It's feeling festive in my flat now. The cheapo Christmas lights are sellotaped to the flat's plasterboard wall around the window. The order has been placed at a quality local deli for some nice meats and mince pies to be picked up two days before the big day. There are four more days at work and I've already had a nice long weekend to help dab up some of my holiday entitlement. For that added touch there is a real Christmas tree sitting proud in the living room on the desk near the sofa, having never got a real one before it feels so much more special. It's finally feeling a lot like Christmas and the best kind , one I've had to work that little bit harder for.
Now I appreciate everyone's Christmas is different and it's quite personal what needs to happen to get you in the mood, that's why it seems pointless advertising Christmas goods early. It definitely dosen't get me in the spirit.
What really brings home christmas aren't products but moments like catching up with certain people, or the city decorated with Christmas lights that add warmth to the numbing cold. The atmosphere at work, lightening or purchasing the tin of quality street/roses/celebrations to be devoured as part of a good festive movie where someone escapes Nazis, takes Nazis on equipped with a bull whip or someone's dad inexplicably becomes a snow man.
I think Christmas should retain some religious semblance as it clearly hasn't got much to some these days. Hideous supermarket commercials crammed with imagery to plague our conscience with pleasing thoughts of spending cash at their store to secure a good Christmas, profit over the prophet.
I'd like there to be a balance, after all it's more special that everyone celebrates even if the true meaning has been lost a little (am not going over that one, covered already!)
It is starting to feel like there's a fine art to Christmas. The organisation required, the acqusition of goods ( I bought oranges today for mulled port in five days time) and the logistics to see friends and prioritise family. I am as yet a novice , not a complete beginner but since my family's gifts are still as yet unpurchased itis clear I am a long way off the coveted title of christmas master (u what!??)
I am doing quite well though I'd say , ingredients for mulled port are stored safely in my kitchen, the food order placed at the deli is not just a despreate bid to avoid christmas past ( I'll explin shortly) but it is something we only do once a year so feels so much more special, more luxurious so helps mark the occasion.
About two years ago christmas was a bit of a shambles. My flatmate and I intended to get our food shopping done on christmas eve. Problem was some friends had made the trip over to the city to say hi so we opted to have dinner with them. It was a very nice dinner in a local tavern, exceptionally nice in fact and exceptionally hard to leave. By the time we got to the supermarket it was too late , a reduced pack of ready roasted spuds and a innocents veg pot was the only suitable ingredients left.
The next day we had some frozen mash , a couple pre-roasted spuds , a small chicken breast defrosted under the cold tap and the veg pot. It felt so naff , it reeked of lazy. We wore paper colored hats while we ate, the dinner conversation was a little light.
A few years later, maybe influenced by the bitter taste of that fateful meal we ordered supplies early from the Source food cafe in Bristol. The chicken ( we don't like Turkey) was amazing , came with the giblets and neck which was used to make a stunning gravy. The meal we produced was stunning,a labour of love , well worth the effort. we cannot speak of the previous meal in public.
I guess for me the meal has a significant importance, I would say level with presents for others.
I am lucky this year because i get to stay in my home on christmas day with my flatmate and her baby , effectively my adoptive Bristol family ,then boxing day it's the long haul home across the country (and up a bit) to see my parents and siblings. It's perfect really , no one gets left out, all bases covered.
So far things have been coming together. I am not fanatical about christmas but it can be a bit miserable if I don't put in the effort. I just need to learn from previous years to make sure this one goes Ok . I started this recently by having the flu jab due to last years christmas period getting marred by fever.
Merry christmas one and all.