Ok summer, off you pop I want to plan Christmas

[QueenOfIce]

I'm giddy already, eager to design my Christmas decor it'll be the same as every other year probably

I want an abundance of candles, twinkly lights, candles that smell of winter and Christmas. Making mulled wine, gingerbread and planning festivities.

Am I on my own here?

Your a bit late to the party!

We set our budget in January, based on how the last one went. We draw up a per person budget (ours group very nicely which helps) and the set up a savings plan.

Lastly we spot things through the year and buy them or add them to amazon wish list if just saving the idea.

This year Dh and I are not giving presents to each other instead we will 'adopt' an animal and wrap up the certificate. Neither of us has a clue what the other has chosen. We have birthdays and anniversaries so close to Christmas so it gets a bit much!

I'm so excited for Christmas this year! We are in the adoption process and will hopefully have DC3 with us by then. Fingers crossed!! I'm already looking forward to 3 sets of matching PJ's for 1st December, new Christmas books and advent calendars etc.

Thank you @QueenOfIce. Haha sounds perfect to me 👌🏼. My favourite season is winter anyway. A nice cold day but the sun still shining 😍. I am guilty of watching Christmas films in the summer though! 😳. That's a nice way to do things for Christmas! Me and partner usually spend way too much but we've just had a baby so think we'll leave each other this year 😂

I've just bought the kids' (dairy free) advent calendars! Something else ticked off the list!

I am so excited for Christmas this year.

DD will be almost one. Years ago I bought a santa plate and cup to put drink and treats on for when I finally had kids. I've thought u would get to use that set 3 times before now but sadly pregnancies ended one way or another until dd arrived in January this year. I will finally get to use it.

To make it even better I spent all of last Christmas and new year in hospital waiting for dds arrival so this Christmas will be extra special. So excited.

@TalkingOrmer

Here is the link. Hopefully it will take you directly to them. If not, look for the believe letters in the shop.

letters [[https://www.tilly-b.com/shop/pre-order-believe-letters]]

Oh no. I seem to have messed the link up!

It's at Tilly-b.com and then just search in the shop. Sorry.

Where did you get the dairy free advent calendars from please Fluffy?

I am starting to plan my Christmas cards, to start making once I am over the rush of summer/fall birthdays in my family. Last year was my first year making my own cards, and I made it labour intensive by trying too many designs.

I have a new stamp of cute cartoon reindeer stacked up into a pile, and a short holiday coming up, so I am going to stamp a dozen or so and take them and my colouring markers with me for some relaxing colouring time. I'll use them as the main element on the front of some of the cards.

I also like to make special ones for close family members. Last year I made quite a few along the theme of peace which seems timely this year also.

Last year I made some sets of five packaged together and they sold very well at my work's silent auction raising money for two charities.

www.artimpressions.com/shop/reindeer-stackers-4810/

Love the thread title

@Ratbagcatbag thanks. I also like a few other bits on that site.

@RoomForMore that sounds lovely, best of luck with the adoption.

@Rarfy enjoy your magical Christmas

It's August

Now you all have me thinking about turkey and all the trimmings. I was quite chuffed the other day when my 16 year old DGS started dropping hints about Thanksgiving dinner (Canada). Nice to be appreciated. Kind of along the lines of you make a pretty good turkey dinner Grandma. DH makes awesome roast potatoes too.

I do the same turkey at Christmas.

I made a rod for my own back by brining the turkey for the first time about five years ago. I use the brine recipe from here:

www.finecooking.com/menu/plan-ahead-for-a-delicious-thanksgiving

I also make the stuffing and gravy from Fine Cooking. The turkey is outstanding, very moist and juicy. It gets just a touch of saltiness from the brine, but is not all all over salty. The cranberries with Cassis in them are also a hit.

I wish I was relaxed enough to give dinner a go.

Love seeing all the crafty bits. Going to have a look over at tilly-b. I'm after a family set of stockings that will last a lifetime. Only looked on etsy so far.

Hate it when naysayers pop up on threads like this. Yes it's August but that means it's only 4 paydays until Christmas. Many people have busy lives and limited spare cash, and may also have birthdays and other events to pay for in the meantime. I personally have a baby due in November so I'd like to get some Christmas things sorted before then so I'm not having to do to much with a newborn.

@ZenNudist, that's as maybe, but this is the Christmas board. The clue is in the name. It's where people can talk about Christmas all year round if they want to. If you don't want to talk about Christmas in August, bugger off away from the board dedicated to it!

Mama, I got them from The Vegan Crowd. There were only 3 left though. And they worked out cheaper than the shops even with the postage charge. One wouldn't. I'd have waited if they didn't.

I want to get a stocking for DD but all the ones around are really small. The ones we had growing up then we could almost get in as kids so I guess they were sacks but stocking shaped.

Anyone know where I could look?

It's August

FFS - how UN Original

I do not go onto the ChickenHouse threads and bore on about how much I hate chickens with their beady litttle eyes and they don't even taste nice . No I keep my anti-poultry opinions to myself .

So maybe keep off the CHRISTMAS threads if it offends you so much.

And I thought about my tree in May because I have two lovely CPL cats who would most likely wreck my glass bauble tree . So we need to low-key this year .
Is that allowed?

I do not go onto the ChickenHouse threads and bore on about how much I hate chickens with their beady litttle eyes and they don't even taste nice . No I keep my anti-poultry opinions to myself .
🤣

Quite like this idea, anyone every attempted this sort of thing?

@70isaLimitNotaTarget May? That's cutting it fine, March is a good time for that

That's lovely, Queen! ♥️

Dh were talking last night about Xmas (got him on board early too woohoo!) this year we need a dairy free advert calender for DS, 3 new stockings that don't look tacky or cheap and somehow I have to think of gifts for a 1 year old for his birthday in October and Xmas!!! Between now and then we also have both dh and my birthdays in September and the car mot so planning early is a must. Today, I'm off to buy a new notebook completely dedicated to Xmas planning. That way I can keep the lists, plans, budgeting etc all in one place.
Oh we also need new Xmas bedding as dh used our usual set as a dust sheet earlier in the year after revealing he never really liked it... We've had it 3 years

Oh and I also want an advent candle, anyone know where I can get one when the time comes?

Ooh I’m the same!. I’m expecting on the 1st January so I might have a Christmas baby this year!.