It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Well, it's cold, attempting to snow and everyone's drunk. And there's loads of Christmas adverts and songs and that. And I've done my Christmas shopping. And I'm terrified of my bank balance. That's what's Christmas is all about - right?

I hope santa brings me a guaranteed future this year.

To get in the Christmas spirit I have assisted (and also insisted) in procuring, putting up and decorating a Christmas tree. And eating mince pies.

Then to really notch it up a gear I made mulled wine with my friend Grainne, ate more mince pies and watched the Christmas episode of Father Ted.

Apparently you can make mulled wine by putting red wine in a saucepan, then adding Tropicana orange and mango juice and a packet of mixed spices. You can but you might entirely love the results. Especially when it gets a bit gloopy towards the end and kind of turns into a mulled wine smoothie. Also it might taste almost entirely of spice, after you put the whole packet in a fit of Christmas extravagance.

But it was a pretty good first attempt. Next time I will veer nearer to what the recipe says, but until that day, woo Christmas!