6 Things We Only Do At Christmas But Should Do More Often

The idea of Christmas will put (most) people in a good mood. Everyone has their favourite part of the festive season, from spending time with family to the food and drink. However, there is no reason these much-loved activities cannot be enjoyed throughout the year.

1. Sing together. The only time you can get away with singing with your family round a piano is at Christmas time. But it doesn’t have to be this way. If you love to sing why not join a choir, an acapella group or just sing in the streets (you might even make a few bob).

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2. Drink mulled wine. It is warm red wine with cloves and spices. Who says we shouldn’t be drinking this before bed to help us have a peaceful nights sleep? There are a few other Christmas drinks that really deserve to be consumed more regularly. For example, eggnog and hot toddies are delicious and fun to make.

3. Buy and exchange gifts with your family and friends. Of course, you give and receive gifts on birthdays but there is no other time when you exchange gifts on such a large scale and with so much enthusiasm that at Christmas. I’m not suggesting another world-wide gift-centric holiday should be introduced, rather that we don’t wait for an excuse to get our loved ones a small something. You can find so many small affordable gifts ideas online. Try websites such as http://www.giftsfromhandpicked.co.uk/, have a look around the shops or make your presents. Everyone loves to receive a thoughtful gift, no matter how big or small, expensive or cheap.

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4. Play games.  At Christmas time a lot of play games with our family and friends, such as ‘Charades’. We all enjoy these games at the time, but how many of us continue to play throughout the year? Why not suggest you and your family or flatmates get together for a night of card or board games once a week? If you are competitive, you could start up a tournament with other households. A more laid-back approach might be to attend a pub quiz.

5. Eat a large meal at lunch time. The French believe it is the most important meal of the day, and there may be some truth in that. Most of us have a cheap sandwich on the go at lunch time and a large meal at night. This seems an illogical way of managing our meals because we will lack energy during the day when we most need it, and go to bed with a full stomach. The long European lunch (with optional wine) does seem to make more sense.

6. Decorate a tree. We spend a lot of time decorating our trees, and our homes at Christmas but take it all down before it becomes bad luck. Just because the Christmas decorations have come down, doesn’t mean we can't add a few fairy lights here and there to our indoor and outdoor plants and trees. There are lots of all-year round lighting options for gardens including outdoor candles, lanterns and burners. Fairy lights come in all different styles and colours and would be suitable at any time of the year.