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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Countdown to Christmas 2021: the one where autumn starts (and Strictly - whoop!). Thread 5

999 replies

NoWordForFluffy · 28/08/2021 07:47

119 (for ease tomorrow!)

Here we go. Couldn't think of a witty thread title. Soz!

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pussycatlickinglollyices · 09/09/2021 13:27

Oh, and I have rain!🌧🌧

NoWordForFluffy · 09/09/2021 13:47

No glow sticks. I am wearing my sports bra though; my tits will stay put even if I'm bouncing. 😁

No rain here. For now!

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BiddyPop · 09/09/2021 16:02

We had the "awake you up" torrential rain also last night, beautiful skies all day but under a yellow warning for more torrential rain until late evening here. (Although rainfall radar is fairly clear looking). But it was enough that I was yet again awake well before 5am.

Oh well, application form for promotion lodged (deadline 3pm, lodged at 2.41 - I'm getting better!! Grin ). Most urgent actual work priority dealt with, now have 4 others to get done today...and I just got a call to see if I will go with a Minister on a foreign trip in 2 weeks because so few are willing to travel yet (and he HAS to go!). So more logistics to figure out.

Although, it would be an opportunity to get my cards started...

WreckTangled · 09/09/2021 16:05

Wow that all sounds very exciting Biddy!

I'm done with work for the week. Have just checked the bank account and it's looking very sad. Everything is just so expensive Sad will have to be a frugal food shop I think. Pasta and jacket potatoes for everyone (apart from me as...carbs. I'll just have cauliflower Grin).

lachy · 09/09/2021 19:01

I updated my Christmas Card list earlier on today, and finished defrosting the little freezer so although it's not HGP it's a step in the right direction.

DH has returned from tesco grumbling about the lack of the very thing he went for, and the fact that the seasonal aisle is now Christmas!

TheWoollybacksWife · 09/09/2021 19:06

Good luck with the promotion Biddy

No rain here that I'm aware of. Yet.

I've volunteered to take DS to school in the morning because he'll have his school bag, his guitar and amp for his music lesson and his bag of uniform for CCF. I'm a 😇. There is a decent sized M&S food hall on the retail park opposite so I'm intending to go in and see if they have any of the festive drinks in yet and any other goodies that I can stash for later.

ConstantlyCooking · 09/09/2021 20:17

I popped into Lidl after work today (one has opened 15 mins walk away) and saw they have some of their festive frozen food.
I am sourcing little things for DD's advent calendar so all suggestions welcome. Smile

FireflyGirl · 09/09/2021 21:00

Fingers crossed, Biddy

That is very selfless of you, Woolly! Wink

Is payday coming up soon, Wreck?

DS started Scouts tonight. I have been really excited for him. He already knew 3 of the others, which I was relieved about. They went for a walk in the forest nearby and came back soaking, muddy and armed with sticks. He can't wait for next week though was a little disappointed that they didn't build any dams, seeing as they are 'beavers' 🤣

TheWoollybacksWife · 09/09/2021 21:19

How big are the advent pockets Constantly?

Have a look at Rex London - I've had mini nail files, compact mirrors and sheet masks from there that have gone down well with my young adult DDs. Even better if you can get them from the clearance section.

Nail varnish.
Earrings
A key ring
Travel size toiletries
Invisibobbles
Miniature of her favourite spirit
Mini coffee syrup
Costa/Starbucks card

Looking at that list it might be cheaper to get a ready made one 😂

WreckTangled · 10/09/2021 06:15

106

Nope firefly Grin but dh has some money he can move over. I think it's summer catching up on us. We have enough for the bills but ds needs some new school tops and I've got some parking to pay for appointments etc.

My car is reading 17° this morning?!

NoWordForFluffy · 10/09/2021 08:58

Shhhhhhh! My head hurts!

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pussycatlickinglollyices · 10/09/2021 09:09

MORNING!
Oops, sorry, Morning Fluffy.
Was it the beer wot dun it? 🍻 you need a 🥓🍳
and some 💊

NoWordForFluffy · 10/09/2021 11:40

Beer, cider and hard seltzers...bit of a mix! 🤢🙈

I've had a booze-soaking breakfast and painkillers. Plus a shower. I'm half human now.

Countdown to Christmas 2021: the one where autumn starts (and Strictly - whoop!). Thread 5
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NerosFiddle · 10/09/2021 11:45

Fluffy get all the grease and carbs into you.

Off to M&S to see if I can get their Christmas bottles.

pussycatlickinglollyices · 10/09/2021 11:49

Irn Bru, paracetomol and something soaked in HP sauce?
Perfect!

BiddyPop · 10/09/2021 12:17

Ooh poor Fluffy, DH is after having eggs for breakfast and a big pastry later after a few hours in the pub last night too (he reckon's he's "out of practice!").

Wreck September is a hard month after the summer spends, back to school and lots of general life admin getting started again.

lachy that sounds like HGP to me! It's about ticking Christmas and seasonal household jobs off the list well in advance, so that you can enjoy the Christmas season itself. The other thing to remember for people thinking about the HGP or similar is that it is a plan, not a strict regime - you might not have all the rooms, 1 might be particularly bad and need 2 weeks, it might suit better to swop 2 around in your family circumstances or depending on your diary etc. The formal HGP has the dining room the week of USA Thanksgiving - but in Canada, TG is much earlier, and here Halloween is a far bigger thing - so you might prefer to do it a different week. Or 1 week involves a trip for work and 2 afterschool meetings, so instead of the big work of the kids room (say), you might swop with the easier bathroom week (or put 2 weeks together on a quieter week instead). Or if the weather stays lovely, you might not want to do your seasonal wardrobe change for a few more weeks - but if autumn comes roaring in, you might want to do it a week early.

I never manage to do the whole thing - but I look on it as a way to be slightly more organised and have the house slightly more under control than if I didn't, and easily see a list of jobs that I could do 1 if I have 10 minutes spare, or a different 1 if I have a couple of hours spare.

Yesterday ended up far busier than I expected, DD decided she wanted me to cook not fend for herself (I can't win!), and there was nothing as I was going to raid the freezer for rubbish as I thought I was only feeding myself. So we ended up in M&S buying dinner at almost 8pm, and I then discovered that the dog had found our bed again...Angry DH was in the doghouse when he rolled in, and is on laundry duty again this morning.

But the first signs of Christmas were there - Turkey Feast Combo crisps and Gingerbread Snowflake pretzels.

Dog was not harmed, I know it's not her fault (DH now knows that I MEAN it about keeping the door closed!), and in fact she is curled up sound asleep and snoring behind me as I work. But I did need a glass of wine as a restorative (and then had raging heartburn for a couple of hours...).

BiddyPop · 10/09/2021 12:22

Sounds like Beavers is great fun for DS Firefly, and that sounds like he has Leaders who are up for adventure (I recommend a wet weather jacket AND trousers - like a mac in a sac type things - and stout shoes/boots with decent grip and which can handle mud and wet - so then he can get really stuck in!!) They don't need to be expensive, just functional. (We have lots of Cubs using all sorts of Lidl, Aldi, Mountain Warehouse and Regatta gear perfectly happily, and the Beavers may well have a 2nd hand swop scheme for old gear to get reused as kids grow out of it rather than wearing it out at that age).

NoWordForFluffy · 10/09/2021 13:39

I'm on my second train...it's rammed and warm. Not ideal in the circs!

Biddy, I'm out of practice and too bloody old as well. Crap combination!

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WreckTangled · 10/09/2021 14:11

I'm just waiting for dd to get back from school, half day on a Friday. I got them yumnuts from M&S not frugal

There wasn't much Christmas stuff in M&S maybe two shelves of chocolates. Tesco had half an aisle but I didn't walk all the way down it. Nothing in Aldi yet.

So warm and muggy still.

Fluffy I'm glad I'm not on a warm train whilst hung over 🤢

lachy · 10/09/2021 16:18

@ConstantlyCooking

I popped into Lidl after work today (one has opened 15 mins walk away) and saw they have some of their festive frozen food. I am sourcing little things for DD's advent calendar so all suggestions welcome. Smile
@ConstantlyCooking

I've got to have a mega sort out of my wardrobe over the weekend. I've got loads of mini toiletries so I'll take a photo and if you want them you're welcome to them x

ConstantlyCooking · 10/09/2021 17:14

Thank you all for your offers of help. Some of you have helped me through A level and GCSE results withDD and DS on these threads.Woolly I think I could probably get her a v nice beauty calendar for the price but she says she prefers mine. I wrap it so can include a mug, mini diffuser etc. In more normal times I would collect random freebies to include (eg bags and oddments from trade fairs/school events/shop offers.
Lachy- thank you for your offer that would be amazing.
In the spirit of the thread I have some beautiful Christmas stationery that I am happy to send to those needing it for letters to/from FC.
Fluffy-I hope you have recovered now!
Happy Friday all!

NoWordForFluffy · 10/09/2021 17:52

I'm home! And DH has done al of the housework today. Whoop!

For anyone vegan / dairy free, Moo Free's Christmas stock is now online. I just spent £24 on Christmas chocolates for the kids! Xmas Shock Xmas Grin

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WreckTangled · 10/09/2021 18:55

Our fridge freezer isn't working properly 😩 any tips? It's cold and the light is on but it's not cold enough. It's under warrantee still but they're not open until tomorrow.

NoWordForFluffy · 10/09/2021 18:59

Have you cleaned the little drainage hole at the back / bottom of the fridge?

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WreckTangled · 10/09/2021 19:19

It doesn't have one of those Hmm