so its only....

[RabidCarrot]

364 days till Christmas

I very very nearly commented on the "You're talking about Christmas in JULY!! Bah Humbug" thread last night (bored on train but couldn't get logged in).

I am shattered after a long day travelling and listening intently to boring presentations and following the discussions. But today is another day of the same (well, not the travelling part, but long meetings that I need to make sense of). Coffee only slowly kicking in.

But I managed to get 10 minutes in a bookshop on my way back to the train, and found 2 lovely unusual books that I bought for DD's stocking (extracts from classic books for bedtime stories, and a lovely illustrated book about the history of New York city - she loves America).

I want to put a batch of mince meat mix together in the next few days, after I bottle the rhubarb vodka. I need the same container but I want to let both mature as long as possible. And as we'll have lots of family around this year, I need to have the ability to make plenty of mince pies to bring and to have them call.

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I did comment on that thread Biddy! What does it matter to people if we like planning christmas early? I want Christmas to be about celebrating the whole season rather than just one day. I don't think many people feel like that

Exactly Buzz, and not just feeling rushed off our feet but ENJOYING those celebrations ourselves, not just having made it as magical as possible for everyone else around us.

Although, this morning's research activity is about finding somewhere for a sneaky Friday night en route to PIL next weekend, for DH and I to take a night for ourselves!!

They have their threads about the hot weather and summer, something that I'm really not interested in and even dislike - I can't stand this hot weather we are having.

We have our Christmas threads, something that we all enjoy.

Personally, I love watching everyone rush around at the last minute, getting stressed, shouting at each other, the dirty looks at the queue jumpers, while I'm sat in Startbucks, reading a mag and people watching (very interesting time of year to do this) knowing that not only have I done all the gift shopping, it's all wrapped up and done at half the price the stressheads are doing it at. Smug? Yes, very and I don't care.

Indeed. Planning pays off. Don't want to end up feeling like Asda Mum...:o

Sorry, I got cross and caved. I think I may have ranted. Unintentionally.

Why would u come on the christmas thread and moan about people talking about christmas I love talking about and planning christmas. Ha! While they are all running around like idiots we will be enjoying ourselves and the lovely build up with our family. I love taking the kids 'Christmas shopping' when I have already bought and wrapped everything. There's no stress and we have a lovely time enjoying the lovely Christmassy atmosphere. I can't wait!

I was idly wafting through some of the old threads (I'm cleaning the pantry and DD is watching some CCTV programme with Paul Hollywood. . I TOTALLY get it now, the appeal of PH....)

By forward planning we avoid:
the crowds
the queues
the horrendous car-parking (though I do go to the car-park an hour before the shops open to get a space at Christmas )
the horrendous amount of money (ok you spend just as much if you start early, but not all at once)
avoid all the handwringing wailing that comes with leaving it all till the week before. (And the AIBU "I can't get an Easter Egg on Easter Saturday ." The shops have been selling since before Valentines Day. No sympathy)

AND THE TWITCH

Ah yes. The Twitch. :o

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trying to buy Summer Holiday clothes.
Much nicer buying cashmere jumpers and soft padded coats and boots for winter than shorts.

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Buzz I feel like that too. You're not alone!

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141!

140

One hundred and forty

That's 20 weeks in real money.

140 seems loads, 20 weeks seems like nothing

Aggghhh!! 20 weeks!! Fuzz, you're right, that does seem like nothing!!

But then again, there is a good hint of autumn in the air, so thinking that at this time in 20 weeks, I will have had a nice brekkie (of some sort - need to ponder that yet) and probably already done mass and be surrounded by relatives, torn paper and up to my elbows in potato peelings, sounds quite nice!!

Today's job is to print off the diary sheets and chore sheets for the holiday Grand Plan and fill those out with my personal plans. (Real cleaning part starts in 2 weeks but I'll get ahead on the outside stuff this week).

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It sounds much better when you say 20 weeks!!

Biddy - I'm going to do the same next week. I've started tidying the front garden and porch already.

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I bought my first Xmas present today for DS. Saw a Lego set on offer amazon and thought why not!

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In five weeks it'll be 100 days!

Captain, what Lego set did you get? I will probably get some more normal bricks and wheels/doors/windows for my 2, although I'm not doing much until after DS' 4th birthday this month. I am also considering getting the Lego Delorean for DH :o

Not a lot happening here - scaling paperwork mountain at work, no Santa train tickets to order yet (daily checks are ongoing), and desperately waiting for some peace and quiet next week with DD at sailing camp (I still have to drop, collect and do evenings, but I am off work all day long!!!).