New York in 15 photos

Last week was better than average... I spent it in New York.

I've wanted to go to New York to see the Christmas lights since the first time I saw Home Alone 2 many moons ago, and it was absolutely everything I dreamed it would be.

We went for six nights and managed to fit in a highly impressive amount. As a result, I thought it would be a good idea to share one photo from each of the sights and attractions we visited. I took 777 photos in total so this was quite a difficult challenge, to put it mildly.

A separate post will follow next week about New York's Christmas decorations, including the spectacular Rockefeller Tree, so don't be alarmed at its omission from this post!

Empire State Building

Top of the Rock

One World Observatory 

9/11 memorial and museum 

Best of NYC Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise 

Central Park 

Times Square 

Metropolitan Museum of Art 

Madame Tussauds 

Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum 

The High Line 

Grand Central Station 

St Patrick's Cathedral 

Mickey The True Original exhibition 

The Friends apartment building 

My Fitbit informs me that we walked 175,000 steps and 134km in total... this isn't surprising when I look back at all the places we visited and take into account the fact that we walked everywhere and didn't use any public transport! 

Look out for more blog posts about New York over the next few weeks, including the aforementioned Christmassy bonanza next Friday. 

Twelve posts of Christmas #2 - Favourite Christmas films

One of my favourite things about the Christmas period is snuggling up with the Christmas tree lights on and watching a Christmas film (or several Christmas films). I also have an annual ritual where I sit and wrap presents while watching a festive film and eating a big bag of crisps... I'm definitely a creature of habit.

I thought I'd list my top ten Christmas films as part of my 'twelve posts of Christmas' series. Do you agree with any of my choices below, or do you have any to add?


1. Santa Claus the Movie
This is my favourite Christmas film of all time and, for me, it's totally synonymous with all things Christmas. For as long as I can remember, my brother and I have watched this film on Christmas Eve with a load of festive snacks. It's wonderfully old fashioned and unintentionally hilarious, and it'll ALWAYS be my favourite Christmas film.

2. Home Alone
I must have seen this film about fifty times and it never gets old. I always wanted to live in Kevin's house when I was younger and now I just wonder how much their mortgage must be, but that doesn't make the film any less appealing. I love the plot, love the soundtrack, love the acting, love the setting... what's not to love? 'Why are you dressed like a chicken?'

3. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Yes, Home Alone 2 deserves its own separate entry. Although I marginally prefer the first instalment, Home Alone 2 comes a very close second. I love the Christmassy New York scenes, not to mention the fact that the two burglars should definitely have been killed by Kevin's antics at least five times each by the end of the film.

4. Miracle on 34th Street
This film makes me well up (several times) every time I watch it. Such a traditional film which is heart wrenching at times, and with a lovable non-tacky Santa Claus as a bonus. The ridiculously far fetched ending makes me love it even more!

5. Nightmare before Christmas
I'm never sure if this film should be classed as a Halloween film or a Christmas film, so I always watch it in between the two. It's such a clever film with an excellent soundtrack, beautiful imagery and imaginative characters. 'What's this? What's this? There's colour everywhere!'

6. The Santa Clause
I haven't watched this one as many times as the top three but it still makes my top ten. I love the fact that the opening scenes are a lot more authentic than other Christmas films... everyone can relate to ruining the Christmas dinner! This was one of the first films I ever saw in the cinema and I'll always remember laughing hysterically when Santa fell off the roof!

7. Muppet Christmas Carol
So much love for this film... another one I used to watch with my family from a very early age. We have a lot of in-moments we love about this film which no one else will be able to fathom, such as 'squashed baby face' and 'Spirit? Yes? Nothing'. Ahhh, good times!

8. Arthur Christmas
The newest film on the list, but definitely worthy of a place in the top ten. My husband and I saw this film in the cinema a few years ago and immediately fell in love with it. Although some of the the old films can never be beaten, it's good to see that lovely Christmas films with a bit of longevity are still being made.

9. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Although I must admit that I haven't seen this film for about fifteen years, it used to be a Christmas staple when I was younger. I remember finding the whole thing totally hilarious and I eventually wore out the video tape on which it was recorded!

10. The Holiday
Not strictly a Christmas film in the same sense as the others, but it takes place at Christmas so I'm sneaking it in at number ten. This is definitely a feel-good film which always makes me feel cosy and Christmassy... it also initially makes me think a house swap might be a good idea (for about ten minutes).


What's your favourite Christmas film?

Ten things I love about Christmas

Did you all have a brilliant Christmas? Are you all still full of food and wearing your onesie/Christmas jumper? After having a lovely build up (including Fake Christmas with Neil last weekend) and a great Christmas Day yesterday, I thought I'd write a quick blog post about the ten things I love most about Christmas. It was very difficult to whittle it down to 10, believe me!


1. The food

Food just has to be on top of any list about the best bits of Christmas. Or is it that just me? It's the only time of year where I can totally justify eating as much as I want without worrying about calorie counting, going to the gym, eating healthily and so on. Although my mother's beautiful Christmas dinner is always the highlight, I also love having trifle and cold chicken at tea time, ice cream and chocolate at random intervals throughout the day and copious amounts of sweets and crisps. I love food!

2. The stockings

I love our stocking tradition and will be quite sad when this tradition comes to an end. Ever since I can remember, my siblings and I (just my brother and I in recent years) have got up early to open our stockings, then we run downstairs to see the presents under the tree before waking our parents if our squeals of excitement haven't woken them already. Although we had proper woolly stockings stuffed with presents when we were younger, we've had big gift bags for the last few years as they're a lot more practical. I had fluffy socks, a DVD, chocolates, sweets, pretty stationery, toiletries and much more in my stocking this year... long live stockings!

3. The presents

I still get excited about all the presents given to me, but I also get just as excited about seeing other people's faces when I give them their presents. I think this is a sign that I'm getting older! I had lots of lovely presents from my family on Christmas Day this year including DVDs, books, pyjamas, baking things and perfume, but I think my favourite present was my new pair of beautiful boots from Fat Face.

4. The standard Christmas Day outfit

I definitely don't go out to buy a dress specifically for Christmas Day. Who needs a dress when you can wear fluffy pyjamas and a hoodie? I'm afraid there's no photo of me in my Christmas Day outfit... I don't think people need to see that.



5. The chocolate

I know chocolate should come under the 'Food' heading, but it just has to have its own place on the list. I would stop myself in horror on an ordinary day if I decided to eat half a mini box of Quality Street chocolates before 10am. However, on Christmas Day, this is perfectly acceptable. This might be a hotly debated topic, but Quality Street are by far the best Christmas chocolates!

6. The tree

I love Christmas trees and published a blog post last week on my favourite Christmas trees of the year. There's nothing better than sitting around in pyjamas around the Christmas tree with the Christmas lights on! There's something very comforting about a Christmas tree... have I said 'Christmas tree' too much in this paragraph?

7. The company

Christmas is such a great time to spend quality time with my parents, my siblings, Neil, the in laws and my handsome little nephew. Everyone comes together from various corners of the UK, no one needs to rush away, everyone wants to catch up on each other's news and the camaraderie is brilliant. It's a shame we can't all be in the same room more often!



8. The novelty crackers

Who doesn't love crackers and their random novelty gifts? Yesterday we acquired two pairs of tweezers, two little packets of playing cards, a bottle opener and lots of paper hats.

9. The relaxation

I'm usually super busy all year round and find it hard to sit down and do nothing, so Christmas is a great chance to just relax, recharge the batteries and indulge in some guilt-free reading. Does December have to come to an end?



10. The films

I love the films that regularly get rolled out for Christmas. Home Alone 1 and 2, Santa Claus the Movie, all Disney films, Nativity, The Santa Clause, Elf, Jingle all the Way, Muppets' Christmas Carol... who doesn't love these films? Yesterday we managed to watch Toy Story 3, Home Alone 2, Muppets' Christmas Carol and Nativity 2. Christmas film fest!

What do you love most about Christmas? I'm sure there are lots of blog posts floating around on this topic so feel free to send me some links!

Christmas tag #2

I took part in my first Christmas tag over a fortnight ago, so it's now acceptable to take part in another one. I'm especially excited that this one is being published on 1st December, so I've just opened my first advent calendar window.

These questions are from Makeup Pixi3's blog... I've just been trawling the internet for Christmas tags. That's how much I love talking/writing about Christmas!

Some of the questions are similar to the first post I did, but I'm going to answer them anyway. Did I mention that I love Christmas?

Giant Christmas tree in Ikea

1. Do you prefer a real Christmas tree or synthetic?
I've never had a real Christmas tree, so I'd have to say I prefer synthetic. I think the mess caused by a real Christmas tree would drive me mad! I also like the idea of being able to roll out the same Christmas tree every year rather than struggling home with a new one every Christmas.

2. You're in a coffee shop, it's December, what do you pick?
A skinny hot chocolate. I do occasionally try the Christmas varieties such as Costa's Honeycomb hot chocolate, but I do love a good old plain hot chocolate.

3. Whats your favourite colour scheme for decorating the tree?
I'm not fussy, I like it to be as colourful as possible! The main colours are usually gold and red, but I always throw in a bit of silver, pink, green and blue too.

4. Giving or receiving?
I do love giving presents and I really enjoy choosing presents for other people and seeing their reactions, but receiving them is pretty good too! I still lie awake with excitement for hours on Christmas Eve when I think about the presents I'll be opening the next morning. I'm just a big kid at heart.

5. To mince pie or not to?
To mince pie! I refused to eat them for years because I thought I'd hate them (I thought they'd taste of meat which put me off...), but they're actually extremely tasty. I always eat them cold though which seems odd to some people. I'm just not a fan of warm mince pies.

6. What's your traditional Sunday lunch?
We always have chicken rather than turkey for Christmas lunch as we all prefer chicken. We also have little pigs in blankets, peas, carrots, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, stuffing, gravy... I think that's everything! We then have lovely ice cream for dessert, and maybe a festive swiss roll. Who needs Christmas pudding when you've got ice cream?

7. Christmas day fashion?
Fashion? I wear pyjamas and a hoodie!

8. What's your favourite Christmas song?
Nothing beats 'Oh I wish it could be Christmas every day'. I also have a childish love for 'Santa Claus is coming to town', even though I remain terrified of Santa Claus. Long story.

9. What's your favourite Christmas film?
I can't choose just one... Home Alone 1 and 2, Santa Claus the Movie, Nativity, Nightmare before Christmas, Muppets' Christmas Carol and Miracle on 34th Street are a few favourites off the top of my head.

10. Open presents before or after lunch?
Before, obviously! We'd never be patient enough to wait until after lunch.


25 days to go! Has anyone else got any Christmas tags to share? There's still time...

Christmas tag #1

I love Christmas. In fact, I think I love it a little bit more every year. I love absolutely everything about it, from buying presents to choosing an advent calendar to eating multiple Christmas dinners to lazing around in my pyjamas on Christmas Day. Nothing can quite sum up my love for Christmas!

I came across Ella's Christmas Tag last weekend so obviously I had to take part in it. HAD TO. I've numbered this post (#1) as I'm hoping I'll come across many more Christmas tags in the next few weeks. If I don't, I might just make some up. That's how much I love Christmas.

Christmas at my parents' house last year

What time of the year do you start your Christmas shopping?
I usually start in September, although I do tend to pick up little random gifts throughout the year. I have to start in September to spread it over a few pay cheques! I have 20 people to buy for this year... the number seems to increase every year.

Do you have any festive recipes for food or drink you limit solely to the Christmas season to share?

I've never cooked anything for Christmas Day as I always go back to my parents' house for it. However, this year I'm considering baking something for tea on Christmas Day. Maybe some shortbread biscuits shaped like Christmas trees? I'll keep you all updated!

Tell me how Christmas goes down in your home
My brother and I usually wake up at around 8am... this has got later over the years! Daf comes in to my room and we open our stockings together (I love this part!), then we go downstairs to see the presents under the tree. Once my parents are up and we've had some breakfast (usually chocolate from our stockings...), we settle down in front of the tree to open all the presents. After we've opened everything, we read our books/play with our new toys while the Christmas dinner simmers nicely and makes the house smell delightful. We usually eat our lovely dinner at around 2pm. After dinner, my sister and her husband arrive with my little nephew, then we open presents all over again. We then watch Christmas films, eat chocolate and have a chat throughout the evening. I love Christmas Day!

Do you have any Christmas traditions?
Daf and I always used to watch Santa Claus: The Movie on Christmas Eve but we haven't done that for a few years. We always do everything in exactly the same order on Christmas Day and have done for as long as I remember. A traditional Christmas is the best Christmas!

Do you have a favourite festive coffee?
I don't like coffee... I do like a Christmassy hot chocolate though.

What's your favourite Christmas song?
Oh I wish it could be Christmas every dayyyyyyy...

What do you do on Christmas Eve?
We go in to town as a family on the afternoon of Christmas Eve to sample the atmosphere and to do some last minute shopping (either to Carmarthen or Llanelli). My parents always go to a church service in the evening. Meanwhile, Daf and I usually watch a Christmassy film, wrap any last minute presents and eat crisps. Lots of crisps.

What's your Christmas wrapping strategy? Do you have a strategy?
I buy all my presents first then dedicate a night or two to my wrapping. I put a film on (last year my films were Home Alone 2 and Beethoven!) and get stuck in. I genuinely enjoy wrapping presents!

What's your dream gift this year?
I haven't asked for anything big this year as more than enough money is being spent on the wedding and the potential house... I'll be happy with a few DVDs and maybe some pyjamas.

Describe your Christmas tree. How tall? Real or artificial? How is it decorated?
The little 3ft tree I have in my flat is a bit pathetic as I was too tight to buy a high quality one. However, the Christmas tree in my parents' house is lovely. It's a 6 foot high artificial tree with gold and red tinsel. It has coloured lights and lots of coloured baubles and little figurines, and usually lots of Christmas crackers and chocolates too.

Do you decorate just the tree or other areas of your house e.g. windows, bannisters?
My flat is very small so I don't decorate much of it. I would make more of an effort if I actually spent Christmas there, but I always go home to my parents' house. My parents have lots of decorations spread around the house, and I especially like their fireplace decorations. I can't wait to have my own house so that I can decorate it for Christmas!

What do you wear to Christmas parties and what do you wear on Christmas day?
I usually wear a black dress to Christmas parties... black dresses are suitable for everything. On Christmas Day I wear pyjama bottoms, snuggly socks and a hoodie. I secretly wish I could wear my Christmas Day outfit more often. A lot more often. 

40 days to go!

New York #4: Rockefeller Center

The Rockefeller Center always reminds me of Home Alone 2, which immediately gives it some brownie points. However, apart from the references made in the film, I didn't know much about the building at all before going to New York. I'd never really looked at photos of it, or looked into its history. I just knew it looked nice during the Christmas period! It was still on my list of things to do in New York as so many people had recommended it, but I had no idea what to expect.

The Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings which spans 22 acres, and the surrounding area is actually just as impressive as the building itself. We visited the area on our third afternoon in New York, after it stopped raining. Here are some photos from the Plaza area outside the main building:

After wandering around the surrounding area for a while and taking in the sights, we decided to go up to the 'Top of the Rock observation deck. Unfortunately, we were told that the visibility at the top of the building was bad on that particular afternoon due to some fog which was hanging around after the morning's rain, so we went back the next morning when the sun was shining. It was a totally different experience to the Empire State Building as it was daylight and showed the city from a different angle and a slightly different height. It also wasn't quite so windy! As it was such a clear day, we could see the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Empire State Building (obviously), the new 'Freedom Tower' being built on the Ground Zero site, and everything else within a few miles' radius. 

A few photos from the Top of the Rock:

The classic Home Alone 2 pose!

So even though I didn't have huge expectations about the Rockefeller Center before going to New York, I was massively impressed. I still can't decide if I preferred 'Top of the Rock' or the Empire State Building observation deck... Does anyone else have a favourite of the two?