Christmas on Becca's Books | Christmas Q&A with Laura, Blabbering Books

~ Christmas Q&A ~

With Laura, Blabbering Books

What does Christmas mean to you?

This is a question that really made me think. I guess, Christmas to me means family, food and lots of fun. I love the fact my parents have time off of work so are not so stressed, that we can all sit around and eat lots of yummy food and watch TV and play board games!

When does the Christmas excitement usually begin in your household?

It tends to start mid December! My mum really hates putting the tree up too early (she’s the person who’s taking the tree down on the 27^th!) so we only really start to get excited once the tree is up!

In terms of present shopping, do you like to begin early and stay organised, or are you a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type of shopper?

This Christmas sucks cos I’m totally poor so I bought all my Christmas presents a little earlier in the year so I didn’t run out of money! But even when I do have money I tend to be very prepared!

What’s your favourite part of a Christmas dinner?

The roast potatoes!!!!

Least favourite part?

This is going to be unpopular but I’m not a huge fan of turkey. I don’t know why, but it just doesn’t do it for me, so I tend to just have a small slice and then load my plate with potatoes, sprouts and pigs in blankets!

Ultimate favourite Christmas song?

Driving Home For Christmas by Chris Rea. This has always been my favourite Christmas song and I just couldn’t tell you why!

Favourite Christmas movie?

Oh gosh umm, I think it has to be either Christmas With The Kranks or The Holiday!

Is Christmas usually a huge family affair for you, or a small gathering?

Well, my family is really quite small anyway so we’ve never had huge Christmases. But Christmas day tends to be my mum, dad, brother and me and my grandad and his partner come over in the morning. Then Boxing Day is when we see the rest of the family.

Who does the cooking?

Mum tends to do it all – she has it all regimented and I always get told off for asking how long lunch will be!

What sits atop your Christmas tree?

In past years when we’ve had a huge tree, it was an angel but now we have a smaller tree it tends to be a pine cone or a little star.

Do you decorate with precision or happy chaos?

Well, this is mum’s territory again! She is so particular about the tree and it all being symmetrical so I’m just the one who untangles the lights and passes baubles! Most of the tree decorating and house decorating is done by mum. The little tree I have in my room tends to be decorated a little less perfectly!

Who does the washing up afterwards?

It’s a joint effort between mum and dad as my brother and I set up the first board game!

Favourite gift received?

I think the gift I can remember being most excited about was the bike I got when I was about eight or nine? We went to the train station car park near where I live and my brother and I cycled round and round and round!

A Christmas reading recommendation?

This year I’d highly recommend Make A Christmas Wish by Julia Williams. It’s a really unique take on a Christmas book and it made me really appreciative of all I have J.

If Santa could grant you one wish this year, what would it be?

I guess this is a self-indulgent wish but I would wish he could get me a job next year!!!

How early do you wake up on Christmas morning?

When I was little I would be up at the crack of dawn trying to open my stocking presents super quietly so I wasn’t shouted at to go back to sleep because it was still the middle of the night!! But now I’ve got older I do quite like a lie in! I normally get up about half eight, if that counts as a lie in?!

Three favourite Christmas smells?

Oooo Yankee Candle’s Snow In Love candle – really reminds me of Christmas. I love the smell of satsuma skin on an open fire and the smell of tinsel when it comes out of the loft!

Have you ever spent Christmas away from home? Did you enjoy it, or miss the familiar surroundings?

I’ve never spent the whole day away from home – but last Christmas I went to my partners after Christmas lunch and stayed with him overnight. It was strange as I’ve never not been at home in the evening on Christmas day, but it was really nice to spend time with him on such a special day.

Do you pile presents around the tree, or wait until Christmas Eve so they’re there on Christmas morning?

I tend to put them around the tree as I wrap them which is normally around the 16^th!

Has anything ever happened to you, to make you wonder if Christmas time really is magical?

Sadly, not really! Well, actually, yes. When I was younger mum and dad would go all out for Christmas. They used to make us put out the mince pies and would drink the milk we put out. But we have a fireplace and they would leave presents in the fire place – as if Santa had dropped them on his way back up the chimney! And they would leave sooty footprints to make us think Santa was real! Awww that makes me want to be young again and believe in Santa!

If you could spend Christmas anywhere, where would you spend it?

At home J I’d never want to be anywhere else. Although I’d love it if my partner lived closer – we live about an hour away from each other so we can’t just pop over for a few hours on Christmas day L. So I’d love to spend Christmas in a big house with both of our families!

Cranberry sauce or not?

Blurgh! Definitely not!

Mince pie or Christmas pudding?

Again, blurgh! I’m awful for things with fruit in. I can’t stand things with sultanas or raisins or anything candied! So I tend to have a massive pile of profiteroles or cheesecake!

Any special Christmas traditions?

We always see my grandad on Christmas day which is a really lovely tradition. And he always brings us a tub of Quality Streets!

How do you spend Boxing Day?

Boxing day morning is normally spent watching TV or playing board games. And then Boxing Day evening we go to my nan’s house and have a ‘second’ Christmas with her, my grandad, my auntie and her boyfriend.

   At what point do the Christmas decorations come down?

         Normally on the 27^th! Although it has been known for mum to start packing them away on boxing day!

What are you looking forward to most, this Christmas?

              Ooo good question! I think just spending time with family and my boyfriend and just generally         enjoying their company. Also, I can’t wait to eat ALL the food. Cos, well, food!

You can find Laura on Facebook | Twitter | blabberingaboutbooks.wordpress.com