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How To Get Into The Christmas Spirit

How to get into christmas spirit - Twist on a Classic: Salted Caramel Eggnog

As much as you might be trying to convince yourself otherwise, there is no denying that Christmas is on it’s way…and very soon! With carols blasting in every shop, decorations up across the city and the school year coming to an end, our advice (obviously) is to give up the resistance well and truly embrace it.

But how exactly are you to do that, you might ask. Well, here are some tips to really bring the joy of Christmas to your family.

Decorate!
Don’t wait until you leave the house to be reminded that it’s Christmas time. Bring Christmas to your house. This means a wreath on the door, a Christmas tree in the lounge room, lights across the windows and small ornaments on the tables and shelves. You don’t need to completely cram your house with every single Christmas decoration known to man, but a touch of Christmas colour and decoration will go a long way. You might like to add some personalised baubles to the Christmas tree and add the Christmas picture your kids drew at school to the fridge. Decorating the house is a job that everyone can get involved in, so gather the gang and spend some quality time together in the spirit of Christmas.

Send Christmas Cards
Is this too old school? Well maybe it is, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it and it’s definitely a lot of fun! This is another great activity that all ages can get participate in. You can buy ready made cards from the shops or you might like to make Christmas craft activity out of it and get the kids to create one-of-a kind masterpieces of their own. In this day and age of technology and electronic communication, I think it’s beautiful to continue the tradition of sending handwritten cards at Christmas time. This is a simple and small gesture that can go along way at this time of the year. I am sure you would struggle to find anyone that wouldn’t appreciate receiving a heart-felt “old school” Christmas card.

Practice Cooking Your Christmas Sweets
Who said the food had to wait until Christmas Day? Start practicing the biscuit or other sweet treat recipes you’ve been planning for Christmas Day. No need to make too much, just a little to give the family a taste of what’s to come and make sure you’ve got it right. Home cooked sweets will definitely help to get the family into the festive Christmas mood. A Christmas tradition at our place is to get the kids involved in making Christmas treats to share with their friends and teachers. They are always so excited in helping me choose what to make, making a mess in the kitchen and then proudly handing them out at school. In need of a little inspiration? Here are some of our favourite Christmas recipes.

Watch A Movie
Check out the latest Christmas movie in the cinema, or snuggle in to the couch to watch an all-time favourite with the family. At the cinemas this year there’s a Christmas movie for everyone, with plenty of special offers and events available to really get into the Christmas spirit. Choose from The Grinch, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms and Elliot the Littlest Reindeer. You might have a collection of Christmas DVDs and Christmas draws closer, the TV and streaming services are sure to have plenty of options.

Get Out Of The House
With your house now all sorted and feeling like Christmas, make a family trip into the city to see what’s on display. If you can, head out in the afternoon so you can check out the shopping displays in the daylight and catch the city light up when it gets dark. If you don’t have the time to travel far, take a night drive and check out the Christmas lights in your neighbourhood. The news or local forums and Facebook groups can be great resources to see which neighbourhood or areas are worth your trip.

Pay A Visit To Santa
A particularly special Christmas tradition is the annual visit to see Santa at the local shopping centre. It will likely only happen once, so make sure you get the kids suitably excited for their special visit. It’s a great opportunity to get the kids dressed up and hopefully nab a nice Santa photo with the guy in the big red suit while you’re at it. Of course, not every child is excited to see Santa, so don’t be too disappointed if it doesn’t go the way you might have hoped. It’s sure to be memorable in some respect, whether it’s a picture perfect moment or not! A visit to Santa can also act as a helpful check-up tool for their behaviour if they perhaps need some extra encouragement to get on the right list before Christmas Eve!