Christmas has arrived

One of the moments I like more is when we decorate our flat with the Christmas ornaments. I am not like my father, who starts decorating his office in November, but time goes so fast that I think that you have to enjoy such a nice time like Christmas.

We start decorating our Nativity display, with all our figures and animals. Next week that we are on holiday, we will visit Santa Llúcia’s market and as we do every year, we will buy a new figure. I honestly think there aren’t much left but we will try to find one that we don’t have.

I think we can be proud of it and we have done a good job between us. The only problem is that some of the figures keep falling when we open the cupboards. The solution is easy: put them back up.

Once we finished with our Nativity display, we started with our Christmas tree. Jéssica thought that the best idea was to decorate it only with read balls as we did last year and also put all the nice ornaments we have bought in shops or in London, where we will try to buy some others this year. Before we turn on the lights, we sang Our Christmas tree as Ben Affleck does in Surviving Christmas.

Our tree is really nice and it looks great with the lights. Now we are only waiting for Father Christmas to bring us a lot of presents, because we have been very good and we deserved them. I really do love Christmas. For me, and as the song says, it is the most wonderful time of the year. It is a shame that it is not a bit colder, but as we are going to London this weekend we will get full of Christmas spirit. I am looking forward for it!

Christmas has arrived!

October is finishing and we are facing one of the best seasons in the year: Christmas. However, it is a bit strange to think about Christmas when it is so warm and you can still wear shorts!

If you walk around the different shops in Barcelona you will find them all full of Christmas decorations, bags for presents, wrapping paper and all different gadgets related with Christmas. Of course, in the food shops you can buy turrones, marzipans or chocolates; everything is ready to enjoy Christmas.

In some streets they have started to get ready for the Christmas lights and some shopping centres like la Illa have already put the lights. I am sure that shortly el Corte Inglés will put them up.

I understand that shops have to start thinking of Christmas because before Christmas actuallu arrive no doubt that they sell more than in the rest of the year. People cook special lunches, eat and drink more and, of course, you buy a lot of presents.

However, it is a bit strange when you go out in shorts or with short sleeve t-shirts or shirts to the streets. It is very difficult to think in something Christmasy when outside you can still sunbathe.

I know every year is the same and that normally you forget if it was so warm. Previous Octobers have been very warm and we have celebrated the Castañada, that is a traditional holiday in Catalonia, under very nice conditions. When I see the man in the fire with the chestnuts, I feel sorry for him: I would be sweating.   

I understand that shops and shopping centres need to sell and Christmasis one of the best opportunities but it looks as every year they start earlier. I think that it would be better if they waited until November to start. Do they make much more money if they start now? Just a simple question I know nobody will answer.

Bye, bye winter

Today, at 17.57h according to the radio, spring starts. “Hurray!”, will think a lot of the Barcelonans. More sun for us, longer days, short sleeves and terraces full of people having their drinks. For many people, it is one of the best stations of the year. Not too warm, but hot enough to be in the street and having fun with the family or friends. 

 

However, is not how I feel.  I have to admit that I enjoy this time of the year where you can be outside, enjoying yourself, having a coke or a beer with whoever you want. I will not discuss this, obviously but I have to say that, for me, it is bad news. I see my clothes, and I think that a lot of the will be in the wardrobe until next year.

I know I am different to most  people, but I really enjoy winter. Winter, for me, is Christmas, New Years Eve, the three kings, family, cold, presents, fun, hope, best wishes... It is also my birthday, my sisters birthday. January is the month I started with Jéssica, and in February we started living together. March is my wife’s birthday. I think I have a lot of things to celebrate in winter. As I wrote once in this blog, it’s the most wonderful time of the year.

I love wearing long sleeve shirts, jumpers and coats. I like putting on my scarves or going out running early in the morning when it is cold. I enjoy walking around the streets and feeling the cold in your face. I enjoy a warm cup of coffee or tea when it is cold outside. I like the darkness in the streets when I get out of work and I go walking to the metro. Winter finishes today and I am willing for it to start again.

Now it is time for sun. In a few months, we will be in the beach. We will be warm, it will be hot in our flat. I understand that people like this time of the year. I do myself, but nothing like winter. It is the best time of the year.