To think there is so much to do between now and Christmas Day!

[Werkwerkwerkwerk]

I appreciate I'm very lucky to have finished work on Friday. But it still feels like there is so much to do .......
Booze to be picked up
Shopping to finish
Pantry and fridges to clean so the food will fit
Food arriving tomorrow
Butcher to get to
Inevitably there will be bits missing from the shopping so back to the shops
Gifts to wrap
Family lunches to attend
Hairdresser appointments to attend
All the food to prep
I love the festive season - but it's so hectic !!

Anyone else?

now off to the gym

you do know the OP is just being goady don't you

Today, I have already loaded all the stuff under my desk into the boot of my car. I have a full day in the office today, and a couple of hours tomorrow.

I will shortly brave the main street, for:
Apple shop (earbuds - last minute request)
Cheesemonger - always a long queue
Leonidas - long queue
M&S for party food and my lunch
Something for DH as I have no present for him yet
Run into Lush as I don't think I have a bath bomb for DD

I also need to get proper sea salt for brining somewhere (I keep forgetting in normal supermarket and M&S doesn't have it)

I need to do a better job on fridge tetris when I get home (including to make space for party food packs)

I still need to:
Prep tomorrow - peel veg, make stuffing etc
Set up Christmas candle
Fill Christmas Eve Hamper
Wrap presents
Clear off dining table

I want to:

brine turkey
make pastry for mince pies (and then make the pies)
do a flower arrangement for the table (have the flowers)
bake cookies
Change DD sheets
put out Christmas towels
hang garland in hall
finish work in time to watch DD and her team doing a sponsored swim tomorrow

The only thing I really need to BUY is the present for DH - the rest I can live without.
The only thing I need to DO is prepping the big meal - which we do as a family on afternoon of 24th traditionally. (Well, clearing the table would be nice to be able to set it nicely).

I have started to take the step back of "if it's not done, it'll be fine"....we have some decorations up, and enough food bought.

I made the mistake of asking DS and DD if they had any washing that needed doing in their rooms before they went to work today, and I now have an actual mountain of laundry to do. Should have kept my big gob shut really.

Other than that I'm going to Sainsburys at 7 in the morning with DS for food and booze, then picking up the M&S order which is most of the Christmas Dinner, at 9. Anything that I can't get there I'll send DS to Tesco for, but it's unlikely unless I forget something, and I have a good list. I'm not stressing, and I'm taking it easy today so that I can manage to do things tomorrow and Christmas day. DS and DD will do anything I ask them to do to help too. I do have a sore throat and am all squeaky voiced now though, hope its just that and not something that's going to make things more difficult.

Nope, nice and organised here.

Lazy day in pjs, made some French i onion soup and some sausage rolls.

Will take the dog for a walk then mooch for the afternoon eating and watching films.

Guests arrive tomorrow lunchtime, bring it on!!

OP, I hear you and think you are getting a hard time on here. Sometimes lists of things can get overwhelming and Christmas can feel really fraught. I often feel misunderstood/dramatic/frazzled/overwhelmed this time of year. This year is no different. I have this vision to be “ready” by beginning of December so that I can do crafts, go to carols, engage with the dc etc in the run up. It never happens. I’m stupidly stressed over things like sprouts and cheese boards but I realise I’m masking what is really going on (sleep deprived, abusive mum coming to stay for Christmas, Rocky marriage, eldest son going through assessments for adhd/dyslexia/dcd etc”.

Be kind everyone, we are all human. Don’t forget that sometimes we fret over first world problems because it’s easier than to think about what’s really going on. I obsess over the cheeseboard, hoping to keep the right one so that my mum doesn’t throw a gigantic tantrum and scare my children. Yes, I should not invite her, but would mean not seeing my dad who is terminally ill for what is most likely his last Christmas.
So it’s not at all about the fucking Stilton.

Take care, be kind, stay safe. And be kind to yourselves.

all sorted - now is the time to enjoy, so glad I started the Christmas prep nice & early

Main food shop done
Few presents left to wrap
Just getting the house tidy
Need to pop and get a few last minute bits tomorrow
I refuse to be stressed
DH pulls his weight
Kids help a bit
Will have a houseful on Xmas eve so some food prep to do before then but nothing too taxing
I'm working between Xmas and new year so determined to get some down time
Good enough Xmas suits me
Perfect is impossible

I am back at work boxing day. No proper christmas dinner this year as in crappy rented house. Having picky shit, presents all brought, will be wrapped tomorrow when eldest daughter gets in from work. Food brought today. No other prep needed

Don't finish work until tomorrow evening then on call until 8am Christmas Day . Booked Waitrose delivery slot ages ago and collected meat from butcher yesterday . Finally found time to put the tree up last night but it does need decorating ( hopefully partner and kid might do that today ) . Bought presents online .
So all stress free and sorted .

I always find that the best thing to do when I'm super busy is post on pointless forums to tell everyone how busy I am. Really helps to get the jobs done.

It's just a glorified roast

But it is! The only difference for us is that I will roast some parsnips, I don't like them but everyone else does.

Pantry cleaned.....tick
Scullery scrubbed....tick
Silver cleaned.....tick
Butler-discuss wine choices
Drawing room....remind under housemaid to polish fender
Check west wing aired and fires set for guests
Refill snuff box library
Billiard Room-check cigars

It's so hard isn't it, I've got loads to do before the carriages arrive.

*LndnMummy
*
it’s not at all about the fucking Stilton.

Great quote

Sorry your having a hard time

I did the Christmas deep clean this morning

Oh hell is this another Christmas tradition that's passed me by??

I think I just hit the right time to go to Sainsbury's for my veg. It was busy but not too bad. I was in there about 20 minutes. However, when I came out there were massive queues of traffic to just get into the carpark. Makes me glad I don't drive and have a lovely sholley (joke present from dd for my 50th).

I just have to make some pastry for tomorrow's feast. That'll take about 30 minutes and then I'm watching Love Actually with dd and wrapping the last of the presents.

Online delivery has arrived. I’m at work but DT’s have checked it and everything is as ordered.

I always find that the best thing to do when I'm super busy is post on pointless forums to tell everyone how busy I am. Really helps to get the jobs done.

Post of the year.

I always wonder this, I come on here when I’m bored or miserable and I feel quite perplexed reading these posts. When I’m that busy posting on mumsnet is the furthest thing from my mind. Sometimes I wonder if I’m on a different planet...probably am to be fair

I come here or other forums for a bit when I'm busy for a quick break. Quite often I look at the time and oops an hour or so later. Thank fuck I work for myself. I'd have been sacked long time ago 🤣

That seems excessive... who gets their hair done and cleans their fridge for Xmas. It's just some shopping and cooking

All I have left to do is wrap one skateboard and pack their Xmas eve gifts into their gift bags. Maybe put their names on them (if I can be arsed) we might make mince pies and sausage rolls tomorrow and we need to wrap daddy’s gifts, but otherwise it’s pretty chill.

Just finished wrapping the last present. Just the butcher run and food prep to do and we're good to go. Woohoo!1

You ok cinders?

Pick up Christmas elements at Morrison’s tomorrow- ordered first week in November

Tesco delivery today with everything else - all booze and wine and food and household things.

Trad Christmas Eve dinner tomorrow - gammon joint in ginger ale ready to go in the slow cooker.

Carol service at 6.30 tomorrow evening. Tomorrow’s lunch waiting in the fridge.

Got a glass of wine just now and planning swimming tomorrow afternoon

Deligate !

We have Christmas at my parents house as they have a big house.
So they do the decorating.
My partner and I do the cooking. He’s a chef, finds it all very easy, I make the cakes in November
Cards and presents are all done in November.

Secret is forward planning and delegation.