I love to start the week by writing the Monday Happy List. It’s a chance for me to sit down and reflect on the things that made me happy in the previous week, as well as to record some of our family adventures – it’s a post I always enjoy writing.

Monday Happy List {Week 269}

We are embracing Christmas in our house this week. The children spent all their money at the Christmas Fair at school. Over the weekend we put up our Christmas tree, decorated the house, posted our Christmas cards and baked Christmas tree brownies.

Somehow we’re managing to keep up with our daily Elf on the Shelf antics. I love trying to find new things to do with ours. So far they’ve filled out Elf Reports, hidden in the Christmas tree box and had fun cutting snowflakes from toilet roll.

I tried to stay away from any Black Friday emails as I really didn’t need anything. I’ve pretty much finished my Christmas shopping, and spent all my money. However, I couldn’t resist an email from Tatty Devine and treated myself to two festive necklaces. I love the holly necklace and have worn it every day since it arrived. I can’t wait to wear it to work this week.

On Saturday we popped into London as we had been invited to see the Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. It was such an amazing opportunity and we all really enjoyed seeing the objects on display. We’ve written more about it, including how to save money on family tickets this month.

I wondered if the children were too old to want to visit Father Christmas but I booked it anyway. We’re members of the National Trust so went to see Father Christmas at Hughenden Manor which we’ve been to a few times now. We had a lovely afternoon as the house was decorated for Christmas and there was an animal trail in the grounds. It was lovely to be out in the fresh air.