Let's Start With This One...

December is my favourite month of the year. The build up to Christmas feels my days and heart with endless amounts of joy. I am officially known as Joey the Joyful when it comes to the festivities. You can spot me in Christmas jumpers from the start of the month, tinsel round my body, Santa jewellery galore. I just love it all. 

Picking my favourites this past month was probably the hardest thing I had to do all year on the blog because I love it all. But I did it lovelies…

My Favourite Book: All I Want For Christmas by Joanna Bolouri - December was a month filled with festive reads. This was a pure delight, with a young man becoming a shopping centre Santa for the festive season. Leading to him meeting a young boy who wants his mum to be happy again. Filled with Christmas goodness, I couldn’t put it down.

My Favourite TV Show/Film: Christmas Films and TV - There isn’t one single film or TV show that I can pick in December. With so much being placed on screen, I fell down a rabbit hole of goodness from the moment I got up until I went to bed. Crafts, baking, festive features. You name it, I watched it.

My Favourite Food Find: Christmas Dinner - I wanted to have the same sort of meal as my family on Christmas day and I did it. I had a stuffed butternut again, with all the trimmings, which made myself and my family happy. I am so thankful for their support on the day. It made things a lot easier for me and I will always be grateful for it. 

My Favourite Beauty Item: Bon Bon by Viktor and Rolf - In the middle of December, me and my mum went to Westfield Stratford. Deciding to treat myself to an early Christmas present, I finally brought this perfume. It is one I have been dying to get my hands on for years. Luckily, there was a great deal on that day and so I decided to bite the bullet and buy it for myself. Well, if you can’t treat yourself at Christmas, when can you?

My Favourite Podcast: Where There’s A Will, There’s A Wake - I am so obsessed with this podcast. I have been listening to the whole lot and I am proud of myself for it. Although, now I sadly have to wait for every new episode weekly to get a fresh instalment. Please let me know your podcast suggestions as I need to find something to listen to.

My Favourite Experience - Christmas - For me, there is no better time of year than Christmas. I spend the whole of December celebrating and then head into January making plans for the next one. This is where you can find me now lovelies. Wrapping paper, anyone?

What made your December special lovelies? 

Joey X

Last month went by in the blink of an eye and I decided that because of how time is passing us right now, I would crack right on with creating new content on the blog. Starting with a little reflection on what I read during the month of December. 

There were a lot of festive reads to go with the Christmas celebrations, which I loved. Here is what I picked up last month…

• All I Want For Christmas by Joanna Bolouri
• Mistletoe on 34th Street by Lisa Dickenson
• Advent Street by Carol Ann Duffy
• The Gingerbread Cafe by Anita Faulkner
• The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom
• A Poet for Every Day of the Year by Allie Esiri

What did you read during December lovelies? Do you have any book related resolutions for the next year? 

Joey X

Christmas day is coming up and this is the week that we start to prepare for the big day. With just me and my mum at the table this year, we have decided to make it as special as we can. That means making a few individual changes to our meals. My mum is fantastic when it comes to helping me have a Christmas dinner, as I really struggle with it, due to my illness. 

Therefore, we have come up with a dinner plan, which I wanted to share with you all. As always, everyone's dinners are different and I am not saying you have to have the same or be similar. You do you lovelies. It just helps me sometimes to write down what I am having. Especially when it is a tough meal. 

So, here is the dining plan for the big day…

Breakfast: Cereal with milk, fresh fruit, a Yakult and a bottle of water

Snack: A bottle of juice with a yogurt and fresh fruit

Lunch/Christmas Meal: A proper Christmas dinner including a stuffed Butternut squash, red cabbage, brussel sprouts, peas, bread sauce, gravy and bread sauce. 

Christmas Dessert: Fresh fruit or an ice lolly/cream

After Dinner Drink/Dinner: A hot chocolate

Of course, this could all change lovelies, but I hope that I can tackle my anorexia and enjoy a festive meal with my family. If you are like me and struggling at this time of year, I am always here for you and sending you lots of love. As mentioned above, just take the day easy and do what you can. Whether it be a bowl of Corn Flakes or a full on dinner, just do you and enjoy it. 

Joey X

November is the month to start getting excited for Christmas and this month, I have fallen for lots of comforting things. From new dishes to shows, there has been a lot of relaxing and embracing. The calm before the big storm shall we say. Below is what has been making my November super special…

My Favourite Book: Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry - Matthew Perry has always been a comedy hero to me. Chandler Bing is probably my favourite character in Friends and I will not let there be a bad word said about him. Yet, having read this book, I think a bigger, braver person is the man who played him. Not hiding anything about his life, Perry is open, honest and heartbreaking in this new memoir. It has changed my life completely!

My Favourite TV Show/Film: The Bear - I fell hard for this show. Even before I began watching it. There wasn’t a moment that didn’t grip me in and I hope that a new series is released soon. Honestly, once you start watching, you won’t be able to stop. It is super easy binge watching material.

My Favourite Food Find: Asda Fibre Flakes with Red Berries - Recently, when on holiday at my brothers, I tired a new cereal by Asda. Much like bran flakes, but with the added edition of berries, I found myself loving these finds. I had never had them before and I was really in love with the taste. I was also super proud of myself for giving these a go as soon as I found them, which is not easy for me at all.

My Favourite Beauty Item: The Body Shop Pumpkin Hand Cream - Okay, so Halloween is over but this cream is a beautiful reminder of it. Smelling super delicious, it is so good I stockpile it. Honestly, I have had to tell my mum not to get any for my stocking this Christmas, because I have too much of it. 

My Favourite Podcast: Alan Carr's Life's A Beach - This podcast may be a bit more summer themed, but I have fallen head over heels in love with it. From learning that you need a passport to go to space from Tim Peakes to hearing drunken antics from Rob Beckett, I am currently binging this podcast hard.

My Favourite Experience - Just before Christmas, we always like to take a trip to visit my brother. In the middle of November, we did just that and it was lovely to catch up with my family and friends who live in Blackpool. I felt super festive and ready to come home and put up the tree in celebration. I can’t wait to catch up with them soon. 

What made your November special lovelies? 

Joey X

November is a great time to spend the dark evenings enjoying a great book. It is time to whip out those cheesy Christmas based reads and fully embrace the festive season. I simply love a good love story and seeing people reading similar books makes me super happy. Especially when travelling on the bus. 

So, this month I have been delving into a mix bag of books, including…

• A Christmas Celebration by Heidi Swain
• No One Cancels Christmas by Zara Stoneley
• The Journey: A Big Panda and Tiny Dragon Adventure by James Norbury
• Mr Right Across The Street by Kathryn Freeman
• Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
• My Mess Is a Bit of a Life: Adventures in Anxiety by Georgia Pritchett

What have you been reading this month? 

Joey X

Last year, I wrote a post about what I wanted to achieve in December 2021. With only a few days to go until we reach the most festive month of the year, I thought I would do it again. I find it so helpful, as it allows me to put plans into place about what I want to do and how I can work on achieving them. 

This year, I want a very calm, fun and easy December, filled with family, friends and festive activities. Therefore, I plan on doing the following: 

• Watching Something Festive Everyday
• Experiencing A Christmas Market
• Enjoying A Full Christmas Dinner With My Family
• Giving Out Christmas Cards To My Village Again
• Gifting A Child With An Unexpected Present
• Seeing Friends and Family
• Organising A Christmas Show or Trip
• Wearing Something Festive Everyday (Even Socks!)
• Planning A Village Secret Santa Again

There is so much more I want to do in December. For now though, this is what I want to do for now and I can’t wait to get stuck in. In fact, I may just go and watch a Christmas film right now to celebrate! Who else is with me? 

Joey X