I love Christmas, always have done and probably always will do. I love everything about it, I love the lights, the tree, the fooood, the presents, the festive cheer, the films, the being drunk every day for a week (or two), the fuck-it-its-christmas excuse used for EVERYTHING, the family time and the year in- year out traditions. Everyone has them and I love hearing about other peoples too!
In my family we have many. My Mam is basically Mrs. Clause. Since I can remember she has always made Christmas extra special for our family and although a lot has changed over the years and now we're (me, my bro and my sis) all grown up with extra additions to the gang, a lot of our original traditions still remain. One of my favourites has to be the new pyjamas on Christmas eve! Ever since we were tiny, Yazza (my mam) has presented us with this one prezzie the night before the big guy comes, telling us that we have to look our best for Santa! Another fave (that is now down to only me and my sis since my brother no longer lives at home) is covering each others eyes whilst tip-toeing down the stairs on Christmas morning excitedly questioning, has he been?! (LOL as if we still do this...). After present opening we always crack open the bucks fizz and get the bacon sandwiches on the go for our Christmas breakie. Crispy bacon, thick white bread and tommy K as standard. My mama also likes to hide prezzies/ money in baubles on the tree and we all have to locate and pick one each. This has since been extended to the addiotional family members (Ashley and Elliott, and probably this year Pete too - which are all three of our other halves). A new tradition in recent years is that I bring Elliott (not the biggest of Christmas fans) home to the North with me now too and Mrs. Clause takes him under her wing, and can make even the grinchiest of grinches get in the festive spirit and I LOVE that.
The festive season is even more magical in our family now my little niece (AKA the cutest girl in the world) is two and starting to take everything in and get all excited! She's been to see Santa at least seven times this year and her little face melts my heart. Traditionally every year I also tell myself I am going to be way more organised next year and then Christmas eve comes around again before I know it and I'm running round the shops like a mental woman with a trail of wrapping paper flying behind... Ultimately though, whatever Christmas traditions you have, whatever mayhem is going on at every turn and however many 'oh thanks I love it' faces you have to pull, the most important part of Christmas is being together surrounded by the people you love. So this festive season go spend all the time with your weird and wonderful lot, eating way too many mince pies and drinking far too much mulled wine... it really is the most wonderful time of the year!
Rachael
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