Moments Of Me Time: We Should All Take Time Out This Festive Season To Indulge In The Little Things

I so often find myself rushing from place to place, churning through my inbox, juggling messages from across the 49 different apps on my phone, jumping on a conference call, picking up a parcel, remembering to pay my bills and make plans with my friends... And then the festive season hits and it becomes ten times worse. No matter how organised I think I am, in the run up to Christmas there's always too much to prepare and far too many things to do before we can finally switch off and crack open a bottle of bubbly. The holidays are always so much fun, but they can also be incredibly stressful as us modern women have so many roles to juggle and put so much pressure on ourselves to pull off the perfect occasion. From November onward we're often so focused on making the festivities the best they can be and pleasing everyone around us, that it's easy to forget to look after ourselves; in order to pull off a spread that Mary Berry would be proud of, it's important that we all take a step back and take a moment of 'me time'.


Our overall well-being is paramount (and in the bigger scheme of things so much more important than a perfectly decorated tree or beautifully roasted turkey,) so as we step a little closer to the Big Day I'm taking a moment to remind you why it's always a good idea to treat yourself with those indulgent little things. Palmolive are a brand that understand this completely. Their Gourmet Body Butter Shower Creams have been created to provide a multi-sensorial shower experience 
that not only cleanses, but provides an invigorating experience alongside deliciously scented and velvety soft skin; you could say they're the ultimate shower treat for body and mind. With these rather beautiful and tempting shower creams you can turn those few minutes in the shower into a luxurious experience, helping you to start your day with a clearer mind 
- or ending it with a little pampering. 

Available in three flavours, each provides their own experience, but all smell exceptional: Chocolate Passion is formulated with cocoa extract to help moisturise skin, leaving it deliciously scented and velvety smooth, 
Strawberry Touch contains strawberry extract for a fruity gourmet shower experience, while Vanilla Pleasure features vanilla extract to leave skin feeling lush and smelling delicious. 
My favourite of the three is undoubtedly Chocolate Passion, as it smells like chocolate pudding and leaves my skin smelling like it's subtly oozing from my pores (in a good way, not a weird way.) But it got me thinking - what other ways can we embrace a little 'me time' and take back moments for ourselves this holiday season? How can we enjoy those five or ten minutes we have spare to refocus and relax, before the onslaught of shopping/card writing/meal prepping/tree decorating starts all over again?   

1. Make a cup of hot chocolate and pop in a marshmallow. This quick tasty treat is like a big warm hug in a mug, helping give you a little sugar boost and happy vibes without having to inhale a 5kg bar of chocolate that was supposed to be a present.

2. Snuggle up in a blanket and light a candle. There's no doubt the Hygge trend is huge right now, but basically it's a posh way of saying what we've all been doing for years - keeping warm and embracing the darker nights.

3. Pop on some festive music and flick through a magazine. Oh how I love a bit of Michael Bublé and a sprinkling of Mariah Carey as I flick through a copy of Vogue (looking at nothing but the pictures, obvs. Nobody's got time to actually read the articles.)

4. Give yourself a hand massage and paint your nails. It's the little things that make a difference, and seeing as I haven't had the opportunity to put on some polish since August, the next time I get a free five minutes I'm cracking it open.

5. Stand under a hot shower and close your eyes. The sound of the running water, the relaxing sensation provided by the heat and the warming scent of a great shower cream (like the Palmolive Gourmet Shower Creams!) is sometimes better than an hour long bath.

I can't believe these sweet treats are only a couple of quid (that's less than my usual hazelnut-sugar-free-soy-latte,) and provide such a lovely experience during a moment that's often seen as quite functional. Step aside Snow Fairy, coz there's a new trio in town. 

What little moments do you treasure during the busy festive season, and what do you do to make the most of the five minutes you actually have to yourself?

The Palmolive Gourmet Shower Creams are available in Chocolate, Strawberry or Vanilla priced around £2.49 (depending on the retailer and offer.) Find them in Superdrug here, where they're currently half price!