16th – Gift Exchange – This year I met my friends from university for lunch and to exchange our Christmas gifts. It was great to meet up with Tammy, Ashley and Angie because since we graduated and started working shifts its difficult to organise outings that we can all make. As usual we ended up at Frankie and Benny’s
17th – Full month of December planned out on a calendar sheet.
18th – Christmas Curry – Well dinner this year will be similar to that of last year, we will actually be having an ‘Asian Christmas dinner’ at our local Indian restaurant. They put on a fantastic spread of authentic Indian dishes and also a more traditional roast turkey. However, I actually prefer curry for Christmas!
19th – Dear Santa – To be honest there wasn’t really much I wanted this Christmas, so as I write this my main wish for Christmas day is to wake up in good health and enjoy the day with my family. I would like to have one worry free day where I don’t think about my health, work etc… and am able to just enjoy myself.
Thank you for all the wonderful presents in previous years
Terri
X
P.S I hope you enjoy your whisky and Rudolf enjoys the carrot!
13th – Christmas Carols
My top 10
1. Do They Know it’s Christmas – Band Aid
2. Fairytale Of New York – The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl
3. Last Christmas – Wham
4. Step in to Christmas – Elton John
5. Mistletoe and Wine – Cliff Richard
6. I wish it could be Christmas Everyday - Roy Wood & Wizzard
7. Mary’s Boy Child – Boney M
8. Merry Christmas Everybody - Slade
9. Lonely this Christmas - Mud
10. Saviour’s Day – Cliff Richard
14th – The Gift is in giving – Our tradition is for me to hand out presents one by one for us to open in turn. We have done this for as long as I can remember. By doing it this way we manage to stretch out the present opening for a few hours and see what everyone else has received as they open their presents.
15th – Visitors – We don’t really have anyone we specifically visit at Christmas as most of our family either live miles away or we don’t really keep in touch with them. We always visit my Nan and mum’s side of the family about a week before Christmas to deliver presents and have a mini Christmas dinner. We usually visit friends sporadically throughout the festive period depending on work commitments.
11th – O’ Christmas Tree – My tree in my room is about 3ft high and artificial. I have decorated it for the last 2 years themed around the colours of my bedroom, teal and silver. I love the way the blue lights twinkle against the baubles and enhance the colours in the room.
12th – The Ghost of Christmas…
Past – Christmas has always been a time spent with close family and friends. As mum was always taken to her Nan’s on Christmas day she chose not to make me go, so we spent the day together at home and then in later years we went out for Christmas dinner with close family friends.
Present – This year will be the first year that my boyfriend has spent Christmas day with me and my family which will be great but also a little weird for me as I have never had Christmas morning with anyone other than my parents.
Future – Next year will be the first year when I have to work a shift on Christmas Day so I’m not sure exactly how Christmas day will work next year with present opening and dinner etc…
December 2009
1st – Manifesto – I was away in India as the world geared up for the start of the December Christmas rush but when I returned on the 8th I decided I was definitely in need of some direction. So I signed up to Shimelle’s class ‘Journal your Christmas’. In it, I will write something every day to reflect on the holidays of my past, enjoy the holidays of the present and dream about the holidays of the future. To some, this would be a stack of papers and trivial scribbles, but not to me. I am taking back my Christmas, I am letting it be something I relish and most importantly I am giving at least fifteen minutes to myself, everyday, no matter how crazy this season becomes. This Christmas I will make something with my own hands, my own words and my own memories.
2nd – Winter Wonderland – I have to admit that although I do love to be outside in the crisp winter air, wrapped up in my thick coat, my favourite place in winter is in my pjs sat in front of the fire.
3rd – Jolly Mr Postman – I actually start making my Christmas cards early on in November (well I try to at least make a start!) however, I always seem to end up being last minute. For example I still haven’t written any yet and am not sure I have even made enough. My cards get given to close friends and family. Some are posted while others are given in person.
4th – Love Actually – I spent some time thinking about this and expected me to decide on a children’s classic such as ‘The Snowman’ as my favourite Christmas film but a few years ago around Christmas I went to see ‘Love Actually’ and every year since then I have watched it during the Christmas period. It always fills me with Christmas joy and happiness, as if everything will have a happy ending even if there are a few hiccups on the way!
5th – The big count down – From being little I have always had an advent calendar, in later years it has always been a yummy chocolate one, but this year as I was away at the end of November I didn’t get an advent calendar. I must admit that I do miss opening the little windows everyday and seeing the countdown right in front of me. Maybe next year I will make my own.
6th – The good, the bad and the ugly – Christmas is a time to spend with family and friends, so for quite a few years there was a group of us who went out for Christmas dinner together and then come back to our house where my mum would put on a little buffet and we would stay up drinking and playing games until the early hours.
In 2006 my mum, dad and I went to Gambia for Christmas and New Year. Although we had a great holiday, it just wasn’t Christmas! They celebrate on Christmas Eve which meant that we ended up having chinese for Christmas dinner. It was nice but just not the same.
I must admit that I really am not looking forward to having to work Christmas Day next year, but will try to forget about it for 365 days.
7th – Making his list and checking it twice
Present list
8th – It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… (everywhere you go!)
To include pics of: xmas tree, lights, ice on cars, frost etc…
9th – Traditions – Our family have got quite a few traditions when it comes to Christmas. But the main one which sticks in my head is the annual mince pie making sessions my dad does. No one can make mince pies as good as his and its something I look forward to at Christmas.
10th – All wrapped up! – I must admit that almost all my presents are already wrapped up and some are already under the tree waiting to be delivered.
