I was cosy in bed reading this morning when I heard Bear holler from the other end of the house, “It’s the first day of Spring! Time to turn on the Christmas music!”

I burst out laughing and thought to myself, “He’s such a good bloke.” You see, dear reader, Bear doesn’t get remotely excited about Christmas. Give the man a ham and some Christmas pudding and he’s completely satisfied. He doesn’t need a Christmas tree or ornaments or pressies or traditions of any kind to make his Christmas pleasant.

But he knows me.

He knows that few things put a smile on my face faster than Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters crooning Christmas carols, hauling out all my favourite ornaments to dangle from door handles and lamps, and pouring over Scandinavian Christmas cookbooks to plan the pastries, cookies, and boozy things I’ll be making for the holidays.

And when I forget, he reminds me.

So today we’re having a little Spring Christmas. Ol’ Bing is crooning jauntily and I’m sipping hot chocolate whilst leafing through magazines and books for all manner of holiday inspiration.

I took out homemade pastry dough from the freezer to thaw for a berry tart and am making a big jar of Spiced Hawthorn Wine to start steeping for Christmas.

When it’s time to rest again this afternoon I’m pulling out old British murder mysteries because nothing says Christmas holidays quite like genteel murders in gorgeous old English manors where everyone dresses beautifully and partakes of sherry by the fire while snow falls heavily outside.

It’s a pretty good way to celebrate the first day of Spring. xo