Monday 7 December 2015

Christmas for the anxious or the introverted

So I'm quite an introvert, well to be precise an extroverted introvert.  When required I can do a presentation in front of 500 students, I can network at conferences, I can banter and socialise with the best of them but I'm happiest at home or on the allotment either on my own or with Sam.  

It's not that I don't like socialising, I do but I also find it really exhausting.  Why am I posting this?  Because Christmas is hard work for a lot of introverted people or people with anxiety; Christmas parties, Christmas shopping, travelling far and wide to make sure you see everyone you need to can be really overwhelming.

Things I do at Christmas that non-anxious people might find weird:
  • I'll always choose to text or IM you rather than talk on the phone
  • 9 times out of 10 I'm totally fine about you cancelling our plans
  • I will NEVER get super dressed up, being uncomfortable even during the office Christmas party is not an option
  • I know Amazon are evil tax dodging scum but doing my Christmas shopping with them means I don't have to deal with the busy Christmas high street and I'm prepared to sell a piece of my soul every time I click the 'submit order' button to avoid that
  • I'll do 'the big Christmas shop' at 1am at the 24 hour Tesco just to avoid the horror of dead-eyed weekend food shoppers *shudder*
  • I will sneak out of a party without saying goodbye to avoid the 'big goodbye' involved, I won't feel bad about it either
  • Socialising with friends who are fine with me bringing my slippers to their house will always be my favourite
I would love to hear from fellow introverts, I can't be the only person who does this stuff at Christmas can I??



Sunday 6 December 2015

Christmas Gift Guide: Awkward People


Of course by awkward people I actually mean me.  Sam thinks I'm really difficult to buy for but I think I like so much!  To be fair I'm pretty fickle and if you have a fickle person in your life hopefully something from this gift guide will suit!

Saturday 5 December 2015

Christmas Gift Guide: Cat Theme


Every cat person needs as much cat themed stuff in their life especially at Christmas amirite?


Friday 4 December 2015

Christmas Gift Guide: Stationary


Um... so yeah stationary is the best!  I have so many notebooks, pencils and pens that I technically don't need to buy any stationary for the next five years or so.  That won't stop me of course and I just had to put together a stationary gift guide, it gave me an excuse to lust after all the amazing stuff out there!


Thursday 3 December 2015

Christmas Gift Guide: Secret Santa


I work in an office where Secret Santa is taken pretty seriously we have a £5 budget and we're sworn to strict secrecy (which is ignored completely and utterly).  We have our Christmas party tomorrow and will be giving out our Secret Santa presents.  Most years I've done pretty well, there have been a couple of occasions where it's clear that my Secret Santa has no idea what I like.  With this in mind I've compiled a gift guide where the gifts are generic enough not to cause offence and are in the region of £5 which seems a fairly typical budget amount.



Tuesday 1 December 2015

Christmas Gift Guide: Tweens


I have two amazing nieces to buy for, one is a tween, one is soon to be a tween.  Missy Big is on the cusp of all things teenage but isn't quite there yet, Missy Little looks up to her sister and is therefore really interested in what she gets for Christmas so the stakes this year are pretty high.  

When compiling this gift guide I had my nieces in mind but have tried to keep it as un-gendered as possible (I really don't like gift guides for 'her' or 'him' they're so predictable).

Ok let me talk you through the reasoning behind these choices:
  • Monopoly Deal: this card game is great and a lot quicker than the board game version, the whole family can play and involves pretty grown up strategy to win.
  • Penny skateboard: it seems that tweens really start to take more and more of an interest in technology, and (sweeping generalisation here...) less of an interest in outdoor physical activity so something like the awesome Penny Skateboard might just take interest away from phones and iPads.
  • Slingshot: I had mixed feelings about adding this one, I really like it as an object and think it could be really fun but I know many of my friends who are parents have problems with any toys that resemble weapons - happy to hear your thoughts on this one, as someone who isn't a parent I would give this as a gift is that appropriate?
  • Doodle duvet: what's not to love about customising your own duvet cover?
  • Wooden microphone ruler: erm... I just think it would be great to have this in my pencil case, I was a big fan of stationary when I was at school spending most of my pocket money buying new stuff each term.
  • Multi coloured battery operated candle: when I was a tween my friends and I would always be giving one another candles as gifts I think it gave my parents regular mini heart attacks.  If these had been around when I was a tween I think both me and my parents would have loved this option, plus.. multi coloured!
  • Wireless charger: it's compulsory to have at least one practical gift at Christmas right?  This seems like a pretty sleek option, much better than socks.
  • Temporary tattoos: this ETSY seller has loads of great options, I liked this watch as well as some really great lolly options which entertain for a hour or so on Christmas day?
  • Hair chalk: all the hair colours under the sun without ruining the best bathroom towels.


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