What are you looking forward to most this Christmas?

[MollyQueenOfSocks]

A lot frustrated posters here (me included) so thought I'd start a lighter Christmas thread for us all to think about what we can't wait for this Christmas (yes, including it just being over and done with i'll go first.

It's my youngest and final child's first Christmas.
Having a small one this year with just us, BIL and SIL who are bringing half the stuff and staying the night.
Further in-laws coming on Boxing Day, then coming back on New Years eve possibly so us and BIL/SIL (who is my best friend) can go out child free!

What are you looking forward to this year?

Cheese

Family and friends opening the gifts I have bought and wrapped form them

Cheese

Baileys

Pigs in blankets

Cheese

Cheese

*for them

This thread is lovely.
For me it's spending Christmas with my mum for the first time since 2019.
DS is 3 and enjoying the magic for the first time. I can't wait for him to realise that Santa has been.
DD's first Christmas. I was an only child until I was 10 so never experienced Christmas with other children. I'm so pleased my children will have each other on christmas morning.
DH is off on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day for the first time ever (emergency services)

Being able to flush the loo and have a shower.

Having a few days off .
Cooking the Christmas food (all planned out )
Last minure food shop on Friday , early morning, list and elbows at the ready
Watching lots of Christmas telly commiserating with the good folk of Albert Square with their inevitable Punch Up/Fall Out/Death/Murder/Birth/Someone Arrested Christmas Day

Time off (11 days)
Having friends visit (and stay over) that haven’t since 2019.
Church on Christmas Day - it’s always a special one.
And generally enjoying good company, good food, relaxing and knowing that come January it’s fast downhill to Spring.

1. The food - I love it all!
2. Having a few drinks with friends tomorrow and Friday - I don't really feel like we've done any socialising in the run up to Christmas - too busy and knackered. I also started a new job this year so the Christmas meal was ok, but not like it was with my old work friends, which felt a bit sad.
3. A Boxing Day walk on the beach.
4. Just stopping! Got to do a final house clean tomorrow and pick up some drinks and nibbles for drinks party tomorrow evening, then I'm DONE.

Are you without water at the moment?

Yes. Been without for a whole week. South East Water.

It's a bloody nightmare, and I think it's very unlikely to be sorted by Xmas day.

Finished work on 30th November, oh finished on 14 December so it's been Christmas here for some time. We've drunk the booze once and eaten the gammon so that's been fun. We just love being at home together. I have watched 43 Christmas films so far and he has managed about 15 it's truly magical.

-Xmas Day Dog walk. He was too little to go out last year!
-seeing my nephew on boxing day. My DDs are thrilled to have him at Granny's so close by.
-trying the new bird and blend tea trio with eldest DD8 which my DH bought me. I requested it.
-the rose harissa lamb and rice meal I will prepare Xmas eve and cook Xmas day
-playing with DDs. We usually build a Fort on Xmas day to play in. The dog may ruin that this year though lol
-seeing DM host boxing day with her 3rd grandchild. When diagnosed with Leukaemia in 2014 she has since seen the arrival of 3 grandchildren. More than she ever dreamed possible.

We've got a wonderful old friend staying with us, that should be fun. We've got some nice food in that I'm looking forward to. I also like the quiet of Christmas day, like the neighbourhood goes quiet, but if you do wander out then strangers wish one another a happy Christmas and i think that's nice. I got my partner and our friend something funny for their stocking and I'm looking forward to that.

DP is staying for a few days over Christmas, looking forward to that, it's just us and dc so nice and quiet and we're having Christmas Day Lunch at a pub so no big dinner too cook,

Awful that some people are still without water, this country is really going to shit.

I'm so happy that DS20 is home for xmas.
Excited for enjoying the younger DC excitement, panto, meals out before panto and on Christmas eve, 5 days off work, lie-ins, lots of lovely food and drink, boxing day dip in the sea with friends and the Motherland Christmas special 😁

Ignoring the whole thing.
Sleeping.

DD first Christmas, being able to eat anything I want (gestational diabetes last year) and my partner being off for 10 days to share some of the load.

Seeing my best friends, my family, my son getting what he's been wanting for years, Christmas dinner, boxing day breakfast and present swap with my boyfriend, drinks with cousins, films music relaxing with no work.
I had covid last year and couldnt eat, the year before was lockdown so we made the best but it wasnt the same
Looking forward to getting to spend time with all my favourite people and good food.

Celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

Watching my teen DD’s delight when I give her her presents - always my favourite part of Christmas. Spending time in different parts of London with different friends over the next couple of days enjoying food and drinks and laughing together. Seeing my niece and nephew on Christmas Day and relishing their joy at the magic of it all. Being at home on Boxing Day, just me and DD relaxing, watching tv and enjoying leftovers.

@CoQ10 I'm Se Water too, I hadn't heard there were problems, I'd heard about Southerns lack of water. Are you Ok? I'm in a GU postcode, if you're anywhere near you're welcome to come and use the bathroom!

Crawling into bed late on Christmas Eve (or early hours Christmas day...)
Being woken up at an inappropriate time and seeing the DC open their stockings.
Having a quiet day, simple meal for lunch and no pressure to see anyone. Early night hopefully.
Seeing parents on boxing day and full Christmas dinner with them.

Dinner at PIL's (recently moved relatively close to us after 20 years at the opposite end of the country) with SIL (recently reconciled with my DH after 15 years not speaking) who I absolutely love and have missed horribly all this time. I genuinely cannot wait and feel excited every time I think about Christmas Day, it's like being a kid again 😊

Lightheartedly: getting it over with because I thought I was organised and now it’s coming around too fast and I’m no longer organised and have a ton to do!

Non-lightheartedly: Seeing DD’s face when we go down to see the Father Christmas presents. She’s 3yo and it’s the first year she sort of gets what’s going to happen and she’s already so excited. DS is 9months which is also exciting but he’s not really going to understand it so DD’s excimer gives me that kid at Christmas feeling again.

I bought Oodies for DD, Ds and ds girlfriend who will be with us. I don't really do brands, so they won't expect them and I'm so excited to give them as they're lovely and I think they're going to love them.

And we bought ridiculous amounts of cheese tonight and I can't wait to get stuck in!

I'm only getting CE and CD off this year and it's just like any other time off except I get a present and a massive roast dinner. My daughter is 16 and it's still nice to see her open her presents. That novelty never wears off.