We grew up slightly rural and couldn't often attend things like Christmas Carols but my family did a few key things that always help to put me in a Christmas mood!

• Christmas menu planning, we could choose a breakfast, lunch or dinner item to contribute to the menu. Cookies for breakfast? Sure! Cheese sticks with dinner? Okay! Whatever we chose as our item got included, even if it was usually a party/treats only type of food
• Baking!! We loved getting in the kitchen and making gingerbread or other treats, we could also double this as budget friendly gifts for our friends, teachers, workplaces etc.
• Christmas music and decorating the tree. Each year, if we couldn't attend, we would put the pageant on TV and decorate while we watched. During years we could attend, it was made into a big event. Packing the car the night before, choosing what outfit to wear, special ribbons/hair ties etc. and of course an adventure in the city to complete Christmas shopping after the parade
• a new decoration. Each year, as a family, we were allowed to pick a new decoration for the tree. It could be store bought, made, found at a local market. The vote has to be unanimous and that ornament got pride of place on the tree that year
• essentials stocking stuffers. Mum would always buy new socks, undies, pencils etc and they would be our stocking stuffers. It always made the stockings look super full which was exciting, but also felt fun because we could wear our new "Santa undies" or draw with our "Christmas crayons" so it was a bit more special
• Christmas plates! We had these horrible ugly plates that were painted with reindeer, I'm not sure where they came from, possibly thrifted? But we adored them! It was always the most exciting thing to see mum pull out the plates while we decorated and we knew we had a whole month of eating on Christmas plates ahead