5 Festive Things To Do Before Christmas Day

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The one week countdown to Christmas has begun! Strangely, this year I haven't been feeling very Christmassy and with only a week left until December 25th, it's about time that changed. These are a few things I've been doing to get in the festive spirit as well as some of my plans for the lead up to Christmas Day!

1. Watch Christmas Movies

I've been watching quite a lot of Christmas movies over the past couple of weeks, basically making my way through the Festive Favourites film category on Netflix. These are the films I've watched so far:
- Klaus

- A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby (yes, I've watched all three)

- The Littlest Reindeer
- The Knight Before Christmas
- The Holiday
- Christmas with a View
- Holiday in the Wild

Let me know what your favourite Christmas film is so I can watch it too!

2. Play Games

Games are the best at this time of year as you get together with family and friends, it's the perfect opportunity to play some of your favourite games. Personally, I love games that are a bit more lighthearted or can be played in groups and I've listed a few of my favourites below. Oh and I also love getting through a puzzle! I have a big 1000 piece Christmas scene to get through before this Christmas and I can't wait to start.

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3. Visit Christmas Markets

One of my favourite things about Christmas time is the array of markets open throughout December. Wherever you live, I'm sure some sort of Christmas market has popped up during the festive season. Personally, I love a trip to Winter Wonderland which fills Hyde Park every year (although it does keep getting busier and busier which kind of takes away some of the enjoyment of it so if you can, go early!)

4. Wrap Presents

I absolutely adore wrapping. Hand me the most challenging shaped gift and I will do my best to get it wrapped, nicely I might add. There's just something so festive about putting on some Christmas tunes and getting creative with wrapping. I have a few posts with wrapping ideas on my blog including: Simple Gift Wrap Ideas: The Finishing Touches and What To Buy and How To Wrap For.

As a sustainability reminder, make sure any wrapping paper you buy is recyclable (Marks & Spencer is my go-to and the majority of their wrapping paper is recyclable). Try to re-use what you can including paper, decorations and ribbons. Avoid glitter - there's no denying it looks really pretty but sadly most glitter isn't biodegradable making it pretty bad for the environment! Finally, have a recycling bag at the ready to put in any scraps.

5. Spend Time with Loved Ones

This one may be obvious but it's important to remind ourselves that Christmas is all about spending time with the people we love. It's so easy to get wrapped up *pun intended* with gifting and other festive obligations which can end up making Christmas feel like a stressful period rather than a joyful one. I think a lot of people actually get really worked up at this time of year or just don't enjoy it for various reasons so taking the opportunity to spend time with people you love, or even to give yourself some love, is essential.