Christmas is coming...

I love Christmas. Love it. The food, the festivities, the fun...

But what I really love is the spirit and feeling that comes with a really good Christmas. The generosity people show each other, getting together with family and friends, not the must have gifts and blowing your budget on, let’s face it, things that will be forgotten by the New Year. 

Normally I love to shop, and enjoy buying gifts, but this year, I have decided that the Christmas rush just isn’t for me. I don’t want to be shoved and jostled in an overheated shop; there’s no dignity to be found squabbling over the last jumper in Topshop…I want to be cozied up at home, having fun and drinking tea!

 Another concern is the obvious cost- the mounting price of a mountain of gifts combined with the nature of self-employment (film and TV tends to be quiet over Christmas for most), can make Christmas unnecessarily stressful.

Instead, this year, I’m going back to basics. Christmas is the time of giving, and I’m making a concerted effort this year to try and put together some very personal and homemade gifts for my nearest and dearest. Rather than bags and bags of gifts that they maybe don’t even want, I’m concentrating on one small gift that they’ll hopefully really enjoy.

Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be covering knitted items, soft toys, yummy treats, and the all-important gift wrap and cards. Presentation is key! Then there are the decorations!

This is the first year I have had a home of my own to decorate at Christmas, having either been at my parents, in a shared uni house or away travelling in previous years. I am VERY excited, but trying very hard not to go mad! We’ll be buying a real tree and I’m going to try and make most of our decorations!

To begin the frugal yet fun approach to Christmas, here is a snippet of the gift and decoration list I’m aiming to fulfil.

A selection of chutneys, biscuits and chocolatey goodies for parents and in laws!

A lovely chunky knitted snood, so easy yet so fabulous for my brother’s lovely girlfriend

A hand knitted cardigan and matching hat for my boyfriend’s little sister (we’ve always gone overboard on gifts before- we love to spoil her, but I think it’s especially important we don’t with the children to help them appreciate things).

Handmade Christmas stockings for two new baby cousins in Australia; need to be made soon and sent early!

Hand knitted hats for Grandparents.

Hand made animal toys for children of friends.

Stockings for my boyfriend and I!

A whole mix of tree decorations

Printing wrapping paper and gift tags

Christmas Card ideas

Here’s hoping I can complete it, this blog will definitely be my motivation!

Emma X