A could-do list for midwinter

75 Joyous December tidings

Hi lovely, I’m Aimée, a soulful copywriter . Here, on my Substack, I share seasonal tales from my little corner of the Cotswolds. I write about food, heritage, books, travel, creative living, and whimsical musings. Come on in, take off your boots, and cosy up by the fire. I’ll pop the kettle on.

1. Light an advent candle during dinner.

2. Spend an afternoon writing heartfelt Christmas cards.

3. Walk to the local postbox, wrapped up in your biggest, cosiest scarf, and post them.

4. Decorate the tree while listening to Carols from King’s.

5. Buy people books this year.

6. Put up a real potted tree.

7. Support your local bookshop.

8. Go door-to-door singing Christmas carols with your friends. Bring lanterns.

9. Stay in and sing Christmas carols around the piano.

   

   
   

10. Have a pyjama day and watch Little Women.

11. Make gingerbread.

12. Go to a light show.

13. Buy yourself something you’ve always wanted.

14. Hang fairy lights everywhere.

15. Get rip-roaring drunk at the office Christmas party and snog the face of the man you fancy.
    

16. Go to the ballet. Or watch The Nutcracker online.

17. Hang mistletoe over the door.

18. Read ‘A Christmas Carol’ in one sitting.

19. Make Christmas presents. Nothing beats a homemade gift.

20. Host a cosy Christmas book club with friends.

21. Seek out your local Anglican Church and enjoy all their traditional services.

22. Experience an immersive nativity journey.
    

    

    
    

23. Cook a Christmas ham.

24. Make a pilgrimage to Pret for a Turkey sandwich.

25. Go to London and see the Christmas lights.

26. Listen to a brass band.

27. Spend an afternoon dropping off presents.

28. Visit a stately home and see the Christmas decorations.

29. Marvel at Fortnum & Mason’s Christmas window display.

30. If you haven’t made a Christmas pudding this year, make a boozy fruit loaf instead.

31. Donate money to a charity you’re passionate about.

32. Make colourful paper chains and hang them from your living room.
    

    

    
    

33. Stock up on beeswax candles.

34. Eat as many mince pies as you please.

35. Treat yourself to the fancy jar of cranberry.

36. Take a long bath with peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils.

37. Add booze to your hot chocolate.

38. Make a present and leave it for someone to find.
    
    

    
    

39. Listen to this festive book from Nigel Slater.

40. Bundle up cosy and go to a Christmas market for mulled wine with a shot of brandy.

41. Call up someone who you haven’t spoken to in a while.

42. Read cosy, trashy reads. It is the holidays, after all - your bookshelves need not be high-brow at this time of year.

43. Eat panettone for breakfast.

44. Enjoy some creepy Victorian Christmas cards. (An excellent podcast episode about it here.)
    

    

    
    

45. Go for a long walk on the winter solstice. Light candles and soak up the shortest day of sunlight.

46. Book a pantomime matinee. Bring in a box of Malteasers. (Not a bag. A box.)

47. Watch your favourite Christmas movies with your loved ones.

48. Make your own block paint wrapping paper. (I’ve been doing Molly Mahon’s block printing course.)

49. Attend a candlelit carol service.

50. Skip the novelty jumper and invest in a high-quality sweater instead.

51. Host a Christmas quiz.

52. Listen to Handel’s Messiah while sipping on a hot toddy.

53. Have champagne for breakfast.

54. Spend Christmas day how YOU want to spend it.

55. Skip Christmas entirely if that sounds good to you.
    

    

    
    

56. Go stargazing on a clear winter night—bring blankets and a flask of hot cocoa.

57. Make a wreath for your front door.

58. Buy a wreath for your front door from the supermarket if you prefer.

59. Go to the cheesemonger for your Christmas cheese.

60. Make a turkey curry.

61. Buy lovely new pyjamas and spend the day after Boxing Day in them.

62. Switch off your phone and play board games.

63. Get outside as much as you can.

64. Treat yourself to a fancy dinner out.

65. Be grateful and proud about everything you’ve achieved this year.

66. Wear your glitziest dress and go dancing.

    

    
    

67. Start a new tradition.

68. Stay home and dance instead.

69. Spend the days of Twixtmas reflecting on the year just gone.

70. Watch fireworks.

71. Take part in the Icelandic tradition of Jólabókaflóðið. Do a book swap with your friend and spend Christmas. eve reading it.

72. Watch Beatrix Potter’s The Tailor of Gloucester.

73. Go ice-skating.

74. Read Christmas ghost stories.

75. Wear a paper crown.