It’s only November and already there’s talk about Christmas plans, Christmas decorations. With winter markets already open and festive goodies being stocked in supermarkets, is it too early for Christmas?
There are two kinds of people in this world. First, the kind who welcome Christmas with open arms (swiftly moving on from Halloween once we hit Nov 1st) – and, secondly, the kind who insist it is way too early for Christmas.
As somebody who is the former, I always have people tell me to wait to get festive. Nevertheless, my spirit never waivers. In fact, walking into shops after Halloween and seeing the Christmas snacks and treats lining the shelves made my day. With the festive season fast approaching and my insistence on it never being too early for Christmas, here are some things to get you in the Christmas mood:
From the classic Christmas chocolate boxes, think Celebrations and Heroes, to minced pies and more modern snacks like Maltester reindeers, there is an endless selection of Christmas goodies to lift our spirits and make our stomachs happy. I don’t mind if they’re just another excuse for us to eat too much around the holidays.
While Celebrations, Heroes, Quality Street and Roses are the UK’s four most popular Christmas chocolate boxes, every year sees debates on which is best – but I will let you decide this one for yourself.
Minced pies are a dessert I tried for the first time after coming to the UK as an international student. And I was pleasantly surprised that there was no minced meat in this dessert. Similarly, Christmas puddings are a classic British dessert around this time, but tend to not appeal to younger generations. Marzipan is its only redeeming ingredient.
If you’re all about the seasonal spices, gingerbread can finally make a comeback into our lives too. Baking cute gingerbread men, and their houses if you’re a better baker than me, is a perfect rainy-day activity to do with your flatmates. Something you will never go wrong with is a classic hot chocolate, topping it off with peppermint candy canes and whipped cream for the ultimate cosy vibes.
Another way to get into the festive spirit is to put on classic Christmas songs. Some albums on repeat every winter are: Christmas by Michael Buble, Merry Christmas by Mariah Carey, and Christmas by Bing Crosby. I am not embarrassed to admit, I listen to songs in my Christmas playlist throughout the year, so I’m kind of an expert.
Christmas films are also a great way to put yourself in the mood. Top picks to get yourself excited for the holiday break are Home Alone, Elf, The Grinch, and, for the RomCom lovers, Love Actually and The Holiday.
Christmas is a special time of year to spend with your friends and family. A time to exchange gifts and cards with people you love. A time of love and hope, something we especially need at the moment. A time to celebrate the year that has passed. It is, therefore, never too early to get in the Christmas spirit and to make these positive vibes last as long as possible.
