13 things that will make you feel instantly Christmassy

IT’S CHRISTMAS!

OK, well not quite, but very nearly – and that’s enough to put us in the mood for some festive fun times.

From presents and parties to Christmas markets and sparkly lights (not to mention the the free pass to stuff your face and indulge in the occasional glass of ‘festive cheer’), it’s not called the most wonderful time of the year for nothing.

So let’s get into the festive spirit…
1. Christmas decorations that threaten the National Grid

Proof that when it comes to Christmas lights, more is more.

2. Christmas dinner sandwiches

Pass the gravy (Picture: Giphy)

Who knew lunch at your desk could be this calorific?

3. Terrible/brilliant Christmas songs

All we want for Christmas is an ill-fitting jumpsuit (Picture: Giphy)

Depending on your age, anything from Wham! to Mariah Carey to the Spice Girls.

4. Finding glitter EVERYWHERE several days after the office Christmas party

This is not an exaggeration (Picture: Giphy)

You don’t even remember there being any glitter present that night…


5. Ice skating 

We could totally do this but we don’t want to (Picture: Giphy)

Falling flat on your face has never been so festive.

6. Cinnamon

Careful with quantities, people (Picture: Giphy)

AKA Christmas in a jar. We’ll be adding ours to coffee, hot chocolate and hot toddies throughout December. So much yum. 

7. Sellotape lip

You know: that sore bottom lip you get when you’ve been up all night wrapping last-minute pressies and cutting the tape with your teeth. Ouch.

8. That awks mistletoe moment

Oh, go on then… (Picture: Giphy)

You know the one. When you get cornered by the last person in the world you’d ever want to kiss, clutching a great big bunch of it. Guaranteed to make you cringe well into the New Year…

9. The Snowman

Old, but still gets us EVERY time.

 
10. Chocolate coins

Yep, we’d like to drown in them too (Picture: Giphy)

Cadbury’s may have stopped making them (RIP) but no one else has, so tuck in!

11. Dressing pets up like Santa

I’ll have three of these for Christmas, please (Picture: Giphy)

Who needs reindeer?

12. Questionable festive ‘treats’

Mmm… Brussels sprout flavour (Picture: Giphy)

From turkey and cranberry sushi to mince pie-flavoured popcorn and Stilton crisps, there’s enough out there to guarantee you’ll be utterly sick of Christmas food by December 25.

13. Carols

Is that Gwyneth Paltrow in the back row? (Picture: Giphy)

Nothing like precocious kids performing Silent Night harmonies on your doorstep to get you in the mood.

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Vienna: send us your travel tips

A key city in European history and home to icons of literature, music and art: send us your tips on Vienna and you could win a £200 hotel voucher

Ice festival outside Vienna’s City Hall. Photograph: allOver images/Alamy

A grand city with an opulent history and a rich cultural heritage in literature, music and art – Vienna has a wealth of highlights to explore. From walks to bars, parks to museums, what are your best travel tips from the Austrian capital?

The best tips will appear in print in next weekend’s Travel section and the winner, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet, will receive a £200 hotel voucher from Hotels.com, allowing you stay in over 260,000 places worldwide. Submit your tips by clicking on the blue button and using the text tab. Try and include as much detail as possible – location, any website addresses etc – and feel free to add a photo if you own the copyright to it, but it will be the text we’re judging! Your tip should be around 100 words long. Terms and conditions.

Closes 26 November 2014 at 6am GMT

· GuardianWitness is the home of user-generated content on the Guardian. Contribute your video, pictures and stories, and browse news, reviews and creations submitted by others. Posts will be reviewed prior to publication on GuardianWitness, and the best pieces will feature on the Guardian site.

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