Frugaleer Festive Fun

[Unescorted]

I went to post and realised we had nearly run out of room.

old thread here

Bring the sparkle on....

Arthur Christmas is a favourite here. Never seen Elf, but we have it planned in for Christmas Eve.
Dd has been tidying & cleaning while I've been at work. We have lots of fairy lights and the conservatory where dparents are going to be having their dinner on Friday is looking fab. The dc are excited to be able to have dinner in the living room ( to keep grandparents distanced company!).
In work today, then 5 days off.

It's ok to say that girlie. I think elf is utter rubbish so fairs fair.

£31 Aldi man it was a pain. And some stock outs. Managed to change my c&c to 830 tonight.

Skatepark today and must find Santa sacks which are packed away

I caught the postman although he was earlier than usual (I was expecting him at 8). He had already left my house and was heading up the cul de sac, so I had to nab him on his way back. I hope he's not traumatized at the sight of some crazy woman in dressing gown, runners and socks waving frantically at him.

Urgh on call today and have already had my first call. Was hoping it would be quiet.

Hairdressers shortly, I've had the appointment booked for the last six months

Elf is my favourite - might watch that tonight.

Got almost all the rest of the wrapping done last night. Just need to do a few bottles, boxes of chocolates etc that I am getting with the supermarket shop. I'm getting excited now!

Operation Christmas is kicking in today.....

1. work out the timings for Christmas day and draw up the Gannt chart This is one of my favourite tasks.......lists with pictures and timings and lists of resources. A project managers dream.
2. make the red onion marmalade for the sprouts - this is the only food request from the kids so it is non negotiable.
3. check I still have all the ingredients..... I have seen a worrying number of packets in recycling. So my family may be going to the supermarket.......
4. sort the washing

5 clean bathroom 6 clean the kitchen 7 sparkle clean the living room and dining room so DD can crack on the decorations and wrapping the gifts that aren't for her. I will need to do hers and the Santa sack gifts. At least they won't need tags.

wolf can they not google the answer?
Tayto I am sure he has seen worse. At least you had your runners on.
Girlie enjoy the time off.

Last day of work for me until Tuesday!

Plan today is to blitz through emails. Cover as much off as I can. Then chill. And then once the dc are in bed wrapping presents as I’ve been meaning to do this for days but cba.

Dh bought me corsodyl mouthwash yesterday which seems to have helped my sore teeth/mouth. He’s suggested I cancel my apt tomorrow but I’m keeping it just in case. Most things I can deal with but my non negotiable seek help and give up on life pains are ear pain and teeth pain. And I don’t want to have to do that over a long weekend!!

Covid news here. All non essential shops and businesses to close from 5pm tomorrow until at least 6 January. Two more deaths. Down to under 1000 cases (just). Airport is still open....

I’m meant to be collecting me new glasses on Tuesday. Hopjng opticians remain open.

Home from the supermarket. There was a queue to get into the supermarket car park and then a queue to get into the supermarket itself. You can imagine my delight when I discovered I'd left my list at home! Anyway, all's good and I only missed one thing (koka noodles for DD). I've unpacked (sort of). I need to do a bit of a fridge clear out and make room for some of the veg. - and the lamb I'm picking up tomorrow.

Just going to check my work e-mails and then I'll head off for cat litter.

I also need wine (it was too early for the off licence) but I might pick that up in Centra this evening when it's quiet.

Hair cut £50

Freezer reorganised to create space. Sausage rolls made and in to open freeze before I bag them up. Have some leftover pastry so will do cheese straws I think and freeze them.

Dishwasher done. Few more jobs and maybe make some cranberry sauce before going to Booths to collect the Christmas order and then collect ds.

It looks like df's car day may be tomorrow hope the insurance company are working so I can flip the vehicle on mine

listening to the tail end of a press conference from our government currently. i forgot it was broadcast live at 11 so have only just jumped on.

we are on lockdown (albeit not in name) until 11 January at least.

Back with the cat litter, turf and wine.

Spends today:-

€37.62 - petrol
€118.17 - 'big' supermarket shop
€23.60 - cat litter
€4.69 - quiche in M&S
€4.00 - gift bag in Easons
€40.91 - turf, wine and koka noodles

That's a grand total of €228.99. No guilt though. It's been a shite year (two years actually) so I'm going to eat, drink and chill in front of the fire for the Christmas break. Other than bread and lamb tomorrow, I won't need to buy any food for the next week or so.

Going to put on a quick quiche dinner in a minute and then wrap DD's presents. Then chill for the evening.

I will catch up later, I promise.

Tomorrow I'm going to give the house a quick once over, make soup for dinner (with brown bread and smoked salmon) and watch a movie with DD for Christmas Eve. I'm going to my brother's house for dinner on Christmas Day and then it's just me and DD for St. Stephen's Day (26th December).

Nothing but Covid on the radio all day as I was driving around. Our Minister for Agriculture has now tested positive. The Cabinet Ministers are restricting their movements while they wait for tests or for the results of tests. It's a fitting end to a crazy year.

Afternoon everyone 😀
Been busy done last of the presents and the cleaning/ shopping Morrisons 17, Tesco 2 /table decorating 😀👏👏👏so pleased with finishing today normally l am running ragged . Just had a bath and in my PJs relaxing in front of all creatures Christmas special and l feel happy at last it's been a long time coming. Hope everyone is feeling great as well ☺️🤗

Pleased you are having a nice afternoon and a well-earned rest Mrs.

We just watched The Star. Loved it! Why can't I watch xmas films without crying though?!

@SnugglySnerd

Pleased you are having a nice afternoon and a well-earned rest Mrs.

We just watched The Star. Loved it! Why can't I watch xmas films without crying though?!

Thank you Snuggly I hope you are all relaxing like me, it's smashing l can thoroughly recommend it!

131 tesco somehow. May as well as all going tits up

£28ish dinner. Boiler fixed. Most presents wrapped. In tier 4 from Saturday.

Hiya everyone!. Today is my favourite day of the year, because I LOVE Christmas Eve but find myself getting sad that the day goes so quick, so I spend Christmas Eve Eve getting excited for Christmas Eve. And we’ve had a great day, DH is off work now so we took the DC out even though it was raining awfully and got their puddlesuits on, they loved it!. Then we watched nativity 2, the DC wanted to create their own nativity (and were very excited when they got to use DS2 as baby Jesus). We’re now playing dobble. I had a bit of a cry to DH earlier about how different Christmas will be this year and I’m feeling quite anxious, but am trying to focus on the positivities!.

em burgers and no chips is a crime!. I’m the same, I’ve gave birth 3 times and I’d do it all over again if it meant I never had to have ear/tooth ache again. Sorry about the lockdown!.

We’ve got our veg already life. It should be fine!

mrs you should’ve heard them giggling when they were hiding! They thought it was a brilliant hiding spot😂. So pleased to hear you’re having a lovely relaxing evening.

snuggly I’d also like some alone time!. The big 2 are at school and nursery now, but nursery is only until 11:30. I’m breastfeeding DS2 and he is constantly attached to me, I’m a SAHM so never a break from the DC. I would love if I could book a nice hotel for just myself for a weekend!. I haven’t watched Star, it sounds brill though!.

Sorry about the level 5 restrictions tayto Luckily the supermarket near us isn’t too bad, it sounds crazy by you!.

Enjoy your time off work girlie!.

DH and I are doing the wrapping tonight and will deliver everything tomorrow. We just had a FaceTime call with my dads side of the family. My great aunt and her DD (my cousin?) and son in law (my cousin in law?) dress up for Christmas every year. They go to my nans house and my cousin in law dresses up as Santa and gives presents to all the kids (lots of little cousins, siblings and my DC). We were really sad this year that it wouldn’t happen but they had set up a FaceTime thing for us all. They delivered little presents for the DC today and we opened them all together on facetime. It’s made me cry but it was so lovely!. I miss being with everyone so much!.

£10 in local shop yesterday

Gen I'm not sure if I said it already, but I'm so sorry you've had to cancel your trip home. And anyone else who is in the same position. Anyway, hope you enjoyed your consolation dinner.

Mrs so sorry about your cousin's DH. Keeping everything crossed that he continues to improve.

em the baubles are lovely. I might get some made for DD with the cats' faces on them - for next Christmas. This year I got her a big squishy cushion which says, 'A house is not a home without a cat'. Awww..... Sorry your DH got into a strop about the presents. DD has very fine hair and it was extra fine when she was a toddler. Clips never survived longer than 5 minutes in her hair - they'd just slide out.

isaw sending you big hugs. I hope you're feeling a little better now. I think we've all had ups and downs. It's been a long 10 months or so. I remember going into lockdown back in March and thinking it would all be over in a few weeks. Little did we know....... And this new strain was a nasty sting in the tail just when we were getting optimistic about the vaccine.

Unescorted have you managed to find any Vegemite yet? Your DD sounds very arty and creative.

Sing I hope your boiler is sorted now and you're enjoying a cosy house.

Mrs glad you got the chance to relax for the afternoon. You're always running around after other people.

Wolf sorry to hear your hip is playing up.

north what's Devon parcel? Is it a charity?

My favourite Christmas movies are 'Muppets Christmas Carol' and 'The Grinch'. We sat down to watch 'The Grinch' the other night but my DVD wouldn't play . This year our Christmas Eve movie is 'Santa Claus 2'. I like most of the Christmas movies though. The only one I'm not mad on is 'The Polar Express'.

@SingToTheSky

£28ish dinner. Boiler fixed. Most presents wrapped. In tier 4 from Saturday.

Yay!! Been thinking about you and your boiler Sing so glad it is done now Happy Christmas!

Great news about the boiler Sing!

This evening I have about a million presents to wrap. I’m in dds room I wanted to get on with dinner and get dh to sit in with her. But ds threw a tantrum and kicked me in the face. Because I said no to reading 5 books and letting him piss around. Dh said I was being unfair. So instead of being downstairs and making dinner and then getting on with things I’m on the floor in dds room.

It’ll be 830 before I get dinner. And then present wrapping. Dh has to work. So it’s all me. Although I’m going to suggest he actually helps.

Tayto ahhh thank you that is so kind of you That is bad so many ppl with Covid , stay safe lovely
Isaw l love Christmas Eve eve too it's a day of finalising and getting everything into place ready for a relaxing Christmas EVE, l hope you are feeling happier now , you have many many years of wonderful Christmasses to look forward to and next year will be the very very best Christmas we have ever ever had
Wolf hope your hip is less painful lovely , you have done so much today well done!
Snuggly grab yourself a nice bath and have a relax if you can , you must be worn out sweetie
Girlie hope you can relax now & enjoy Christmas
Em l can't believe how it has spread like wildfire with you, in what seems like just a few weeks, l am wondering how the hospital is coping there tbh , hope you are all ok
We have watched lovely things on TV today, All creatures , Mary Berry , the Repair shop... OMG l cried it was so lovely, University Challenge and Jamie Oliver cooking his Turkey on a bed of veg it looked Amazing! l have had a mince pie and a lovely cuppa curtesy of Dh and Lidl's , must say they]re Deluxe ones were delicious YUMMY!

Oh Em l'm sorry lovely hope you have had your dinner now and Ds has settled down, the Dc are so excited and overtired it is no wonder they get cross , l am sure he didn't mean to upset you

I'm relaxing with a cuppa and a chocolate kimberley biscuit. I don't eat a lot of biscuits as a rule but there's something nice about chocolate kimberley at Christmas. DD doesn't like them so I just bought a 6 pack.

Not sure how that posted over an hour after I left dds room.

I’ve done all of the dcs presents and my sisters and her boyfs. Still have dh’S and dparents to go. But I’ve come to bed.

Two rolls of paper down. Dh has said he needs paper. So will let me finish with the paper then use what’s left. I highly doubt there’ll be any left. Apart from dinosaur birthday paper. So guess what fils present will be wrapped in....

This is the bit I hate about Christmas. The preparation. The planning. The finding the time to fit it al in.