We're rocking around the Christmas tree, waiting for Santa to come to town. It's countdown to Christmas thread 4!!

[SideOrderofSprouts]

99 days to go

disclaimer. This thread is up early because I am old and tired and need to go to bed. It's actually 99 from midnight

I haven't ventured into many shops this week due to having an awful cold and spending my lunch hours sitting at my desk but a lot of colleagues have mentioned moaned that there are Christmas displays appearing

I am not getting much Christmas prep done this weekend as I'm catching up an housework / errands and visiting my niece, but I'm enjoying how busy the Christmas board is getting now. We need to be careful, this thread was quite far down!!

I have my Boots catalogue. 😁

But I'm trapped under my children so am having to wait for DH to bring it to me!

I have a weird secret to confess: I'm dreading Christmas Day. I must be the only person in the universe who loves everything about Christmas but fondly fantasises about hibernating or running away for 24-26th December. I think I bury my head in the sand by planning and prepping, to avoid thinking too much about the reality. Because if I gave in to my feelings I'd never be able to create the magic for the dc.

Is there anything in particular that you dread Ann?

Visitors? Cooking? Being cooped up all day with your nearest and dearest?

If you can put your finger on the problem then maybe someone has a solution.

Thanks Woolly. It's very mundane in-law issues. we have the only young dc in the extended family and naturally everyone wants to spend time with them, combined with boundary issues, respect and controlling personalities, guilt complexes and the likelihood of it being someone's last Christmas..... sigh
When I read other people's issues mine pale into insignificance and really are very, very minor.
I think Christmas just throws a spotlight on all the difficulties and small resentments. It would be much easier if we could host, and the years we do, it works a little better (for us anyway) but that doesn't seem likely this year.

That's a shame that you can't host. At least in your own home you can go and hide in your bedroom with a bottle glass of wine and a book if things get too much. Is there any sort of middle ground that you can find?

Your issues are big to you - there will always be someone worse off than you but it's your issues that affect you.

Thanks Woolly! And sorry for dragging down the tone of the thread! It's ironic more than anything. I get so excited with all the Christmas stock coming into the shops and once the mornings get dark, I get a lovely shiver of anticipation because the red traffic lights make me think of Christmas lights....so you'd think anyone that can get that much pleasure out of being stuck in traffic would actually enjoy the day
I was in Hickeys this morning (Irish fabric store) and had to suppress an excited squeak at their Christmas stock. They had last year's fabrics marked down and they are much nicer than this year's anyway. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it yet. First I have to hide it from dh for at least a week so I can say, with absolute sincerity "this? I've had it for ages "

Just found the Aldi hampers and wine and had a brilliant idea to send 6 bottles of wine to my DN and her husband for xmas. Will investigate nearer the time . Have not been here lately been exceedingly busy with the very elderly parents having a window fitted and the very elderly ndn falling and being admitted to hospital bless her . I have to administer to the sick lol!
DH has just had an epi , the bloody Humax box failed and he was going on about it being terrible because we live for the tv. Errr No ...he lives for the TV and totally controls the viewing in our house if I say anything he sulks like a bloody boo boo babbling. He even said we need to get another Humax box in ready for Xmas in case this one goes again. After a lot of meddling the damn thing is now working ! I give up ! Hope everyone is ok take care everyone !

Annwithnoe Would it be possible for you to have christmas day just to yourself with no extended family? Then you could see one side christmas eve and the other side of the family boxing day. At least you'd get a relaxed christmas day. Hope you manage to work something out x 🎗

Anne we have that as well. Five years ago we were bludgeoned with the guilt axe it was someones last Xmas and last ever time on English soil. Five years and ten more visits later...
It's never enough but what gets me is they are very ridged. Don't make efforts at conversation etc. If they made more effort to be friendly we would want to spend more time there.

85

Went out shopping with DD (for Hallowe'en tat) but the shops are gathering pace nicely.

I have a couple of days leave in October, plan to leave DD at home while I go shopping to make a start at least.

October! Finally it's the M&S food launch month! 😂

I won the pinch-punch competition this morning

DH got all grumpy and said "well I didn't think you'd have appreciated me pinching and punching you at half four this morning so I think we'll call it a draw"

Er....no. I won. End of.

Was in Claire's accessories yesterday... picked up 3 Jo-Jo bows for a fiver!! That's what I call a bargain.

I have bought DD a make up advent calendar from Superdrug and am planing to send the Kellogg's one to DS (if I can get one). I am thinking about M&S for me as I regretted not getting one last year. Planning a trip to Matalan to look at their things.

OMG. We just spent £85 in John Lewis on decorations and tinsel! The kids really do have dire taste in baubles! 😂

I'm pacing up and down outside DS's karate grading. I get performance anxiety on his behalf

In other news I've got DH's 'list' so I can get really organised now.

Hubby is rubbish at letting me know what he would like... I know recipe books are always safe, but have to leave it until the last minute as he buys so many of the damn things!

I was going to get him something super exciting this year, but we have decided to not go quite so extravagant as we will have just had DS2 so are being 'sensible' (much to my annoyance)

Wondering about a Fitbit blaze or similar... normally I'd hang fire until Black Friday but my due date is 24 November....

He passed! I've just checked my pedometer and I paced 4,000 steps during my nervous wait.

I've just ordered him the minecraft game to celebrate. I got him a fab minecraft dot-to-dot book in The Works on Friday but that'll be wrapped up for Christmas.

Ahh well done DSWoolley (sounds like a character from The Bill).
My DS used to do karate (at least with a grading for belts you dont need to sew pesky badges on - bonus)

I overheard a man in Sainsbury telling the Bakery woman how many paydays till Christmas. I think 99% of the other shoppers wanted to kill him with fire not listen to this vital information.
I was thinking "Yes, you TELL 'em "

Well done to your DS, Woolly! Good going!

Horrible weather so we have warm pjs on watching the snowman and the snowman and snowdog

Well done Woolly's ds!
Been to a christening today.... phew the behaviour of the adults was awful.
I was gobsmacked at some of them it is like another world how some ppl live hope l don't sound snobby filthy language in front of the children it was awful I feel quite tarnished and abused myself I am a lightweight
TV not playing up today so hubbs is happier lol
Can't believe it is 85 days to go ........

Help... been reading on the bargain thread about xmas online food shopping dates...

Have talked (what seems like ages ago) to a few of you about online shopping in the run up to xmas as DS2 will be arriving end of November / beginning of December and the thought of trying to do the Christmas food shop with a toddler and newborn is enough to make me keep my legs shut in future...

Anyhow, if I did want to do it, how soon do I need to book a 'delivery slot' in?! Do I really need to do it in October? And do I need to physically place my order then too?!

Sorry - using a different username tonight due to a very outing convo on another thread... forgot to change back I'm the idiot who has devoured 3 chocolate organs in the past week

I buy from Morrison's so ignore me if you want M&S . I get the brochure when it's released, pore over it for a couple of weeks and then place my order. If I recall correctly it was all done online last year. Order, pay deposit, select collection time - I go for Christmas Eve morning, just to be sure about short "use by" dates. I pay the balance and collect from customer service. I will have shopped in the day or two beforehand for the more mundane stuff like spuds, wine, cola etc.

Is there any way you could use click and collect from a supermarket like asda or Tesco for the routine stuff and arrange for our DP/DH to collect it. I'd say this was preferable to having it delivered during the day when you'll be expected to deal with it while toddler wrangling. Then do the same with the goodies? DP/DH collects and you are both at home to put it away.