Countdown to Christmas part 2

[SideOrderofSprouts]

Wow! Part two!!

8 months to go

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I can empathise re sleep a bit as our two have been annoyingly late to bed / early to rise this weekend. I was knackered by yesterday!

I ended up spending most of yesterday evening asleep as a catch up, as I had to be up at 5 today to head to Scotland.

DD2 was responsible for my poor sleep on Saturday. She woke me at 4am - ricocheting off the banister as she bumped drunkenly home from a night out they're no better as adults!

I was ridiculously pleased at church yesterday to discover that the new Mass books last until the end of the church year - the last Sunday before Advent starts. I'll be counting down week by week there too.

I was doing some hymn choosing with DM for mass over the next few weeks, she laughed when I suggested "O Little Town" she said I might be a little on the early side!

Starting to organise the works do now as well, I try and get it booked by August so we get somewhere decent!

Just skimmed the last page - hope anyone with sleep problems gets some soon. Being sleep deprived is not fun.
Last year I lost my Christmas mojo. I still enjoyed it, I was just not that into it. Well this week it's come back! I know it's a bit early but I'm sure it will last. I'm going to keep the mood going by going back through the threads posted in the Christmas section from last year in the run up.
Hope everyone is fine?

I watch any old rubbish if it's to do with Christmas. Was just watching the Christmas crafting on the craft channels. I don't even craft!

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I've been thinking a lot about the Christmas celebrations of other countries today and if maybe I should try and incorporate some into our own Christmas this year. Admittedly I have mainly considered food related traditions like the Italian Panettone and the German Stollen... so different types of cake really

But it did make me think that perhaps I was missing out on other traditions that could easily be added to our fairly normal family Christmas. After all the Christmas tree comes from Germany and Father Christmas originated in Turkey.

I am not particularly knowledgable about Christmas in other countries so would love to hear if anyone has already done this or have any ideas

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Another sad day 😢

Another the Germans have a tradition on 5th December, called Nikolaustag, where the children and adults too, in my house leave their shoes outside their doors, and when they wake up on 6th December they are filled with sweets! Or if you've been naughty, then you get twigs!

I lived there for a while, so I adopted this one with no regrets

Hope you're doing okay, Side

I'm ok. Have been watching the news about the tower block in london

It's awful isn't it! I just keep thinking those poor people, they will have lost everything because from the accounts I heard some of them barely had time to put their shoes on, never mind pick anything up! That would be my worst nightmare - so many irreplaceable memories!

I like the sound of Nikolaustag, and the DCs would love getting more sweets .

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Oooh! I love that idea! how cute, I would have put my over the knee boots outside the door for more sweeties!

I have to say it's one of the things I love about people in this country, when something awful happens they really rally round. I'm in Ayrshire and there is a local haulage company that's taking donations of clothes and toiletries down to London today. It's also something that we see a lot of at Christmas.

AnotherShirt I love the Icelandic tradition of giving books on Christmas Eve and then spending the evening at home reading. I'm hoping to do that this year.

Ooohhhh maybe 59 days is around bonfire night?

Bonfire Night is 50 days to go

17 September is 100

We'll be in double figures before we know it!

I can very close to buying my Christmas Day dress yesterday. A beautiful, festive green maxi dress with red embroidery. I was sorely tempted but I've gone down three dress sizes since Easter and I'm hoping to be down at least two more by Christmas so I held off! I can't stop thinking about it though, it really was a corker.

Bought a few turtle neck tops for DD in Primark yesterday, we have a 'thing' where she gets turtle necks and socks in various colours every year - it's become a bit of a standing joke. They were only £2 each and lovely, wintry rich colours.

Still reeling from the news from London, I lived on that estate for years. Can't believe the images on the news - the tower was the view from my front balcony. Terribly, horribly awful.

it seems the community has really rallied round there

It's a lovely community Hairspray. Warm and friendly and everyone looks out for each other. Nothing like the idea people have of Londoners at all. There's a lot of poverty but so much kindness and cohesion. The nicest place I've ever lived, neighbours-wise.

Baby sprouts birthday is 100 days to go!! He's the 17th september

I'm 50 days to go on Bonfire Night!

DD is due Bonfire Night! Extra special this year

It is all coming around so quickly

I was due at the end of November. I was keen! 😁

It really is, Sprouts. But I've actually almost finished my shopping already. Go me!

I am just quietly sliding in to mention the Irish (well, West Cork anyway) tradition of leaving a lighted candle in the window on Christmas Eve to show that there is room at the inn for any weary travelers. It is always lit by the youngest in the house - which can be a small baby with a parent carefully helping!

Both my grandparents on DFs side had this growing up (one year, the candle fell and burned a line straight through the kitchen table but burnt itself out rather than setting the house alight). They continued it in Dublin with their DCs, and DF continued it when he moved back to Cork (east of the county). My parents have a little ceremony to have the youngest light it, and then we think about the good and bad of the year, and DM leads us in a decade of the rosary.

DH and I also have the candle, and that DD lights it. We also take a few minutes to think about the year since last Christmas Eve, before DD opens the Christmas Eve hamper (new pjs for everyone and naice hot choc, along with the family copy of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" for bedtime story and her stocking), then lays out her stocking and snacks for Santa/Reindeer. It's a nice few minutes of peace and calm on Christmas Eve, when we are shutting out the world and focusing on the family for a while.

Sliding back out again as I need to do another camping list.....being a Cub Leader seemed like a good idea 2 years ago...remind me again why I said yes?!

Biddy we do the candle too and are very much not Cork(no offence!). I'm still the youngest for parents house to light it and I'll be 30 this Christmas

I can't believe my original thread baby(ish. She was about one) is six tomorrow 😳

Happy Birthday ThreadBabySprout

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We use those battery powered candles (safer) they are ok if you search out the nice ones.
Remote control thingey (if it doesn't get lost) so we can light/extinguish/light/extinguish at leisure