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

HomeSense / TKMaxx (but I prefer the HomeSense bit as I can't be doing with clothes) has some brilliant Christmas tablewear but if you see something you like you need to buy it there are then ( Voice of Bitter Experience)

I bought a paisley red/green tablecover last year (which was my The Thing which decided my table theme) and a pack of napkins in the same colours with Victorian Father Christmas (last pack , if I'd gone back the next day they'd be gone)

I've bought Spode and Portmerion (they had Holly&Ivy yesterday)
Last year I got a dark grey/olive green Dickensian street plate (sounds a bit grim but its nice IRL )

They had some really nice Wintery plates/crockery with fir and pine cones very subtle (this was yesterday)
They had kitchen towels (I bought some fir tree ones last year )

I bought some S&P cruets

Things like cake stands, punchbowls they might have if you're looking for these.

The Hallowe'en stock is being pushed over and the Christmas stock is coming in. Our HomeSEnse always runs 2 months ahead of season so if you go mid Dec, there'll be nothing.

have climbed back into bed....i have a pounding headache and feeling totally in festive.

I really want to be full of cheer - but I'm not

Frdige yes its wonderful, you have to get down with the boxes though, last year they had stunning spode toy story range and it wasn't on display I only found it AS i opened the cake boxes.

Hope you feel better soon Mrsdil.

Turkey breast joint ordered here this morning. We're going with Waitrose again as they do a slightly smaller one than marks and it's only dh and I for lunch.

Feel better soon MrsD

DH is away until this evening so I deliberately set aside this morning to be festive. I watched Arthur Christmas in bed with a cup of tea and the dogs and am now dressed and watching a random Christmas episode of Fresh Prince while losing myself to the lovely Lakeland Christmas pages.

I'll be going to visit dniece in SCBU later so am hoping this stays a good day (and my painkillers continue to fight off my toothache) 🎄

Feel better soon mrsd

I'm going to
Wrap
Youngest twos stuff when it arrives and my
Paper does

Wrapping mission here tonight. DH doesn’t think we need to —want to— build the Playmobil ambulance and fire engine and wrap the built versions. I think having to build the bloody things on the day will go down like a lead balloon with the kids (3 and 4). Opinions?

Hope you feel better soon, MrsD.

Hello all, I'm joining in. For the first time ever we are in October and I haven't bought a single item for Christmas so I really must get started. DCS are 17 and 14 and there just isn't the same excitement and urgency any more as I don't have any toys to buy. DS is a nightmare to buy for at 17, especially stocking fillers, DD not so bad as make up and toiletries always go down well.
Anyway, thanks for the heads up for the Hollister sale, Ive just managed to catch the last day and ordered 4 items coming to £44. I joined the Cali club and got £10 off so a bargain. I got DS a t shirt and boxer shorts, DD a hoodie and body spray. Excellent for £33.
Cheers all, I look forward to seeing the bargains and posting any I find 👍

NoWordForFluffy BUILD THEM! The fire engine in particular is an effing nightmare and even worse when they want to 'help'why they can't come built and with the stickers on I'll never know

I’m glad you agree, Peachy! I shall tell DH that’s what we’re doing!

NoWordForFluffy most definitely build them!!!

There's not much worse than Christmas Day with a 3 yo wanting to play with his Fire Engine NOW!!

It'll make the day go much better if they just wrap and go.

I've done all my shopping (online) except few items for DCs waiting until they maybe go down in price.

Half way through wrapping. Want it all done by half term.

They must’ve changed the design of the Playmobil as we opened it up and there’s barely any pieces and the stickers are all in place already. Saved DH a job anyway!

Oh, my knees are buggered now after an hour of gift wrapping on the floor. Only things not wrapped are those things which aren’t yet here (Despicable Me 3 Blu Ray for DD; some Japanese sweets for a friend’s daughter and calendars of the kids for grandparents / aunts etc). Plus DH’s birthday and Christmas presents (though I need a photo of the Vulcan bomber to frame with a certificate showing I’ve paid for DH’s name to go onto the wing before that’s wrapped!).

Tip;
Use your ironing board for wrapping :)

Ironing board? I’d have to dig it out and dust it down! 😂

And some of these were too big for that.

I used to work in a china shop so am pretty damn good / efficient at wrapping, thankfully. I’ve never tried to do it on an ironing board though. 😁

What's wrong with wrapping in the dinning table? Or have I missed something?!

My dinning room is currently renamed Christmas HQ and will be out of bounds for a couple of weeks.

I find it easier to wrap on the floor. Or standing. And I wanted to watch TV.

We eat at the table every night, so commandeering it isn’t an option!

Ahhh, ironing board and TV. That makes sense.

I've got both the kids main presents although haven't actually collected them yet.
Delighted!
Dd has that cute rose petal cottage and ds has an electric scooter.
Need to get dd a tea set but want a cute China one and some bits and pieces for ds.

Feeling very organised!

Oh dear fluffy I could kick myself, your gift to your DH sounds perfect for mine too, but I'm disorganised and too late...grrr

Ah, shit, Badger. 😥 I did post it on the bargain thread at the time, but it's so fast-moving it was probably easily-missed.

77 🎄🎅🏻🎄🎅🏻🎄🎅🏻

I have to wrap in my room on the bed. There's no floor space and can't wrap downstairs as our bathroom is through the lounge 😭

I have managed to get somewhat back on track - although I still have a bit to go to get fully back on track.

I can't remember if I posted about it last week, but I managed to get a science kit and 2 stocking fillers for DD, a good book for a DNephew and spotted but didn't buy a nice desk diary for the kitchen in the Art Gallery locally. And yesterday, I finally managed to get the outdoor work done (sweep the front and back yards, wash the windows, clean the postbox and doorbells, sweep away all the cobwebs attracting dust and catching leaves!, and scrub the algae off the paths), and make some progress on indoor jobs (big supermarket shop which restocked the kitchen cupboards, refilling various jars and finding things I can use, clearing away the study desk, getting out the winter clothes from the storage unit, organizing another bundle of paperwork etc). I still need to sort the winter clothes and pack up the summer ones to go back to the storage, along with some camping and other scouts gear. And re-find the spare bedroom before someone needs it.

I was also lucky I'd done the buying for 2 DSis and DF birthdays, as 1 DSis arrived unexpectedly and I gave them to her to pass on. I just needed to excuse myself for 5 minutes to wrap them, and write the cards. And I managed to get the neck rib done on the baby cardigan - so only the 2 centre ribs (button holes and for buttons) on the front, and the buttons and 2 short seams to sew, so I just might get it done in time for DF to bring it with him, fingers crossed!

Today I need to get lots done at work, but I have plans to keep going on household and knitting things tonight as DH has a meeting.

77 days and not a present in the house wrapped! Oh the shame.....

!!