so its only....

[RabidCarrot]

364 days till Christmas

I'm thinking this for my Christmas dinner this year;

Turkey crown basted in cranberry butter
Jamie Oliver sausage meat stuffing
Pigs in blankets
Garlic & rosemary roast potatoes
Creamy mash made with double cream
Yorkshire puddings
Broccoli cheese
Honey roasted chantennay carrots, courgettes, leeks & parsnips
Red cabbage
Sprouts
Jamie Oliver gravy

I know it's early but I bloody love Christmas

196

never too early to plan Christmas Dinner.

YY to Yorkshire Puddings- compulsary in our house (DS would stamp his cloven hooves if there were none)

Woohoo! I just bought Kirstie's homemade Christmas DVD to start making

Newyork - that all sounds lovely. It's making me very hungry!

70s - I am learning to ignore the faces from dh. I don't think he realises the organisation Christmas needs, if it was left to him we wouldn't put the tree up until Christmas Eve!

Oh yes I'd forgotten about your DD's birthday - I know you've mentioned it before though as it's the day after my DD's! She will be 6. My baby is growing up so fast. She insisted on 'shoulder short' hair recently and seems even taller/skinnier (thank goodness for DH's genes!) recently and she just looks so old!

Have you got her presents sorted :o DD hasn't asked for anything particular so we got the Spongebob Lego, a lalaloopsy doll (there's some with £10 off on amazon if anyone here is interested) and a couple of DVDs/books. I'm going to pick up some oil pastels (only £3 for 30 in The Works) and maybe a sketchbook as well as she has had an art topic at school and is raving about them. One of the books is a famous paintings sticker book.

Sorry I know that's got nothing to do with Xmas! I'm just excited to see her face when she opens them. The last couple of years I'd made the mistake of getting her what I wanted her to have instead of something I knew she would love IYSWIM?

Question for Xmas Xperts - can you get xmassy essential oils? The pottery painting lady told me that if you leave the backs (of the tree decorations for example) unpainted, you can drop some essential oils on, and the baking in the kiln will 'set' the smell! So if I could get a nice festive scent that would be great - any ideas please? :)

Oh and NYD that sounds yummy :o

fuzz, I've got some festive-smelling tea lights!
I don't think I ordered from this seller, but it gives you an idea of the scents available! www.etsy.com/uk/people/boardwalkcandles

Found it! This is the seller I bought from last year: www.etsy.com/uk/shop/candlelynn/policy - look at those amazing scents! I have Fireplace and Elf Sweat, and a couple of others. :)

I have to get an elf sweat candle!! It will complete Christmas

DD will be 11yo on her birthday- she's getting more difficult to buy for (like her older brother) their presents get smaller and more ££ so the Christmas Pile looks shabby (which is why Christmas Eve Hampers and Christmas Stockings are vital. DS was delighted not at his M&S Autograph trunks last year )

Last year she got a laptop so that was her present but I bought a few bits (hairslides, bath stuff) to add. She's got her phone for school (not even entertaining an iPhone for her)

She wants her ears pierced. Lots of Lush products.
I've bought her a Kipling purse/pouch set.
She really wants a £50 in a box (I gave this to DS for Christmas and eventually put it in the bank in May. He's a proper miser saver)
DD will hotfoot it to Primark with her £50

We're having a Family Day out.
She hankers after a NorthFace gilet (that's a maybe depending on price but it'll be for winter).

Oh, and I'm taking her out to a naice hairdresser to have her hair cut/layered for the transition from Junior-Secondary.

Oh yes! I know all about the looks from dh when I talk about Christmas. He knows by now that I don't care and I just carry on talking . Would it be totally sad if I booked the 25th July off work so I can watch and buy lots of stuff QVC Christmas in July?

What does elf sweat actually smell like? Nice and Christmassy, fir trees and snow, or actually sweaty and hard worky?!

Planning your menu this far out is only sensible - that way you can gather all recipes, do trial runs to see which recipe is nicest for your family (Jamie's might have too many hazelnuts, Nigella might not have any nuts, while Darina might recommend cashew nuts in the brussels sprouts!!) and also have all the necessary ingredients in your master grocery list to have ahead of time (and not panic at 5.57pm on Christmas Eve that a vital ingredient is NOT IN THE HOUSE!!). Organisation takes the stress out!!

DH allows me to talk about Christmas all year, but only tunes in after October. But he also has started to recognise that we do need to plan ahead for lots of reasons, so accepts me doing it (albeit occasionally with ) once I accept not getting input until he's good and ready (when I have it all planned and arranged anyway to suit me ).

50Shades
have a look at the QVC website (if you put Christmas In July into the search about a week or so before the 25th July it will give you some the the featured items)

I'll be off work because the DC will be on their Summer holidays .
Over the past few years I've noticed the C in J has sort of dwindled off. They used to have a lot of Mr Christmas, Lindy Bowman and Yankee Candles.
Now it seems to be a load of the clearance tat products re-branded Christmas in July.

Hopefully they'll up the ante this year .

Last year I bought a Bethlehem Lights Wreath for the front door which was lovely.

Thanks for the scent replies. I can't say I expected Elf Sweat to feature so heavily... :o

The seller has Elf Sweat down as "A bubbly, magical blend of candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup, with effervescent spicy soda pop bubbles to provide a unique, magical top note." :)

195

I used to buy bottles of burner oil years ago (trying to rack my brains where I bought it) in tiny blue dropper bottles.
We had a burner with a candle in the bottom.The 'saucer' held some water and a few drops of oil. We liked cinnamon and either orange or clementine. Really Christmas smells

Probably similar on Ebay (I might have a peruse later) .You could easily drop the oil onto porous surfaces and it would smell lovely when it's warm.

194

I had a lot of essential oils growing up as my mum is a bit obsessed! I hardly ever buy my own. Clementine is a good idea - might even be able to get it in Boots :)

I had some DD-free shopping today so wafted round her beloved Primark picking up clothes for her.

No point buying her Christmas presents too early she grows like a weed and changes her mind more often than she changes clothes

193

Just checking in! 193 long days to go but on the bright side its my birthday next week! and the sales are starting to appear which means I get to buy some bargains for xmas so not all bad!

192 :)

(although for me it is Minion Day as I'm off to the O2 to see Despicable Me 2 :o)

Come back and tell us what it was like. I watched the first Despicable Me yesterday (on TV) I'd forgotten what a good film it was.

DH and DS (13) went to see Superman (Man of Steel in 3D) yesterday.
They said is was "okay" .

It was amazing :o the cinema was full of laughter!