After all its only one more sleep till Christmas...

1. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

So here it is. The long awaited and much anticipated numero uno of Christiana's Christmas Countdown.

And anyone who knows me even just a little bit will probably have known all along what is was going to be, just like I did. The Muppet Christmas Carol is one of those films that is part of my family Christmas tradition. Every year, the family get together and watch, singing all the words to the songs and laughing at the jokes we've seen a thousand times before. And it somehow never gets old.

Part of the success of The Muppet Christmas Carol is because it is surprisingly faithful to its source, the much loved festive treat that it Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Particularly through the use of Gonzo as Charles Dickens (a fact which is constantly disputed by Rizzo the Rat) and the narrator of the story who relays lines from the book in his very individual style.

All the songs are original, extremely catchy and very christmassy making it hard not to sing along even after a couple of viewings.

Another great Muppet Christmas movie is A Muppet Family Christmas (1987) which would be sharing the top spot with The Muppet Christmas Carol if I could. But as I didn't want to seem too obsessed I settled for the film I think of most when I think about Christmas.

As I'm writing this on Christmas eve, I thought I'd leave you with the most relevant of songs from the soundtrack of the film and really hope you enjoy it and have a very Merry Christmas with all the people you love.

Till 2010, fellow bloggers...

Merry November!

Well it's that time of the year again. Every single shop in town is desperate to tell you how disorganised you are and how Christmas is just around the corner. The Christmas lights are up and everyone keeps saying 'hasn't this year gone quick.'

Well it's not over yet actually and I'm determined not to get too stressed/excited just yet. And here's why..

Because it ruins it.

Every year I go with the flow, starting conversations with people in shops about how I cant believe there's only just over a month to go. Then I start panicking about buying just the right presents for everyone. And then I decide it's not too early to watch Muppet's Christmas carol just to make sure I reach my quota of watching it at least 4 times before the big day.

And at this very moment I'm watching the over-long Christmas M&S advert with more toffee-nosed celebs than you can shake your zimmerframe at. It's a desperate attempt to make you think that you're not good enough to shop there, but if you do you will be. Sadly it works. Mince pies taste so much better when endorsed by Stephen Fry sprouting cheesy innuendo (Perhaps he should see a doctor about that).

It's all a vicious cycle really until you get to about the week before Christmas and decide that you really wish it was all over and done with. So then you have to go through it with gritted teeth when you'd really just rather curl up into a ball until the whole ordeal is over and done with. This happens without fail every year but this time I'm going to learn from my mistakes.

But it didn't used to be like this. Adulthood has taken a good intentioned celebration and turned it into a marketing strategy that makes everyone feel like crap.

Remember when you were little and you just used to sit there being fed an alternating diet of chocolate and turkey until the occassional present was thrown at you. The year I got a bike was particularly memorable for that reason.

Everywhere shops and advertisements are trying to get you to panic about every little last detail, stuff that makes you forget the most important part about Christmas.

No not baby Jesus (he's had enough wild parties to last him an eternity).

FUN

with family and friends and maybe some new people too. Because nobody cares if you forget to buy the stuffing, little timmy really doesn't need another selection box, and that person you got for secret santa doesn't really care what you get them. Just relax and enjoy November, It's such a neglected month.