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Sian Victoria © - Bullring & Grand Central Birmingham Christmas decorations

Way’s to spend Christmas & NYE at Home

Regardless of whether you celebrate Christmas or not. 2020 has been an extremely tough year for all. So, to wrap up the ending of this challenging year, you deserve a few days off for self-care and to seek happiness, warmth and joy in the little things that make this time of year special.

Of course, this year is going to be a little different for everyone. There may be loved ones missing at the dinner table or you may not be able to splash the cash. I can relate to both. For many this year has been one of the hardest. But we must make the most of what we have and where we are and to spread love and kindness to others. Regardless of the ‘thing’ that shalt not be named. Winter has always been a difficult time for some.

So, in true Christmas spirit. We should be sharing and caring more than ever and remember that the true meaning of Christmas isn’t about materialistic thing’s, overindulging and buying expensive gifts. That’s just the pressure of marketing and the feeling of having to impress others. When the most impressive thing you can do that truly matters is spreading happiness and compassion.

1. Create thoughtful care packages

Depending on your budget and who you want to send thoughtful care packages to. You could either send personalised boxes to suit friends, family and neighbours who you won’t be able to see or who might have had it tough this year.

If you are feeling extra generous you could go beyond that and set up a care box production at home. This could be a fun activity for children to get involved in to help prepare the boxes. Or involve neighbours and nearby friends and family to increase the budget for more boxes packed with useful items. Sharing the link to a donation page on social media could also increase the number of boxes you can send out. This may also encourage others to consider doing it themselves in their local area.

Rather than stockpiling at supermarkets to fill the boxes search for local wholesalers and expired food warehouses such as Rogers Wholesale Foods. This is a great way to buy in bulk for cheap and prevent food waste in the process while helping to feed as many people as possible.

If you want to give care boxes to the homeless, the top things homeless people need are thick socks, waterproofs, pet food, food and water for themselves, personal hygiene products, gift cards, pillows, duvets, blankets, sleeping bags and transportation passes. Including a doodle book with pens is a great way to keep their mind active and distracted. I’ve read how homeless individuals have been able to sell their doodles for extra money and food.

Gathering unwanted clothing and shoes, especially unwanted jumpers, scarves, gloves and boots would be perfect too. In addition to physical food, meal replacement drinks might be great to include too. They are packed full of essential vitamins and minerals to prevent and improve nutrition deficiency. These will also keep them hydrated and fuller for longer and fight off any flu-like symptoms that are common this season.

2. Support local businesses

Sian Victoria © - Great Western Arcade, Birmingham

Friends and family have agreed that we won’t be spending loads this year. The money we do spend on gifts will be at local independents with physical stores such as those that can be found in the Great Western Arcade and Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham.

If you’re feeling uncomfortable about visiting the high street or you can’t because of a lockdown in your area or having to shield. Then there’s plenty of local businesses to support online too via marketplaces like Etsy, Depop and eBay. Just use the search filters to find sellers in your local area. Or search via Google and social media for local independents as its likely that the local physical store has an online selling platform too.

You may also want to sign up to sites like TopCashback to receive money back from your online shopping, as every bit helps.

Supermarket chains have been brilliant this year to keep everyone safe and have taken on extra staff. So do shop at them. Although where possible try to buy direct from local farm shops and fresh market food stalls for fruit and vegetables. For staple foods like pasta, rice, cereals and oats have a search to see if there is an independent zero waste food store near you or a similar independent mini food store. By purchasing at a chain and a variety of independents your money will be supporting many businesses and families, not just one company.

If you need gift inspiration then you may find my gift guides, discount codes and the latest post on Black Friday offers at independent brands helpful.

3. Explore local woodlands

Sian Victoria © - Wintery walks in woodlands with blue merle border collie dog

Sian Victoria © - Jephson Gardens, Leamington Spa

I’ve always loved exploring the local area while walking my dog. But this year I’ve discovered so many hidden gems that I would have never found if it wasn’t for the lockdown.

Despite the chilly season, I’ve continued to visit new woodlands, forests, canal paths and nature reserves with lakes like I did throughout Summer. Each week I use Google maps to search for green spaces nearby or in the wider West Midlands region, depending on the restrictions that week.

So, wrap up warm and explore your local area on foot for a socially distanced walk with friends and family. If you don’t have a dog, maybe there’s a neighbour’s dog you could walk because they are in isolation, unwell or generally need help. I’m sure your neighbour and their fur child will be pleased.

4. Order from local food places

Sian Victoria © - Couple eating Domino’s pizza at home

If you’re like me, you may have ordered from local food places a lot throughout lockdown. If you have then continue to do so. But try to choose a different place each time to share the love. Once you have a list of favourites you enjoy eating from stay loyal by taking it in turns to order from each of them.

Download different food apps such as Just Eat, Food Hub, Deliveroo and Uber Eats as local foodies are not listed on all so you may discover somewhere new. Also, find out if you can order direct from the food vendor too as food apps do take a cut from the sale.

Of course, if the restrictions have been lifted in your area and restaurants and bars have re-opened than I urge you to book a table to support your local if your able to and feel comfortable doing so. Many restaurants are going to be launching their three-course festive menus so it will make a lovely treat to dine out.

5. Visit a festive market to support local independents and nature reserves

Sian Victoria © - Cannack Chase Forest in Winter, Christmas market food stalls, West Midlands

Sian Victoria © - Cannack Chase Forest in Winter, Christmas cabin, West Midlands

Wrap up warm and visit a local forest that may have a Santa’s grotto, outdoor seating and food & drink stalls to enjoy in a real Winter Wonderland. Depending on your area and local restrictions it is very unlikely a Santa’s grotto will go ahead. But they're still might be plenty of independent vendors to purchase hot meals and drinks from.

If so, try to purchase something from each one to support local businesses. Such as a hot Baileys chocolate drink from one stall, a hot dog and chips from another and warm cinnamon buns and other treats from the others.

Once you’ve fueled up and warmed up follow the designated paths to embark on a wintery walk in the forests, they always look so mystical this time of year.

6. Make your home cosy for winter

Sian Victoria © - Cosy bed with fairy lights

Winter is the perfect time to transform your home into a cosy haven that embraces warmth and comfort. To create a welcoming ambiance, start by adding soft and fluffy blankets to your living room and bedroom.

Choose warm color palettes, such as deep reds or earthy tones, for your throw pillows and curtains to create a sense of cosiness. Lighting plays a crucial role, so opt for warm, dimmable lights or scented candles to create a soothing atmosphere. Enhance the tactile experience by placing plush rugs or fluffy slippers near seating areas. Don't forget to update your home fragrance with scents like cinnamon or vanilla to evoke a sense of warmth.

Lastly, set up a hot drink station complete with a selection of teas, hot cocoa, and marshmallows to enjoy on chilly evenings. By incorporating these simple touches, your home will become a sanctuary that embraces winter's charm and keeps you snug throughout the season.

7. Get in the festive spirit but check the safety of your electronics

Sian Victoria © - Celebrations chocolate tub under the Christmas tree

It’s not officially Christmas until you’ve put the tree and decorations up. So, to get in the festive spirit decorate the home and make it feel warm and cosy.

My festive season essentials are blankets, fairy lights and safely placed candles to feature in my bedroom and living room to make it the ultimate place to escape too. When decorating the home with fairy lights make sure you test the connections and wiring before putting them up. Never buy lights or any electronic items that haven’t been officially PAT tested.

To avoid buying unsafe electronic goods only purchase from reputable brands and don’t buy from cheap online sellers. It’s always best to pay that little bit extra for peace of mind.

8. Give pudding-in-a-jar gifts to sweeten someone’s day

Sian Victoria © - Cheesecake dessert in a jar gift

Sian Victoria © - Trifle dessert in a jar gift

The past few years I’ve created pudding in a jar gifts for family and friends to indulge in on Christmas Eve. These cheesecake and trifle creations were what I made in 2015 the first time I did it.

Ever since I like to try a different no-bake dessert recipe. This year I’m thinking vegan brownie chunks, layered with whipped chocolate mousse, strawberries and salted caramel sauce.

A pack of 12 glass mason jars are affordable to buy in bulk. Plus, as it’s a no-bake recipe there are only 3 to 5 ingredients needed making it an inexpensive treat you can do that doesn’t take a lot of time. Yet is a fun activity to do in the run-up to Christmas and the desserts stay fresh for longer in the tight lid jars.

9. Take time out for yourself to prevent being vulnerable to illnesses

Sian Victoria © - Self-care eating Galaxy Smooth Milk chocolate, pampering and reading

As much as we need to care for others, we need to take care of ourselves too. Otherwise, you're going to feel burnout with it being a stressful season on top of an already challenging year.

Feeling burnout can make you more vulnerable to illnesses such as cold and flu which you’ll want to avoid considering the thing that shalt not be named is lurking around.

So, take time out for yourself first to ensure you’re in good health before being there for others. You may find my 17 self-care tips for mental health useful as well as my slow living tips to improve wellbeing in Winter.

10. Support the creative industries

Sian Victoria © - Odeon cinema gift card

If your local cinema re-opens, book a screening to support the film industry. As much as I love to watch movies in the comfort of my own home on Netflix. At home does not compare to the excitement of going to the cinema with friends and having the full visual and sound experience. Plus, I always loved dining out before a show and doing other fun local activities nearby. It just adds to the fun of going to the movies.

In addition to supporting the film industry, we need to be supporting independent filmmakers too. Self-employed individuals like myself have lost a lot of work this year, some have had very little financial help especially if they’re a new business.

So, to support local content creators search YouTube for entertainment. You may be surprised at how professionally edited and entertaining some YouTubers have made their channels. My favourite YouTubers are Yorkshire boys TPD TV and Welsh traveller Simon Wilson.

Although watching YouTube adverts can be annoying, for some creators it's their only source of income. So, help them make a living by not skipping the ads and clicking the ad if you’re interested in it.

11. Clean and de-clutter your home to donate to food and beauty banks

Sian Victoria © - Cleaning home, messy blue merle border collie dog, Vanish Pet Expert cleaner

Over the festive season, we accumulate and consume a lot. So, spend a few days pre-Christmas or pre-New Year to clean and de-clutter your home top to bottom. Organise your kitchen cupboards by using jars, tins and frozen foods that have been forgotten about so that you can make space. If you don’t want them, consider donating them to a foodbank. Or use the app OLIO where you can share your unwanted food and household items by giving them to those in need for free.

Sort through your wardrobe, draws and boxes and ask yourself: do I need it? And when was the last time I used or worn it? Be tough with yourself to let go of materialistic thing’s you don’t need. Consider donating them to charity, selling them on Depop, Facebook Marketplace, Shpock, Music Magpie or eBay to make money. Give unused items as gifts and hand out essential items to the homeless.

This year I’m proud to say because of the lockdown the only clothes I’ve bought are two dresses, one winter coat and a pair of boots, for the entire year. This is because, during my Spring clean, I decided to try on all the clothing I’ve shoved under my bed over the years and make use of them rather than buying new.

Not only have I saved a lot of money doing this and experimented with different outfits and styles but wearing pre-loved garments is great for the environment too. This may not be great for the fashion industry, but its also important not to be wasteful by buying more than we need and to take into consideration the importance of slow-fashion and re-wearing garments to prevent it going to landfill.

Another sustainable and money-saving thing I did is, use up old beauty products, sold unwanted and unused items and donated used and new products that aren’t worth selling to Beauty Banks. If you want to donate beauty essentials than check out The Hygiene Bank, Bloody Good Period, Toiletries Amnesty, Freedom4Girls, Give and Makeup and The Red Box Project.

If you do choose to sell items, you may find my Depop selling tips helpful.

12. Make your pets a delicious treat

Sian Victoria © - Nineteen 87 dog food, blue merle border collie dog eating at table with owner

If your dog is spoilt like mine, they’ve probably been loving all the extra attention and walks with you being home more this year. Although if your cat is anything like mine was, they’re probably not happy about not having an empty house to themselves to cause mischief in.

This year has been an emotional one, if it wasn’t for the companionship, I have with my dog I’d probably feel a lot worse than I am now. I’m sure most of you can relate, I love being a pet owner.

So, to pay back the love my dog gives to me I’ll be using my downtime over the festive season to take my boy on longer walks and to treat him to nutritious dog food, homemade dog-friendly bakes and a doggy spa day.

Imagine eating the same food 2-3 times a day, every day. For this reason, I like to swap my dogs food every time I have to re-purchase so that he doesn’t get bored and give him the occasional premium treat.

13. Become a mixologist or order cocktails for home delivery

Sian Victoria © - Absolut vodka & Kahlua, espresso martinis

Cocktails are something I’ve not had much of this year. So, I’m looking forward to mixing up a few festive drinks during the run-up to Christmas and New Year. An espresso martini and an Irish Cream Liqueur are my favourites for this season.

If mixing cocktails at home is too much effort and you would like to support the restaurant industry as well as a few independent bars then you can purchase frozen ready-made cocktails for home delivery.

14. Support craft food and drink businesses

Sian Victoria © - Craft Gin Club subscription box, Christmas

If you’re a gin lover and want to support independent British distillery companies than ordering a Craft Gin Club subscription box could be the way to go. Each month the hamper includes a full-size bottle of gin from an independent distiller as well as a variety of tonics, syrups and sweet and savoury snacks. Most of the treats come from independent brands too.

The box is delivered to your home every one, two or three months depending on how often you want a box and the membership is free to change or cancel any time.

15. Make the ultimate hot chocolate drink

Sian Victoria © - Luxury Hot chocolate drink from Hotel Chocolat cafe

My all-time favourite hot chocolate drink is this delicious festive beverage I’ve indulged in far too many times at the Hotel Chocolat Café in Birmingham.

If you don’t have a Hotel Chocolat café near you then you can purchase ingredients from the British chocolatier and cocoa grower online to create the ultimate hot chocolate drink to share with friends and family if restrictions allow them to visit for a brew.

Alternatively, use this as inspiration to create your recipe. I also love a hot chocolate made with alcoholic liquor. It makes the perfect treat to enjoy with a cosy night on the sofa during the festive season while snuggled under a blanket.

16. Support the beauty industry, get pampered and dressed up for the occasion

Sian Victoria © - VO5 Damage Protect Primer Spray, party

Sian Victoria © - Rimmel Red Nail Polish

In the run-up to Christmas and New Year, take time out to treat yourself to a beauty pamper session. If your local salon has re-opened book a few treatments to support the industry while giving yourself a self-care boost in the process.

If you don’t feel safe visiting a salon or generally can’t because of shielding than purchase a few beauty gifts to refresh your beauty regime and dress up for the occasion to make yourself feel good.

17. Create festive inspired meals

Sian Victoria © - Pizza Express Snow Ball Dough Balls festive dessert

These snowball dough balls were what I indulged in at Pizza Express a few years ago. The festive dessert tasted amazing and has inspired me to want to find a couple of recipes to bake a few festive treats of my own this season.

To get creative in the kitchen you could put on a Christmas and New Year’s Eve buffet featuring a variety of sweet and savoury treats to share with intimate family members who can visit under the new restrictions. Food always does taste best when shared with loved ones.

18. Support the leisure industry or recreate fun activities to do at home

Sian Victoria © - Serve Ping Pong, Birmingham

Things I’ve missed doing during lockdown have been entertaining leisure activities such as going to Serve to play a game of ping pong, missing the holes at Ghetto Golf and throwing darts in all the wrong places at Flight Club.

If you can’t visit any local leisure places near you. Why not try to recreate the fun at home by turning your dining table into a ping pong table or any other entertaining activities you can do with your household to spend time together and away from dual screening.

19. Reflect on the year and plan for the new year

Sian Victoria © - Weekly planner on desk, orgaised home office

There’s no denying that this year we have all felt FOMO. We should hopefully be able to look forward to living our lives normally again soon.

If there’s anything we can learn from 2020 it should be that we only live once, we need to start living our lives to the fullest while also being more thoughtful to others, animals and the planet by choosing to be kinder and more sustainable in everything we do and buy.

To conclude

So, grab a yearly planner and begin to reflect on the year by making notes on what you want to achieve in 2021, the things you want to experience and how you can be more eco-conscious with simple adjustments and swaps to your lifestyle.

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