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

I made Bread Sauce years ago for someone who requested it , I did think "Eurgh what Fresh Hell is this "? but I was pleasantly surprised .

Onion, stab in loads of cloves, black peppercorns , bayleaf , milk , bring to boil, simmer then leave to infuse ( I do overnight)
Strain the liquid into a clean pan, ( I don't look at this bit as I hate the skin on cooked milk) . I usually puree half of the cooked onion to add (take the cloves out ) . Add onion to the milk bring to simmer , add butter and some plump white bread crumbs .
More butter , nutmeg, ground black pepper .

It is nice , it does need all the flavourings though to stop it being "bread" . And the thickness that works for you so its not a slurry or a lump .

DH always asks for Bread Sauce but if it didn't get cooked it wouldn't be a tragedy. Unlike gravy . Or Yorkshire Puddings .

Bread sauce, hmm, ive never tried it to be honest but its the look and thought of it that puts me off.

The way you describe it 70 it sounds nice but given everything else I'll be doing on Xmas day I think i just cba.

We are at at the service station - its very festive........ not.

I adore bread sauce, particularly cold the next day. I don’t like cranberry sauce, we always have redcurrant!

Met up with my mum and step dad for lunch and to exchange presents. Tick!

I adore bread sauce, particularly cold the next day.

That genuinely makes me heave! The idea of it warm is bad. Cold, just no!

You can slice it and put in your turkey sandwich with stuffing. It’s basically bread, turkey, soggy bread, soggy crispy bread, bread.

'Soggy' being the texture I can't do!

Driving back from seeing Fluffy. My son is driving which makes a change for me and his dad. Was lovely to see everyone.

The thought of bread sauce makes me feel quite ill. Mainly a texture thing but it all sounds horrible. So I will pass on that.

Bread Sauce seems to be a marmite product ! Like sprouts , either love 'em or hate 'em.

I would baulk at the Thanksgiving favourite of sweet potato (or yams) with marshmallows on top ( I wonder who thought of this) but as a very long term vegetarian I wouldn't thank you for pigs-in-blankets either .

Which weirdo thought sweet potatoes and marshmallows was a good combo? Sounds utterly revolting! 🤢

Bread sauce definitely doesn't seem to have many fans! Sensible people!

Eek. Big font wasn't intended! 😬🤣

I hate sweet potatoes so wouldn’t be a combination I would ever contemplate.

70 I love pigs in blankets and I think there would be an uproar if I didn’t get them.

Sweet potatoes are delicious cooked and pureed but I'm not a fan of sweet potato chips . Delicious in pumpkin or squash soup.

When my DS was very little he liked orange foods - carrots, sweet potato, spaghetti hoops, baked beans, lasagne chopped fine .

His food tastes now are very very basic , doesn't like trying new things at all ( but he isn't vegetarian like the rest if us )

3

Afternoon!

It's lovely here today. Dry after a wet night and set to be dry for a while.

I'm doing the pre-Christmas clean (slowly!).

It was lovely to see Why yesterday.

Afternoon! DH is out with one of the kids doing errands, that’s his happy place really. Bumbling around. He attempted to get me to invite a straggler for Christmas Day, I’ve said no. I’m not up to it and he knows I’m not good with guests on the day itself.

Never heard of sweet potato and marshmallows 🤢
Love sweet potato mash, as a cottage pie topping or in soup (sweet potato and chilli is a favourite here).

It’s been a busy 2 days here. Yesterday we tidied a lot of the house, did 2 loads of washing, took 2 big bags to charity shop, collected a new dining table and wrapped all of the presents for LO when he was sleeping.

Today we have done the food shop (M&S which was bonkers and not that great, Aldi and Sainsbury’s). Queues in Sainsbury’s were long but moving quickly and I quite enjoy the chaos.

Have now unpacked it all and brought furniture from storage back in to the room that had the building works now it’s finished (aside from being painted).

Next is more washing and more tidying before we go out for a meal as it’s our anniversary.
As an extra bonus though, my dm who is babysitting has also said she’ll tackle the ironing pile while she’s here.

Still to-do - c&c from Argos tomorrow, wrap DHs presents, wrap the twitch presents I bought today 🙄 and make a second attempt at the red cabbage as the last lot of was rubbish and I binned it 😳
oh and finish my dads cross stitch card as it is currently a penguin with no lettering on it at all.

I’ve got Morrisons coming shortly, but they are only bringing soft drinks (Amazon are limiting my purchasing on my drink of choice) and 5p veg that I don’t need but will use or freeze.

Tomorrow dh will get the M&S bits and the turkey etc. Ocado will bring my last fresh bits and pieces.

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I've been to collect my supermarket shopping and my order from the butcher.

I need to iron a couple of bits just to clear the last of the laundry off the spare bed and my M&S flowers are scheduled to arrive after lunch. Then I'm as done as I'm going to be!

Afternoon. I was up and out early this morning to pick up a click & collect order from Argos. I was leaving the shop at 8 and it was already getting busy.

Have spent today doing the final sort out of the ‘new room’ (not new but extended and changed). This has involved dusting, cleaning repeatedly to get all the dust.

DH and LO went out for a few hours and I did washing, wrapped the twitch presents bought yesterday and brought down all the things for the new room we had stored away while the work was being done.

Only things outstanding now are to wrap Santa presents (only 3 of them), finish my dads cross stitch card and tidy my bedroom which will all be done tonight.

I still don’t feel particularly festive but I’m hoping tomorrow when I don’t have a giant to do list and have hopefully had a decent nights sleep it will come.

I did try and get away with a festive film with LO as DH is out picking up the turkey but no, we’re watching Toy Story for the millionth time 🙄
Will 100% be having a baileys later - we’ve got a chocolate orange one which is bloody lovely!

Hope everyone else is fully settled in to the festive break

Finished work now <hurrah>
Sainsbury order came today , only 2 missing items .
I managed to get one at Waitrose , did a quick shop there after work .

Waiting now for Traditional Christmas Eve Eve take away then watch Eastenders.
I have much to do tomorrow !

Hope everyone's plans are coming together

My sourdough enriched rolls are rising, my butter is in the moulds in the freezer.

the only item missing from my shop was some maple butter which was just an afterthought really. I don’t have any pouring cream, but we have squirts and custard so E fine.

yay on finishing work!

We've been out for DH's birthday today. I'm a little drunk. 😬🤣

I collected a Tesco order and a Sainsbury's food to order order first thing (the stuffing balls from Sainsbury's look amazing!). We've just had our Sainsbury's groceries order. A few of the little tubs of salad were missing, and our very large pork pie was subbed for two smaller ones, but otherwise all seems in order.

I also collected our cheese (some of it!) from the village when we went out.

Just cinnamon rolls to make and the gammon to prep tomorrow, and we're ready!

I think I just have two presents to wrap and make the trifle and I am about there. Working tomorrow so hoping the phone lines are not the worst.

We have been to the christmas fair and for something to eat this evening which was nice but I think I'm coming down with somwthing as I have had a headache all day and felt nauseous. Food shop this morning but I forgot the Baileys cream, orange juice to make mimosas and the condensed milk for the flapjack recipe from here! Back to the shop I go tomorrow.

Tomorrow will be nip to the shop early on and then cinema in the afternoon to watch Home Alone. Will pop into the in laws on way home. Then its a Dominos pizza for tea!

@NoWordForFluffy hope you've had a lovely time out!

@70isaLimitNotaTarget yaaay for finishing work! I finished yesterday and was very glad to!

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I've been post-afternoon drinking dozing all evening. Now I'm in bed not getting to sleep. 🙄