Countdown to Christmas 2023: launching into summer with more Christmas planning (thread 2)

[NoWordForFluffy]

Here's our new thread. Almost missed that it was needed!

Can somebody add the countdown again please, as I've no clue! 🤣🤣

Ooh, that's pretty 😍

I still haven't finished the Christmas one I started years ago 😳 I did buy a Snow Dog hoop kit from the Range which was a decent size for £3. Hopeful I might at least get that started before this Christmas!! Although I've bitten off more than I can chew with non-work commitments at the moment so who knows...

That's lovely, Crazy. I had to stop myself spending my £10 of Hobbycraft vouchers on another kit it was hard though, as I love the Vervaco Christmas cushion kits. My stash is huge, so no more projects are required!

Firefly, I'm sending get well vibes to your house.

11 working days left in this job. Thank god!

Firefly I've made a snow dog one before (and I think Fluffy may have done one or two as well).
They were easy and relatively quick if I remember rightly so hopefully you can fit it in.

Fluffy my stash didn't need to get any bigger either. I'm still a very slow crafter and there are at least 6 full coverage, big kits waiting for me to start in the spare room 😳 plus I'm working 2 cross stitch Christmas cards at the same time.
If this new one is done for Christmas 2026 I'll be surprised!

Do you get a break between end of this job and start of the new one?

I'm about to fall into bed. Ive been dreading tomorrow all week - I have non stop meetings and I'm presenting in half of them (which I hate) and there are very clever people (who make me feel a bit stupid) in the other half 😫
Roll on tomorrow 5pm!

45
I hope your day goes well crazy and that the migraine has gone. The cross stitch looks lovely. I am v tempted to try one after hearing how much you all like them!
Hope you are feeling better today firefly.
Good luck with your last days at your current job fluffy. I found the last few weeks really hectic when I changed jobs in the summer because I wanted to make sure I left everything ready for the next person.
Looking forward to the weekend- it's not too busy so I can focus on Christmas prep!

Morning!

It's utter chaos, Constantly! I've had a whole raft of time-limited offers to deal with in the last couple of weeks, which have taken up WAY too much of my time. And the files they keep saying are being taken off me, haven't been, so I've no clue whether I'm meant to be doing the Court deadline stuff or not. 🙄😬😩

Crazy, no break. Finish on 24 Nov, start on 27 Nov. I have no money for a break!

Foggy here. Meant to be sunny later. 🤞🤞

@70isaLimitNotaTarget, have you found any Snowman loo roll yet? I got it from Iceland last year, but they don't have it online yet.

Not yet Fluffy , I looked online too but didn't see it listed .
Nthing showing on the Aldi site yet .

Last year it wasn't in Wilko at all either online (just an 'email when back in stock' ) or instore ( and of course now our Wilko is no more)

I bought some M&S silver star looroll though .

You can get 10 packs for £30 on Amazon. But a) that's far too much loo roll. And b) it's dearer than the shops!

I forgot about Aldi, mind you. Wonder if The Range will do it, as they've kind of taken over Wilko, to an extent?

I'm doing pretty well with preparations so far. I'm taking prepared Christmas puddings to a couple of family members tomorrow as it's the last time I'll see them until after Christmas.

I bought a couple of bottles for the festive season with my shopping today.

DD1's last present arrived today. I've got some more things to get for her siblings but they include games that haven't been released yet. I've got a shopping trip booked for next weekend with my DDs. I expect that will be more brunch than shopping but 🤷🏻‍♀️

I'm getting there 🤶🏻

I got a few more stocking fillers in tk maxx today. They had some e.l.f make up bits in and dd loves that plus a really nice Nike sweatshirt for ds.

It’s going to be chilly tomorrow but at least it’s not going to rain. Feel like it hasn’t stopped!

I had a look in TKMaxx/HomeSense at pannatonne but they didn't have the small ones- they did have the lemon ones but in big sizes .

I got a couple of things for DS and ordered from Boots online for what I couldn't get in the shop.
M&S online is being awkward and won't let me order pyjames while at the same times luring me with 15% off , they aren't in the local stores either

Ooh and I bought sime lovely looking sultanas so I'll get my fruit soaking underway mid week to bake next weekend

Thanks for the well wishes. The griping stomach cramps have gone but I still feel a bit nauseous. Thankfully nobody else in the family seems to have been affected.

DSis and I have started hammering out the Christmas dinner list. She offered to host, but the layout of my house is better for everyone to be able to see each other while they eat. And I have a range cooker - think that was the clincher. I've had it 10 years, only really use one of the three ovens and couldn't tell you how to turn on the grill. So, my homework is to read the user manual in the next couple of weeks. Oh, and look at replacing the internal light that's gone...

44

Morning!

It's a very clear morning. The stars can all be seen! ✨ 🌙 I've already hung the washing out, though we're forecast a very still day, so I'm not sure what it'll do.

I have a load of things to pick up from town today including some free 'treat' pears from M&S, so I'll do that after we've been for haircuts.

DH and I snoozed through Die Hard last night. Must try harder when we aren't so tired. 😬🙈🤣 I did wrap the presents going home though, so that's something!

Afternoon. I am back from my shopping trip to town - was there for over 3 hours which is ridiculous considering how small the town is.
I got there early but it was madly busy by the time I left, so much so that I skipped a few shops entirely.

Have made a big dent into my Christmas shopping. Had to go back to the car twice to dump bags in the boot and I can't remember the last time I've done that!

My poor feet are aching now though so I'm having a cuppa, then I'm going to tidy some bits in the garden before inventorying the presents I have.
If I can be arsed I'll try and finish the shopping online tonight, if not I'll be cross stitching.

Firefly I'm glad you're on the mend.

I had to de-ice my car this morning 😲

DC are sleeping at my DParents, so DH and I are living our best life. By which I mean, he is trying to fix the dishwasher and I am wrapping presents for the (separate) parties the kids are going to tomorrow afternoon.

That sounds a very successful shopping expedition Crazy! Have you ended up cross stitching?

I was going to go to Costco with DH but on the radio it said the M25 was closed near us (and I didn't fancy joining the queues) so put it off till next week..
Got my winter clothes out of the attic and sorted them out .
Put some washing out as it was sunny but cold , they haven't dried at all .

Ordered some online shopping that I couldn;t get yesterday in the shops .

70, we've decided to leave ours out overnight as it's forecast dry and windy, as opposed to dry and still all day today. Ours has done nothing either!

Firefly, the kids were at the in-laws' last night. Which is clearly why we went to sleep during a film rather than doing anything exciting! 🤣🤣

I feel a bit better about our evening plans now, Fluffy 🤣

Spotted this in a magazine.

https://www.waterstones.com/book/festive-coffee-shop-drinks/hannah-miles//9781788795548?sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=626889&awc=3787_1699745915_c3a0a6ebc88f4046b4c310bc23022d55&utm_source=626889&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=Preisvergleich

43

Morning!

It's rather chilly here today, but was thankfully dry for the dog walk! It's meant to go very wet later and really windy overnight.

I was going to go and feed the birds at the allotment, but it doesn't seem like a good plan with wet and windy weather on the way. It'll get soaked and / or blow everywhere!

Morning. Very wet and dark here.

Firefly I managed a small amount of both online shopping and cross stitching, but it's been a long and busy week and as my dad is away we ended up essentially mooching in front of the tv and going to bed early.

plan for today is for me and DH to get the house straight and have a mini roast dinner (cooked by DH).

Im also popping back to the Christmas shop with my mum for an hour as she wants to look for a new wreath and it seemed rude not to join her

Definitely rude to make her go by herself Crazy 🤣

It's gloriously sunny outside this morning. I kicked DH out of bed to go start tidying up downstairs while I MN but I suppose I'd better go join him. He's definitely put the tumble dryer on, but I'm not sure he won't now just be stood gazing at the dishwasher with betrayal. I've told him he needs to wait until Black Friday week to look at replacements so I may be announcing my impending divorce by the end of the week 🤣

I agree crazy would be very rude.

I just bought dd an Oodie. Her current one is from primark and it’s really not soft anymore and just looks grubby even after a wash. It was less than £36 delivered. I could honestly buy her so much for Christmas though she’s the easiest person to buy for.

Wreck that's my DD2. She gives me loads of ideas but then I struggle with her siblings and need to make sure their gifts are of equal value.

Crazy enjoy your shopping.