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!

201

Yeah Capt had the stabilisers out for us too when we went for breakfast in the buffet it was almost empty which is unheard of for a sea day. After 4 cruises I finally found a duck! I was tempted to rehide it but instead I brought him home as a good luck charm and hes sitting on my desk now lol

I think we need a new thread around 25 June as I have a title for that one!

25th sounds good to me. 😀

200

Time is galloping along! 🧑‍🎄

200! Hoorah! I was just talking about work things I’ll be doing in December and I know this half of the year often slides away.

🎄 199 🎄

And here we are!! Slippery slope from here.

Slippery Slope you say ....
Home Straits I say 😄

I am rationing my posts so you can get to the 25th on this thread.
Obvs I can write as much claptrap in a single post , without bumping up the the total too much .
Less than 200 hundred days I will tell people but they will be 🙄🫣and😵‍💫 in equal measure . No Father Christmas emojis, I am on the iPad thingie

I think I’m going to start my Christmas shopping now.

198 🎄

Morning. Have been MIA a while as it’s been a rough few weeks. I think I got close to burn out after a rubbish run at work combined with an infection which basically took over my head (eyes, sinuses, ears, throat) and some tricky conversations with LO. And I have a new nephew who made an early appearance and caused us all some worry but is doing really well and is home now.
Means I essentially retreated from SM, aside from instagram reels as mine are American house renovations and Christmas stuff

Have read through the posts. Grace many years ago we did a cruise around Iceland and Norway etc and there was a storm. Our captain turned us around so we went around Iceland in the wrong direction, missing a stop so we could avoid it.
I remember sitting opposite DH and watching the window which went from showing sky to sea as we rocked.
DH was fine but I ended up going to bed feeling 🤢 and ordering room service soup at 3am when it finally calmed down.

Ive done nothing to plan for Christmas really (aside from knowing we’re hosting my mum and picking up some bargain table cloths). I need to have a little think about what Santa is going to bring LO but I just don’t have space in my brain for it right now.

Morningmeeces , sorry to hear you're going through the mill. It is difficult enough coping with one thing but then add illness and everything else you get snowed under.
DH and I are off to Bruges which is a lovely compact (gorgeous at Christmas) city. We went a few years back then on a Christmas Cruise with Dad in 2024.
Probably won't be Christmas shops but I can look.
Lots of beer, chocolate and more chocolate.
I.m sure though I can find something even if it'll be banished to the downstairs loo to look festive but out of site.

Sorry to hear about your burnout Meeces and hope you on the mend.

I have been up to my eyes in A levels and GCSE's but thankfully light at the end of the tunnel now. Those poor kids look so drained.

When are you off to Bruges 70? I went once and loved it. Yes fab chocolate.

I am very excited about the World Cup starting this week. I have my sticker book ready, my fixture list/results ready to complete and England tops for the family (DD will refuse to wear hers of course).

Welcome back Meeces sorry its been a tough time for you hopefully it will start getting easier from now on.

DH came back from the cruise with a nasty fluey type thing so far I seem to have escaped it but obviously being in close proximity raises my risk of getting it keeping my fingers crossed that it passes me by.

Now we are back we need to move on with getting the bathroom sorted so have booked an appointment with B&Q for Friday to start the ball rolling with finding out how much its likely to cost us.

70 there’s definitely a Christmas shop (a few u believe). One is just off the square, called Kathe Wolhfahrt, open all year round.
We’ve done Bruges twice, only for a day trip and enjoyed it both times and will be going back. I’d love to go at Christmas but that’s a few years away I think.

Burnout type stuff is weird. Was like being physically ill (lots of sleeping, unable to concentrate and feeling drained) but I was ok once the infection went.
Im on the mend but I can feel I’ve lost my oomph and I’m not sure how much I care right now

196

Missed a day!

Sorry it's all been such tough going, Meeces. Hopefully it's all improving and you'll be back to full power soon enough.

We've had some biblical rain this week. It's drizzling now but meant to improve.

197 was washed away!

we have some sunshine here now.

I went to pre op for a gynae procedure and have been a bit freaked out as they said I might need two weeks off work! I’ve got one day currently. So that will be interesting. It depends what state things are in and what they need to take out. But that does mean I’ve driven up and down the county twice in two days and my hip is very annoyed with me.

195

Looks like we may have just bought a new bathroom - depends on what the survey reveals on Monday current shower is up on a plinth so its a huge step up and in and I struggle its become unsafe for me to use without DH standing by to assist but I have a memory of being told by my mum it had to be like that as the fall for the drain was too shallow - DH measured the floor level inside and outside and it appears to be 5cm which is apparently plenty for a walk in shower but we won't know for certain until after the surveyor comes. Keeping my fingers crossed as it could make a big difference to the cost if its not enough.

195

Hope your hip settles Fork , it's daunting to go into surgery anyway . But maybe they don't know exactly whats going on until they get in there !
Is your workplace pretty good with sick leave ? If you need the time off then you need the time off and they will have to cope !

Bruges was lovely , so many chocolate shops ! I would either be put right off chocolate or a 30 stone diabetic if I lived there ! (Diabetes runs in my family so it's always there on the edge of my mind)

Discounted some of the beautiful decorations as they were candles ( no, because of the cats ) or intricate lace baubles (no tree because of the cats )

Sunny/gentle breeze today , Good washing weather after DH mows the lawn .

194
Crossing fingers for your shower surveyor Grace
If you put a post on Property/DIY there will be loads of people who can give ideas . I read things on that thread but have nil to contribute as I don't have the experience of house renovations etc.

Hi.
I have lurked on this thread (and the previous ones) for a long time. You all feel like old friends now, which possibly makes me sound very strange (i'm not that strange, honestly)
I'll try to be brave and contribute, but I'll possibly just read along as normal.

Welcome Time
We are all lovely here .
There will be a new thread for the 25th so make sure you transport with us .

And if you are asked "Is Die Hard a Christmas film " then the answer is "Of course , one of the classic Christmas Films"

(I am fibbing but my DH is convinced it is the most Chritmassey of the Christmas films . But "Nightmare Before Christmas" is a Hallowe'en film , we used to watch it every year on Hallowe'en )

@70isaLimitNotaTarget I refuse to take part in this debate, although it did make me laugh when Bruce put in an appearance on the thread.

Thank you for the welcome.

Also, Aldi have paint your own highland cows and capybaras in store today for £1.99. I may have picked some up for the Christmas cupboard.

Hi all, I’ve just made a lovely Christmas purchase. I kicked myself when the Candle Warmer lamps were bargainess before Christmas. Just noticed that the Amber one has gone down in price. Sorry can’t do links but have put a photo on

And if you are asked "Is Die Hard a Christmas film " then the answer is "Of course , one of the classic Christmas Films"

This is the only right answer. Any dissenters are allowed to stay because we like them, despite their wrongness!

Welcome Time

My annual Xmas tradition known to everyone in my family and on my Facebook is that I watch ALL the Die Hard Films followed by ALL the Lethal Weapons films in the build up to Xmas and hubby and I put up our Xmas decorations on 1st December whilst watching White Christmas. Last year because of the fire I was in a Travelodge for the entire Xmas period plus wasn't in the Xmas mood whatsoever - in fact Xmas trees and decorations made me cry buckets so this year I will be very excited to watch them again.

I even bought my son a Hanz Gruber advent calendar it takes 24 days for him to finish the fall lol

Welcome Time and you are right we are all lovely here. 😊

Been at a friend's BBQ this afternoon, I think Summer might finally be here. Yippeee. So I can't think about Christmas right now (don't kick me off though). I like the look of the candle warmer lamps though.

Fluffy how are your tomatoes doing? Mine are growing fabulously now and the courgettes also looking great. Amazing what a bit of sun does.