Anyone started prep for 2018?

[cheesemumma]

I know I must be crazy but bought matching Xmas jumpers for the family in the next sale last week and booked our panto tickets.

Got to admit a little excited already.

What does anyone else do throughout the year?

I have a present trunk that is about half full - I haven't done wrapping paper and cards, but have been squirreling away things I have found for various people. Also started my big crafting projects for the people who I swap homemade gifts with- it's a big one this year- a quilt!
I always like the idea of a Rudolph day but I never seem to quite get organised enough!

I've just downloaded the book recommended above. The author says that The Bishop's Wife is her perfect Christmas film and for that alone I love the book

Ive been buying up discount Christmas decorations and writing lists but apart from that keeping a list of ideas to keep on top of planning.

It's so nice to come to this thread after browsing some others where some posters just want to be horrible to each other about everything. This thread is like a safe, beautiful oasis of peace in MN 😂 I truly believe being a Christmas fanatic makes you a more peaceful and mellow person generally. Anyway. Today I received my new Elf Nutcracker. DH walked in in a vile mood from work because someone dented our car and when he saw the little guy stood there he calmed right down... result 😂.

I have decorated the lounge for Easter by putting up my white Christmas tree in the bay window and hanging loads of Easter glitter eggs and fluffy chicks from it and wrapping it in a lovely green polka dot hessian ribbon. Loads of twinkly white lights. All my visitors love it and they have no idea I kind of hate Easter and I just sit there screwing up my eyes when I look at it to pretend it's Christmas... 🤣🤣

Ski I completely agree. Threads like this are the best thing about MN! I'm going to download the book you suggested this afternoon - the weather is definitely wintry enough! I will have a look at it today. Also crochetmonkey I need a present trunk in my life! Love the sound of that.

Yay I love that book and I'm glad I've found some people that would enjoy it just as much as me, most of the people around me except DH are a bit humbuggy 😂

My DH is actually very Christmassy these days. I think having young DC helps! He gets almost as involved in planning as I do now.

Mine too Fluffy. I'm not sure if he is getting into the spirit of things or if it's Stockholm Syndrome.

Ha ha!! That's a hard one to call actually!

Ski your husband calming down at the nutcracker made me lol as well as screwing up eyes to pretend it's Christmas.

My DH is from a different country. He is Christian but they don't celebrate Christmas anywhere near like we do in UK. We are moving back to UK next month and over the next couple of years I intend to fully convert him into an Xmas but.

Xmas nut not but. Not sure what and Xmas but would be??

Love this thread! Stealing a few ideas, particularly love the photocopying kids Christmas gift lists. What a lovely thing to give your kids once they leave home . Off to buy that book on Amazon!

I've started a quilting class and am making a hexagonal table centrepiece. I already have all sorts of Christmas fabric, so it's just a case of learning how to do it. And I've got sloe, cherry, apricot and raspberry gins on the go.

@akitas2 your table runner sounds lovely

@akitas2 that sounds wonderful 😍
I would love to make a few of those gins, might have to learn. I bet they look so pretty too 😊

9 months till Christmas guys!!!. I move back in a month. Can't wait to get setty an start my present hoard.

Anyone else here stalking their xmas countdown apps on their phones every day? 😁

I'm not, but only because we have a countdown thread on here that tells me where we are!

I do keep it in mind a fair bit though. 🎅🎄

Well my quilting is going okay, but harder to make all the pieces meet exactly. It's stars made up of diamonds and joined together with hexagons, and it's hand sewn. Got my third class this week. I've found a lovely candle centrepiece thing to make on YouTube. It's from the US and I'm going to see if I can draw out the pattern shapes to gave a go at making it. Me and my mother in law are going on a 2 night Christmas break, which I booked this morning. And we go to Birmingham NEC each year (last 13 years) for the Crafts for Christmas at the beginning of November. We go via a coach trip. If you've never been before, try it, it's brilliant. You can buy tons of craft stuff to make yourself, or ready made gifts.

Ooo akitas2 that sounds great. Where is your trip to?

I have gotten rid of 1 Christmas jumper (I hated it - I still like my other 2 though!).

I've had a chat with DH about where to have Christmas, and I think he wants to stay home again this year - so I don't have to rent a cottage (there's only a couple available so I tend to need to rent at this time of year to get one!).

And I have started working on a crafting project - which involves much knitting....there are 14 recipients involved. (I have over 50 people to buy for, so this was something I thought I'd do this year for 1 whole group).

Oh, and I rolled over my excel spreadsheet with budget and gift list - but I haven't bought anything yet this year....except wool (you don't want to know how much I spent in wool shops....)

Hi Cheesemumma, it's Chatsworth House and a visit to Bakewell. Another coach trip one. Apparently Chatsworth is decorated each year, apparently it's been Mr Toad, Nutcracker, Dickens as far as I can see. It's a two night stay at a hotel in Rotherham I think, and we're really looking forward to it already! Plus I've just ordered some Makower Christmas fabric to make some other sort of quilted thing. Might make a stocking. Got to finish the first one yet 😁

That sounds lovely, akitas.

The NT places do decorate so nicely at Christmas. 🎄🎅