Saturday 7 December 2024 in 2024

I let myself sleep in this morning—well, if you can call 7:30 a.m. sleeping in. It’s funny, isn’t it? The idea of indulgence changes when you’re used to a corporate schedule. Still, it felt luxurious to lie there a little longer. No yoga, no to-do list. Just me.

By mid-morning, I decided it was a shopping day. Why not? Sometimes you just need to be a little frivolous for no reason at all. I started at Fortnum & Mason. It’s so beautiful this time of year—like walking into a Christmas card, all twinkling lights and polished wood. But honestly, who buys anything there? I saw a jar of orange marmalade for £15. It’s the kind of place where you feel like you should whisper, even in the biscuit aisle.

Harrods next. I knew exactly what I was after—a big, fat salty pretzel. I’d been craving one all morning, that perfect mix of soft, chewy dough and just the right amount of salt crystals (not always easy to get the balance right). It’s strange how your body knows what it wants sometimes, and today mine was shouting, Carbs! Salt! Now! I wandered through the food hall, my eyes scanning past the fancy chocolates and tins of tea. It was everything I hoped for, warm and golden, with just the right bite to it. I took my time with it, tearing off pieces as I strolled through the glittering halls.

The rest of the afternoon was a blur of window shopping and people-watching. I didn’t buy much. It was more about soaking up the energy—the hum of people, the glimmer of the displays, the crisp air outside that made you appreciate stepping indoors again.

Now it’s just after 10:30. I got home a few hours ago. The chilli is officially gone—may it rest in peace—so I cobbled together dinner with a couple of fried eggs and toast. It wasn’t glamorous, but it did the job. Sometimes, simplicity is the best way.

It’s late but I’m about to settle in with a film. Nothing serious—I’ve queued up a saccharine Hallmark Christmas movie where everyone looks like they stepped out of a snow globe and the biggest problem is a mix-up at the town tree-lighting. It’s exactly what I need to send me to sleep: something soft and sparkly that doesn’t ask much of me but lets the nostalgia of Christmases past wash over everything.

Here’s to simple Saturdays, salty pretzels, and cheesy movies.