Countdown to 2016 - a whole extra day to wait.

[AbbyCadabby]

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[santa]

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128 My Christmas prep is coming along nicely. Will be even better when DD starts school

I'm now on operation holiday nick however when I arrive back I will be on operation Christmas prep!!

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Sainsburys have sent me a 1000 Bonus Nectar Points voucher "to turn your everyday shop into a Christmas to remember"

THAT'S my kind of supermarket.

Tesco have a display of the "tins" of Quality Street and Celebrations, so Christmas is definitely on the horizon!

Wanders in (I'm loading the dishwasher) and leaves a 126 here.

I have a 1963 Sixpence ( 'positively poached' from my DParents ) to go in the Christmas Pudding (that I made last year, so it'll be mouldy lush) now that we're all old enough not to swallow the 6d.

And a bunch of garden ornament keys (Bargain from B&M) to spray gold and decorate with ribbon.

Hi all I'm just waiting for my sons birthday to be done 10/9 then it's full on Christmas mode-starting late this year as we are also moving house in a few weeks.

I adore Christmas and can't wait for all the bargain threads to appear. I see a fair few of you are getting your presents sorted so will be stalking this thread with interest.

I've found my people!

I saw the M&S Christmas food 2016 selection the other day, and I think it's made my mind up that it's them and not Booths for me this year. I'm impatiently waiting to be able to order it now though!

I've no idea what to get the kids though. Some serious head scratching needed in between now and the day.

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I got a fair amount of tidying done on my 2 days at home last week. I also managed to clear up the back garden yesterday between showers so dead plants are gone, we had broad beans for lunch and I froze some peas and French beans.

And DH commuted with me this morning and voluntarily brought up DDs present ideas so we have agreed on Santa's big item and her birthday present.

I am sitting in the coffee shop updating my lists before going into the office (ugh) but progress is finally being made!

I'm on my phone though so will catch up on the news of my fellow Christmas nuts later

I'

70 was it you looking for non-Christmassy Christmas bedding?

This company popped up on my Pinterest feed earlier. I'm very tempted by the red plaid bedding and Christmas cushions.

Oooh nice one thank you woolly

I suggested red tartan to DH he was but I think I'll get the grey tartan (it'll go best with our room) then I can have carte blanche with the Christmas Fleece

My DC have fleeces that I bought when they were tiny, two with Father Christmas climbing down a chimney and one with a Teddy Bear.
Now they have double beds we use them on the sofa/armchair.

I'm taking DD shopping on Friday so I'll have a sneak peak into Costco, they might have some Christmas stuff out , usually not till mid Sept though.

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I need to do some thinking about DD's birthday party. We are in a rented cottage, there will be more than I expected (including more smallish children) and I don't really know what facilities there are until 23rd December at the earliest.

I can go to the nearest city on 24th, or decent big town which has a reasonable supermarket. I won't have any turkey or ham leftovers to use for definite (DM may give me some but I really cannot anticipate that).

I am trying to think ahead though of what would be useful to serve for a group of roughly 20-30, possibly on a rolling basis over an afternoon. The food, the drinks, and how to serve it. And what should I bring myself from home or plan on getting locally (other than DD's cake). But yet be able to relax and enjoy it, and also keep an eye to DD herself (not getting overwhelmed and spoiling it for herself and anyone around - she turns 11 but Aspergers/ADHD issues including around birthday cakes/candles). So there won't be ANY candles. And I don't care if DCousins are unhappy that they don't get to "share" blowing them out. and [baffled] combined (I know there is no emoticon for baffled!).

Although, I am definitely going to bring, along with the clothes and presents for the week, lots of crisps, some wine and beer, plastic serving bowls, paper plates, paper napkins etc....

I just need to think about an overall menu and party plan, then my lists of what to buy ahead and what I should be able to buy on 24th. I am starting to think I may pre-order a cake (even if it's M&S).

Biddy, I reckon you'd be best off getting an online supermarket delivery to your cottage the late afternoon / evening you arrive. At least if there are subs / things missing it's a minority of stuff that you need to sort out locally.

It sounds very busy. Is your whole family going?

Hi Horace, yes, that might work - if the local SM will travel that far (reasonably remote cottage) and I can get a slot. I just spent lunchour browsing Amazon as well for paper plates, plastic cups and disposable (type) serving bowls that I could purchase and hide away in a box to bring. I know I have icemaking bags (like a box of sandwich bags?!) at home too that I'll add to the self-catering box I keep (converts between SC and camping as needed - things like a sharp knife, corkscrew!!, bin bags, matches, washup brush, torches for camping or dishwasher tablets for SC - that kind of stuff).

I am having a sort-of "I don't want to face the reality of being back to work" few days, so doing back to school planning and Christmas planning combined as a way of putting my head in the sand. And also avoiding various Committee's/Groups which start up again with School term (I have paperwork to do for 1, and both paperwork and actual stuff to do for another). Summer can't possibly be over so fast.....

Ah, it will all be fine once I get my head around it all. And that DD turns 11 in 3 months and 3 days....I'm too young to have a child that old (remembers that I was considerably older than DM was having me, when I had DD, and she wasn't a spring chicken - maybe I am too old to have someone that young??!!)

And yes - both DH and my families - depending on who actually travels "down home" for Christmas, and what other demands there are on some of the Siblings from their own ILs!

So it might be just about 11-12 people, or up to 27. In a cottage that sleeps 5!

Maybe put the cottage postcode into all of the various supermarkets' websites to check if they deliver there. At least if you find out they don't, you know it's going to involve shopping (maybe there's a 24 hour supermarket you can get to on the night of 23rd; it sounds like you've enough potential babysitters to choose from!).

I'm very much a planner, so I know where you're coming from (I'm 8 years off having an 1- year old though, so no help with that!).

BiddyBop could you take or borrow a slow cooker? You could chuck everything in the night before for a bolognaise/chilli/stew etc and then serve with pasta, rice, mash etc. It will keep warm all day so easy to serve on a rolling basis and you wouldn't need to do anything so more time for your DD. A full slow cooker will serve 8 adults so you'd need more than one but many people have one lurking in the cupboard they would be happy to loan out!

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Thanks you guys, there are some good ideas there to work on.

DB has announced plans to come home for Christmas. I need to talk to DB2 and see what his plans are.

A definite feel of autumn in the air today.

I thought that too. The sun was really low as I drove to work and the windscreen was misted up a bit too. Definitely autumnal.

Autumn is my favourite season. :-)

Only sweltering hot sunshine here. Such a shame i have to work in it.

It's summer now...it's the time of year where you can have a few seasons a day!