so its only....

[RabidCarrot]

364 days till Christmas

Hello all, I'm in France and the summer sales have just started so I'm going to try and get some Xmas shopping done (can't tell anyone here as they'd think I was batshit crazy thinking about Xmas now). I bought all my decs in the sales just after Xmas and have forgotten just what I bought , I think there was a colour scheme).

There is a lot of summer fruit at the moment so I think I'll make some homemade jams as presents, is there anything else I could do with the fruit (cherries, raspberries, apricots, strawberries, plums etc.)?

I've got 4 presents for DD now ready for Christmas. I'm now starting to think about some stocking fillers and bits to put in the wooden advent calendar - always a challenge to find things small enough!

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176 its the first time I've posted the Christmas countdown, I'm quite excited!

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Peers round door
Tiptoes in

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Sneaks out again

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I started my shopping today. Sorted out my sisters and stepmum plus some bits for my boys. Felt so festive I considered making myself some mince pies for after tea but DP would take the piss so I decided against it.

I suppose I could make them and eat all the evidence...my dirty little mincy secret...

172- I've not started my Christmas shopping yet.

DS was when I suggested we look for his new school blazer tomorrow (because he won't be seen out with his mother and I need to grab the oppurtunity to try it on him)

"It's July" he protested "there's months to go"

You can see what I'm facing here

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Viking re the fruit- what about a Rumtopft ?
You layer fruit, alcohol (we used brandy) , some sugar , in an airtight container.
At the end of the maturing you have soaked fruit to eat and fruit liquor to bottle for cocktails?

Our Rumtopft Jar was used once and now lives life as a 1p/2p/5p jar

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169 into the hundred and sixties

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It's so quiet on here, we're enjoying the sunshine too much

I'm still on the Countdown buzzgirly - I sometimes get the the thread before everyone else but it's great to see so many people clicking on.

Keep the thread going Christmas Lovers

I'm gearing up for QVC Christmas in July (24th/25th) but I'm prepared that it might be a bit meh.
I'll be looking for decorations (I got a gorgeous Bethlehem Lights outdoor wreath last year)
Yankee Candles
Lindy Bowman wrapping

On the 24th I may launch a Christmas Traditions Thread (why not start early)

Even with the sunshine I was thinking about Christmas presents today. I must admit that I started buying a fortnight ago. Granted, my excuse for that is that it was something I'd planned on buying my brother for Christmas last year but by the time I got back to the shop they were sold out.

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45° here, difficult to think about Christmas!

70 I'm looking forward to Christmas in July too. It's my first one . I've been trying to decide what colour's to use on the christmas tree so I'm hoping to buy some lovely decorations.

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70s - I love the Christmas tradition threads! I always steal people's ideas, if it hasn't been for mumsnet I would never have heard of Elf on the Shelf and now it's the highlight of year!!!

Do I remember someone saying in here that a channel on sky does christmas in July? And puts on Christmas films?

Oh no hiberno, what was it you were planning on buying for your brother?

I hate it when you miss out on something. Most recently I missed out on a set of Wreck it Ralph figures from the Disney store - they were good value and I decided they'd be good for DD's birthday or her stocking at Xmas. But then the local Disney store closed and when I looked online, it turns out they'd only been available for a really short time (quite unusual for their figure sets). You can get them on amazon but for about £40! I'm going to hold out in case they do bring them back at Xmas.

Anyway, I am getting more proactive when it comes to snapping things up now - that's why we already have the playmobil pyramid after an MNer said it was no longer being made! We may not even give it to them this Xmas as it'll keep perfectly well in the cupboard.

I am really looking forward to the traditions thread. 'Tis a tradition in itself :o I have nicked pretty much all ours from them. I know some people have been a bit scornful of the threads and said people should just take what they want from their childhood xmases and see what develops naturally. But it's not always that simple is it? If you had rubbish childhood xmases, for whatever reason, you might have literally nothing to go on (well apart from knowing what NOT to do!) and having inspiration from people who know what they're doing is invaluable.

I'm not really sure how this Xmas is going to work though. I think I mentioned unthread that my nan was unwell (cancer) and that plans may have to change (my parents used to stay with her on the 25th as she wasn't up to the journey here, and we would see them on another nearby day) if she was no longer around. Well, she died on Thursday :( :( I think we will go back to spending it with my parents. DH is happy for me to decide anyway. Maybe we will stay with my mum as her new flat is huge. Thankfully although my parents are technically separated now they still get on really well so it won't be awkward. Anyway, I just want to do something different this year, although no matter what we do it will still be sad.

Sorry I have really waffled on there haven't I

Sorry to hear that fuzz, hope you're ok

Maybe your mum could come to your house? I'm sure you'll get it sorted x

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thanks buzz

My dd was asking about Jimmy the Elf (our elf on the shelf) earlier today - she has caught the Christmas bug!!

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