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?

You know it's Christmas when there's a queue at the cheesemonger. I wouldn't mind but it's in the arse end of nowhere . But they do seriously good cheese. Maybe I should start a separate Christmas cheese thread.

Thanks for the reminders to take the too large turkey that DH and MIL bought out of the freezer.

Our cheesemonger had a queue from opening today. We'd pre-ordered, so rang a bell and were given our cheese. All in about a minute. Felt like a right CF!

I am so tired!! 😴😴 Today we have been to mine and ds’s friends house to drop off presents and have a play date. Then we went to ds’s last class Christmas party. Then we went to my parents house to drop off the 3 gifts we had at our house for them to wrap and collected the Ice Cream Cart toy that I left there for ds when I got it from Facebook marketplace. Then we went shopping for the last bits. Now I am super tired but when we get home I am going to spend a couple of hours tidying and trying to get as much done as I can!! It’s not even like we have anyone coming, I am just determined to get it done and make sure that there is space for all of the presents!!

I've wrapped all of DD(12)'s Christmas presents. All 52 of them! She doesn't have a main present this year, but I've tried to buy lots of things she will love as she has had a shit year with multiple medical diagnoses.

Exchanged presents with my best friend, posted my neighbours cards, posted my mother's neighbours cards, took delivery of Waitrose and Sainsbury's orders and packed food away.

Am now lying on my bed scoffing Thomas Fudge's Salted Caramel Florentines which are divine.

I have had enough of the tidying now and I’m so tired so I’m done with that for the night!! Our bedroom is done other than under the bed, just a bit more to sort out in the bathroom, ds’s room/playroom is about 95% done so I’m happy with that!! The landing is done other than a few bags for sorting and donating. The kitchen is done other than washing up and tidying up after tonight’s tea. The living room is probably as tidy as it’s going to get. I think I will probably do a quick tidy in the morning and then whatever isn’t done can just be done another day/month/year 🤷‍♀️

Tomorrow is a busy day for me, Sundays usually are. I’ve got to iron, mop, hoover, cook the gammon and yorkies, arrange the presents under the tree, get the Chinese takeaway.. thankfully my mums here so won’t have to prep veg aswell… move the stocking presents to a more reachable place whilst dd is out with my mum.

Happy Christmas Eve!
Today I need to
Do the 3rd load of dishes from last nights entertaining
Eat something from the freezer to make room for the leftovers
Remind DH several times to assemble and wrap a bike and a bin bag of assorted hand-me-down Toot Toots, do it myself around 10pm
Find a spot in the garden for a gifted plant
Visit parents
Bins

I aspire to watch the Nutcracker with a hot chocolate and my knitting, but DD a bit young so it’ll probably be Duggee instead

Usual Christmas Eve here. I need to collect turkey, clear and clean kitchen surfaces, prep veg and prep turkey.

Make cranberry sauce
Make red cabbage
Made cheesy leeks
Find a cauliflower recipe
Make bread sauce
Make gingerbread house
Boil potatoes for roasting tomorrow
Make pudding
Wrap main presents for kids (hidden away)

Just about to throw on some clothes so I can hit the supermarket for a handful of things I couldn't get in supermarket 1 and 2 yesterday.

Do another towels wash.

Tidy the main rooms downstairs.

Drop cards into the neighbours and a present into the lovely lady who lives next door.

Wrap DD's present.

Call to my Dad's house to pick up some bags I left behind.

Collect DD from work.

Mop and hoover throughout
Make a stuffing loaf
Put clean Christmas bed sheets on
Attend the local church crib service if time
Not stress

I finished wrapping everything last night (found another four presents in the wardrobe - makes a change not to find them in January!)

Today was going to be quiet anyway, but DD is ill in my bed after barely sleeping all night. Hoping and praying she feels better tomorrow. She's been so excited for Christmas.

I am watching old Brookiside with the cat and listening to the wind howling outside. Won't be making it to crib service this year.

@LivingInaBuildingSite Retail management. Luckily yesterday wasn’t too bad for me, much better than I expected! That’s me off for a few days now, got very lucky with the rotas this year.

Tidy the entire house in 2 hours mode activated! Lots to do but just going to crack on and hopefully by the time family come over everything will be in place.

I finished wrapping the presents last night and wrote ds and dps card so that’s all done now!! I found £8.04 when I was tidying last night too 😁

I am going to watch a Christmas movie and make Christmas crackers this morning 😋 Then I might do a quick tidy (definitely not spending ages on tidying today) then when dp and ds come down I will be making Santa cookies and breadstick wands with ds 🤗
We’re going to Toby Carvery for tea and then we will open our Christmas Eve boxes when we get back home 🎅 Dp is then going to do bath time with ds with the LUSH Santa bath bomb that is in his box whilst I bring the presents down and fill their stockings 🎄
If ds goes to bed without too much fuss then me and dp might watch a movie before going to bed but we’ll have to see if he goes to bed first 😂

I got most of the last minute bits.

I hoovered the hall.

I hoovered and tidied the sitting room and dining room.

The kitchen lots like a bomb hit it and I have to head out to Dad's/collect DD in about 10 minutes. I might get the dishwasher emptied before I head out. I'll finish it off when I get back. I might stop off for petrol along the way.

Lovely neighbour's car hasn't been there all day, so I'm guessing she's out somewhere.

Will eventually get up, washed and dressed. Arthritis is playing up today. Mind you I have walked far too much these past few days. I usually do an hour but I have been regularly doing over 90 minutes. Very foolish.

Thankfully nothing else to do for Christmas. Just DH, cats, hamster (very much separate to cats) and me. Nice chilled. None of the panic for one day that so many people have.

@Pinkkisugarmouse

as you are obviously owned by cats my little boy wants to share a photo of him in Festive Slumber , preparing himself for tiomorrow

If he looks sweet and Chriistmassey , he thinks , he'll get fresh roasted chicken (my DS is the only non-vegetarian and I cook extra for the cats )

Black cats don't photograph well unfortunately (his sister is also jet black)

I think we are done. The goose is stuffed, the gravy is made, the potatoes, parsnips and sprouts are peeled, the bread sauce and brandy butter are done, and the gammon is in the slow cooker. The stuff that needed to come out of the freezer is out.

I don’t think I have forgotten anything. So either we are prepared for Christmas, or I have forgotten something vital.

I’m done cleaning! My back is shot and now it’s my turn to deal with baby dd2. Dd1 has been helping me tidy up. Both are bathed and in pjs. Dh will go out soon to get dinner with dd1, a Chinese. She’ll go in a onesie she won’t care.

Dd2 bedding is to go in the dryer but won’t take long. A wash to put away. That’s all I think now except for the usual put presents out when kids in bed. Stockings to hang and cookie and milk to go out. Need to wrap one for dd but it’s massive in garage and I’ll do it as I put rest out.

Im going to relax for the next 2 hours though as I’m exhausted. I haven’t stopped all day.

I’m ready. Anything needing to be cooked, cleaned, prepared or otherwise dealt with is done. It’s been remarkably relaxed for me this time, thank goodness. I was very ill earlier this year after perimenopause almost broke my mental health completely, and I am so grateful to be on the right HRT and capable and functioning pretty much as normal again. I’m actually looking forward to hosting the next few days.

@Togekiss retail is tough this time of year! Glad you’ve got a good rota this year.

I had mostly a good shift today, plus free treats and cakes in the station at lunchtime.

TO DO:
Get stockings ready before Christmas Eve STARTED…
Get all DC and DH presents downstairs subtly STARTED…

DH can do last few treat Christmas food bits whenever suits him DID yesterday evening ☑️
Last two presents to get from DH’s study and wrap DONE ☑️

IN THE MORNING (as I’m up early before work):
put DC & DH presents by the tree
put DC stockings outside their bedroom doors - not risking going in anymore!
Then go to work….

The presents are wrapped, the table is set, the food is prepped. The house is clean and tidy. The stockings are a bit thinner than I'd like and we accidentally ate all the Christmas chocolate 🫣