Coffee Shop visits!
One thing that is a must is an annual festive visit to a coffee shop! You cannot beat sitting in the warm and cosy seats and being surrounded by the smell of beautiful coffee aromas with a warm flavoured drink in hand, maybe with a little treat too!
Each year I love having a ‘Pumpkin Spiced Latte’, ‘Black forest gateau hot chocolate’ and many other gorgeous flavours. This year I’ve visited Starbucks, Cafe Nero, 3threes and Costa coffee. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed trying the different vegan flavours and seeing what vegan treats each coffee shop has to offer.
Pamper evening!
Who doesn’t love a good pamper evening with friends, family or simply with their own company. Autumn and Winter are the perfect seasons to get some snacks on, warm drinks, cosy PJ’s and a good self care routine full of skin care, calm, catching up and pure chill.
My festive pamper evenings will consist of Christmas films, a few friends, my mum and a big buffet of yummy, quick and simple food. We will have a selection of drinks, hot and cold and will gather our cosiest blankets and light some candles. We lay out lots of lovely products and we can all choose what we’d like to try and use for the evening.
We lay out face masks, cleansers, scrubs, massage bars, feet masks, foot spa, moisturiser, pumice stones and nail care product. Everyone can take a pick at what suits there skin care needs and will use those items to create and fulfil there personal pamper.
Festive photo filters
Fun photo filters are so popular these days and I’ve found myself seeking them out during Halloween and Christmas! I have had so much fun with filters the past few years with my family and friends and therefore I had to pop it in this post as a Christmas tradition!
Whether it be snapchat, facebook, Instagram or just your phone, you won’t be disappointed with the fun you can have with something so simple!
Building a gingerbread house!
Each year we make tonnes of cookies, gingerbread, cakes, brownies and many more sweet treats! We decided to make one extra special treat as a tradition… GINGERBREAD house and family hehe!
The first year we used a packet and simply assembled the pieces using icing, however last year we decided to completely make out gingerbread house form scratch as well as assembling it and decorating. It is so much fun to make, assemble and decorate as you can literally make it your own.
This year we have decided to try and vamp it up to something different but we are still deciding just what we can and fancy creating. I can not wait to share what we come up with!
Visiting the German market
Each year Birmingham has a huge German Christmas market through the city centre. It is such a beautiful place to be if you want to feel the spirit of Christmas and get your festive juices flowing hehe.
There are gift stalls, food stalls and drink stalls full of options for all. I have been going to the market since I was a young girl, trying the beautiful hot chocolates, eating the delicious coated nuts, buying wonderful gifts and admiring the decorations and rustic feel overall. Since turning 18 I have found a love of mulled wine and have enjoyed many the past few years during my annual visits.
Birmingham recently added the Snow House which is like a big icy igloo full of rustic wooden benches, barrels, fairy lights and festive decoration. It is a bar that sells hot and cold beverages and is just the most lovely way to set the scene for a family gathering, friendly catchup or a festive date night.
Spending time catching up with loved ones
Christmas is the time for being together with those you love. Sometimes family and friends live far away or there simply isn’t enough time to see them often, so Christmas is a time for finding those hours or days where we can come together to share the love and festive spirit.
I have a very poorly aunt who suffers with dementia and she is now in a full time nursing home. Each year we make sure we can get to her home, book in for dinner and bring along some of the family to spend some quality time with her to lift her spirits and remind her of the good old times, but also to hopefully create new memories.
I also have my Nan who I visit each year to give her some prezzies. She has lost her mobility and therefore she is in a home also so we will go, open gifts, laugh, take pictures and catchup.
As we get older we become busier with work, family and just life in general, so Christmas is the perfect time to free up the schedule and squeeze some dates in for quality time.
Christmas Eve fun!
One tradition that I have done since I was a baby is to be with loved ones on Christmas eve, relaxing, wearing comfy house clothes, having a hot or cool beverage and watching Christmas films.
We always open one present on Christmas Eve night too to get us into the Christmas spirit! It is lovely to cheers, laugh and feel merry together.
Some families will have a Christmas Eve box with chocolate, socks, PJ’s and a small gift.
Oh and how could I forget! Leaving out a mince pie, carrot and a glass of milk for Santa and his reindeer.
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