University has broken up for Christmas and I couldn't wait to get festive, after this year there's no doubt we definitely deserve to enjoy it!! Christmas is my favourite time of the year so I decided to do something Christmassy every day of December, whether that be as small as eating a mince pie or drinking a festive hot chocolate in front of the fire, just to keep up the excitement on the run up to Christmas Day.
Even though this is a weird one this year due to the restrictions we can always try to make the most of what we can do, rather than focusing on what we can't.
Here are a few ideas that you could try out if you, like me, can't get enough of the festivities!
1. Decorate your home
There's nothing better than sitting and watching Christmas films or enjoying a Christmas drink surrounded by twinkling lights and festive foliage! I like to go over the top in my decorating so that there's Christmas around every corner!
Most of our decorations are kept from last year and we re use them every year but I also think that a new little decoration DIY can keep your decorations exciting as well as making you feel festive whilst making it at the same time!!
I wanted to make a dried orange garland this year as I had been seeing it all over Instagram and Pinterest. It is so affordable as you can buy big oranges from your local supermarket and them yourself on a low heat in the oven until they go an amazing caramel-golden colour.
I used red ribbon and cinnamon sticks to incorporate into the design to create a fuller looking garland and just strung all of the pieces onto a piece of string, so simple yet so effective!!
2. Festive hot chocolate
As the nights are getting colder I have often found myself reaching for a hot and wintry, sweet drink on a night to warm me up! Hot chocolates have never been my favourite, (and ask anyone that knows me and they'll say I much prefer a gallon of tea!) but they are just a classic Christmas drink!
An essential of hot chocolate is the topping, and of course I had to make it festive! For me, the perfect Christmas hot choc is accompanied with heaps of cream and some cute sparkly decorations (and of course a gingerbread man on the side!).
(My gingerbread man sunk unfortunately! So I ended up with a sweet gingerbread-y mush at the bottom of my mug :// Not ideal)
3. Send your Christmas cards out
On a break away from my Uni house, all I can think of is what my housemates are up to, the perfect way to let them know you are thinking of them is to send them a cute little Christmas card and I know they'll all appreciate it!
It is also such a good activity to do instead of being glued to the tv just watching all the festive stuff out at the minute! (guilty)
4. Christmas baking
Of course I was going to find any excuse to bake, and seen as Christmas time is the time for sweet treats and indulgence it really would be rude not to!
Check out my previous blog on Christmas baking ideas for more information!
5. Christmas pamper night
Hot bubbly baths are an essential especially if you've been Christmas shopping out in the cold all day (or even just if you've been sat in the house, thanks Covid :)), and I like to make mine as extra as possible because, why not?, it is Christmas after all!
For a bit of a treat, I like to use a Christmas scented sheet mask (I used the Body Shop Clementine one) and light all of my Christmas scented candles for a relaxing glow! I also took an essential glass of prosecco just to keep sipping away at while I was in there and, of course, a good book, at the minute I'm reading 'Ghosts' by Dolly Alderton (book review coming soon).
After the bath I sat in my towel, full-body-moisturised and gave myself a festive manicure and pedicure (featuring an obscene amount of glitter of course!)
6. Christmas Zoom Quiz
Seen as, this year, it is a bit harder to meet up with loved ones (cheers pandemic) we decided to make a Christmas quiz that could be delivered over zoom. With a few technical difficulties (the older generation tended to struggle with zoom xx) it was a great success.
Having everyone in one (zoom) room reminded us that family is so important at Christmas time and, even though we can't hug or even come into contact with them as normal at Christmas, without worrying for their safety, they will always appreciate the effort you put in to spending time with them. Of course, this is integral now, more than ever!
Merry Christmas everyone!
:)) xxx