Countdown to Christmas 2017

[SideOrderofSprouts]

365 to go

Happy new year!

358

I think I'm going to join you all this year was a bust im sick as a dog and have been for weeks we did our best but still it was a very flat Christmas day

Mind if I join in? I can't believe it was only a week ago it was Christmas day! Seems a lot longer. Went by in a flash. I only have my tree left up for now.
Happy new year everyone!

Happy new year!
Hope you all have a wonderful 2017 and of
Course happy planning

Mummy we did the house as well as the grounds of WM, this was the third year iwe've done it - you have to be quick as the tickets sell like mad , and you have to book the kids tickets too. We are NT members so it cost us nothing but as we are so close its worth it as we go regularly.

The manor closed on 23rd December last year (2016!!) and re-opened on 27th December, so I would guess that it would be similar this year.

I will definitely be keeping my eye on the release date for tickets so I'll keep you posted.

We live quite close too and are also national trust memebers. We've been other years but couldn't book this year. I thought I'd looked early enough but apparently not. It's so lovely at Christmas :-) hopefully I'll be quicker this year and get some tickets! 2014 and 2015 we managed and I don't remember doing it very early. Glad you managed to go and enjoyed it :-)

Hello all and Happy New Year!
I am feeling pleased because I have been complimented on my festive mantelpiece today.

357

Mummy we will have to meet up for a coffee!

Happy New Year everyone (its still fairly new )

I'm at my DParents for NY, we went out for a meal on NYE , I cooked on NYD (DBro and DSiL were here)

I brought the Christmas Pudding that I didn't use (I made two last year) steamed it for however many hours, it was delish .

Always a jolt to see the number at 350+ , all the counting down till the single figures then puff its over............till next year

Happy New Year countdowners old and new!

I am also at my parents with the DCs for new year - we go home tomorrow and then back to school/work from Wednesday. It's also DD's birthday this week so all go!

We had a lovely 4 day trip to Disneyland Paris in between Christmas and New Year. Flipping cold it was though. Very pretty lights but it even satisfied my Christmassyness to be honest and I will be quite glad to get the decorations down tomorrow and sort out all the presents into new homes!

We did bugger all after travelling back from Glasgow on NYE. I fell asleep just before midnight, so failed to see the new year in! 😂

We took the tree down yesterday and gave the place a good clean (plus did 4 loads of washing). We are going to have a cull of toys tonight when the kids are in bed (Sherlock got in the way last night) so we gave room for the new stuff. I've also ordered more Really Useful storage to keep our vast array of jigsaws / wooden puzzles in as they get everywhere and I hate clutter.

Finally, I've joined a gym in Glasgow and will go on the cross trainer before work on 3 days a week to shed the Christmas weight! I also need to stop drinking the free wine on the train home from Glasgow every week. It's doing nothing for the weight situation! I need to not eat so much this Christmas. We shall see! 😂

Anyone have any idea how to store the Christmas tree lights in the loft to stop the loft fairies from tangling them up?
I've taken the decorations down today and the house is looking bare and very un-Christmassy!
Looking forward to next Christmas already!!

We wrap our lights along a roll of wrapping paper to stop tangles

356

Bought a few bits in Tesco yesterday, something for my sister and MIL for next year. Starting to take the decorations down this evening and then the house will be back to normal and I will actually have space to think!

I am rejigging the budget for this year, my family is bigger but we spend less on them over all than DPs family, and as I do all the buying wrapping and elfing I don't think this is fair at all!

I am thinking of dialing back my hampers, just doing the exact same for each one rather than tailoring them as doing 13 individual hampers almost killed me this year! Next year - 2 sweet preserves, 2 savory preserves, 2 infused boozes, 2 nuts, 2 crackers and 2 fudges. I know I won't keep to it but ah well! People loved the cookbook I wrote so I will 100% be doing that again this year, but I will keep on top of it so I am not ordering them at the last second in December - I will try and do one or two recipes a month rather than 12 in 3 days!

Morning everyone.
DC went back to school this morning and now it's far too quiet. Starting to feel as though the christmassy atmosphere is slipping away, but I am determined to cling on so have decided to keep the decorations up for another week. Also I am going to shop the sales tomorrow see if there is anything left to scavenge.
We wrap our lights around a coat hanger if that's of any use to anyone.

all the counting down till the single figures then puff its over

I know, it went so fast this year. I was only saying in October that it was coming to fast!
Took my tree down today, that's the last of the decorations down. Not packed away yet though as ordered a tree storage bag last week and it hasn't turned up as of yet.
So glad to come on here and see a Christmas topic still active. It wasn't even two weeks ago, but feels like longer!

AeroFloss Is that all the decorations or just the tree? I bet the kids love it anyway.

I went into work this morning and all the decs were put away.
i have taken ornaments down but tree will stay til fri.
went to the sales yesterday but really didn't see much at all. Maybe just me but seems quite poor this year.

I do just love the fact there are so many of us here now for the yearly countdown ❤️

I'm lurking here too, missing the bargain threads terribly.

354

When did the bargain threads start last year? I am sure I saw some in January, this is the best time of year to get stocking stuffers as they are all pennies I bought some micro candy canes yesterday in JL knocked way down, I'm going to pair them with some home made marshmallows and fancy hot choccy and nice mug for DP's sister next year.

FIL brought the ladders over yesterday so DP will be sent to the loft tonight to bring down the boxes and I will start taking some decs down tonight.

What's the eat by date on the candy canes?

If Aldi has any Christmas puddings this week I'll buy a couple. They are best before may 2018 and nice enough. Even if I did nearly lose my eyebrows when I poured half a mug of flaming brandy on it. In front of my three year old. My mum had to hold him in a bear grip. How they laughed at me!

Mummy the sale sticker obscured the date so I couldn't check till I got home and even then I damaged it plus it was only best before! But after a quick google it seems that Candy Canes have a shelf life of 2-3 years! So I think they should be fine, plus it is only sugar and flavorings, not really one for sell by dates, I'll eat one before I pack them up next year and if they are soft I'll just tun them to peppermint bark.

Our Xmas pud was dated 2014 this year tasted fine, no-one died also from Aldi!!! My Dad likes to say they just put dates on to cover their own backs!

True it is just sugar. I have no idea how old the sugar in my kitchen is, it's in jars and some has been on the go years!