Christmas….oh how I love and hate thee

I have a big love-hate relationship with Christmas for a variety of reasons. Don’t worry I’m not some scrooge who goes round saying bah-humbug all December!

Bah humbug!

It’s one big expense, and I’d say possibly the biggest of the year, but why? So people can show off how much money they have, who can buy the best gifts, and who’s got the best Christmas dinner.

The town and shops are always packed from November onward, and don’t get me started on the traffic just to get into town!
I also hate that Christmas seems to be appearing earlier and earlier in the shops each year, this year I saw some shops with small Christmas displays towards the end of September, I mean come on Halloween and Guy fawks night first please.

Christmas adverts, I mean why just why? Why do these big corporations feel to the need to spend millions of pounds on an advertising that lets face it people are going to watch once, go wow that was good, or what the hell was that about. Millions of pounds on ads that are only on during late November and the lead up to Christmas Day. I just think that the millions spent could be used, in so many other ways. It could be given to charities, these big corps could invest in renewable energy or even saving our rain-forests and oceans.

I’m not a total scrooge, promise

For me Christmas is all about family, getting together and spending the mot wonderful time together. Eating wonderful food and treating yourself to chocolate and mince pies! Christmas time has always been a family time for me even as a child I remember lots of extended family members coming to visit and my mum would throw a family Christmas party every year.

Its not all about the gifts, but everyone likes a surprise right. I don’t spend loads, I get my extended family a couple of presents each and one of those is usually chocolate based! Now I have children I do spend money on them, but I try to shop small and support the local independent business local to me. We are fortunate enough to have lots of quaint little gift shops where I live that you can find unusual gifts in.

Christmas dinner, always has been and always will be my favourite part of Christmas. Everyone sat around the table having a little drink, laughing, telling stores and re living memories. I love it so much that this year I am hosting Christmas. Nothing too big just me my other half and our three children as well as my mum and dad and my youngest sister. My middle sister will come over in the days between, as will my in-laws.

I love decorating our tree, I put it up on the first weekend in December, my children love it and each special decoration we have has a memory attached to it. I cannot wait until they are old enough to understand the stories behind them.

So yes, I love Christmas, but would I miss it if it ceased to exist? In short, I’d miss the family time, but that’s about it! Ok. Ok, so maybe I’m a little bit of a scrooge!

If you’d like anymore Christmas ideas head over to my Instagram and check out my highlights! @the_munchkins_and_me

Speaking of Christmas, have your read my Must watch family friendly films post yet?