Cozy Christmas Corner

[MindBodySoul]

I love reading about peoples cosy Christmas plans and preparations..

Today I've had a bit of a pre-christmas pamper, dyed my hair, tinted eye brows and painted my nails

Also the Christmas shop came this morning and everything I ordered turned up, yay 😁

Tomorrow the kids are with grandparents so we can finish off the present wrapping!

Im off work now until the 7th so looking forward to playing lots of bored games, reading my books and visiting friends and family 💕

What are your plans/preparations for the next few days? 🎄

Other than doing a Christmas grocery shop for the fresh stuff & a bit of cleaning I'm all set for Christmas. I'm going to read a Christmas book in front of the fire, and watch lots of Christmas movies with the kids while stuffing myself with M&S party food. I'll open a bottle of Baileys too. I might do a face mask & use my massage pillow as I've been very busy & stressed at work. I love this time of year 🎄

Lovely to read. We are planning lots of long walks, early bedtimes for the little ones (they are shattered from the end of term) and evenings with hallmark films and wrapping paper for me!

Finished all the wrapping 🎁

Watched mistletoe farm with the kids

Eaten some yummy Christmas food

Kids need an early night so will watch a cozy film and eat more yummy nibbles with my lovely husband

Wind is gusting and feels very cozy 💕

Ugh I need some of your cheer OP! I’m just not feeling it, whiney kids it’s just like an extended winter weekend 😭 baked with middle child which was nice but not festive in the slightest. Feeling like maybe Xmas with young kids is not the best and it will get more festive as they get older (oldest is 9 already though!!) Need some tips! They hate movies. Feel like a failure as they’re not gonna have xmassy memories at this rate.

Been slowly moving drinks around into outbuilding and clearing kitchen. Couple of presents under the tree still have more of ours to wrap but I quite like wrapping and it's not a huge amount left will be done by Christmas Eve (guess that's the deadline eh).

Have an extra teen this evening, got "that escalated quickly" to play later. Will do Christmas poems, radio6, bit of Christmas jigsaw early evening. Then settling in with Christmas snacks for a Lord of The Rings film bonanza (not all three at once but all three in the next week).

Have a winter murder whodunnit short stories book on the go, and a stack of weekend papers (Christmas puzzle specials).

@georgepigg mine are 8 and 9 and I just feed off of their excitement.

I remember how i felt at their age, I just lower all expectations at this time. They pretty much eat what they want when they want and we just try and go with the flow and do what we feel at the time to reduce stress

We've played lots of bored games and I think they're just happy we've finished work and school and are all home. Everything is usually such a rush so it's nice to slow down and spend some proper time together

I lost my lovely mum 5 months ago, so it's our first Christmas without her, so I'm trying to find some joy in all the little things that make Christmas time special ❤️

Lovely thread
i tinted my brows too

I’ve candles lit and relaxing with Netflix (Cold Call) it’s good

nice to put feet up (I might do the big shop at 9pm when it’s super quiet)

I popped to the shop earlier to get some more wrapping paper and it was heaving! I don't know how people concentrate on what they need to get when it's like that !
Glad I got mine delivered yesterday 😅

Hoping to get out for a walk in the countryside that surrounds our house tomorrow 🍂🍄

I've wrapped all my going somewhere presents and I'm meeting DD tomorrow to hand over and get a few last things.

I managed to give my son a hair cut today, but he has hair like harry potter (except he's blonde) and I expect it will look just as unruley as usual by Christmas morning 😂

Going to watch the carol singing service on the town square this evening 🎶 🎄

I broke up on Thursday. Went to see The Snowman at the theatre with DF and DD3. Did a movie night last night to watch Home Alone and today I've taken DD3 to a cooking class where we made mince pies.

I'm in the Xmas mood now and not back until the 7th!

DH and I have a rare day off together while DD is at nursery tomorrow so off out for lunch. DH has done most of the wrapping but I've got a few gifts for him to wrap. And I need to fill our Christmas crackers!

I love thr run up to Xmas!

My teens are with their dad so I'm having a very chiiled time in a tidy house, wrapping presents and doing my own thing. Met up with DP in town for lunch and a mooch and he's coming back over later. Previous week with kids was baking, board games (not bored games but love the idea of that!) and an outing to see decorations at a castle. @georgepigg I'm sorry you're not feeling it - try not to force things. Memories happen organically, not in insta worthy moments and they rarely match up to what WE think they ought to be. Give yourself a break and let them do what they want for a couple of days while you do likewise. If its tablet / tv, so what? Hope things improve - sometimes all the school xmas stuff and changes in routine and expectation is just too much.

The village butcher was heaving this morning as everyone turned up to collect their orders but it was quite jolly. It's dark now and we have no street lights so the village looks cosy with people's curtains open showing their xmas trees. The pub has outdoor Christmas lights, which makes the place look pretty. Yesterday, they put fairy lights up around the green for the carol singing get together on Christmas Eve. The church bellringers have been practising on a few evenings recently and it's lovely to hear the peels from where we are (not too close!). I have a fire lit and the smell of woodsmoke is in the air outside so no doubt lots of neighbours have too. The dogs are asleep in front of the fire, dinner is in the oven and we'll be hitting the dry sherry in a few minutes. Chaos will reign on Christmas Day when the grandchildren arrive but for now, all is peaceful...

@Shetlands omg I love all of this!

Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside

Thanks for all the replies so far 🤗

@MindBodySoul it's bliss and you're welcome to pull up a chair in front of the fire and toast your toes. Sherry or wine?

It's a far cry from the days when I'd be dashing in from work and tearing my hair out trying to finish all the wrapping & food prep while preventing the children from fighting over toys or later on wincing when yet another teenager slammed their door. All you busy mums have my sympathy and I hope you have a chance to put your feet up at some point.

@Shetlands oooh I'll have a sherry please, thank you 🥂

Ahhh I'm so cosy ☺️

I've got a spicy curry going on the hob to keep us all warm for the carol singing later 😁 x

What an amazing picture you have painted. I wish I could come to yours for Christmas.

You're very welcome - don't forget to bring a torch if you want to go to the pub!

I'm finally finished after having done the big food shop today. All presents are wrapped. Now sat down with a big glass of red wine watching Xmas films with my son.

Tomorrow we'll go for a nice walk and just chill. Family will arrive tomorrow afternoon so we'll have a nice meal and probably watch Die Hard in the evening!

@MintyFreshest I asked my husband to find us a Christmas film last night while I put the kids to bed ... He chose Die Hard and apparently tonight he's going to Die Harder 😂😂

Ahh good choice! Enjoy!