Merry Christmas

I love Christmas. Here are my top ten reasons:

1. Family - it's a time for getting together and spending time with loved ones. Or not. As I usually go to France at some point over the Festive season I invariably 'do Christmas' with my folks in early December, and then off I go guilt-free. I have to say, that I love my early-December Christmas.

2. Parties - My BB has got into the habit of buying me a lovely new dress for Christmas. How sweet is that ! He never buys anything in a style that I would buy, and so much the better for it,  I always love it ! In the drudge of work and the day-to-day, it's nice to get dressed up and go and party!

3. Christmas cards - I love Christmas cards. I love sending and receiving them. I love e-cards too. I recycle cards and make gift tags for the following year too. I did take a 'year off' from cards last year, but I'm back with a vengeance this year.

4. Christmas Decorations - The decorations are not yet up at home. I have decorated the office, with snowflakes on the office windows, poinsettias on the windows sill, snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, some tinsel and a little tree. Who needs to do home with an office like that?? Home will get done at some point.

5. Gifts - I love shopping for gifts. I do a lot of shopping on-line these days, but I still like going to my local shopping centre too, even if there are crowds, and stopping off for a warming coffee en route.

6. Children - It's all about the children isn't it ? Isn't it ? My CC will soon be a teenager and I'm detetermined for Christmas to be as Christmassy as ever ...

7. Christmas Lunch- I'm very specific about my Christmas lunch. I have an actual aversion to not cooking it myself, as I know what I like. My Christmas lunch is very important, and can be totally ruined by a dodgy piece of broccoli or squash. I know, I know that sounds ungrateful, like I said, I'll happily cook Christmas lunch...

8. Christmas Food - I must be the only person that loses weight in the run up to Christmas. As much as I love a Christmas lunch (my stylee), I can only eat it once. I absolutely cannot eat three roast dinners a week for every week in December. No way. In fact, I really don't like that everything is over-embellished at Christmas. Carrots in honey and orange and sprinkled with sesame seeds ? No thanks, just steamed carrots will be fine thank you. Brussel sprouts with chestnuts and bacon. No. Just brussel sprouts please. etc. etc...  So, if there's an invitation for a Christmas lunch, I will wish you well and go off for a jog.

9. The weather - If it snows, great! If it's cold, that's great too. If it's warm ? That's just plain wrong.

10. Christmas Carols - I'm not a religous person. I don't go to church. I do believe in being a good person, being kind to others, being thoughtful and polite, and being a good citizen. I don't feel I need to go to church to live that kind of life, nor to feel that there is some 'thing' that guides me and drives me. I never feel more connected then when I am singing a Christmas carol. This year I will actually be singing carols myself as I have joined a Christmas choir. Bring it on !!

That's my top ten - what's your favourite, or least favourite things about the festive season ?