Mistletoe & Wine: Getting In The Christmas Spirit

After all of the news coverage over the past days and weeks, you’d be forgiven for not quite feeling in the Christmassy mood just yet.

Should you party? Meet family? Friends? Heavens above, it somehow feels like we’ve all been here before, doesn’t it.

Well, here at Belvoir Edinburgh, we’re not going to let it get us down. It’s Christmas, for goodness sake! And, dash it, we’re going to try and make the best of it.

So, if you’re not really tempted by the mince pies at the moment or haven’t felt the need to scream “It’s Christmas!!” at the top of your lungs, we’re here to help you out of your little gloomy grumbledom and back into the Christmas light where you belong.

How can we all get in the spirit amongst all of this madness and downright dreary news? Well, let us give you a handful of helpful tips to get you right in the spirit.

Get Decorating: If your home doesn’t look like Christmas has exploded in it by now then, frankly, we are mightily unimpressed. Of course, there will be those who still have their Christmas decorations up from last year (yes, we know who you are), to whom we say a jolly well done and all power to you. Whatever is going on in your world just now, try to set aside some time to sprinkle a little bit of magic here and there to give your home a bit of a seasonal boost. Some tinsel over a picture frame? A handful of holly on the mantle piece? Whatever you can do, we highly recommend that you do it. We promise it’ll make you a whole heap better.

Christmas Cooking: What possibly could make you feel any better than some good old fashioned Christmas grub? We’re not talking about the full Christmas Day feast here (though, boy, that is amazing!). Christmas cakes, ginger bread, cinnamon cookies…Whatever it is that makes you think “Yes! It’s that time again!”, then go ahead and get making. It tastes great, it smells terrific and all of those frustrations and winter worries, if only for a time, will be buried under a calorific comet of Christmas delight. Scrumptious!

Seasonal Sounds: An essential component of Christmas cheer is the traditional Christmas tune. Yes, they’ve all probably been blurted out in various shops and supermarkets since the beginning of November, but what the heck! Gluhwein in hand, Santa hat at the ready, let’s put down our cynicism for a moment and have a little bit of a sing song and a dance. We love Christmas music here at Belvoir! What’s your favourite seasonal tune?

Festive Films: It’s A Wonderful Life? A Christmas Carol? The Grinch? We all have movies that we like to watch at this time of year, so look through your streamer or Blue ray collection and get your December viewing organised. We don’t know about you, but we’ve got a lot to get through and we’re a trifle behind schedule. We all want to watch Die Hard next, but the boss seems set on Love Actually (he’s a bit of a soppy romantic). What do you think? Die Hard or Love Actually? Or, maybe, we could just go for it and call it an Alan Rickman double bill?…Ho! Ho! Ho!

Be Kind: The boss isn’t the only one that’s a little soppy here at Belvoir Edinburgh. We all like to do our bit to make the lives of you guys as easy and as lovable as possible. So, if you are to do anything at all this Christmas season, just remember to be kind. Every person that you meet is going through their own personal battles, so do what you can to bring some joy to your fellow human beings. Check in on your neighbours and see if there is anything that they need. Say “Merry Christmas” to the supermarket team who are on the late night shift again, tired and battered after yet another hectic and stressful run. Bring some chocolates to your local coffee shop baristas who always seem to find the heart to put a smiley face on your cappuccino, no matter how tough their day has been or how much their worries are getting them down…Be kind. Of all of the big words, in all of the world, of all the great thoughts and mighty deeds, none are greater or finer than the power of kindness.

Now get on going and have some fun, you wonderful, crazy people! It’s time for Christmas!

Ho! Ho! Ho!