Here we go again...Countdown to Christmas 2026 (Thread 1)

[NoWordForFluffy]

365

Evening!

I'm a bit tipsy and very tired, but it's been a good day.

Round 2 tomorrow with the roast dinner!

Oh I kind of love this, I might have to follow along!.

I’m trying desperately to stop Boxing Day blues from settling in over here, we’ve played with new toys and we’re off our for a walk and have lots of lovely food waiting for us at home, but I still feel a bit sad that the build up is all over!.

Not when works back on the 7th

Yeah, I knew someone would say that, but the sentiment still stands. This is still Christmas and I will be still being in festive mode until at least new year.

@FurForksSake My sentiments exactly. I am working today and then have three days off which will mean back to enjoying Christmas in full.

Every year I comment at the start of these threads and then totally drop off.

A mix of the usual sadness the build up and Christmas day is over. Always managed to run out of time in December to do everything. Wasn't as organised as precious years so was a bit chaotic in the run up.

But also despite hosting again for 8th year running it has been lovely. Very chilled out day today.

363

Had a lovely Boxing Day lunch but started to feel a bit restless late afternoon. DS said he needed facial wash so we walked to local high street and it was packed. Boots have a great half price sale so I started my Christmas shopping!! Really cheered me up.

Off to the theatre tonight for CCGW.

363

I hope that's right (and if it isn't then I took the countdown number from grannyweatherwax yesterday so I'm claiming innocence)

DS had his Traditional Boxing Day Pizza , we had vegetarian Shepherds Pie because I had carrots,parsnips and broccoli in the fridge and my nice festive oven dishes (oven proof glass with candy cane patterns)

DS is off to the gym, I'm going out for a potter round , drop off some recycling , return a parcel ,
Have a lovely restful day y'all , Or a busy day , whatever you're up to

Enjoy CCGW !
We went on the 19th , it is really good ( you have to like this sort of humour it isn't everyone's cup of tea )
They changed it slightly from the original one (I was sitting there thinking have I missed something or I am forgetting something ? ) but it all comes together and God Bless Us , everyone . in the words of Tiny Tim

I have bought quite a bit in the Boots sale @MagnoliasunriseI have for the last few years.

Enjoying a restful (ish) day today.

At the gym this morning. I can't be bothered with the sales unless they are online. I just don't enjoy the crowds anymore

Morning!

It's glorious here today. We had a long lie in as we're tired after hosting for the last two days. The kitchen is carnage but that'll get sorted between us later.

It's drinks, dog walk (he's knackered too as he's been too nosey to sleep during the prep / guests), brunch, then tidying. But slowly!

A wash has already gone on!

Morning! We went for a walk, turkey sandwiches for lunch and turkey pizza for dinner. Hurrah!

Yesterday I made the christmas dinner, I seemed to be in the kitchen all day cooking and cleaning but actually enjoyable as I watched some christmas on holiday on YouTube. I even had a wash out yesterday and it all dried by evening!

Chilled day today, wash on this morning but not out as its alot colder today than yesterday.

I'm itching to walk down to asda to see if they have any xmas wrapping paper reduced but last year everything christmassy had been shipped off to another store. So I think it'll be a waste and I dont even need any other shopping.

Growing up mum always used to take me shopping on boxing day, we used to get all sorts of bargains! Sales dont seem to be the same anymore especially with the Internet.

Took a trip into town to go bowling and ended up in next as one of the kids had gift cards.
managed to get 2 bags of clothes for next year Christmas and to wear now. With 5 kids now I seem to constantly be buying and replacing clothes.

I don’t touch boots till 75% off. Usually as I only want silly things for the little ones and I’ll stock up on bath product sets.

did manage to pick up my 4 month baby Next stage car seat though. £150 off so won’t complain there. Long way of needing it but I was surprised how much that’s gone up since buying it 5 years ago for my 4th child.

I did see my local Waterstones had buy 1 get 1 free on kids books. So picked up a few books as well

Place marking, we had Christmas Day, my eldest girl had quite a bit of money so we went to Boxing Day sales, grabbed a couple of bits out of boots to put away for Christmas 😀

We're just taking a break from cleaning, sorting and tidying. I've done 4 lots of washing up and the dishwasher has been emptied and filled again.

A load of washing has just gone on, to go out with the load from overnight.

When the mopped floor has dried we can go back down to carry on with the final bits.

I took some clothes to recycling - that counts as cleaning doesn't it ?

Need to vacuum but I washed the filters so that'll have to wait a bit .

I think my outdoor wreath will need replaced , half the lights don't work , it could be used indoors with ribbon and maybe some of those 'rice lights' .
It's done well though I reckon over 10 years .

I'm at work next week , DH has done the Sainsbury order and I have to think of NYE/NYD food .

I’ve never heard the term rice lights!

I’ve just edited my nye Tesco shop and taken out lots of it. Taken it down to under £100. We’ve got some beers but I’ll get dh to go to Aldi or Lidl for a couple of bottles of sparkling wine and some cider.

70 I went out to get food this morning. Everybody (including me) was stumbling round the supermarket with a dazed look on their faces thinking "I know I need food but what do we eat normally"? 😂 I bought fruit, veg, soft drinks and some meat for ordinary dinners. No roast tomorrow as I'm in danger of looking like a roast potato. We had takeaway for dinner as I refused to cook. Happy to go again tomorrow but I'm pretty much out of the habit of cooking for more than two or three people and I've had six people here for most days. It did help that there are only three of us here tonight.

They're tiny LED on wire so you can twist them but they're quite fragile .

Woolly I did a stealth shop into Asda for peppers and mushrooms to go in rice .

In years gone by I'd have wandered round looking for bargains but I resisted <halo>

Finally checking in on the new thread (thanks @NoWordForFluffy)

We had a lovely Christmas. Honestly, can’t fully explain but with all the stresses we’ve had going on here I truly thought I was going to just have to get through it. It’s been so much nicer than I expected (nothing special, just a good mix of seeing people, relaxing, going out for fresh air).
And the main thing - LO has been amazing this year. Last year the changes were too much and it was all a bit overwhelming but this year he has been awesome.

We hosted my parents (seperately) yesterday so had turkey, chips & pickled things for lunch and tea 😂 No regrets either, it was all lovely.

Today we went out for lunch and did a walk around the ruins of an abbey on the way back then LO and I watched a christmas film in bed with cheesy matching PJs and snacks (he was inspired by Home Alone 2 and seeing Kevin eating ice cream in the hotel bed).
Totally unplanned but lovely.

Now I need to shift my bum. I need to put a wash on and do a bit of tidying before settling down with wine and my christmas diary thing (I write a little entry about what we did/how it went each year).

Tomorrow morning will be spent packing ready for holiday before going to a kids birthday party (joy) then out for a meal with my sister.

Oh also, I ordered some bargain Christmas napkins and wrapping paper from Dunelm yesterday and found some heavily reduced cards today when we popped in to Sainsbury’s (to collect an Argos order).
Only thing I want for next year now is some cross stitch cards, purely so I can start and hopefully finish them early!

632

I lay in bed till about 09.30 listening to LBC , now had coffee .
Multi-tasking with a hair conditioning mask in a plastic hat !

The Christmas Fridge is looking a bit tragic now , but I'll see what's lurking in there for dinner and clear some space .

Six hundred, 70?!

362 (typo corrected!)

We were in bed until 9.30 as well. I slept terribly last night. Probably because I'm back at work tomorrow and I'm dreading it (wouldn't usually, but we've had a stressful time recently, and it's rather shit).

I've been out with the dog, so blasted the cobwebs away with that little gallop around. He was very sniffy (to the extent that a passer by commented on it!) so he's knackered now! (I never know why people want to stop their dogs sniffing, as it's the absolute best way to wear them out good and proper!)

We still have lots of leftovers. And let's not even mention the cheese! 🧀 I'll take the Black Bomber to mum and dad as I know she likes that one. We just had some of the side of salmon in scrambled eggs for brunch, and I think I'm making a curry later with at least some of the beef.

We were up and at them this morning, managed two miles of walking which is amazing. But I’m now pretty broken. However, it’s worth it as being outside with the family on walks is what Christmas is all about to me. Well rinse and repeat tomorrow and Tuesday. Wednesday I’ve got physio and food shop. And then back to daily walks till the kids go back to school. It gets us all out and it’s rehab for my poorly body.

We bought a new Christmas hand towel in the sales and we are using it! I’d thought to put it away for next year, but no, it’s Christmas!

Been to the gym this morning then to Sainsbos to get a few bits (and half price Christmas crackers!!)

Its that time of year when the family are expecting full on gourmet courses and I'm at that stage where I'm saying "there is food all over the house just eat some chocolate or cheese"

CCGW was fab - you were right about the "have I missed something" at the start @70isaLimitNotaTarget but it soon picked up.

I'm rewatching Stranger Things today as was too drunk to remember what happened in the first watch.