Blogmas day 9 - a little treat for Christmas

This year for the Christmas break I have saved myself a book and I can not wait to start it. Due to Uni work this year I haven't really had a period of time to have sat and really enjoyed reading this so I thought I would treat myself, after my assignment is in I can spend all my time back in Westeros.

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It's been quite hard not to just start reading this but I've been good and resisted. I love reading and I've really enjoyed this series, I wasn't sure if I would or not as I've not read anything like it before. This is quite a big book at 1045 pages but I have about 2 weeks off and I'd like to challenge myself to get it finished. 
This year I've struggled with chronic fatigue which in turn means I've struggled at work and doing my Uni course. I think I left this book for Christmas so the year ends on a high, I won't have assignments to worry about and I know I can just sit back and relax.

Feel free to follow me on Goodreads, I'm always on the look out for recommendations and just a general nose at what other people are reading.

Will you be reading anything this Christmas?

Blogmas day 8 - some words

So I failed again at Blogmas. I can blame my chronic fatigue for that, last week I felt so exhausted I literally did nothing but mope about in bed. Feeling 'better' I went to the German market in Birmingham yesterday but failed to take any pictures. Despite being dressed for Artic conditions I was still freezing so I spent the time tensing up and shivering. I'm now suffering from shoulder pain due to this so thank you cold winds. I'm really not built for cold weather and it amazes me every time I survive a winter.

Today I've been trying to get my Christmas shopping finished and I think I'm nearly there. Next it will be the yearly battle with wrapping paper, seems it's a skill I am yet to master.

We left it too late to get an advent calendar this year so I'm not counting down the days with a bit of chocolate, lesson for next year, get them early. I'm also not counting down the days with beauty samples as the YouBeauty advent calendar has sold out. I took too long umming over getting it and when I finally decided to treat myself it was too late. Never the best at making quick decisions.

Exciting news, I only have 6 more working days and then I'm finished for Christmas, I honestly can't wait!! In those 2 weeks I also have an assignment to get done and submitted as I really don't want to be doing it over the break, it was not fun last year. I also need to make the decision if I will be carrying on my Uni course next year.

The tree will be going up on the 12th but once I've finished work the fun will begin so for now I'm just counting down until the 18th.

Blogmas day 3 - Christmas tag

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I saw Fee from Makeup Savvy do this tag and thought it looked like fun so here we go.

1. What is your favourite Christmas movie/s?
There are a couple of movies that I watch every year without fail. The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Grinch and Elf. This year I'm also adding The Hogfather to the list even though technically it's a TV show. 

2. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
Definitely a Christmas morning opener. I think when we were younger me and my sister were allowed to open one present Christmas Eve but I much prefer to leave it all until the big day now I have a bit more restraint.

3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
Due to having a poor memory I can't say that I do have a specific Christmas memory. I did really used to enjoy my nan & dandy coming up on Christmas and just having a day with the family.

4. Favourite festive food?
All of it! I love gingerbread men, the cheese board, all the little picky bits like Cheeselets (I think that's what they're called) and just the general acceptability that it's ok to eat obscene amounts of food.

5. Favourite Christmas gift?
I don't have a clue! I think as a kid I probably had favourites but it's highly unlikely I'll remember. I hardly ever write a list so everything I get is a surprise and that's one thing I really like, not knowing what I'll be getting and enjoying it all the more.

6. Favourite Christmas scent?
Hmmm I have no idea! I don't think there is anything I associate that much with Christmas, possibly a Christmas type Yankee Candle at a push. 

7. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?
I always watch The Nightmare Before Christmas, this is probably the only running tradition I have. Sometimes we have a little rummage around the presents but I think everyone does that!

8. What tops your tree?
This year it's a star.

9. As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?
I don't think there ever was anything that I asked for that wasn't reasonable. I was lucky that I usually got what I asked Santa for.

10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?
Pretty much everything. The food, decorations, the happier mood (most) people are in, playing board games with the family and arguing over the answers, Christmas TV and music and obviously presents although wrapping tests my good cheer. It's my favourite time of the year and I'm so excited for this one to hurry up!

If you've done this tag let me know, I'd love to see other peoples answers.

Blogmas day 2 - pretty books

As a lover of a good book I was very excited (more than I probably should have been) when I saw these editions of the classics last year. These are the Penguin Clothbound Classics Collection and I think they would make a great gift this Christmas. The cover designs are beautiful, the only downside to this, as you can see from the faded flamingos on the white book tend is the pictures tend to rub off. They all have a built in bookmark which I do really like. I think there will be at least one book for everyone in the collection.

I have 9 books which are -

So far I have read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and The Hound of the Baskervilles, I'm currently making my way through Inferno which is both in Italian and English. What I really like is that at the beginning of each book there are a few chapters about the authors and how they came to write the stories. The Lewis Carroll introduction was very interesting, I'd quite like to find out more about him.

There are 2 more books that in the New Year I will be adding to my collection -

 

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The Travels by Marco Polo and The Iliad by Homer. By the time I get these I will have hopefully found room on my bookcase to put them!

I got mine from Amazon who seemed to be the cheapest when I bought mine last year. I believe prices vary between £11 to £14ish which I think is fair for such a lovely thing.

 

Has anyone else got any from this collection?

 

 

Blogmas day 1 - and it beings!

Decembers finally here and the countdown to Christmas begins! This is my favourite time of year and once the struggle of present buying is done I will be in full Christmas spirit. I'm really looking forward to the time off work, the large amounts of food I intend to comatose myself with and just the general nice feeling that comes with Christmas time. 

I will try to refrain myself on the excitement level at least until the tree is up.....