We're kicking off these Festive Fun with... features today with two posts so it's now time to find out a little bit more from my right-hand woman on the blog Emma about what Christmas means to her. Enjoy.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hi, my name is Emma and I live in Waterford which is in the south east of Ireland. I’m a primary school teacher and have worked in my old primary school for the last 18 years. I love all things reading and have been reviewing for Sharon since 2014 when I took part in a reader Q&A spotlight feature. We got chatting about Lesley Pearse (one of my all time favourite authors) and Sharon sent me one of her books to review and the rest as they say is history. We have been firm friends ever since even though we have never met. We can tell each other everything and we definitely have built up such a special and invaluable friendship. Historical fiction and women’s romantic fiction are my genres of choice and when I’m not reading or talking about reading or writing a review I love to spend as much time as I can with my beloved niece and nephew. You can find me on Twitter @emthebookworm
What are you most looking forward to this Christmas?
I’ll be honest - a total break from school and all the worry of staying safe each day. Not to mention the endless workload. By the time the holidays come I want to sleep, eat, read and spend lots of time with my niece and nephew.
Do you have any favourite family Christmas traditions?
All the usual things I suppose-the dinner, the sweets, the presents, the decorations etc. Nothing really different from what most families do.
What is your best Christmas memory?
I always remember being fast asleep on Christmas Eve and I woke up because I had heard something outside on the landing. I was so small I thought Santa was coming into my room and if I looked and saw him that no presents would be there waiting for me in the morning. So I hid deep under the covers and kept my eyes closed in the hope I wouldn’t see him. I remember waking up the next morning with my little sister and there waiting for me was everything I had asked for from Santa but most special of all was a rocking horse which I had really wanted .It was white with a rainbow mane and to me then it was just the best thing ever and I can still remember to this day what fun I had.
Describe your ideal Christmas
Rest, relaxation, reading, eating lots of treats, the cooking of the turkey and all the trimmings going well and spending lots of time with my niece and nephew who mean so much to me.
If you could choose one person, dead or alive, to celebrate a one time special Christmas with, who would you choose and why?
Quite simply my mum. Next year it will be five years since she passed away and I miss her so much. It doesn’t get easier no matter what they say. I would love for her to be there to sit with us around the table on Christmas Day and to meet her granddaughter and grandson that she never got to meet.
What is your favourite festive book of all-time?
It’s an oldie but a goodie and it’s Just for Christmas by Scarlett Bailey. It’s years since I read it but as I type this I can see it sitting on my bookshelves and I can still remember reading and loving it. It might in fact deserve a reread this year. Scarlett Bailey wrote so well and totally transported the reader away from their ordinary lives to the wonderful village of Poldore. I fell in love with the varied cast of characters and the real sense of community spirit they all had and how they would do anything to help each other. It’s really the perfect Christmas book and this author wrote several other Christmas books and non Christmas books. All these years later I still wish there were more books from this author. They are truly fabulous.
What Christmas book would you like to see turned into a film?
Either of Poppy Alexander’s Christmas books -25 Days in December or The 12 Days of Christmas. I LOVE her Christmas books. Well really I love anything she has written and think both would be brilliant films that would be perfect for the big screen.
If you could spend Christmas with any fictional character, who would you choose and why?
Again, I’m going with Poppy Alexander’s books. Can you tell I’m mad about her writing? So either Kate Potter from 25 Days in December or Freya from The 12 Days of Christmas.
Do you have a favourite Christmassy cover?
Ahhh how can I choose because let’s be honest the Christmas covers are the ones we look forward to most of all every year. I’ll go for two - Finding Love at the Christmas Market by Jo Thomas and The Six Tales of Christmas by Ann Marie Ryan.
Do you have any Christmas book traditions?
No traditions really specifically to do with Christmas books but I love receiving a book token for Christmas and going to the bookshop in the days after Christmas to seek out some new reads.
What 3 books would you love Santa to have in his sack for you?
The Winter Cottage : Rachael Lucas
The Beloved Girls: Harriet Evans
The Christmas Escape : Sarah Morgan
What is your favourite Christmas song?
It mightn’t be the most obvious choice but I love ‘Fairytale of New York’ by The Pogues. Whenever it comes on the radio at Christmas time be it at home or in the car I turn up the radio and blast out the song and sing along. It gives me goose bumps when I hear it and the first time I hear it each year I know that Christmas is on the way.
This hasn’t changed in years despite all the Christmas films that come out every year. It has to be The Holiday with Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz .When I see it in the tv listings, I just have to watch it. Even better now that it is on Netflix I can watch it whenever I like. The scene where Cameron arrives in England for the first time and has to make her way to the beautiful cottage in the snow is fabulous. The whole setting of the small rural cottage and village just gives me such a warm feeling inside. Jude Law isn’t half bad to look at either. I know once I have seen this film the Christmas season has well and truly begins for me and I know I have a weekend that I am going to spend with my sister in the run up to Christmas and I think this film, a tub of Quality Street and a glass of something nice sounds like the perfect winter evening.
And finally, what are your hopes for 2022?
I think everyone would have the same hope for 2022 and it was probable the same for this year too. I just wish Covid was gone and we could go back to some normality in our lives. We have lost so much thanks to this pandemic. Life at home is not the same and as for school life I wonder will we ever go back to the wonderful way we had of doing things? The children are gutted that once again their parents can’t come to see their Christmas show.
I hope that all my family and friends will stay healthy and safe in 2022 and continue to be always there for each other. On the reading front I’m hoping to up my game and get more books read and reviewed as the last year or so I just don’t seem to get as much read as I did in the past. I’m looking forward to another year of reviewing/blogging for Sharon and of course to all the chats we have via Twitter. I’d be lost without her friendship.
Quick-fire questions
Roses or Quality Street? Quality Street
Mince pies/Christmas cake or Yule log? None – something with chocolate
Turkey or ham? Turkey
Brussel sprouts or roast parsnips? Neither. Going to say roast potatoes!
Gravy or cranberry sauce? Gravy
Fake or real Christmas tree? Fake
White or coloured lights? White
Giving or receiving presents? I know what I should say because I like doing both but forced to pick I’m going for receiving
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