So.....................how many days now until Christmas 2014?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

We need a new thread to continue the very successful countdowns of 2013 and 2012.

And before anyone does the face (or face ) take a look at some of the 'Panic Threads' at the end of December when people were "Twitching" and stressing.

Organisation is key.

(I just need to find somewhere that'll work out how many days it is )

not The Christmas Dream 50shades

Dum Dum Duuuuumm

I have that, no decorations, no presents, no little traditions

Trying to Christmas everything up with ivy from the garden
And having to wait a whole year before you can try again.

'Tis a relief to wake up

70 I do remember that I was really angry because I'd have to wait a whole year till next Christmas

215 - don't let your dream brain tell you otherwise.

(If I have The Dream tonight, my logical Spock like side will be screaming "No, there are 215 days I tell you "

214

213

LOL

211

Due to being off work ill, I spent yesterday looking through old Christmas threads getting loads of good ideas for presents and activities. Exciting although DH thinks I'm mad!

I really want to make a garland for my staircase this year. Last year I used green tinsel and it looked a bit shit, what is best to use? And where can I get a garland?

lost I got loads of those long garlands (like fake Christmas Tree but 6' long and wired so you can put decorations on and secure them ) .
We loop them round the bannister (takes a while but the effect is lovely) IIRC we started doing this when DS was tiny as we couldn't risk a tree.

I need to get more this year (had to throw some of the scruffy ones out )

Those "Christmas Shops" that spring up in shopping centres are the ideal place. (We have them at Lakeside/Bluewater, so any big shopping mall will do)

(I'm looking at Pinterest Hallowe'en and planning )

I've got these earlier in the year and they are FAB! I 'm shopping/collecting for decorations for them now.

www.cheaper-online.co.uk/catalog/product/view/id/22134/?___store=col_ebay

Out of stock at the moment though.

Oh, hello Christmas thread, you cheeky thing you

After much success with making a Christmas wreath for my front door, I made one for spring- the house looked so sadly empty after all the decs came down.

The garland on the bannister sounds lovely, I may be doing that this year... although DS will be, just, three, I think he still needs a bannister he can hold on to. Fiddlesticks.

I have been stocking up on little craft kits and Spiderman pyjamas and Disney puzzles and the like from Lidl/Aldi all year, they have some brilliant stuff for littlies.

Once again, we plan to have Christmas Day lunch at home, just the three of us. Then entertain on another day. Like a pp ^^ I want to watch DS unwrap his presents, not be in the kitchen necking cava cursing over crappy roast potatoes.

DS's birthday is early December, then the Shitting Log (Caga Tio, google the Catalan delight!) on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day then Kings' Day 6th January. It's a real black hole of a month . 6th Jan presents wil be boring old clothes and school stationery and the like.

I found in the back of he fridge yesterday, a half-eaten block of marzipan it's no longer there, I ate it "threw it away, DH, honest" And we've just finished the cranberry sauce!

I'm not bothering to make a Christmas cake this year - shock horror! I'm the only one who eats it and I get incredibly fat! Any suggestions what to make instead? My DM did make Christmas pudding ice cream one year...

I don't bother with Christmas cakes either as I'm the only one who eats it, so instead this year I'm making that Christmas Cookie tree.

It's just several star shaped shortbread in various sizes, stacked to make a christmas tree. I might even make little mini versions for Christmas eve.

Oh yes, I make cookies to hang, too. I have the woodland creature cutters from Ikea: deer/moose, squirrel, hedgehog, bear, snail etc, I bake them with a hole in their head, decorate then hang up with ribbon. Make good last-minute gifts, too.

There's a recipe on the Lakeland Limited website for the Vanilla Cookies to use with the star cut outs
(I was too mean late to buy the proper cutters so I used stars . It works well, but their cutters aren't as pointy so they work better)

elQuinto - hedgehog biscuits and you punch a hole in their heads.
How could you

Clutches hedgehogs.

Oooh, thanks 70

I'll have a look at that.

210

Oh yes, 70 I punch a hole in ALL THEIR HEADS bwa ha ha! with a metal skewer

El

Use a straw to poke out the holes, they look neater. Just cut off the bit of the straw that has the cookie dough in it beofre you cut out the next hole.

ooh that's a great tip Smiles

209

209 my PC seems to be a couple of minutes fast (I bet my blinking DH set it fast, he always has his watch 5 minutes ahead )

I might put my Christmas jumper on... am bloody freezing.

I could just stick the heating on I guess!

Right..

Stockings - made
Stocking fillers - bought
Mince meat - frementing as we speak
Lists made (as much as they can be)
List for the big presents made
Menu planned
shopping list done
recipies found, printed and filed.
Decorations bought (just the garland for the stairs to finish)
Net lights (still haven't done that)
Switches still need to be put on the lights but I'll do that nearer the time

Just need to start buying the big things and putting them away and practice the baking stuff (I'm not a good baker so I need to get it right and gain confidence - honest!)

OMG..still got 6 months to go...at least I can decorate and not stress about the two clashing.

We're making some little chocolate houses at the moment (practice for DD birthday not practicing for Christmas, ohhh no )

208

I need to get loads of birthday presents in June (myself included) so it's busy too early to buy Christmas presents for DD