Get to Know Me Festive Edition

The lovely Molly from Lovely Local Indie tagged me in her post about festive personal facts. I’m not sure where this tag came from, but I do love to learn more about my fellow bloggers in the community, so I can’t resist passing it on.

Thank you!

First of all, a big thanks to Molly for tagging me. I love Molly’s blog, she quite local to me so it’s a goldmine of tips for great places to visit and things to do in and around Derbyshire.

You can find Molly’s post here.

Questions and answers

What is your favourite winter treat?

Ah this is an easy one, I love stollen. The marzipan and the fruit are just so yummy, I’ve already been through two boxes of Aldi’s stollen. Even better, himself doesn’t like marzipan and the kids don’t much like raisins so I get to eat them all myself.

What Christmas traditions do you celebrate?

Well we have some family traditions that are fairly normal – chocolate advent calendars, I do an advent of activities too, we buy gifts, the kids choose charities for donations instead of writing Christmas cards (mainly down to collective laziness and wanting to save on paper that just gets sent for recycling), on Christmas eve we have boxes with new pyjamas (actually, I’d better wash them before then, added to my “to do” list), then we leave out snacks for Santa and the reindeer, the boys have stockings and presents on Christmas morning – we always start with “something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read” and then they each get a big present too. If we’re at home, himself does brunch midway though morning – pancakes and bacon for the win. We always watch some Christmas films and read some festive books at this time of year too. We’re pretty traditional all in all. But we don’t go carol singing or to midnight mass or Christingle.

Are you wishing for snow this year?

Hell no! Actually, we’ve already had some and it was very pretty but inconvenient. I’m not a big snow fan, it’s ok for running so long as it doesn’t melt and of course the kids love it until they get cold hands. So, I’m very meh about snow.

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What is your favourite Christmas movie?

Oh this is a hard question. Polar Express is lovely. It’s a Wonderful Life is obvious. I cannot stand Elf and (shocker) I’ve never seen Die Hard. So, I’m going to have to go for either Holiday Inn or White Christmas – can’t beat a bit of Bing Crosby and singing for all the festive feels.

Have you ever built a gingerbread house? What is your technique?

I’m with Molly on this one – pre-made with construction only all the way! Last year I ordered from Amazon and we had a lovely time constructing and decorating with the boys. This year, I can’t be arsed – too many other things going on.

What is your favourite hot chocolate?

Hmm, I’m not really a hot chocolate fan I’m afraid. I love my coffee though and last year I made a lovely nutty, boozy latte for Christmas. Just added a bit of Creme de Chataignes from a holiday purchase and I was feeling warm and merry before brunch.

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What gift are you hoping to get this year?

Well, I know exactly what by “big” present is, because I bought it myself! Well them…. another new pair of running shoes. Yeah, not an addict at all! I’m just infected with the running bug. What else? I’m hoping for some nice new Denby mugs – if they don’t appear though, I think I’ll twist himself’s arm into a trip to the factory over the holidays.

What is your warmest wintertime memory?

This is a really difficult question for me. I don’t have any particular Christmases that standout from my childhood, I know my grandparents were always around and it was a family affair. In the years after himself and I became a couple, Hogmanay was always a highlight – spent in Scotland at house parties of himself’s parents or their friends, always up until the small hours, maybe dancing a ceilidh in someone’s living room.

Since the kids have come along we’ve had some lovely times too – visiting Santa on a train in Swindon with some PhD friends and their son the same age as large boy, winter walks with the family, that first Christmas with large boy (three weeks old instead of still cooking as we’d expected), the pride when they boys open presents and shout “thank you Santa” with glee.

Winter and Christmas 2018 was very exciting, we were expecting boy3 and I felt very fulfilled and content. However, since the end of January 2019 when he was born at 20 weeks pregnant, I find the period from mid-October to that anniversary very difficult – it’s so full of anniversaries and reminders of what wasn’t to be. Now that Christmas is closer, it’s a bit easier as I’ve got something to distract me.

I’ve really enjoyed RED January the last two years, it keeps me busy, tops up my endorphin levels and really helps me cope with a difficult time. I’ll be doing it again in 2022.

Sorry, that’s not very festive. So for my favourite winter memory, let’s go for climbing our local big hill with the boys in the snow, that was pretty awesome.

How about you?

I would totally love to hear some festive facts about anyone who’s reading this. But in particular, I’d like to tag:

Confidently Kayleigh – I totally adore Kayleigh’s blog and her Insta, tirelessly illustrating the ridiculous attitudes some people have towards body image and how we portray ourselves, she totally rocks.

Pepper Valentine – a kindred spirit, I feel Pepper and I have some shared experiences and I’m always interested to see what she’s been up to.

Caz at Invisibly Me – another advocate for the destruction of bias, Caz is a total gem and every post is worth a read.

Helen at Crispy Confessions – Helen is a wonderful supporter of so many blogs, on top of which hers is fabulous too.

The folks at T.B.C because they’ve been quiet lately – you guys! You know I love you and I’m glad that you’re being kept very busy in real life but, please, we want some new posts. xxx