Blogmas: Ten Things to Get You into the Festive Spirit.

Deck the laptops with festive cheer! December is upon us again and here at Our Muchness Guide we are gearing up for the most magical time of the year! Niamh here for the first day of Blogmas. We are partaking in the Blogmas but with a twist, since work and gigs are a thing, we will be posting some Christmasy inspired posts the month between today and Christmas Eve to add a bit of festive cheer into your life. So grab a hot chocolate, load it with marshmallows and away we go… 

Winter is my time to shine; it’s my favourite season and with it being Christmas month the festive cheer began December 1st and lasts all month. I thought, to kickstart us into Blogmas, I’d make a top ten list of things that always get me into the festive spirit. 

10. Christmas inspired clothing.

Tis the season for Christmas Jumpers, leggings and dresses. Also it is the season of glitter!!!!! You don’t have to have a snowman, santa or a christmas tree on you to feel festive. Make sure you take a rummage in the party season wear in any shop. You’ll find something you’ll love and that will help you feel great this season!

9. Ice Skating

For being a complete klutz, I love Ice Skating! Nothing says Winter like skating around an ice rink with your friends and trying not to fall. Add in the music playlist of this years top hits with a sprinkle of Christmas music and you have a great skating playlist. Note to anyone working a lot during the Christmas period: Be careful of when you plan to go skating. There is always a risk of falling and it won’t be wise to go when you have 10 days left of Christmas shifts… I usually go after Christmas just incase anything happens. Working with sprained or broken bones is the worst this time of year!

8. Advent Calendars

Advent Calendars regardless of your age it is socially acceptable to have one of these. A chocolate Advent Calendar is preferable but, nowadays, you can get storybook Advent Calendars or something you love is in an advent calendar. For me this year my stable one is always the Lindt Chocolate Advent Calendar and I got the Funko Pop 30 years of Marvel Advent Calendar too. To get you in the festive spirit I cannot recommend a chocolate one enough! How many you add after that is entirely up to you. 

7. Christmas inspired hot drinks

This one depending on your taste in hot drinks and tells a lot about your personality or, if you are like me… shows your allergies! For me it is ABC… Anything but Cinnamon. Joy’s of having a massive reaction to it if I do. Emma is also allergic to cinnamon, but she only drinks hot chocolate! Top favourite so far this year is my golden oldie.. Toffee Nut Latte. Butler’s Praline Hot Chocolate get an honorable mention too. 

6. Christmas songs 

I know many people who work in retail may already be beginning to hate these! But, Christmas songs had to be on the list. The best way to get around this is to make your own playlist. My one for work include ‘The Ghost of Christmas Present song’ from A Muppet Christmas Carol and ‘Sparkle and Shine’ From The Nativity. You need to shake up all playlists with upbeat Christmas songs that aren’t overplayed. Of course, Picture This, Hudson Taylor and Owl City all make an appearance on it too with their Christmas songs.

5. Christmas Baking

Mammy is the one to thank for this one. Christmas baking in our house revolves around Chocolate Biscuit Cake and Mince Pies. The request of the Biscuit cake is already in from my co workers! It is my favourite thing to do with my mam during the Christmas season. Our Kitchen smells AMAZING and turns into a tight convarbelt but, we get out some tasty goodies for friends, family and co workers.

4. Christmas Lights

Be it attending your local turning on of the Christmas lights or go looking at Christmas lights around your town. Seeing the Christmas lights can help awaken the Christmas spirit inside of you. Or, you might be the one putting up all the lights to help inspire! Make sure you give it a go; go and see some lights people!

3. Buying/Wrapping Presents

I personally love buying presents for the people in my life! I know alot of people hate Christmas shopping as the crowds can be overwhelming. The best advice I can say is do it early! Being done and dusted by a certain date that you set yourself can be a lifesaver. Wrapping presents is probably the less stressful and more festive thing to do for most people. Putting together the presents for that special someone can make you feel happy and Christmasy too of course!

2. Decorating

We are so behind in my house this year! Hoping tomorrow can change that. We try to have our Christmas decorations up for December 6th. It had to be in the top two. Decorate your space to reflect you, your family or loved one. Each Christmas decoration you choose to put up should be put up for you and not for just ‘the Christmas look’. By having decorations for years to come that hold special meanings behind them help with the festive feeling. Highlights in our house is the Christmas teddy bear skiing banister collection and the family of Snowman that takes over our Kitchen.

1. Donating gifts to Charity

Since my mid teens my most favourite thing to do at Christmas time is to go shopping for a number of presents for the St. Vincent de Paul present appeal. Be it with the same appeal, the shoebox appeal with HOPE or Trócaire. The most magical gift you can give this Christmas is to those less fortunate. Also the gift of time. Be it to charity or to your family. The most rewarding thing is to give your time to someone, it’s the one present you can never replace. 

Last thing to say it regardless if Christmas is your favourite time of year or you hate it with a burning passion.. I hope this season it good for you and yours. Merry Blogmas all and I shall post again soon.