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Christmas

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the Christmas clean

21 replies

Kibble29 · 07/12/2024 23:42

I know it’s not just me - the Christmas clean is a thing. Usually done around December 23rd and the whole house gets it because Santa can’t come into a messy house, can he?

It’s honestly one of my favourite parts of Christmas prep. Chuck the family out it possible, stick the AirPods in, and off I go.

Do you do this too?

OP posts:
pizzaHeart · 07/12/2024 23:46

No way I could done it in one day. Around here it’s a permanent thing from the last Christmas and hasn’t finished yet.

WalterdelaMare · 07/12/2024 23:50

Absolutely. The Christmas trees etc can’t happen until the downstairs has been cleaned and possibly repainted. This year, it’s been repainted 😬

Lalalaking · 07/12/2024 23:52

Well I dust the skirting board and window sil about where the tree goes 🤪

PlantDoctor · 08/12/2024 00:00

I've spent a couple of evenings decluttering a bunch of DD's bits to fit in gifts for her recent birthday and upcoming Christmas bits. Living room finally looks sane after too long with stuff everywhere. Now to put a tree up and take up all the space I just cleared 😅

notlisteningwithmother · 08/12/2024 00:09

I like to start Christmas Eve with a clean and tidy house. I know it's a lost cause with DCs and family around but even so...

I stay up late on Christmas Eve anyway, tidying up and setting the table for breakfast then sitting in peace and quiet with candles burning, the tree lit, and watching a televised midnight service.

Frontroomroomjungle · 08/12/2024 00:11

Yes I do. The house is in a permanent state of chaos but like a PP, sitting on Christmas Eve with a clean house, candles on, just feels nice.

StiffyByngsDogBartholomew · 08/12/2024 00:17

No.
id rather do almost anything than clean. Hence my house has very easy to clean surfaces and a minimal level of furnishings etc to live comfortably. I'm extremely tidy but I can't stand cleaning.

and if my skirting boards are grubby I really couldn't care less, life's too short and there are many more interesting things I'd rather spend my time doing. I can't find enough time for things I like doing, let alone things I don't like doing !

Calliopespa · 08/12/2024 00:17

pizzaHeart · 07/12/2024 23:46

No way I could done it in one day. Around here it’s a permanent thing from the last Christmas and hasn’t finished yet.

This reminds me of the year I still hadn’t moved the boxes of Christmas decorations back to the attic from the spare room where I’d shoved them under the bed while cleaning up and was only motivated to do do so they were “properly packed away” by Easter! 😂 The worst bit was when DH and DM said “ you might as well keep them out for next Christmas.”( I didn’t!)

mathanxiety · 08/12/2024 00:21

The Chritmas clean happens at Thanksgiving here (last week of November). Then it's just a matter of a quick tidy and touch-up before Christmas.

GLC789 · 08/12/2024 11:21

I get such satisfaction from a spotless and mess free house. So I tend to keep it "Christmas clean" all year.. With that said... I still even believe it jsut hits a big different at Christmas lol!! I don't know why.. It's jsut better isn't it? X

Dinodrivingacar · 08/12/2024 20:18

Yes! I was literally planning my clean schedule today. Although I don't chuck the family out, they help! Chores on a list to pick from. But DC's are teens now so it works. We do it on 23rd then have a nice Christmasy day on 24th with baking (and more cleaning up) and food prep. A walk (if weather is ok) and some board games. I've got a murder mystery one for this year.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 08/12/2024 20:59

I've been loosely doing the Christmas Clean-a-Long

(Last year I had a week booked end of Nov and I had Covid , dog rough. )

I'm working the 23rd , then I have 24th/25th/26th to faff about cooking nice things .
I have suggested to my DS if he;s at a loose end he can grab a microfibre cloth and some warm water and clean the skirting boards and door frames as I'm too knackered to bend .

The weekend before Christmas I need to fit in:

Food delivery (booked)
Last minute food shop for vegetables
Get all the bedding washed , dried and back on the beds
Get all the laundry done and put away

I've also agreed to take DD shopping (but I can have a snoop round Waitrose at the same time )

I've been decluttering over the past month which I'm pleased with .

Invisimamma · 08/12/2024 21:05

Bloody love the Christmas clean. It's the best feeling when it's all done. House looks and smells amazing, have an everything-shower, Xmas pjs on, everything wrapped, glass of prosecco in hand, waiting for Santa to come. Love it!

Kibble29 · 08/12/2024 21:46

Invisimamma · 08/12/2024 21:05

Bloody love the Christmas clean. It's the best feeling when it's all done. House looks and smells amazing, have an everything-shower, Xmas pjs on, everything wrapped, glass of prosecco in hand, waiting for Santa to come. Love it!

I love it too. Especially after the everything shower where my legs feel smooth and moisturised against my new PJs lol. 😌

OP posts:
DrMadelineMaxwell · 08/12/2024 21:53

I do a pre-christmas sort of spring clean.

So I've been through all the kitchen cupboards and pantry and chucked old/unused bakeware and tins. Run everything through the dishwasher and wiped out the cupboards.

Every day I'm aiming to do something little rather than a huge blitz just before the big day.

Calliopespa · 08/12/2024 22:10

Invisimamma · 08/12/2024 21:05

Bloody love the Christmas clean. It's the best feeling when it's all done. House looks and smells amazing, have an everything-shower, Xmas pjs on, everything wrapped, glass of prosecco in hand, waiting for Santa to come. Love it!

Meanwhile I’m usually up till the small hours wrapping, trying to find where I’ve stashed Santa’s gifts out of sight, stuffing stockings, lugging gifts to the tree without waking Dc, discreetly disposing of Santa’s mince pie (DH and and I dislike them. Why can’t Santa choose a chocolate brownie so we could just eat it not crumble it into the bin so it’s undiscoverable?), trying to prepare a dessert … and it takes all my effort to nip in and out of the shower let alone have an everything shower. Why aren’t other people caught up doing this???

Invisimamma · 08/12/2024 23:25

Everyone does things differently, there's no right or wrong way to do Xmas. Just this way I know I can really relax and enjoy the day. We do have a pretty low key Xmas though and we don't host anyone.

Wrapping - I do I over the month rather than all at once or the day before.

Gifts - all hidden under our king ottoman bed so easy to access, kids no clue the bed even lifts. Bigger gifts in the garage or at grandma's collected on Xmas eve.

Stockings - yes, these need to be done in the middle of the night, not found a way round that yet! I know some people do duplicate stockings and just switch them out which is genius!

We leave a cookie & milk for Santa. Dp and I always sqaubble over who's biting Rudolph's carrot. No believers this year though so not sure if we'll be doing that part.

Food prep, I do as much as possible the day before and get an online delivery usually the 23rd. Dessert is certainly bought in for ease, but it's only 4 of us. Nobody is even that bothered about turkey and the kids hate roast dinner, one year we had a mexican feast because that's what we like and this year we're getting a Chinese takeaway! We will have already had a Xmas meal with extended family on the 22nd and a boxing day buffet so we don't feel like we're missing out.

The day itself is about new toys and silly games and selection boxes! The DC can even disappear to their rooms with tech for a while if they like, I love Christmas but don't put too much pressure on it being the traditional/perfect day. A clean, organised house for one day a year makes me happy though.

Calliopespa · 08/12/2024 23:29

Invisimamma · 08/12/2024 23:25

Everyone does things differently, there's no right or wrong way to do Xmas. Just this way I know I can really relax and enjoy the day. We do have a pretty low key Xmas though and we don't host anyone.

Wrapping - I do I over the month rather than all at once or the day before.

Gifts - all hidden under our king ottoman bed so easy to access, kids no clue the bed even lifts. Bigger gifts in the garage or at grandma's collected on Xmas eve.

Stockings - yes, these need to be done in the middle of the night, not found a way round that yet! I know some people do duplicate stockings and just switch them out which is genius!

We leave a cookie & milk for Santa. Dp and I always sqaubble over who's biting Rudolph's carrot. No believers this year though so not sure if we'll be doing that part.

Food prep, I do as much as possible the day before and get an online delivery usually the 23rd. Dessert is certainly bought in for ease, but it's only 4 of us. Nobody is even that bothered about turkey and the kids hate roast dinner, one year we had a mexican feast because that's what we like and this year we're getting a Chinese takeaway! We will have already had a Xmas meal with extended family on the 22nd and a boxing day buffet so we don't feel like we're missing out.

The day itself is about new toys and silly games and selection boxes! The DC can even disappear to their rooms with tech for a while if they like, I love Christmas but don't put too much pressure on it being the traditional/perfect day. A clean, organised house for one day a year makes me happy though.

Yes I’ve Santa has actually bought us all new stockings this year and it did strike me that this year it will be a great way round that last minute task. I nearly made the mistake of showing everyone when I got them but thankfully thought of that twist just in time!

Behindthethymes · 09/12/2024 05:53

I wish I could enjoy cleaning- it’s such an advantage if you do.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 09/12/2024 08:20

I’ve spent most of the weekend doing the annual polish of all the brass and silver (major job here, a lot of stuff inc. a large antique chest from Zanzibar, covered with ornamental brass and copper) and shampooing downstairs carpets. Which was a bit of an abortive exercise since the sodding shampooer was failing to suck up the dirty water properly. Despite a lot of attempts to unblock whatever it was.

Other cleaning will be tomorrow. Trying to get ahead with everything, manic time coming up from the 12th onwards.

Sibilantseamstress · 09/12/2024 11:22

I’m with you! I try to enlist the whole family, but that never works. Silver is already polished. Will make DH hoover the coving and window sills.

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