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!

Dreamcatcher

I don't know the brand but it's a dark green which DD likes .
I'll find out if it's a Yay or Nay once she's trialled it , probably won't surface all day when she has it

I’ve been planning Xmas 2026 by trying to pick up some posh Xmas bargain. Got the kids some Xmas Lego on Vinted with cheeky offers, some reduced decorations online and some Xmas village items 40% off at our local garden centre. Now I know they do this, I’ll only buy new items in January from now on.

Was worrying the devs coming down Monday would be depressing, however took them down and also did an early spines clean so the house is feeling all fresh and airy (despite the cold).

Off to the seaside this weekend for some fresh air to blow the cobwebs off!

What's an early spines clean, @butternut123?

Our last tree came down today, in the kids' lounge. I haven't yet removed the Christmas cushions from our lounge, so must try to do this tomorrow!

I live by the sea, it's always fresh and breezy round here!

I got some 12p gift tags today and 30p ribbon.

351 I think?

Morning. I am another who found some bargains while food shopping a few days ago. Sainsbury's had wrapping paper and cards for 25p, cute North Pole gift tags 10p and crackers for 50p so I bought some despite knowing I don't need any wrapping paper at all for several years

I am slowly starting to settle into the new year but my house is still slightly chaotic.
Now building work is complete we're having to alter things around to maximise storage as it's a playroom, plus we're re-jigging LOs room and the hallway as there just seems to be too much stuff and not enough places for it all at the minute.

Fluffy I think you should make the change this year. If you do it early and let people know, they have plenty of time to arrange something else (can you tell I'm a big fan of being away at Christmas some years)!

70 that could easily have been me. As we were away the decs stayed up later than usual but it was only last night when I had a delivery that I realised the wreath was still on the front door (lit with multicoloured lights) and the star lights were still in the window

@NoWordForFluffysorry typo- spring clean! 🧼

Oh I got it all down on Monday. I was so overwhelmed with getting the kids back to school Tuesday and me back to work, clubs etc I just decided to work until it was all done. I’d love to hang on a little longer though, still got my Christmas candles out.

Oh how lovely- jealous! We love the seaside in winter when there’s no one else around

@NoWordForFluffy and @FurForksSake i think you should do it, book some festive time away! We are going away this xmas and new year for 2 weeks and I cant wait! Son will be nearly 9, he was apprehensive when we first told him but now he can't wait! Going with husbands mum and dad and some of the rest of the family possibly joining us for new year so very excited!

I am determined to do away with "stuff" this year. Sold a few bits on ebay this week, ive got three bags to go to the charity shop, two bags have gone into sons school and a bag of sons too small clothes to a friend. I love a clear out! My problem is I cant resist a bargain. Then end up either forgetting about it or keeping it and not using! So 2026 is going to be my year of less buying for the sake of it and actually using the gifts from the present drawer! 🙈

I’ve just been through the Christmas food bits, found a bag of unopened candy canes that will be good for next Christmas so I’ve tucked them away.

I found out in New Year’s Eve that I’ve lost the bolts for my cake stand. Where could they have gone??

My st eval order came with a sale bargain of a tea light advent calendar and a nice festive orange candle. Also tucked those away.

I’m going to attempt to think about Christmas stockings across the year. I am going to make a list of the typical things that go in and try and buy a couple of them a month.

I have put a hold on the year of less book on Libby as k also want less stuff.

@FurForksSake ooo the orange candle smells nice! Are the bolts at the back of a drawer or cupboard maybe? Or been put with something else?

I need a rant sorry! Sat here waiting for someone to come collect an item off Gumtree. Meant to be here at 10.30. Messages me at 10.45 saying on his way, he only lives round the corner. Still not here so I ask if hes ok. Just replied saying hes on his way still, be about 30 mins. This same person messed me about at xmas time, had me waiting in for 3 hours past the time he agreed to come!
So annoying as I've moved things around as he said he wanted to come this morning to collect. So 10.30 has now turned into 12 and me rushing round like a headless chicken once hes gone. Ggrrrrr!!!! Sorry, just need a moan!

@ILoveCatsAndKittens has he bought it or is it free? If free I’d leave it on the doorstep if feasible but I’m a cow and I don’t like people.

Oh you're not a cow at all, I do the same! I've got a storage box so leave stuff in there and if £20 or less I say post money through the letter box as I also hate people!
But this is significantly more so didn't fancy leaving it in case he didn't pay up.

Lateness and poor time keeping is a particular bug bear with me!

@ILoveCatsAndKittens how annoying! This happened to me recently so I sympathise.

Isn't it annoying?! When he did eventually arrive (more than 2 hours late, didnt turn up until nearly 1pm) , he didn't apologise either which I thought was rude!

Anyway! I went for a run this morning and was surprised at how many people still have outdoor christmas lights on and wreaths up.

Me too! There are still a couple of giant glow up Santas knocking about!!

I'm keeping my outside lights and wreath on the door. January is too bleak otherwise.

We have kept our generic outside lights up (rope lights round the top balcony and sheet of lights on the middle balcony) but removed the star and the reindeer. The little trees by the door will remain lit til the batteries die. Our wreath will probably stay up til it's quite dead! (Evergreen one.)

The local giant Santa and snowman have gone now. It's really dark where I take the dog first thing now the Christmas lights have gone!

350
we love the seaside in winter as well, but probably not during a named storm. All the decorations came down on Monday and DS was back at school on Wednesday.
I found some sausagemeat in the freezer so made a stuffing meatloaf last night and they all devoured it.

Morning !
It is tipping down here (better than ice though )

Traditional Take DD to Work and Buy a Pain au Chocolat Day .

No rain here at the moment. We're due some shortly though, apparently. I think it rained overnight too as there were some puddles around, though no huge puddles to suggest heavy rain. It wasn't too bad a dog walk / run really.

@GrannyWeatherwaxsBroomstick, you've reminded me that we still have homemade sausage rolls in the freezer. I shall get some out for dinner!

We are lucky to be less than a mile from the sea so we walk on the beach a few times a week. It’s wonderful in winter when there is hardly anyone around apart from fellow dog walkers, even if it is cold.

In fact, if there is a north wind the cliffs provide a bit of shelter (as long as you don’t get too close, they have a tendency to collapse!) and it’s glorious in the sunshine.

One of the dogs hates rain though so our walk was very short yesterday. Looks a little brighter today. There was a very high tide last night so there will be lots of flotsam and jetsam to be sniffed (by the dogs, not me 😁)

Our garden lights are up all year but are looking rather bedraggled this morning so need some reaffixing, and the house seems a little bare without the trees and decorations, so I am putting lights in the dresser to cheer up the kitchen and plonking vases of daffodils everywhere.

Thanks for the inspiration @GrannyWeatherwaxsBroomstick
I have a pork loin in the freezer which I will stuff with the leftover posh Christmas stuffing for dinner this weekend I think.

It is pouring with rain here. The snow was really heavy last night and I was dreading what we would wake up to. Not for my sake as I work from home but my heavily pregnant daughter was driving last night and said it was awful and if it was still about she wasn’t driving her fiancé to work. Thankfully all was ok.

@DameProfessorIDareSay pork loin with stuffing sounds delicious.
We are having pork loin tonight, but slow cooked in salsa on tortillas and black beans (I have been on the Allrecipes YouTube channel again)

I have a pork loin in the freezer and would love to know how to slow cook it...

@DameProfessorIDareSay yuuumm!!

@Londonmummy66 I just put it in the slow cooker with a couple of jars of salsa poured over it and left it on low for about 3 hours.
I got the recipe here: https://www.allrecipes.com/slow-cooker-pork-and-black-bean-tostadas-recipe-11871516