What are you doing today (Christmas Eve)?

[ChristmasIsComing2023]

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 😂

Usual horse mucking out etc first thing for me, then DH is doing the stock for the gravy from giblets and cleaning downstairs whilst I make the gingerbread house with DD.

I’ve got the hens to clean out in a minute, then back to the stables. After that it will be kids Christmas films and snuggling on the sofa.

Everything is pretty much done thankfully.

Mass this morning, bits of housework, DH and DC4 went to ponies. Taught DC3 to make risotto for lunch. Still need to set table in dining room, prep stuffing and vegetables, deliver one local present, work out the food timings for tomorrow and clean the kitchen. Plus attend village nativity as DC4 is playing Joseph. Then midnight Mass (preceded by candlelit carols)

Been to see family this morning, stopped off at the garden centre for bird seed, delicious cake and 50% Xmas decs for next year. Decorated cookies for Santa and now chilling with Xmas films. Will have takeaway later while watching more movies.

Had a nice breakfast with DH and we prepped a lot of food for tomorrow as we are hosting, I part cooked Brussel sprouts, bacon and chestnuts and honey roasted carrots and parsnips and boozy spiced red cabbage, he did roasties and stuffing.
we went for a quick walk and grabbed some last min bits in town.
Chicken salad, pate and Christmas bread for lunch.
now off to the gym before it closes for Christmas then back for salmon blinis, fizz and fish for dinner and a chilled evening in front of the fire. 🎄😄

Sitting in hospital with dh while he has iv antibiotics for an infected foot. This is day 3 of 7, and we have been here here four hours today and counting. 🙄

We've had a lay in, older two chilling in their room watching tv and playing with Lego that was gifted by some friends yesterday. Me and toddler made gingerbread biscuits. She's spent the day so far in various dressing up costumes living her best life.

I've filled the slow cooker with mulled wine with orange slices and cinnamon sticks and ready to put it on "warm" before we go out to enjoy a bit later on when we get home.
For dinner we have a beige party food buffet followed by some of the biscuits we made which the kids will decorate. Christmas music and films are on.
Later we will go a drive to see a street that goes OTT with the lights and decs. We go every year and take hot chocolate in a flask and usually get out and walk but it's blowing a gale and raining sideways so we will probably stay cosy in the car this year.
Then we'll come home and the elves will be gone and Christmas Eve box will have magically appeared under the tree. Inside is the stockings, Santa's key, reindeer food, the night before Christmas book and a little orchard toys Christmas game.
Bath time after that and get the kids settled for the night.
I've just been messing about on my phone to knock up an image that I will show the kids tomorrow of Santa's sleigh and reindeer seen faintly in the sky outside and caught on our ring doorbell. X

A day watching TV on my own and then the annual Xmas Eve trip to the cinema on my own , it's the most wonderful time of the year......

@SkyBlueBoy I'm watching TV on my own too and may listen too music later. I hope you enjoy the film later.
Xmas is not my favourite time of year...I can't wait until it's over. It's been a very difficult time this year.

Gym this morning, currently watching football, and then off to the pub. Alarm set for tomorrow morning to ensure turkey goes in the oven on time!

We've (me, DH and ds5) been chilling at home and in the garden this morning, off to get the train into town and see the Polar express at the cinema then home for a Christmas eve box clue trail, beige party food picky tea then bath and bed for D's and a horror movie for me and dh 😊

Xmas is the the worst time of the year 100%

Nothing make you realise how far behind you are compared to all your friends and how much of a terrible person you must be, because once again it's another Xmas single and alone. Just about given up

Helping my MIL prep the mountain of food for tomorrow whilst watching Xmas movies, last bit of wrapping and then a picky tea and chill before tomorrow’s madness. Lovely!

Spent a couple of hours at a local castle and grounds this morning, which were beautifully decorated and interactive with a Christmas film theme, and now sitting on the sofa with the DC watching a secret life of pets.

All of the wrapping and food shopping and most of the cleaning has been done and it's only the four of us tomorrow so very chilled out. We don't eat Christmas dinner until 4/5pm (and have a few cheat dishes!) so no food to prep today.

Done loads of prep so far for tomorrow and had a big walk with the dog.

Just got out the shower and we are going to pop down the local for a couple of drinks later this afternoon.

Everything is done and ready but sadly we are off to the hospital instead to visit DH who had a heart attack on Tuesday 😩

Lie in
Coffee
Dog walk
Picked up a few last bits of food
Made lunch
Read book with coffee
Go to MIL's for Christmas telly
Have roast beef dinner at MIL's
Home for Christmas ghost story!
Watch DH wrap every last tiny stocking gift because I refuse to do so (putting them in the stocking is enough IMO)

This !

@SkyBlueBoy I typed a long reply but it doesn't seemed to have posted...

Comparison can be upsetting.
The nicest of people can be single.

Have you a support network to speak to?

There's always hope but life can feel very challenging at times sadly.

Mum and dad yes, but I'm just tired of being alone and nothing can be said that hasn't already been said before.
Friends are too busy living their perfect lives and I wouldn't want to bother them and ruin it.

I'm sure it will blow over once the new year lands, for now I'm just going to hide away

Trying to work out what to do for food tomorrow for me and DCs as oven has broken this morning ….

And whether I can find space for the food in the freezer that I should have been cooking tomorrow 😣

I've done two lots of washing, baked some chocolate snowmen, cooked the red cabbage ready for tomorrow and had a friend round for coffee.

I've got half way through making some marzipan fruits, and now I'm taking a break. I'll clean the bathrooms later and zoom around with the vaccuum.

Then feet up until I make supper which will be chicken cooked with coconut, tomatoes and spices, and some brown rice.

@SkyBlueBoy I hear you.

As I've got older I've enjoyed my own company more so that helps a bit with how I feel. But in difficult times I really would like to have a supportive loving partner.

Hiding away is what I often do best. Bring on the New Year!

Cleaned through the whole house. Did a deep clean a couple of days ago so it was just a quick one today. Did loads of ironing and a load of washing, one more load to go on as soon as it's done. Then we had lunch and went out for a couple of hours for a walk along the river to wear the DC out. Just finished the wrapping, had DH presents to wrap so ds2 helped me do that. We will have an early dinner soon and then watch Muppets Christmas carol followed by a Christmas bath for the DC with a bath bomb and then bedtime stories and bed. All of this has been interspersed with tracking Santa on the TV, thanks to sky! The DC are absolutely loving it!

💐

Played golf and went for a swim/sauna. Not long home, DC in from work and we are going to have a drink 🥂 and party food/nibbles before opening our presents tonight. Tomorrow its travelling to family.