December is probably my favourite month of the year. There
is this constant anticipation for the 25th, lots of planning,
decorations everywhere, and cheesy Christmas music blaring out of the speakers
in every shop. It’s so festive and everyone’s generally in a much happier mood
as well, which is a bonus :)
Friday was the last day of term at school for me and it was
completely holiday-orientated, it was great! We started off with a whole-school
music competition, lots of different groups performing songs and ballads.
Typically, my team, or ‘house’ as we call them, came last, but ‘it’s not the
winning that matters, it’s the taking part!’ but I didn’t take part… so that
mantra doesn’t apply. Then we had our annual Christmas pantomime done by the
lower sixth (my year), which I again did not take part in, but I was secretly
jealous of the amazing costumes and hairstyles involved!
Then I went out for a lovely lunch with four of my friends
and we enjoyed some final jokes and banter before going our separate ways for a
few weeks, travelling off to different parts of the world and doing different
things.
I’ve been disappointed in myself this year though. Normally
the excitement has started building up and the decorations are all over the
walls and furniture by the end of November, but the tinsel box hasn’t been
touched, nor have many cards been sent off and the Santa hat remains stuffed at
the back of the cupboard.
But despite my un-festive spirit this year, there are many,
many things that I’m looking forward to doing now that it’s the Christmas
holidays…
Christmas movie
marathons
A bunch of mates, mugs of hot chocolate, blankets and a
stack of Christmas-related movies – the majority of what I’ll be doing this
holiday!
Movies in my pile include (and I’m all for cartoons and
kiddy ones)…
♛The Polar Express
♛Elf
♛Love Actually
♛Shrek The Halls (so brilliant…)
♛Fred Claus
♛Home Alone
Wrapping up
Fashion-wise, winter is my favourite month. It’s all about
the layers, the hats and scarves and gloves, the jumpers, the snuggly boots. I
love wrapping up all cosy and warm and looking like I’ve stepped out of the
house in half of my wardrobe.
Snow
I absolutely adore snow; I could spend all day in it if it
wasn’t so cold :P And obviously, there’s only a possibility of waking up to a white
blanket of the stuff in the dead of winter. A snowy Christmas day, for me, is
like a dream come true. There’s just so many magical and fairytale qualities to
snow, it’s just amazing and I think it really completes the ‘Christmas
experience’.
My dog loves snow!
Christmas songs
A Christmas playlist full of cheesy, oldie songs is an
important ingredient to the perfect Christmas.
Some of my favourite are…
♛ Fairytale of New York – The Pogues
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9jbdgZidu8
♛ White Christmas – Michael Bublé
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OsgqpnuizY
♛ Shake Up Christmas – Train
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-8VCL4uSUc
♛ Christmas Lights – Coldplay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1rYmzQ8C9Q
♛ All I Want For Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQViqx6GMY
The food
I think most people can agree that the food around Christmas
time is some of the best all year! I honestly look forward to the turkey,
crispy roast potatoes, stuffing, ‘pigs in a blanket’, mulled wine, Christmas
pudding and trifle for months! My
family and I rarely eat meals together, so it’s a rare treat to have my
parents, brother, grandmother and uncle huddled round the table in front of the
fire with our little paper crowns on, pulling crackers and digging in to some
delicious nosh.
The decorations
Who doesn’t love having their house covered in tinsel and
paper chains, with a massive green tree in their front room? I also love going
past houses covered in those pretty blue and white fairy lights with wreathes
hanging on the doors and lit-up Father Christmas and Snowman faces in the
windows!
And of course… the
presents!
The exchanging of gifts on the 25th is the
perfect end to the Christmas period. As nice as it is receiving them, it’s also
just as satisfying seeing someone’s face light up in joy when they open the
present that you bought for them!
What do you enjoy about Christmas?
Lots of love and hugs,
Ellay xxx
(all photos are mine, taken last winter)
