At this time of year all the focus suddenly spins round to shopping, presents, lists and more presents. Gift guides are adorning all your favourite blogs, YouTube videos are popping up daily under a very festive and aptly named title of Vlogmas, and suddenly this pressure rises of the need to buy your loved ones exactly what they wish for. All sense of rhyme or reason flies out the window as soon as it comes to securing the best gift under the Christmas tree. As a Blogger myself, each year I become more wrapped up and influenced by the commercial side to the holidays. Don’t get me wrong I love spoiling those around me, but it can be hard to remember the little things that count. Instead of today bringing to you that perfect stocking filler for your mum, girlfriend or sister, that’s tomorrow’s post ;) I thought I would allow myself to get a bit sentimental with you all and take a step back.
With the absence of the holiday Thanksgiving in the UK, we jump from dressing up as ghouls and ghosts to running around department stores and rushing past elves. Us Brits don’t often share what we are thankful for and before you know it Christmas is upon us and you are fighting your dad for the last honey nut roasted cashew (this may be a running theme in my household!) This year I’ve found the Christmas gift guides, boxes, deals and offers to be in abundance and with less then two weeks until the big day I still can’t believe quite how quickly it has all happened. It may be my age talking or the fact that a month isn’t enough time anymore, but Christmas has literally arrived, smacked me in the face and said ‘sort it out love and get festive’. Aggressive little bugger at times ;)
Without sounding like a completely snap I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Every year between Christmas and New Year I set aside some time to fill out a little book I’ve been writing in. In this book I set goals for the year ahead, see what has been achieved from last year and reflect on all that has happened in those last 12 months. It’s so easy to forget all the little achievements and moments that have happened throughout the year and taking time out to remind yourself of it all can be rather rewarding. This is my challenge to you, set some time aside, whilst you have a good face mask on of course ;) and see where you have come since 2012. May not be the New Year quite yet but before you know it it will be 2015 rolling into town.
