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?

Equimum

I put away the Porcelain Easter Bunny last week, so definitely getting there.

I've got a spreadsheet with a list of people I'm buying for, ideas and actual purchases highlighting them when I've brought them - I love a good highlight!! Haha Also a running total so I know where I am. I brought all the kids (there is only 5 we are quiet lucky) presents in the May day sales. All delivered and in the husbands man cave ready to be wrapped. I've got a few bits for our daughters stocking but being 5 and changing her mind ALL THE TIME I'm going to wait until Sept/Oct time to really start looking for her.

We brought our tree from B&Q last year, 4 days before Christmas. It was a whole 7ft tall 4ft wide real tree - Absolutely beauty of a tree!! For £3 - Going to do the same this year, we live in a small village and the lights are up from the beginning of December so I always leave it relatively late to do the inside of the house to get that Christmas buzz back.

I'm trying to save £10 - £20 a week to spend on the food shop, lots of alcohol, decorations etc

Very excited!! x

I've made my Christmas pudding brandy and bought panto tickets and bought myself some of TV e almond Baileys. Over next few weeks will be making more boozy things and making lists of what else I want to do/make. Dc2 due around Halloween!

I've started a list as to what to get the kids but it's also turned into a general winter buying list.

I'm currently printing off a load of recipes for the hamper contents I'm planning on making this year.

I may write out the cards later and put them to one side so it's one thing off the ever growing list.

I have bought some ribbon yesterday to add to the garland that goes up the stairs - I also need to dig out the snowflake charms to add to it as well.

One project I started on a few weeks ago is making some sequin baubles. Must carry on with that.

Other than that, there isn't really a lot I can do

So far, I've managed to get 6 scarves finished (except to sew in the ends) and I have 3 more on needles (1 for my train commute daily, 1 to work on at night watching tv, and a 3rd needs daylight and time to concentrate so I do that on long car journeys when DH drives). Only 5 more to start!

Ooh. I like the idea of ribbon up the stairs. I bought lights last year but they weren't quite long enough for one, and got in the way on the handrail as well (we only have uprights at either end as it's walled on both sides). Ribbon wouldn't be as obtrusive!

Fluffy there are images on Google/Pinterest of baubles on thin ribbon or fishing line hanging down between the spindles of a staircase. I did them one year and it looked really effective.

Probably not a good idea if you have a cat

I’ve just bought a new Christmas top in joules sale - thought it would be perfect for various Christmassy outings in December without being in full Christmas jumper mode!
Also planning to look for presents in the John Lewis clearance that starts tonight.

I feel I’m very slowly warming up to preparations for Christmas 2018!

I was clearing out the cupboard and found a stray box of Aldi Florentines which went out of date last week but even though I’m usually ridiculously observant of bbd’s I couldn’t resist and scoffed them in a sitting
I may not survive to see Christmas 2018 now

Alana are you still with us? 👻 😂

@specialk - if your MIL knits then have you looked at a yarn subscription/club? You get a monthly skein of lovely hand dyed yarn plus little freebies like a pattern, stitch markers etc

Ripples Yarn Crafts is based in Assynt and does yarn inspired by the Highlands

I bought myself a gorgeous Balsam Hill tree in the sales. I buy presents through the year if I see something someone might like and I’m putting aside some money each month towards some decorations. Last Christmas was first one in my post divorce home so it was a little bare and sad. So this year I’m really excited and looking forward to it

I have just got my Christmas pudding on the go. It's based on Delia Smith's recipe, so it's all put together, I just need to leave it overnight before steaming it tomorrow. I'll see if I need to bash the apples about a bit to make them smaller, but hopefully they will have gone a bit mushy by the time I cook it. 😁

@CarrotVan thank you I've never thought of that, I will look in to it x

I've just booked a trip to London over the Christmas holidays, I can't wait. Lots of planning to do for the trip now 😀

Akitas you have inspired me to make a Christmas Cake (for the first time ever - we're only married 18 years!! ) in the next few weeks. DD will be away at Scout camp and I have a few quieter evenings that I can get on with stuff quietly over a whole evening!!

Even though I have mincemeat from last year still, I'm going to make more soon, as I think it improves with age. I need some small jars of it anyway, for my parents, as they can't get through big ones very well on their own. They had all of last year's small jars then.

I'm not keen on Christmas pudding though. Is the Delia one heavy or light, Akitas?

Hi NoWord, I think the normal recipe is quite heavy, but I messed about with the ingredients so I think this time it might be lighter. And actually I didn't have any Stout, so I made up the alcohol with more alcolhol! Hopefully it'll taste alright. I've made a mincemeat cake before to use up unused homemade mincemeat, that might have been Delia too. I don't normally follow a recipe to the letter, i titivate the ingredients to my own preference, but keep the same proportion of dry and wet ingredients. I've actually made Christmas cakes in a Bundt tin before, a Christmas tree ring shape, and that turned out well.

I'm sure the alcohol swap will be fine, akitas!

It's the heaviness which puts me off Christmas pudding and cake. We had Christmas cheesecake last year which was lovely, though massive with only a handful of dairy-eaters around.

Now my ds's birthday is over it's Christmas all the way. Panto booked, presents starting to be bought, non perishables being put away. Love the planning for Christmas

I'm having a go at making a wreath at the moment, although I've got loads of stuff I should be doing instead. I'm cutting out different shaped leaves and gluing them together with a piece of wire inside so I can stick them in a polystyrene ring, which ill cover with fabric first so the white doesn't show through. I'll post a picture shortly of the leaves I've done so far. It's going to be a bit rustic/shabby! 😁

Plus my husband has managed to get tickets for The Nutcracker at the ROH in December. I've always wanted to go and he did it as a surprise. I'll probably cry all the way through! I'd better take my make up with me! I really and truly can't wait!

Early days! Red shapes I'm going to try to make into a poinsettia

Bargain yesterday - Pandora petite charm Christmas wreath for a fiver - happy days!

I pulled out the alium heads in my garden today. It’s been so hot they barely need any drying. I’m planning to spray them with a copper metallic paint which I have to find first and use them on my mantelpiece garland or possibly on the Christmas tree or maybe hanging from the ceiling.