School is over, and so it is finally time for Christmas to begin. This year I wanted to start it with a Christmas Eve Eve day out, just to really soak up the atmosphere. I usually hate being anywhere near shops at this time of year, but the Christmas lights and the idea of some Christmassy treats beckoned.
Christmas is a time of the year that I absolutely love. I enjoy the cold, getting wrapped up nice and warm, the beauty of the lights, and the camaraderie of the people. Christmas is a time for the family to be together, to laugh and joke, it’s a time for nostalgia and I adore it. I also love getting people presents that I think are going to put a grin on their face. No, it’s not about the presents, but it is very nice to see someone smile when you show them that you’ve been thinking of them.
We started off the day with a slice of pizza from American Pizza Slice, it may not have been the most festive way to begin, but it was definitely yummy and then a trip to the comic book shop. I have a confession to make! Usually, I have already purchased every present by this point, but there was one gift I was unsure about and so didn’t buy until yesterday. This was a few graphic novels for my friends. On the recommendation of booktube, I got her Monstress, which I am now actually really sad I didn’t get for myself.
While there, Wayne also managed to find a signed copy of Artemis! So he got himself a couple of new books which I will definitely be trying to read as well. He has decided he wants to make his own book collection, (signed preferably) for when his office is done in a few months.
After a very successful book buying trip in the comic book shop, we grabbed some hot chocolates from Nero and made our way through town. Disappointingly, they hadn’t put the Christmas lights on yet, we were a bit too early. I could see them strung up with the promise of glittering Christmas, but was destined to be thwarted until later in the day.
Still, after stopping at a few more places on the way, we made our way to the bookshop. I had one more book I needed to buy. Sadly, I have been a book buying ban all December. I know I have asked for books for Christmas, and since this is all I have asked for, I know that I will have got these. So to make sure I don’t spoil Christmas for myself, I didn’t buy any books. However, I know that no one has got me A Conjuring of Light by V E Schwab, and I really want it so I can marathon the series before returning to work.
Alas! They did not have it! So, I purchased these instead… It was Wayne’s fault?
It was totally worth it.
We decided to end the shopping part of the day with a nice meal and seeing the Christmas fair that had been set up. Luckily, I managed to kill enough time in the bookshop that the Christmas lights had finally come on!
So now, with the full atmosphere on us, and our appetites fully sated, we decided to go and pick up Alyson for some Christmas movie time. Grandy had an impromptu trip to the hospital, and luckily is home already, but we were on babysitting duty, so we picked her up and headed to Starbucks.
Grabbing some lovely festive drinks, and enjoying just sitting back and reading in the empty coffee shop as we watched people go by.
Once we came home it was time to end Christmas Eve Eve in the best possible way, in our pj’s, with hot chocolate and some Christmas movies!
Now Christmas has officially started!
Merry Christmas and Happy reading!
Afternoon Literature 