50 days to go and counting...time to get organised as the big man is on his way soon! Countdown to Christmas 2025, thread 3

[NoWordForFluffy]

50

Here we go...time to go go go all the way to the big day.

PSA: you need lots of batteries and sellotape, plus tin foil! #yourewelcome

16

Morning.

It's hideous weather here this morning. Wet and very windy. DH took me to the station so I didn't have to walk in it.

Some selfish knobhead is playing music on the train. Buy some bloody headphones, FFS. Why do these people think we all want to listen to their shite? 😡 #rantover

Anyway, 9 working days left at work. Whoop whoop!

Morning!

Hope everyone with the dreaded lurgy is starting to feel better.

Hope your annoying train companion gets off soon Fluffy!

I'm finishing a week today, yipppeeee. I've got Thursday off this week though so I can do some IRL shopping and wrapping and hopefully that will be me almost done.

Bloody car has massive nail in the tyre so going to have to try and get it to the garage before work tomorrow. Grrrr.......

Morning. I’m definitely going to try and organise the presents today and aim to wrap a family a day this week.

We are dropping like flies here...🤧

Last couple of gifts finally arrived today. Just one left to wrap.

I'm trying to not stress and we will all be hopefully over this flu by Christmas ☹️
Not that there's much to do but I'll miss a theatre show on friday 😢

I absolutely love this!!!! Its beautiful!!!

Thanks @ILoveCatsAndKittens I think pigeon and mushroom may be all year round decorations…

I also have a Christmas frog called Flax, but he’s not as glittery and more cute 🤣

Thanks @ILoveCatsAndKittens I think pigeon and mushroom may be all year round decorations…

I also have a Christmas frog called Flax, but he’s not as glittery and more cute 🤣

15 (seriously yikes)

Love the pigeon/pheasant @FurForksSake - where is it from?

I'm off to the garage shortly. I really hate getting new tyres, cost a fortune for something that may or may not get another bloody nail or some crap in it at any point. Hopefully they will have some cheap options.

I'm now going to bed with a paper and pen on bedside table to write things down that occur to me at 3am!!

At least I've now written some xmas cards...

magnolia I have a collection of random lists on my phone in a folder just called MISC STUFF TO REMEMBER for that exact reason.

Hope you feel better soon Glenn

I had yesterday booked off work to wrap presents and watch Christmas films with all my twinkly lights on however I don’t have any twinkly lights up yet and LO was only up to doing his morning nursery so I had him with me and he was alternating between sweet and ‘watch me while I jump off this thing and try and break my arm’ moods so there was no break and no wrapping.

To keep him busy I did start to Christmas up the house so we have some outside lights up, a wreath and a few decorations around the place. Next on my list is to shift some boxes of toys upstairs and dismantle my desk to make room for the tree. Might do that this evening.

Im off work again today (lots of holidays to use up) and LO is going to be in nursery until 2:30 today so I am putting washing on, sorting out some stuff for the charity shop, generally tidying and ordering last minute presents in Argos (for LOs sports team) before picking him up.

Decided what I need is a solid work, housework and childfree 48 hours so have asked for that for Christmas 😂

@Magnoliasunrise it’s from a large independent garden centre nearish to where we live. But not too near, it’s called Bell Plantation in Towcester. They have lots of lovely bits and pieces and lots of their Christmas bits weren’t that expensive.

It's all drama here DS is in bits because he wanted to be the Angel Gabriel in the nativity- unfortunately all of reception are in the choir with no lines and he is... a cake. He is fuming at the year one teacher who he claims "has stolen all the parts for her class" - obvious nonsense on his part.

Nativity is bake off themed of course, so it could be worse he could be a Christmas spatula...

I love that @HairsprayBabe - hysterical that he said the teacher stole all the parts. One of my favourite things about working at different primary schools at this time of year is seeing the various nativity rehearsals. Some of the teachers are so serious and shouty about them when I know for a fact that parents love them best when they go a bit wrong. I'm always tempted to suggest to the teachers to chill and let the kids go a bit free range.

I'm now on an online hunt for a sparkly pheasant/pigeon :)

It’s a brand called Decoris that seem to sell through independent garden centres, if that helps!

I was a rusty bell in a nativity once! I feel his pain. 🔔

14

IRL shopping today after the gym, I am sooooooo excited. Plan to have a midway coffee and cake. Then wrapping this afternoon. It's mainly just the DC I'm finishing off.

Harsh reality though - as the kids get older their presents get smaller but more expensive. Years ago I could have filled the sack twice over with not spending masses now its like £300 for just a handful of items. I've bought them a new beach towel each just to pad out the sack 😂.

We do something you want / need / wear / read and I’m glad as the pile has not changed size!

Morning.
Hairspray theme for the show here was Celebrations around the world. No actual mention of the nativity at all, just songs about how different countries celebrate.

I always asked to be in the school Christmas shows as I felt like I should (was an annoyingly ‘good girl’) but I’m quite shy and was always a nervous wreck before it
Pretty sure I was a candle once

I am slightly panicked because I haven’t wrapped a single thing yet but things are going wrong/there is bad news coming from all directions here so I’ve just accepted that this year is going to be disorganised and not as enjoyable as I wanted (I’m aware this sounds defeatist but it’s stopping the perfectionist in me stressing too much about all the things I’m not going to be able to do).

Im working today and will be going to Argos later to pick up 10 toys then coming home and wrapping them along with a couple of others so that’s a start.

I have acquired a giant gammon from Aldi. Very long date. Good price. Perfect. I’ve also got most of the bits for North Pole breakfast, just have to find some chocolate milk and Christmas tree shaped crumpets.

I’ve also bought the bits for a teacher present: a book (Colleen hoover from Aldi), hot chocolate, face mask, chocolate. I hope it will look nice wrapped in hesian ribbon..

aldi had some very cute mug hangers which I’ve purchased as part of North Pole breakfast.

I haven’t always done the breakfast, but did again last year and my almost 13 year old told me was one of his favourite bits of Christmas.

@Magnoliasunrise Santa has always brought a character beach towel for my DS!

Teacher presents wrapped today, six of them! And just realised theres another 2 teachers I need to buy for 🤦‍♀️

DH is so difficult to buy for this year, hes literally got a travel mug and a picture. I've just ordered some pyjamas and Lush face cream but apart from that I've no idea what to give him! I'm still thinking money to go towards a watch he can choose but not sure if this looks rubbish?

I love the bake off themed nativity, something a bit different! At least hes a cake and not a whisk or an oven! 🙈

@NoCheesesForUsMeeces sorry for all of your bad news, sending you positivity and hope for some more stressless and happy times ahead.

@FurForksSake I love a gammon roast dinner! Your teacher presents sound lovely, very thoughtful. Xmas breakfast sounds good too! My DS has to have the same breakfast every day, no changing it! So dont think it would go down too well here!!

My kids are funny about certain foods, but I’m safe with breakfast! The elves will lay it all out next Saturday morning and dh and I will wait to hear the screeches. It’s basically just sugar and more sugar but who cares once a year?

Last year our turkey was crap, so the gammon saved the day. The kids probably prefer the gammon to the turkey and we’ll eat it for the days to come after Christmas, so it’s very economical. I’ll cook it Christmas Day in the pressure cooker in cider and then finish it in tbe oven, potentially with marmalade and mustard. I’m exited already.

Shops were fairly quiet today, which was good as I was on one crutch or pushing a trolley.

I think your bits for your DH sound good! No point buying things just for the sake of jt.

That's how I feel this year, trying not to buy stuff for the sake of it. We've only got a small house and space/storage is minimal!
Santa always brings us a stocking each full of chocolate, sweets and fancy bathing products!

Last night I stayed up late to make a paper chain for the elf. The cat ate it.

I need to get back into the Christmas mood. Dodging the flu and stressing about visiting in-laws. I do wanted a magical Christmas for DC.