Season of mist and mellow fruitfulness...and ramping up those Christmas preparations! Countdown to Christmas 2024 (thread 3) (title edited by MNHQ @request of OP)

[NoWordForFluffy]

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(Saves us checking the old thread tomorrow!)

Here goes, folks. New thread to see us through autumn!

Oh , I ache
I was shivery and cold during the night and now have the worst joint pain.
I stumbled to the toilet half asleep at 2am (yes I did get there) convinced I had broken my hip in my stupor.

Now in bed with coffee, paracetamol and an Asda lemon muffin.

Oh no, 70. I hope you recover soon!

Feel better soon @70isaLimitNotaTarget!

I'm feeling very organised now!

I bought a pork joint this week, as it's on offer in Sainsbury's, and I've ordered a joint of Saltmarsh beef from a local farmer, as well as a joint of lamb online from Farmisons. We have potatoes in the freezer ready to roast and we're on the hunt for a decent sized red cabbage so I can make that in advance as well. I have dauphinois potatoes, cauliflower cheese, pigs in blankets and stuffing on my Booth's order.

I've got a hickory beef joint and a side of salmon in the freezer for the Christmas Day buffet, as well as a load of party food ordered from Booth's. Some of my cheese is on order from the local cheese shop and we get the rest from Aldi which has a cracking selection at Christmas.

I just need a gammon (there was a great offer in Sainsbury's last year which I'm hoping they'll replicate), plus salads, crackers and bread (I tend to get the bags of part baked rolls from Aldi). I'll also need pizza and cocktail sausages for the kids!

I have Pringles, fancy crisps and nuts in the garage. As well as beer, cider, vodka and wine. Plus some non-alcoholic drinks.

I also have 3 tubs of chocolates, and some chocolate coins (I'll need more!).

I feel like it's all coming together!

That’s brilliant @NoWordForFluffy.
I think I see where I’m going wrong (see username)🤔
I don’t start nearly early enough!

Hope you start to feel better soon @70isaLimitNotaTarget

@WhyamIneverorganised you don't need to start particularly early but you do need lists. Lots of lists. Can you tell I love a list 😂 Not just for presents but for cards if you send them, food, drink, guests, events etc.

I've added a couple of Christmas food bits to my shopping order for this week. I've got the house to myself tomorrow so will crack on with the cooking I had planned for this week and never quite got round to.

Ooh, I don't do lists (other than mental lists; I don't write stuff down!). I go rogue.

I've got Christmas bits in this week's order too. I'm going to start on mince pie making next week as well.

Fluffy didn't you say you weren't over catering this year? 😂

I went to order the turkey from the local butcher and it was £172.50 for a 6kg bird!!! So I've ordered from M&S instead.

Hope you're feeling better soon 70 - did you manage to make your best ever tomato soup? A bowl of that should do the trick if you're feeling under the weather.

The problem is, Magnolia, that in order to get a good variety, you have to buy a fair amount! 🙈🤣

I always do 3 meats as well, so that's normal for me. Then I make a pie with the leftovers. 😋

I need to make yorkshires ahead of time too, but my handheld blender broke, so I need to get a new one first!

And £173?!?!??? <dies> Who can afford that?!

@NoWordForFluffy Wow. You could definitely write a column on Preparing for Christmas - although I bet you’re as organised in every aspect of your life.

I could easily write a list of everything I need to do, which would be really thorough. But it’s actually doing it all that I struggle with. I’ve got a lot of presents already. And should write them all down and start wrapping. But I’m wondering if the paper would start to open or rip. So now I put it off. I’ve decided that this year is the last one we’ll do Christmas cards with the DC handprints. They take hours to make. And I’m not sure which design to do. I should do them now. But it seems too early. So I’ll put that off too. And here begins the problem 🤦‍♀️

Bought my first present today. Ian Rankin’s new book for DH.

Not sure why I am starting so early because I only buy for DH my adult DD plus her birthday on the 29th of November. Plus something for my singing teacher and physio and treats for our cats.

I understand why people with big families and friendships groups start early or those about to go through a big life change like a new baby, moving house or surgery.
None of this applies to me. Perhaps it’s peri menopause making me worry I might forget. I certainly get a lot of brain fog lately.

I've slept through pretty much all of today and staggered downstairs for coffee and toast .
Hopefully tomorrow I'll be ok , it's the horrible after effects of the vaccine .

I've bought some bottles of soda water and orange juice which the DC won;t drink , the soda can be used for DD Aperol spritz .
DS likes J2O which I can get in Costco

One year I bought some cans of Pepsi , put them in the garage and they must've froze as half of them exploded , Luckily they were in some plastic storage drawers so it was contained .

66

I'm catching up with all the water I missed drinking ( I 'm usually a heavy coffee drinker , my body will be all where;s the caffeine then ? "

Watching QVC , there's a Liz Earle hour on , it;s a lovely range of products but way too lavender-ey for me .

Afternoon!

We have had rain this morning, but it's now very sunny indeed. With 45mph winds! Tad breezy. The good news is that the washing should dry pretty quickly.

How are you feeling today, 70?

I need to do some cleaning, but I had to go and fetch a small Christmas tree from Argos for DS to put in his room, and I'm currently making soup for lunch. I shall be productive after lunch! 🤣

I need to make yorkshires ahead of time too, but my handheld blender broke, so I need to get a new one first !

I bought one from Asda a few years ago , the bladed end goes in the dishwasher and it does the job well enough . I was hankering after a Bamix but told myself "No , you din;t need that"
I've got a gorgeous KitchenAid Food Processor ,good sized bowl not the mini one .
The stick blender is good for Yorkshire Pudding batter ( use a very tall container , otherwise the time you save will be spent clearing up the mess ) and ice-cream milkshakes .

I'm idly doing laundry (bedding ) it has to go in the dryer as its raining here .

My left arm feels a bit hot , right arm is fine . Left hip is sore , no idea why as it usually affects my fingers and wrist joints

I have an apple red KitchenAid with glass bowl. It's a thing of immense beauty!

The stick blender is ace for getting air into the batter, so I do need to get it replaced. I'll have a look when I get paid next week.

I need to go to Lidl to see what Christmas stuff they have as I have a £5 off £25 voucher burning a hole in my pocket! Might as well use it wisely on snack food!

KitchenAids are beautiful , I bought myself a small Kenwood mixer but as it came with a whisk/dough-hook and K beater I needed a silicone blade which I bought as an add-on.

I make Brownies for DD (use the whisk for the sugar+eggs) and it is so much better after 24 hours , good to freeze wrapped up in plenty of foil .

Morning all, have woken ridiculously early and can't get back to sleep. Hope you are feeling better @70isaLimitNotaTarget.

DH and DS bought a giant Christmas gonk yesterday and he is currently stood in the sitting room as he can't go in the garage until I have properly sorted it this week. He keeps freaking me out when I see him out of the corner of my eye 🤣

65

Morning!

I'm so tired as the wind kept waking me last night. It was really bad late yesterday afternoon through to the early hours of this morning. Thankfully I didn't see much damage on the dog walk.

The gonk sounds entertaining, Hoping! 😬🤣

Sending you get well wishes @70isaLimitNotaTarget

Am now in full Holiday Preparation mode, we're going in Thursday.
I even walked right past the new Christmas food aisle in Asda!
Hope I don't do cold turkey later...

We get back on the 3rd November so it will be full on CC (Christmas Craziness) straight away!

Just to afford myself a little peace of mind re Christmas, I have already:

Bought Christmas cards

Bought/sorted DC's advent calendars

Placed an M and S food order

Booked show and overnight s yes at on holiday for Christmas treat

That's it!

Hope you're feeling better 70!
My Christmas prep will start in earnest next week. I have a goose and turkey crown in the freezer, but am now wondering if I need an actual turkey as we are hosting more than expected over Christmas.

I don't have a giant Christmas gonk and I feel like my life isn't complete. Can you please post a photo Hoping?

I did get a large nutcracker from Home Bargains last year and my sis told me they're back in the Bolton store so I may just have a trip to the shop when I visit over half term. I may end up with my own little army.

I even walked right past the new Christmas food aisle in Asda! 😱😱

I'm at the point where I'm organised but if I do anything else I'll have nothing festive left to do in the run-up. Cards are bought, wreath course is booked, turkey is ordered, cakes are baked and presents are falling into place.

I've got fabric advent calendars and need chocolate to fill them. I'll get this when I go to Bruges for the Christmas market. I've got a couple of presents to get for DS and DD2 and some baking/prep to do in December and that's pretty much it. I'm helping out at the prep for a community Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve which will be lovely and festive. I may save all my wrapping until Christmas Eve just to add a bit of an adrenaline rush 😂

I think it was 70 that mentioned the Christmas Carol/Sherlock Holmes show earlier in the countdown. I'd love to see that with my DDs but typically the trains from here arse end of nowhere when it comes to public transport are not behaving themselves at weekends in the run up to Christmas. DDs can't do midweek due to work so I may have to miss out.

Here he is!

Driving home I saw my first fully decorated house with tree in window!