Ooh there’s been some strong contenders over the years for my best ever Christmas present!
Before I reveal which gift I’ve decided beats all the rest and why, let me talk you through those that came close to the number one spot…
The MP3 Player – Remember MP3 players?! The year I got one for Christmas, I spent all afternoon putting my favourite songs on there, my dad tutting in the background because I’d been glued to a screen for too long. It was a laborious task but oh so worth it to no longer have to carry my CDs around for my CD Walkman. Listening to music on the go suddenly became so easy and therefore those headphones never left my ears thus completing my moody teenager look!
The GHD Straighteners – I’ve spoke before about the day I got my first pair of GHDs. They were my ONLY Christmas present from mum and dad that year because they were so expensive. I can’t explain how much joy I felt swishing around my poker straight hair in front of the mirror. Straighteners that actually straightened my hair – it was like a miracle. I became obsessed with straightening my hair and actually recall being so excited to go back to school after the Christmas holidays to show off my new look. Think Sandy’s transformation in Grease but a lot less cool!
The Chanel Perfume – I was in my early twenties when my hubby (then boyfriend) bought me a bottle of Chanel Coco Mademoiselle perfume for Christmas. I felt so posh, so grown up, so spoiled. It was something I would have never bought for myself and it felt like a very traditional gift to receive from your boyfriend. It just felt special and romantic, what can I say!
The Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour Tickets – It probably goes without saying that I’m a massive Strictly fan so needless to say when I opened up those Strictly tour tickets on Christmas morning, I was ecstatic. In all my years of watching Strictly avidly, I’d never been to see the tour. Hubby excelled himself once again!
The Bill Bailey Tickets – My sister is one of the most generous and thoughtful present buyers I know. Every year we don’t all just get a present from her, we get one from ‘Father Christmas,’ aka my sister, too. (Just in case you’re wondering, my sister isn’t THE Father Christmas, she just plays the role of Father Christmas in our family ;).) Anyway, a couple of years ago, ‘Father Christmas’ got me and my hubby tickets to see comedian (and coincidentally now Strictly star) Bill Bailey. My sister didn’t just get us the tickets because she knew we liked Bill Bailey, she got them because she’d remembered it was the first gig/concert we went to see together back when we were 17 and thought it would be nice for us to see him together again as he was coming to Sheffield. She’s a sweetheart!
As you can see, I’ve been very lucky to receive such lovely presents over the years and the competition for my best Christmas gift ever has been tough. But there can only be one winner and this year has definitely cemented my decision…
Spending time with my family – A gift I’ve been able to cherish every single year. The COVID-19 pandemic threatened to take this precious gift away from me this year. Luckily, I will now be able to see my family on Christmas Day but things will be very different as we try our best to have a small, safe, celebration. When I was thinking back over all the Christmases that have gone before, I actually found myself struggling to remember what presents I’d received! This isn’t because I am ungrateful or so spoiled I can’t keep track! Obviously, the ones I have mentioned above stand out in my memory either because of the age I was at the time or because of the sentimental value attached to them.
When I was remembering past Christmases, the first memories that came to me were ones of laughter-filled afternoons sat around the dining table playing board games. I thought of all the Christmas dinners where we ended up poking fun at each other and reminiscing over infamous family tales. I recalled those lazy evenings in our pyjamas stopping up late with drinks and snacks.
It was a strong reminder of all the warmth and happiness family time brings. There can be no better gift to enjoy at Christmas.
