, and apple and cinnamon always smells amazing.

3. What is your favourite winter go-to fashion trend?

With so many Christmas presents to buy, I rarely have much money to spend on my wardrobe during the winter, so I usually just layer cardigans over dresses, and wear them with leggings and ankle boots. Then add cosy gloves and a scarf, if I'm cold. I don't think there's any trends involved! 

4. What is your all time favourite holiday movie?

It's a tie between Santa Claus the Movie and The Muppets Christmas Carol. I grew up watching them every year, and it wouldn't be Christmas without watching them both multiple times.

5. What is your favourite all-time holiday tune?

I don't think I've got one favourite Christmas song. As I've said before, there are so many Christmas songs I love, and consider favourites. Some of those include (but aren't limited to):

Last Christmas by Wham.

I Believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake.

Step in to Christmas by Elton John.

A Spaceman Came Travelling by Chris de Burgh.

It's Only Christmas by Ronan Keating.

Underneath the Tree by Kelly Clarkson.

6. Do you prefer to travel or stay at home for the holidays?

I've always preferred to stay at home for Christmas. Celebrating anywhere else just wouldn't be the same. You can't beat your own traditions in your own home where you can relax and crawl in to your own bed at the end of the day. I would love to experience Christmas in New York one day, though.

7. What's your favourite winter activity?

Before chronic pain, it was probably going for walks in the snow, but now I can't really do that anymore, I'm going to say... doing Christmas cross stitching or curling up under a cosy blanket and reading for a few hours. 

8. Do you love or hate the snow?

I've always loved snow, and hope for it every winter. The deeper, the better. I guess I'm just a big kid at heart. 

9. What is one item on your wish list this year?

I'm not actually wishing for much at the moment. I found it really difficult to put together a wish list this year (post here) as I'm happy with what I have. I would love to get the Vendula London Flower Shop backpack, but it's been out of stock in the UK for a while, and I doubt I'll be lucky enough to ever get my hands on it. 

10. What is your favourite holiday treat?

I've never been a fan of traditional Christmas treats like Christmas cake and mince pies, but I love our Christmas dinner (especially the roast potatoes), and the desserts my family make. And you can't beat a few Cadbury Roses. Ever since I was little, we've always had a tin or tub in the house at Christmas time, and it wouldn't be Christmas without some.

And that's The Winter Tag.

I tag... anyone who wants to give this tag a go! If you decide to take part, make sure you send me a link to your post so I can read your answers!

What's your favourite Christmas tradition?

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Would You Rather: Christmas Edition

The Jingle All The Way Christmas Tag

I've seen The Jingle All The Way Christmas Tag doing the rounds again this Christmas, so I've decided to join in and give the tag a go.

If you want to know if I've ever recycled a gift, what I have for Christmas dinner, or how I spend the holidays, this is the day you'll find out. Aren't I good to you?

Where will you be celebrating Christmas this year?

I'll be spending Christmas at home in Oxfordshire, England, as I do every year.

Who will you be celebrating Christmas with?

Christmas Day is always just my immediate family and I- my parents, two sisters, brother-in-law, and our dogs, Rosie, and Mia. We visit family and friends before or after the 25th.

Do you own any ugly Christmas jumpers?

I don't know if I'd call them ugly, but I do have a few Christmas jumpers in my wardrobe. The only problem is, I find I'm always too hot to be able to wear them!

How do you spend Christmas Eve?

We always used to travel over to my Auntie's Christmas Eve party, but the last few years have been spent at home as she's taken a break from hosting or had the party a few days earlier. In the morning, I usually end up wrapping any last minute presents, going to the supermarket with the sister to stock up on last minute essentials and then baking yummy treats in her kitchen. I also make my blackberry and apple trifle ready for Christmas Day. In the afternoon, we'll be back at mine where we'll all watch Christmas movies together, help my Mum make food for our Christmas Eve buffet, and spend late afternoon / early evening grazing on it. Sometimes my sister, brother-in-law, and I will then go for a drive to spot Christmas lights, and once I get home, I'll crawl back in to bed to recover, and watch festive TV or movies as I wind down, and get ready for the morning. It's pretty chilled, but lovely.

When do you put up your decorations?

I usually start putting up decorations in my bedroom from the 1st of December, but decorating the house seems to get later every year. We used to decorate a few days in to December, but life and chronic illness get in the way, and sometimes we don't manage to put the decs up until a week before Christmas. Hopefully it won't be so late this year! I like to enjoy them as long as possible.

Do you have a decorating theme?

No, we've never themed our decorations. We use the same decorations every year that have been collected over a life time. There are decorations on our family tree from mine and my sister's childhoods, from when my parents first set up house together in the seventies, and there are even a few that belonged to my grandparents. Nothing matches, but they're full of memories, and almost everything's meaningful. The decorations in my bedroom match a little better, but I didn't set out to theme them. They're mostly colourful and mid-century modern, with a few vintage baubles added for good measure, as that's what I keep finding myself drawn to these days.

Do you have a tree topper?

We have a couple of angels, and a glittery white snowflake that we choose from each year. I still haven't got around to buying one for my bedroom tree, though.

What's been your least favourite gift that you have received? 

Nothing really comes to mind, apart from all the cheap-quality manicure sets I used to receive year after year from the same person. I appreciated the gesture, but had no use for them after the first one.

What would you like to find in your stocking this year?

I'd love to find some concert tickets- especially since it's been over two years since my last gig (thanks, Covid)- but I'd never be that lucky.

When did you start buying gifts this year?

I actually started buying gifts straight after Christmas last year! I try to shop for gifts throughout the year to spread the cost.

Have you ever recycled a gift?

I've never regifted, exactly, but I have passed on unwanted gifts to other friends or family with total honestly that it was an unwanted present.

What do you leave out for Santa?

Leave out treats for someone who sees me when I'm sleeping, and somehow knows when I'm awake?? I don't think so. It would only encourage him.

Have you ever been carolling?

Not that I can recall, although, I seem to remember being in a Christingle parade in primary school with my Mum and sister which might have involved singing carols as we walked from school to town. Carol singing isn't something many people do in England these days.

What do you usually have for Christmas dinner?

We always have a turkey roast with all the trimmings, which usually includes roast and mashed potatoes, sage and onion stuffing (made with sausage meat), carrots, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, butternut squash or sweet potato, swede, peas, and parsnips. We might also have some gammon or roast goose, pigs in blankets, and Yorkshire puddings, but they're extras that vary from year to year. For dessert, we usually have a choice of my Mum's apple pie, my sister's Chocolate Squidgy Log, and my blackberry and apple trifle. It's the best meal of the year!

When do you open gifts?

We always open our presents on Christmas morning as soon as everyone is up, which is usually around 8-9am these days. We'll then exchange presents with my sister and brother-in-law around 11am-12pm when they arrive for the day.

How do you spend Boxing Day?

Doing as little as possible! I like to spend Boxing Day at home watching festive TV in my PJs, eating turkey sandwiches and cake, and spending some time with my family. If I want to do any sales shopping, I'd rather do it online than subject myself to the crowds on the high-street.

Describe a Christmas present you wanted badly as a kid, but never received.

I always wanted a Care Bear teddy, but to this day, I've never had one.

Have you ever kissed anyone under the mistletoe?

No, never. I don't think I've ever even been to a Christmas party or gathering where mistletoe was hung.

What's your favourite character from a Christmas-themed movie, book, or TV special?

Movie- Probably The Snowman, or the singing vegetables in The Muppets Christmas Carol. 

Book- Jo and Beth March in Little Women.

TV Special- Nessa as Father Christmas in the first Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special. 

If you were Santa Claus, what treats would you want to be left out for you on Christmas Eve?

Concert tickets, Erstwilder brooches, and freshly-baked chocolate-chip cookies.

What's your favourite Christmas movie?

There are loads of Christmas movies that I love, but I think it's between Santa Claus the Movie or The Muppets Christmas Carol. You just can't beat them.

Have you ever had a white Christmas?

Only once, that I can remember. In 2010, we had the coldest winter I can remember, and unusually, had deep snow on the ground for several weeks before Christmas. It was so cold, there were icicles everywhere the length of my arm, and the snow stayed for weeks without thawing. I think it got down to -12'C in the day time. My Mum was able to keep the turkey frozen under the snow (it wouldn't fit in the freezer), leading up to Christmas, and we used it to chill drinks for Christmas dinner, too! Christmas Day came, and we still had at least a foot of snow on the ground, and it looked like a winter wonderland. We went for a walk after Christmas dinner to enjoy the novelty of a white Christmas, but the air was so cold it burned our lungs. It didn't actually snow on Christmas Day, so I know it doesn't officially count, but there was snow, it was white, and it was Christmas, so it was a white Christmas to me. 

Where do you usually spend your holidays?

At home in The Cotswolds.

What is your favourite Christmas song?

I'm not sure that I have a single favourite Christmas song; there are so many that I love, and enjoy listening to every year. A few of my current faves are:

Last Christmas by Wham.

Step in to Christmas by Elton John.

I Believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake.

A Spaceman Came Travelling by Chris de Burgh.

All Alone on Christmas by Darlene Love.

It's Only Christmas by Ronan Keating.

Underneath the Tree by Kelly Clarkson.

Do you open any presents on Christmas Eve?

No, we haven't done that since I was little, when my sisters and I were allowed to open one present from our relatives, under the tree. These days we wait 'til Christmas morning.

Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? (No cheating)!

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph, of course.

Which holiday traditions are you looking forward to this year?

Decorating the tree, taking a drive to spot Christmas lights, opening presents with my dog (she gets so excited, so it's so much fun!), and sitting down to Christmas dinner with the family.

Is your Christmas tree real or fake?

We have a fake tree in the living room, and I have a smaller real tree in my bedroom. Best of both worlds!

What is your favourite holiday treat / sweet / food?

I always look forward to Christmas dinner, especially my brother-in-law's goose fat roast potatoes. If we're talking sweet treats, I enjoy a few Cadbury Roses (Hazelnut Whirls are my favourite), and can never say to 'no' to a slice of my sister's Squidgy Chocolate Log, my Mum's Apple Pie, or my Blackberry and Apple trifle. They may not sound particularly festive, but they're three desserts we always make at Christmas in my family, and rarely have at any other time of year.

Be honest, do you prefer giving or receiving gifts?

Receiving gifts is great, but I prefer giving gifts. I love spoiling the people I care about, hunting down the perfect presents, and seeing their reactions when I get it right. 

What is the best Christmas present that you've ever received? 

I still think it's the Sega Mega Drive my sisters and I were given for Christmas 1994, when I was nine. We'd never had a modern games console before, so it was the most exciting thing ever. I can't think how many hours we all spent playing The Lion King, Columns, Maui Mallard, Aladdin, and Golden Axe over the next few years.

What would be your dream place to visit for the holiday season?

Either New York or somewhere cold and snowy in Scandinavia where I can see the Northern Lights.

Are you a pro wrapper or do you fail miserably?

I like to think I'm a pro-wrapper. I always put lots of effort in to wrapping presents as beautifully as I can, and finish them off with ribbons and little decorations. My family and friends usually say nice things about how they're wrapped, so I think that's a good sign.

Most memorable Christmas moment?

The Christmas my Mum cut a chunk out of her shin retrieving presents on Christmas Eve was pretty memorable. There was blood everywhere, and she refused to go to A&E to get it seen to, as it was Christmas Eve. My sister had to drag her there after Christmas dinner on Christmas Day, and she ended up needing stitches. 

What made you realise the truth about Santa?

My Dad has chronic asthma and a very loud, distinct cough. On Christmas Eve when I was about seven and in bed unable to sleep from the excitement, I heard him coughing in the living room after midnight as he put out our presents from Santa. I'd already suspected Santa wasn't real so I wasn't upset, but that was the proof I needed.

What makes the holidays special for you?

Getting to enjoy all the festivities with my family and friends, and make new festive memories together. And also my dog's excitement when she gets to open her presents, because it's just the cutest thing. It's like celebrating Christmas with a furry toddler.

And that's the Jingle All The Way Christmas Tag.

I tag... anyone who wants to give the tag a go! Make sure to send me a link to your post if you decide to take part so that I can read your answers.

What's your favourite thing about Christmas? 

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My Favourite Things About Christmas

Christmas has always been my favourite time of year. I love everything about it from the pretty Christmas lights to the music, and trawling the Christmas markets to the festive cheer, and so much more. Even though I'm in my thirties now, I still find the festive season so fun and magical (at least when my crazy to do list isn't stressing me out), and I like to enjoy as much of it as possible.

Sadly, it's been a long time since I last got to do any of the fun Christmas activities like going to Christmas markets, having fun at Christmas parties, heading to the theatre to see something festive, or even going to the Christmas lights switch on. In fact, I've only left the house once this month, and that was just to go to the supermarket for last minute supplies. (Can you hear those tiny violins??) I'll admit I'm feeling a little bit sorry for myself for missing out on so much festive fun this year as I've been dying to do it all, but I've been trying to enjoy the little festive things at home like watching Christmas movies and wrapping presents. It's got me thinking about what some of my favourite things about Christmas really are, so I thought I'd talk about some of them today.

Here are some of my favourite things about Christmas.

Decorating The Tree With My Family

Decorating the tree and the living room with my family has always been one of my absolute favourite parts of the festive season. It always signifies the beginning of Christmas in our house, and even though we're getting later and later putting up the decorations downstairs these days and I have my own up in my bedroom, it doesn't truly feel like Christmas until we begin. (We haven't managed it yet this year because I've not been up to it, so that probably explains why I don't feel that festive yet). We put on some Christmas music (including a Christmas compilation CD called 100% Christmas, we've been playing every year since 1994!), share a few chocolates, and spend an evening getting to work. I love going through our old boxes of decorations, rediscovering all my old favourites, and getting all nostalgic about all the childhood Christmases most of them are attached to. I'm sentimental all the way when it comes to Christmas decorations.

Decorating My Bedroom For Christmas
I also love to decorate my bedroom for Christmas, and turn it in to my own winter wonderland so that I don't have to miss out on the pretty decorations when I'm in too much pain to get out of bed. I put up so many that my bedroom looks like Christmas threw up on it, but I love it! I have a little tree, fairy lights, and so many decorations, which are mostly colourful and mid-century style at the moment. I haven't managed to take photos yet this year, but here's how I decorated my room for Christmas last year.

Wrapping Presents

Even though wrapping presents inflicts a lot of back pain on me now, I'm still one of those weird people who actually enjoys wrapping gifts. I've always put a lot of effort in to making the gifts I give look as pretty as I can, and will spend hours wrapping everything in pretty paper, ribbons, and decorations. I just like to put the extra effort in, and make things look beautiful- even though I doubt anybody actually notices!

Driving Around to Spot Christmas Lights

I love going for a drive around my hometown or further afield around the pretty little Cotswold villages and the next town over to spot Christmas lights. My older sister and I like to drive around to spot them every year (or we did before she moved to Germany), and growing up, our parents always took us on a drive to spot the lights each Christmas, too. Seeing everywhere lit up like the Blackpool Illuminations while listening to Christmas tunes on the radio always feels really festive, and I look forward to seeing my favourites every year. There's a couple of houses just around the corner from mine that always look spectacular.

Watching Christmas Movies

One of the Christmas activities I most look forward to is watching my favourite Christmas movies at every opportunity. You just can't beat a good Christmas movie, and they never fail to get me in to the festive spirit. I love watching them when I'm wrapping presents, writing cards, crafting, or just relaxing in the evenings, and I especially love those lazy days when only a Christmas movie marathon and some festive snacks will do. I have so many Christmas films in my DVD collection that I love, but Santa Claus The Movie, and The Muppets Christmas Carol are my ultimate favourites.

Christmas Crafting
I enjoy crafting all year round, but there's something extra fun and enjoyable about making things that are Christmas themed, isn't there? I love spending the cold, dark December evenings crafting away while watching some festive TV, and usually have several projects on the go. I always like to cross stitch and make my own Christmas crackers, and you'll often also find me attempting other projects like wreath-making, and creating hand-painted Advent houses.

Christmas Music
I love a good Christmas song, and listen to them throughout December to soundtrack most of my festive activities. I must have about 200 different Christmas songs in my iTunes library! I especially love the classics I grew up on in the 80s and 90s from Wham and Elton John, to Paul McCartney and The Pogues, as well as the real oldies from people like Bing Crosby and Andy Williams. The old ones are the best! (Though I am partial to Ronan Keating's Winter Songs album, too).

Beauty Advent Calendars
I'm sure you've noticed by now that I love a good beauty Advent calendar. I just love waking up to a different beauty treat every morning in the run up to Christmas- it feels like Christmas every day! I never splurge much on beauty products throughout the year, so I always allow myself a calendar as a Christmas treat. It's always great to try out lots of new products and pamper myself a little during a stressful month. This year, I went with both the Essie and Ciaté nail polish Advent calendars.

Baking on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve morning is usually spent baking and making desserts for Christmas in my family, whether at home or at my sister's (before she moved, anyway), and it's something I've always enjoyed. I always make my blackberry and apple trifle ready for Christmas Day and sometimes another dessert like a cheesecake, and then I'll go help my sister do some baking while my Mum gets to work making flans (quiches), home made cheese scones, and other delicious treats for my Auntie's Christmas Eve party or our own Christmas Eve buffet. It's really festive with the Christmas tunes blaring out, and the house always smells delicious.

Driving Home on Christmas Eve
Ever since I was about ten, my family have spent most Christmas Eves going to my Auntie's Christmas Eve party in Worcester (although I haven't been in several years because of my chronic pain). If I'm honest, as a shy awkward introvert, I spent most of my younger years trying to bargain my way out of going (it never worked), and would be counting down the hours until we could leave again. My favourite part was always the drive home for Christmas. We'd leave early evening and by then we'd be feeling the Christmas Eve excitement as Christmas Day was just hours away. We'd spend the hour and a half hour drive home singing along to Christmas songs and looking out for Christmas lights on all the houses and towns we passed by. Pershore and Evesham always had such beautiful lights in their town centres. The drive home was always super festive, and then we'd get home to put presents our family had given us under the tree, and leave our stockings out for Santa / Mum (always draped on the sofas, never hung over the fireplace) before heading off to bed. It was a Christmas ritual for so long and now I can't go, I actually miss it.

Opening Presents With My Family On Christmas Morning
Christmas isn't about the presents for me, but I've always loved opening presents with my family on Christmas morning. I love giving my family their presents and seeing their faces when they open the gifts I've bought for them. The living room is always a shambles, but I love it and the happy, upbeat atmosphere that fills the house from that Christmas morning excitement and a festive playlist. It's not quite as exciting as when we were kids, but you just can't beat Christmas morning, can you?

Seeing My Dog Open Her Presents

One of my favourite parts of the past few Christmases has been giving my Tibetan terrier, Rosie, her presents, and watching her open them. She loves ripping open the paper, and gets so excited when she discovers a new toy inside, It's so cute to watch, and I'm already looking forward to seeing how she reacts this year. Last year she tunnelled head first in to the giant gift bag I put her presents in to get to them! It was so cute.

Setting the Christmas Dinner Table
This is a weird one, but I love setting the table for Christmas dinner! It's been my job since I was about six or seven, and I oddly enjoy setting it and making the table look pretty for our Christmas meal. I know it's a strange thing to enjoy, but I guess I just like making things look pretty. I put some Christmas music or a Christmas movie on in the background, and can easily lose an hour or two of Christmas morning putting it all together. I actually find it really hard now with my chronic pain, but I'm stubborn and try to do it anyway.

Christmas Dinner With the Family

Christmas dinner is without a doubt my favourite meal of the entire year- and not just because the food is delicious. My family and I only sit down around a table for a meal together two or three times a year, so it makes Christmas dinner extra special. It's lovely to enjoy a meal with my family and have a good catch up. We always end up laughing until our sides hurt, and someone starts choking on a Brussels sprout. I'm really looking forward to it this year (the meal, not the choking). I'm so going to eat my body weight in roast potatoes!

Christmas Food
I don't often focus on food when I'm thinking about favourites, but let's face it, the food is one of the best things about Christmas. I mean, when else is it socially acceptable to drink before midday, eat cake for breakfast, and consume a month's calories in one day?? You just can't beat a few days of over indulging on Christmas dinner and turkey sandwiches, cake, and a metric ton of chocolates. I've never been a fan of mince pies and Christmas cake, but give me some Cadbury Roses, mint Matchmakers, and a slice of my sister's 'squidgy chocolate log' and I'm happy.

So, those are some of my favourite things about Christmas.

What are some of yours?

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50 Things You Should Know About Me

Hi guys,

I hope your day is off to a good start. Mine sure is not. 

I awoke this morning to find somebody had hacked my eBay, and Paypal accounts, and the email address attached to them over night, and spent £600 I do not have on Lego using my eBay account! I've been freaking out because I don't have the funds in my bank account to even cover the transactions because I don't have any income right now, and I'm just praying I'll be able to get it all back. Paypal are already on the case and I've got one of the three large transactions refunded already (luckily one seller thought to query the fact the address didn't match the one I registered), and the other two are pending, so fingers crossed. Hopefully it will be sorted before any of it reaches my bank balance or otherwise I'm screwed. Thankfully eBay noticed the unusual activity last night and froze my account as who knows how much more they would've tried to spend.

I'm fucking livid that somebody would do this. The spineless little cretin(s) really need to reevaluate their pathetic little lives. I'm sure their kids would be so proud to know their parents are buying them presents with stolen money from somebody who has none.  I hope karma comes back to bite them in the balls. Scum of the Earth.

They've also used my email address to sign up to hundreds of different sites, so even though I've changed my password, I think I'm going to have to delete the account, and set up a new one to be on the safe side. I'm going to have to go through everything I'm signed up to and change my sign in info. FML. It's the last thing I needed to be dealing with today.

I've done all I can for now, so I've taken a break from it all to blog to try to take my mind off it (doing well so far, then, haha!) It's been so long since I last did one of those 'Things About Me' kind of posts, so I thought it would be fun to share some facts about myself to help you get to know me a little better. 

Here are 50 things you should know about me...

1. My favourite pastime is going to concerts. I would happily go to one every night if I could.

2. I used to be a visual merchandiser in a vintage-style children's toy shop before I got ill.

3. I've lived in the same small town in Oxfordshire all my life.

4. I'm from a military family- my Mum, Dad, and Grandad were all in the RAF, and my brother-in-law currently is. Luckily, I never had to do the moving around thing growing up because my parents were out before I was born.

5. I studied animal care at college. I still hope to put it to good use again one day.

6. I'm the second of three sisters.

7. I've been in excruciating pain for almost six years straight.

8. My spine is naturally and abnormally fused to my sacrum (above the pelvis).

9. I suffer from bertolottis disease, fibromyalgia, ankylosing spondylitis, degenerative disc disease (plus torn and herniated discs), sciatica, osteomalacia, depression, and anxiety. Apparently my body hates me.

10. I've met all members of Boyzone twice, and Mikey Graham a couple more times... and I've had a fair few interactions during concerts, too. Yep, total fan girl right here.

11. The comedian Ronnie Barker was a regular customer of mine when I worked in a pet shop. We used to sell him ducks for his home in the Cotswolds.

12. I did work experience in two zoos when I was studying animal care, and got kissed on the head by a huge male sealion.

13. I love collecting novelty handbags, and quirky brooches.

14. I'm from The Cotswolds but I'm neither rich nor posh.

15. I was so shy growing up I would clam up and go mute around everybody but my immediate family and closest friends. I only really came out of my shell in my early twenties, after a few years of working in retail, and having to talk to people all day long.

16. I really love cross stitching, and find it helps me cope with my pain. It's not just for grannies; there are heaps of fun modern designs these days!

17. I have a black and white Tibetan terrier called Rosie, and also keep tropical fish.

18. I have two tattoos, but I would love dozens more. I was just getting in to them when I got ill, and if I hadn't I'm pretty sure I'd be covered in them by now. I have a tattoo wish list as long as my arm.

19. My favourite films are Little Women, Steel Magnolias, and Titanic.

20. I'm covered in freckles from head to toe, and have them on all areas of my body, including my lips, ears, and palm of my hand. I hated them until I was about seventeen, and now I love them!

21. I can't stand bacon or mushrooms. The smell and taste of both makes me gag.

22. Unpopular opinion: I can't stand Beyoncé, or the film Frozen.

23. I'm an introvert, and enjoy my own company, but I'm not anti-social and enjoy spending time with people I like, too. I just need a little time to myself to recharge every day.

24. I love creative writing, and have been scribbling down stories in my spare time since primary school.

25. I was raised catholic and went to a catholic primary school, but I'm an atheist. I tried to believe but I knew from a young age that religion wasn't for me. 

26. My favourite bands are Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy, and Boyzone, and I also have a thing for Ronan Keating. I don't actually like much pop music these days, but my love for those Irish men goes back to age nine, and old habits die hard! I also really love Arcade Fire, Panic! at the Disco, Evanescence, and Kings of Leon.

27. I worked in a pet shop for five years.

28. I've always wanted to be a zoo keeper. I'd particularly love to work with tapirs, giraffes, anteaters, aardvarks, and armadillos. I like the weird ones!

29. I'm happiest with my feet in the ocean. I'm a total water baby.

30. I've always wanted to learn how to surf.

31. I'm addicted to colourful eye make up, and particularly love green shades.

32. Colour makes me happy. I try to inject it in to all areas of my life.

33. I'm a stationery addict, and can never resist a new notebook, even if I already have 15 unused ones at home.

34. I pretty much always have my finger nails painted.

35. I love the Big Bang Theory, and watch an episode or two almost every day.

36. I love musicals, especially live at the theatre. My favourites from the stage are Phantom of the Opera, Hairspray, The Sound of Music, Sister Act, and Chicago, and I love the movie versions, too.

37. I hate the sweltering summer heat, and love the rain.

38. My favourite place on the planet is Perranporth Beach in Cornwall, closely followed by New York City.

39. I once broke my wrist by unknowingly getting my foot caught in a basket rack, and falling flat on my face at work... in front of my boss, a colleague, and a big queue of customers. Hands down the most embarrassing moment of my life.

40. You will almost always find me with a camera in my hand, snapping photos wherever I go.

41. I love travelling and sight-seeing, and hope to travel all over the world one day. I'm currently dying to visit Austria.

42. I love crafting, painting, and creating stuff. There's just something satisfying about creating something with your own two hands.

43. I still don't know how to drive. I kept meaning to, but always had other things to spend my money on... like concert tickets and dresses. Now I can't learn to drive because sitting and travelling causes me too much pain.

44. I have a slight Cath Kidston addiction.

45. I'm a Christmas enthusiast, and love to embrace all the festivities I can.

46. My middle name is Christine.

47. I've had the same best friend since I was eleven.

48. My nicknames range from everything from Lou and LouLou to Weeze ('ouise), Weezy, and Weaselby.

49. I've had three ECGs so far this year.

50. My earliest memory is sitting in a hospital corridor with my Dad and older sister aged three after my Mum had gone in to labour with my little sister, and asking if we could "have a brown baby this time." Funnily enough, I didn't get my wish.

So, I've told you a little about myself... now I'd love to learn a little about you to get to know you better! 

Please tell me a few  things about yourself in the comments below! 

Do we have anything in common from the list above?

The Christmas Tag 2014

I've seen this challenge popping up on a few blogs lately, so since I'm feeling rather festive, I've decided to give it a shot today. I probably did this tag last Christmas, but it doesn't hurt to do an updated version, does it?

The Christmas Tag involves ten festive questions and ten festive answers, and you're all welcome to join in and have a go yourselves! Let's get started...

1. What is your favourite Christmas movie?

I'm not sure I could pick just one; I'm a Christmas movie enthusiast! I have a lot of favourites, including Santa Claus The Movie, The Family Stone, Home Alone 1 and 2, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and Christmas With The Kranks.

2. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

We open our presents first thing on Christmas morning while we're still in our pyjamas. Growing up, we were occasionally allowed to open one present each (from relatives) on Christmas Eve night-probably to pacify our agonising Christmas excitement for five minutes. Now there are no excitable kids in the family, we can save everything for Christmas morning.

3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?

There's one random memory that comes to mind; it's nothing special or even interesting but it always makes me smile when I think about it. Early one Christmas morning, when I was about seven or eight, my older sister and I were so excited for Christmas that we couldn't sleep. I tiptoed in to her room and climbed in to bed with her, where we plotted to convince our parents that it was morning (and not 3am) by turning the clock forward a few hours. I was sent in to wake the parents with the clock as evidence, but obviously my parents didn't buy it; their alarm clocks betrayed us. It's such a random memory, but I can't help but laugh when I think of how how we laid in bed giggling and and chatting until dawn, longing for the agonising wait for Christmas to be over. The wait seemed to take forever!

4. Favourite festive food?

You can't beat a turkey sandwich on fresh white bread, my Mum's sage and onion stuffing, or good old roast potatoes. 

5. Favourite Christmas gift?

Beside the Pound Puppies, Polly Pockets, and Puppy in My Pockets, the one that stands out to me is the Sega Mega Drive my sisters and I were given for Christmas when I was nine. Until then we only had an old Commodore, so it was such a novelty to have a current games console, and really special for us. We spent most of Christmas Day playing The Lion King and Columns.

6. Favourite Christmas scent?

It's a toss up between fresh Christmas trees and fir branches, and the smell of turkey roasting in the oven on Christmas morning.

7. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?

Yes, my family has one or two. My Auntie usually hosts a family gathering on Christmas Eve, and has done for almost two decades. We leave home around midday, bundle in to the car, pop a Christmas CD on, and spend an hour and a half travelling to the party. The annual gathering is a chance to catch up with relatives on my Dad's side, plus some of my Auntie and Uncle's friends. It's very informal, and we basically spend all afternoon chatting, grazing the buffet, and drinking. We leave by the early evening, and by then we all feel so festive and excited for Christmas, knowing it's just hours away. We drive home singing along to festive tunes, and look out for Christmas lights along the way. Over the last few years, my Auntie has thrown the parties a few days earlier, and it really isn't the same without that Christmas Eve excitement on the trip home.

8. What tops your tree?

When I was little it was always an angel. Today, we have a giant white glittery snow flake.

9. As a kid, what was the one (crazy wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?

I don't remember ever asking my parents (or Santa), for anything obscene. Nothing extravagant comes to mind. I've always been a big animal lover and we never had pets growing up, so I probably asked for a dog, a pony, or a rabbit at some point. When I was eleven I desperately begged for concert tickets to see Boyzone, but my Mum refused to get them for me. The tickets were only about £15 back then, so I'm not sure that really counts!

10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?

I love almost everything about Christmas, but if I had to choose it would be getting to spend quality time with friends and family, and seeing their faces when I get their gifts so right. I also love the build up to Christmas; the festive cheer, the pretty decorations, and watching Christmas movies!

Feel free to give this challenge a go on your own blogs! I tag you all. I'd love to see your links if you decide to blog about it.

What do you love most about Christmas?

Getting To Know Me

I saw this challenge over on Mandy Leigh's blog last week, and it looked like fun so I've decided to give it a go. I thought it would be a great way to share a little more about myself and my little quirks.

Let's get started!

The Basics

Name: Louise Christine P.

Age: 29

Height: 5'6'' ish.

Hair Colour: Naturally: dark brown. Currently: bright red.

Eye Colour: Brown.

Religion: Atheist, but I was raised Catholic.

Ethnicity: English. I'm Southern born and raised, but with mostly Northern family.

Status: Single.

Favourites

Colour: Green, teal, turquoise, and cobalt blue.

Hair Style: Long flowing locks with a slight curl.

Food: Chinese.

Soda: Coca Cola, Pepsi, and Orangina.

Alcoholic Beverage: Woo-woos, daiquiris, Archers and lemonade, and vodka and lemonade.

Store: Cath Kidston, Paperchase, and Accessorize.

Mall: There aren't really malls close to where I live. I remember loving The Metro Centre in Gateshead when I was little, though.

State: New York.

City: New York, and London.

Animal: Tapirs, giraffes, beluga whales, narwhals, foxes, bunnies, and dogs.

Movie: Titanic and Steel Magnolias.

Anime: I don't like Anime.

Book: The Stand by Stephen King, and The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.

Music: Rock, Indie, Alternative.

Song: Iridescent by Linkin Park, Surburban War by Arcade Fire, Pyro by Kings of Leon, Rise by Boyzone, She's My Winona and Young Volcanoes by Fall Out Boy, Broken by Seether and Amy Lee, Lost in Paradise by Evanescence and Trade Mistakes my Panic! at the Disco are some of my current favourites.

Band / Artist: Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy, Boyzone, and Ronan Keating are my favourites. I also love Arcade Fire, Kings of Leon, Evanescence, Panic! at the Disco, and Snow Patrol.

Website: Pinterest, Postsecret, Tumblr, and Blogger.

This or That

Soda or juice? Soda... yeah, I know that's not good!

Music or Internet? Both! I couldn't live without either. Music while on the Internet?

Rock or rap? Rock!

Cats or dogs? Dogs, but I like cats, too.

White or black? Black... but white for furniture and home decor.

Cell phone or iPod? iPod.

Curly hair or straight hair? Curly, but my hair is straight.

Laptop or computer? Laptop.

Mountain Dew or Pepsi? Pepsi. We don't get Mountain Dew in England.

Phone or Internet? Internet.

Summer or Winter? Summer for the long hours of daylight, but Winter for the more comfortable temps and Christmas!

Going out or staying in? Staying in.

Random

What do you do in your spare time? Blog, read, spend way too much time on Pinterest, write, watch movies, paint my nails, listen to music, crafts, write lists, go to the cinema, surf the net... When I was pain free I would also go to a lot of concerts, travel, take little day trips to London, shop, catch musicals at the theatre, go to the zoo, hop on a train for a mini adventure, visit friends, and bake.

What do you wish you had more time for? Reading.

What's your usual clothing style? Girlie and quirky, with plenty of colour and fun prints.

What's your usual hair style? Straightened long bob with a blunt fringe.

What are you wearing? My red gingham Lindy Bop swing dress.

Are you single or taken? Single.

Who would you die for? My family,

What do you think of one night stands? They're not for me, but I don't judge anybody who has them.

Who's your best friend? My best friend is Angela, who's been my bestie since 1996!

Do you have any pets? Only tropical fish at the moment, but we're currently talking about getting a dog to keep me company.

Do you plan on getting married? Never say never, but I'm still not convinced anybody would want me. LOL!

Do you plan on having kids? It's never been my dream to have kids, and working in a toy shop for years has put me off kids for life... but I do love the idea of having a family... once the kids are adults, anyway! Haha! I guess we'll see!

How old do you wish you were? Not 29, that's for sure! I wouldn't mind going back to 26 so I can make up for the three years I've lost to back pain.

If you were to be anywhere right now, where would it be? New York City or Perranporth Beach in Cornwall.

Ever gone camping? Does camping in a back garden, or staying in a tent with camp beds at a Haven holiday park count??

Have you ever gone skiing on a mountain? No. I've never been skiing, but I'd love to learn someday.

Ever gone to church? Yes, I was brought up Catholic and went to a Catholic primary school, so I was dragged along to quite a few services growing up. It was never for me, though, and I'm an atheist so I only go for weddings, funerals, and christenings these days.

Ever gone to a famous water park? No, I don't think so.

Ever gone out of state? We don't have states in England, but I have visited many places all over the UK and Ireland.

Ever gone out of the country? Yes. I'm not well travelled yet, but I've been to France, America, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland so far.

When was the last time you left town? I went to London for the day just over a month ago for a CT scan.

What year were you born in? 1985.

What do you do in the summer time? I love to head to the beach, have barbecues, sight-see, travel, enjoy the sunshine, and listen to uplifting songs.

Are you naturally tanned? No, I'm extremely pale. I have the fair white, freckled skin of a red-head.

Do you live in a house? Yes, I live in a three-bedroomed semi-detached house with my parents and little sister.

What do you have on your mind? Blog posts, Autumn, Christmas, hospital appointments, life.

What time is it? 2:16am.

If you want to give this challenge a go, too, please do, crediting back to Mandy! I'd love to see your posts, so leave me your links below!

Thanks for reading.

Writing Process Blog Hop

Hi guys,

Today I've got something a little bit different for you: a blog-hop post.

This is the first blog hop I've ever done, and it's all about my writing process.



I was tagged by my lovely friend Trees from the life style blog Adventures of a Girl From the Naki. Trees lives in New Zealand, and regularly blogs about the amazing things she has sewn, her outfits, and her travel adventures (which always make me want to hop on a plane to go visit NZ; it looks beautiful). She's been a blogger friend of mine for a couple of years now, although I can't remember who found whose blog first, and she's awesome, so go check out her blog here.

So, on to the blog hop! Here we go!

1. What are you working on?

I currently have several posts in the works that should be live over the next week or two, thanks to a rare burst of inspiration and motivation. I'm working on a couple of wish lists, a personal piece about my recent CT scan, a book review of a new Listography book, a couple of outfit posts, a peek at some of my jewellery collections, a couple of beauty posts including one where I'll be speaking about my favourite Body Shop products, and a review of my new Zatchels satchel- and that's just for starters!

I'm not a super-organised blogger who has posts organised months in advance, but lately I've been itching to write about so many things. I'm even contemplating taking photos of everything I could write about now before we lose the good summer light to Autumn!

2. How does my work differ from others in the genre?

I'm not sure my work differs all that much from any other style, beauty, and life style blog; there are millions of blogs out there that write about a variety of topics. I share outfits, I review beauty products and books, I post what I've been up to and share weekly favourites... but so do countless other bloggers. The only thing I think really sets me apart from other blogs is that I also write about living with disc injuries from time to time, and how my style has helped to keep my spirits up while house-bound, which I've yet to see done on other blogs. 

3. Why do I write what I do?

I do it because I enjoy it! I spend a great deal of my time stuck in bed in severe pain, and can't currently live a normal life; blogging helps me to escape from it all. Blogging gives me something to occupy myself with every day, and a reason to get out of bed in the morning... so to speak. I can only imagine how much the days would drag without this blog to keep me busy, and how much harder everything would be to deal with.

As for the content, I write about the subjects I do because I am passionate about them, have enjoyed them, or want to document them.

I write about plus size fashion not only because I'm plus size and love fashion, but because I want to show other plus size women that we can wear fun, fashionable outfits if we want to- and look good in them. We can wear colourful clothes, bold patterns, and fitted styles. We can have fun with fashion. We don't have to wear shapeless black clothes to disguise our bodies; we have every right to wear what ever the hell we want and there are options out there for us!

I write about my health and medical journey with disc injuries to help anybody who might be going through a similar situation. I've not found many resources online about living with disc injuries and spinal issues that are written by sufferers; almost everything is written by medical professionals, and it's hard to relate to cold medical encyclopedias. I couldn't relate to them and they didn't provide the information I was looking for, so I decided to write about my injuries to fill that void and provide other sufferers with helpful information.

4. How does my writing process work?

I find something I want to write about, and start by taking and editing the photos for the post. I choose the best ones and upload them in a new post. I will sometimes start writing a draft of the post in a notebook, but ninety-nine percent of the time I just write a rough draft straight in to Blogger, and edit it until I'm happy with it. I usually write most of my posts in the early hours of the morning, when everybody else is asleep and I can fully concentrate on what I'm doing. Silence is golden! I don't sleep well, so I'm usually awake all night, and writing helps to keep me occupied. I also write everything from my bed, using my battered old laptop because I don't have a desk and even if I did, I couldn't sit at it for long; I spend most of my time confined to bed. Once my post is written, I'll schedule it for a more social hour, and then it's on to the next one.

I keep a notebook full of post ideas which I return to when I'm stuck for things to blog about and add to regularly. Even with a book full of ideas, I don't often have posts organised more than a day or two ahead. I generally work on the next day's post the night before.

Now it's time to continue the blog hop...

I've nominated three of my lovely blogger friends to continue the hop: Char from T*Rexes and Tiaras, Hannah from Daisies and DMs, and Vicky from The Curved Opinion, who will all be sharing their blog hop posts over the next few days, so make sure you go check them out!

If anybody else reading this post would like to take part, please do so!

Thanks for reading!