Spring has sprung...let's Countdown to Christmas 2024 (Thread 2)

[NoWordForFluffy]

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For the forgetful of thinking AKA me tomorrow, repeating the countdown!

@FireflyGirl I think it will be a couple of years or so from what she was saying.

I like the idea of a weeping angel type outfit. I will have to refer to you if there is a weird theme to it.

Don't blink!

We could be matching weeping angels fluffy 😂

Indeed Fluffy 🤣

Woolly my roasties are lucky if I remember to pick up a tub of fat from B&M while I'm buying stocking fillers. Otherwise, it's sunflower oil!

A bouquet of sonic screwdrivers?

K9 as a ring bearer?

Fish fingers and custard for the wedding breakfast?

I could knit you a Tom Baker style scarf to wear as a wrap if you want why

I am liking the idea of a Tom Baker scarf Woolly.

I think the real dogs will be ring bearers if they have that kind of thing. I am not convinced she will have all the bells and whistles but she could surprise me.

I think she may have a K9 robot toy somewhere as well.

Ummmmmm...🤔🤣

MY DS had a Dalek outfit when he was little ( it was a spongey silver/grey material) , they used to put on fancy dress outfits on Christmas Eve (after the Walk and before the Bath)

Deffo a wedding outfit and quite comfy but if you sit down you'd have to tuck it under your bum otherwise it obscures your view ( and shows your modesty )

I'm #Tean Tom Baker Dr Who

Whilst I am sure a spongey Dalek costume would make me look sensational. It sounds like it has a lot of room for malfunction 70. Still I will keep it in mind......

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Gosh I miss a couple of days and its all duck fat and daleks.

How exciting for your DD Why, congratulations. And plenty time for us to come up with obscure Dr Who themed outfits. My mum always used to make our costumes out of a bin bag and paint whatever on the front so mainly dice and dominos etc. Added bonus of easy removal with normal clothes underneath! Maybe the TARDIS?

You're somewhat overestimating Why's artistic ability, Magnolia! 🤣🤣

It's nice here today, for now. Apparently going to rain soon, but you'd never know it from the current sunshine!

Our new water butt is now full to the brim, which we're very pleased about. Don't need it right now, mind!

Fluffy is right @Magnoliasunrise I have no artistic talent whatsoever. 😂 I can't even wrap presents very well and according to Fluffy, what I lack in wrapping talent, I make up with paper and sellotape. 😂

Fingers crossed my daughter goes for a mainstream wedding look not anything clever (I will definitely go for Woolly making a scarf though if needs be).

Shame we're not near the end of the thread, 'Duck fat and Daleks' would be an awesome new title 🤣

It's been drizzly and chilly here today. Currently just overcast and bleurgh. It's forecast to rain tomorrow as well, which I'm a bit miffed about because I was planning to take DD to Gulliver's. But there's quite a bit to do inside, so I might still risk it.

We went a couple of weeks ago, and she really enjoyed it so we're going back with DN...

Oh even better if you've got no artistic talent, I'm a massive fan of crap homemade stuff - fancy dress or baking, the more rubbish the better. Like in Bake Off when they send in photos of their cakes😂.

Fingers crossed for your weather tomorrow Firefly. Its been quite chilly here today.

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Well, it was miserable and drizzly today but I packed the waterproofs with the picnic and we managed to have a lovely day at Gulliver's . DD is beyond exhausted and has been fighting sleep since we started bedtime at 6.30.

It's cracking weather now, but I was cold for most of the day!

Well today had been a shit show here. It's was meant to be my office day but I had to abandon that after spending an hour at the station watching my trains get cancelled or delayed.
And as if that wasn't fun enough, it started to rain really heavily as soon as I left the station so I got soaked walking to my car 🙄

Also, my new neighbour has started to move in (he's a family member of our first neighbour who passed away last year). His mum mentioned having to come and cut the grass for him and asked me if I could remind him about bin day as he's never had to do it before so I was expecting some young lad but he's 28!

In other, more festive news, I bought my first Christmas presents yesterday - tickets for a show. It's in March next year which means I was early enough to get decent seats cheaply
So that's it - now I've started it's reasonable for me to start planning isn't it?

28!!! @NoCheesesForUsMeeces 😮

Let the planning commence 🎅🏻🎄🤶🏻

I want to be super organised this year. Every year I plan to be organised, I sit all smug buying presents in August, and still find myself frantically wrapping. One year till 1am Christmas morning, a particularly low point! Even putting up Christmas lights in the front window is never a nice easy task as I have to clean the whole thing, and all the stupid slats in the shutters. It takes a long time, so this year I will clean it all in October, ready for decorations to go up mid November. It is very early, but we are going to Lapland and the decorations have to go up before that!

@JenniferGreenHat there's a few weekly countdown planners for preparing the house in the run up to Christmas. I know one is called the Holiday Grand Plan. It lists tasks by room that you can tick off and I think it starts 12/13 weeks before Christmas (so the end of September or thereabouts). Some bits are useful, some bits are irrelevant but it can be a framework for getting organised with the household stuff.

Meeces DH cuts DD1's grass but he likes gardening and she doesn't own a lawnmower. She does do all the planting, weeding and watering herself and she is totally on top of bin day 😂

Yep, he's 28! They made a few comments before about him being fussy, and I did think it was a bit weird that his parents have overseen plastering, painting, new bathroom, furniture deliveries etc and he just hasn't been here at all. But from their comments today it appears he's essentially been directing it all but not lifting a finger. I get the feeling they're happy to do whatever he likes if it means he moves out!

I was trying not to judge woolly as I'm almost 40 and my dad still does the majority of DIY things for me (it's his job and he loves it) but I do think new neighbour is taking the mick tbh!

jennifer I spend the last 2 weekends in November trying to do the 'big cleans' ready for decorations. Doesn't always work but I try.

Definitely set aside time for wrapping though. Just the idea of leaving that late causes me stress.
I like to have a wrapping evening - I plan it for when DH is out. Set myself up at the table (or on sofa with ironing board), Christmas lights on, usually a drink or 2, chocolate orange snacks and Christmas films and just work my way through.
I'm a weirdo who enjoys wrapping though, and it's a little tradition just for me

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Agree re the wrapping - its nice to get it done early so no Christmas Eve panic wrapping which is the worst. BUT even though i say it every year and always look forward to having that quiet evening with the drink, film and a big pile of wrapping it always seems to piss me off - sellotape falling off table, cat getting the paper, half the presents so carefully hidden I can't find them, I've always bought too much and it always takes twice as long.

Can I be a bah humbug in July?

Maybe this year I will do the main wrapping in November and just save a few bits to have a nice wrap in December.

The year we left wrapping til Christmas Eve still traumatises me. Never again! 😩🤣

I'm in the office today as we have our summer social later on. It's quite lowkey though, thankfully. It's finally dry here but bloody windy. Shame we got to the bottom of the wash basket yesterday!

I have been ignoring my wash basket as I've had better things to do, but that's my plan for this morning. And sorting the home insurance.

Then I'm at a funeral this afternoon and Scouts AGM tonight. Proper grown up day as opposed to yesterday's theme park/swimming/freezer tea.

Jennifer I hate wrapping, it is my least favourite Christmas task. DH bought me a special tiara so I put that on with Muppets Christmas Carol, usually late November. DH is supportive because he also remembers the Christmas Eve we were trying to put Playmobil together until nearly midnight then DS was up at 4... (He will wrap if I let him but he vaguely throws wrapping paper and sellotape in that general direction and congratulates himself on a job well done like the patio which still isn't finished) Definitely been thinking more about Christmas these last few days while it's been miserable!

Enjoy your party Fluffy 🎉

<Adds tiara to list>

My wrapping involves : mug of coffee /good scissors/heavy tape dispenser and quality tape /the ironing board set up as a wrapping table/ something festive on telly that I don't need to concentrate on.
Try to get it done mid Dec , I too have had a Christmas Eve Wrapping Marathon and I would not recommend it

Last year I booked a week of leave to sort out the pre Christmas Tidy Up ( end Oct/early Nov ) and I caught Covid so spent the time miserable and non productive .

Oh ,

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Forgot the CountDown.........................