so its only....

[RabidCarrot]

364 days till Christmas

Hi!! You got me all excited now - nervous too though...

I searched Christmas for ideas to make this year special. Not only will this year be the first year we can't travel back to the home town to be with family, last year was a bit of a downer. It was the first year my DD (only child) was certain that Santa was actually me and OH :/ Not only that but we spent it with two baby's who got all the attention, their Mothers who were having their own hardships, AND she was really Poorly. She spent most of the time on the sofa with a pillow and blanket. (very unusual behaviour for my DD)

AND SO... I am here, looking for treads on, christmas with preteens, christmas organisation, how to start new traditions and how to make christmas christmassy!

Please can some1 post a link to the Organised Christmas site, I had no luck with Google.

XX merry christmas Thanks xx

128

Apprentice - here you go

Cor, I had a quickie look at the "Holiday Grand Plan" buzz.
It looks like hard work intense.

I'll have a look properly and take some of the bits that I'd do. It helps that I have about half the number of rooms that they list on there

It does look like a lot of work 70s! But I'm hoping it will keep me motivated and busy in the big run up. Although I will probably forget about after a fortnight

The Christmas board has been so busy, hooray! I need to ask am I the only person who doesn't do stockings? My dcs get a Santa sack of presents plus their main gift - what does everyone else do?

Definitely stockings.
We do a small stocking at the foot of the bed, and say it is from the elves.
Santa leaves four gifts under the tree (want, need, wear, read). The stocking is just a few little things to open, many of which he'd get anyway (pants and socks for the year, bubble bath, a little book, colouring sets etc) and the rest won't cost much.
We also get him a gift or two - Santa can't be getting all the glory! Again, it is something I think many parents would get a child over the course of the year, e.g. a trampoline.

We're hoping to move house before Xmas, so I'm not doing any of is deep-cleaning palaver excuses excuses, who am I kidding, I am a slattern anyway. If we do manage to move in time, I am looking forward to a thorough clean that will last until we move again.

We do Christmas Eve Hamper (I used to do the New PJs years before but it evolved into the hamper)

Christmas Eve Stockings since the DC got a bit older (mainly because their present pile looks feeble)

Christmas Day presents.

It seems an excess but it spreads it out and stops it being a mad present fest.
The CEH is a few fun things (PJ, sweets, hot chocolate to calm them down)

The Stocking gifts are small usefull or fun things (well wrapped up) to give them something to open in the dark.(And some early chocolate)

The main presents might be an X-Box game, watch, DS got a £50 note, DD wants a £50 Primark voucher. So the pile is very small but ££.

Have you noticed if you go into "TALK" then "FUN and GAMES" that "CHRISTMAS" isn;t in the more bit. It's in the list

127

I'm irrationally that there will be a Lakeland Limited at Lakeside (Thurrock) .
I have to go the Bluewater (£2 each way across the riiver) or Westfields Stratford City (and I don't drive there so have to carry it back by train)

Lakeland is a source of great Christmas cheer for me.

126

Thanks for replies about stockings. We do a Santa sack for christmas morning with all the toys plus the big present. I do the Christmas Eve hamper too, but I only put in stuff they actually need e.g pjs, toothbrush, bubble bath.

70s - I feel deprived as I've never heard of Lakeland, we have very limited shops up here.

My DH picked up another present for his dad yesterday, football shop was selling cheap DVDs and t-shirts so that will do for him. DH is finally getting into my christmas thinking!

Nor where I've ever lived, buzz, but they are online. I love Lakeland, never actually been to a store though.

Who-hoo, started my christmas shopping today, nothing full price AND got winter coats for dc.

Debenhams have a good sale on at the moment.

I've taken DD to a few different galleries this summer and I'm quite tempted to get a few presents from the national gallery store! I'm getting my 2014 diary from the Tate shop tomorrow :o

125

124

oh yes 124 days bring it on!!!

123

What an emotional week! My pfb dd started primary 1 on Thursday, she was excited and happy to go - but I cried all the way home ;(

On a Christmas front we have decided to have the big day at home and invite in laws over. It will easier for dcs to stay in house with their new toys.

Aww buzz! Bless you. We went to buy uniform yesterday. I felt a bit emotional realising that DS needed age 3-4 trousers because he is still really little (which has really surprised me - he was nearly 12lb at birth and for at least the first 2yrs was pretty tall for his age) :( but he's really excited about his uniform so that's good. Just need to get blue polo shirts now (DD has white, it'll be easier to not mix them up if they are different!) and then sew the damn labels in.

Xmas at home sounds good. I think it can sometimes be frustrating if DCs open their pressies and then have to leave them at home to go visiting. My mum was saying she could possibly have us over on the big day, and I know she really loves hosting in her lovely new flat, but I think I'd find it too stressful - the DCs go mad in the space (and slippy floor in the living room!) and I get antsy because mum has very precious dolls (she and my dad used to make them, they sell for around £3-400 and some are on display. So I think I'll persuade them that they should still come to us as at least if the DCs disappear upstairs I know they are safely playing.

They never really participated in Xmas stuff though. This was, though I never told them, the main reason I really wanted to have Xmas on our own for the last 5 years. I hated Xmas as a kid, I was the only child in the family and it was just so... unfestive. But I hope things will change now, the DCs are old enough to play games as a family so I will hint that if they come over then we will be playing games and could they please join in!

122

4 months today and it will be Christmas Day I told dh this, very excitedly and got this reaction!

121

121

I've been awol (massive stresses at home and work, which resulted in me flattened by strep throat for a week, and forgetting login details at home - back at work today even though should still be in bed).

I haven't done much recently, although the new au pair arrived on Saturday and, while we haven't talked fully, it was brought up. (We have a bed for her in the house we're renting). I texted my siblings last weekend about the KK draw, but we are still discussing it all (we are thinking about including spouses this year, and perhaps non-spouses that are fiance(e)s or significant others). One DSis decided it was a good idea to push for a bed (or couch) in the house we're renting in case other DSis comes with her family. (DSis wanting space with us lives AT HOME and has no concept of us needing personal space - we have no intention of letting others stay as I really need some space and downtime this year and haven't got it, the DSis who wants space is the one who always wants us to play "happy families" and chase around after everyone else, and does a lot of grumbling too, is the night owl who won't rise in the mornings, and I DO NOT WANT HER THERE!!!!!). She's also already told DMum that "we can use the kitchen in BiddyPop's house as well as the one here to prepare the food for your 40th Anniversary party", before even talking to us about it!! Boundaries, eh?!

Sorry, rant over. (I think).

I must check the train website today, to see if tickets are released yet. And look at my lists, but otherwise, quiet week this week on Christmas preps. (Enough other "real life" dramas to deal with!).

Biddy families are a nighrmare, they don't seem to get boundaries at all! If your sister mentions it again just ignore or pretend you don't know what she's talking about.

I was in Cardland on Saturday and they have Christmas cards out!! I love Christmas but it's only August!

120

I've updated my present list and budget sheet. Not got a lot more done, but I have been planning on stocking food cupboards over the next month as I have a load of vouchers for a few supermarkets (spend £x and get £Y off) - so I will include a good few stores items in that and possibly a couple of treats to put away until Christmas.