Christmas.

There’s something about the beginning of November that sends me into an irrational tornado of glee, excitement, and above all; insanity. Today was spent innocently trawling around Windsor, until what do I stumble across? Red Cups. A familiar shiver crept up my spine as a somewhat fanatical grin plastered itself across my face. How I longed to cradle a steaming cup of hazelnut hot chocolate in my mitten clad hands, nose bright with chill. Yes, I actually consider Starbucks Christmas menu as a seasonal landmark. Hurriedly, I rushed inside and ordered a drink, determined to sit outside and endure the cold just to be part of my own personal tradition. With my manic grin melting into smug satisfaction, I realised Christmas is all about these moments. Everyone has their moment of recognition of what is approaching. For some, it’s when the first advent calendars go on sale in mid October (I’m partial to Maltesers), for others, it’s the moment the youngest member of their family clumsily scrambles on to a chair an places an angel wonkily on the top of the tree. For me, it’s the mouth watering Marks and Spencer adverts, shopping on a busy Saturday in Covent Garden, Coca Cola’s ‘Holidays are coming’ and of course, Turkey Feast sandwiches.

Feeling inspired, I jumped straight onto Google, and sent out a mass text to determine what exactly Christmas means to different people, as well as going on a hunt of the best festive icons…

'When I say Christmas, what comes into your head?'

'Trees. And Christmas dinner at my grandma’s country house with the whole family and going for a walk after dinner with my dog and stuff, or waking up at like 6am from excitement and my mum putting a massive Santa thing full of pressies at the end of my bed.'

'Christmas is going to be great this year - the WHOLE family will be together. It’s been 7 years since everyone was last home. I can’t wait to get home and bake and cook and sing and decorate and wrap gifts and go carolling and hopefully there will be snow.'

'Christmas to me is about family and friends coming together, not some religious festival. Anyone that sends me a card with "Jesus" or anything on does not get one the following year.'

'Christmas for me is spending time with family and friends, christmas dinner, lots of lovely presents and of course Eastenders.'

Whilst some argue that Christmas has become a greedy and materialistic event that was once a religious celebration, I disagree. Christmas is about surround yourself with the people and things you love. It's about sitting in front of the fire with your friends watching cheesy rom-coms, having to hack to top of the tree off just to fit it in the room, becoming increasingly frustrated as the Sellotape gets tangled, and above everything; roast potatoes. Obviously.