Festive Fun by Ross Lannon

IT’S CHRIIIIIISSSTTTMASSS!!  I may be 27 years old, but I’m still the biggest kid at heart.  Turning my house into Santa’s Grotto is literally my favourite part about living alone.  My tree is up, my baubles are out and my festive bedding is in place!  Yep…I couldn’t be anymore single if I tried!  2020 has been a year that none of us will ever forget, hence why it’s so important that we make it a special one.  Although we may not be able to participate in our usual Christmas carnage – such as the infamous ‘work’s night out’ – there are still so many traditions that we can uphold whilst keeping ourselves safe and secure.  So for today’s post, I’m going to share some accessible activity ideas in order to keep yourself entertained over the festive period.

Luminous Lights

Surrounding yourself in a positive and cosy environment is exactly what is needed right now.  As the driver of a wheelchair accessible vehicle, one thing I love to do is explore my local area in search for some outdoor Christmas lights.  From the comfort of your car, you’d be surprised at how relaxing it is to see all the different houses lit up in the dark.  If you’re also willing to venture out a bit further, and it’s safe to do so, I highly recommend visiting your local Garden Centre.  I personally love the atmosphere and all the festive decorations!

Festive Films

Now it wouldn’t be Christmas without watching a few festive films in the lead up to the big day.  This year there is a new film that’s been released called ‘Christmas Ever After’, which I recently watched on Channel 5.  The reason I’m recommending this film is because the lead role is played by Ali Stroker, an American actress who also happens to be a wheelchair user in real life.  I love the fact that the plot of this film had absolutely nothing to do with her disability – in fact, it wasn’t even mentioned once – how cool is that?  Disability representation is something that I feel very passionate about and this film did a great job!  Yes, it was cheesy and predictable, but surely that’s what we want from a Christmas classic?  Disabled actors are often cast in sad or pitiful storylines, however the main character in this film was a confident young woman who was driven by her writing career and quest for romance, regardless of her disability.  We even saw her driving a mobility car which is not something you ever get to see on TV these days.  Fingers crossed for more positive representations like this again in the future!

On that note, I hope you all have a lovely Christmas.  Should you wish to stay up to date with my adventures, you can subscribe to my blog for free at www.alifeonwheels.co.uk or follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter (@rosslannon).