Everyone has something that makes this time of year special for them so here are the 10 best things about Christmas (in my opinion):
10. Christmas songs. I defy you not to sing along to Fairy-tale Of New York and not feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Even though a ton are cheesy and some are just plain crap (Christmas Shoes for example…) the majority of Christmas songs make you tap your feet and creates the perfect atmosphere to drink mulled wine surrounded by fairy lights. Last Christmas I gave you my heart…
9. Glitter. Everything over the festive season sparkles, from tinsel to clothes and it’s awesome. Throw some glitter over anything and it becomes festive. Plain pine cone? Just random tree droppings. Pine cone with glitter? Instant Christmas decoration. The days are darker and the nights are longer which makes it easier to get your glitter on so you glimmer in the fairy lights. I don’t think a sequin-covered dress would have the same effect in the middle of July…
8. Fairy lights. I am the type of person who has fairy lights up all year around in my bedroom, around my mirror & bed. Christmas means you can cover everything in flashing lights, walking down Grafton Street once the lights are lit and the shops have their displays up is an immediate mood boost of feel-goods. Watching a Netflix marathon while basking in the lights of the Christmas tree is awesome.
7. Hot Chocolate. Irish Coffees. Eggnog. Mulled Wine. Hot Whiskeys Spiced Apple Juice. Christmas drinks in general kick ass, mainly because they usually contain either cream, chocolate, alcohol, cinnamon or a combination of all of the above. Curling up with a hot drink makes you instantly feel cosy, and kinda makes drinking alcohol during the day more sociable acceptable… mmm spiced Amaretto.
6. Decorating! One of my favorite parts of the festive season is putting up the Christmas tree, getting the decorations down from the attic and getting busy making everything look lovely. Turn on Christmas.fm, get some mulled wine going and you’re good to go. Also prepare for the inevitable world war three that happens when untangling fairy lights, it makes people crazy.
5. Movies. Home Alone. The Grinch. A Christmas Carol. Polar Express. Christmas movies are a guilty pleasure that I love to indulge, I have my favourites that I love but in general I tend to enjoy the really bad ones nearly just as much. Bad Santa costumes and obvious storylines about absentee parents seeing the error of their ways get me every time… Sniff.
4.Presents. Gifts. Treats. Aside from the stress of fighting crowds while shopping & planning lists, there is a real satisfaction in ticking off your list of presents and wrapping them up all pretty. I love wrapping, the more bows and ribbons the better. Getting presents is also awesome. When you get it right, seeing someone love the gift you’ve gotten them is the best feeling. Not so much when you get it wrong… But that’s what gift receipts are for.
3. Socialising. Christmas is a time for making time to see people and meet up for with friends who you haven’t seen in a while, who are home from trips away or even those you see all the time. Everything is more fun in Christmas jumpers. Heading to the local pub after Christmas eve mass is a tradition I love, drinks flow, hugs are thrown around and general feel goods ensue. What girl doesn’t love getting all glammed up for a night out? And there are a ton of the festive season. It’s just not great for your waistline or your liver.
2. FOOD. Christmas dinner is the stuff dreams are made of… mountains of stuffing, turkey, honey glazed ham, fancy mashed potato, caramelised Brussels sprouts. Don’t even get me started on the leftovers. Selection boxes, cookies, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding… there is just so much food to choose from if you’re lucky enough. Diets are not your friend at this time of year so leave the self-restraint for January. I am particularly looking forward to my annual after-dinner food coma nap on Christmas day.
1. Reunions. Personally the best part of Christmas is the fact that you are (hopefully) surrounded by your friends and family that have made the trip home so that you have all your people in one place. Nothing better than having all the people you love in one room at the same time, which is something I’ve only started to appreciate as I’ve grown up because the majority of my friends are abroad at the minute. (A special shout out to my BFF who is in Oz for Christmas this year – LOVE YOU SINÉAD!)
Am I missing anything from my list of the best things about Christmas? What makes you feel that yuletide cheer? Let me know
