Hey Lovelies,

Blogmas is now well underway and I am loving it so much this year! I feel like I have been a lot more like me this December and a lot more open with you all. 

This inspired me to think about what have been some of my best moments from this time of year. Moments I wanted to share with you! There are some mad times to fab times, but they have made my Santa loving soul grow. Here they are…

Singing Do They Know It’s Christmas in the Car with my Dad: We used to own a caravan when I was younger in Clacton. One cold December, we drove down there to celebrate the owners party. I remember it being so cold, but was promised a KFC upon getting there. Whilst my dad parked outside the takeaway, my mum rushed in, leaving just us to listening to the classic Christmas tunes on the radio. Both of us belting out the Band Aid hit. Now, when I hear it, I instantly smile and sing along. It is a moment I hope never to forget. 

Christmas Parties with my School Friends: Every year, I would open my home up to my friends at Christmas. We would do a Secret Santa exchange, eat lots of food, play on the Wii and dance around my house. I loved those parties because we all just didn’t care and had fun. I would honestly go back to school and relive those moments in a flash. 

Christmas Shopping with my Best Friend Dee: One year, me and my best friend Dee, headed into London to see the sights, do a bit of shopping and to laugh. And I mean laugh! Still to this day if I mention the words fruit bag to her, she still gets the giggles. I won’t bore you with the full story, but my whole soul warms up when I think about this moment we shared over a warm white hot chocolate in Debenhams on Oxford Street. 

Sitting on my Nanny’s Knee Reading A Christmas Story: I don’t really remember my nanny that much, I was quite young when she passed away. However, I can recall one year, sitting on her lap reading a new book that I had been given. I must have been only around three at the time, but I can remember just being so warm and cosy in that moment. 

Waking Up on Christmas Morning with My Mum: The first year my dad died was hard. Yet, there was something so soothing about waking up and going into my mum’s room for a Christmas cuddle. We do it every year now and I look forward to it so much. An odd memory but one that means a lot. 

The Smell of Turkey Cooking: No matter what, I will always think of the smell of turkey cooking every Christmas morning when asked about the things I remember. My mum would get up at around 5am every year to get started. The house would be spotless. For about five minutes before me and my brothers woke up to that iconic smell and raced downstairs to see if Santa had been. When I get a hint of that smell now I just think of those times. 

Christmas Hampers: It was not Christmas in our house without a Farepak hamper arriving! As soon as those bad boys landed and the Iceland shop had been done, it was Christmas! It was also the time when mum would go into a meltdown about what we could and could not eat from it. Heinz Toast Toppers were a yes, nuts and snacks were a big no. They were for the Christmas Day buffet! 

A Tweenie CD: Lastly, I can recall a Christmas, when my brother Gio had been away. He had been to see my other brother Phil and his mum in Burnley. This meant he didn’t spend the big day with us. Yet, when he came home, he raced upstairs, even though it was late to give me my present. I have a tradition, well not one I would choose, where I get ill at Christmas, so I was in my parents bed when he got in. Together we unwrapped his present for me and it was perfect for me at the time. It was safe to say that it got played a lot. 

Whilst these are only a few memories, as I have so many more, I feel like these mean a lot to me. They are memories I always want to cherish and recall. When I was writing this post I was telling my mum about some of them and smiling so much about them. They were truly perfect times from many truly perfect times of the year! 

What is your most favourite festive memory? 

Joey X