To tell you that it is only

[RabidEchidna]

307 days till Christmas

Do I have the record for the first Christmas thread of 2012?

212

We don't have space for a child only table either, our dining room is wee.

I look forward to Christmas even more with this hot weather - summer is NOT my friend, bring on cold days and long nights!

70 that is a good idea about decorating the dcs little table, it might keep dd at it for a few minutes longer! I haven't really thought about the tree but after our first viewing I said to DH that there would be loads of good hiding places for Jimmy the elf (elf on the shelf) in the new house! DH thinks I'm mad.

I found ds's Xmas present yesterday. Tesco have the little tykes cars reduced at the moment. DS will be one in January so should be big enough for it then. I had another strange look from DH about this. He thinks Xmas talk should be banished until November! Boring git!

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I always find myself on this thread on sunday mornings......

I need to find a way to convince DH to have my parents round for Christmas this year Any ideas?

milk in one of your earlier posts you said that you all go round to your granmothers for Christmas Day. Is this not going to be possible with new baby or you you want to 'do' Christmas in your house.

Are your parents the type who muck in and help or do they expect to be treated like guests?

My parents live 580 miles away and used to come down for Christmas (stayed a week or so). It's a squeeze fitting people in. But they would take DS out when he was a toddler or walk the pram wheels off when DD was a baby. (Sometimes it's nice to have the baby taken out for a walk and you get the older one to yourself)

And my dad will happily trot down for shopping.

If yours are the guest type ,you'll need to convince DH that it's Christmas and they are faaaaaaaaaamilly.

How far away do you all live. Is it near enough to be a one day feast or do they need to stay over?

They don't travel down for Christmas now because my Dad is worried about being 'snowed in'.
They are both retired. Their neighbours keep an eye on their house. It wouldn't be the end of the world if they had to stay longer

210

I do love seeing this thread pop up... I'm another Christmas saddo enthusiast who has started mulling over ideas already!

This year I really want some decorated garlands to hang around the living room, will have to start looking to see if I can find some nice ones cheap because they not out of season!

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D'you realise by Thursday you'll have been doing this thread for 100 days .

Keep it up (but remember to tell us Christmas Fanatic Mad People when you're on holiday, so the countdown keeps going)

207

I found some of my special Christmas lights on eBay but they're already at £33 with 3 days to go so it doesn't look like I'll be able to afford them very annoying as I'll bet whoever wins them is a collector or something but they have true sentimental value to me. Bastards.

I just want to tell you all that I love you.

That is all.

Ds1 (age 8) is already planning our "victorian christmas" this year (he started asking about it in March tbh) and I have already got some ideas about decorations and making marzipan confectionary (marchpane) for PILs.

I draw the line at eating tripe though

206

Tripe?

70 Well, according to the TV programme "Victorian Farm Christmas" (which ds1 loves) the main component of xmas dinner was brawn...i.e. brains, eyeballs etc served in aspic. Lovely.

Will check out Heston - although I will say to you now that I am not up to anything that requires bunging in liquid nitrogen

Am quite excited actually...lots of paper chains, holly wreath etc. Might even make out own wrapping paper this year! Although we wont dye ribbons liek the victorians did (they usd urine as a fixing agent...we now call all brightly coloured ribbon "wee ribbon"!)

Am on a budget this year...so need to do things on the cheap nicely but inexpensively....any tips gratefully recieved!

I do a different wrapping theme every year

Year before last I wrapped everything in brown parcel paper and string (some of which had been dyed with beetroot), but I tied holly leaves into the bow, it looked quite Victorian and actually really nice all under the tree. :)

Nothing to add but a just because I can.

C'mon Rabid Queen of the Anchovies-

We're waiting.
Drums fingers impatiently on tabletop.....

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It is my first born's birthday today

Awwww. Happy Birthday No. 1 Anchovy

Do you get your presents wrapped in Christmas paper???