I guess, this officially makes me old then.

This year has certainly been a crazy year. It has also been my biggest year of growth and I am very proud and happy about this.

I have learnt a lot about who I am as a person. I have been pretty ill – 2 hospital visits, I have had my heart broken, I have travelled overseas – always rejuvenating for the soul, I have cemented friendships that I know will last until we’re grey and old. I have had some really exciting career moves, I have cried a lot, but laughed even more.

It’s been a tough year, an exciting year, a heart breaking year, a heart soaring year and all in all, a definite year of growth.

Silly Season is here and while work isn’t slowing down- quite the opposite actually; I have no complaints whatsoever.

I also cannot believe that in 3 weeks time, it will be Christmas.

I am trying to get into the Christmas spirit, but I cannot seem to wrap my head around the fact that it’s come so quickly. It seems surreal. I see the Christmas decorations in all the stores, the lit up Christmas trees, I hear the jingling adverts on radio and TV, but it doesn’t feel real.

Christmas is my favourite time of the year though. I love the fact that families and friends come together, cook together, share gifts and that there is just something magical in the air.

Every year I say that I am going to get all my Christmas shopping done early so that I can actually enjoy family time around the tree and enjoy time with friends. So far, I haven’t managed to get that right.

I just need to get into the Christmas spirit and these are a few things that will make it more real:

• My favourite thing is to put up the tree and decorate it.
• Listening to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas” etc…
• Making mince pies from scratch – nothing like the smell of freshly baked deliciousness wafting through my apartment.
• Start making Christmas lists…. and shopping.
• Buying toys, wrapping them up and delivering them to children’s homes. It’s at this time that I am really grateful to have a family and to be loved. I’m not naive to the fact that this is also a very unhappy time for some. I try to help where I can.
• Christmas Parties … complete with Mistletoe 😉
• The 94.7 Christmas Wish Concert on the 08th December … Auriol Hayes, Elvis Blue, The Bala Brothers and La Vuvuzela will be performing Christmas Carols at the Coca Cola Dome. R30 gets you in and the money goes towards granting a Christmas Wish on the night.