My Indulgent Christmas: How to enjoy the Adult Advent ritual

If you're one of those 'bah humbugs'  who refuse to give into the Christmassy feeling until 1st December....stop reading now (you will be disappointed!).  

If you're continuing to read on:  Merry Christmas Merry Christmas Merry Chriisstmaaass!!

I'm a sucker for all things festive, and whilst I can't deny the happiest I've ever been is with a Mojito, on a sunlounger, in the Maldives; I know I'd have to pay a LOT of money to get that feeling every day! 
So Christmas is that time of year I try and create that warm, cosy feeling every single week.
As a general rule, I start my own weekly Christmas ritual just after Bonfire Night.  It's like advent for grown ups, and I call it 'The Boyfriend Buster' because (as many friends that follow my ritual have noted) it makes you feel so indulged and cosy that you actually start to wonder whether you'll ever want to have to give up your home/sanctuary/time to a man-being!

Here's what it involves (but you can add or take away to suit you!):

• Devote one evening in your diary for a lonnggg soak in the bath.  I'm talking bubbles up to the ceiling, scented candles...the works.  The only stipulation I have is that you must emerge from the tub only once your body resembes a Christmas fig!
• Facemask, blackhead nose strip, exfoliator, cocoa butter deep moisturiser (all over)  I love to do this as soon as I'm out the bath, beacuse my pores are open and I also feel soo relaxed!
• Let hair dry naturally.  I do this every week without fail (not just during Adult Advent/The Boyfriend Buster).  Not only does it give my poor hair a rest from being blasted by heat, but with a little Lee Stafford 'There come the curls', I get natural looking waves ready for the morning!
  
• Paint nails (toe and hands) because there's nothing worse than feeling a million dollars at work the next day, but having to hide those chipped talons from colleagues! (difficult when required to type a lot!).
• Tanning moisturiser.  I use St Tropez daily moisturing lotion, which gives me a lovely natural glow without looking out of place (nobody likes an orange person ruining a winter wonderland).  Tip:  Only do this once the cocoa butter moisturiser has fully soaked in or it could come out uneven.
• Polar Bear Onesie time!  (Ok, that's just me...but seriously...I have the most amazing super soft white onesie, complete with hood and ears)  Investing a bit of money in a good quality onesie is well worth it over Xmas.  It makes you feel you're being constantly hugged, and keeps you warmer than a dressing gown.
• DVD and popcorn, plus a huge box of chocs:   I use lovefilm to order a film each week, and buy in surpless amounts of salted popcorn ready for my special evening!  As for the chocs, you shouldn't scrimp on your indulgent evening, so I always make sure I get a box of my favourite Thorntons chocs!
  

Someone once told me that it's the small things that make us happy - if only we'd let them.  I try and live to that sentiment.  Creating little moments to look forward to.  It doesn't have to cost the earth!  I've even started planning ahead with my moments - pencilling in dates in the New Year which I'll soon forget.

The idea is once I turn the page to see how my week is filling up - there will be my own special little moment to look forward to!  

I'd love to hear if any of you do your own Adult Advent ritual over Xmas.....and I hope if you don't this has given you some form of warm fuzziness which will spur you on to create your own perfect night in of indulgence!

Till next time

Scarlett

xhoxhoxho