im moving onthe 15th dec, what can i do to ensure the whole magic of xmas isnt lost for dd -6

[watchoutforthatsnail]

As it says really. we have an unexpected house move on the 15 dec.
xmas seems to have been wiped off the radar, no decorations can go up till after we move. there isnt time for the usual xmas activities, no baking :(

it doesnt matter so much for me, but dd is 6 ( almost 7) and i want to try to keep the magic for her.

any ideas on how i can do this?

[ParsingFancy]

Don't know how much furniture you'll have, but take advantage of the bareness to turn one room into a magical Christmas room? Tree with lights, cushions on floor, the few packing boxes you've managed to empty turned into a sleigh? It's an adventure!

It could be amazing - unlike any organised grown-uppy Christmas she gets again.

[watchoutforthatsnail]

That is a lovely idea. but i think we are going to be a bit squashed for space.
BUT - i could save some boxes and maybe we could quickly make, i dont know, and reindeer bed in case they wanted a rest, stick some nice blankets in it, write a note?

( i have a ton of furniture, im moving from a 3 bed semi with a jam packed garage and loft. to a new 3 bed semi with NO garage or loft. its going to be a tight squeeze.....)

[BrevilleTron]

Write a letter to Santa telling him the new address then burn it in the back garden
It's a mum and dad approved emergency address change communique accepted by Santa

My sis and I used to send our letters to Santa by dropping them into the AGA and running outside to see the magic smoke.

[watchoutforthatsnail]

good idea on the decs. ( am a lone parent and moving myself, so ill be doing most of it in my car anyway)

festive food shop is a good plan.

and a note to say we have moved. love that ;)

thanks, all things ive not got the brain power to think about at the momment.

[watchoutforthatsnail]

ive not got the time to bake... i wish i did, but need to pack a whole house and work etc.... ( lone parent) before we move.
else that would be a good idea.

[InkleWinkle]

Where are you watchout ?
Can any of us help with the baking / decorations / sending a letter back from Santa to acknowledge address change?

[watchoutforthatsnail]

uk, in suffolk.
a letter back would be lovely. or even just something saying the christmas robin ( haha, very good for reporting to father christmas if children have been good or bad) has told him we are moving and knows and will make sure he comes to our new house.

i dont care about me. im fine. its just DD will be 7 in jan,she truely believes in it all and i know she wont for much longer and i feel crap that i cant do what i usually do for her.all the tiny bits that add up to make it special, you know.

[InkleWinkle]

PM me details if you like & then let me know when you tell Santa & I'll sort something!
In Scotland though so not so much help with moving!

[InkleWinkle]

I have an 8yr old (&2yr old) and sure this is her last year so anything to help some one else!

[watchoutforthatsnail]

ha,yes, thats a bit far to travel!

[watchoutforthatsnail]

im renting. I supose i could ask.
OR - i could buy a small robin figure and put it on the floor in her new bedroom ( we get the keys 2 days before we move the big stuff) SO, i could get in before her when i get the keys, and then send her up, and it would be a surprise.
I wouldnt leave a note, but just let her imagination fill in the blanks.....

she would love that

[watchoutforthatsnail]

she looked around it last week for the first time. the thing she was most bothered about was if there was a fireplace :)
which there is.

This kind of stuff is so important to them when they are little.

[thegreylady]

what about buying an elf toy and putting him on her windowsill

[thegreylady]

maybe with a copy of the elf on the shelf book or another Christmas tale

[watchoutforthatsnail]

thats good!! ill see what i can find.

My mum has got her a xmas story book thats personalised to our town, so i wont do a book...

but this is great, hopefully i can pull this off and it will be ok for her.

[mirry2]

Will you have a garden? Buy some tinsel and decorate the garden after she's gone to bed on your first night. She'll wake up to a bit of fairyland.

[EdgarAllanPond]

interesting - we wikl be moving house at ahout the same time. i may crack on wit the baking now though, as will be moving in with parents until we find the perfect place.

it's going to be crowded -
their house is also having works done which means we may not get decorations up early

[watchoutforthatsnail]

i will have a garden, but, no offence, i think ill have other things to do other that glitter up the garden :) even though its a nice thought.

edgar - sorry, that sounds rubbish too. its not a good time to be moving, is it :(

[mirry2]

No offence but I was only trying to help.

[watchoutforthatsnail]

i did say it was a nice thought.
its just that i will have just moved house, and be amist 100's boxes. probably unpacking vital stuff might be better than trying to attach tinsel to a tree in the dark.
and most likely be shattered, aching and tired.

[mirry2]

Just don't say 'no offence' to someone, because it always means that you are intending to offend.
You wanted some suggestions about how to make Christmas special, take them or leave them, politely.