I'm having a vicarious Mumsnet Christmas

[Flamingoose]

We're thousands of miles away from family and friends. It's hot summer here. Doesn't feel like Christmas at all, just another weekend. Couldn't even find brussels sprouts in the shops!
But I am hugely enjoying having a 'real' Christmas through Mumsnet. I'm absolutely living all the inlaw upsets, the travel plans, the gift aggro, the meal planning, the proper Christmas drama of it all.

You're having my traditional family Christmas! Although we could always source the all important brussies!

Are you bbq'ing? Please tell me you're bbq'ing!

Anyways, just for you, we had the traditional trip to get the Christmas tree, where all four of us chose a different tree, then it was too big to fit in the car, then we got home and it had to be chopped down, DH spilled a bucket of water all over the floor, the cat had conniptions, because TREES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE OUTSIDE, then DD and DH had major disagreements over the lights, and had to get another two strands, and now it looks like you could see it from outer space if we left the curtains open, I turn into a tree Nazi and dictate the colour theme for the year, AND ONLY BAUBLES OF THOSE COLOURS GO ON THE TREE, and then the cat decided that trees inside are okay, because you get to bat the baubles off, watch the human's most amusing wrath, enjoy the nice tinkling sounds as Mother's Precious Baubles break, and try to climb the bloody thing to make friends with the Angel. Or eat it. Whichever.

I hope I'm not tempting fate by saying that (cancelled visits aside) it's going OK here.

But, Ocado is tomorrow and I'm still half braced for a dash to the supermarket to get anything that's missing. I've still got all the wrapping up to do (but I have found the lost bag of presents that I'd put in a Safe Place).

I'm despairing of the teens who are either lying round like slugs or being glued to screens, and am expecting usual groans when the new board game is brought out. Followed by fun and 'why don't we do this more often?' (because you're sarcastic bloody refuseniks, that why!!)

I might bake something this afternoon