Is it ever too soon for Christmas? I’m actually referencing the trimming of the festive tree, and the throwing up of bling. Well . . . for me, the answer is clearly, NO! My tree went up early November. It’s never too early for a sprinkling of some much-needed Christmas cheer!” Ever since I can remember I have always been heavily invested in the fairytale of tradition, and a devout member of ‘Team Tinsel’, forever striving to get my tree up as early as physically possible. I also have a recurring problem with the inevitable task of taking it down again once the season is spent! My fairy lights earn their keep double time, and are still blinking away through February. The trick is, I remove the Christmas baubles from my tree at the end of January, and replace them with ‘heart’ decorations to celebrate Saint Valentine. And there they hang, between twinkling lights, giving a nod to universal love until March, when sadly they definitely do come down!
My ‘Reindeer Ready’ programming stems from a very excitable childhood, growing up in a joyous household where Christmas was always celebrated to the full; when Babycham was considered super posh, unshelled walnuts were a tropical luxury, and a Snowball wasn’t something you hurled at people’s heads but a popular, seasonal tipple.
As a small child, Christmas also guaranteed relatives stopping over, which for me and my two sisters was an additional bonus to the holiday excitement. Why? Well, we got ousted from our bedrooms and got to sleep in the ancient armoire – a fold-out bed cunningly concealed in a wardrobe perched out on the landing. As a child this sleeping arrangement was unbelievably magical. There was a light inside the wardrobe, and we actually believed it was a doorway to Narnia. However, Mum never liked us to announce the fact that we slept in a wardrobe in case Social Services got twitchy!
So you see, from the get-go I’ve always had a soft spot for the charisma of Christmas, no matter how commercial it’s all become. At this time of year, I often indulge in a pre-Christmas break, yet always try to be home for the big event. Some years ago we took a luxury cruise over the entire Christmas period to get away from the UK’s frosty climes. It seemed a great idea at the time! And the excitement and inexplicit thrill of leaving a grey and grim UK for a two-week cruise around the sun-kissed Caribbean was dream-like. The ship itself was magnificent and decorated tastefully with an abundance of festive cheer. Yet there was something seriously missing, which I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Then it hit me firmly between the eyes! I actually missed getting involved with all those nostalgic, traditional touches that only ever manifest when doing Christmas yourself, and spreading jingle joy at home with your own family and friends.
The cruise ship was certainly a privileged luxury, but I actually enjoy putting up festive lights, trimming the tree, and getting the house ready for Christmas. I like making Gin-gle bell cocktails (1 part gin, 2 parts cranberry juice topped up with prosecco and spiked with a cherry), along with lighting an extravagant number of candles. I like transforming the lounge into a grown up’s Santa grotto. And I just love festive adornments – they make me happy, and that can’t be a bad thing, can it?
Christmas day on that said cruise was also spent on a golden beach in St Kitts. I know that might sound wonderful, but I found myself once again, missing all those little personal details which I always associate with Christmas. Although we enjoyed the cruise immensely, I felt I had missed Christmas completely!
Here in Mallorca we are lucky to have the best of both worlds. The past weeks have still been bright and sunny, with the evenings cool enough to let you know the brrrrrrr of winter is in the air. Fires are being lit. Wood smoke wafts.
And you might be tempted to pull on a jumper or wrap a scarf. For me, it’s that cooler, cosier feel which lets me know that Christmas is just around the corner, and I’m already well ahead of the game, and seriously Reindeer Ready!