So I was categorically told by one of my best friends that it was too early to get in the festive spirit. Balls to that is what I said and yesterday I donned my Christmas sparkly jumper (fully equipped with Christmas bells) and a tree light necklace and went for drinks with good friends.

I guess I am a bit premature for the whole festive season but hey as soon as it turned Nov 1st, Heart Extra FM became non stop Christmas hits so if you can’t beat ’em join ’em I say.

I’m determined to make this Christmas a good one.The last few over recent years haven’t been the best, in fact Christmases in general have not always been great for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas, I adore the festive season, always have until things got really hard for me. Being in an unhappy relationship and marriage and then losing my dad made Christmas tough. It’s become a bizarre time of year with family moving abroad in addition to everything else. And as I mentioned in a previous post, this year I want to shape Christmases for me and toddler P moving forward. What traditions are we going have, what are we going to get out of the Christmas period. Thinking of this has made me get my love and excitement for the festive season back.

I love the build up to Christmas. I love winter coats, stylish hats, knitted scarves and warm gloves. Crisp winter walks, cosy mulled wine and hot chocolate by the fire, snuggles under blankets and the smell of all things pine, cinnamon and clementines. I love baking homemade mince pies and pouring extra booze over the ageing Christmas cake. In fact the build up to the festive season is better than the event itself.

I love playing host and this year I’m taking the crown from the mothership and having our traditional Christmas Day spread at mine. I’m excited. I want it to be fun and have already set the wheels in motion for what Christmas for me and my girl will be like. I’ve bought 24 books and started to wrap them so each night over advent we have a different festive/winter bedtime story. I’ve planned out some of our activities like a Christmas Eve brunch at one of our favourite haunts.

Christmas maybe smaller now we’ve places missing at the table. Seats when Poppa M should be sat, places where the family I wanted us to be, should be. It might just be us and some added guests including the infamous Granny T. But that’s ok because it’s not about the number of people around the table, it’s the quality and company that they provide.

Christmases have been tough, I’ve not mentally prepared myself to enjoy them over recent years. I’ve actually resented and hated it as a season. I’ve not enjoyed the build up, I’ve dreaded the event arriving and then been disappointed that it was over feeling as though I’ve missed out on having a good time. Whereas this year I’m already enjoying it. I’m already in the spirit and know it’s going to be a good one. It’s going to be good because I’m in the mindset. I’ve told myself to allow it to be fun, to make it fun and to enjoy it.

So me, my mistletoe and Christmas jumper are dusted off and ready to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year.