The Mysterious 'C' Word

When I first moved to the UK, I found myself in a small town about an hour south of London. It was one of those quaint places where everyone seemed to know everyone, and I lived with a lovely family. I helped them with their children while figuring out my next steps in this new country. Navigating life in the UK was a journey in itself, but one thing that caught my attention was a very specific local quirk.

In that small town, there’s an incredibly active Facebook mum’s group - honestly, I’ve never seen anything like it. People use it for everything from lost toys to the best place to get a haircut. But around this time of year, things get interesting. As the holiday season looms, there's an unspoken rule that you're not supposed to mention a particular word. Yes, the C word.

The C Word and Christmas Controversy

No, it’s not what you’re thinking! The C word is Christmas. Apparently, mentioning Christmas too early in this group brings some sort of bad luck or omen. I learned this the hard way. Every year, one unsuspecting soul (usually someone new to the group) accidentally asks if it's too early to start planning Christmas presents. Then, all bets are off. Once the C word is uttered, the entire group is flooded with festive posts - discussions about stocking fillers, elf-on-the-shelf ideas, and, of course, the best place to get Christmas jumpers for the kids.

I thought of this recently because I noticed something familiar as I wandered through the grocery store last week: the Christmas food aisle was already in full swing. I’m all for the holiday spirit, but I wonder if it isn't too early for that, as we are a few weeks away from Halloween. Anyway, I couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty as I sneakily grabbed a small chocolate panettone. Panettone is, in my opinion, the best part of Christmas. There’s something about it that just screams holiday comfort, and if that means breaking the unspoken Christmas rules early, so be it.

Renovation Race vs. Christmas Cheer

With Christmas now undeniably lurking around the corner, I can’t help but wonder if my goal to finish renovating my flat before the holidays is a bit... overambitious. The thing about home renovations is that they always seem like a great idea until you’re knee-deep in paint samples and wallpaper options, wondering if one’ll ever see the finish line. And yet, I’ve somehow convinced myself that I'll have it all done before Christmas. Is it too bold of a plan? Probably. But, at least I’ve got my panettone to keep me going.

So, while I can’t predict whether I’ll have a perfectly renovated home by December, one thing is for sure - I’ll be enjoying that delicious holiday treat and perhaps even braving the mum’s group to throw the C word into the mix just for fun.