When you live somewhere in the Western World with a predominantly Christian population you are almost forced into a Christmas spirit. In Germany, this starts at the beginning of September each year, Halloween and Thanksgiving not being such a big deal for us. So latest by the time December comes around everybody is in the mood to the point of almost being sick and tired of the first carols already again.
However, if you are like us living either in warmer climate and/or in a country of another faith, then the Holidays may have sneaked up on you by last week with the sudden realization that there is only one week left till THE day.
If that is the case, here is the bullet train to Christmas mood: Sound, Scent, Sparkle
Sound
This is the easiest way to bring up some cheer. Thanks to the likes of YouTube, Amazon Music and iTunes you don’t even have to go look for your Christmas CDs (I hear people still have those...). Either search for ‘Christmas’ on any of the music platforms or click the below :
Pure… Christmas on Amazon Music
Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra on YouTube
Michael Bublé on YouTube or Amazon Music
Scent
Bake cookies, roast chicken, spice the wine and fill your home with the scents of Christmas…
OR if you are stuck somewhere without an oven, baking/cooking skills or, as in my case, both, then take the easy way out - here’s to scented candles! I hardly ever use them since it usually a bit too much for my taste. But it’s just the right thing to get Christmas into the air! I got my Orange Neroli at Freedom Tree and the citrus scent nicely balances sweet Christmas cinnamon and vanilla.
Sparkle
With your candles burning you have even gotten started on this part already. If you have some other decoration, fairy lights, Christmas decor etc., put it up!
Alternatively, go out and find Christmas where you are. I am currently in 30° C India (86° F) which is certainly not hot-chocolate-weather but still in the very least, there are churches, bakeries and the bigger hotel chains who make an effort to decorate and have activities like Christmas tree lighting or Santa's visit and cookie decorating for the kids.
Now enjoy your last Christmas gift shopping and most of all the time with your family. That is what you will remember in years to come anyway. Merry Christmas!