I Love December

I am a firm lover of Christmas. It is by far my favourite time of year. In fact I wish we could just be on a constant rotation of October through to the end of December. No, I take that back. I do love summer and the sun, but there is just something so special about this time of year that gives me a constant warm fuzzy feeling. I am that person who is excited for Christmas mid September but I feel that now that it is finally December I am allowed to sing and dance about it as much as I want.

So here is a little list of the reasons why I love December so much. If you’re not yet feeling Christmassy, perhaps this will give you a little push in the right direction.

1. Christmas drinks: I love hot chocolate all year round but during the festive period it always feels that little bit more acceptable to drink multiple coffee shop drinks a week. Especially when they come in the cutest takeout cups (I think Caffe Nero have the best this year) and with the most delicious flavours.
2. Christmas Markets: Now that I work in Manchester, I am just around the corner from the Christmas markets and I can’t believe how widespread they are. They have taken over the city and turned it into one big sparkly grotto. Oh and they serve Irish cream hot chocolates… Need I say more?!
3. The atmosphere: I feel as though the general mood is always a lot happier in December. There’s a constant excuse to feel super excited and to unleash your inner child. Whilst it is also often hectic and chaotic, this is mixed with a buzz of excitement.
4. Advent calendars: Or should I say ‘eating chocolate in the morning’. There’s nothing that takes you right back to your children hood other than opening the door of your advent calendar and eating your little chocolate with your bowl of porridge. It feels so mischievous, even though there really is nothing to stop me doing this every day of the year!
5. The scents: as soon as December 1st hits, it is time to bring out the Christmas candles. I recently bought the ‘Fir & Berry’ candle from The White Company as a new flat present from me to me. I haven’t let myself use it though until now. It literally smells as though there is a Fresh Christmas tree in my room and I absolutely love it. Other amazing scents include mulled wine, ginger bread, mince pies, cinnamon, chocolate, frosting…. The list goes on!
6. Baking: Last year I think I found myself baking every day in the last few weeks before the 25th. From gingerbread houses and chocolate strawberry Christmas trees, to cupcakes and mince pies I couldn’t stop creating delicious things to feast upon.
7. Layering up: My all time favourite outfits and items of clothing have always been winter related. I have a slight obsession with boots and big chunky knits (I think everyone does right?!)
8. Christmas music: there’s so much good Christmas music, from the extremely cheesy and very very well known, to the songs that are actually very good, and also to the traditional Christmas carols. As much as I love hearing ‘All I want for Christmas is you’ blasting out of the radio, I absolutely love going along to a local carol service and singing ‘Away in a Manger’ or ‘Silent Night’. Maybe it’s just the tradition that I love but I try and go to something like this every year.
9. Christmas films: could this post have gotten any more cliche and predictable? I don’t care, I can’t write about why I love December without mentioning Love Actually at least once. Any film with Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and Emma Thompson in is going to be amazing but this film just gets better year on year. A few other favourites include The Holiday, Serendipity,
10. Tradition: I really do love traditions. We have quite a few in our family around Christmas time and I am always adamant that we stick to them! Perhaps it is the familiarity that comes with tradition that I love so much.

The negative thing about December? The fact that it means we are leaving autumn and the magic month behind to enter into the depressing winter months of January and February… But let’s not think about that just yet.

Happy December!