What will you definitely or definitely not be repeating next Christmas?

[Trudee]

I made a note in my phone last year in an attempt to stop me repeating the same mistakes. It worked well although I now need to add 'buy less biscuits'
Interested to see what everyone else would put on their lists?

[CheekyFucker]

@XiCi awesome!

[XiCi]

Haha CheekyFucker glad you got the wrong thread, just ordered one - bargain

[baubled]

I made some notes in my new 2019 planner on Christmas Day night to remind me about what to do differently next year, they include:

Buy Christmas cards for family as soon as they hit the shops around Halloween, when I went to buy them in December I kept putting it off because the card shops were rammed, got to Christmas Eve and I still didn't have them.

Be more prepared for DS, he'll be 3 just before Christmas next year so I want to enjoy festivities rather than last minute shopping.

Instead of starting early for DS, buy family presents early and get them wrapped and put away. That way I don't have to panic about what I'm getting them a week before Christmas because my mind was taken over by kids and DPs presents!

DS will like different things in December than September, don't buy things just as something to open because it's on offer.

[CheekyFucker]

@lazymare

[lazymare]

Right thread! I ordered one. Thank you.

[CheekyFucker]

Bugger. Wrong thread, sorry.

[CheekyFucker]

£3.99 with free delivery on Amazon. Advent Calendar- bought two to put by to split for teen party bags.

[Badtasteflump]

Ha! Well yes, between DH’s vasectomy & my perimenopause I think it’s unlikely

[CheekyFucker]

@Badtasteflump I suppose another baby is out of the question?

[Badtasteflump]

I’m thinking I need a complete rethink for next Christmas . We have our little traditions we’ve done for years, and this year a lot of them just didn’t happen. It’s all down to the DC’s ages as our youngest is now high school age. So suggestions of putting out a mince pie/note for Santa, watching kids’ Christmas films, reading The Night Before Christmas, etc, were all met with eye-rolling. Which left us with presents, Christmas Dinner, then lots of evenings that just felt like any other day. Feeling quite glum about it now.

[ChristmasFlary]

Wouldn't change anything.

Christmas eve - panto and takeaway in evening. New pj and DS aged 11 and 15yrs sprinkle Reindeer landing dust outside....yes you did read the ages correctly....

Christmas day - Santa sacks for DS. Leisurely breakfast with everyone making own. Boys now playing new ps4 games. Open gifts from friends. Eat chocolate. Boys open gifts from auntie. More chocolate.

Lunchtime - have starters at table.

Get down, open gifts from boys and grandparents.

Bit later - main meal which is actually a buffet eaten at table.

Play couple of games

Evening - chill, fall asleep, eat more chocolate.

Above all performed in onsie...


Boxing day - drop boys at their Dads, go to Toby Cavery with Mum, sister, BIL.

A very relaxed, go with the flow Christmas.

[Betsy86]

@ferntwist and hjwt thankyou and yes your right time to make a change!!!

[TheLovleyChebbyMcGee]

We will he staying home and invitingbfamilt to come visit. We went 600 miles away to visit family for a week with 15 week old baby. If I'd known how hard it was we'd never have bothered!! It was lovely to see them and we had a great time, but we've still barely recovered from it!

Oh, and insist on cooking, I miss having a dessert that isn't trifle that can be served in slices!

[ferntwist]

Betsy86 that’s terrible. Definitely time to make a change in 2019!!

[Pandasarecute]

Sorry! Posted that on the wrong thread

[Pandasarecute]

Is anyone else having problems with monsoon sale? When I try to check out I get a, "the page you are requesting does not exist" message. Rather disappointing as I was pleased with what I'd found!

[ChiaraRimini]

Will never again go to elderly relative for Xmas as she has lost interest in it so it was not very festive.
Next year I will have the DC at home and it will be our first Xmas together in this house, so it will be great. I only have a tiny freezer so can't stock up in advance and will need to plan shopping carefully.

[HalloumiGus]

Next year a chicken instead of Turkey as DH and DC prefer it and I'm veggie. Our roasties / veg / stuffing were perfect. Forgot to put cranberry sauce out so will save it unopened for next year. Adult presents next year will be token food and drink items, less for kids too.

[HJWT]

Will be doing a chicken roast dinner with a couple of extras! No more turkey etc, will be getting everyone a gift card for somewhere they like, i don't have the space to store gifts anymore.

[HJWT]

@Betsy86 rightly so as well!

[Betsy86]

Yes close family :( since i was younger i always bought everyone a little gift even if was jus a chocolate bar with my pocket money. Its just continued over the years really and as the family has grown by people having kids etc theres more on my list but obviously now its all proper gifts.
As i dont have siblings i classed them as siblings growing up, then as the xmas shopping list begins i feel quite daunted by it all once i count up all the people on it.
I bargain hunt big time to be able to afford it but make sure every gift is well thought out and beautifully wrapped as i really do enjoy gift giving. But it really has left ne disheartened the past few years.
Im still going to get people a little something but no longer will i worry it doesnt look enough and i wont be adding to it or thinking having a gift bag means fill it to the brim!
Its hard to cull the list as I normally see one set the same time as another and feel bad having gifts for some and not others!
However i was letting this Christmas be the decider on how 2019 will be and im definitely scaling back! I think i will just be doing small token gifts or one family gift between them.
Hoping to cut a few unnecessary gifts out also for others. We barely see anyone or get invited to things during the year so anyone i have barely heard from by next years xmas shopping will be off the list!
Time to make a change. :) xx

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

Will repeat:
Boned and rolled chicken rather than Turkey - much tastier
No crackers - first year we've not had them and they weren't missed
No stockings- DC are 20 and 22 and said they were happy not to have them

Won't repeat:
Having my sister and her family to stay from 22 -30 December. I was cooking non stop for 8 days for 9 people. I'm exhausted!

[ferntwist]

Wow Betsy86 that’s terrible. How did you first start buying for them, are they close family?

[Betsy86]

I wont be worrying about not buying people enough and stressing about getting perfect gifts as its become quite clear im the only one who does! There’s just me and dd and i buy for example a family member, there partner and 4 children! This year as most years i didnt recieve so much as a card back from them let alone a thankyou even though we saw them Christmas eve.
I had spent a long time chosing them nice things spreading it over the year etc wrapped it all lovely and it was quite a kick in the teeth to not even get a simple thankyou plus having my dd get nothing.
I dont give to recieve but i have realised now it’s got beyond a joke i buy for a massive list of people and i am going ro really scale right back this year and saving for me and dds future will be priority.
Same goes for birthdays as ours are always forgotten. Oops i sound like a right grinch honestly im not and i really enjoy gift buying but being taken for a mug is one thing im leaving in 2018!

[WontLetThoseRobotsDefeatMe]

I won't:

• ask my parents and brother round for a family Christmas. They changed the day to the 26th to suit them then turned up over three hours late.
  
• Stress about pleasing my SiL.
  

I will:

• arrange a relaxed christmas day just for us 2. Very chilled and let us appreciate it.
  
• go to Midnight Mass - gorgeous choir and can't beat a descant or the last verse of O Come All Ye Faithful!
  

I might try a goose!!