"There's nothing I need under my tree, I just want Mr Right"
The festive season is in full swing and I have been enjoying all the Christmas events, from seasonal markets, to Christmas illuminations, to fabulous concerts. Needless to say, it has been a very busy start to the month of December. I've been having a great time!
On Wednesday evening I went to see Leona Lewis in concert. She is touring her Christmas album this year. I was a little nervous because she'd had to cancel a show a few days before I was due to see her, as she was sick. Fortunately, she recovered in time and I got to see her perform all her biggest hits and Christmas tunes live, which was just amazing. I have loved her music for years. I remember the Christmas when she won X-Factor and I actually stopped watching the show after that because I knew it would never get any better than Leona. She's the real deal - a beautiful, shining star who just needed to be discovered. So it was a real treat to see her perform live in my home city.
I've had the tickets since back in spring and as December approached I was getting increasingly excited about the show. Leona wore some stunning gowns on stage, including a white sparkly one that reminded me of an angel, plus a very festive purple gown that made her look like the prettiest Quality Street in the tin! All her costumes were long and flowing, with bows and feathers and long evening gloves. She looked amazing and her vocals were out of this world!
The show had a very retro big band feel to it, reminiscent of the pre-war years, with trombones, saxophones and a grand piano. She was every inch the torch singer, belting out her debut hit Bleeding Love, as well as Run and lots of Christmas songs. The show opened up with Winter Wonderland and ended with One More Sleep. She also performed Mr Right, which is one of my favourites from her Christmas With Love album. What I liked most was how down to earth she seemed to be. She came down from the stage and walked among the crowds, meeting people and having photos taken. She also had fans up on stage with her. I don't know many singers who would invite people up on stage, then hand them the microphone and give them the chance to sing solo to the audience! It was just magical and I would certainly go and see her again. I got a signed copy of her Christmas album, on pure snow white iridescent vinyl, as a souvenir. It sparkles with rainbows as it plays in the light!
A few days before the Leona concert, I also went to see Andres Rieu's Winter Wonderland show at the cinema with my mother. She's a big fan of his and I must confess, I'd never heard of him until she told me he was coming to perform at the local arena back in spring and she wanted to go. So we got the tickets and saw him live in May, which was an awesome show. I loved it. So when I saw that he was showing his Christmas concert at UK cinemas, I told my mum and we got tickets to see the Winter Wonderland show. The thing I like most about Andres Rieu is that he always seems to have a few surprises up his sleeve. When I saw him live, he had a pipes and drums band walk down through the audience. They walked right by me and I was so thrilled, as I never expect to hear the bagpipes in my home town. Its up on my Twitter if you'd like to see eleven pipers piping. This time he had a pair of ice rinks on either side of the stage and there were ice dancers skating around to the music. It was so festive! Mum and I had a great time and came out of the cinema feeling like we'd been swept away by the orchestra and the skaters. I dare say I'll be seeing him again at some point too, because my Mum just loves him!
Then last night I went to see the light installation show at the cathedral. Sheffield Cathedral will always have a place in my heart because it is where my first graduation ceremony was held back in 2018. My second MA graduation took place elsewhere, but I still get emails from the cathedral updating me on their upcoming events. Each Christmas they transform the church into a huge festive illumination, with a special light installation. It generally runs on a certain theme and we have seen The Angels Are Coming, The Manger and last night it was Starlight. The lights project onto the church, both outside and indoors, creating kaleidoscopes of colour and imagery. The angels are always my favourite aspect of each show. Inside we had hot mulled wine and delicious mince pies, as the lights sparkled and glimmered all around us.
Usually they put barriers around the church so that only ticket holders can see the lights, but this year, due to the cost of living crisis, the cathedral staff decided not to erect the barriers so that anyone and everyone could enjoy the external lights on the outside of the church, while ticket holders could go inside and see the rest. It's not that expensive, but this was such a kind thing to do for families who might be struggling financially and are looking for free festive things to do with their children. It has become an annual tradition and something my mum and I look forward to each year.
Christmas can be tough for a lot of people. It's a highly emotive time of year and no-one understands this more than I do. My grandmother actually died on December 21st 2002 and Christmas has never really been the same since then for mum and me. We get through it by getting out and about. It's impossible to hide away from Christmas - we've tried! It doesn't work. So now we throw ourselves into festive events instead so that we have lots to look forward to and that keeps us from being too sad and maudlin. My Nan would want us to enjoy the season, so we do our best and get through it this way.
If Christmas is difficult for you, try to book a few festive treats so that you can distract yourself from whatever it is you are struggling through. There is always much to be grateful for if you look deeply enough.
I hope that December is treating you kindly this year.
Love to you all,
Marie x
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