Already massively excited about this Christmas! Are you?

[lizardqueenie]

Think it's because last Christmas I had a brand new 8 week old baby, was still recovering from pre-eclampsia& was thoroughly shattered. This year even tho DD won't really know what's going on I am looking forward to her crawling (Or maybe walking) through all of the wrapping paper, looking at all of the decs & going to the bounce & rhyme Xmas party at the library. Of course we have her first bday before that! Anyone else excited?

[HookADuck]

Yes!! DD1 will be just four, so will be much more aware than last year - and excited by all the Christmas activites she will be doing now she's at nursery. Last year we did the Christmas Eve elf bringing new pj's, bathbomb and a DVD, along with all the other traditions (reading night before Christmas, satsuma and coins in stocking etc) so cannot wai

DD2 will only be just over a year but she will be able to take oart this year and rip some wrapping paper.

So yes I am very exicited about the first Christmas watching them celebrat it together!

[HookADuck]

excuse typos dd2 is wrilling on lap and helping type

[Doyouthinktheysaurus]

Nope, not excited at all!

I'm still waiting for summer, when is it coming

I do love Christmas and have thought about it already because I have to work but where's the sun!!!

[bananamam]

I have most of my shopping done need a couple more bits for the kids (2&4) but rest of family bought. DD was too young last year really but will be 2.5 and will love it. DS still goes on about last Christmas! We will also have a brand new central heating system so will be warmer this year!! I cannot wait!!!

[SaulGood]

Ridiculously excited.

DD will be 4 and a half and still talks about the magic of Christmas from last year. She doesn't want any presents apparently, just for daddy to have the day off and some snow (same wish list as last year). We'll have a 3 month old too this year and dd wants to buy him a gloworm (I think she means a light up doll) especially from her.

We've just had a log burner fitted and I can't wait to have it roaring away on Christmas Eve while dd does the new pyjamas/Night Before Christmas/Polar Express/hot chocolate/cuddles thing.


Ooooooooooooh.

[ParkerRocks]

Me too! Especially as I bought my 14 week old DD her Christmas present today! I got her a dolls house which obviously she will have no interest in but it can be waiting in her bedroom for when she is old enough! I'm looking forward to a nice simple family Christmas, it will be nice for my DS to have his first Christmas with a sibling! Oh and brandy butter! Yum! Missed that last year when I was pregnant!

[Georgimama]

DH had swine flu over Christmas last year so missed the whole thing - DS had a lovely time but for me it was rubbish. We had been so organised, so many nice little treats and things planned (panto etc) and DH missed everything. I still did everything including full works dinner but I didn't really feel the spirit of it.

Hoping for better things this year!

[peeriebear]

Mine will be 10 and 5 at Christmas and I am still as ridiculously excited as ever :o
I even did the 'separate present from Father Christmas' for them last year complete with different wrapping paper (which had to be just right; in the end I used V&A paper which had Scandiwegian style holly/deer/pretties on it) and tied them up with twine.
I LOVE Christmas now, because we started having it at home instead of going to my Dad's. It's all well and good going somewhere else but the DDs had to choose what presents to take there and leave here, and when they get tired they can be put to bed! I look forward to cooking for everyone, making my own flavoured spirits, making the house look lovely and hopefully making it memorable/worthwhile for everyone.

[cyb]

You are all bonkers with a capital B

[peeriebear]

Oh and last Christmas DH and I had just (JUST) come through a very bad patch where we were going to separate but clawed it back at the 11th hour, so all last Christmas' memories are thread through with a kind of faint hysteria and weird adrenaliney feelings! Even though we had fun it was all a bit unreal, and we had an odd mix of guests round, and I drank rather a lot on top of eating little.

[Tinkerisdead]

Ooh me I'm very excited. Dd will be just turned 3 and already talks about when father Christmas comes. We too have a wood burner and really looking forward to a real fire on Christmas eve.

Last year two birds came down the chimney in the old house (landlord hadn't closed it off as promised) all dd's toys were covered in soot and I sobbed. I had flu and dinner was a big flop.

This year I'll be heavily pregnant but I'm hoping to prep the food in advance and then sit by the fire enjoying the last Christmas as a 3 as about 5 weeks after dc2 will arrive.

[Likeaheadlesschicken]

Ooh reading this has made me really excited too! We will have a 1.4 year old and and approx 6 week old this year, I dont think it will be our most relaxing Christmas ever but I cant wait either way! I love Christmas!!!

[sheeplikessleep]

This thread is making me well up soooo excited

[CherryMonster]

i love christmas. my kids are 12, 10, 6 and 5, and the girls are very excited already. thankfully the younger 3 still totally believe, and ds1 is pretty good and will join in the fun (he likes to take a bit of responsibility for sorting his own bits out for the younger ones now)

[Awomancalledhorse]

Yep! DH will be off from the week before Xmas to the 3rd of Jan.
He's never had that much time off in one block since we've been together, that he's taking it off because I'm due our PFB on the 20th of Dec helps make it more exciting.

We're doing a 'one last huzzah' christmas, as this will be our last without children (alright, possibly a week old kid..but not one who wants stuff), so we're blowing the budget on presents etc for each other. Plus I get to drink & eat pate!

[jumpyjan]

This thread is making me ridiculously excited and very envious of those with log burners. Cosy.

[worldgonecrazy]

I am really excited about Christmas. I'm currently trying to work out if a 23 month old will have a clue who Santa Claus is and whether it's worth forking out for a really good Santa Claus such as Harrods, or should I keep that for when she's older?

[LoveInAColdClimate]

I am also insanely excited! I will be 7 and a half month pregnant with PFB (all being well) and can't wait for Christmas with all the excitement of starting our own family and knowing that next year there will (fx) be a baby there too. We put wishes for the coming year in with the decorations so looking forward to getting those out and seeing that at least one wish is coming true. I love all the preparation and making the house look and smell lovely. Can't wait.

[Tinkerisdead]

My dd has cried at Santa each year. Last year we took her to see him and his reindeers. She was 25 months. She howled the place down and shouted to his elves 'I don't like him and I don't like his horses!'

Mortified.

[MugglesandLuna]

I am already really excited and have been planning presents in my head. Must get DDs birthday out of the way first then my Christmas planning will get into full swing.

[LordOfTheFlies]

worldgonecrazy I think 23 months is a bit too young. Not so much for Santa, but You've got to think about the travelling and queuing which they won't enjoy.

When DS was 2.6 yo and DD was 6 months, I took him (not her) out of nursery for the afternoon to Lakeside Santas Grotto. We didn't have to wait too long as it was midweek but the wait time was 2 hours at weekend.
So if you can get her a local one where she doesn't have to wait?

I do get unreasonably excited over Christmas .I love it when the Lakeland Catalogue arrives in Sept

DD (now 9 yo) and I go to a ballet.(DS is 11.6 yo sp reckons he is too old for panto. How can anyone be too old )
We plan a trip out (Winter Wonderland, or the WW at Bluewater)
A London trip to Hamleys.
A trip to the cinema to see a festive film.(Last year we saw the animated Christmas Carol.Good job it wasn't in 3D)

The DCs don't get involved in shopping as I am still trying to keep the magic alive.
DH and I do a main present shop, DS's birthday is in December so I have to plan and organize his party). I do a main food shop, a last minute food shop and a late night Lakeside trip.
I have lists galore on my fridge.
I take off the school holidays, DH works til 23rd then in between Christmas and New Year, so I do all the organizing but that's how I like it. (Bolshy control freak emoticon)

[Awomancalledhorse]

worldgonecrazy, I think 23mo is a bit young..I'd be terrified about sitting on a strangers lap at that age! Although one of DH's friend did take PFB to Santa at 6 weeks old (then to Lapland that very same christmas) .

LordOfTheFlies, I get excited about christmas catalogues/magazines! It's not just you!!

[worldgonecrazy]

Thanks everyone. We went to a small Santa's Grotto last year at a National Trust place, somehow we ended up in the Grotto even though we hadn't paid (though we didn't take the offered gift). DD was only a year old and she loved the sparkly lights, though I had to sit on Santa's lap and have her on my lap. None of the children were allowed to sit on Santa's lap, something I found really sad but I guess those are the times we are living in.

I think we'll find somewhere local this year and venture into London next year.

[lizardqueenie]

Wow just logged back on thinking I would be shot down for this thread & to see I am not alone! I was thinking it might be our last Christmas going somewhere else for a while-( my parents, not the in-laws- Christmas with them last time was like Christmas with the grinch). My folks really DO Christmas but thinking about a previous posters point about DC's being able to nap etc. Although the thought of cooking dinner for everyone fills me with dread, if anyone saw my "how do I roast a chicken" thread the other day, you'll understand why!

Love that so many people have new central heating/ log fires- lovely & cosy. Will have to get DD (and me& perhaps DH) some festive pjs for a viewing if polar express. Watched it last year in milk stained baggies, feeling even more emotional, it just about finished me off!

Now, is real tree ok with a 14 month old baby??

[LoveInAColdClimate]

Oh god, the Lakeland Chrismas catalogue .

I wouldn't have thought a real tree would be more problematic than any other tree, if you got one that's not too needle-dropping, but I haven't had a baby yet so may be entirely wrong on this!