Christmas Eve?!

Aloha festive friends! 

^ I don't know what that was about, I just felt like calling you all festive friends! Why? Well do you really need to ask? It's CHRISTMAS EVE!

Ok - so the capitals may be a bit much since I haven't been feeling very festive today but who cares? Unfortunately I'm starting to think that this sudden loss of festivity is natural for someone like me. I'm that girl who counts down the dreary November days refusing to do anything Christmas related until the moment it hits midnight on December 1st where I can be found decorating my room and blaring Christmas music as loudly as I can get away with. I then revel in the festive spirit, buying presents, drinking spiced cider, planning decorations and wishing everyone and anyone "Merry Christmas". Then it gets to the week of Christmas and suddenly I get really tired and nothing seems festive any more - I get called a grinch and told I'm selfish and have high expectations which can never be met.

It's a lie.

I've realised that this sudden sadness comes from the realisation that I have nothing else left to prep, my presents are under the tree and my boyfriend has been sent on his way gifts in hand. Whilst my family rush around last minute shopping I'm sat at home just waiting. It's just a sad fact that this year it's come really late and I've not got much time left to feel festive again. So I turned to a Facebook Group I'm part of, it's a group for people called "Sharkies" , and I can't possibly sum up how amazing they are in such a quick blog post but they're a group of wonderful people who wear, worship and rock Black Milk Clothing. (Seriously go check it out, it's Ah-mazing) From these lovely people I was sent lots of photos of pets with Christmas hats on, cats in front of twinkley lights and lots of kind messages but one lovely ladies advance stood out to me.

"1) treat every day like Christmas - love and give and be grateful everyday if the year!

2) there's room for everyone on the nice list - people make mistakes and any moment is the perfect 

 moment to accept that, fund peace and move on peace and acceptance does not equal forgiveness though, remember to be a cold hard bitch if someone has wronged you!

3) the best way of spreading Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear - so go and sing along to some Christmas tunes! I like Bruce Springsteen doing Santa Claus is coming to town - or do something else you're good at just Christmas themed! Like nails or makeup, writing a christmassy poem or story or going for a cold walk with hot spicy tea at the end of it "

I have never felt so festive so quickly. I'm now sat in my Christmas jumper (courtesy of Alex) next to the Christmas tree with the lights twinkling in the corner of my eye and listening to very festive music, I'll admit it - I did just listen to Justin Beiber Mistletoe and I regret nothing, and so now I've regained some of my previous festive love. 

I don't know why I decided that you my friends need to hear this advice too,  maybe as a just in case. Christmas is after all just one day of the year, we spend all month waiting for this one day and it's going to end so quickly and I think it's ok to be a bit disappointed since we then have to wait a whole year to use the "Christmas excuse" to just be continually happy and generous and perfect. 

So my new advice is don't put so much pressure on yourselves to make it perfect, I've done that every single year since I became old enough to buy my own presents and since I realised how important Christmas was. It's ok to just sit back and enjoy it for what is it! Stop worrying you've not got the right presents and don't fret that the Turkey will be overcooked! If those around you aren't feeling the festive spirit like you are then don't worry, there's nothing wrong with being excited for Christmas and there is absolutely nothing wrong with watching Love Actually on your own with a tin of celebrations. It may have been your family tradition before but there's nothing saying they have to do it with you! You are in control of how your Christmas goes, you can either be sad that it'll be over in 48 hours or you can throw yourself into that warm fuzzy pot of Christmas glitter and have a merry Christmas, your way. 

So have fun wonderful people, I hope you eat too much and drink too much and above all enjoy every single minute of it, 

Lots of festive love 

HarrietCorey

xx