Christmas Countdown

Well, there’s five more sleeps ‘til Christmas – and I am sat in my flat at a bit of a loss of what to do. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty I could be getting on with, but considering we are well and truly in the middle of the festive season, I am feeling decidedly calm and organised. All those essential pre-yuletide activities have been ticked off that oh-so daunting list and, with two days spare before I go up to my folks, I can’t help but think I must have forgotten to do something.
The last week has been a whirl of Christmas activity. Last Wednesday I met a couple of girlfriends at my favourite haunt, Drink Shop Do, for cake, cocktails and Christmas card making. The following day we had a Christmas “do” at work, so when I got home later that evening the kitchen became a hive of activity as I set about making sausage rolls, white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake and wrapping up my Secret Santa gift. The following day the fruits of my labours went down very well (someone told me to take my cheesecake recipe to Marks and Spencer’s!) and my Secret Santa recipient seemed quite taken with her pretty scarf – and a personalised map of Camden to stop her getting lost (and I thought my geography was bad). Chuffed with myself for throwing her off the scent by asking ignorant questions about the map (“What, someone got you an A to Z?”) I settled down to one too many beers, followed by some flirting, insulting my boss (“But saying you look like Patrick Stewart is a compliment!”) and getting a bit teary when a colleague started telling me how good I was at my job (cringe!) before tottering home. Needless to say, the following day was spent nursing my hangover and my ego.
On Saturday it was time for the obligatory Christmas visit to the hairdressers. Sadly, this was less than successful – the highlights are okay, but the over-zealous layers are NOT – and I have been left looking like I’ve just had a fight with Edward Scissorhands and in need of some very strategic hair clips. Needless to say I won’t be going back to that establishment. On Sunday my final Christmas delivery showed up (I shall save you from another rant about Amazon and Yodel) and after a lovely roast in the pub, I got down to making my flat looking Christmassy, with the help of a parcel from Mama Berry full of fairy lights and cute decorations.
Yesterday I wrapped things up - quite literally - with an hour in the queue at the Post Office, a trip up to Highgate to mop up the Christmas present shopping and cooking Beef Bourbignon for a relaxing pre-Christmas dinner with another chum. After she left I settled down to a movie and wrapped up the rest of my gifts, which are now artistically arranged on my lounge floor.
So, today and tomorrow I have nothing I need to do other than enjoy having a couple of days to relax. Then on Thursday I head up north for a Christmas surprise that evening courtesy of Mama Berry. On Friday it is the annual meet-up with the girls before the festivities get well and truly under way on Christmas Eve. Which reminds me – I need to pop out to get some mince pies for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph. I knew there was something I’d forgotten...
Merry Christmas! :-)