If you want to feel all lovely and warm and festive inside, then take a look at our ideas for getting in the mood ahead of the big day.
1 - Write your Christmas cards
"It costs too much." "It's an environmental no-no." "I won't get one back." "It's easier just to send an E-card or text." … are exactly the kinds of excuses old Ebanezer would've spouted as he decided not to bother this year. (That was before he got in with The Shamen, of course, he was way more amenable after a night out with them.) Anyway… put your pen-to-paper prejudices aside and get on and write some cards. And put some effort in too. "To Cathy, From Alex" just won't cut the mustard; write something pithy, refer to something you have in common or just quote a bit of Christmas verse and remember how excited the recipient will be when an actual 3D token of your effort drops on to their front-door mat.
2 - Watch 'The Family Stone'
OK, any Christmas film will do but The Family Stone is a particular belter. A family drama unfolds against the backdrop of an American Christmas and we share some laughs, some tears and see Rachel McAdams playing a bit of a bitch. Never a bad thing.
3 - Make something thoughtful
It's true, you really do get out what you put in; and that doesn't just apply to Christmas (a bit of free philosophy from Auntie AIL there.) If you want to feel Christmassy then put some time and effort into making Christmassy items… whether they're homemade potato-print Christmas cards, Christmas tree decorations made out of gingerbread or pinecones; or even a festive table centre-piece… put some effort in and you'll be rewarded with a sense of enormous festive well-being........... Parklife!
4 - Head to a Christmas Market
OK, so we'd rather they keep their football team at home, but we're absolutely cock-a-hoop that our German chums bring their Christmas markets to our shores. Nothing warms the cockles on a cold weekend morning better than walking around a festive fair or market clutching a beaker of glühwein whilst scoffing a delicious baked good or sausage as we shop for presents.
5 - Bake something festive
There's something about the smell of cinnamon, ginger, dried fruit and brandy in the air of your kitchen that puts you in the mood for Christmas. So be sure to bake up a treat on the run up to the big day, whether it's gingerbread men ready to be decorated and hung on the tree by the kids, a batch of mince pies to take into the office or a full-blown Christmas cake, get the radio on in the background, pour yourself a sherry and get baking!
6 - Mull something
There's plenty of stuff you can mull… wine, cider… Kintyre.
Drink a couple of glasses of this and you'll feel very Christmassy. Drink a few too many glasses of this and you won't feel anything at all – because you'll be passed out, dribbling in the kitchen next to the cooker. So go steady, team... all in moderation.
Here's our favourite mulled wine recipe:
Mulled Wine:
2 clementines, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
200g caster sugar
6 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 pinch of grated nutmeg
2 star anise
A good few glugs of brandy (4-6 shots depending on how cheeky you like it!)
2 bottles of half-decent red wine
Method:
Stick it all in a saucepan on the stove and heat until piping hot, stirring frequently to ensure all the sugar is dissolved. Don't allow to get any hotter than 78deg C else you'll begin to boil off the alcohol… and that's a big no-no!
Adjust the sugar to taste before serving, you may wish to add a bit more.
7 - Listen to some carols
If you're plagued by knocks on the door by carollers this year, don't switch off the lights and pretend to be out, open the door and listen to their to recital of Good King Wenceslas, even if it's rubbish. Then show your appreciation by offering them a beaker of mulled wine or a freshly-baked mince pie. It's Christmas… spread the love! However, if carollers don't come a-calling head to Trafalgar Square between 8 – 23 December where carols are sung by a host of different choirs between 4 – 6pm.
8 - Get the radio on
It's ChriiiiiiiiiiiiistMAAAASSSSSSSSSS! Who says it better than the brummy Christmas prophet Noddy Holder? Slade, Wizard, Wham!, John Lennon, Maria Carey, The Pogues – these are our Christmas hit heroes and you should try your darnedest to immerse yourself in their output in the build-up to Christmas. We can recommend Radio 2 in the final week before Christmas where it's Christmas hit after Christmas hit. (And Terry Wogan singing "rop-a-pom-pom".)
9 - Start wishing people "Merry Christmas!"
It's hard to know when to start this… is mid-December too early? Is early-December too early? October? But whenever you decide to break out the M.C.'s you'll see a genuine smile on the face of the recipient and you'll know you've done the right thing. And even better is when they say it back to you!
10 - Buy a Santa Hat
… and wear it. They're only a couple of quid and you'll feel instantly Christmassy as soon as it goes on your head – wear it with confidence, whether you're going down the shops, the pub or even to work; you could even wear it whilst at work. Unless you're a High Court Judge. It'll damage credibility.
11 – Shop like a mental!
It's a Christmas rite of passage… the last-minute shop. You've forgotten nibbles, Christmas crackers, the odd last minute present and, oh… a turkey. Smile as you scoot round the aisles trying not to knee-cap fellow shoppers, you'll feel a surprising sense of solidarity… We're all in this together!
12 - Midnight Mass
Whatever your religious bents, persuasion or proclivities – head to a midnight mass if you've never been to one before… a room-full of people singing, smiling and generally being nice to each other does wonders to foster a sense of goodwill against a backdrop of the best Christmas story of them all. ("Ernest Saves Christmas", notwithstanding.)
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
