Category: Christmas presents

Blogmas Day 11- Christmas at the office

Three boxes full of Christmas decorations have been lying around in the office for ten days now, since last Monday when Mrs Claus, Sarah brought them upstairs first thing in the morning and made my day.

It’s been so busy at work I didn’t get to time to do anything with them and somehow everyone in the office waited for me. I still don’t understand why.  But today was the day.

After a festive, fun, lunchtime singing session with my Staff choir friends and the always lovely Dan and the most entertaining Secret Santa, it was hilarious watching everyone in festive attire singing Young Blood and Superheroes, I got well into the Christmas spirit. You know Christmas is close when you wish “Have a lovely Christmas” and ‘See you in the new year’ to people.

When I got back in the office, I finished all the work I needed to do for the day and with Suzanne’s blessings I started decorating my desk, the latest I ever left it. By the end of it most colleagues joined me.  And voila. 

This week started well, I must admit.

In two weeks around about this time, we’ll all be enjoying a scrumptious Christmas dinner and having a laugh with our loved ones. I cannot wait!

Eleni

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Blogmas day 9- The Christmas Tree

Oh the Christmas tree…

How much prettier and cosier it transforms the living room into, in an instant. I wish I could keep it up all year around.

I love the Christmas tree and everything that comes with it. The decorations, the lights, the unique ornaments, the gifts under it.

After I moved on my own, for the last three years I’ve decorated the tree with my bestie, Shebs who unfortunately is not around this time so my lovely friend Sukes offered to come and help. 

I couldn’t wait since the tree arrived on Friday. Since I now live in a much larger flat I couldn’t not get a bigger and more grandiose tree.

So today as soon as I woke up I put one of my Christmas jumpers on -Olaf!- ,my favourite luxurious Santa hat and put on a Spotify Christmas list. 

We decorated, sang along to Christmas music and had tea and chocolate, a wonderful Sunday afternoon. 

We did a brilliant job, the tree looks amazing!  I need a few more decorations and a fluffy rug (which I just ordered) and then I won’t want to leave my living room ever again.

I’d love to get a real one at some point, I’m sure it will happen one day. But I’m pretty happy with this gorgeous one for now.

Eleni

Blogmas day 8- The Christmas Presents

New Year’s Eve, 1994

(that’s when Santa visits children in Greece and Cyprus, on the 1st of January, the name day of St Vasileios, ‘Αη Βασίλης’)

My sister Stella, a then naughty with short curly hair 5 year old and Ι, a stubborn 8 year old were eagerly waiting for my dad who popped outside to meet Santa Claus and get our presents. A year earlier we woke up and ran straight to the real Christmas tree we picked with mamma and papa a few weeks earlier and before we even saw our presents we knew Santa’s been because he ate the cookies and drank the glass of red wine we left for him next to the tree. Oh yeah, we treat Santa to wine in our household, and we are not the only ones in Cyprus who do that. But Santa is supernatural, he doesn’t get drunk with all that wine!

I can’t even remember what Santa Claus brought us either year, I just remember the joy and anticipation. 

Christmas is not about what’s become with all the commercialisation or the presents per se, it’ all about the joy and the kindness that should be celebrated every day, not just at Christmas or the International Kindness day but these little traditions add up to make Christmas… well magical.

I do my little bit helping others, donating, volunteering all year around and I sincerely hope everyone does, so once a year I may overdo it with treating myself and getting little treats for my near and dear ones. 

At this day and age most of us are lucky to afford to get things we really need, so every year I try to get something sentimental, unique and preferably handmade!

Today it’s all about a favourite Christmas tradition, wrapping Christmas gifts. After tidying up and dealing with the usual chores one must do every week (sigh), a bit of writing since I’m a day behind again, I had a lovely winter dinner, put a Christmas film on and I’ve wrapped most gifts. My wrapping skills are not the best I must admit, after the first couple I get impatient, but they turned out OK I guess…

I can’t wait to see everyone’s expression when they open them.

Now, time to decorate the Christmas tree!

Eleni