I've spent the better part of this afternoon sat crossed-legged, scissors in hand, trying to fumble around clumsily with a rolls of gold shiny paper. I've never been the most gracious wrapper (disguised every year after I flood presents with trinkets, gift tags and sparkly bows) - but this year things are a little different. A few of my presents I'm baking myself (mince pies, chocolate truffles, ginger biscuits...) so the presents are going into Ikea lock-top jars decorated with flat wooden/tin decorations I brought at the Ideal Home Show. I've done all gold and black wrapping this year - using stripes, polka dot, little trees and plain gold.
For my cards, I've used water colours to paint mini christmas emblems onto the envelopes and inside with the writing which I think is a nice personal touch. Over christmas eve-boxing day, we're going back to Sidmouth like we did last year. My dad likes nothing more than strolling along the seaside (cockling) and we sat to watch the annual crazy sea-swim made up of hundreds of people. Crazy people if that wasn't already stated. Hopefully it'll be the same red-wine-hot-bath-pannatone-filled-extravaganza as last year. Although I will be a little sad not to see Pete for a week or so over my favorite time of year.
Something I still can't get over (and by that I mean screaming inside like a little kid) is that next year I'll have my own home to decorate; I'll be doing my first ever christmas tree shop, buying lights and hot chocolate and baking cookies and having dreamy Lush baths and drinking mulled wine snuggled up on the sofa watching The Grinch. Phew. Which, speaking of it, we have looked at a few houses and I feel (maybe just a little bit) hard for a place in Peak Avenue with fields, a private enclosed drive and a south west facing garden. But alas, we still search on.
In other news, I've booked us tickets to a pop-up cinema in Notting Hill which has been dressed up with fake snow and serves hot chocolate and mulled wine.. and you enter Narnia-style through a wardrobe: I can't wait. We're booked in to see Bad Santa at 8.30 on Thursday. Other than this, I'm dying to start baking all my goods, and try out homemade baileys iced coffee, mulled wine or various puff pasty goodies.
