12) 'Amends' 
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 1998

11) 'A Christmassy Ted'
Father Ted, 1982

This quirky Irish comedy about a bunch of priests living in a parish takes up a huge chunk of my heart. Father Ted was a huge part of my childhood and remains one of the most comforting shows I watch. This 1 hour special is ridiculous but incredibly fun. It's a must watch for me every year. (It's now on Prime, so if you're in the US and want a way to watch it.. there you go!)

10) 'Good Holidays To You'
Single Parents, 2019

One of the newer shows on this list, but it rightfully deserves a place. It's no secret that I absolutely adored Single Parents, I'm still heartbroken that it got cancelled. The first half of season 2 was quite messy, but it really picked up it's stride after this wonderful Christmas episode that filled viewers everywhere with festive cheer. In a bid to distract Graham from the desire of meeting his dad, Angie enlists Will's help to find snow. If you don't know what Single Parents is about, well... it's about a bunch single parents. It's heavy in the "found family" troupe and I'm so glad that I actively stalk everything Leighton Meester does as it introduced me to this incredibly underrated sitcom. Give it a go! 

9) 'All About Christmas Eve'
Will & Grace, 2002

Most people prefer the season 4 'Christmas Balls' episode but I personally adore this one. When Leo keeps cancelling on Grace to go watch the Nutcracker, she forces Will to repeatedly change his plans to suit her. I think this is the first W&G episode where the dynamic duo have to come to terms with the changes between them now that Grace is married. I find the overall script perfection and who doesn't want to see Megan Mullaly singing Christmas carols?

8) 'Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer'
Grey's Anatomy, 2005

This isn't necessarily a joyful Christmas special (besides Izzie's cray-cray decorating) but I think it perfectly captures the emotions of Christmas without making it unrealistically perfect. We all watch this episode for the beauty that is the end scene of Meredith, George, and Izzie sitting under the tree. That is now one of my most utilized ways of dealing with the stress of Christmas. Strongly recommend, 10/10.

7) 'Joey and the Plot Twist'
Joey, 2005

Ready for the most controversial opinion.... ever? I way preferred Joey to Friends. The spin-off has aged so much better than the sitcom about a bunch of privileged stuck-up problematic people. Yes, Friends takes up a piece of my heart due to the memories of finding a VHS that had a new 4 episodes that me and my mum hadn't watched for 12.95 (I swear, VHS tapes are the reason that my family aren't billionaires. Off topic, but I vividly remember my mum purchasing the last HALF of Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 7 for 44.99. WHAT?). And to clarify, that was 12.95 for a used tape! Not even new! The audacity. Anyhoo, I recently rewatched Joey with my husband and still found myself laughing more than cringing, which is something I can't say when rewatching a season of Friends. This Christmas special is filled to the brim with festive cheer, quotable lines, and the first appearance of Lucy Liu on the show. Definitely one of my favourites! 

6) 'Christmas With The Royle Family'
The Royle Family, 1999

In the UK, The Royle Family is as beloved as the actual Royal Family. A sitcom about a non-wealthy family just going about their lives shouldn't be so compelling, but it is. Any British family in the UK, no matter their class or where about in the UK they live, can relate to the Royles - whether through the family bickering, the dry witty humor that only Brits can properly excel at, or it's just a very nostalgic show for you as it reminds you of gathering around the TV with your family, especially on Christmas day, and watching the new special. The first Christmas special 'Christmas With The Royle Family' made even Grandad's wipe a tear by that final scene. It's heartwarming, homey, and truly captures the spirit of Christmas. 

5) 'A Rosewell Christmas Carol'
Rosewell, 2000

Everyone is sleeping on this truly exquisite Christmas special. If I ever want to mutually cry and replenish my faith in humanity, I watch this episode. After witnessing the death of  man, Max is haunted by the ghost of him. In an attempt to redeem himself, Max helps the dead man's daughter who has cancer. This is a difficult episode as neither of the couples we love (Max and Liz & Michael and Maria) are together, but it's still true perfection. It's a huge nod to A Christmas Carol and yet still manages to feel authentic. Watch!

4) 'It's All About The Gilmores'
Gilmore Girls, 2000-2007

Am I being totally cheating? YES. But come on, shows like Gilmore Girls are made for cozy goodness so naturally there are a good few Christmassy episodes that are perfect for watching while curled up near your twinkly Christmas tree. If you put a sharpened candy cane to my head and forced me to choose, I'd probably go with That'll Do, Pig, Forgiveness and Stuff, and Santa's Secret Stuff as my top favorites. 

3) 'A Very Glee Christmas'
Glee, 2010

It's no secret that I'm a huge Gleek, the Ryan Murphy musical series was definitely of it's time but it really helped me throughout my teens to embrace my true self. This Season 2 Christmas special is a must watch for me every single year. Between Finchel singing Last Christmas at a Christmas Tree farm, Sue being the literal Grinch, and a very unrealistic yet heartwarming end to the episode that involves mechanical legs.. it's everything that Glee and Christmas should be when combined. 

2) Gavin & Stacey, 'Christmas Special'
Gavin & Stacey, 2008

Another British classic on the list? Of course! Gavin & Stacey has become a cult favourite in the UK and with absolute good reason. In 2019 they broke the country by doing a new Christmas special, but for me, nothing can be the original one from 2008. I think it still holds up wonderfully and, I mean, is it even Christmas if you don't want to punch Dave Coaches? If you don't know, Gavin & Stacey is a sitcom about a Welsh girl and an Essex boy who start dating and bring their very different families together. In the Christmas Special, the Wests (accompanied by Nessa, Dave, and Neill the baby) are travelling to Essex to spend the Christmas season with the Shipmans. It's funny, and truly a gem. If you're in the US, the entire series is on Prime!

1) 'A Very Supernatural Christmas'
Supernatural, 2007

Supernatural and Gilmore Girls are shows that remind me of my mother. This episode from the TV show about 2 demon hunting brothers is arguably one of my most rewatched Christmas specials.. ever. Me and my mother would somehow manage to watch it at least five times over the Christmas period, and maybe even once or twice throughout the year. The melancholy atmosphere, the flashbacks to when Sam and Dean were children, the crazy Christmas loving devil worshipping couple who have an enviously cheery wardrobe.. it's all perfection. It makes you laugh, cry, and ache for family. Which, I mean, isn't that the epitome of Christmas?

What's your must watch Christmas special? Let me know!

If you know me at all, you'll know that I'm a huge fan of Christmas. I can get in the festive spirit at any point of the year and won't lose my excitement until Boxing Day. It's a skill. However, over the past few years Christmas has really lost it's spark for me due to a mix between being an adult and moving away from home. I get that this is a super niche blog post, but I wanted to write about some of my Christmas memories. Ever feel like you need to revisit the past to know where you stand in the future? That's my current need. So.. I hope you enjoy..? Maybe? 

I'm 24-years-old and I've had exactly three fake Christmases in my life. I'm talking a tree, Christmas dinner, movies, and gifts. 

The first fakery was when I was 5 or 6 years old. My mum had been in the hospital over the festive period so we did it all over again in April. This is high up on my list of favourite memories. I don't remember the Christmases before that one as I was too young, but this one I can vividly recall. I was so excited and felt special that 'Santa' would go out of his way to gift me and my mum the joy of a Christmas together. She was still very sick at that time, and it's only now I realize how much strain that whole day must of put on her. Growing up she never had enjoyable Christmases and because of that she always over compensated with me, which I'm forever grateful for. I always tried to make it equally special for her, but it's a whole other ball game when you're worried about money, sick, and are doing it alone. She's my little Christmas angel, and that's likely why the past few years haven't felt like true Christmas. It'd be like spending Valentine's Day without your partner.. it's still a thing but feels less true.

The other fake/delayed Christmas was in 2017. My Nain had been in the hospital over Christmas so we put it off until New Years Day. This should've been the easiest to fake as we'd gone through the entirety of December not realizing that doom was coming. But weirdly, this was awful. It felt too forced, stiff, and just generally bleak. It's now rather disheartening to look back on as that was the last 'Christmas' I spent with my Nain. The following year I was stuck in America waiting for a green card, so was unable to travel home. That should've been the last Christmas of normalcy yet it was everything but that. I was unable to volunteer much that year as the committees had changed and a surge of depression prevented me from getting in touch with them to ask whether they needed a volunteer (the good ole classic 'what if I annoy them?' mentality). The one day I did volunteer in the grotto with my usual group, I don't remember. It was like a fog had been put over the entire experience and even when I was there, nothing felt like it was truly happening. So, yeah, not the best fakemas.

The only other time I faked a Christmas was when I first visited my now husband in America. We tried to recreate all the special occasions we had missed together when apart, so had a holiday week. We merged Christmas and Thanksgiving into a single day, partly so he could make me food and I could prance around with a Christmas hat on my head. It was a fun day that I often look back on and smile. 

My favourite Christmas was in 2015. It was the first year that I had a stable income, which offered me the opportunity to help my mum out. We bought new decorations, tons of movies, way too much chocolate, and I was able to spoil my family in the gift department. Christmas isn't about gifts in the slightest, but there is something so joyous about buying people things that you know they'll love. Me and my mum also went to our first Christmas Panto together which is such a Britishly fun thing. (Donny Osmond in tights? Questionable.) Though me and my mum had always had great Christmases together, being financially stable that year really offered us the opportunity to do more Christmas activities which added to both of our happiness. I know it's taboo to discuss money, but it can play a huge part in your enjoyment of things. Stress often leads to depression and the added pressure to be happy over the holidays makes everything seem worse. Me and my mum both relaxed for the first time that Christmas, and that feeling alone is priceless. 

2015 was also the first year I'd ever got the nerve to volunteer within the community. Was that partly down to me really wanting to copy Rachel's elf outfit from Glee? Yes, yes, it was. How'd I do?

 But really, 2015 in general was the best year of my life. Yes, the following year I met my husband in person for the first time which changed my life drastically, but 2015 was the year that defined me. It has been the only year of my life where I made decisions entirely for myself. I put myself out there, I travelled for the first time to see my best friend in Germany, I got a volunteer placement in a charity shop which was terrifying but thrilling. My health got better thanks to a mix of hydrotherapy, physical therapy, and self restraint when it came to daily activities. I spent the entire year talking online with my partner, working up the courage to phone calls, and Skype dates. We made time for virtual date nights and didn't take each other's company for granted, which I think can happen once your together physically. My family was in a good place, my mum's health had stabled, my Nain was doing okay and I saw her almost every day - we'd make time to watch our shows together or go for a coffee. The toxicity in my mum's life had dwindled slightly, we often had Wednesdays to Sundays just for us, which we hadn't really had in a few years. It was probably a mix of all of that that led to me having a great Christmas - I was in a good place. I worry that I won't ever get back to that. My life has changed drastically in the years since then, and despite being happy in my situation, it'd hard to always be seperated from someone I love - especially during the holidays. I feel constantly homesick, only now since my nain has passed, I feel homesick for a place that is no longer there. I ache for the past. 

I don't even know what the point of this blog post is. It's starting to get to a 'one sided therapy' point, which is what my 'Bath Musing' series is for soooo.. let's wrap (ha, pun) it up. What's your relationship with Christmas? Are you able to return home this Christmas? Let me know. We'll start a support group. 

Thank you for listening (reading),

When it comes to sweet treats over Christmas, it can get sickly. So I set myself a little mission of putting together a recipe for the perfect light, moist, gingerbread cake. I wanted something that would pair perfectly with a hot cup of coffee or perhaps even some eggnog. It took me a few months, but by George Noel, I think she's got it! 

I N G R E D I E N T S

• 1+1/2 cups plain flour
• 1+1/2 brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 egg
• 1+1/2 tsp baking powder
•  2 tablespoons cane sugar syrup
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• Powdered sugar to decorate.

1. Preheat oven to 375°/Gas Mark 5.

2. Sift the flour in a large bowl, then mix in the sugar, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. 

3. Work the butter in with your hands until the texture resembles a crumble.

4. Add in the egg, water, and syrup. Mix until completely combined. 

5. Grease your tin, line with parchment paper, and grease once more. There will be sticking in this household! (You could very easily use a regular baking tin, just remember to still line and grease.)

1. A popular book EVERYONE loves that you have no interest in reading? 

2. A classic book (or author) you don’t have an interest in reading?  

3. An author whose books you have no interest in reading? 

3.2 A problematic author whose books you have no interest in reading?

4. An author you have read a couple of books from & have decided their books are not for you? 

5. A genre you have no interest in OR a genre you tried to get into & couldn’t? 

6. A book you have bought but will never read? (this can be a book you have unhauled/returned to the library unread)

7. A series you have no interest in reading OR a series you started & have dnf’d?

8. A new release you have no interest in reading?

Over the years I've seen many bloggers partake in this kind of blog post. Who doesn't sometimes think about what they'd say if they had the opportunity to speak to their younger self? I was worried it would come across as corny or, frankly, pointless. Yet, whenever someone I follow does a post like this I read it. So, maybe it's just my brain hating on myself again. Do you enjoy blog posts that are on the more personal side? Let me know. 

Dear younger me,

You are currently 13-years-old. You adore Buffy, Charmed, Twilight, GLEE, and have recently discovered the world of social media. You're about to meet your first love, only he'll live a thousand miles away and it'll both build you up and break you down. You're going to meet friends who you will still be speaking to 10 years later, albeit not as often. They'll help you with that all consuming loneliness that has been plaguing you for the past few years. You're going to get a cat this year and it'll change your entire life (there's a lot of cat themed clothing in your future). This will be the first year that you start thinking of your mental health as just that, mental health. Buckle up, it's going to be a hell of a ride.

I remember writing a similar letter to this when I was around your age, only for my future self. I remember us throwing it out one night when we felt like there couldn't be a tomorrow, let alone another 10 years. Do we still feel like this? Sadly, yes. All the time. I wish I could offer some advice towards how to handle your emotions when it feels like there's a dark cloud within you that is about to burst into a full blown storm, but I don't. I still do exactly as you used to.. pretend it's fine. Ridiculous right? All those shows we watched with these people in their early 20's who seem to both have their shit together and are able to talk about their mental health without feeling ashamed or idiotic were lying. I still feel robbed of that part of adulthood - the ease of it all. But we're okay, we manage. We try to still talk about it with online people (you'll find the courage to do that next year and it'll be like you can finally breathe again), but we still haven't found it within us to do it outside of the computer. And you know, maybe that's okay.

Our physical health is worse but hey, when your brain and heart feels like an actual bruise that is bleeding it really makes widespread pain seem like background noise. Yes, we still have uncomfortable humor. Yay us.

Your next 11 years are going to be a whirlwind, but they will have some highs. You'll learn to travel alone, which, I know, seems very impossible when we can't go to the shop alone let alone get on a plane. But friendship makes you do the wacky and have this thing called.. bravery? It's mad, but also wonderful. Do more of that. Visit your friend more. Don't lock yourself into a box without fully taking advantage of having independence first. We've always been all or nothing, but I think we could've benefited from doing more in the middle. You're always going to feel torn between two worlds, two you's, two families.. and it sometimes feels like we broke off somewhere in between and lost ourselves. Being brave but scared of being alone makes us jump into waters that we may not be ready for. It's okay to have breathing room between life changes. 

All in all, you'll eventually grow to become the person that you needed as a child. We'll be fine.

 When Dash and Lily dropped on Netflix I was reminded of the book it was based on Dash and Lily's Book Of Dares written by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn, it was vaguely on my radar way back in 2010 but I never picked it up. I'd heard mixed reviews so that was probably why. However, when I saw the trailer for the TV adaption, I was very interested. It looked cheesy, cliché, and "slap in the face" festive. And I'm glad to report, it was all of these things! 

This is about Dash and Lily (shocker, right?). Dash is a broody young man who has recently broken up with his popular girlfriend, he's spending Christmas alone as his parents seperated and he's sick of the festivities they always put him though. Lily, however, is all about Christmas. She loves the festiveness and is basically a real life elf. But her social life leaves a lot to be desired. She's lonely. When her parents suddenly announce that they're going on a 'second vacation" over Christmas break, she has no idea how she'll find her usual Christmas spirit. A notebook of games connects these two teenagers and it leads both of them to the Christmas joy they need. 

Okay, so, this is corny as hell. BUT it's wonderful. Have you ever read a YA contemporary and felt slightly disgusted at the cuteness and yet still think "this would make a great cheesy movie"? That's Dash and Lily. I've never read the book it's based on and I have absolutely no interest in doing so, and yet.. I loved the show. It's the epitome of a guilty-pleasure. 

The characters were both equally likeable and dislikeable, and yet somehow still had the same amount of growth in an 8 episode TV show. I don't know how the creators managed it but they did. I grew so attached to both the main characters and I really appreciated the more serious side stories that were intertwined throughout the show. If you don't finish this show wearing a LangstonxBenny t-shirt I don't know what went wrong. Side-note: If you enjoyed Love, Victor, I think you will like this show.

I really appreciated how well the show (I say show as I don't know if it differs at all from the book) deals with the alternative love interests. Dash's ex and Lily's 'love interest' were both well written characters that didn't feel forced into the story to make conflict. Me and my husband kept saying that we could see either characters with our protagonists which made for a better viewing experience. There's nothing worse than when a show forces a bitchy ex into a story just with the intention to cause conflict as you always end up saying "but how would they've ever been a couple?". Dash and Lily was an all round very realistic cast of characters. 

As a couple, Dash and Lily were convincing together. The actors had great chemistry and the notebook entries really built them up as a great ship. My heart often ached for both of the characters, as they had very different yet realistic problems in life. I enjoyed how they both seemed to better the other instead of "fixing eachother with love". If they had ended up as friends, both characters would've had the same amount of growth, which is awesome. 

My only quim with the show was how sped up the ending felt. Yes, it was probably realistic given how they knew each other but yet.. I wanted a bigger first meeting. Not a deal breaker, but I feel like if they had a 10 episode season they could've done a much more satisfying ending. 

All in all, if you like a corny rom-com and want a festive variation of that in TV form, I recommend Dash and Lily. It's fun, nothing to take seriously, and has a lot of beautifully shot Christmassy scenes. It's also very queer which my heart sung at seeing. 

-

The Bookshop 

by Penelope Fitzgerald

It's 1952 and Florence Green is risking everything to achieve her dream of opening a bookshop. But unlucky for her, the town she chooses are always against her endeavor. Can she beat the odds and succeed?

I only become familiar with this book because of the movie adaption that seemed promising. Like all bibliophiles I declared before my cats "I will read the book first!". This is a quiet book that has a very British feel to it. I feel like if you enjoyed 84, Charing Cross Road or The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society you will find some comfort in The Bookshop. It can be a rather frustrating read because of the townsfolk who see no purpose in books, but the protagonist's heart really carries the story. I gave it a 3 star rating as I wouldn't necessarily reread this as it was a slow burn, but I'm glad I picked it up and look forward to watching the movie. It was a perfectly fine read.

It Ends With Us

by Colleen Hoover

Lily hasn't always had the best luck when it comes to love. Her teenage love Atlas left suddenly and her heart has never truly healed. However, when she meets Ryle, a handsome neurosurgeon, she starts to think that maybe love is possible for her after-all. 

I read Heart Bones earlier this year and it was my first ever Colleen Hoover book. I didn't hate it, but I also didn't particularly love it. However It Ends With Us felt like a true Colleen Hoover experience. I laughed, cried, and got my heart broken a million times. What essentially sells itself as a romance featuring a love triangle ends up being a heartfelt story of female survival. The authors note alone broke me. I kept this synopsis vague as I truly did not know what to expect when I started this contemporary and I'm so glad I didn't as it gave me such a well-rounded experience. If this has been on your radar at all or you want to start Hoover's books but don't know where to begin, I recommend this.

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle 

by Haruki Murakami

A man is on the search for his family's missing cat. Through that he meets a teenage girl who's discovering life, a prostitute who has a psychic sister, the psychic sister herself, and a war veteran who is ready to tell his life story. All the stories start to connect when the man's wife goes missing too.

Before this, I'd only ever read The Strange Library by the author and I hated it, but it was part graphic novel and really short. So.. I figured, it was a case of a weird book that didn't mesh well with me. I know I should've read IQ84 before The Wind-Up Bird Chr5oncile as so many people have told me to, but this one was available on Libby as an audiobook and I'm a sucker for reading TOME's in that format. I regret this so much. Okay, kind of not. If I had physically read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle I would've 110% DNF'd at the 100 page mark. I still wish I had, but I'm also relieved that I will never have any desire again to pick up this book. Firstly, I enjoyed the writing. It was far more accessible than I thought. I don't know why I had this idea that it would be abstruse than it was, but it was very daunting to start. However, the plot was all over the place. Much like a Stephen King novel, this was way too long and, honestly, went in way too many directions. I loathed the main character (if I never read a description of a nipple again, I'll be happy), he was basic, idiotic, and rather icky. The wife was no better. So many times I wanted to scream "what the hell are you doing?". The decisions rarely made sense, the war veterans stories were very boring (I say that as someone who usually adores historical fiction), and all the women seemed to only have sexual appeal going for them. No.. I wouldn't recommend. Now I'm absolutely terrified of picking up IQ84. Welp.

Exciting Times

by Naoise Dolan

Avo is a young woman who has recently moved to Japan in the hopes of starting anew. She doesn't know what she wants. Getting in a relationship with an older man who talks down to her but pays her way seems like a semi good idea..? But then she meets Edith, a woman who feels like her everything. How do you know what path to take in life when each one is vastly different?

This book is basically a queer version of Normal People, which is awesome. I enjoyed the writing, it had very dry wit written throughout and the characters were all well developed. I adored Edith, and though I wanted to throttle Avo multiple times, I always understood her. However, I already know that I'm going to forget that I ever read this. I feel awful for it, but it's true. It was the epitome of a 3 star book that you would recommend, but wouldn't reread.

Finding Audrey

by Sophie Kinsella 

Audrey is a fourteen-year-old who suffers from anxiety. She goes to therapy, is smothered in love by her mother, and wears glasses 24/7 to shield herself from the outside world. When her brother's friend Linus keeps showing up at her house, she begins to question whether she could recover.

Yup, this is a 'girl meets boy, girl is cured' story. But I knew that going in, so it shan't lose points for it's predictably. Audrey was a very well written main YA protagonist. She was nice, had a personality of her own, and didn't entirely revolve her life around the new boy. Her family was wacky AF, I know so many people hated this book because of Audrey's mother but personally I enjoyed their dynamic. Yes, it was unrealistic but any book like this will be. I mean, she changes her entire 'anxious traits' for a boy she's known for roughly a few weeks. It was silly but cute. This was my first Sophie Kinsella, have you read other novels by her? Recommend me some! 

Bossypants

by Tina Fey

I shan't do a synopsis for this as you likely already know that this is a memoir of the teacher from Mean Girls. This has been on my TBR for years, literally. It always seems to pop up on 'books every girl needs to read' lists, and Tina Fey is awesome, so why wouldn't I want to read this? It was fun. I liked the writing. I switched between the physical book and audiobook various times, but to be perfectly honest, neither caught my attention. Let's be frank, this wasn't what I was expecting. I don't know what I wanted, but this wasn't it. It often felt choppy, like she'd go from talking about her experiences on SNL to then go on and say 'it's okay to be skinny/fat!". It didn't seem to have a main purpose. Yes, it's a memoir (I guess?) but besides for her childhood, we never got a good look into her personal life. It was more of an overview. I would've enjoyed it way more if she had tapped into her labor, wedding, work experiences that didn't revolve around being a woman in stand-up, writing Mean Girls, being an older woman in Hollywood, etc. It always felt like Fey was showing her life from a distance which kind of is the opposite of a memoir. Meh. I hate to say this as I know so many love this book, buuuuutttt... it felt like a money grab. Sorry not sorry. 

Vinegar Girl 

by Anne Tyler

Kate is stuck in the same dead-end routine. Since her mother's passing, she's taken over all household duties and cares for her father and younger sister. When her father asks her to marry his lab assistant, chaos ensues. 

This is a Taming of the Shrew retelling, which I didn't know. Fun facts! However, it was just okay. The writing was seamless and I'm definitely interested in reading more by the author, the story itself however was a bit of a dud. It was, dare I say, a bit boring..? It also ended abruptly which threw me off. Meh. Glad I read it, but may unhaul. The cover is gorgeous though.

Keep safe!

As I write this, tomorrow is my Granddad's birthday. He will be turning 72-years-old. He has given me 24 years of joy, love, and rough cheek kisses (beards are evil). I would be lost without him. In the spirit of his birthday. I wanted to write a blog post in a similar vain to my For The Lorelai To My Rory post. This is a very niche blogpost, but something that fills my heart with joy to write. 

My Taid (what we call Granddad's in Wales) is a man with many talents. He can fix practically anything, he will always offer to walk around a charity or clothing shop with you, he can put away eight pints of beer, and he's always there for your heart. When I was little, I'd always eagerly await his return home on a Saturday night as it meant a few games of drafts, snakes and ladders, and maybe even some karaoke. I vividly remember looking through photo albums with my Nain and then dancing along the edge of the bed singing loudly to Dancing Queen with my Taid. I remember feeling lucky that day that my Grandparents were so much better than my friends at school, and I stand by that thought. My granddad always made me feel like the most special girl in the world, and that is worth a everything when you're a child. He was my father when I didn't have one. 

My Nain made me feel smart, my Mum made me feel like I mattered, and my Taid made me feel loved. The trio made me into the woman that I am today. They're fragments of my soul that I would never change.

My Granddad loves being thrifty and for as long as I remember, he always took me to charity shops or carboot sales looking for the next bargain. He is very likely the reason that I always hunt for a gem in a bin of trash. He looks for the best in everything which always thrilled me as a child. He'd often come home with a gift for me that he found for free. 

He's always loved music and is naturally talented when it comes to instruments. He can play guitar and often bangs out a tune after a night at the pub. My mum plays the keyboard. And I.... well, I could probably tap on a triangle.

Since my Nain sadly passed away, I've had the absolute honor of video chatting my Granddad ever few days. His face always brings me joy and I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to continuously catch-up with him. It's the bright point of my week, especially during 2020. My husband also adores having the chance to chat with him about beers, football, or to share a joke or two. It often feels like my Granddad is here with us which is lovely. 

Happy Birthday, Taid. It's doubtful that you'll ever read this but I'm so thankful for your existence and you were the first man in my life to ever make me feel loved. I love you.

Love, Rebecca.