I’m feeling festive. I’m still very tired after the flu, but at least I’m out of the flat and able to appreciate the wonders of December. I’m still gutted I missed our Christmas party and the Durham Christmas weekend, but I’m making the most of enjoying all the everyday little bits of Christmas.

It seems like I have so much more time to take in the season this year. Of course when I was in Royal Mail it was the busiest time of year and until the final delivery on Christmas Eve it was all systems go. One year I ended up sat in M&S café at 1pm on Christmas Eve trying to get some last minute figures that had been requested. I’d mistakenly believed as of lunch time that day I could relax and finish off the shopping I’d not had time to do in the previous few weeks. No wonder December flew by! But this year I finish on the 17^th December, a whole week before Christmas.

I’ve had time to watch Christmas DVDs already, I have a feeling The Muppet Christmas Carol will be watched multiple times this year. I’m looking forward to wrapping my presents at a leisurely pace. I’ll get to spend an entire 10 days in Southport relaxing and completely forgetting about work. As the entire university shuts down there’s no risk of any work calls interrupting my days off. But I really appreciate it all. As a student I spent my holidays working behind the bar in Pontin’s and that included Christmas Day and New Years Eve. Last year was one of the first in a long time that work of some description didn’t overshadow the festive season, but instead I was moving halfway up the country in the week between Christmas & New Year.

More than ever this year I’ll appreciate the time I have to relax with friends and family without any other demands on my time. I hope that my health improves over the next week or so that I can make the most of this wonderful time of year! Here are my favourite festive moments so far…

My Christmas Tree (and Jude Law being very yummy in ‘The Holiday‘)

The Library Glitter Bugs making an appearance on the Christmas Trees at Stockton

My first Christmas Dinner of the season (and a very good one too!) with colleagues at Queen’s Campus

Durham this morning looking very seasonal with a covering of frost and fog

Finally decorating my desk with tinsel (thanks to Helen Jones, our Tinsel Queen!) and a light up snowman!