Three things: holiday version

I totally stole this from Jana because it looked way too fun to pass up, but it’s okay because she got it from Tanya and that’s just how these things work.

3 Things I Love about Christmas

1. Christmas lights. Yes, Jana said this too and it now looks like I’m copying, but it really is true! Winter is so dark and gloomy, so it’s nice to have some extra lights for at least part of it. I like coloured ones best, but Jan bought our lights so they’re plain white.
2. Time off work. I love me job, but a break is always nice, and this is the one time of year where I know it will actually happen. My company is  closed between Christmas and New Year so there are no discussions about who has to be back at work on the 27th. Let’s face it, being childless it would always be me. The others all have great excuses involving schools/nurseries being closed…
3. Christmas dinner. Not that I will be having a proper English Christmas dinner this year – can you even get turkeys small enough for 2? But there will definitely be roast potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, all things that make Bev a happy girl.

3 Things I Dislike about Christmas

1. Elf on the Shelf. Stealing from Jana again, but seriously… I haaate those elves. Luckily for me a) I have no children and b) this phenomenon doesn’t seem to have made it to Switzerland (yet) but I see it all over Facebook and it’s just so weird. Either the elves are really naughty or they’ve come to creepily watch the children and report back on their behaviour to Father Christmas. Either way it’s creepy.
2. The competitiveness/commercialism. When did Christmas become all about having the most/best gifts? I mean, when I was child getting presents was obviously the most exciting part of Christmas, but we never expected piles and piles of things or really expensive items. I see so many people posting photos on Christmas Eve with parcels covering their entire living room… for just one or two children. It’s insane and seems more like a competition to see whose child has the most than anything else. I love giving gifts, and I confess to maybe spoil my godson on special occasions, but when children are saving gifts to open another day because they’re overwhelmed  there’s something wrong with the world!
3. The enforced happiness. For the most part, Christmas is just a normal day to me. I expect this to change when/if I have children (it must be amazing to watch your babies experience all the sparkly lights, visits to Father Christmas, anticipation of what’s waiting inside the sparkly wrapping paper), but until then it really annoys me when people try to explain the “magic” of Christmas to me. There’s nothing magical about sitting in my living room while my boyfriend watches some random documentary on TV like every single Sunday of the year! Also, bad things don’t stop happening in the world just because it’s Christmas and it really annoys me when people expect everyone to be happy because “it’s the season”.

3 Favourite Christmas Movies

1. Edward Scissorhands. And before you tell me it’s not a Christmas film the entire point of the story is to explain to the granddaughter why it snows at Christmas!
2. The Snowman. It’s a classic! (It’s also only 27 minutes long but I still think of it as a film)
3. Gremlins. Weird but true.

3 Favourite Christmas Treats

1. Lebkuchen, specifically the kind that are filled with jam and covered in chocolate. Yum!
2. Mince pies. I can only ever eat one at a time but they remind me of home.
3. Quality Street. I won’t be having any this year, but they just are Christmas to me!

3 Favourite Christmas Traditions

This is a difficult one because for the last few years we’ve alternated Christmases between my family and Jan’s family (and this year we’re just staying home) so I don’t really have any traditions. I suppose those are things that will come when I have children of my own. So instead I’ll have to talk about a mixture of the traditions I only participate in every few years and some things I do in the build up to Christmas…

1. Christmas tea at my grandmas. We always laugh at her for making too much food (after all, we have already eaten Christmas dinner that day!) but then we tuck in anyway.
2. Christmas markets! I’ve only been doing this since moving abroad (Christmas markets are alll over the UK now, but they weren’t when I lived there!) so I’m not sure it gets to count as a “tradition” yet, but I love to try and go to at least one every year.
3. Making Christmas cards. Again, I’m not sure whether it gets to be a tradition yet – I’ve actually only been making my own for about 4 years, but whatever. I know most people just throw them away, but I enjoy making a card to fit the recipient anyway.

3 Favourite Christmas Songs

1. Fairy Tale of New York by The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl. The best Christmas song. Full stop. I will accept no arguments.
2. I Won’t Be Home for Christmas by Blink 182. It just makes me laugh.
3. Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses. It’s so catchy!

3 Favourite Christmas Gifts Received

Every single stand-out  gift I can remember from my childhood I’m pretty sure I got for my birthday. Christmas was a time of new socks, books (always good, but none in particular that I remember as being Christmas gifts) and selection boxes. So I only have one answer for this… a few years ago Jan got me a KitchenAid. They always say never give domestic appliances as gifts, but I was overjoyed to receive mine – I had been coveting one for ages! I don’t use it as often as I should, but it’s still one of my favourite things I own.

3 Gifts I Want to Give the World

1. Empathy. I’m stealing Jana’s answer again, but it’s a good one. If people would just consider other people’s feelings occasionally the world would be a much better place!
2. An end to climate change… or at least to slow it down to how it would have been if humans hadn’t come along to destroy the planet. I would like there to actually be a planet by the time my (future) children and grandchildren grow up!
3. Laughter. Bad things are always going to happen… and without sorrow we wouldn’t be able to truly appreciate happiness. But I would love to give everybody out there at least one reason to laugh or smile even when things are at their very worst.

Okay, over to you. Tell me three christmassy things about yourself in the comments… or join in on your blog and answer all the questions. Let me know if you do and I’ll come and read your post.