Had a couple of conversations with people recently where they said that they ‘hated Christmas’ and all of the planning and work that it involved. Took me by surprise completely as I just assumed that everyone else loves it just as much as we do. I suspect that they don’t actually hate it just find it a bit stressful and busy but even so!
Christmas has always been, and will always be, the most magical wonderful time of the year and I refuse to let anyone tell me any different. It doesn’t matter how much organising you need to do or how much ‘stress’ is involved, it is all totally worthwhile.
What’s so good about Christmas?
That’s a tough one. Everything is good about Christmas so where do I start? What exactly is it about Christmas that I especially like? I think it’s the general feeling of optimism and positivity you feel from most people, buying gifts for others, thinking about family and friends, socialising more.
Christmas Adverts
I know they always start far too early and that you end up seeing the same adverts over and over again but I have to admit that I seriously like Christmas Ads. They are soppy and schmalzy but they get us into the festive spirit. Not a huge fan of the John Lewis ones (too deep and serious for me) but love the ‘holidays are coming‘ ones particularly.
Christmas Films
You can’t beat a classic Christmas film and we have already watched my two top festive movies this year, ‘Love Actually‘ and ‘It’s a Wonderful Life‘. Seen them so many times but never ever get tired of them at this time of year. So many great Christmas movies to watch and they can’t be too cheesy or too romantic! Everything goes. Watched ‘The Nativity‘ last night for the first time, lovely little film.
Oh, and just to be clear, ‘Die Hard‘ is definitely NOT a Christmas film. If Bruce Willis says it’s not then that confirms it (and he does).
Christmas Music
We try and delay listening to any Christmas music until December 1st but from then on we can’t get enough of it. It’s the familiarity and tradition of hearing the same songs year after year that evoke memories of happy times and great Christmases of the past. I don’t care if they are played to death in supermarkets and coffee shops and on the radio.
It’s difficult to say what my favourite festive track is though as it changes from day to day. Anything from ‘Last Christmas’ to “The Power of Love‘ to ‘Fairytale of New York‘ but probably Chris Rea’s classic ‘Driving Home for Christmas‘ takes the biscuit as it reminds us of so many trips picking up our sons from Uni and going to family do’s. Oh, and it’s a classic scene in Gavin and Stacey!
Christmas Shopping
I know you all hate the crowds and the hassle of choosing presents and trudging around the shops but I have always loved Christmas shopping. Just choosing gifts and stockings fillers from multiple stores for our family and friends gives me a warm feeling inside. My biggest problem is knowing when to stop!
It’s all so much easier with online shopping now but that just isn’t the same so we’ve spent as much as ever this year in Christmas shops trying not to buy everything!
Christmas Wrapping
All those purchases have to be wrapped don’t they? And with the number of gifts we buy that can be a huge task. Sometimes when our boys were small there were SO many presents under the tree that we could hardly get in the front room! Brilliant. Took all day for us to open them.
So wrapping is fun isn’t it? Jo is so good at it, her gifts look classy and artistic whereas mine look like an 8 year old has done them. Bad folds, too much sellotape, creased paper,. Who cares though? It’s the thought that counts and I love doing it.
Christmas Food and Drink
Who can argue with this one? It may not be healthy and we may consume far too much of it but surely that’s all part of the festivities isn’t it? Forget your waistline for a week or so and worry about that on January 2nd, Christmas food is the best. And we absolutely love a buffet in our family.
Favourite Christmas food – Prawn vol-u-vents and Pork Pies.
As for drink ….. well we don’t go crazy but when we are all together it seems to flow a bit quicker and we are only being sociable of course!
Favourite Christmas drinks – Peach Schnapps and Cherry Brandy.
Happy Christmas
So I guess you’ve figured it out by now that there isn’t much that I don;t like about Christmas. Perhaps the adverts start too early, or the shops get a little crazy, but that’s all fine. It just gets you into the Christmas spirit.
I have always told my boys that Christmas is not just the 25th, it is the whole season. We enjoy Christmastime and for us it lasts right through to New Year. And it’s not about gifts or food really, it is all about friends and family and getting together.
If restrictions allow, and I’m not going to mention the C-word, then we will be spending a few days with all three of our boys and our two girls. And we seriously cannot wait!
17/12/2021
JWalking 
Merry Christmas you two! It’s good to hear you are enjoying it to the max! And we wish you a very Blessed and Healthy New Year!
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Thanks Chris, glad to hear Ray is ok now. Have a great Christmas in Corpus Christi.
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Merry Christmas to you! Love your pictures. I am one of those people who does waaaaay too much for the holidays.
Die Hard is definitely a Christmas Movie. I watched it while making cookies today! Not only does it take place on Christmas Eve at an office party, but the music is dark and twisted take-offs of old Christmas carols. LOL!
Stop by to guess and win one of my cards!
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Happy Christmas Susie. We’ll have to agree to disagree on Die Hard but to be honest ….. who cares? Great film whatever. Have a great Christmas.
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LOL!
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A wonderful post, and I was with you all the way.The shopping, the tree, decorating the house, buying and wrapping the gifts, I love it all. I can’t be bothered with classy understated Christmas decorating. No, no, no, it has to be overdone, and sparkly. As far as food goes, remember, ‘it’s not what you eat between Christmas and New Year that does the damage, it’s what you eat between New Year and Christmas’. Have a good one you two. Keep safe and healthy, and I hope 2022 brings you everything you could possibly wish for, and more.
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Thanks so much Chris. Hoping for a happy and healthy Christmas like everyone else. Hope you have a good one down there in the sunshine.
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Wishing you and Jo a fabulous Christmas, Jonno, and a happy, healthy 2022!
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Thanks Jo, just hoping it all works out. Have a great Christmas yourself out there in the sunshine.
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In the sunshine today, Jonno, but shivering in the UK if our plan works out 🤣💕
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Ah ok, when are you planning to return then? Rules changing constantly.
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I know! Trying to be positive but it could go very wrong. 23rd we fly in and out again on 26th. Prayer mat is out 🤗💕
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Really hope it works out Jo, don’t think they’ll cancel flights at this stage but you may have to test every day. Fingers crossed.
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We’re only there 3 days, hon. 2 tests already booked. Who knows?
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What a lovely cheerful post! I’m with you all the way on that. Hope you have a wonderful family Christmas and it all goes to plan!
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Fingers crossed it all works out and we can get together as planned. Happy Christmas LMT.
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Hi Jon and Jo, lovely uplifting post.
I absolutely adore Christmas – almost as much as Anouk does 🙂
Driving Home for Christmas gets played a lot here.
Have a fab Christmas !!
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Great song isn’t it Andy? Hope you guys all have a brilliant Christmas.
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It’s not Christmas until I have seen a Muppet Christmas Carol and Elf :-). Your post made me feel all warm inside, lovely thoughts. Merry Christmas you wonderful people xx
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Love Elf but have to confess that I haven’t really seen Muppet Christmas Carol (so sorry). Have a great Christmas Lydia, see you soon x
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A very Merry Christmas to you and your family. Wishing you a wonderful new year where hopefully we can all look forward to more than the C-word!
Oh, and yes yes yes to the movie It’s a Wonderful Life! The best Christmas movie 🙂
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It has a certain classic uplifting feel to it doesn’t it? Can’t beat a great Christmas film.
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A lovely joyful post Jonno and so glad you have they Christmas spirit.
It’s hard to feel that Christmassy here with the blue skies and sunshine but my decorations are all up and trying to be festive.
We have been to lots of parties dinners lunches and brunches so far, making the most of it before WA finally opens up to the rear of Australia and the world!
Merry Christmas to you and Jo 🎅🍾🌲
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Thanks Alison. Sounds like you are really having a wonderful sociable Christmas, so lovely to spend it with family and friends.
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Thanks Jonno, more family than friends but at least my lovely daughter is near with my wonderful grandchildren
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Haha meant more friends than family 🤔
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Have a very Merry Christmas.
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You too Itching, keep safe.
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🥂
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Merry Christmas Jwalkers! Chrimbo’s not stressful at all with a little simple planning. Love a bit of Christmas but can’t be doing with the music, movies or the ads. I avoid them all as much as possible. However, the grub, festive booze and that general sense of optimism that seems to start weeks in advance I’m a definite fan of. I also like wrapping the prezzies as much as opening them.
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Not the same without the music, we are wall to wall Christmas music from the beginning of December. 24 hour festive tunes all the way and at least one film every single day.
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Christmas is the best time of the year! Glad to hear you love it as much as we do in our house! We watch a Christmas movie (or two) every single day of December. One of our recent favourites is Klaus on Netflix if you are taking recommendations! I really must watch It’s a Wonderful Life…Not seen that yet.
Hope you have a lovely festive season this year and sending lots of Christmas spirit from my home to yours – Although it sounds like you don’t need any! 😀 x
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Watched Klaus the other day and what a great film. Really loved it. You have to do Its a Wonderful Life though, its the classic Christmas feel-good film.
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Thanks I will check it out, I already have it on dvd so I’m halfway there! Haha Klaus was great, such a twisted new idea. Love Hard is the latest Xmas movie and I recommend that one for a laugh too! Merry Christmas 😁
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Happy Christmas to you both! It’s already started here with the big family gathering last weekend because this is the year where the other side of the families get their turn on Christmas Day. We all had a wonderful day and a delicious lunch. We share the load when it comes to the food so it’s not a big job for one person and we all do Secret Santa so we don’t have an over abundance of gifts. It’s perfect. Oh, and it’s a balmy 30 degrees C today – blue sky and sunshine. 🙂
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Sounds like it was a fabulous day, you cant beat getting the family together at Christmas can you? Our weather is slightly cooler but thats the way we like it this time of year.
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Hopefully you managed to get to be with family Jonno and had a great time. Your optimism shines through, not just at Christmas either. I managed to have most of my family with us at the beach this Christmas and loved all the Granny cuddles I got, as I haven’t seen my grandson since Feb 2021 – he’d grown a lot!
I also appreciate you like buying and wrapping gifts, not many men i know will admit to that!
All the best to you both for the year ahead. Great to catch up on some of your recent posts. We’re hoping we might be able to travel to the UK later in the year but will see how the world goes in the next few months first.
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Had a brilliant Christmas thanks Debbie, spent time with all three of our boys which was great. Sounds like you had a lovely time too. Great to see your grandson after all this time. Hope you get to travel this year but I wouldn’t bet on it happening unfortunately.
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