Anybody else had their pre Christmas freak out(complete with tears) yet?Come make me feel better about mine.

[MrsHeffley]

I know their are many far worse off which makes me feel even guiltier.

So along side work(part time),I've bought/planned/written/wrapped every present,card and item of food.Sorted the house out(dec/tree wise), the manic end of term school schedule X3.Packed and been on 2 weekends away. Survived my mother in law etc.,etc.You know the drill.

Managed to wash my contact lens down the sink so stuck with my very old glasses all over the festive season.Dp and I don't give to each other and most of our Xmas money gets swallowed up as we're too busy to spend it on ourselves by which point come the new year we reckon it's probably not a good idea anyway.

Just trudged round Sainsburys for hours in said hideous glasses,forgot 3 items.Kids being a freakin nightmare with excitement and tiredness.House mingin and absolutely no idea when it'll be done(Xmas eve prob) .Loads to wrap,no idea where to start.

Just feel overwhelmed.Burst into tears,shouted at dp and the kids for taking me for granted.Dp shouted back and the kids sent in notes on their remote control cars asking how they could help.

Dp now out on a works do,I curled up on sofa watching The Snowman with the kids then popped them in bed.Now feel shit they'll associate Xmas with stress-sob!!!!!

I know it is ridiculously late, BUT the wrapping is done!!!!!

Off to bed now......

As my sister in law and I grimly fought through the supermarket this morning we discussed the suddenly very attractive option of being on a desert island and serving toast for the main meal.
I read a writer somewhere talking about approaching Christmas with the innocent wonder of children - or of a man! Gosh, there are piles of wrapped presents suddenly and a fridge full of food and little gifts for the neighbours - amazing how that all just turned up!
This week I have had my birthday (under the radar, just felt old at 51), had my boss made redundant and had to sparkle up to meet new boss and flown interstate to attend a rather fraught family funeral. Found myself thinking
"just get through the funeral and then just get through Christmas."
I hope there will be a moment tomorrow where I start feeling the joy.

Morning freak outers how are we all today ? i waved my dd off to work this morning she works in a supermarket and i felt kinda sorry for her having to deal with panic stricken shoppers throwing stuff on her conveyer belt , Ive got up quite calm today having my 2nd coffee washing machine and dryer on and going to clean my kitchen before dd2 gets up , and i think im good to go , Im going to visit my auntie later to drop of some cards YES I KNOW ITS CHRISTMAS EVE but least shes getting them this year , hope all you ladies have a nice day and dont breakdown by lunchtime x

I an freaking out because I can't find the remote and there is Christmas tv to record and I have to tidy up my tip sorry I mean house and rebuild the tree after ds pulled it down twice and then go to MILs. And I'm not even dressed yet.

Washing machine on overdrive as DS was sick all night, first in his bed and floor then our bed and floor, now living floor and sleeping bag he was in.... I am hyper as I haven't slept - MUST NOT fall asleep this evening and forget Santa's coming!

oh no Kbear i hope your son is better soon try and catch a nap this aftenoon or you will be wreaked x

main prob is supposed to be going to mum and dad's for dinner tomorrow with SIL and Bruv but SIL is 14 weeks pg and I don't want to go anywhere near here with a bug so I am making plans for plan B and might end up here for dinner - I have a chicken and potatoes and dad said he will deliver a veg parcel! Not the end of the world I suppose but I was looking forward to Christmas dinner ala Dad!

hate xmas. Major falling out with mother as Im a shit daughter so she is now refusing to come to Xmas dinner and will sit alone in her bungalow with a big slice of martyr pie.
Maybe its worth starting drinking now and sobering up come January?

and went to Tesco. Has the Apolcalypse been announced?

I just rang up my 9 year old in the park (she was there with Dh and other dcs) and harangued her whether she was going to help me make the dessert for tomorrow or should I just buy one...(There is a Xmas pud but children won't eat it) Think it is because I just know this afternoon the children will be whinging creating more and more mess and I need to know I am going to have some guaranteed help with the preparations. Otherwise as you say...it is all magically going to appear from Me!
I loved to help with the preps...when I was little...what has gone wrong???

Dh has bought some Bahlsen biscuits, and helped organise/wrap kids presents though and taken them to park...so I suppose that is good. He is obsessed by Xmas being as good as his childhood Xmasses though which is exhausting to live up to..

I think when Merlin comes on this evening it will be my cue to relax and STOP. I do love Merlin. And looking forward to Downton as well. Even the thought of cooking lunch tomorrow seems quite fun when it is just for our family of 5 and we can do whatever we like really, including timings/telly/walks/general slobbing out..

I had my tearful freak out (in front of my parents ) on Thursday. They then hustled the kids off to the park with the dog and left me in blessed peace to round the rest of the cooking inclusding handmade suasage rolls and 48 bleedin' brie & cranberry filo parcels.... But then last night we had friends over for mulled wine, the kids all played upstairs and it finally turned into Christmas. Now the table is all prepared and looks beatuiful.... jusy have to pour a ginger wine and go and wrap ALL the presents . Which I have actually been looking forward to, but can no longer put off!

Well it's all done here, except for the presents, and some wet washing in the machine which I always do when the DC are in bed on Christmas Eve.
Food prepared, house gleaming, candles burning, bath run for DC to jump into as soon as Narnia is finished.

My problem is that I am seething with resentment at the care arrangements for MIL with Alzheimers. These are - she stays living at home while one SIL lives overseas, the other SIL concentrates on her career and my DH is there nearly all the time trying to keep the show on the road with a very mainpulative and irritable MIL. On top of this we are hosting Christmas and my SILs have given me the recipes of what they want cooked, rather than just let me get on with it.
I keep thinking " If Christmas was at my house I wouldn't do it like this..Oh wait, it is!"
I hate being grumpy and resentful and am tempted to raise the subject of MIL's care over Christmas dinner!

All done here! Hope everyone else is getting on ok. x

hiya yes im all done going to watch eastenders with a baileys some christmas cheer ive just done my floors hasnt been to bad a day at all , DD1 is annoying me shes been out with her BF for dinner and shes wanting to open presents , i think shes a bit tiddley hope you are all ok and have a fab stress free day tomorrow x

saffron make you dinner how you want maybe bring up MIls care before the wine hits , It cant be easy looking after MIL on your own well you and dh , and they sit and lecture from AFAR ,

Thanks mrsjay I hate the person this is turning me into. It is Christmas morning here in Melbourne and my DC are in high spirits which is the main thing.

aww merry christmas saffronblue my nana had alzhemers and i helped looked after her , there were aunties her daughters here and some granddaughters who did it , but I had aunts who didnt live near and they always tried to boss us around in her care , Its so fustrating anyway have lovely day with your fAMILY X

Am in bed reading mumsnet, waiting for DS1 to go to sleep. (still believe, still awake.) Am getting seriously pissed off and am thinking of telling him he has to put stocking outside bedroom door, rather than on bed.

Tired and want to sleep. DH beside me, asleep, said he couldn't stay awake any longer. Oh right, i'll do it then - like everything else.

Minxthemanx our DD's have always put their stockings on the landing. We used to tell them Father Christmas would fill them there and then Mummy or Daddy would bring them into their rooms. DD2 hated the thought of anyone coming into her room.

my dds stocking well sacks have always been in the liivngroom i couldnt cope sneaking into a bedroom at night , Im really needing my bed me and dh are going to head soon with the santa sacks dh will run through in an hour in his pants the thought of that would scare any child to sleep