In preparation for Christmas today I will……

[Beautifulsunflowers]

…….organise the freezer space and get if it stops raining I’ll go into town to WHSmiths to hopefully get the dark chocolate toblerone for ds’s stocking. I’m also going to make a few more Pom poms for my Pom Pom wreath.

Whst are you all doing today in preparation for the big day?

I’ll be cleaning tomorrow, groceries will be delivered tomorrow too.

That was me too, plenty of time.......and she's just called to ask if I can meet the 12:30 train (I feel this would be better on the sweary thread!)

Pay day today, woohoo! So I've done my Christmas charity donation.

I've dusted and cleaned upstairs. Later, after a cup of tea, I'll be getting the little artificial Christmas tree out and decorating it for the spare room as DS will be staying in there and I want it to look festive.

Tomorrow is more cleaning ...

I went to Waitrose this morning which was relatively relaxing. Bought meat mostly to avoid any shocks in the online shop that's coming tomorrow.

Sorting out dd4 and ds2's rooms which are disgusting. Retrieving 15 towels from dd2's room so they can be washed in time for guests arriving tomorrow. (Her room is horrible but she can clean it herself when she gets back from work).

Now will marzipan the cake and make some mince pies.

Doing main clean tomorrow morning and the big shop is arriving tomorrow too.

Just finished up in work.

I'm getting my hair done at 3.30.

I've to write my shopping list for the big grocery shop tomorrow morning.

I may wrap DD's presents later.

I need to wash some towels so we have clean towels 'cos I haven't been home much the past few days to do any laundry and teen DD seems ro have worked her way through all of the towels in the hot press. Not strictly Chrisrmas related but it would be nice to have clean towels over the Christmas period and to be able to offer them to guests.

@Desecratedcoconut food Jenga is right! I've no idea how I'm going to fit the dessert in when it's made...

@BaconAndAvocado we always put presents under the tree, where do other people put them?!

I've the spare room and en suit deep cleaned. Just need to let the carpet dry and then I'll do another final hoover and arrange everything nicely.

Oven cleaner is currently working it's magic, although I stupidly sprayed it all over the grill as well. Ooops.

Turkey collected. Getting there...

MIL and Dh arrived, she seems determined not to talk about FIL at all.

TO DO:
Wrap last few bits
Get stockings ready before Christmas Eve (Saturday)
Pop into care home I used to work at with chocolates (Friday?)
Last Amazon order to sort and wrap (coming Friday)
Try and do food shop at some point…. Braved Lidl DONE ☑️
Replaced batteries in wreath lights DONE ☑️
Put away loads of laundry that DD kindly did
Little pile of ironing to just tidy it away
DH can do last few treat Christmas food bits whenever suits him

Random other jobs I wish I had time to do:
2 x picture frame for DS2’s posters & hang up
Clean the patio - have all the bits ready, tried this morning but ran out of time.
Hang up all the framed artwork that’s been down since the building work started

@Lysianthus you can use the sweary thread, I’m always on there.

I’ve made the bed and moved the presents, need to do a little tidying in her room.

Had to go into town and DH bought XMas cards reduced for next year.

TooningOut

Think we’ve got our wires crossed 😂

I’m talking about when I out the presents under the tree!
Most people put them under the tree on Christmas Eve I think?
I put ours out around the end of term.

TO DO:
Wrap last few bits
Get stockings ready before Christmas Eve (Sat)
Pop into care home I used to work at with chocolates (Sat)
Last Amazon order to sort and wrap DONE ☑️
Put away loads of laundry that DD kindly did
Little pile of ironing to just tidy it away
DH can do last few treat Christmas food bits whenever suits him
Sort out card string and put up all the cards (DH gets loads from work) DONE ☑️
Last two presents to get from DH’s study and wrap
Get scratch cards for DC stockings (Sat)

Random other jobs I wish I had time to do:
2 x picture frame for DS2’s posters & hang up
Clean the patio - Had a go, need to buy myself a proper patio cleaner, so DONE for now ☑️
Hang up all the framed artwork that’s been down since the building work started

We to town earlier and I dropped off the presents, card and baubles made with ds for my grandma to my mums work so that she can take them with her tomorrow!! My parents card and baubles were in the same bag so that’s all done now 😁

We walked around for a bit as ds likes looking up at lights in the shopping centres and now we’re at home tidying/cleaning. Dp is with ds downstairs doing what he can around him and I’m about 90% done with cleaning the bathroom!! I also need to put all the clothes (that are dry) away and sort out the landing which I’m hoping I can get done tonight 🤞

I really need to send back DD’s hoodie for a replacement in a different size. Today I bought another carrot house for DD’s hamster and more treats for the cats. All Christmas presents.
I need to write the card for DH and I think that’s it. I’m ready for the day.

Today is the we are going to drop off presents to a friend of mine and ds’s, then we’re going to ds’s last Christmas Party and Santa visit 🎅 After that we’re going to get some nice bread, drinks for mine and ds’s Christmas Eve box and breakfast for tomorrow! Then we will go and pick up the Ice Cream Cart Toy that is at my parents house and figure out where it’s going to hide until tomorrow night and drop off 3 presents that we’ve got for them to wrap.

Then at home I want to get the cleaning/tidying finished as I don’t want to be doing it tomorrow 🙈 I also still need to wrap 5 more presents!!

I'm 95% there, just need to tidy upstairs, clean the big bathroom and hoover. We're hosting family at lunchtime so need to get a move on now. Cannot wait until our visitors leave and we can shut the door and relax until more family arrive on Xmas day. Might push on with some food prep this evening.

Posting for accountability 😆

I have done the Christmas shop this morning. Then exchanged gifts with a friend and delivered a present to another friend. I'm now having a cuppa before tackling the washing and housework. No more specific Christmas stuff the rest of the day.

TO DO:
Wrap last few bits DONE ☑️
Get stockings ready before Christmas Eve
Pop into care home I used to work at with chocolates (Sat)
Put away loads of laundry that DD kindly did
Little pile of ironing to just tidy it away
DH can do last few treat Christmas food bits whenever suits him
Last two presents to get from DH’s study and wrap
Get scratch cards for DC stockings (Sat)

Random other jobs I wish I had time to do:
2 x picture frame for DS2’s posters & hang up
Hang up all the framed artwork that’s been down since the building work started

Just doing bits and bobs before I head off to work. Feeling quite anxious about how busy and stressful it is going to be.

Can’t wait to be home tonight and then I can relax somewhat. Still lots to do tomorrow morning (will get up early before the kids and just crack on) but this shift is just hanging over my head currently.

The big supermarket shop is done. I was at the supermarket before 9. I've unpacked everything, although I want to do a quick clear out of my kitchen press so I can fit in the bagels, bread, biscuits etc. I also want to chuck the old fruit, wash the bowl and make a nice display of the new fruit.

I've just had lunch and then I'll head to the cheesemonger for some really good cheese. I'll pick up a few bales of turf also. And a handful of things they didn't have in Tesco.

After dinner I plan to collapse on the sofa and chill. I'm just exhausted and feel like I haven't had a minute to admire my Christmas tree and have a cuddle with the cats. Everything else can wait until tomorrow.

Another cuppa before I venture out again.

I’m nearly there. The goose and gammon are out to defrost, we’ve unpacked and put away the supermarket order, and today dh has helped me to marzipan and ice the Christmas cake.

How many hours in advance are you taking frozen meat out to defrost? Is 72 hours ok?

A 5kg turkey supposedly takes three full days to defrost in the fridge.

I say supposedly because I've just checked mine which has been in the fridge for 36 hours and you wouldn't know it hadn't come straight out of the freezer.

Made chocolate cornflakes today.
Got the sausagemeat stuffing out of the freezer.
Watched the Young Farmers tractor run. ~100 tractors from ancient to modern.

Was at Sainsbury's at 6, M and S at 7:30, nail appointment at 9.

Back to make cranberry sauce, put Christmas bedding on, make red cabbage....a bit disastrous as it sort of shrunk!
Will serve as a chutney type thing with the ham.

Wrapped last bits, took DS2 to golf, delivered a birthday present.

I've finally sat down with a Bailey's hot chocolate and have a ready/made lasagne for dinner 🙌🏻

@Togekiss what do you do for work? Don’t worry if you don’t want to say. I work as an assistant on the ambulance and have loads of shifts over the holidays. Don’t know if it’ll be quieter than usual as no GP referrals and people won’t want to call us, or busier because no GPs are open and all the stress of Christmas/extra food/drink/families in close contact that aren’t usually…

Anyway, today is my last day to do things really, working Sunday, Monday & Tuesday. just need to get the DC to get stockings ready, and last 2 presents.

TO DO:
Get stockings ready before Christmas Eve
Pop into care home I used to work at with chocolates (Sat) DONE ☑️
Put away loads of laundry that DD kindly did DONE ☑️
Little pile of ironing to just tidy it away DONE ☑️
DH can do last few treat Christmas food bits whenever suits him - when??
Last two presents to get from DH’s study and wrap
Get scratch cards for DC stockings (Sat) DONE ☑️
Last minute magazine purchase & wrap DONE ☑️

Random other jobs I’m not going to do until Jan.
2 x picture frame for DS2’s posters & hang up
Hang up all the framed artwork that’s been down since the building work started