If you’re looking here, it must be that time of year again! Take a look below to find all things festive, whether you need to find a unique gift, a delicious place to eat or want to take the family for a Christmas event to remember – We’ve got you covered.

_{Christmas hasn’t always been so glamorous and celebratory. At the beginning of the 19th century, businesses didn’t even consider it a holiday. However, by the end of the century it had become the biggest annual celebration and took on the form that we recognise today. The transformation happened quickly, and came from all sectors of society. Many believe Queen Victoria should be thanked for this.}

_{German-born Prince Albert, who Queen Victoria married, introduced some of the most prominent aspects of Christmas. In 1848 the Illustrated London News published a drawing of the royal family celebrating around a decorated Christmas tree. This soon become as much of a childhood  tradition for Prince Albert, as it did for families in Britain who started decorating their trees bedecked with candles, sweets, fruit, homemade decorations and small gifts. Christmas for Victorians began to become more of an important and celebrated time of the year than it had ever done before.}

_{In 1843 Henry Cole, an English civil servant and inventor from Somerset, commissioned an artist to design a card for Christmas. The illustration showed a group of people around a dinner table and a Christmas message, but at one shilling each, they were too pricey for ordinary Victorians. The sentiment however caught on and many children including Queen Victoria’s were encouraged to make their own Christmas cards. Some years later, coloured printing had become more advanced and the price of card production dropped significantly. With that and the introduction of the half penny postage rate, the Christmas card industry took off and by the 1880s the sending of cards had become hugely popular. The commercialisation of Christmas was well on its way.}

_{The commercial Christmas tradition began by Victorians in 1848 when a British confectioner called Tom Smith invented a bold new way to sell sweets. Inspired by a trip to Paris where he saw bon bons and sugared almonds wrapped in twists of paper, he came up with the idea of the Christmas cracker, and by the late Victorian period the sweets were replaced by small gifts and paper hats. The cracker wasn’t the only change to tradition. Gift giving had always been at New Year but moved as Christmas became more important to the Victorians. Initially gifts were rather modest consisting of fruit, nuts, sweets and small handmade trinkets which were hung on the Christmas tree, but as gift giving became more central to the festival, and the gifts became bigger and shop-bought, they moved under the tree. The Victorians also changed the Christmas dinner to how we know it today. The feast originated before the Middle Ages but changed shape throughout the Victorian era. Early Victorian recipes show mince pies were initially made from meat, a tradition dating back to Tudor times. The roast turkey has its beginnings in Victorian Britain too. Previously other forms of roasted meat such as beef and goose were the centrepiece of the Christmas dinner. The turkey was added to this by the more wealthy sections of the community in the 19th century, but its perfect size for a middle class family gathering meant it became the dominant dish by the beginning of the 20th century. Carols were also not new to the Victorians, but it was a tradition that they actively revived. The first significant collection of carols was published in 1833.}

_{Today we hold on to many Victorian Christmas traditions. It was in fact the Victorians after all who transformed the idea of Christmas to be centered around the family. And while Charles Dickens did not invent the Victorian Christmas, his book titled A Christmas Carol helped to popularise and spread the traditions of the festival. Its themes of family, charity, goodwill, peace and happiness encapsulate the spirit of the Victorian Christmas, and are very much a part of the Christmas we celebrate today.}

_{A magical time of the year}

_{Christmas is loved throughout the world. It is a magical time of the year, not just for children, but for adults too. For Christians, it’s much more than just the warmth of festivities that makes this time of the year extra special, it’s the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ too. For those who don’t hold Jesus close to their hearts, Christmas is still a significant time of the year. The simple joys of Christmas include listening to Christmas carols whilst holding a cup of hot chocolate, or perhaps enjoying an equally warming mulled wine, and when coming home, being met with the warmth from inside is such a welcoming feeling, one that goes hand in hand with lit candles, twinkling lights and pretty decorations too.}

_{Everyone knows Christmas is near when the Christmas tree is up and the streets are a bright with fairy lights. Even the gloomiest of people can be seen with a glimmer of a smile. When it comes to decorating your home and carefully assembling the tree, the pleasure of doing so is just as enjoyable as seeing the finishing touches bring Christmas home. This joy is exhilarated when you know there is a gift waiting for you under the tree. To know the gifts under the tree have come from the heart makes them extra special. A lot of care and thought have gone into selecting the right present for the right person, that’s why Christmas shopping is just brilliant. Late night shopping, all the hustle and bustle, the town centre brimming with sparkle, a wonderful experience not to miss. It is the only time of the year that you can enjoy the delights of a traditional Christmas market. With so many pretty stalls, full of all sorts of Christmas surprises, you always end up finding perfect gifts for everyone in your life.}

_{Tis the season to be merry, a time in the year full of indulgence, excitement and anticipation, a time where family and friends are brought together to share good times. Christmas should be cherished and enjoyed to the fullest.}

_{For the ultimate Christmas feeling, those celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ will understand why attending at least one special service is a must.  Attending the midnight service in the chilly winter is the most blessed feeling in the world. You cannot help but feel a warm glow. It is this time that truly makes one realize how thankful we should be to the Almighty for all the blessings he has showered upon us.}

_{Eating Out on Christmas Day}

_{Christmas is a time to rejoice. It’s a special time in the year for families to come together and enjoy each other’s company through fun and laughter. And that’s why booking somewhere nice to enjoy a festive dinner on Christmas Day is something that needs to be seriously considered. But why break a much loved Christmas tradition? It’s quite simple really, this way everyone can enjoy themselves instead of piling all the cooking, preparing, cleaning and serving on just one family member. It makes sense to have someone else do all the hard work. You see, while everyone else enjoys their food and drink, the cook of the household is far too wrapped up making sure everyone else is having a good time to actually join in any of the merry antics of Christmas Day themselves.}

_{By the time the presents have been unwrapped, the irritating re-enforced packaging removed from all the kids gifts, wrapping discarded and presents put away, it’s time to start the mammoth task of preparing and cooking Christmas dinner. But while the cooks busy slaving away in the kitchen, everyone else is relaxing enjoying good times. The cook can’t possibly relax until all the plates, cutlery and pots have been washed and put away, by which time everyone else is in full swing enjoying Christmas Day. Wouldn’t it be nice to push the boat out a little, make a special effort, join together for a delicious festive celebration and be waitered on?}

_{It has become increasingly more popular to opt for a Christmas dinner out somewhere nice, so to avoid disappointment it is best book up as soon as you can.}