by Vivien Eden
“Christ-MAS is all around us,” as Bill Nighy sings in a well-known noughties movie. Well, that certainly seems to be the case all of a sudden. The school nativity dates are out, a new Christmas shop has popped up, Christmas carols were heard in Daniels department store last week and Santa in already booked out in certain establishments. How quickly the world moves through the seasons where Christmas is concerned. If it’s all a bit much but you don’t want to completely ignore the fact that Christmas is happening here are three ways to acknowledge it and lay the foundations so that when you are ready you can hit the ground running and embrace the season for all it is worth:
- Order a copy of the Windsor Christmas Tales book
You can order it from us here and we’ll carefully deliver a copy of this fantastic book to your home address where you can leave it to sit until you are ready to start reading some charming, festive stories set against the beautiful backdrop of Windsor. Alternatively, you can get ahead of the game and turn it into one of the first Christmas presents you buy for someone.
Like Windsor? Celebrate (or tolerate) Christmas? Then this is the book for you.
Not a fan of online shopping? You can support local Windsor retailers and pick up a copy of the book in Waterstones, Craft Coop and the Windsor Tourist Office (situated in the Windsor Museum). You can also pop along to the official book launch on Thursday if you’re near Windsor – now it will be a *bit* Christmassy but not too much. You’ll get to meet all the friendly Windsor Writers and buy the book at a special launch price.
2. Buy a Christmas delicacy with a long use by date and stick it in the cupboard
There’s probably one you like more than others. Mince pies, stollen, chocolate covered Brazil nuts… the latter being the one I personally went for. By doing this, you:
a) secure your favourite snack for Christmas Day in case there’s a world shortage nearer the time
b) can have a nibble if you have a bad day and cheer yourself up.
There’s really no downside to this option at all.
3. Accept that if anyone is expecting you to buy them an advent calender, you have to act now
Now I am sorry about this one but practically speaking 1 Dec is only a 3 weeks away. And I speak from experience when I say what a soul-destroying experience it is traipsing around every shop in town on 30 November trying to find one. I accompanied a dear collegue on this horrific pilgramage a few years ago and watched her have to buy two liquor chocolate advent calendars for her twin toddlers. On the plus side, I guess mum got to legitimately scoff the contents of those.
A reasonable selection in Aldi at the momenet for £1.99 #YouCanThankMeLater
Oh yes, Christmas should most definitely be taken at one’s own pace.
Photo by Julia Larson
Windsor Writers' Group 