Just like the latter half of 2018, December went by in a flash, and here we are – a whole new year awaits. We’ve just come back from a couple of weeks away, seeing out the last half of the month with friends and family, before starting January with a few days in Portugal. Christmas was a bittersweet time as I was home with my family, but it was also the first one without my grandmother, and between Christmas and New Year my uncle passed away from a terminal illness. It has been a testing time but it’s important to acknowledge the good alongside the bad, so here are the Little Things that made my December…
Blogging about: I had grand plans for writing a bunch of reflective posts in December, but in the end I only managed one: my adventures in 2018. It’s my third year in a row rounding up all the trips we’ve been on – from weekends away locally to visiting another hemisphere entirely – and it made me realise how much I relied on Instagram this year to document my travels. Must try harder to whip out my DLSR more often in 2019.
Watching: Home Alone at the San Francisco Symphony. Yes, another month, another outrageously expensive way to experience film and soundtrack, but it’s just so good. The day before I flew to the UK I met up with a couple of British girlfriends for drinks, dinner, and the thrill of seeing Macaulay Culkin on the big screen, being backed up by strings, wind, brass and percussion.
Making: New Christmas memories. Most notably, playing Cards Against Humanity with my parents.
Buying: Half of the British High Street. As an expat, you can’t always get what you’re used to from home, so going back is always an opportunity to get spendy. For me this included visiting & Other Stories for the first time, stocking up on M&S undies, raiding Boots, and picking up a fantastic green jumpsuit that Tom Cruise’s Top Gun character (Maverick!?) would be proud of.
Reading: The Wangs vs The World by Jade Chang, Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud by Anne Helen Petersen, and I started The Mermaid and Mr Hancock on M’s Kindle, but now he’s taken it back so I’m waiting for my copy from the library so I can pick up the *tail* again.
Listening to: Podcasts to pass the time on lengthy drives across the country to visit family. Favourites were All Killa No Filla, the Christmas episode of At Home With… and The Adam Buxton Podcast (Simon Pegg and Caitlin Moran episodes).
Wearing: Walking boots, denim jumpsuits and lots of velvet.
Eating: All the British/festive foods, including mince pies, fish and chips, Pieminister and a cracking Christmas dinner.
Enjoying: Quality time with family and spending time recharging with my favourite people.
Looking forward to: Seeing what 2019 has in store.