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!

It all arrived from Ocado eventually thank you @70isaLimitNotaTarget as did my Morrisons click and collect. It wouldn’t have been a problem if it didn’t, irritating but not a big deal, but glad I managed to avoid the shops today!

Happy Christmas Eve everyone!

Happy belated birthday to @NoWordForFluffy's DH! Is your DD feeling better @BiddyPop

Mostly all ready here. Need to pick up some salad leaves today. Otherwise need to wrap two presents and write one card. Won't take more more than about 20 mins in total.

Both DH and I are doing readings at the carol service tonight so will just do a quick rehearsal. I have to say 'I am a virgin' to the whole church so must not laugh like a child 😂

Dinner tonight is cold naice ham, bread, cheese, salads etc. bread is currently in the bread maker and will stick the ham in the oven after breakfast.

Built DS' air hockey table last night, was surprisingly painless so that was a pleasant surprise.

Have a wonderful day all x

🎄 Merry Christmas Eve 🎄

Bit of a busy one here. Have my family coming to visit this morning. Will do a buffet style lunch which is prepped and ready to go.
Am going to FILs for a couple of hours this afternoon which will be chaotic but nice.

In amongst this I need to wrap 2 things that arrived yesterday, do 2 loads of washing and change LOs bedding. DH needs to clear the stuff he dumped in the bedroom as it's LOs first Christmas with us and we'll be taking photos of them doing the stocking in bed and I don't want it looking a tip and stay on top of keeping the kitchen clean.

This evening we'll be doing a chilled out bath for LO, leaving a plate out for Santa, reading the night before Christmas and hoping for an early night for them although typically there is a cough/cold brewing 🙄

Then presents will be brought downstairs, the wooden kitchen that's currently hiding in DHs car will be brought in and hopefully I'll finish my dad's card 🤞🏼(just the bike wheels and snow to go now).

1 Yipppeeee

Happy Christmas Eve 🎄

I was in M&S at 7.30am and it was mobbed. There was a faint sense of hysteria in the air but tonnes of stuff and I thought god I didn't need to spend 17 weeks preparing for this I could have just bought it all now. Even the Colin Caterpillar special edition festive log that sold out online yonks ago was available by the bucket load.

I don't get why so many couples go food shopping together at 7.30am on Christmas Eve though, Is it a date? Do they enjoy it? Lots of dopey men pushing trolleys slowly and just generally getting in the way. Perhaps they pissed their wives off and are there as punishment. I treat it a bit like going into battle.

Final wrapping here also - its on my list to do but I can't remember what it is (or where it is), praying just a couple of bits.

Have a lovely rest of day everyone.

Afternoon!

Magnolia, there was a thread the other day about taking your entire family shopping in the supermarket. Apparently it's miserable to suggest that it's left to one adult to go alone and get it done! I'm with you though!

I've made madeleines, a red pepper dip and my cinnamon swirls are in the cupboard with the water tank expanding a bit before they're baked. I've also cooked and glazed the gammon. Now to clean the bathrooms!

I have made trifle and a Christmas cake. I have also peeled all the veg. Having to rest for a bit now as I am exhausted.

Veg peeled,turkey crown defrosting.
Had a bath, watched The Muppet Christmas Carol, 2 gins in.

With just over 10 minutes to go I AM STILL IN WHAMAGGEDON 🎉🎉

I thought I'd had the Whammer Hammer this morning while helping out at the veg prep for the community Christmas dinner but it was a cover.

I dropped DH at work around 7am and pottered along to Sainsbury for last minute wares......they had no parsnips -there were two empty crates with the label but no parsnips . I bought some Aunt Bessie frozen ones so we'll go with them.

DD and I watched Last Christmas ( had to pause it to pick DH up. I am such a Good Wife ) then Lost Christmas and some Inside Number 9 for good measure .

Did some tidy up , finished laundry , made Christmas Eve Dinner .

Going to watch the Christmas Eve Ghost Story and DH might make me coffee ( what with me being the Good Wife who gave him lifts today )

Woolly I have heard Wham:Last Christmas everywhere I go . I didn't realise they were kept off the No1 spot by Live Aid , but that was the huge Christmas hit that year .

Just watched the Christmas Ghost Story ( top tip , don;t waste 30 minutes of your life )

I remembered I had to get the DC their Badly Wrapped Presents From The Cats when I was shopping . Bought DD a nice hairbrush and £10 for DS ( who likes money )

They ( the DC) won;t be up till 10am
The cats OTOH , 6am for breakfast . No lie-in just because it;s Christmas .

Merry Christmas to All , and to All a Good Night .
See you for the next countdown

Meanwhile , photo of Vested Bloke climbing down the chimney . And he's brought me a present - a lighter . I don't smoke but thanks its the thought that counts

Happy Christmas Everyone!!!

@NoWordForFluffy help me out here - is it 365??

@70isaLimitNotaTarget I am also up with the cat, will be dragging DC out of bed at 8am though. Getting my own back for the xmas mornings that started at 5am. How I miss those days now......

Went to the crib service at church yesterday and it was perfect and filled me with Christmas spirit after my grumpy shopping trip.

Have a very lovely day everyone. XXX

Merry Christmas!! 🎄🎅🏻🎄🎅🏻

Magnolia, it's 0 and 365! I'll start another thread later on to start the 2025 countdown.

The kids have opened their presents (as have we!). DS is building Lego, which is what will happen for most of the day now, only stopping to get buffet food!

DD has an iPad to set up, so she'll be on that later on, in her new Oodie! They seem happy enough, which is always good news!

Happy Christmas all! I hope everyone has an amazing day.

DS has opened his stocking but we will do presents after breakfast. We are currently waiting for DGP to wake and come down for breakfast.

Have written down all the timings for dinner and the mulled wine is in the slow cooker. Feeling very relaxed :)

Merry Christmas everyone

Our alarm went off at 6am, then LBC radio comes on.
DH got up ti feed the cats.
I put DDs presents ( in two stretchy fleece stockings) on her bed . DD is asleep but our Female Cat sat demanding to go into DD room, all tail swishy and miaow-ey , so I let her go in.

Just made some chocolate crispie cakes for DS (wellll it IS cereal ) then I;ll do breakfast .
Got coffee and enjoying the Peace (except the neighbours dog <sigh> )

Happy Christmas everyone!

I am sat at the kitchen table with a freshly brewed pot of coffee looking at a dreary misty morning. DD is curled up on the couch after a feed of pancakes, Nutella and bananas (almost back asleep again, I think). DH is still asleep (I am channelling Emma Thompson's "It's a Christmas miracle!" as he really needs the rest). Pastries might be finished baking by the time he appears (frozen from supermarket - I fell of the poncetastic thread 2 years ago🤣).

Presents come later for us, just as well as I have to wrap mine. But we are bedding in for an extremely chilled day, might get out for a walk later if it stops raining. And there is a turkey in the fridge that will fit in my basic oven for later this evening.

Merry Christmas everyone. We have had a lovely relaxing day and everyone is happy with their presents. I'm putting the finishing touches to dinner and we will sit down to eat in about half an hour.

Thank you for your company for the last 366 days and see you on the next thread.

Checking in. Hope everyone has had a merry Christmas.

Things have been nice but busier than I wanted today. LO has coped pretty well but struggled with the volume of presents so we've tucked some away for the next day or so.

Kitchen was a success and I'm looking forward to tomorrow. We've deliberately made no plans so it'll be just us at home, tidying, finding homes for new toys, playing and maybe a walk to the park.
DH will cook our turkey and we'll have that with stuffing, chips, coleslaw and pickles. It'll be the Christmas day I wish I'd fought a bit harder for tbh.

I'm now sat in complete chaos with a glass off the lovely Bucks Fizz listening to Mistletoe and Wine (my favourite) and feeling a bit overwhelmed by the day and the fact that LO is finally here.

Strange day!

I excelled myself -
chicken for DS and the cats
Quorn roast for us
mini sausages ( DS doesn't like bacon so no PIB for him but he'll eat a sausage that is as near to carbonated as I dare without being charcole)
cauliflower cheese
Aunt Bessie parsnips
Paxo stuffinf balls
carrots with almonds
sprouts (of course)
swede puree
gravy
roast potatoes
Yorkshire Puddings (that I make and watch through the oven door then announce "Prepare To Be Dazzled" in my best Bart Simpson voice as I pile them up )

I had to time it for the dishwasher finishing to get the serving dishes out

Not had pudding yet , too full .

I tod my DS when I'm ancient and he hosts me for Christmas then I hope he was paying attention as he'll need to cook for me and I have standards y'know .
He eye rolled and muttered about Toby Carvery , little git .

It sounds like everyone's had a lovely day!

Here's the new thread: www.mumsnet.com/talk/christmas/5237579-ho-ho-hohere-we-go-round-again-countdown-to-christmas-2025-thread-1