The most festive week

Wowee how did it become Christmas Eve Eve already? (Yes Tom that is a thing). As it's so close to the time where the big man Father Christmas visits, I thought I would get another festive post in whilst I can until next year! I always think the run up to Christmas Day is the most exciting part, and Christmas Eve is my favourite day (excited yet sad it's already tomorrow!). I can't remember how close to Christmas Day school used to finish, but at uni term would always finish the weekend before and so it was weird last year to be working right up to the 23rd. Back in the summer I saw a video of someone going to Edinburgh at Christmas, and so after asking Tom nicely if we could go, I booked the time off work and booked our trip away. It was wonderful to finish work for 2017 on the 15th, and Edinburgh did not disappoint. As we were going further up north we went via Durham to visit Tom's brother Lewis who is at uni there, and this was really lovely as we hadn't been to Durham in a couple of years.

 We stayed overnight in Durham before making our way to Edinburgh. I had been once before when I was a lot younger, and Tom had never been before so it wasn't a familiar city to either of us. Funnily enough I realised that we were staying in the same hotel as I had previously stayed in with my parents, and we think Sheffield is hilly but Edinburgh is on another scale. Following google maps to our hotel we had to walk up about 200 steps (sorry you had to carry both suitcases Tom) but we eventually made it and as we arrived late afternoon we went to see the new Star Wars at the cinema. If you've been a reader for a while you'll know how much of a curry lover I am - I think I have found my new favourite Indian restaurant (called Bombay Bicycle Club, and yes I did make Tom go there because of the name) and I'm gutted that it's 4 hours away from Sheffield so I can't just pop there next time I fancy a curry.

 

We spent our time walking around and exploring (we were going to go on the sightseeing bus and go in the castle but both were an extortionate price) and ended up walking about 20 miles over two days. This included going to find the real life (though technically dead) Tom Riddle in the Greyfriars churchyard as rumour has it this grave inspired JK Rowling for her Tom Riddle; going around the Christmas Market, thoroughly enjoying a chip on a stick, having a go at the Christmas tree maze, and going to the National Museum of Scotland. 

The festivities did not stop in Edinburgh though, as on returning home we took our annual trip to Chatsworth to see the house decorated in this years theme 'Oh Dickens it's Christmas!'. Normally we go during the first weekend of December so it was weird going three days before the day, but it was as fab as always and we're getting a lot better at navigating the maze! 

 

I have felt very festive this week and I'd like to make a Christmas getaway more of an annual thing (though not for actual Christmas) - what are your favourite places to visit in the run up to Christmas that I can add to my list? I hope this has added to your festive feeling and I would highly recommend a visit to Edinburgh or Chatsworth at this time of year (get planning for next year!). As this will be my last post before Christmas Day, I hope you have a wonderful one and see you next week for my Bullet Journal set up for 2018!

Jess x