Merry Grace-mas! (The Christmas Tag)

Oh yes, here it is guys. The first of probably several Christmas-themed posts this year. I held off as long as I possibly could, I really did. But then a beautiful new friend of mine tagged me in this awesome Q&A, and I couldn't contain my Christmas cheer any longer! 
Thank you so much for the tag, Amber (@ The Mile Long Bookshelf). Your vlogs, blog and bookshelves are constantly inspiring me! 

What's your favourite Christmas movie?

I always loved The Santa Clause when I was younger. I think I liked the idea of it being relatively real - a boy and his dad getting sucked into the Christmas world when they were totally unprepared, and totally normal...just like me! 
Home Alone 1 & 2 are also epic childhood favourites. I would watch them back to back repeatedly the whole way through December...I could recite them both word for word. 

Elf is also a contender for the top spot. And of course there are the classic Christmas rom-coms: Love Actually and The Holiday. I have to watch those each year. 

Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

I used to be so so envious of all the kids in my year at school who got to open ONE present on Christmas Eve, like a pre-Christmas Day treat. However, opening them all at 7am Christmas morning with the family - all of us bearing cups of green tea - is pretty special.
I believe this year we are changing things up and opening presents over coffee and biscuits. That sounds pretty perfect, too. We are a coffee-dependent family, after all. 

Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?

One year my Nana from Australia was visiting us all. That day as a whole was extra lovely as she was there too...but lunch was just indescribably hilarious. 

We'd bought big shiny supermarket crackers for the table, and they all had teeny cheap whistles inside them. All whistles were different sizes/lengths, and were all numbered. There were sheets of music for us to play along to with each of the whistles. Grandad took charge, conducted us all on our separate whistles (waving a fork and calling out 'one! Three! Five! Six! SIX!'), and we barely made it through one song before descending into hysterical giggles. 

Favourite festive food?

Aha! I'm a lifelong veggie, so this question isn't as tough for me as it will be for most... Over the years my family have had nut roasts, pumpkin/spinach/feta pastries, every vegetable under the sun roasted and smothered in gravy...but my favourite festive food will always be a chocolate Yule log. Preferably the luxurious Sainsbury's Taste The Difference one... 

I always get given After Eights for Christmas - that's a tradition - but these days I'm sworn off most dairy as it makes me feel horribly sick. However, Yule log is always an exception!

Favourite Christmas gift?
I think one year my sister and I were given the Gilmore Girls series 1-7 box set. Nothing can ever top that. 

Favourite Christmas scent?

For a few years now we've burned Crabtree & Evelyn Noel oil, and that is magical. This year we got a True Grace (excellent brand name, I know) Christmas candle, and that's rather delicious-smelling too.

I also like the smell of coffee shops near Christmas - because while I really don't like the cream-covered super-syrupy Christmas lattes, the smell is heavenly. 

Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions? 

We always used to leave out a little plate for Santa by the fireplace. A mince pie, a carrot for the reindeer (how we believed that one carrot would go nine ways, I have no idea) and most importantly a glass of single malt scotch for the big bearded man. 

Maybe this year I can have a glass of that... 

What tops your tree? 

We used to have a nice big gold wooden star, but recently we're revamping our decorations, which means we now have a REAL tree (mad, right?!) covered in trinkets rather than huge baubles - and with a silver snowflake sitting on top. 

As a kid what was the one (crazy wild extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received? 

An Animal Hospital Pet Adoption Centre. I loved those silly little plastic animals and the sets you could get for them. *sigh* 

That was the biggest thing I ever asked for, I think. We tend to save big presents for birthdays.

Well, now that I've had the chance to reflect on my Christmas traditions and some lovely past Yule times, I am ten times more excited for this year's festivities. 
There is, however, a change to things in my house this year. After twenty-two years of celebrating Christmas with the same lovely family members - parents, sister, auntie, grandparents - this year we are one short. 
The idea of spending Christmas without Grandma is simply...odd. I've been asking around for tips on how to deal with a Christmas with one less family member, and the general consensus is: just get through it. The first Christmas is hardest. We're changing the routine this year, too, and not having a sit-down lunch around the dining table as that would be the saddest thing, seeing one empty chair. 
Anyway, Grandad said recently that surely Grandma would 'be very upset if she looked down and saw us being miserable at Christmas without her'. And that's probably very true! 

So let's focus on the good things this year, shall we?

Now, my tagged pals who I want to write about their Christmas memories and traditions
are... 

Emma @ eggplantemoji.com
Lex @ whatlexysaid.blogspot.co.uk
Louise @ hiyalouise.blogspot.co.uk
Miss L.D. @ ldlapinski.com

Kathy @ iamkb.co.uk

Eleanor @ the-beautifulandthe-damned.blogspot.co.uk 

Happy Christmas, folks!