16 Ways To Feel Instantly Christmassy

1. Go buy a Christmas tree! Or if you’re like me, get it down from the loft. Actually, if you’re like me, you get someone else to get it down from the loft. The loft is high and dusty and dark.
2. Decorate your tree – but not too early. I have a bit of an issue with people who decorate their tree in November. Granted, it’s not the worst thing someone can do in life, but it irks me somewhat.
3. Crack open the Baileys. This, to me, is a sign that Christmas is officially here.
4. Put on a Christmas jumper. The tackier, the better.
5. Watch Love Actually, Elf or Die Hard. The three greatest Christmas films, ever, no? Oh you can keep your It’s A Wonderful Life, old movie fans. Give me some Hugh Grant dancing around 10 Downing Street any day. (PS have you seen this? Very funny.)
6. Buy one of those huge tubs of Quality Street or Heroes. (Bonus points if you eat them all in one evening!)
7. Go to a garden centre. Aside from the fact that garden centres are pretty much the most fun place you can go with kids, at Christmas, they come into their own. Our local one has a huge Christmas light display, mini model railway, singing penguins and real reindeer. Festive heaven.
8. Order an eggnog latté from Starbucks in a red cup.
9. Whack on the Bublé.
10. Go Christmas shopping on the high street. Then look at the long queues, realise that everyone else had the same idea, go home and order everything online instead. But do go to the high street because the cheesy Christmas music jingling away in every shop is one of the most Christmassy Christmas things ever.
11. Join in with festive small talk at the school gate. “You all set for Christmas, then?” or “Where are you for Christmas, this year?” or “What’s your little one asked Father Christmas for?” or “Isn’t the John Lewis advert lovely?” will all suffice.
12. Buy Christmas pyjamas – for your kids, for yourself, for your mum. And some festive slippers too. Everyone needs those.
13. Go ice skating. Then remember that those skates really hurt your feet, your child complains that the ice is “too slippy and cold” and you retreat to the cafe to drink hot chocolate.
14. Mmmm hot chocolate. Not strictly Christmassy, but stick in some cinnamon and Bob’s your uncle
15. Go to a Christmas market, drink mulled wine and buy some stocking fillers.
16. Go and watch your child in a school or nursery nativity play. No, you’ve got something in your eye.

Image of Starbucks cup: Shutterstock