One week to go until the big day! And two more working days for me until I get a week off *sighs in relief*. My gift guide blog post has become my most viewed post ever and it has only been up for 2 weeks! I can't thank you enough for reading, please let me know if any of my ideas have helped you out. In the last two weeks, I've held a Macmillan Coffee Morning with my siblings and I watched Nativity at the Birmingham Rep. I have to say, the show was incredible - every second of the production was magical. The child actors were amazing, I'm envious of both their talent and their energy.
I thought I'd do a Christmas tag this week because like you readers, I've had my hands full planning and preparing for the 25th.
What is your favourite Christmas carol?
My love for Christmas carols probably stems from the yearly carol concerts we did at my primary school. Every December, the whole school would get together and perform an assortment of Christmas songs at Walsall Town Hall. The music teacher, Mr Cash, was and still is an absolute genius. He picked a theme every year, such as ‘Home’ or ‘Friendship’, and penned his own Christmas songs tailored to his choice - even if you weren’t a member of the school choir or orchestra (and being the try-hard nerds my sister and I were, we were in both), each class were given a song to perform. Mallika and I would get there early, depositing our violins in this top-secret room behind the stage which every year was kept at refrigerator-cold levels.
In terms of my favourite carols, I love Mariah Carey’s cover of ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’, her vocals are unimaginably beautiful and we play it during our Christmas dinner at home every year. I have very fond memories of the Club Penguin instrumental version of ‘O Christmas Tree’ belting out my Dad’s old Dell computer growing up, as well.
Which Christmas candles are your favourite?
I mentioned this in my gift guide - every year I purchase the Wickford & Co warm apple and cinnamon candle in every variation they sell it in, be that the giant gar or the tealight format. It’s my favourite ever candle scent and it’s so affordable, you can’t go wrong.
What is the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received?
When I was six, Santa seemed to know that I had been watching Barbie and the Twelve Dancing Princesses on repeat. When I received a Princess Genevive doll, who had a light-up skirt which twirled around at the press of a button, I thought Santa knowing about my love for the film was very, very weird. Almost as weird as him having the same wrapping paper as my mum.
Genevieve was one of many dolls I had growing up but she was far and away my favourite. My mum forbade me from ever changing her clothes or washing and curling her hair, which I did with all my other dolls, most likely because she feared I’d ruin her. She had exquisite sequins sewn into her sleeves and her hair was tightly but elegantly styled with loose curls and a miniature elastic band. She lived happily in my doll house for years.
Which track is your favourite?
I love ‘All Alone on Christmas’ by Darlene Love and the entirety of Mariah Carey’s and Ariana Grande’s Christmas collections. Johnny Mathis’ ‘When A Child Is Born’ was my favourite choir song growing up.
What is your favourite Christmas fragrance?
A few years ago Zoella released a limited edition gingerbread range in her beauty collection. The Christmas scent consists of gingerbread, vanilla and cinnamon and I have yet to smell anything like it - I have about a dozen of the fragrance mists and body creams in the scent stored away. Thank Goodness for Vinted.
When did you realise Santa Claus wasn’t real?
I started to see the impossibilities behind the whole act when I was about six. My class at school all wrote letters to Santa and got a response on behalf of his Head Elf, who I noticed used the same red gel pen to sign her name as my class teacher Mrs Shropshall used to mark our work.
This was the same year I clocked on to Santa having the same wrapping paper as my mum. It’s amazing I’m not a detective now.
What is your favourite Christmas film?
Love Actually. Always!
What do you have for your Christmas dinner?
My siblings and I have been vegetarians our whole lives, as has my mum. My dad hasn’t eaten meat in over thirty years and my grandparents don’t eat meat either, and thus, we have an entirely vegetarian roast. Mum makes a Vegetarian alternative to Shepard’s pie using Quorn mince which serves as our turkey and we have an assortment of vegetables alongside the dish, including potatoes served in every variation they can be cooked.
Any odd Christmas traditions?
Mallika, Ryan and I watch the Charlie & Lola Christmas special every year. We're 23, 21 and 18 but we live for it!
Do you feel motivated during this time of year?
Up until last year, I spent the week between Christmas and New Years in front of my laptop swotting away. This time two years ago, University granted me the kind task of completing two essays at 4000 words each. I wrote my introductions and planned both essays before Christmas and smashed out the writing process during the break. To answer the question, yes. Like everyone else, I can never figure out what day is which during that weird week in the year. I love having the roast dinner leftovers and junk TV to turn to after a day spent at the desk.
Mallika and I watched a lot of Mary-Kate and Ashley films growing up during the last week of December, we didn't have Sky until 2013 and Pop Girl was our only entertainment. Billboard Dad, Our Lips are Sealed, Passport to Paris and Switching Goals were our favourites. I still love the Olsen twins - their style is impeccable and they come across as enviably classy ladies.
When was your last White Christmas?
I can't remember - it has been a while. The UK is going through a strange period at the moment where it snows almost exclusively at night time and everyone wakes up and sees the sugar-coated streets. We miss the joy and beauty of the snow and have to deal with the inconvenience of it on our journeys to work instead.
Today, the 18th, is the first time I've actually seen the snowfall. Fingers crossed it will continue until next week!
Thank you for reading and for your donations to our coffee morning! You can still donate at the link here. I'll see you guys on Christmas day.
Lots of love,
Karisma xx