The Extended Christmas TAG

So i’ve seen the Christmas Tag floating around on various blogs with different questions appearing on different blogs. I’ve put together most of the popular questions to answer for my version of the Christmas Tag. I tag whoever reads this to do it and when you have (or if you already have) leave a link to it below! I love to see what other people do around Christmas Time!

Do you prefer a real Christmas tree or synthetic?

When I was younger, we used to have a real tree every so often but it just used to get so messy so now in the flat we have a synthetic one that looks just as good as a real one and there’s no fuss or mess! 

You're in a coffee shop, it's December, what do you pick?

At the moment, i’m LOVING Costa’s White Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows (no cream)! Mmmmm! 

Whats your favourite colour scheme for decorating the tree?

Red and Gold. It’s so traditionally Christmassy that you can’t go wrong. I’d like to have more white incorporated into our tree this year though to go with our new living room! 

Giving or receiving?

Giving! I go completely OTT with presents! 

To mince pie or not to?

To mince pie! And to Christmas Cake! And Christmas Pudding! 

What's your traditional sunday lunch?

Chicken, stuffing, roast potatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, mash, gravy and bread sauce! *mouth waters* 

What's your favourite Christmas song?

It has to be ‘All I want for Christmas’ by Mariah Carey or ‘Fairytale of New York’ by The Pogues. Two typically classic Christmassy songs! 

What's your favourite Christmas film?

Home Alone as a classic or Arthur Christmas as a more modern alternative! Both really get me in the mood for Christmas!

Open presents before or after lunch?

Before breakfast! I could never wait until after lunch although I always regret that I don’t have anymore presents to open haha! 

What time of the year do you start your Christmas shopping?

The past 3 years i’ve started quite early, around September time, and been finished by November. Same goes for this year! 

Do you have any festive recipes for food or drink you limit solely to the Christmas season to share?

Only mince pies. I couldn’t eat a mince pie any other time than Christmas and I love baking them! 

Tell me how Christmas goes down in your home

When I lived at my parents, it had been the same since I was little. We’d wake up and come downstairs to see if Santa had been. We’d open presents, Lucy and Me would go first and my Dad would record it on the camcorder and then my Nan would open hers and then Mum and Dad would open theirs. We’d have breakfast whilst Dad tidied up and then go and get ready. It was then off to Grandma’s and Grandad’s house for more presents from them, my aunty and uncle. Up until I was around 16, my Great Aunty and Uncle used to come over too but this stopped as there were too many people in the house! We’d have Christmas dinner and then play a board game. Tea time came and we’d have some snacks and a drink and watch some rubbish TV and then head home! 

Last year was a little different as I had moved into the flat with Adam. So we woke up in the morning and got all our presents out onto the sofa bed in the living room. We took it in turns to open our gifts from each other and then had breakfast. We got ready and headed over to Adam’s parents house in Birmingham. We stayed there for a few hours then came back over to my grandparents and was the same routine as above. Presents, dinner, game, tea, tv, home! 

Do you have any Christmas traditions?

The above kind of explains our traditions really. We never had any other traditions which i’m kind of sad about and really want to introduce some for Millie. One is going to be a Christmas Eve set of Pyjamas and a Christmas Eve Film and i’m going to save a present until bedtime on Christmas Day. I’d love to know what your traditions are! 

What do you do on Christmas Eve?

When I was at my Mums, I used to share a room with my sister so on Christmas eve, i’d pretend to tell her what I got her for christmas so she’d tell me what she had got me haha! We used to go to Midnight Mass and then come home and go straight to bed. Last year at the flat, I went to church with my family and then come back home to Adam and we just sat in and ate yummy food, watched Christmas films and had an early night (I was 5 months pregnant at the time). This year it’s going to be a whole new story as we have a little person with us! I’m SO EXCITED!

What's your Christmas wrapping strategy? Do you have a strategy?

Use lots of Sellotape! Haha, i’m so rubbish at wrapping but I love doing it so I jus try to get it as neat as possible and if all else fails, literally cover it in Sellotape so you can’t get into it ;) 

What's your dream gift this year?

I don’t really have a dream gift this year but my ‘dream’ is to give Millie the best First Christmas she could have and record as much of it as possible on camera! 

Do you decorate just the tree or other areas of your house e.g. windows, bannisters?

Yeah, we decorate windowsills and have little stocking hangers that sit on the edge of the windowsill too. I think it’s nice to take down any regular decorations and replace them with Christmassy ones! 

What do you wear to Christmas parties and what do you wear on Christmas day?

I’ve never been to a Christmas Party but on Christmas Day, I like to get something pretty to wear. A dress normally but this year i’m thinking of a little two-piece, short and jacket combo. Let me know if you’ve seen any that you like anywhere! 

Please let me know if you do this, I love to read up on people’s lives and see what they get up to, especially over Christmas! 

Merry Christmas! 

P.s. Have you entered my Big Christmas Goodie Box Giveaway!?