Christmas | My Favourite Gifts

Some people think once Boxing Day has finished, Christmas is over, but for me I still feel festive right up until New Year's Eve! Telly is still good and you have lots of new gifts to appreciate! To be completely honest with you though, I think it's just an excuse to eat as much as possible until the "New Year diet" starts!

This year, Peter and I spent Christmas morning in our own home. We woke up bright and early (thanks George) and went downstairs to open our presents (after feeding George of course!) After we opened our presents, we had a cooked breakfast which was pretty amazing, after all Christmas is for eating right? 

Instead of a Christmas haul I wanted to share with you some of my favourite gifts that I was lucky enough to receive this year:

Did you have a good Christmas?

Rachael xo

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Christmas | Wrapping Up

Merry Christmas from Rachael and George

The first year Peter and I were together, he went to his mum's in Stockport for Christmas and I stayed at home (we hadn't moved in together then). Since then for the past two years, we've stayed at my parents' on Christmas Eve ready for Christmas Day! This year, we're staying in our own home for Christmas Eve which means I won't be opening my presents at my parents' house for the first time ever. So despite living with Peter for three years, I've never actually spent Christmas away from home. It all feels very grown up! Although I'm sad to leave my former traditions behind, I'm so excited to create new ones with my gorgeous little family! Of course we'll go to my mum and dad's for Christmas dinner, we don't need any stress of cooking ;)

This Christmas has been quite stressful for me, having a new baby and organising everything on your own is pretty hard work! I went shopping for all the presents and wrapped all the presents this year (thankfully my parents had George when I did my wrapping). After ranting to my mum this morning about how stressed I was, she reminded me that I'm mum and soon to be wife so Christmas is now my "thing" if you like. Hopefully next year will be less stressful (I'm starting my shopping in January next year!)

I guess the point of this post was just to say I'm taking a break from blogging this Christmas (not that I'm an avid blogger).  I'm looking forward to spending time with my family, eating all the food and of course George's first Christmas! It's so exciting having a baby around even if he's too young to understand what's going on. 

Merry Christmas

Rachael (&George) xo

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OOTD | His & Hers

On Sunday, Peter and I had family come to visit and exchange Christmas presents. I bought George this amazingly cute onesie from Asda and couldn't resist buying myself these cute penguin leggings from Primark to match. We spent the day eating pizza, listening to Christmas songs and opening presents. I'm writing this while I'm extremely tired with a banging headache (having guests is tiring work) so I'm going to keep it short and sweet. I just wanted to share our matching outfits. 

Rachael xo

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Christmas | My Christmas Traditions

With the stress of buying, wrapping and organising presents being over (I got my last two presents yesterday) I feel I can finally enjoy the festive season! I saw this Christmas Traditions post over on Alex at Sweet Dreams and thought what a lovely festive post so of course I thought I'd share my own.

I've said this many times, but Winter is my all time favourite season (it's the hair and pale skin). December is probably my favourite month because I love the build up to Christmas. As soon as December comes around, our Christmas tree goes up, the Christmas candles come out and of course, I start watching every Christmas movie ever! 

Ever since I can remember, my family and I have visited the Trafford Centre during the second week of December. We have breakfast, do a bit of shopping, go to the cinema, eat ice cream, have lunch, followed by more shopping. We always get a little present while we're there as well, it's really cute. This year was our last year though, as Peter and I have George now so we want to create our own traditions.

I normally wrap all my Christmas presents watching Christmas films and drinking hot chocolate. I like to start my shopping as early as possible because I hate shopping in crowds! This year, I started early as August! Yikes! I did most of my shopping in November this year and saved my wrapping until December. You need to save some of the normal Christmassy stuff right?

On Christmas Eve, we have a bath and get into our brand new Christmas Eve pyjamas, my mum normally makes soup so we have home made soup and tiger rolls. It's amazing. After that, we watch a Christmas film on DVD. I never sleep well on Christmas Eve because I'm a big kid at heart, and when Christmas morning comes around, I'm the first up. I wake my brothers up, we wake our parents up and go downstairs, my mum always goes down first and we follow. She always says "has he been?" and we go into the living room to see all our presents. Breakfast comes after present opening. We have Christmas lunch in my mum's followed by trifle. Oh trifle. I don't eat in order to prepare myself for the massive lunch. 

This year, everything is going to change because we have our little man, so even though I haven't lived at home for almost three years, I'll be spending my first Christmas Eve away from home. I'm sad to leave my old traditions behind, but so excited to start creating new ones with my boys.

What are your Christmas Traditions?

Rachael xo

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Sunday Summary | Week #010

I cannot believe Christmas is only 11 days away, I am so excited! On Monday, Pete and I went Christmas shopping (no presents were purchased) and we took our little man to his first grotto, I was so emotional! On Wednesday, I went to the Trafford Centre with my family, a little annual tradition, alas I think this is our last year. We did some shopping, ate a lot of food and went to see Mockingjay in the cinema, if you've not seen it yet, then why not?! I cannot wait until next year for part two, p.s J-Law and Liam Hemsworth are beautiful. 

I spent all day Friday wrapping Christmas presents, complete with hot chocolate and the Santa Clause Trilogy. George discovered splashing in the bath and I don't think I've laughed so much since he's been born. Yesterday, we went to see Pete's family to celebrate his Grandad's 95th birthday. I know, 95, congratulations Grandad Phil. It's not often we all get together due to everyone living all over the place, so it was nice for George to finally meet everybody. After a 12 hour day we came home and watched the X Factor final, thrilling I know. I've been extremely stressed this week sorting out Christmas presents so it was nice to just chill. 

Are you ready for Christmas?

Rachael xo

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Life Lately | November

We've been celebrating a lot of firsts this month so needless to day, it is very exciting in our house, especially with Christmas fast approaching. This year, I've tried to be quite organised and have done the vast majority of my Christmas shopping (this must be what growing up feels like). Here's how I filled up my days in November:

George's first Bonfire Night // Recovering from my first cold this year // Lunch date with my gorge mum // Harry came round for another night in including face masks // George in his flat cap just like daddy's // My boy chuckled for the first time // First night out with my girls in a year // Cousin Charlie came to see us // George's first Christmas

What did November bring for you?

Jegz xo

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Christmas | My Favourite Christmas Movies

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear"

Can you tell I'm excited? I'm a self-confessed Christmas geek. I love the lead up to Christmas and what better way to get in the mood than watch Christmas films? (I've had Christmas 24 on all week.) Here are just some of my favourite Christmas movies:

1. Elf

Buddy, a human raised by elves, ventures to New York to meet his birth father. My all time favourite Christmas movie. Ever. I watch it at least three times, much to Pete's dismay.

2. The Santa Clause Trilogy

When Scott Calvin makes Santa fall off the roof, he has to take his place.  This is a childhood fave of mine. I love that both sequels are equally fantastic!

3. The Polar Express

A young, doubtful boy hops aboard the Polar Express and goes on a magical journey to the North Pole. I wish I'd gone to the cinema to see this but I didn't expect it to be so fab! 

4. Jack Frost

Musician, Jack Frost dies in a car accident and is reincarnated as a snowman. Jack then gets to spend time with his son. I cry at the end. Every. Time.

5. Nativity

Primary school teacher, Mr Maddens, is charged with producing the school's nativity play. This film was improvised and is actually bloody brilliant.

What's your favourite Christmas movie?

Rachael xo

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Tag | The Christmas Edition

I was considering waiting until December before I got into the Christmas themed posts but I'm feeling extremely festive! I'm listening to Christmas songs and I've done most of my Christmas shopping already. I'm so organised this year. 

1. Do you prefer a real Christmas tree or a synthetic Christmas tree?

I've never had a real Christmas tree, they smell amazing but they're too messy! Synthetic all the way.

2. You're in a coffee shop, it's December, what do you pick?

Toffee nut latte from Starbucks without a doubt! 

3. What's your favourite colour scheme for decorating the tree?

I don't really have a fave colour scheme. Our tree is red, silver and white and it looked fab last year! I can't wait to put it up this year now we're in our own home. 

4. Giving or receiving?

Call me selfish but receiving. Don't get me wrong, I get excited buying for other people, but it's nowhere near as exciting as opening your own surprises.

5. To mince pie or not to?

Not to! 

6. What's your traditional Sunday lunch? 

Sunday lunch consists of chicken, crispy roasties, a mountain of veg you need to climb, yorkies and it has to be swimming in gravy.

7. Christmas day fashion?

I tend to dress up a bit more on Christmas day. It is a special occasion after all! 

8. What's your favourite Christmas song?

It's definitely a toss up between Barry Manilow's River, Michael Buble's Baby Please Come Home and Chris Rea's Driving Home for Christmas. Oh and Glee's We Need a Little Christmas.

9. What's your favourite Christmas film?

Elf! Closely followed by The Santa Clause Trilogy. Then Jack Frost. And The Polar Express. Just don't make me choose okay?!

10. Open present before or after lunch?

Before. My mum always comes downstairs with us and says "has he (Father Christmas) been?" It's a little Christmas tradition.

I just LOVE Christmas! 

When is it acceptable to put the tree up?

Rachael xo

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