Ho ho ho...here we go round again! Countdown to Christmas 2025, thread 1

[NoWordForFluffy]

365

Evening!

I'm tired after today, but the buffet was a success. Tomorrow it's dinner!

Everyone seems to love their gifts, which is always good. 😊 Bed soon as it's all go again from the morning!

Thank you for the New Thread @NoWordForFluffy

I;m going to watch the 2nd Eastenders with DD then off to bed .
Tomorrow is a busy day

Yes started making a few notes in my 2025 list just now. Just ideas and things that went down well to remember for next year. Vowing to start earlier of course!

What went well, anything shareable? For us it was helpful the mother bringing a second microwave to warm things up last minute...

Checking in to the new thread - thanks Fluffy

Am just going to bed. As I said on the last thread, nice but busy day.
Things to change for next year:
Start cross stitch cards early!
Sort out toys and make room for new stuff in November, not the week before Christmas 🙄
Buy less presents for LO - they were clearly overwhelmed with the amount from us and others.
Stay home for dinner (even if I have to participate in cooking)

Hoping next year will be better as LO will be more settled and 🤞🏼 I'll have relaxed into being a parent enough to actually stop worrying and build in some time to do the stuff I like (like watching Christmas films)!

Is this a joke?

364

And Happy Boxing Day!

Already feeling nostalgic for yesterday, it was such a great day. I managed to get the lot on the table for 2.01pm and then we had pudding after the Kings Speech.

A walk followed by Red One (finally) in the afternoon. Then a nice buffet in the evening with Gavin and Stacey.

The clementine and cranberry prosecco was delicious so thanks to whoever suggested that one.

DH is making a turkey and ham pie today so I'll be feet up on sofa all day and not spend 7 hours in kitchen like yesterday (worth it though).

Best thing was using a few disposable foil trays which cut down on the washing up.

Thanks @NoWordForFluffy for running this thread, and all you lovely folk on it, it really keeps me sane over the year 💕

My ds absolutely loved the bargain Vtech dj mixer! At half price I went for it even though I thought he might be a bit old (10) but he said it was his favourite santa present!!

Will be trying to pick up cards and bargain wrap tomorrow when out!

Our day went quite well, although we were late dishing up because of transporting the parents. It wasn't a problem though. We watched the Kings speech as my mum likes it then we watched Vicar of Dibley with all the Christmas dinners. Just perusing the Boots sale ready to start the present shopping again. (Will probably not start till next week though).

It was a calm, relaxed day for us yesterday, DD was sociable and even downloaded and played the match she got man of the match for (the tournament was televised by local tv in Africa, but while she'll show DH, I am never allowed go to or watch a match of hers). I picked up the wrong hint for DH present, but he liked what he got. I got a few nice things. Dd was happy with hers as well. And we are all in recovery from various illnesses as well.

Today, the turkey bones are simmering, DH is out for part 1 of the long walk while I have a shower and hair wash to join him for part 2 later, and dd is relaxing on the couch but intends going to the gym later if her migraine lifts.

Have you taken a wrong turn there Twisted?
Christmas Thread
Countdown to 2025

Does what is says on the tin , I'd have thought !

Thanks for the new thread Fluffy

The turkey breast was unsurprisingly too big again. I cut it up before I cooked it yesterday and have frozen two pieces for sometime next year. I've just had a turkey and stuffing sandwich and a glass of champagne 😂 and we will have a do over dinner tonight. There should be enough for sandwiches for a couple of days and anything left on Saturday morning will be frozen for soup/sandwiches.

The biggest hit food wise was the homemade sausage rolls we had yesterday. Just the leftover sausage meat mixed with a bit of dried stuffing mix.

Afternoon!

We're having our dinner today, as it was buffet yesterday. I'm currently having a glass of fizz before my next stage at 3.43. All the veg is chopped, so it's calm for now, but it'll get manic later on at dishing up time!

Morning all!

The most important thing I'm going to carry forward from this year's proceedings is nothing to do with Prosecco (although the clementine and cranberry one was delicious, thank you for that tip!) or presents or food.

Long story short.....we found out earlier this year that SIL's bf is an abuser (verbal) but she chose to stay with him.
He was due to come to our family get together yesterday as SIL wanted him there.
We went through alot of stress worrying about how we would remain civil to him etc.
Yesterday morning, DH decided he wasn't prepared for the stress to ruin our day so texted his sister and said he wasn't welcome.

Not much of a summary and sorry if it was a bit heavy..maybe not the tone of this thread.

But the moral of the story is that we are going to have the Christmas WE want and do things on our terms.

SIL came on her own with my lovely nieces and we had a fabulous time. She even talked about 2025 being the year of the Independent Woman.
We're praying that she'll find the strength to leave him.

Hope it’s ok to join you all. Planning to make Christmas 2025 about what DS and I want and not about pleasing everyone else.

We will be away next year to family in the US. But this year enjoyed our meal just three of us and ordered correctly so not too much leftovers. The Waitrose stuffed turkey crown with legs was a hit (but wow £85) and their sprouts were small and delicious. No one had room for dessert and sent the apple crumble and custard home with my son yesterday.
The karaoke machine went down well but not sure when it will be used again as son lives away and DD is at uni! Still it was only £20.
I've tried looking at the cost of flights but they don't have December 2025 up yet. Need to get saving those air miles (I have an automatic exchange with Tesco vouchers).

Hello all!

Not sure what day it is, and nor do I care

DD has been playing with her toys all day, DH just back for the driving range, and I've spent the day on the sofa. Dh bought me a heated throw which is amazing.

Tomorrow, I'm going to start my 2025 lists, especially for DD's stocking and December 1st Box. Everything went down well, especially now she's growing up (😔)

Hope all is well with you all x

I'm in 👌

We're away this Christmas but will be at home next year. Have already created a new notes folder, outlined who will need gifts/what went down well this year and need to start picking through the sales.

Monkey

Good call from your DH in refusing to let your SIL bloke in . he;d have changed the dynamic , you'd all have had to grind your teeth to stumps being nice to him and he sounds like he doesn;t deserve the nice .
Hopefully your SIL will see that her DBro ( your DH) has her back and makes a plan for 2025 . Loads of people re-evaluate in the days after Christmas leading to the New Year , it can be cathartic .

Our Christmas was quiet. DH , DD and I went on a mini break in December so we had our Christmassey Days Out then.
Back to the Real World , it was quite relaxed , I did some cooking which I enjoy and my house was fairly tidy after the Christmas Clean-a-Long .

I have a list in my head of things that I will get rid of or recycle . Some things I was keeping as "Oh I might use those at Christmas" but I didn't and I won;t so no point them taking up space .

I;ll need to wait till the Charity Shops are open and make sure they're accepting donations .

363

Afternoon!

Hello to all the newbies! And hello, stranger, @MrsDilligaf! Good to see you back!

Our house is being put back together as we had to move the freezer into the hall and take the kitchen door off(!) to fit an extra table in, as our table seats 8 and we had 9. It worked well, tbh. We have a little folding leaf table which added the extra room we needed perfectly.

We managed with team work, as I'm not yet fully-functioning on the wrist / hand front. Getting there though.

Not sure I mentioned that we ended up with DH taking the stitches out, as my only option was sitting in the walk in centre in Ormskirk on Christmas Eve (due to no local clinics having any appts, and GP surgeries not doing it). Which was a hard no fucking way from us (I couldn't - and still can't - drive, so it would've been DH and me going). I'm massaging the scar to soften it up, as part of my restrictions are down to how tight it is.

I'm very pleased with myself as I just got increased pet insurance cover with a lower excess for just slightly cheaper than this year, with £40 of Nectar points thrown in as well. Which will pay for booze something for Christmas next year!

We're starting the 2025 Nectar points collection with £149 in points, which isn't a bad start!

Thanks @70isaLimitNotaTarget for your vote of confidence...you're 100% right about us having to of ground our teeth down to stumps!!

And yes, I'm hoping the new year will help her to see there's a better life out there 🤞🏻

I'm amazed and in awe of all those already planning Christmas 2025!!

Monkey well done and I hope your SIL sees what's what.

After nearly 40 years together our Christmas pretty much plans itself year after year. That said, we did a light trail for the first time ever this year - booked and paid for by our DDs that was just the ticket for injecting some festive feelings after another close bereavement.

Just dropping by to say well done everyone, I've lurked about here and there and enjoyed the old thread. Next year, I won't waste money on expensive M&S puddings - Santa Popping down the Chimney.....well, his legs melted and flopped right over so looked a bit odd on the chimney, and meant to serve 10, hmmmm? Their best ever yule log was too sweet and the cake a bit dry so home-made pudds next year. I loved seeing the family (I'm the matriarch now ☹️) but did have a little tear for those no longer here. Thank you for all your suggestions and tips - at 72, you can still teach the old dog new tricks 😀 🥰

your most delicious brand stuffing please? The one you can buy all year round?

@Lifestooshort71 I made Yule Log using Mary Berry's recipe for the cake part - I made it in early December and froze it. I took it out of the freezer on Monday (23rd? - god only knows - all the days have merged into one) and filled and covered it with chocolate ganache on Christmas Eve. Nobody really likes Christmas pudding here so we have ice cream and Yule log instead.

@johnyhadasister I sometimes make my own stuffing with sautéed onions, breadcrumbs, egg and sage mixed with sausage meat but I also mix Paxo with some sausage meat and boiling water and it's just as nice.

Asda also do sausage meat and stuffing balls in the freezer section that are very nice.