I know many of you reading this, (if you even have time on this busy weekend before Christmas) are probably frantically busy and getting stressed. Many people have forgotten how to enjoy christmas. I adore Christmas but speaking to my friends they all now seem to dread the very idea of it. On a recent poll I read that 68% dread Christmas. So it made me ask myself why do I love it sooo much and I came to the conclusion it was about my firmly established Christmas rituals. I am literally Mother Christmas. So let me share with you some simple rituals for putting the Joy back into Christmas and making it more pleasurable than painful……

MY RITUALS
- BAKING. NO! I AM NOT GOING TO ADD TO YOUR STRESS BY DEMANDING YOU MAKE YOUR OWN PUDDING AND CAKE BUT I LOVE TO DO SMALL TOUCHES AND CREATIONS EG MY OWN CRANBERRY AND PORT SAUCE, MINCE PIES (SHOP BOUGHT PASTRY) BUT CREATIVE FILLINGS WITH ADDED ORANGE ZEST AND CRANBERRIES TO MINCEMEAT. CHOOSE YOUR OWN SIMPLE ADDITIONS FOR ONE AFTERNOON IN YOUR CHRISTMAS KITCHEN WITH CHRISTMAS CAROLS AND A GLASS OF MULLED WINE.

- WE HAVE A WHOLE DAY OF CHRISTMAS DECORATING AT THE END OF NOVEMBER. A LIFETIME RITUAL. THE ANDY WILLIAMS ALBUM GOES ON AN OLD TURNTABLE. A BIG ROAST DINNER. THE FAMILY GATHERS. MULLED WINE AND MINCE PIES WHILE WE ALL GET CREATIVE WITH THE TREES. SIGNIFIES THE BEGINNING OF CHRISTMAS. WHAT IS A CHORE FOR MANY IS A RESTFUL PLEASURABLE EXPERIENCE FOR US.

- THE EARLIER YOU START CHRISTMAS PRESENT BUYING I GUARANTEE YOU THAT YOU END UP SPENDING MORE. YOU JUST KEEP GOING. SO I CHOOSE ONE DAY A FEW DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS. ALONE. I MAKE THE DAY PLEASURABLE WITH A LUNCH BOOKED SOMEWHERE SUMPTUOUS IN ADVANCE WITH A NICE GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE. I PLAN THIS AROUND A SMALL SHOPPING AREA EG JERMYN STREET, OR PAVILION RD CHELSEA (SEE LAST WEEKS BLOG) SO NOT MUCH WALKING INVOLVED. I START EARLY !! I AM NOT A FAN OF THE COMMERCIALITY OF CHRISTMAS BUT PRESENT GIVING IS AN IMPORTANT CARING RITUAL IT IS NOT ABOUT THE EXPENSE BUT A PERSONAL GIFT THAT SHOWS YOU KNOW AND CARE ENOUGH IS IMPORTANT. I HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE JUST GIVE MONEY, AND IF THEY DONT KNOW WHAT TO BUY YOU , THEN THEY DONT KNOW YOU. IF YOU CANT AFFORD MUCH AT LEAST AFFORD THE TIME ! EVEN A £5 GIFT CAN BE INCREDIBLY TOUCHING IF THE GIVER TOOK THE TIME TO SELECT IT. SO MAKE A LIST,CHECKING IT TWICE, SET YOUR BUDGET AND PLAN YOUR ROUTE.

- I DONT SEND CARDS AND ASK PEOPLE NOT TO SEND THEM. IT SEEMS SO WASTEFUL AS I AM SO ANTI CLUTTER THESE BEAUTIFUL CARDS ARE ALL BINNED THE FOLLOWING WEEK. SO THE STRESS OF WRITING HUNDREDS OF CARDS AND FINDING ADDRESSES IS REMOVED. ALL THE PEOPLE I CARE ABOUT I AM IN TOUCH WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS ANYWAY NO NEED TO SEND ME A CARD !
- DONT FORGET TO HAVE FUN !! CHRISTMAS FOR ME IS SPECIAL WHEN MEETING UP WITH FRIENDS FOR LUNCHES OR COCKTAILS. I TAKE ALL MY ELDERLY FRIENDS OUT FOR A SPECIAL LUNCH AND INCLUDING ANYONE WHO MAYBE LONELY. IT IS AN IMPORTANT PUNCTUATION MARK IN THE CALENDAR TO TELL PEOPLE HOW SPECIAL THEY ARE.

- CHRISTMAS EVE WE ALWAYS GO TO CHURCH FOR A SERVICE TO REMEMBER THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS .
- WE ATTEND TWO CHARITY CHRISTMAS CONCERTS EACH YEAR. ONE AT WELLINGTON COLLEGE AND ONE AT ST PAULS KNIGHTSBRIDGE. I LOVE CAROLS AND THESE ARE TRULY MAGICAL. THE CHARITIES BENEFIT ENORMOUSLY AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.
- IT IS IMPORTANT TO GIVE YOUR TIME TO CHARITY AT CHRISTMAS. WE WRAP AND DONATE TOYS FOR LOCAL CHILDRENS HOMES AND GIVE CHRISTMAS SANDWICHES TO ANYONE WHO WE SEE ON THE STREETS. LAST YEAR WE DONATED HATS AND GLOVES TO THE HOMELESS OF LONDON. CHOOSE YOUR OWN LOCAL CHARITY, THERE WILL BE SOMEONE WHO NEEDS YOU THIS CHRISTMAS.
- THE CHRISTMAS LUNCH ON THE DAY ITSELF NEED NOT BE A STRESSFUL ENDURANCE RACE. THE SHOWPIECE IS THE TURKEY. NO NEED TO SPEND HOURS PEELING AND PREPARING THE VEG . NO ROAST POTATOES TASTE AS GOOD AS AUNT BESSIES GOOSE FAT OVEN READY POTATOES. THERE IS SOME AMAZING PREPARED VEG NOW TOO . BRUSSELS WITH PANCETTA AND CHESTNUTS. CARROTS WITH CRANBERRIES. JUST POP IN THEIR TRAYS IN THE OVEN CUTS THE TIME AND THE COST TOO WHEN YOU ADD ALL THE SPECIAL BITS TO YOUR VEG. BELIEVE ME YOUR GUESTS WONT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE AND EVEN IF THEY DO THEY WONT MIND. DONT TORTURE YOURSELF COOKING THE MEAL AND PRESENT IT BEAUTIFULLY. THE TURKEY IS LOW MAINTENANCE ONCE IN THE OVEN SO GRAB A GLASS OF BUCKS FIXX AND JOIN IN THE FUN !
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF MY RITUALS. RITUALS MEAN YOU PRACTISE THEM EVERY YEAR SO THEY BECOME SECOND NATURE. THEY SHOULD ALL BE BEAUTIFUL AND FUN. SO BRING THE BEAUTY AND JOY BACK INTO YOUR CHRISTMAS ROUTINE. THESE RITUALS MAY COME TOO LATE FOR MANY OF YOU BUT THERE IS ALWAYS NEXT YEAR !!

JOJOS STYLELIST TIP: FOR ANYONE WHO IS ON THEIR OWN THIS CHRISTMAS OR FEELING LONELY PLEASE KNOCK ON A NEIGHBOURS DOOR OR GET OUT AND ABOUT AND STRIKE UP CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE. TALK TO SOMEONE. ESTABLISH YOUR OWN PERSONAL RITUALS TO MAKE EVEN AN ALONE CHRISTMAS PARTICULARLY SPECIAL TO YOU. REMEBER IT IS ONE DAY.
MUCH LOVE AND WARM HUGS AND WARM MULLED WINE
MWAH MWAH JOJO XXXXXXX