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!

I’m very jealous of you all having so much food left over, we’re down to the last scraps. We have a few biscuit trays but no real Christmas food, I think next year I might need to buy a bit more.

@NoWordForFluffy I wish we could dry on the line but it’s still very damp out here. I’ve got about 4 airers dotted around the place instead.

We have the coastal breeze which has shifted the damp along, thank goodness! 25-30mph this afternoon. That'll do!

I always over-buy Christmas food.

Oh, in Snowman loo roll news, I only got through 3 packs, so the Amazon bargain we all got should last 3 years based on that usage!

70, I get a Sainsbury's delivery about every 6 days. I use the £1 saver slots as I'm not fussy about timings, which means I can have a delivery any day of the week for less cost than the any time delivery pass.

Ooh yes , The Snowman LooRoll leftovers will go in a space saver bag ( or similar ) in the loft .
Luckily I have a massive block of Costco loo roll to replace it .

Wednesday ( NYD) when I am off work , I will take down the decorations , not do any laundy ( I will wash my haggard old carcass ) and do some decluttering .

We'll keep the bedding as its winter not Christmas
Christmas hand towels will be replaced by plain white and the shower curtain with a boring one .

We had cold cuts and chips too Meeces, Only a bit of beef left, DH will be taking that to work tomorrow for lunch.

I've blitzed the futility room today, not a job I like doing, but it needed doing (found several od socks...) and DH and I are agreed on the decluttering challenge for 2025. 2025 items will leave this house! They will!

I'm determined to be more organised for 2025, so hope you don't mind if I join you on here

Things I'm taking note of now before I forget was that I was wrong thinking my 10yo wouldn't want toys anymore! She did get some toys but also a lot of craft things, books pjs etc and although she was happy with everything she loved the toys the most! Not sure it'll be all that helpful by next year, but maybe.

Something I do every year is get a notebook ( A5 size) and write Christmas in marker pen or Tippex on the front
Then I jot things down.
If I think of something ( food) I want to buy , or a present
Film I want to watch .
Just random.
Then nearer to Christmas (well okay , in May ) i start making lists .

I decided this year not to make a Christmas Cake - I did last year and only I eat it so it hung about forever till it went to cake heaven ( before I;d make 2 smallish ones and take some to my parents )
Christmas Pudding was meh , I think next year I'll buy the tiny ones

Plan things early for December as anything good sells out .
My DC are adults so we don't need to do the things we did in years gone by .

This years Christmas Trips was : Seriel Killers (Waterloo) , , cinema , Christmas Markets (Bruges/Amsterdam) . There was a Pantomime (Oh Yes there was !)

It is nice to have it planned and not the panic
I think we bought enough food ,
The DC liked their presents

I don't like January as a month but I have plans for things I want to do . No New Year Resolutions though I'm sure there will be a Style&Beauty Princessing Thread that are good to get on board (CountDown to next holiday for me )

Evening all, I made a few comments on last year's threads but will try to be more active this time around. Christmas savings have already started. Will be making my first Christmas related purchase in March/April time when Tulleys Christmas tickets go on sale. Aiming to do the full experience in November time as I'm pretty sure it'll be DS' last year believing (he made some comments this year) and DD's first truly understanding what Santa's all about 😁

We've been busy the last couple of days reorganising the kids room. Toddler bed was dismantled yesterday and sold this morning, single bed was dismantled this morning, desk was built this afternoon and we're trading the single bed for the bunk bed my parents have in their spare room so this period between Christmas and new year has been productive this year.

We are back home after a wonderful time at SILs followed by an utterly shit journey home. Just congestion which meant we took diversions but with a EV every extra mile leads to a nail biting conclusion 😬

Hi @70isaLimitNotaTarget this year I made mini Christmas cakes because only DH likes them so I had a few to give as presents. Will try to find a picture because the tin is lovely

They are lovely .
I see people on TV and online who use cleaned bean tins to bake tiny cakes .
I used to have one of those 12" square tins with the dividers so I could make 4 smaller 6"x6" ones .
My Mum and I liked marzipan and icing ( I made my own marzipan ) my Dad didn't but he liked fruitcake .
Lining the tins was a work of art and makes a huge difference to how they turned out .

Those little parcel cakes , you could ice them colour the ribbon bit a different colour .

Edited - dodgy maths cannot count

@GrannyWeatherwaxsBroomstick
Wow, they are gorgeous!
Where did you get the tins?

@MonkeyTennis34 my husband brought them back from the US a few years ago. They are Nordic Ware and i know that Amazon sell some of them

360

@allmylifelong how very exciting that you have a baby on the way

@MrsDilligaf 😂at the "futility" room - not heard that before and mine so definitely is

@GrannyWeatherwaxsBroomstick yes lovely cakes and what a good idea

I've been to Sainsbos this morning despite probably still having enough food to get through another week but we've got friends coming for dinner on NYE so I needed some bits (thats my excuse anyway). Good sale on in the gift sets - got some dirty works body butter trio sets for £2.10 and bedsocks and footcream sets for £3.

I can't quite bring myself to say I've started Christmas shopping for next year (but I have).

Popped into Waitrose for some milk and the place was heaving! Given we were queuing anyway, I did get some lovely Christmas cards at 75% off, so that's me sorted for cards for next Christmas, and DH got a couple of boxes of Cinnamon Knots for 50p a box.
I got a box of these free before Christmas with a voucher on my Waitrose app and he really liked them.
lots of creme eggs and mini eggs on the shelves

Joining again
I usually follow the threads as and when sort of thing. Popped into town today to take my eldest to spend her book gift cards. Picked up all my cards and wrapping paper at a very reduced price. Also picked up some Christmas clothes for my younger 2 children. Must remember where I put those!

Claire’s had a ok sale on and had some random vouchers on my online account. Picked up a ton of hair bits and jewellery for my 4 year old for next years stocking only spending £10 in the end. May have a few things suitable for my older girls as well

Hello!

Enjoying the posts here and marking my place.

We're home after a fairly subdued Christmas visiting relatives and - like some of you - what seemed like an age on the motorway coming home. Nice to be back and enjoying what's left of Christmas at home. We'll keep the tree up till twelfth night then we're all back to work and school.

I probably won't put the Christmas boxes back in the loft until the 11/12th January weekend - there's always something that we forget to pack up! I'm going to make a list of what we already have, like cards, wrapping paper etc before we tape up the boxes. Love the idea of a Christmas notebook!

@NoWordForFluffy I will overbuy next year I think, it’s better than underbuying and being left with nothing.
I love a snowman loo roll. My DGM always has them in her downstairs loo and I pinch a roll every year😂.

@GrannyWeatherwaxsBroomstick those puddings are gorgeous!

@Magnoliasunrise thank you, I’m very excited but also panicking like mad😂.

I’ve decluttered the closets today and got rid of clothes we no longer wear. Going to get DH to take them to the charity shop tomorrow to donate them. I’ve done the washing too so we’re all caught up for the new year. Snow is forecast here next week, which I’m not really looking forward to, I always feel a bit upset about snow after Christmas.

I have bought some lovely half price cards in m and s that I loved before but was too miserable to buy!

I’m not in good health and tend to put things off a bit but the main thing I’m taking from this year is the value of tidying before Christmas. Dh was using a few days holiday and we got all the cleaning and tidying done and it just gave me a bit more space.
This is going to be my year for decluttering!

Hello!

I always followed the last thread but never posted. Posting this year though if you'll have me please?! 😁

I went into local home bargains today and was surprised at the amount of christmas stock (wrapping paper, gift bags, decorations) on cages being wheeled into the back. I presumed it would all be sold off cheap in store? Picked up some striped wrapping paper in Asda for 25p that will do for birthday presents as well.

I love the bargain thread in the Christmas section as well, it really has helped over the last 7 years....can't believe how fast the time has flown?!

Can I join in please?

Christmas went well, everyone enjoyed their presents and all food that needed eating or freezing dealt with.

Yesterday I bought bits for DDs stockings. I always do socks and hair ties, consumables. Last year I nearly forgot them 🤦‍♀️ so I’m not taking any chances this time 😀

359?

Morning. Am just waking up after a busy day yesterday and a disrupted nights sleep.
Our house has been de-Christmased and most new toys have found a place to live. We involved LO in the process to help them understand the changes and that the decorations aren't gone forever. I think this was the right approach however it did mean it all took 3 times as long and the day was complete chaos 😂

Plan for today is to go to town, mooch about the shops in the vague hope I haven't missed all the bargains (as I actually need Christmas cards this year and DH forgot to pick some up when they were half price in Sainsbury's).
Am also on the hunt for a dressing gown that I won't boil to death in and that doesn't look too awful.
Then we'll have lunch out before coming back to finish cleaning the house.

Welcome to all the newcomers

Afternoon.

Busy cleaning and prepping ready for tonight.

I normally take the tree down on NYE so I can have a good clean and get the needles up but I CAN'T FACE IT so it'll have to be done on Thursday. New Years Day will be spent on the sofa I expect. Traitors starts tomorrow. Yippeeee.

I was still trying to get the DC to take their presents upstairs instead of having them spread out all over the place but they are reluctant. I get that as it means its all over but I couldn't stand it anymore so I've bagged them back into their sacks and will put them in their rooms.

In shopping news bought some wrapping paper for 75p in Tesco.

Afternoon!

Appalling weather here. Glad I do the morning dog walk as the rain hadn't started when we went out earlier!

I imagine all organised fireworks will be cancelled later due to weather. Shame, as we like watching from our lounge across to Liverpool! Best for safety though.

I may take a tree down tomorrow. Maybe. See how I feel!

Hi everyone,

Took the trees down yesterday ready for the New Year, however I am missing my tree lights. I just keep telling myself.....11 more pay days till next christmas 🤣🥂🥳

All decorations but the tree came down this morning. We don’t have much up, mainly bits and bobs that we’ve made, like dried orange garlands. I’d love to have more but the lack of storage in our house means that I try to have decorations that I can make and get rid of every year.

Terrible weather here also, lots of the big firework events have been cancelled. It’s a shame. I’m envious of you all that have already started buying for next Christmas. If I did that I’d forget where I put everything and end up losing it. I have started planning though, just jotting down little things that people liked this year.

It’s my due date today, no sign of anything despite a curry last night. I’m hoping to go for a bit of a walk later if the weather clears up as I would ideally not like to go too far over my due date. Baby will come when they want to come though!.

Have a lovely NYE everyone :).