It's not Christmas until...

[TurkeyDinosaur]

... I've got my chops around the first mince pie 🥧

Finally got some from M&S this morning, (their mini ones, and the Costco ones are the only ones I like) so am going to have one later on, with a cuppa.

What specifically says Christmas to you?
And whilst we're on the subject - are you a mince pie lover or hater?
Which ones are your favourite?
Are homemade much better than shop bought?

I only like my homemade mince pies - I make the mincemeat myself so can put only the things I like in it (no glacé cherries, nuts or alcohol).
Haven't made/eaten one yet but will be this weekend.

…until I’ve listened to the Hogwood Messiah. DH keeps putting the Messiah on and just selecting any old random recording, I can’t cope.

After a family birthday in the middle of December

We have a tin of Quality Street in the house.
Mince pies are revolting.

Nothing says "Christmas" quite like DH swearing at a tangled set of lights 😂

Other than that, Christmas songs on the radio, preferably while driving around to see family or getting Christmas shopping.
All the Christmas food - at least one mince pie a day, pate on toast for lunch, panettone.
The pre Christmas get togethers.
School Christmas fete.

I bloody love Christmas and the whole build up. Favourite mince pies are the Lidl Deluxe ones. I don't like these new fancy flavoured mince pies.

I've bought the Christmas Radio Times. I look through it once, fail to do the picture quiz and then it gets ignored until new year when it gets recycled. I can't not buy it though, it's tradition!

The festive "spent too long wrapping presents" back ache.

I have a copy of the Christmas Radio Times and a poinsettia on my kitchen windowsill.

Greggs mince pies are the best...

It's not Christmas until the night shift workers start messaging to see if they can swap shifts.

No one is allowed to take Christmas Day off, so we all work - some work four hours, others have to work a full shift (like the Nighties), so Nighties try to swap for a 4 hour day shift instead...

Not Christmas until I finish work & schools finish next week! I've had a few mince pies (I love ALL Christmas food!) but really need to make my own. I'm not great with pastry but I have jars of mincemeat in the cupboard

This!!! And I don't read either but I need to buy it 😂

Putting the tree and decs up 🎄

Watching the first Christmas movie of the season too.

I love mince pies but I'm quite fussy

My MIL makes them from scratch and they are the best I've ever tried.

For me it's the Radio Times, putting out the chocolates in a bowl, talking about the turkey cooking for Christmas eve and watching Elf!

...the 25th December. Around 00.30 at the end of Midnight Mass.

A local farmer puts this sign up

The annual Christmas Eve walk we take with friends and then the pub afterwards. Been doing this, with a core of 5 of us and interchangeable hangers on - for about 15 years. It's honestly my favourite part of Christmas (I do like Christmas) and when it really starts to feel Christmassy.

I don't have kids, the SC are well past nativity plays etc...and I just love this part.

Until Muppet Christmas Carol as been shown on t.v

Till Hans takes a dive off the Nakatomi Plaza.

@MargaretThursday oh no... I was rather looking forward to wrapping until I read that... now I remember! 😂

Christmas eve.
It's dark and quiet.
That's when the magic starts.. before that it's just commercial stuff to me.
I work in retail though so might be jaded!

It's not Christmas for me til I've heard Noddy Holder shouting "it's Chriiisssttmmmmaaaaaaassss!" At least a dozen times (that song brings back really happy memories for me, I know not everyone likes it)

Dir Hard has been on TV. I think it's on tonight.

Until we've opened the Christmas chocolates and we're sat in the living room with the tree lit and a glass of baileys in hand. I'm thinking next weekend might be the one.

I've finished work