Countdowners united

[MamaPizzaChristmasToppings]

I wish Amazon wouldn't split orders. I ordered four items in one go, and they have sent me three emails saying I'm getting three different packages. I only want to be bothered by the postal delivery worker once, not several times. That's if they ever turn up! Hope your things arrive in good time and you can chill.
My item from the States is a gift for toddler DS, he won't really be bothered if it is late, I'd just like for my stuff to get here so I don't have to think about it any more.

Chesty, get well soon.

Oh no chesty, that's pants. Hope you feel better soon

I really don't get the splitting orders, especially as I had to pay postage as they are coming from Germany and I requested to have it all in one. If it isn't here by mid next week I shall call and hopefully they will send me replacement. Do they do this?

How old is your DS, WWVD? Mine is 3.

Anyway, Santa has sent a letter overnight!!! He must have sent it via magic! DS woke up and loved his letter that was hanging from the door letter thingy. The letter is a hello from Santa saying that he is getting rather busy at this time of the year and that we should keep our eyes open for a special package to be delivered soon. How exciting! He also wrote some lovely things about DS. He is really watching!

Ok, reality check now. Obviously our elf on the shelf will arrive soon, wanted to prepare DS for him. Added some bits and bobs of DS' year to make it all extra special. Printed a Santa stamp on an envelope with DS's name and our address. Made it all extra special. The elf will arrive next Sunday, can't wait!

Hello christmas peeps,

Sorry I've not been on, I got myself an early present of The Pacific on DVD so I've been watching that.

Sheffield has a really neat market on at the moment that has some beautiful, handmade and hand decorated glass decorations for sale. They are stunning. There's food markets all over the place, venison, beef, lamb, ostrich, buffalo, olives, cheese and all sort of stalls, plus a couple of moroccan cabins which have ovenwear, lights, candle stuff, rugs, clothes and more food. The Christmas Lights are up and willl be switched on on Sunday, the massive tree in the middle is up and decorated, the cabins have Santa in one and elves in the others, there's jewelery stalls, sweet stalls, and elves trail...AND IT'S ALL HERE UNTIL CHRISTMAS EVE!!!!

The victorian market starts on the 1st, the Coke Truck is at Meadowhall on Friday the 30th nov. I've got a couple of bits left to get, I'm doing trial runs of egg nog and mince pie recipies. My mate has started making a snowman Christmas cake for me and is currently feeding it with loads of Whiskey. With any luck, I would have finished making my coffee table too oh, and the gritters have been out! There's a good sign!

Oh, and You've Got Mail is on now, Home Alone is on later...(bounces up and down on her sofa like Tigger on speed)

Chesty Get Well Soon Drink loads and get some rest.

Hello Mole

Sounds like a lovely market. I'm going to venture to the Birmingham one next month, can't wait.

Anyone done PNP yet? I'll sort DS's out later.

I'm hoping to go to the Lincoln market in dec mole
Think it's maybe around same distance away.
Will be a Christmas warm up/ birthday treat.
Just need to book the park and ride.

Have watched a Christmas princess and foster today so far, lovely teary Christmas movies

mama amazon have sent me out deliveries twice now when stuff hasn't arrived, very impressed.

Mama, haha, I've ordered from Amazon UK to arrive here in Germany! I did look on Amazon.de but the selection is very very limited, they didn't have anything I wanted. I am picturing our packages crossing in the sky! :)

My DS will be 2.2 at Christmas.

I love that letter from Santa. Going to do that for sure! The Santa stamp sounds ace - which Santa stamp did you get?

Mole, how is The Pacific? My husband and I went on honeymoon where it's based. Should watch it.
Sheffield sounds awesome. I am in Germany and there isn't much Christmassy stuff happening yet.
I watched Home Alone a few weeks ago!

5 weeks

Spoke to Amazon Germany, if it isn't here by tomorrow they will send out replacement. Wahey!

I'll get a pic of the letter and stamp up tonight hopefully. Had a long day at work yesterday, but the rest of the day is easy, so will save it as an image and show you. It was just this here. Copied image, put it on Word document, added address and 'from santa' stamp and printed it all on A4 envelope. Looked really real :)

My Amazon stuff is here, hurrah.
Waiting on one more package from somewhere else. But have now seen a few extra little things I'd like to get DS, so maybe my shopping isn't quite done!

Thanks. Very arty! :-)

Lucky you! Mine isn't, neither is one thing I got on ebay for one of the fishtanks. Will go to sorting office today to check that they haven't forgotten it there and if it isn't then Amazon will hopefully send replacement soon.

I always say I finish, but then I find more things...

Didn't get pics up, went to bed at 8pm, needed it. But will do soon, starting an Elf blog anyway, will share it here

Not feeling so lucky now, part of my other order has been cancelled, and it was something I really really wanted (for DS). Annoying.

Hope your order turns up soon.

Ooh, an elf blog! :)

Oh no, can you get it somewhere else?

I got great news - my three parcels, including the one from Amazon Germany, were all at the collection office. I kicked up a fuss! Didn't have a card or anything and if I hadn't made out the trip they would have gotten lost forever. I can't believe they didn't deliver them! I mean, yes we work full-time, but it's not rocket science to put a card through the door or leave with neighbours. Instead the postie must have loaded it back on the truck, dumped them at the depot and forgotten about them. Lady at counter was apologetic, but seriously. How badly organized is the Royal Mail?

Elf will arrive this weekend. Can't wait!

I managed to find similar in JL, but having already paid for international delivery with M&S at £7, I'm now forking out another £7.50 in shipping, which is crazy for a few toddler socks ... so I added a few extra things to my basket to make the postage more worthwhile! :) Just a bit of a pain financially, and it irks my green eco hippy conscience too.

There are some good workers at RM, the postman we had before we left was amazing (when I had my newborn, he'd give me extra time to get to the front door) but the system is seriously flawed, and I know many just chuck a 'while you were out' card through your door when they don't even knock, and don't actually have the package on them! Glad you got your packages.

I ordered something from Etsy about six months ago, no show. It must be somewhere, with my name and address on - why can't they try and redeliver it! It's not something most people would want (some vintage fabric, not appealing to many tastes, I'm sure!), I can't imagine a postal worker stealing it. More likely it is languishing in a depot somewhere. Or chucked over a hedge!

Woo hoo, has your elf got a name yet?

*Toddler socks! Sounds like you can get them anywhere, but I specifically wanted ones with robots on! :)

The ones in M&S are much nicer than the JL ones though.

That's some expensive socks Love your thinking of chucking more into the basket to make it worthwhile

Our regular postman is ace, he always stops for a chat and makes sure we get everything. But those parcels were all big and came via delivery van and whoever drives it doesn't know us or doesn't seem to care.

Ah well, all good now.

Well, yes. Needs must! :)

Ah yes, the random delivery man! :) Glad you have your stuff. I am now waiting on a few more packages, then I will see what we've got and get wrapping.

My blog is online

Happy elfy reading

Elf will arrive on Sunday and there should be daily updates from then on.

I'd better start wrapping soon, there is so much. Debating at the moment whether to return the mobigo or not. Just tried it, and it is a bit shit. Or am I too spoiled with an ipod? Don't think DS will like it. Does anyone have it for their DCs?

Adorable. I really love the paper you used.

I don't know anything about mobigo, sorry.

Thanks. My first blog, still have to tweak it a little.

This is the background I used, just copied it into word. Easy

Last year I used this one

Bit annoyed about the mobigo, because this is the stuff I got from Amazon Germany. All the games are German games. I hope he will like it, but it seems so simple compared to his Ipod. I know he is spoiled...

It looks very good! :) I like your son's name. :)

Thanks for the graphic link. I may well use it!

Ach, if it makes him happy!

Thanks re my son's name

Our elf has arrived! Woohoo! We named him Jingle Watched the DVD already, DS loves him. Will update blog later. Might dare to go and visit Santa at the local garden centre. Better now than December I suppose before the queues get too long but I can't be arsed to get out of the house today

Where is the rest of the gang? Mole? Chesty? Hope all is well and you are just busy.

Oh dear, it has just been you and me for the last week! :)

I have not seen any Santa's Grottos here in Germany yet - they do have them, right???!

They are probably busy shopping, wrapping, decorating... Well, hope so.

Been to see Santa. We were clever. He didn't arrive til 11 am in his grotto, so I asked DH to stand in the line from 10.30 am while I had a nose at Christmas stuff with DS. Anyway, when I returned at 10.50 am the queue was super long! And we were first in line. Twas almost like queuing for a boxing day mega sale or a concert DS was all shy though, but he had a chat with Santa and thanked him for his present. Santa was actually really good, talking to him about dinosaurs (DS's favourite...) and sharing sweets. That's done now, no more queuing until next year. DS then waited until home to open the present in front of Jingle the elf and we showed him how to make the jigsaw. So sweet, he loves his elf!

Oh, and I'm sure Santa also visits Germany. Have you tried Karstadt or Kaufhof maybe? Or one of the many Christmas markets, surely they'll have a grotto somewhere.