Please tell me what you're doing today/tonight - Xmas Eve

[200Cigarettes]

• We have a friend with er baby dropping by for a cup of tea and mince pie
• then the church christingle service - we're not religious but thought it was be nice for toddler. Then home to watch Shrek : Donkeys Xmas carols while I make dinner. Before bed leave out a mince pie and carot for santa and Rudolph.

Once kids are in bed :

• dh and I will have a nice dinner (warm green salad with prawns and smoked salmon and fries)
• watch a Xmas film
• get all the presents laid out in the living room for dc

After a horrible year I'm really looking forward to a nice Xmas.

Sounds lovely.

I'm sleeping.

Then working again.

I really don't want to miss the crib service so might wake up and go to that in the middle.

And we still do the mince pie, carrot and ridiculous creeping around with stockings whispering, even though the Ds are 15 and 17

Taking FiL and teenage DC to a castle for Christmas lunch, then afternoon spent looking round said castle.

Wrap presents. Glass of wine.

Your plans sound lovely, 200

Kids are working on a massive lego project so am going to watch some tv and prepare supper. We are going to Cambodia on Friday and taking a suitcase full of stuff to an orphanage so need to get that packed this afternoon too.
Have bought carrots for reindeer and there is cake for Santa so we are good to go.

Finish the decorating. Yes, the decorating I started at the beginning of December.

Apparently it just isn't christmas without paper chains and snowflakes.

Stress about the fact that there are no trains running until mid morning at least, so might not actually get our Christmas guests here at all.

Someone has to find a quiet shop, in which to buy a roll of Sellotape, as we have run out. The same someone has to try and remember whatever vital thing we have forgotten this year, and buy that too.

Clean the bathroom, and spare room. And fix the leaking window frames, which nearly destroyed a load of presents stacked underneath last night.

I don't think we will be having lunch or dinner at all, but we will be at hr church for the family service this evening.

This is not the plan I had in my head all year

Blood tests this morning for me

Mooch around the shops with family for a few last minute nibbles

Dinner out with dh, three boys, my mum and step dad and mil at 3pm

Then home to bath the boys n do the elf Christmas Eve presents (pjs)

Watch a Christmas film and put out mince pie etc

Then try to find room for the boys presents.

Been awake since 4;50am so I expect by 2pm I will be a grumpy mare....

Toy and crib service this afternoon. DH always takes the dds but I'm always preparing food for my family visit in the evening and never get to go. This year I have cracked and cancelled the evening so I'm going with them. Then Christmas pjs, popcorn, hot Choc and film. First time we've done that and dd1 is beside herself with excitement.

Popping to shop in a minute to get last minute fresh bits, alcohol and random nibbles. Then dd1 and I are going to watch Frozen while dd2 naps and dh wraps his presents. Chill out this afternoon, possibly a bit of baking.
We will all get new pjs this evening, then mince pie out for fc, stockings on beds and girls to sleep. Once they're in bed I'll be building their big present, putting presents under the tree and probably watching a film with a big glass of wine and fc's mince pie!

Well....so far today I've laughed a lot, which is an improvement as have been in a rage for days for no apparent reason. DH has been demonstrating some exercises from the physio and I've had a bash at them whilst lying starkers in bed

Off to DMs later and then out for lunch with her. Then its operation 'clear up all the crap' ready for inlaws tomorrow. Then out for a couple of drinks with friends. Should be a nice day.

Work until lunchtime. Lunch with dh. Cinema.

I've picked up the few bits and pieces for lunch that I still needed. DH has wrapped the last of the presents. Spent the afternoon at our local pool we'd never been to before and had a swim and a sunbathe. Home now watching gremlins. Considering dropping in to see some friends this evening and home to watch die hard with some kahlua and nibbles tonight. All the better now because I finally found out I'm not being called in to work tomorrow!

Make some mince pies and pop them round to the neighbours to wish them a happy Christmas and then taking DD and DS to see Frozen at the cinema before dropping DD of at her Dads. Go home with DS and prepare for Father Christmas!

Go to work
Take dc swimming if we get sent home at lunchtime
DH is Daddy Day Care and needs to stay in for gas man, courier and Greengrocer with veg delivery.

OMG so glad I read this thread! Claudius "defrost turkey" reminded me to take out all the meat we need for tomorrow .

Take cats to cattery every year the same, we travel on Boxing Day to visit family for a few days and have to take cats to cattery every Christmas Eve because it is not open Boxing Day for drop offs.
Visit to tip, then pop into garage next door to look at cars if not blowing a gale.
Take Christmas cards around to neighbours the ones I had forgotten and had posted to me.
Hoovering through downstairs.
Praying that oven works ok tomorrow because it acted a bit funny last night .

Wrap the last few presents. Collect MIL as although she lives close she will stay with us for a few days. Install MIL into downstairs bedroom/ study. ( must clean the room)
Crib service this pm with DGS "I don't want to be a fine king this year . I don't want to be nothing " 3.3 years old. Dress DGD as angel ,she is only 16 months old and doesn't have an option yet. The service is fab the children can be any character they want (10 Marys one year ) adults as well. I am an awesome angel if I say so myself !
Home to fish pie for dinner - will make that this morning.
Oh and cook the turkey and ham ,lay the table and sort out drinks for tomorrow. There will be 10 of us ranging from the little one to MIL who is 90.
I love Christmas and it's MY BIRTHDAY tomorrow .

"And we still do the mince pie, carrot and ridiculous creeping around with stockings whispering, even though the Ds are 15 and 17"

I'm glad to hear it. Only yesterday DD (13) said we had to keep one mice pie back for Santa

Today I will be working until 1pm, calling in at the shop for milk on the way home, ironing, cooking dinner, preparing the veg for tomorrow, making sticky toffee puddings for tomorrow, then finally relaxing in front of the TV. I am paranoid about leaving stuff under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve so we take the presents down in the morning.

Oh and OH will be doing his share of the ironing and veg preparation as well.

DS1 is coming to stay for a few days so DH will go and pick him up (still on crutches so can't get here himself) DS2 and his family were meant to be coming over this afternoon for pizza and cheesey films but DGS is pretty poorly with a cold so they might not come :(

If they aren't coming I'll suggest DD goes with DH so I can have an hour to MN and drink sherry prep the vegetables for tomorrow

Get up in a minute and make pancakes for breakfast.
Make a pavlova for tomorrow.
Try and give blood this morning.
Smoked salmon for lunch.
Film and more present wrapping this afternoon
Pack Clothes for next few nights away
Jerk ham, baked pots, and cranberry pudding for dinner.
Kids into bed, stuff stockings, sleep!

Drink lemsip and watch christmas films. Got a stinking cold and heavy period. Bleh.

No trains this morning so dh has taken the car.

Dc know I'm poorly the sympathy has lasted 5 mins.

I may let them open some oresents early.

Thanks for the defrost reminder!

drive with dh with dh to work to get the car, then off to a little wintery show, back home to relax then a christingle i think, dh from work then maybe a carol service, take away

At the Moment kids and I slumped on the sofa eating breakfast. After that I need to tackle the washing up left lazily from last night.

Make the trifle (jelly part)
Prep veg
Put washing in drier and another load in washer
Clean out guinea pigs
Friend coming at 12 to give kids presents
Christingle service at 3
Grandparents at 6 for a Chinese
Home to lay out Santa sacks, mince pie, carrot etc.
Kids to bed
Dh and I fill sacks and bring new bikes in from the shed

Get up, strip beds, wash bedding.
Get dc washed and dressed ready to see their dad for a couple of hours.
Finish packing. DO NOT FORGET the cheese!
Travel to parents' house
Visit from friend
Walk
Wrap presents
Eat roast pork sandwiches
Watch elf, drink spiced cider
Get dc to bed
Do stockings

Kids are currently playing with lego while I drink tea, and dh has a lie in. This morning I am taking the kids to the village for a few last minute bits and to pick up the meat from the butchers.
This afternoon we are going to my parents to see them, and my brother and sister and partners. We all do pressies, have a nice buffet type meal together and the kids get spoiled rotten.
Leave in time to go to christingle service at local church at 6.
Home, Christmas Eve rituals done, bath, bed for kids.
My and dh can then drink wine and watch a film or something.

Making a gingerbread house and some mince pies with the DC.
Cooking a ham for tonight's buffet.
The DC are apparently going to be putting on a Christmas show (they play trumpet, piano an violin but at 11, 9 & 7 are still a bit screechy so it could be interesting).
Picking up the hampers from the deli that we have ordered for our parents' Christmas presents.
Carols by candlelight service.

But am currently still in bed listening to the wind and rain.