My Christmas excitement is in FULL force right now, I love making the most of December, and partaking in as many festive activities as I can, and this week has been no exception.
Earlier on in the week I took a trip over to Stockheld Park to pick up some more decorations for the house, including our very first wreath, which I’m obsessed with at the moment. I also picked out some more trinkets for the tree, I think most of our bauble collection is from the Stockheld Park Christmas Shop – you must check it out if you’re local to Leeds – and we always pick out a new bauble every Christmas to reflect something special that’s happened throughout that year… and there have been quite a few special happenings in 2018!
Much to my dogs disgust delight… he also got involved in the festive action by being dressed up as a little elf! I’m pretty sure he hates me every time I pull out a new costume for him, ha ha.
I also picked up some treats from Hotel Chocolat, ready for the big day. I’ve seen lots of people raving this year about both the chocolate Christmas pudding, and their new Chocolat Cream Liqueur, so I took advantage of a 20% off discount and picked up both. On Christmas Eve this year we have both mine and my boyfriends family coming round to ours, and I’m going to serve up a huge array of party food to enjoy; then Christmas day we always spend with everyone at my Uncles house – who cooks the best dinner ever; and I believe Boxing Day we will be seeing my boyfriends parents; so I’ve ordered copious amounts of Christmas dinner food (pigs in blankets, goose fat for the roasts, beef dripping Yorkshire puddings, you know the drill…) to cook up a huge dinner for the two of us on the 27th… that’s when we will indulge in the pudding, and I think I may add a little of the liquer to some double cream so that we can enjoy that with it. I can’t wait.
I’m weirdly obsessed at the moment with these really trashy Christmas films that Channel 5 have been showing every Saturday back to back… I stumbled upon them by accident a couple of weekends ago, and just got sucked in! They’re complete tripe – pure cheese – yet strangely addictive, and now I can’t stop watching them… so Saturday was spent on the sofa under my blanket, indulging in them – and my boyfriend also got hot pain au chocolats in for breakfast, which made the day pretty near on perfect.
Every year me and my group of best friends meet up for our festive get together… which obviously always involves food, and this year some prosecco and gin cocktails too. So on Sunday we went to The Malmaison restaurant for a huge three course meal and lots of Christmas excitement. Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without our annual meal and meet up, and we always try to experience something new.
After all that indulgence, it was back home to enjoy the heating up full and lots of Christmas films. One of my favourite things ever, especially at Christmas, is Raymond Briggs books and short films. I’ve watched The Snowman and Father Christmas every single Christmas Eve without fail since I was a child, and I plan to carry on that tradition for as long as I can.. but I also like to dip into them randomly throughout December too. My boyfriend gifted me with the Father Christmas DVD one year, as he knew how much I loved it, and it still stands as one of the most special things he’s bought me – I didn’t even know it was available on DVD. I’ve also just added Ethel and Earnest to the DVD collection, which should be arriving any day now. Other films I’m pretty obsessed with at this time of the year are The Nightmare Before Christmas (Favourite. Christmas. Film. Ever); Elf (obvs); The Polar Express; Arthur Christmas; Jingle all the Way; and The Muppet Christmas Carol. It isn’t Christmas at all, until I’ve watched each of those, numerous times.
This Friday my family and I also went on our annual trip to the Leeds German Market. We enjoyed Baileys hot chocolates; fried cheese sticks; fried potatoes; ridiculously sized hot dogs; nutella crepes; and chocolate fruit on sticks. I also picked up some chocolates to take home, and also some flavoured coffee beans.
What festive activities have you been up to this week? Do you have any traditions that it just wouldn’t be Christmas without enjoying? I’d love to know…
