Let the festivities begin!

Christmas is nearly here!!!!!

Holidays are coming, holidays are coming, holidays are coming :) :) :)

If I ignore the fact that I'm working 11 hour days right up until Christmas Eve then I couldn't be happier.

I witnessed the 'Coca Cola' truck in Liverpool, complete with carol singers and fake snow.

My Christmas tree is up and as of today I can officially say I have completed my Christmas shopping. Yes I did it all in one day, well apart from the boys presents (because he was with me) but I'll sort that asap.

We spent the day walking hand in hand through the enchanting old worldly streets of York, listening to street performers playing 'Fairytale of New York' and smelling chestnuts roasting on a open fire.

Quite surprisingly I managed to get all my shopping done without having a freak out. Usually I get all stressed about what to buy people, but this years Christmas shopping was a doddle and very very enjoyable.

Speaking earlier of my 11 hour days at work, you'd think I'd be tearing my hair out by now at the Christmas songs they have on repeat, but I love them! Love love love them! Although it is rather embarrassing when people catch me belting out a bit of Mariah or Wham.

There is a new Christmas song on the scene in Britain this year and I think it is absolutely beautiful. I just can't stop listening to 'Christmas Lights' by Coldplay. I think it's rather Pogues - esque myself. Check it out and let me know what you think. It's beautiful!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1rYmzQ8C9Q

Well as long as my long days at work don't destroy my Christmas spirit, I shall be spending my evenings watching lovely Christmas films like Love Actually, The Holiday and It's a wonderful Life... to name a few, and hopefully I will be getting my nose stuck into my Christmas book, 'The Gift' by Cecelia Ahern. I got that particular book as a present last year, or maybe it was the year before, but I will will will read it this year.

Pop some mistletoe above your door and pucker up xxxxxxxx

I really shouldn't make promises...

Hi everyone,

Firstly, I would like to start with an apology. Every time I write a new post I promise to write more and then I don't. Working 11 hour days has some what killed my blogging ability. Yes that's right the curse of only ever getting a job in September is definitely still in place. I now work as a manager in a calendar store. Guess what? I got the job in September, but it's only temp until January. I don't know why but nobody seems to want to buy calendars in March. So as of January I'll be on the hunt for a job yet again, hopefully it won't take until September to get one.

My other blog on the Net Cars website suffered for a little time too, but then I started my driving lessons and the blog came back with a bang. My lessons so far have been quite eventful, heavy rain and wind, snow, ice, ridiculous traffic and accidental groping of my driving instructors knee. So please check it out and if you feel compelled to write a comment after the blog please do :)

http://www.netcars.co.uk/blogs/author/7/laura-cox

On other news I got a very lovely early Christmas present in November. The poetry magazine 'Monkey Kettle' landed at my front door. I hurried ripped the envelope open and scanned the pages for my name. And there they where, my very first two published poems. Seeing my name in print for the first time was amazing, and the thought of other people picking up the magazine and reading my words was actually at first a little terrifying but really quite cool.

You can purchase the magazine from here http://www.monkeykettle.co.uk/ It's only £1 and it's filled with lots of brilliant talent, and it makes an excellent read on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Well enough with my plugging lets get back to the real world. I've been feeling very festive lately and this year it is my first Christmas with the boy, the first Noel :) So far are first Christmas experience is utterly delightful. The Christmas tree is up, the smell of spiced apple fills our home, presents are under the tree (Well one present from him to me as I actually haven't started Christmas shopping yet :s) and we have lots and lots of snow :) :) :) Last weekend was spent rolling around in the snow at Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire. Apart from going to see 'It's a wonderful life' on Christmas Eve at the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool last year, that Sunday afternoon spent in the snow for me was the most Christmasy experience ever. When the daylight started to fade at the Abbey the ruins where lit up in an array of colours, greens, blues, red, purples and oranges. To accompany the lights the sounds of a choir filled the Abbey too, the choir was pre recorded tracks played through speakers, they sang traditional Christmas songs and I thought it was very enchanting and absolutely wonderful.

I won't promise to write more because hence the title of this post I seem to have trouble keeping promises, but I will honestly try to. But if I don't write before Christmas day, here's to snuggling up in front of the fire, drinking too much wine, eating too many chocolates and gazing at the pretty lights on the Christmas tree.

Merry Christmas!

Love

Laura

xxx