A couple of years ago my lovely blogging friend Eileen from Your Money Sorted tagged me in post about what she loves most about Christmas, and encouraged me to share my own thoughts in this fun Christmas blog tag. Given the craziness, challenges and uncertainty of 2020 I’ve refreshed my answers a little, but the sentiment still stands: Christmas for me is about loved ones, traditions and memories.

What’s your favourite Christmas movie?

It’s a tie between “Love Actually” and “The Holiday”. I don’t watch that much TV, but I know these two films so well that they are great to have on in the background when I’m wrapping presents or writing cards. You simply can’t have Christmas without dear Hugh Grant shimmying through Number 10!

Have you ever had a white Christmas?

I’ve had a “slight-dusting-of-snow-or-is-it-just-frost?” kind of Christmas, but I’m still waiting for a proper white Christmas. And four years after returning to Scotland from over a decade in the Middle East, we still wish for snow every Christmas! I think we all deserve that little extra bit of magic this year.

Where do you usually spend your holiday?

My husband and I usually take turns as to whose family we spend Christmas with. Very organised! We’ve been doing this for over 20 years now, and it works for us. Although one year I would love for both our families to pile into our house and we all spend it together! This year we’ll be on our own, just the three of us, so I’m focusing on what we can do, rather than what we can’t. Thank goodness for Zoom to keep us connected to family and friends!

What Is your favourite Christmas song?

I love all the singing at Christmas, so this is a difficult one! Christmas starts for me when I first hear “Fairytale of New York” on the radio, but as a huge fan of U2 I also love their cover of “Baby Please Come Home“. It’s too hard to pick my favourite Christmas carol – I just love the comfort and familiarity of them all.

Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?

Rudolph. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Donner, Blitzen, Comet…er? So no, even though we read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” as our bedtime story last night. Did you know that this is the poem where the eight reindeer were originally named? With no Rudolph, who came into tradition later.

What Christmas traditions are you looking forward to this year?

I like to cook Christmas dinner and I secretly adore planning it all out! I always make my great grandmother’s Christmas pudding, which I am told is a recipe passed down through the generations. And we always have a pork pie for breakfast on Christmas Day morning, just like she did. With HP brown sauce which always reminds me of my dear Grandad.

What is the best Christmas present you ever received?

It’s hard to pick one gift. I am extremely lucky to have been blessed with a loving family and lots of opportunities in my life, gifts for which I am always grateful. But I do remember Christmas seven years ago, when we travelled home to the UK from Dubai and met my new niece for the first time. That first Christmas with her, our little boy and our family all together was magical.

Most memorable Christmas memory?

All of the Christmastimes with my grandparents who are sadly no longer with us. Those family days with my whole family are precious memories that will never fade – cousins, auntie, the family dog… and Grandma always calling out everyone else’s answers to Trivial Pursuit but getting her own questions wrong. Priceless.

What made you realise the truth about Santa?

I still believe in Santa – it’s a feeling, a spirit, a generosity… and it’s alive within all of us that still believe! Listening, giving, spending time with each other – that’s what Christmas is all about.

What makes the holidays special for you?

Family, friends, tradition and food. And the opportunity to reflect back on the past year and set new goals for the next 12 months. We might not have family and friends around this year, but it gives more opportunity to be intentional about getting in touch with people, remembering happier times, and looking forward to the future.

What don’t you like about Christmas?

I don’t like the pressure, the stress, and all the commerciality that seems to get worse every year. I wrote A Simple Christmas with some tips to stress less and enjoy more this festive season.

What about you? I’d love to hear some of your answers in the comments!  Or if you have your own blog or social media, keep the tag going and answer all the questions in your own post – it would be lovely to hear about your Christmas!

I’m tagging: Sian at Inspired Living Cheshire, Ania at Joy of Organised, Sarah at The Flamingo Organising Co, Louise at Louise Simpson Coaching, Sian at Sorted and Dorothy at Clear Organization

Merry Christmas and thank you for your support of More Organised this year!