Merry(ish) Christmas
Enjoy with a capital G
Enjoying this, huh? The lights, decorations, presents under the tree, a few more presents, the Christmas movies, good food and a few more presents for good measure. Our Christmas tree was up early this year, yes, I dare say it: long before Sinterklaas had left the country. It just looks so cozy and the longer I can enjoy it the better. Plus I needed the tree as a background for our traditional Christmas card photo, so I had an excuse.
Lists
I really have no interest in winter, cold or snow. But I do have everything for Christmas and Christmas things. And I have, with lots of love, included my favorite Christmas things in lists for you: Bianca's Christmas Top 3's. We'll start with my favorite thing to do around the holidays: Christmas movies!
Top 3 - Christmas Movies 
3. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms; As if you are being sucked into this beautiful fantasy. So beautifully made, really a feast for the eyes.
2. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey; Wonderful music, a beautiful story and great actors. Love it!
1. Love Actually; Ok, not a feast for the eyes (unless someone is still attracted to Hugh Grand), but still my favorite Christmas movie ever. Already seen it 50 times, but that shouldn't dampen the fun. It makes me so incredibly happy.
And because we have a lot of extra time during this nice lockdown, here are a few bonus tips. The Holiday/ The Family Stone/ A Christmas Carol / Four Christmases/ The Polar Express Santa Clause/ A boy called Christmas. All delicious classics and also great to do in June if you ask me.
Feed
On to my next favorite activity:
Top 3 - Christmas Food
3. To eat
2. To eat
1. To eat
I'm not very picky and I don't have a standard must-have when it comes to Christmas food... as long as I have a lot of it. Preferably all day. Oh and I prefer to put as little effort into it as possible. I think cooking is quite okay and I'm doing just fine. But I think it's such a waste of my Christmas to spend two days stressing about it and then spend another day getting everything clean again. I'd rather spend that time on the couch with Hugh Grant. I do like some variety, so lots of smaller things to taste and snack on, yummmm!!! Everything from cheeses (the bluer the better) to Christmas desserts. Bring it to mom!
Out and about
Now a lockdown is not really the time to discover lots of fun new places. So my top 3 may not be completely realistic now. But hey, we need something to look forward to. So here are my top 3 Christmas outings:
Top 3 - Christmas Outings
3. Winter festivals, ice skating rinks, Christmas markets. The more over the top the better. And no, you can't get me into a skating rink, I hate skating and the cold. But it looks so cozy and with a warm cup of mulled wine on the side it quickly feels like Christmas, right? 
2. Light tour: Actually another name for a car ride through the most beautifully illuminated villages. Self-made routes, not too far and not too long. But enough to help the children get into the Christmas spirit. Do you want to take them all over the world? Take them to Amsterdam for the Amsterdam Light Festival, beautiful, luminous works of art, which can be admired along the street or along the water. Christmas atmosphere guaranteed. And while you are in Amsterdam, take a stroll past the Christmas windows of the Bijenkorf.
1. The Railway Museum, Utrecht: And I'm so disappointed that it's closed and that my reservation has been cancelled. In the Christmas holiday 
The Railway Museum will be transformed into a Christmas/winter paradise. Complete with skating rink, fire pits and lots of Christmas trees. There are several food trucks with winter delicacies such as Snert and Mulled Wine and there are extra activities for the children. An outing that we as a family look forward to for weeks... so we looked... Sob
All I want for Christmas is youououououou
And then my last top 3, my favorite memorable songs. And this was a difficult one. Because there are so many and I like (almost) all of them. From the moment Sky Radio starts the online Christmas Station, I've been secretly shouting along with Mariah. When the radio station is renamed a few weeks later, I go completely crazy. And secretly I'm crying inside, because I have to go back to the top 40 misery on Monday. Here it comes, my favorite hits
Top 3 - Christmas Hits
3. Dana – It's gonna be a cold cold Christmas ; Yes, I know, terrible. But this song sings beautifully. So sweet, your enamel falls off your teeth and then the images are actually just hilarious. But they probably thought differently in 1975.
2. Andy Williams – It's the most wonderful time of the year ; Happiest, happier, happiest! And also old, older, oldest. Because the song is from 1963. But seriously people, it couldn't be more Christmassy, could it?
1. Paul McCartney - Once upon a long ago: My number 1 for a long time. Why? I can only think of one reason: Youth sentiment! Yes, I still think it is a very beautiful song and yes, I still think the video is soooo sweet. But of course it doesn't actually match We all stand together. Maybe it's because I only hear this song on the radio once a week and not, like Last Christmas, once an hour. Anyway, my favorite.
And now I realize very well that all these songs are super corny and corny and yes, I really feel old now. So another youthful bonus song, for the non-elderly among us: Ed Sheeran and Elton John – Merry Christmas. Sounds wonderfully classic and old-fashioned, but it is really 2021. You'll have to make do with that. No idea what I'm talking about? Enjoy the video links 😉
Merry(ish) Christmas 
These were my top 3's. Just to be clear, I am not an expert in any of the above areas so this is solely my humble opinion. Hopefully you will get some inspiration from this (I don't expect so) and otherwise it would at least be something to read during this umpteenth miserable lockdown.
I say Cheers! Here's to a very Merry Christmas, full of little happiness and most beautiful moments.
On behalf of me, my guy and the bastards. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
