Thursday 8 December 2016

The Christmas Blogger Interview - What The Redhead Said

Next up to feature on my Christmas Blogger Interview series is Donna from http://whattheredheadsaid.com/




1 - Do you have any family Christmas traditions?

When Hubby and I got together we had traditions that we'd both carried on from growing up with our individual families but once the children came along we decided to start our own traditions based on our experiences.

Each year we all get new pyjamas on Christmas Eve and a new Christmas movie to watch. It's when Christmas really starts for us and Christmas Eve ends with the children leaving a mince pie and a drink out for Father Christmas and a carrot for Rudolph. 
In our house Father Christmas leaves all the presents downstairs under the tree - and maybe stockings hanging from the fireplace but nothing upstairs. He also uses a magic key as we don't have a proper chimney.

2 - What’s your ultimate Christmas movie?

My favourite is still Santa Claus the Movie, one I have loved since I was small and one I will never tire of watching. I love it's classic Christmas charm and how it modernises the original story of Saint Nicholas. But, as a family we now love The Polar Express. Hubby and I watched it at London's Imax in 3D when it first came out and we introduced the children to it at the very first opportunity! A modern Christmas classic. 

3 - What 3 songs would be top of your festive playlist?

I love Chris Rea, Driving Home for Christmas. Every year when I've been at work for Christmas this has come on the radio when I've left the office on Christmas Eve and it always makes me feel quite emotional - there's nothing like being with your closest people over the festive season.

Another favourite is Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree. No specific version but it's on most Christmas albums and it always has a feel good, happy feeling to it.

Lastly, All I Want For Christmas. It reminds me of Love Actually - another lovely Christmas movie. The song is just so nice, and has so much hope and honesty in it. I love it.

4 - Are you an online shopper or do you go to the actual stores?

I mostly do shopping online but I put money aside each month towards Christmas and shop in the sales through the year so usually, by December, I just have stocking fillers left to get and they're much easier to buy from the shops so I usually have a festive shopping trip, revolving around plenty of tea and cake stops, purely to get the little bits and pieces you can't really get online.

5 - Do you make shopping lists or buy things when you see something nice?

Through the year I just buy things I think people, especially the children, would like but closer to Christmas I work out who I still have things left to buy for and write a list to make sure everyone has a gift they'll love at Christmas.

6 - Do you send Christmas cards?

I do! We have another tradition of having photo based Christmas cards where we take a nice family picture or a festive photo of the children and send it to everyone. It's a bit American and a bit cheesey but I love it. We keep one for the memory box too. 

7 - Do you have an elf on the shelf? What do you do with it?

No, I don't. Each to their own but we'll never have an elf in our house - I have enough to do in December without an elf to think about too! :)

8 - Do you have chocolate advent calendars or something else?

Usually we have a homemade advent calendar, with pockets that I fill with chocolate coins or anything else little that I can find. But, this year, due to us being in the middle of having an extension, we're gone down the very commercial route and the children have Playmobil advent calendars. But, they also have really cheap chocolate ones as all their friends had chocolate ones and I know, even though they have a new toy each morning, they would have been disappointed without chocolate too. 

9 - Do you do a Christmas eve box? If so what’s in it?

I do! We have a hamper that I fill each year and it usually has in it new pyjamas, a new Christmas movie and we put Santa's special plate and the magic key in it. I also usually buy some Christmas eve treats like special cookies, hot chocolate or cake. 

10 - Do you make any gifts?

No, I'm not the most creative of people - although I love to look at all the creativity on Pinterest!

11 - Do you do any Christmas crafts?

Not really... We usually get Christmas colouring packs, colour in stocking and other simple things but nothing too creative really. 

12 - If you could only eat 3 things from your Christmas dinner, what would they be?

Oooooh! Pigs in blankets, roast potatoes and honey glazed parsnips. YUM! If I could have gravy on it all too that would be amazing. I could eat Christmas dinner all year round if given the chance.

13 - What’s your favourite festive tipple?

Baileys. I absolutely love opening the Baileys through December and enjoying it in the evenings.

14 - Where are you spending Christmas this year?

Due to our extension we're off to Hubby's parents' house - and I'm really looking forward to it. We're staying their Christmas Day night and so we can really relax and have a nice family day.

15 - If you could go to any Christmas market in the world where would you go?

I've been to Bath and Winchester so many times and they always put me in the Christmas spirit. It would be fantastic to go to one abroad and I've heard great things about the ones in Germany so it would be somewhere there.


Thank you to Donna for taking part. I'm so pleased to hear you still send cards. There's not many people that still do which is a shame. 

You can find Donna on the following social media by clicking on the links:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

SHARE:

15 comments

  1. ha I'm with Donna on elf on the shelf - don't think we'll ever have one either. December is so busy with a few birthdays as well as Christmas and I want to enjoy the season and not get stressed with it lol

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lovely post! I love Baileys too!! Pigs in blankets are a must on Christmas Day. The best meal of the year :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. That's a class interview. Do you still have space for more? :)
    I agree on elf on the shelf too. I honestly don't know how people have to move it everyday leading up to Christmas. I have enough on for sure. But then again not everybody is working full time either.
    We ordered our first batch of photo christmas cards yesterday.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Such a lovely interview! I love hearing about different festive traditions xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ooh i love all i want for christmas too! super festive :) x

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love Polar Express too it is such a classic that everyone should watch at Christmas time. It is fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This was really fun to read. Thanks for sharing more about Donna. I enjoyed learning about her Christmas thoughts. Angela :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Fab post! Polar Express is my favourite Christmas film, and I love Baileys too, yum!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lovely post! I'm loving this interview series Kerry! We're not doing Elf On The Shelf this year either x

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a cute little interview and the photo at the end had me cooing, so sweet x

    ReplyDelete
  11. Driving home for Christmas always makes me think of my Dad - lovely interview :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I have cards to write, still! Great to hear others traditions, we loved giving new PJ's on xmas Eve too

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ah such a lovely interview with Donna. I love reading about other peoples christmas traditions! xo

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks so much for having me Kerry! x

    ReplyDelete

Blogger Template Created by pipdig