The Twenty-Something Series: It's been a winter wonderland! (and other things to love about this time of year)

Those of you in the UK will know that despite not having much of a snowy winter the past few years (at least, in most of the UK) we've had a change of pace this last week.

It's been a veritable winter wonderland.

And I've loved it.

Yes, alright, snow can be a pain in the arse sometimes. We had a few inches settle quickly in Durham a few weeks ago and I left work before lunch, and still couldn't park on my drive.

It's bloody typical that of course this is the year we have snow, when I'm travelling around so much (between Germany, Durham, Wales and Birmingham especially). I actually had to miss my flight back north this weekend: I'd flown into Bristol from Germany, went home for the weekend, and by Sunday there were a few inches of snow and it was still falling... despite us not being forecast snow at all that day.

But you know what? I bloody love the snow. I'm like a child. Christmas is easily my favourite time of year (I've had my tree up in the flat for weeks already and had my Christmas playlists on since November started) and snow just feels so Christmassy. 

There's something magical about the way it muffles everything, and glitters on the ground. And I love when you see everyone out walking in it with their families. We actually went out delivering Christmas cards in the snow on Sunday, which was just about the best way to do it.

(Much as I love the snow, though, I am hoping it won't be a white Christmas. I could really do with being able to get my flight home, and it would be awful if other family members couldn't get over to spend the day with us because of the snow.)

It's nice though that for a change, the snowy scenes on the calendars actually reflect the weather outside!

Snow isn't the only little thing I love about Christmas though.

Fairy lights

Don't you love driving down the street past homes lit up inside and out with fairy lights, and the great displays that a few really hardcore people (think Danny Devito in Deck the Halls) put up. And they always give the house such a cosy, warm feeling when you turn the other lights off and curl up with a Christmas movie and a blanket in the evening.

The Christmas romance novels

Oh man, I must've read half a dozen already this Christmas season (and I don't think I've read that many books since the summer). Even when they're kind of predictable and cheesy, I've found them impossible to put down. They really capture that whole warm fuzzy feeling and the sense of Christmas magic. A few recommendations though...

• The Great Christmas Knit-Off by Alexandra Brown
• Mistletoe on 34th Street by Lisa Dickinsen 
• A Fairytale for Christmas by Chrissie Manby
• Christmas at the Dancing Duck by Daisy James

The gifts

Oh. My. God. I absolutely LOVE giving gifts at Christmas. I love thinking about the person, searching for the perfect gift - even the whole wrapping process. (And, to quote Bryony the Elf from Arthur Christmas: there's always time for a bow.) There's even something I weirdly enjoy about the manic shopping centres in the lead-up to Christmas. I was actually a bit disappointed this year that I've had to do about 80% of my Christmas shopping online (I'm flying home at Christmas, which means limited luggage, which means I got home this weekend to about ten packages of gifts for the family).

The movies

According to Netflix, I've used my download allowance for Arthur Christmas this year. Outrageous. And I've only watched Nativity four times so far (and you're goddamn right I know all the songs and they're on my Spotify playlists). I'm a huge fan of the Hallmark-type Christmas movies, too. Actually, so long as it's not Bad Santa, which was so bad I had to turn it off partway through, I probably love it. Even The Night Before, with Seth Rogen - brilliant and weirdly festive. I'd be happy watching these movies year round, I think. They're funny and sweet and usually have fun, catchy songs (if you don't join in the sign along in Central Park at the end of Elf, what are you doing with your life?), and always leave me smiling.

What are some of your favourite things about Christmas? And as for snow at Christmas - yay or nay? Let me know in the comments below!