General Christmas preparation chat thread

[TheOnlySeven]

Is anyone interested in a thread just for chatting about Christmas preparations and getting organised for Christmas?

Ha, I can contribute as I am fantastically organised for a change :o
Today I made my wreath for the door and also a ring thing to put a candle in for the dining table.
Most presents bought, those that aren't are in my shopping baskets waiting for suitable discounts to crop up. Started writing cards and have wrapping paper ready to go.
Christmas tree ordered today, Waitrose order partly done but just needs tweaking (and for me to remove the £50 worth of wine I added to get my slot :o)
I am scarily organised, I barely know myself :o

Hi, do you prefer to be shortened to crotch or stitch?

I'm trying to be organised but would like to be more ahead. I've almost finished shopping, just need to buy for my dad plus a box to put dressing up clothes in for DD1, wrapping is about half done. I made Christmas puddings yesterday, I still need to marzipan and ice the cake though. I've ordered the turkey, will book a tesco slot when they're available this week.

I'm seriously impressed and slightly envious at making your own wreath.

I am normally crotch :o
Homemade wreaths are easy to make if you fancy a go (this from a woman with minimal crafting ability)
Your local florist will probably sell the metal hoops for a couple of quid. Get moss (either florists or gather it yourself. This year there was hardly any to be found in my usual haunts) or spruce and bind it to the hoop with florists wire. Put on far more than you would expect to need so it does not look bare and patchy. Then use more wire to tie on your decorations. This year we have spent shotgun cartridges, pheasant tail feathers and pine cones :o
Finally tie a ribbon to the top of the hoop.
It's fantastic to see it hanging on our cottage door, not as polished and perfect as those from the florist but it's very personal to us and DH is seriously impressed :o

I am 3/4 of the way through the wrapping. Although I ran out of homemade tags for ds's presents so I need to make Hama bead Christmas trees again to stick onto the tags.

Then I need to find the decorations and get them up. No food prep here as we are going to sil's.

I do have ds2s 1st birthday before Christmas though so trying to be organised.

I have done nothing other than put chocolate santos in my shopping trolley. Not bought a present, made a liste, done a meal plan nothing.

Plan to have a Christmas chat with DH tonight, then get going next week.

Hello due to an over excited four year old the mantle is done -at 8 30 thismorning!- and the Christmas cushions are out. He wanted the full nativity out too but we compromised and he has the stable and animals. I have also hung my home made banner. Me and ds1 -4- have also made the Christmas cards and mincemeat. So I have sausage rolls and mince pies to make, cards to write and presents to wrap. The tree and the rest of the nativity will also come out at some point. Oh and a non boozy fruit cake for my children - my mums makes you drunk!

mrspear that sounds like an excellent fruit cake!

I'm hoping to get most of the remaining wrapping done tonight whilst DH is at work if DD2 cooperates!

We're putting the tree up on Tuesday.

I have gingerbread stuffing, sausagemeat stuffing, bread sauce, cranberry sauce and butternut squash gratin in the freezer, ready to defrost on christmas eve. The goose is in there too (I'm being a skinflint this year and got the Aldi one), I'm going to take it out on the 22nd and defrost it in brine.

I have my meal plan done for the month, and shopping lists made (though we'll pick up extra bits as we go along depending on what looks nice). I've the table decorations planned and shopped for, except crackers.

I have time booked off work to clean and put up the decorations on the 12th and 13th.

I've all the presents bought (except a white chocolate orange from DH to me) and crocheted scarves for various people finished.

So all I have left to do is buy crackers and a chocolate orange, make marmalade, make out my cooking schedule for christmas dinner, and stuff my face with mince pies for a month. I think I can do that [tchgrin]
(that's my first ever christmas smiley!)

Oh, and I've to marzipan and ice three christmas cakes. And something else that I just remembered and immediately forgot.

Actually I think I need to go and consult my to-do list.

catlady that's a shame, I was about to hand you an award for being the most organised person here.

I need a Christmas to-do list, it's too easy to just sit down and watch TV when the DCs have gone to bed. I'll probably terrify myself with how much I have left to do and be busy every night from now until Christmas!

Haaah!
DH and I just popped to the pub for a lunchtime drink and I overheard someone saying "we just passed a house with a wreath on the door and it had gun cartridges on it" followed by a scandalised face.
I nearly did a little skip of joy [tchgrin]

You didn't own up to it then?! [tchgrin]

Watching with interest as I feel very organised but know there's alot left to do.

have all shopping done, made a start on the meal plan. Will write cards tomorrow and post them on Tues, only send to about 7 people so not a huge task.

will scrub the house this week and do a bit of a declutter, ready for the decorations on Saturday.

want to start making some food in advance too, so might start with cranberry sauce. Was reading on good food earlier about peeling and par boiling veg for the freezer too so will look into that!

[tchsmile]

3 quarters of presents are bought

Stocking fillers are wrapped

We have a tree but it is nakid

Kids have cards which we will start this week (they are only little so it may take a while)

Need to buy rest of presents, decorate tree and bit grown up cards plus more wrapping paper as thinking about it three rolls is never gonna do it!

God yes baker, it took me a couple years to work out that if DS was to write all his cards himself we should start halfway through November early in December.
I well remember the stress of little ones Christmas cards :o

And no santa I maintained a lofty silence :o

I didn't get as much wrapping done as I hoped last night . I did make an orange pomander though which smells amazing, plus ordered Christmas present sacks for the DCs.

Ok.
Christmas tree up and decorated ( DD insisted)
Wreaths on the doors.
Little decorations around the house, plenty of candles.

Nearly done with Cristmas cards.
All christmas presents wrapped, got the St Nicholas ones to do still. Have arranged meeting people for gift exchanging.

Presents for December birthdays bought, yet to wrap or write cards.

Menu planned and everything bought bar the vegetables. I remembered to buy an extra pint of milk for the freezer so we don't run out on boxing day, again!!!

Time out booked for cookies and mince pies baking.

Table cloth washed and ready to be ironed along with place mats, I am yet to buy some white candles to make a centrepiece with DD. I also would like to use a little box with a tiny present in for place tags, that's another crafty little thing to do with DD.

Thought of several outfits for various functions we're attending.

Booked hairdresser and mani and pedicure.

Still got the secret santa to get (waiting to see who I've got) and a frame for a piece of art I bought.

And still thinking about 3 random acts of kindness.