I love this quote from one of my all-time favourite Christmas movies – Elf.  My husband and I have a tradition that we watch this on Christmas Eve, along with my other favourite Christmas movie, Christmas With The Kranks, an oldie but a goody!  We snuggle up on the sofa under the quilt, with a glass of Cranberry Sparkler (recipe can be found here) and homemade sausage rolls and it feels like Christmas is really here.

Today is my last day of work before the out of office goes on for the Christmas break, I’ve caught up on everything and after a busy year I’m ready for some time out.  I still have some Christmas prep to do –finish the present shopping and start the food shop (who else is a little scared of what the supermarket might be like over the next few days??), wrap all the gifts (this is one of my favourite parts of Christmas), lots of baking – gingerbread cookies, the aforementioned sausage rolls, Yule log and Pavlova and then I’ll be ready to relax! 

That is how I plan on spending the next couple of weeks – relaxing with my husband and our cats (of course), and many Skype sessions with my sister in the USA, catching up and celebrating via technology.

Christmas really is my favourite time of year – it’s when my husband proposed to me and that makes it even more special for us.  We have our own traditions we’ve started over the years, the decorations we’ve lovingly chosen together, the stockings ready to place under the tree (unfortunately we don’t have a fireplace, that is on the wish list for our next home!), and the turkey ready to be cooked. But Christmas is more than that, it’s important to remember that it’s not about what’s under the Christmas tree, it’s about who is round the tree with you.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas filled with love and laughter x