Christmas: At home ♥

It's Christmas Eve Eve!!! Ahhhh how exciting is that?! I have just one more nightshift to get through and then Christmas can finally begin! Being a nurse, it's within my job specifications that I sacrifice many nights, weekends and early mornings for the hospital ward. The long, unsocial hours are part of my job. And just because it's Christmas, it doesn't mean that people stop being ill. People don't just magically get better, unfortunately. Which means that all of us do our fair share in working some of the unsocial hours over the festive period. Last year my Christmas was a very short one as I had to race back to London to work nightshifts. This year however I feel truely lucky to have a whole 3 days off which means I can celebrate with all of my family. You have no idea how happy this makes me!! I guess this is a reason I love my job, it makes these moments all the more special. I'm working over the New Year instead, which if I'm honest doesn't bother me in the slightest because I often feel that New Year's Eve is a little overrated. 

So what's Christmas like in my family? I have read a few blog posts recently with insights into people's Christmases so I thought I'd let you into my world...

Some of you may know already that I grew up in a beautiful town called berkhamsted, in hertfordshire. Although I seem to visit less and less often these days it holds a really special place in my heart because it's home to some of my dearest friends and of course my parents. Berkhamsted is like a little bubble - you can't walk down the high street without bumping into someone you went to school with or someone you kissed on a drunken night out all those years ago. Which makes for many awkward moments but there's something so special about the place. It's definitely home to me and always will be. Athough there's countless pubs and restaurants, on Christmas Eve people tend to flock to the same hangouts to spend the evening with good old friends. On Christmas Eve you will literally bump into your whole childhood. It's brilliant!

 Berkhamsted <3

 I usually have a few friends over to my parents house early evening for a glass or two of champagne...

And then we hit the pub. It's one of my most favourite nights of the year, I love bumping into old faces and catching up over a Christmas drink! I don't think I will be drinking this year but I am so looking forward to seeing some of my good mates. Sometimes we go to midnight mass afterwards, sometimes we don't. But every year we wander merrily home, with that warm fuzzy feeling knowing that it's Christmas in just a few hours. I love the excitement that comes with this time of year!

Christmas Day morning always starts with church, to remember the real reason for all the celebrations. I've been a church goer for pretty much all of my life and I can't imagine Christmas Day without a church service. For me, that's what it's all about. My mum, dad and I wander along through the town to our local church which is always beautifully decorated with holly & berries and candles. It's always such a nice service. My dad is in the church choir so my mum quite likes having me there as it means she isn't sat by herself as usual...!! {My sister and brother are lazy and stay in bed haha.}

And then it's home for breakfast which usually consists of pain au chocolats, fruit & yogurt, toast, porridge, cereal, the list goes on...! My mum is bloody brilliant at making a breakfast spread of champions! 

And when we're full from breakfast  (although you can never be too full on Christmas Day, the whole day consists of eating!) we pop on some festive music and relax in the living room with champagne... and best of all, open our stockings!!! When we were younger we'd creep downstairs at silly o'clock to open our stockings but now we're all older (sob sob...) we wait patiently (this is debatable!!!) until after breakfast. My dad still makes the fireplace look like a total mess with soot and logs, as if a big fat Father Christmas fell down it... I don't think he will ever be able to properly let go of all the childhood traditions we used to love!

Once the living room is suitably messy with wrapping paper and presents scattered around, we have a mid morning glass of champers, usually with our next door neighbours, whom my parents are really good friends with. 

It's then time to laze around, watch some Christmas films, peel potatoes, prepare the sprouts, drink more champagne, dance around the kitchen, text everyone in my phone book 'happy Christmas!' and make the most of hanging out with my brother and sister. I love sibling time!!

 

My family is huge - my mum is one of five, so around lunch time some family members usually rock up...  And with dinner in the oven we all head out on a long walk. The countryside surrounding Berkhamsted is so beautiful. 

I remember a few years ago when it snowed... we took a flask of hot chocolate and enjoyed it on the snowy fields.

I'm... dreaming... Of a white... Christmas...!

Finally it's dinner time!!!

You may have already seen my post on my dad's Christmas tables?! He is a genius at making the table look totally spectacular. I love how magical he makes everything look...

We usually play a few silly games at the table and we end up sat at the table for hours chatting and laughing. Love it.

And when we've all had dinner we go back into the living room to watch films, play more games and laze about on the sofas. 

I often put my pjs back on (Christmas is all about lazing around in your pjs) and a few sofa naps occur...

Christmas Day evening is usually spent beside the fire soaking up the last of the Christmassy atmosphere... before enjoying a very lazy Boxing Day spent eating leftovers, having another countryside walk and snoozing...

Oh Christmas!! <3



This may very well be my final blog post of 2014 so if I don't blog before then, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year's Eve. Enjoy the celebrations, whatever you're up to.
Thank you for reading my blog and for all the love and support you've given me at the beginning of my blogging journey!


Lydia xxx