Holidays, lifestyle

Failing at Feeling Festive

Gemma - Wheelescapades

It’s December, the first week of it has flown by and it feels weird. I don’t feel festive at all.

I think, because I last saw the real, living world back in March, I’m a bit frozen in time. Trapped in some kind of time warp without Richard O’Brien singing along.

The seasons have changed from my window, but I haven’t really progressed with them. My days and habits haven’t altered, other than less time spent in my garden due to me freezing within minutes. You don’t mind getting cold when there’s something to get cold for.

You know that limbo between Christmas and New Year? Well it’s felt a bit like that with less cheese and no end in sight.

Life is like a whole load of Sunday’s. And that’s not a good as you’d think.

I’m usually all about the Christmas countdown. The run up to the big day is generally my favourite bit. The prep, the expectations, the pre celebrations, the gift giving.

I’d be doing the Christmas fayre rounds by now. Getting that mulled cider and tasting all the cheese and fudge samples I can get my mouth around. The crowds, community and the buzz in the air. That’s the start of it all for me, when you can feel Christmas coming.

Even though I’m not one for over the top Christmas decorations, I miss seeing the lights. The city sparkling while I wait for the bus home as my fingers turn to ice.

I’ve done the shopping, but I haven’t been Christmas shopping. It’s not the same when you’re scrolling a screen instead of browsing the shops is it?! It doesn’t feel accomplished or like I’ve got everything, even though I sit here surrounded by gifts and wrapping paper.

Yes, I’ve even started wrapping. Well almost finished if I’m honest.

I could do with a hand from Father Christmas more than ever this year. I’ve got gifts to deliver but nowhere to meet people. I’m planning a drive by, Uber Escapades I might call it. A day of exploring Norfolk without leaving my car, throwing the gifts at family members and friends, waving at a distance.

A couple of friends called by at the weekend for a little gift exchange. In my garden I might add, in the freezing cold. We stood there (well I sat) teeth chattering, trying to be all jolly. I felt rude and unwelcoming not inviting them in for a brew. That’s what my friends and I are all about, catching up over a cuppa. Remember that Christmas I ate out four days in six and went to visit my friend in her new accessible house? It seems like forever ago.

I watched a Christmas film. Of few. Only the cheesy ones so far. Workaholic inherits house in the snow from Granny, said house is in ruins, a man appears from somewhere, instant dislike turns to snowball fight flirting and they live happily ever after baking gingerbread men in festive eternity. You know the sort. I can often get in the spirit with a daily dose of these throughout December. I’m trying, this year, I really am. But I mostly want to muddy their slushy perfect fluffy white snow angels.

I’ve been eating mince pies. You’ll know by now that seasonal food is my thing, and I like to try all the flavours available. I’ve managed to gobble a few even though I haven’t left the house. If you know of a great mince pie, you know where I am.

Photo taking looking down onto a mince pie with a lattice top. It is on a white plate.

Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas has started again on the TV. Never ending festive cheer, all the crafting experts, specialist materials and motivation you could dream of. As you can tell I’m not bitter at all.

We did construct a wreath. I would say make only the base was already a thing and we basically stuck stuff on it. I’m impressed with the end result though.

The wreath I constructed is hanging on a wooden door. The wreath is decorated with pine cones, cinnamon sticks, gold baubles and red berries. It has touches of white snow spray on.

So then we made constructed another.

The second wreath is hanging on a white door. There is a letter box at the bottom. The wreath is green with gold baubles, cinnamon sticks, orange slices, pine cone and red berries.

I’ve got a cheese advent again. It’s delicious and full of awful cheesy jokes like ‘What do you call a cheese that lives in a church?’... ‘Stinking Bishop’.

I’m also taking part in a virtual advent that happened to be trending on day one, so come support and take part.

#AccessibleAdvent was created by Ginny to highlight accessibility and what it actually means to real people.

Every day of December I will be taking part in #AccessibleAdvent by posting one thing that would make my life more accessible as a wheelchair user. Come join me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Every day in December post one thing that would make the world more accessible - is written in purple text on a lime green background. There is an orange/brown gingerbread man shape in the rope right corner and #AccessibleAdvent is at the top in red text.

I’m sucking on a butter mint sweet as I type, so if you’re reading this then I successfully finished it without chocking. Life bonus right there. I haven’t eaten one in years, and it does have a slight Christmassy feeling to it. I’m still not there though.

I’ve started reading Christmas novels, to be honest I haven’t got far. First up is The Break by Marian Keyes. I’m only a few chapters in. Second will be Seven Days Of Us by Francesca Hornak. My book club read for the month is The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey.

Do you read Christmassy books in December to get in the spirit? What are your favourites?

Are you getting your Christmas on?

An image to pin. Failing at Feeling Festive title text is in grey on a cream background at the bottom. The top two thirds of the image is the photo of my wreath on the white door.

Published by Gemma - Wheelescapades

Whenever friends and I are out we always end up discussing, critiquing, analysing where we are and what we are doing. From talking about the food we are eating, the soap in the toilets, the awful bus journey to our destination, anything and everything we encounter. Because of my disability (SMA type2) many of the situations we get into, issues we discuss and laughs we have can be due to wheelchair access. Often me getting stuck in mud or shingle, or me making my way through the most cram packed shop you can imagine, wondering how I am ever going to find the way out again! I aim to write a blog that describes these dramas, tells stories of our laughs, adventures and frustrations, while giving detailed information on accessibility and wheelchair access. Also I like tea. ALOT. The quality of the tea often determines my return just as much as the accessibility.

20 thoughts on “Failing at Feeling Festive”

  1. Pingback: My Year in Books – 2020 (part 2) – Wheelescapades
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  3. you’re not alone. I wasn’t feeling festive until I lit a bunch of peppermint and cinnamon and cedar candles and put a tiny tree up in my room. even when I wrapped gifts, I still felt off. nothing you’re feeling is wrong!

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  4. It’s still early yet, Gemma. I think Christmas is just gonna feel weird this year. We like our traditions and routines, and those are all mixed up this year. I don’t think that you are failing at Christmas spirit.

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  6. It’s a weird Christmas season, isn’t it?
    Those cheesy Christmas films – I’ve watched some too. I had to laugh at your description because it could be any one of 100 cheesy Christmas movies. They’ve all got the same plot. My Aunt once gave me a bag full of cheesy Christmas novels. I gave up after three. They were just like the films, the same plot, different people. Maybe I should try reading them now and get some Christmas spirit.

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    1. Haha yes, the films are all the same really. I do also love a good rewatch of Home Alone, Elf and The Holiday!
      I’ve never really read many Christmas books, although it sounds like they are similar from the ones your aunt got. Might be worth a shot though!

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  7. It doesn’t seem like Christmas or the holiday at all. The weather here has been rain and more rain. My tree is up and majority of cards mailed. I’m trying to be creative over things but like you we are being told to stay put. Maybe we should do a Skype SIPB date? Put it out there for a Saturday (I work during the week) and a time that works for people in different places? What do you think?

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    1. We had a brief snow flurry last week, not enough to stay, but it looked pretty for a while.
      We have been given 5 days over Christmas to see 2 other households, although I worry that will make the situation worse in the long term. I’m not great at Skype. But some kind of Christmas chat could be good. Maybe even a thread on festive photos or talk?

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  8. lovely post xx
    I do not celibrate christmas as im not a christian but I love listenning to christmas songs! when I listen to those songs they make me remember all those christmasses I have read in books and I someday dream of witnessing a treditional christmas celibration like I read in books. have never seen snowfall as well so its hard to imagine how it’d be like 🙂
    but I just love listenning to christmas songs and reading about it in novels.
    reade little women too, it’s by my favorite author Louisa May Alcott if you haven’t read it till now. I love Louisa and weighting to become an adult so that I can read her Abooks.

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  9. Ooh Gemma, it’s just not the same is it! I’m trying really hard to get into the Christmas spirit and I am…some days. Other days not so much. Please God we’ll soon all get back to normal and start enjoying the simple things in life again. But hey…have a very merry Christmas as much as you can! Let’s make the most of what we’ve got. 🙂

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  10. We put-up our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving – ANYTHING to try and make the season more festive and upbeat1. We are currently in the midst of our most restrictive quarantine life here in Los Angeles, so we are watching holiday films like “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey” on Netflix, which is adorable – and a musical to boot! 2021 is almost here – and a better year awaits us all!

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    1. Oh I watched Jingle Jangle too! How weird you mention that one, because it’s filmed just down the road from me, in Norwich, the closest city to where I live. Which is the main reason I watched it. Those cobbled streets are the ones I mention in some of my blog posts!

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      1. That’s hilarious! What a coincidence! While the film wasn’t perfect, it was charming and upbeat, and it had some really fun dance numbers! Hang in there 2021 will be here soon and it’s going to be so much better!

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