Preparing for Christmas

Hello

An nyeoung

Konnichiwa

Ni hao

So now we're in the month of November I think it's time I start preparing for Santa's arrival in the Markham household. I loved Christmas as a child, the chocolate each morning as I counted down to the big day, the running downstairs on Christmas day looking through the glass door and announcing to the household that "He's been!" but as I got older for me the magic of Christmas disappeared until Skye arrived and then each year as she got older and understood it more I've gotten to experience what my parents did when I was young. As I got older it got less about presents and more about my family and friends and I hope that passes on to Skye too, Christmas is definitely more magical when you're a parent. With how busy I know I'll be with the run up to Christmas I've sat down and planned my posts all the way up to Christmas day so that's one less thing off my mind.

I officially started my planning in September when I created my present list, and by present list I mean a list of people I need buy for, this list also includes idea's on what I want to buy them to make it that much easier and quicker when it comes to making the purchases. So far off my long list I've got 3 people crossed off as their presents are bought one of which is my friend Kariss' present which I'm really excited for her to open on Christmas day to me it screams that it should be hers.

Two of the things that I've made a tradition over the years with Skye is that she gets an NSPCC letter from Santa which is basically a £5 donation to the charity and you get to customise it for each child and as she begun to understand more especially since she started reading them herself watching her face light up is the cherry on the cake, another is she also gets a personalised video from Santa via Portable North Pole (PNP) you have a choice of getting a free personalised video from Santa or paying for a few extras which I do and Skye gets a video during December (they are emailed to you straight away from completing personalisation), a video on Christmas eve which shows him live from his sleigh and she also gets a video from him on her birthday, she can also receive a phone call from Santa too.

Another Tradition I started with Skye is that a present from Santa arrives Christmas Eve which always has some new pyjamas for her to wear but this year I've changed it and instead I'm making a Christmas Eve box which will have 5 mugs for Skye, myself, my mum, my dad & Andrew, hot chocolate, whipped cream, flakes (you can't have hot chocolate without whipped cream and a flake), pyjama's, DVD, sweets and a board game for us all to play.

I've yet to start wrapping the presents I have bought but I can't wait for when I do as I love the wrapping paper I have got this year, normally I wrap all the guys presents in one colour paper, the girls in another and the kids in another, but this year everyone's presents are going in a toy soldier paper and I'm going to wrap Skye's in a separate one.

A few weeks ago Skye wrote her letter to Santa and no matter how spoilt she is throughout the year, she never fails to surprise me when it comes to what she would like for Christmas and this year is no different, the only difference this year was I nearly cried seeing some of the things she wrote.

I'm excited to start fully preparing for Christmas, especially decorating my Christmas tree this year I'm thinking of having a Nightmare Before Christmas themed tree, I already have a set of Nightmare Before Christmas baubles that contains a Jack Skellington tree topper and I'm wanting to buy another set of baubles and getting some black and white tinsel.

If you find it hard getting ready for Christmas then follow these simple steps.

* Create a list of people you will be buying for.

*Write gift ideas for each person on your list.

*Shop around in store and online for the better offer on gifts.

*Wrap presents as you buy leaving more time towards the big day.

*Meet up with friends and family you won't see on the big day to exchange gifts.

*Plan your tree decorations in advance to save disappointment when buying.

*Bake treats for Santa a few days before Christmas Eve to save more time to be with family.

Are you getting into the festive season?

Have anything that gets you in the Christmas mood?

Have any traditions you do each year for Christmas?

Let me know in the comments below.

See you soon!

An nyeoung 
Sayonara 
Zai Jian 
Bye