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Christmas

If you were going away until mid December...

14 replies

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 01/04/2016 10:01

I'm going away from late November until mid December, but getting back on a school / work day and there will only be one weekend left before Christmas.

Would you do your tree (would have to be fake obviously!) / wrap presents etc before you go? So that the children can come in from holiday and it be all done, or would you have a manic weekend of it when you came back?

(I know it's April Blush)

OP posts:
Avebury · 01/04/2016 10:12

I would wrap all presents/write cards and have bought non perishables etc. But I think it would be a bit rubbish to decorate the tree that early - plus I prefer a real one.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 01/04/2016 16:33

Get your presents wrapped and non perishable/freezer food organised

Get an online order booked when you come back

Organise your tree decorations (and make sure your lights work Xmas Wink ) so you can do this at the weekend.
I don't put the tree up till about 10 days before at the earliest.

Imissmy0ldusername · 01/04/2016 17:08

I have my decs up from the end of November - basically as soon as DP eats the first mince pie, all bets are off here. I guess it depends on how much you want to come back home to a santas' grotto?

Cloudybutwarm · 01/04/2016 17:38

We did this last year! Got back on 13th December.

I did most of my present shopping (no wrapping though) booked my online food slots, sent Christmas cards and yes we did the tree and decorations before we went. I think it would have felt really rushed if we'd waited and we wouldn't have enjoyed it.

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 01/04/2016 22:24

Wow, I didn't expect replies in April so didn't check back Smile

They're all great suggestions....

We always see Santa at Chessington garden centre... But they do have one where we're going (Disney world)... Would you see one there or book it here for the weekend before Christmas?! Lol

OP posts:
Cloudybutwarm · 02/04/2016 12:34

Hey that's where we were on holiday as well! We saw Santa there (well, at mall at the Millenia to be precise)

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 02/04/2016 14:17

Oh really? I'm hoping it's quiet at that time of year! Please tell me I'm right! Grin

Did you have to book that Santa or did you just show up? That's the mall where the Cheesecake Factory is isn't it?

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Cloudybutwarm · 02/04/2016 14:21

Have you been before? It's quiet in comparison to other times of year we've been, but of course it never gets properly quiet! But queue times were generally low and there was actually space to walk around the parks so all good!

Yes that's the mall. No we didn't have to book, just happened to see him there when we went shopping. We also saw Santa goofy, Santa Mickey etc etc and there is a Santas grotto in mk that we didn't bother with but I'm sure it would have been amazing!

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 02/04/2016 14:28

I've been in October a few times, and in a spring half term, the first time in October it was really quiet, we walked onto most rides, but October last year was heaving! Anna & Elsa had a 5 hour wait!

OP posts:
MaryPoppinsPenguins · 02/04/2016 14:28

I'm so excited to go at Christmas! Did you go to Mickeys Christmas party?

OP posts:
Cloudybutwarm · 02/04/2016 14:43

Yes we did, it was brilliant. And seeing the castle lit up was unbelievably magical. We managed to see Anna and elsa with only a 45m wait which wasn't too bad.

We normally go in May/June or sept/oct. seeing everything done up for Christmas was just incredible, I loved it. Although it's quite hard to feel that festive when you're walking around in shorts and flip flops! It felt a bit like you were just in a really big Christmas shop or they'd forgotten to take their decorations down Grin

If you were going away until mid December...
nickdrakeslovechild · 02/04/2016 18:23

Yes I would do it all before I went too, would be so lovely to arrive home to it all done. I usually put my tree up on 1st Dec anyway.

What do you mean you didn't expect replies in April? Xmas Grin some of us hang out in here all year. Far safer than AIBU!! Xmas Wink

BiddyPop · 04/04/2016 10:24

I'd certainly have as much present shopping and wrapping done in advance as I could. But there's still a good few days if mid-December. Certainly anything that needs to be sent by post I'd have wrapped and packaged for post office to send immediately on return (if not before I go). Anything that you think you'd have to drop off that single weekend in between, I'd also try to have wrapped and packed in bags to grab (as in, all presents for 1 household put together and ready to just pick up as you walk out the door - and 1 bag (or more if needed) per household involved).

Cards - you are back early enough to still send all but international ones. So I would suggest bringing them to write on the plane (my usual cunning plan when going to meetings abroad from September!!), along with stamps so you can just throw them into any post box you see once you get home, even in the airport on the way home. Any international ones? Perhaps any for the US write on the outbound flight and post while there. Any for other places - check latest postage dates in advance, including from the US, and see what suits best for those. (Also, another cunning plan could be to bring any US/Canadian packages you may have, and post those locally too).

Book online food slot is very good advice. I'd be inclined to book 1 for the day after you return, for general shopping for that week and non-perishables, and another after the weekend for the rest.

Certainly check the decorations and lights before you go. But if you normally have a real tree, organize with your local supplier to keep you one that suits (you may need to pre-pay) and get that when you get home to decorate over the weekend. If you are not normally a real tree family, yes, get the fake out and out it up in advance (could have 1 set of lights on a timer as part of your "making house look occupied while away" strategy).

If DCs are of an age where Santa is important, I definitely think I'd see him in Florida. If you are there mid-week, shouldn't be a problem. And it may be more magical as well.

Make sure to get to the Christmas shop in Disney (I think it's in Epcot, German part, but I could be wrong about that - open all year though) and get a tree decoration to remind you next year! Although I am sure they'll have lots of decorations in ALL the Disney stores at that time of year.

Enjoy - I am so jealous!!

mmgirish · 08/05/2016 17:37

We went away in December last year and came back on the 23rd in the evening!! Our nanny met us at home, gave the kids dinner and put them to bed while we rushed out to buy all the food! The next day on Christmas Eve, our nanny looked after the wee one while I cooked and my Dh and older one went out to buy my present. I had organised and wrapped the presents and cards before we left. Our tree isn't real. (Don't live in the UK)

We had a lovely quiet Christmas Day just the four of us, relaxing and eating. It was great! It was the first time we didn't have visitors to stay at Christmas.

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