The December Bucket List

.

A few weeks ago I decided to attempt to do Blogmas. I LOVE Christmas in general and fancied the challenge of posting daily. What better than to combine the two and post Christmassy content daily throughout December?!

Then we had a crappy week (literally). I’ve come down with a bug (yuck!), the baby has decided sleep is evil/our bed is incredible and just in general we’re exhausted. Top it off with a house that’s upside down due to decorating and you’ve got a winning combo. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that we’ve been in bed by eight every night this week, leaving little time for anything else, including thinking about Christmas.

I’ve seen a lot of bucket lists pop up of late and as it’s our first Christmas as a family, thought there’s really no better way to kick off Blogmas and focus the mind than with a bucket list of things I’d love to achieve this month…

1. Finish the decorating – our lounge is nearly done (yay!!) with the fire being fitted today. We just need to finish painting, hang the curtains, repair the cracks and get the carpet fitted… not much then!
2. Attend a carol service – there’s nothing more festive than singing loudly and out of tune with a whole load of strangers. Thankfully there are plenty around here but making it to one and surviving with a baby might be more of a challenge.
3. Make Christmas cards – I’ve seen so many cards around with various baby body-part prints that I’m itching to attempt it (even after the Halloween Pinterest disaster). Maybe not for everyone though, not sure I can attempt 50+ cards!
4. Visit reindeers – animals always seem to bring a smile to Monkey’s face so I’m hoping to track down some reindeers this month to introduce him to. I don’t think we’ll manage to make any fly but we can do our best to whisper some messages for them to pass on to Santa!
5. Make a wreath – I’ve always wanted to be one of those houses that hangs a wreath on the door. Thankfully we live in a house that would suit one (would also suit being painted/done up properly but still!). I’m booked onto a wreath-making course with my sister and can’t wait to see what we manage to create. Watch this space…
6. Start new traditions – I want us to draw on some of our favourite ones from our own childhood. I can’t wait to put them in place for years to come.
7. Maxing out on family time – December also marks the final month of my maternity leave. I keep prolonging the inevitable and pushing back my return date but January is the one that’s set in stone. I’ll be heading back to the office 2.5 days a week and Monkey will be starting nursery. That means it’s time to make the most of family time before real life comes crashing back in.
8. Cook, cook, cook – I’m not the strongest chef in our family and I don’t really get the time that I’d like to do it in but I enjoy a morning or two spent in the kitchen. Christmas has some of my favourite foods; mince pies, biscuits, cake, hams and of course roast dinners! I’m intending on trying out various recipes throughout the month including hunting down the best method for roast potatoes. I’ve got the family here on Christmas eve so no pressure!
9. Make a gingerbread house – I’ve made a gingerbread house a couple times before; sticking on Christmas songs, getting sweets out and attempting to use icing as cement all put me in a great mood. Unless it goes wrong. Then I get super grouchy!
10. Go Christmas-light spotting – plenty of streets and villages around us really go to town on their lights. Walking or driving around them on a dark afternoon is perfect voyeurism. Monkey is obsessed with lights so it’s literally right up his street (boom boom).

There’s SO much more I’m sure we’ll get up to this month but this is a good place to start! What’s on your festive bucket list?