A Celebration of all things Festive.

There’s something in the air and it smells like excitement. What does excitement smell like? We can’t tell you exactly, but we’re pretty sure it’s a mix of festive spirit, pre-holiday buzz, anticipation of binge eating and the looming promise of sales.

Any opportunity to go on a spending spree while getting great value for money is bound to be tantalising.

The only downside to having this much free time and excess cash is finding a good way to spend them. Lavish holidays in faraway lands sound great in theory, but the cost implications behind them often make these unattainable to many.

However, while it’s easy to skip straight into December, there’s one monumental event that precedes it. Yep, you guessed it: Black Friday. Most retailers have begun to plan their yearly calendars around it, and many shoppers have spent the last 364 days preparing to go all out.

So now that it’s here, what do we do?

The secret to any masterminded strategy is efficient planning. Have an idea of what you want and where you want it from to avoid wasting money. Establish a budget and stick to it. Saving is not really saving if you’re spending on something you didn’t want. Check out prices and shop around because stores constantly try to one up each other. The last thing you want is to see those cool new sneakers marked for less elsewhere. Many retailers don’t offer refunds on Black Friday items, which means you’ll be stuck with what you pay for.

Have a plan of action about where you’re going first, get your essentials out the way and only spend excess cash on drips and drabs as you find them. Also, be safe, as crime is always a threat, and malls are the perfect place for a quick snatch and grab.

Once November is out the way we can fully focus on the lure of December. And, as any holiday maker knows, December is month absolutely bursting with potential.

First things first: where do we go?

It’s been such a stressful year that even our adventures should be extra. We know about beach holidays, Table Mountain and the generic tourist hotspots. But South Africa is such a diverse and colourful country that most of those only scratch the surface of what we have to offer.

To get a real feel for your city, the Red Bus Tours are always a good starting point. They may seem more suited for outsiders, but there are probably parts of your city you haven’t had the time to check out yet. Also, they provide you with cool bits of history and plenty of fun facts. Alternately, you could see Jozi in a completely different way with a three-wheel e-tuk-tuk ride. It won’t be cosy, but it will be memorable.

You could Bounce your way to fitness or cycle your way through our busy streets. Shop to your hearts content at the Oriental Plaza or sail, yes, sail, while feeding ducks at the Zoo lake. There are comedy nights and jazz evenings, cinemas and art galleries – or you can just throw caution to the wind and jump head first from the Soweto Tower.

Good food is in abundance in the city of Gold. Melrose Arch is filled with everything from coffee and desserts to Jamie Oliver’s personal space. Yeah, that’s right, you can sample some of the Michelin starred chefs’ famous Italian cuisine at Jamie’s Italian South Africa. We suggest you come hungry.

Furthermore, the Neighbourgoods Market is always a sensory delight and if you haven’t dined on a rooftop in Maboneng, you’re missing out.

The bottom line is there’s always something for everyone – it’s just what you make of it. These are but a few options available, and we encourage you to go out and find your own as well.

Explore, listen, taste and enjoy. Just don’t get so caught up in the stress of society that you forget to live.