Making Small Steps for a Big Christmas, One Order at a TimE

This past weekend passed by at a relaxed pace, making for a low-key lead-up to Monday. Friday night was pretty quiet; I stayed in and watched Don’t Move on Netflix. It was a decent movie but not exactly memorable. I think I might be spoiled by some of the really good series I’ve watched lately. It was an early night for me, which I enjoyed — I’m definitely getting into the rhythm of these cosy autumn evenings.

One new interest sparked this week: I started toying with the idea of collecting Pokémon cards again. When I was a kid, I was a huge fan and built a decent collection over the years, including some of those classic first-edition cards that are practically relics now. Unfortunately, they were lost in a move a few years back. Losing them was a blow, but I thought, why not try to start again? On Saturday morning, I checked out Facebook Marketplace and found a nearby seller offering 130 cards with two collectible tins for just £10. She lived only a few minutes away, so I decided to go for it and messaged her to pick them up.

Since the weather was decent, I rode my bike to the closest cashpoint — only to find the machine out of order. I quickly messaged her to let her know I’d be a bit delayed, and thankfully she was understanding. Later in the day, I went to the pub with my dad for a couple of hours, just a quiet catch-up before it got too cold. We left around 5 pm when it started getting dark, and he mentioned he had cash on him, so we popped over to pick up the cards. With that, I officially had my first batch of cards to get my new collection rolling.

The deal was surprisingly good — 130 cards, including two limited-edition tins, all for £10. I also ordered an additional 100 cards from Amazon (which should start arriving today) to add a bit more variety. I think my plan for now is to try and collect the first 151 Pokémon cards from the original series. I’ve even been on the hunt for a binder to keep them all organised and protected. This little collection project is giving me a fun goal to work on, and it’ll be interesting to see how quickly I can rebuild.

Sunday was as chilled as it gets. I spent most of the day at home, indulging in some good food and watching TV. I didn’t get up to much else, which was actually quite nice — sometimes it’s just good to have a truly laid-back day.

Today’s Monday, which means it’s back to my usual routine. I have an upper body workout planned, and I’ll probably jump into that after my first meal. With how structured my workout days have become, I like to keep my mornings on the productive side, so I’ll get in my workout, have a bath, and tackle whatever else needs doing. I also ordered a few other items this morning: a Christmas tree, decorations, a tree skirt, some lights, and even a personalised bauble with my daughter’s name on it. Since she’s living with me now, I thought it might be nice to create a festive environment for her. It’s funny, I don’t usually bother with Christmas trees or decorations, but she did ask me yesterday if we’d have a tree this year. That was the nudge I needed, so I decided to go all in and order everything we’d need.

Although it’s only the start of November, we might set up the tree tomorrow when she’s home from college. With her back at college after half-term, putting up a Christmas tree will be a nice way to wind down in the evening together. I figure it’ll add a bit of warmth to the house early on, and maybe bring in some extra excitement leading up to the holidays.

As for Christmas gifts, that’s where I’m a bit stumped. Her birthday was only last week, so she’s already received most of the things she’d been wanting. At this age, she’s mostly after practical or tech-related things, so rather than guessing, I think I’ll let her decide on what she really wants. I plan to give her a bit of money to pick out a few items, and then, once they’re ordered, I’ll wrap them up for Christmas. That way, she’ll get what she wants, and there’ll still be some presents under the tree to open on the day. And if I top it off with a bit of extra money for Christmas itself, I think she’ll be pretty happy.

Now, with the tree on its way and the first decorations arriving tomorrow, I’ll probably get the house in order in preparation for the holidays. It’s strange but refreshing to be looking forward to Christmas again, especially with someone else in mind to enjoy it.

For now, though, it’s about keeping up with the week. I’ll dive into my upper body workout soon, but first, I’ll finally get some food. It’s already past 1 pm, so I think a bagel and scrambled eggs will be my go-to for a late breakfast. This week is shaping up to be a good mix of planning, organising, and just enjoying the routines I have in place — with a few fun surprises, like collecting Pokémon cards and planning the Christmas decor. And who knows, maybe these first little festive touches will make this season even more memorable.