Countdown to 2016 - a whole extra day to wait.

[AbbyCadabby]

366

[santa]

HairsprayBabe, I was always rubbish at the laws - I vaguely remember bits of the rest but only really remember #8: "A Guide Smiles and Sings under all difficulties". Poor you Lolly, strictness is not in my nature as a Cub leader (so the boys get away with murder! and then the girls cause mischief when I am not looking to get them in even more trouble!). (I had a gap of about 15 years between leaving University Scout and Guide Club, and the Venture Scout unit I was an assistant leader with, and getting back involved with Cubs last year - I thought I was too old to go camping again but have proved myself wrong on a few fronts now).

The current golden child in our house (youngest DSis) is having a wobble as DM was a bit mean to her on a holiday - she doesn't remember the rest of us getting such nastiness always and has always been "Mammy's Girl" since we all left home (and was always "Daddy's little smiler"). But while parts of Christmas have been good, there has always been an element of walking on eggshells so I can echo Ratbag's experience, and wanting to make it my own once I left. I make it a magical holiday here at home as many years as possible (and even when we do travel "down home", make plenty of my own magic in our rented accommodation so I can avoid as many eggshells as possible and have some enjoyment).

That, and finding a US forum of Christmas Nuts (self-acclaimed!), one of whom had a saying in her signature of wanting to live the Christmas spirit all year long (it was a little religious, but a mix of Christians, Jews and non-religious people so the religious element was something you could let wash over you and focus more on the festive part - whether that was secular, really religious, or using the Christmas message as a moral and ethos of how to treat people well and help others and be thankful for your blessings without actually making it particularly religious).

Paper, that is such a Christmassy GRIN !! DH has now resigned himself to me buying at least 1 decoration on holidays every year = although I still get the face regularly enough (and not even the !!)

QVC Christmas in July
25th July this year is a Monday (so I'll be at work) I usually book a day off if it falls on a work day but.......

the past few years they've extended CiJ from just the 25th to add a couple of late hours on the 24th.
Then they've done over the 2 whole days.
But last year, the 25th was basically a normal day with the odd festive throw in. It all seemed to be centred round the 24th.
They do bring a load of crap bargains from the Clearance section in.

They used to do loads of USA brands, and I love Lindy Bowman (bags and gift boxes) though last time I saw him, the irritating presenter didn't let him get a word in and was irritatingly OTT with their "Wooos" and "Whoahs"

So, I'll watch on the Sunday, browse online and get some nice things to kick start my Official Buying season.

The 25th June (halfway there) is my DD Birthday, so we have that to bankrupt us first .

I was a guide and a patrol leader.
One reason I love the summer holidays is that I really start my Christmas prep: starting flavoured vodkas, searching for presents and decluttering.

198

197

Hope it's alright if I join in! I'm loving summer yet feeling so festive, too, after reading this thread...

Welcome aboard mimsnet the more the merrier.
Embrace the feeling of zen-like calm around about the 14th December when people are panicking " OMG I have soooo much to do. I need to buy 47 presents including one that will take seven weeks from China, and have to wrap them, I haven't done my Waitrose order and we have no idea if everyone is coming to us or going to PIL "

And you can nod and smile .

Christmas Smilies are compulsary

(it's [ f grin ] no spaces

Ooooh thanks 70 I have despo to work out how to do Christmas Smilies!!!

Thanks 70, it certainly is bliss knowing (...hoping!) that everything's been sorted.

Only 46 presents this year and I'm going to try and book a good slot with Waitrose as early as possible

You may have noticed that I like that smiley muchly, so thank you for that

Has everyone decided thought about colour schemes for your tree(s) this year?

I'm getting a new tree this year. My kittens ruined last one. I think i will have blue, silver and white.

I use all glass baubles on the tree (mainly gold/silver/jewel colour but I have some black/silver too) Some of them date back from the early 1990s when we bought our house. (And every year we manage to break one)
I buy a box of the Costco glass baubles every year, really well made and great value.
I change the lights from time to time. I think "Now- bright white, soft white or golden"

I change the decor on the mantlepiece and the hall every year though.

My tree has been the same colours for the last few years (gold, Ivory and red) but I try to find one or two good quality baubles each year to add. The only exceptions are the DC's personalised baubles and the explosions in a glitter factory made in playgroup and infant school by the DCs. The dining room is purple and gold.

When we moved out a couple of years ago I came across a box of decorations that we bought the first Christmas after we got married. They are all red, gold and green and I don't use them as they don't match my colour scheme. I've put them away safely to share between the children when they set up home.

We have blue and silver or purple and silver on the dining room tree every year (you'll love it lolly) but I'm looking at something new for the living room tree this year. Yes to glass baubles though there is always one that's broken mysteriously. It wouldn't be Christmas without one lost bauble!

We started 13 years ago with a lovely tastefully done gold and red set of tinsel and baubles. We now have those, plus Disney ones, ones that dd has made, glass ones that I love and have added more and more and some tat ones that dd and DSS have picked. It's not quite as tasteful as it started.

I'm a bit like Ratbag - we started simply (not tastefully as it was a IR£5 bag of cheap red baubles and a roll of red/green tartan wired ribbon!). Since then though, we've made efforts to get tasteful, and unique, while also maintaining the "glitter explosion" and proud parent recognition of childish efforts on our tree. Lots of colours, very few things that match anything else, but lots of different things from all over the world and in all sorts of materials.

Maybe some year I will take the time to sort it all out and create a tasteful display again.....

196

Actually, Costco get their Christmas stock in really early, usually once the schools go back in Sept , they start sneaking it in (though it is "For the Holidays" because it's USA based)

So I have the excuse to start buying early there (because if you wait till December you'll be lucky to get a Panettone )

Shopping with my lovely DD for her birthday , she has a list longer than the M1 .

I have some surprises bought (mainly make up bits, some she has picked but I haven't let her see yet).
She usually has some of the festive M&S pants and some Primark PJs in her Christmas Eve Hamper.
IRL, she buys her underwear from Pink (what a monster I have created )

yay!
I done it thank you xxx

195

Night all.

im beaver scout leader so with 6-8 year olds i have to be organised

my love of christmas has always been there since i was a kid but has grown even more since having my 3¬

Joining! Yay!

[santagrin] does this work?

ho do i santa smile?!

It's [f grin] but no spaces between f and grin.

My DC know that my over excitement at Christmas stems from my childhood, my parents are very devout Christians but but DMum wasn't bothered by Christmas so never did anything special.
WE had Christmas presents of course but she didn't like cooking Christmas Dinner ( we used to have a family friend staying so either he cooked it and I helped, or I did it. This was when I was 10/12 yo)
She never did decorations, we did (sister/brother/myself)
She doesn't like putting them up or worse, putting them away.
Her attitude was "I wish it was Boxing Day. I wish I could go to sleep and wake up when it was all over".
Her "I can't be bothered" attitude made us all feel like we weren't worth the effort .

I was very of my friends at school who were taken out shopping with their Mums to buy Christmassy things.
And one was a rubbish cook (her words) but she still made efforts to buy or cook for the meal.

So, my DC and DH have benefitted/been forced to endure my Christmas. And when my family come to me for Christmas, I do the full table, full meal. DMum does enjoy it all, she just never liked doing it.

My teenage DS reckons he'll leave home at 18 (yeah right, we're in the SE , he'll be with me till he's 35) and only come to visit me for Christmas because it makes me happy

He's also cited Child Cruelty because I expect him to sit at the table to eat (actually he doesn't mind if there's a full table , he'll even eat a sprout)