What are your plans for Christmas Eve?

[Schnarkle]

I'm looking for inspiration for what to do tomorrow. I'd like to slob out in front of the tv but we'll need to get the 2 children out to let off some pre Christmas madness steam.

What are you doing tomorrow?

Hmm, thanks Pavlov. That sounds far too organised for me, although I have bought new pjs for the kids. Maybe I should try and get one together. Ok, I have another task for tomorrow!

I've got a ton of baking,the Xmas cake to ice,last minute cleaning,cards to write and put in post box (so I can say I sent them) and masses to wrap-same as usual then.

It's looking like rain all day so planning on settling dp down with the dc and the lovely job of attempting to make the gingerbread house(will have to feed him Baileys first),making candy cane hearts and a few other Xmas crafts for as long as I can before they 'help' with the baking.

Will then resort to Xmas films and hopefully squeeze in a game of Cludo,a bath and The Night Before Christmas in good time so I can manically attempt to get it all done into the wee hours.

Jeepers. I take my (xmas paper) hat off to the lot of you.

Morning - finish my list of chores so that I can spend the pm snuggled up with the DCs either watching a good film or playing board games. This year, I refuse to be running around like a headless chicken at 1am doing last minute, essential jobs.

The DCs will go to bed at 8pm, fall straight asleep like that's really going to happen and I'll be able to sort the presents and be asleep by 10pm. My cold will not keep me awake and I'll get my first proper nights sleep in weeks.

FIL's funeral and wake, followed by dinner at SIL's house

Hoping that'll be a more cheery end to a rather sad and morbid day - DS (nearly 2), DNeice (7) and DNephew (3) will all be there so hopefully not much upsetting talk and we'll all swap and open presents so it'll be like a mini xmas day.

Home, open xmas eve presents (always new pj's for everyone!) story (night before christmas) for DS and then DP and I will set up for xmas day...

Up with DH at 7:30 to open wedding anniversary cards, DH to work. Me & DS nip to pick turkey up from local butchers, then a quick trip to cemetry before coming home & awaiting DD1, DD2, DH & IL's. Once we are all in I am not moving again!!

I like the idea of eating Christmas dinner on Christmas eve & having a 'no cook Christmas day!' Might try that next year!

I'm sorry for your loss Eddie.

We're having a quick tidy up and clean sheets for the DC. Last few presents to get then a coffee with some friends. I need to food shop for tonight's meal - roast duck. We're out for lunch tomorrow. Then home by about 5 for the Elf to drop off new PJs and Arthur Christmas plus a few nibbles. Early baths, lovely dinner and watch the film. We'll put out mince pies, carrots and milk and hang the Santa Key. Then everyone will be in bed by 10 (in my dreams) maybe midnight.

I have loads of presents to wrap, am in complete denial. This is the first year I've worked for someone other than myself and it's thrown me completely!

Merry Christmas everyone.

Get last minute presents for gp's, visit gp's before they go away to family over christmas. Get the rest of last minute shopping, pick up ds1's tv that has been fixed. Tidy up, tea, quick dip in the tub for the kids, go to dm's for hampers, pizza and a film while I transfer all their presents from dm's to our house, hide them. Kids home to bed once they're asleep I'll wrap the last minute prezzies bought earlier (for adults, all kids presents are wrapped, thankfully) then sit down for a cuppa and a couple of episodes of Desperate Housewives on Netflix. Arrange presents on settee,chair and table then bed!

Almost forgot, while kids are going to sleep df will build dd's fliker scooter.

The above is exactly what is supposed to happen and there's no reason for panic and stress but in reality I'll probably be a stressy ranty mess who runs out of time then I'm up past midnight frantically tidying and wrapping.

Oh, I also need batteries, lots of them and will more than likely forget them so will end up running round at closing time to buy what I can.