It seems crazy to be writing about what’s been going on in our world throughout December – I’m sure that summer has only just finished and the girls went back to school not that long ago…?
As it always is, December has been a month of fast and slow; of busy-ness and quiet; of being distracted by a million-and-one different Things To Do, and being present in the moment & soaking up all the tiny joys of the season.
Here’s a little bit of life lately, in December…
BOOKS
It’s been a bit of an odd month, book-wise. I haven’t really known what I’ve felt like reading – none of the books in my TBR pile (‘to be read’, just in case you aren’t familiar with the term) appealed to me. In the end, I picked up Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell. Ella has been trying to get me to read this for well over a year and up until now I’ve resisted as I’m not the biggest fan of historical fiction. However, I do love stories connected to Shakespeare so I figured I’d give it a try. I’m so glad I stopped being so stubborn – I was hooked from the very first page. The descriptions (of the characters, the settings, the emotions, the events that unfolded…) are beautiful and I was immediately sucked into the story. It is exquisitely written, and utterly devastating – one of those books where you read a chapter that is so breathtaking that you have to put it down to compose yourself for a moment or two before you can continue. There is a film adaptation coming out at the cinema in January – I saw the trailer for it a couple of months ago and instantly wanted to watch it.
As so often happens when I read a book that I know I’m going to be thinking about for a long time afterwards, I had absolutely no idea what to read next. In the end, I opted for something relatively light and fluffy – I needed it after the depth and intensity of the emotions contained in ‘Hamnet’. You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry was exactly what I needed – an easy to read romance that I actually ended up quite enjoying.
Felix offering his approval of my reading choices this month
TV
I’ve been anticipating the final season of Stranger Things for what feels like years. I managed all four episodes of the first volume of Season 5 in the space of a week, and… wow wow wow. It’s such an extraordinarily clever show, and I love the cinematography of how it’s been filmed. I’m now eagerly awaiting volumes two and three – I have a feeling they’re going to be incredible and although I have a theory as to how it all might conclude, in reality I have absolutely no idea and I’m looking forward to the twist/surprise that I imagine will be coming. I just hope it does the rest of the show justice.
I have really loved watching Strictly with Lola this year, snuggled up on the big armchair together under a blanket, laughing at the judges, predicting who will stay and who will be in the dance-off each week, and marvelling open-mouthed at the group pro dances. Mimi joined us for a few of the Saturday night shows too, and Ella was watching it with her friends at uni as well so we’d discuss each week’s performances via WhatsApp the next day. I know it’s only a TV show, but it made me feel connected to each of my girls. The final itself was spectacular, and I’m delighted that Karen Carney won overall. It was such an emotional show, especially with Tess and Claudia stepping down from presenting it. I’m curious to find out who their replacements are going to be next year. I really hope that watching the show together remains a bit of a family tradition – I wish we’d started doing it sooner.
ALL THE FESTIVE THINGS
I really haven’t felt very ‘Christmassy’ this year at all. I tried though, I really did! We made our annual little pilgrimmage to the Christmas Tree Festival – apparently there were 105 trees this year, which is pretty impressive. I’m not religious but I do love old churches, and it’s a perfect setting for all the twinkly lights and the quiet reverence as people wander through, stopping to look more closely at the decorations, wishes and messages. The trees are always represented and sponsored by such inspiring local organisations, brilliant schools, wonderful support groups and fantastic charities. It’s one of my favourite little festive traditions to do each year so I’m glad that we were able to make it.
We also went to see the pantomime at our local theatre. This year it was Sleeping Beauty and honestly I think it was the best one yet – it was even more outrageous that usual, and made all three of us laugh out loud until our tummies hurt. Ella opted out of going this year and felt a little bit of FOMO after Mimi, Lola and I told her all about it. Next year it’s going to be Aladdin (I’m already looking forward to it), so she might join us for that one.
The girls also decorated a gingerbread house, and Lola baked gingerbread people then decorated them with her friends after school one day. Plus Felix ‘helped’ me with the wrapping marathon.
Annual visit to the Christmas Tree Festival
‘Sleeping Beauty’, the pantomime at our local theatre
Felix ‘helping’ me to wrap all the Christmas presents
LIFE LATELY
This month marked the sixth anniversary of moving into this house. There is still so much I want to do with it to make it feel more like ‘home’. I’ve not been able to make any changes to it this year for various reasons, so next year I’m determinedly planning to make it a focus and priority.
Ella came home from uni for the holidays in mid-December, so we had belated birthday fun (takeaway pizza, cake and presents) to celebrate her turning nineteen. 19! I still can’t quite believe I’m a Mum to a nineteen year old daughter. I’m only 18 in my head, so the maths definitely doesn’t add up. She loved all of her gifts from us, and I think that even though she was still at uni for her actual birthday (the first one we’ve ever spent apart), her flatmates and friends all made a fuss of her, which helped.
Birthday decor for when Ella got home from uni. I said I wouldn’t do big balloons for them after they each turn eighteen but… *shrugs*… why not?!
Belated celebrations and present-opening for Ella’s 19th birthday
Christmas looked a little different for us this year as the girls’ Dad is away for a month (from mid-December to mid-January) watching three of the The Ashes cricket test matches in Australia, meaning it was just the four of us girls celebrating the festive season together. They were delighted with all of their gifts, I was thrilled with mine (a stack of books, a cd, some luxury hair care products I asked for), and Christmas dinner was *mostly* a success (if we don’t mention the burnt stuffing balls – the girls were very kind and gracious about it and ate them anyway, bless them). We’ve still got two more mini-Christmases to go at the start of January with their sister & her boyfriend, and with my parents. Otherwise it’s been fairly quiet during the holidays other than a few afternoons they’ve each spent with friends – we’ve all very much needed the downtime after such an intense final few months of the year.
Opening their presents on Christmas Day morning (the matching pjs were – honestly! – entirely unplanned and unintentional)
And now, all of a sudden, we are at the end of the year. I hope that you found plenty of little things to love throughout December and that you’ve got lots to look forward to in 2026. I have no idea what next year is going to hold – I very much hope that for you it’s full of good health, joyful moments, a peaceful mind and just the right amount of adventure.
With love,
Chloe x
