Thursday 17 December 2009

Your non-festive festive traditions

There are some things I associate with Christmas that are very normal- mulling wine, decorating the tree, reading myself the night before Christmas before going to sleep on Christmas eve. They are mostly extremely traditional, though that doesn’t make them any the less wonderful.

There are also some things I associate with Christmas that really aren’t anything to do with it- or even winter. They have become traditions over time and in some ways mean as much as singing carols but I’m not sure why or how.

So on top of testing the fairy lights, finding the end of sellotape and watching Home Alone I also think of watching I Capture the Castle after a long bath whilst eating rose and violet creams in pyjamas as extremely Christmasy- though really it isn’t at all. Likewise re- arranging my perfume collection and reading The Pursuit of Love is as festive to me as putting cloves in clementines. I can and sometimes do do all of these things at other times of year but they always make me feel the warm glow of Christmas time inside.

Are you looking forward to doing anything that isn’t Christmasy, but is?

10 comments:

Emily said...

I always look forward to going to the theather on Christmas day with my family. Plays on cinema. I'm often in New York so we either go eat chinese food before or stuff ourselves on popcorn or candy at the movie theater. It's always quite fun to see who goes out on Christmas day...mostly non-christians, so the diversity is quite surreal:) x LZ

Mr London Street said...

Every Christmas Eve me and my friends have lunch at Carluccios before going our separate ways, back to our families. I love it, it marks the moment when the preparation stops and the celebration begins.

Metropolitan Mum said...

We are about to establish our own little Christmas rules - as a fairly new family this is our first Christmas as the three of us. I am not quite sure yet what it is we are going to turn into a Christmassy tradition. Maybe pizza? There isn't much else we can share as a family meal (as long as we don't want to opt for Hipp pureed Spaghetti Bolognese), so pizza it might be.

Martha said...

I used to read The Hobbit every single Christmas vacation. I may dig up my copy this year, now that this makes me think of it.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Reading British Vogue by the fire and eating coffee ice cream!

Top Bird @ Wee Birdy said...

Well back in Australia there are *loads* of things I did that weren't very 'Christmasy', like stopping for sushi while I was out Christmas shopping, or going for an afternoon swim on Christmas day.

Here I look forward to getting our now annual pilgrimmage to Konditor and Cook for their box of Xmas delights. xx

Rose said...

Hi Emily- that sounds so fun! we actually often go out for lunch to a country place in the country or a hotel in London- again it's very interesting to see who is out and about. Central London is so quiet- population and sound wise- but it's wonderful to walk around, see people walking their dogs or just getting some air

Mr LS- that sounds like a really wonderful tradition. I sort of want to get my friends and I started on that actually!

Hi MM- how exciting to be starting out making new traditions- a very prescious time. Pizza sounds like a great idea- plus it's a bit different from everything else at this time of year which will make it all the more yummy/ lekker

Hi Chickenfreak- ooh that's a good tradition. Anything from childhood is wonderful at Christmas because I think we regress a bit don't we. I hope you dig it out and enjoy it.

Hi Pamela- brilliant, that's exactly what I mean- you could do it any time but for you it's something to do at Christmas. Also that sounds very good. I quite like to be doing that now. There is not enough coffee ice cream in the UK.

Hi Top Bird- the sushi sounds fun because although I like mince pies, roasts et al they do get a bit filling! you could still do that one here and give a wink to Christmas back home. The swimming probably wouldn't work so well unless you wanted to brave the ladies pond- but that's madness in this weather.

The annual pilgrimage to K&C sounds delightful- who really needs an excuse to go there hey? I would make a pilgrimage every day if I could!

The Daily Connoisseur said...

When in California I usually go in the jacuzzi at my parent's house on Christmas day- it's a tradition!

Rose said...

Hi Daily- well that sounds pretty fantastic to me- perhaps with a glass of something bubbly!

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