Oh December, you're here

When I was younger and I heard my mama constantly talking about the weather, supermarket deals or how quickly the year just seems to go, I vowed to myself never to do that as I grow up.

But it's inevitable - because as you get older, the weather plays a big part in your day (and is always the reason behind your current cold), supermarket deals really DO need discussing and tracking down, and well, time genuinely does seem to fly by as the years go on. How? Why?

And this year has certainly done just that.It's December. Already. Which means, regardless of if we want to admit it or not, Christmas is looming. Fast!

I suppose I'm a scrooge when it comes to Christmas decorations. I mean I'm not the classiest girl in the world (you should see where I live...), but I can't help find the decorations a little tacky, like too tacky. And I have a rule that Christmas doesn't begin until after my birthday (it's the 7th FYI) but this year I broke that rule. I decided on a tree within seconds whilst browsing a charity shop at the weekend (it was THREE pound, I couldn't resist), half attempted to put some lights on, before observing it as a masterpiece,  sprinkled some tinsel about that I once hated and placed my love for reindeer ornaments on my fireplace. And declared it Christmas in my house.

For me, December (and January, and February.. And maybe up until April) is about hot chocolate. All kinds of hot chocolate too. Some days I like it with cream and marshmallows - a double helping of marshmallows is the best, but other evenings, there is nothing quite as satisfying as curling up in bed with the throw, the candles lit and indulging in a really rich creamy hot chocolate. And you know what's even wilder? When you dunk in a Lindt* reindeer to the hot liquid watching it melt. And I don't even have to share with anyone...!

I realise now why Christmas jumpers were invented, baggy ones at that - it's so that we can eat as much food as we want during the month and not even have to feel guilty. Wherever you walk, we are surrounded by delicious food, and it always seems so much more appealing to want to buy everything and hibernate in your house devouring every crumb. When this Harrods hamper* turned up on my doorstep (and after a very un-strong like time carrying it up the stairs) I wanted to throw a party right there and then and share the biscuits and delicious cheese twists with anyone and everyone. Because who doesn't like chutney on their cheese twists and washed down with some delightful fancy tea and finished off with one, or two triple chocolate chunk biscuits.

I think Christmas might be a good one this year...