[SC emerges with slightly hysterical air from between folds of bubble wrap]
Hi all! [Thanks for brew Blue Makes note to self about Christmas hair cut] Well done for getting desk organised!
[Leaves some Christmas "stimulants" on naughty corner bar for those who are sleep-deprived]
Yargh! Somehow now terribly behind with both parcels and cards despite being ahead a week or so ago.
Electrics went out completely this weekend leaving us with no hot water, heating and in some parts of the house, no light. Grrrrr. No dw or wm either (we think it is one of those appliances causing the problem.) Emergency electricians obligingly came out first thing this morning and stayed for hrs (for a price) only to tell us what we already knew and left us with advice to try machines one by one. It is becoming apparent that the electrics we installed when we moved in are now out of date (although how to convince dh of that I do not know!) They will be back on Wed to fix everything properly apparently. Last thing I want is dodgy electrics and no dw/wm for Christmas guests. But mainly have wasted a lot of time dealing with fault which is frustrating!
One of the main parcels for godchildren which I ordered on 28 Nov fhs has gone completely astray and non-one knows anything about it. Now have to dash about finding something different (and the pickings are pretty hopeless here)!
Dh returned from travels, slept for most of Sat, attended dd's ballet demonstration on Sunday (which looked like 2 hrs hour's worth of very elegant but nonetheless tortuous exercises to me but dd v. happy and completely unphased and bouncing around with uncontrolled energy afterwards!) and then dh declared he was "going to the office for a couple of hours". When I protested about never seeing him, he said "but I didn't go in to work yesterday". 
No Flying. Not a thing. Washing pile stacking up again. Even my usually shiny sink is full of roasting pans that need attending to. Dog is unwalked as yet and I caught him playing in the garden with a very dead mouse which was yuck! DD has spent far too long hunched over her Ipod doing heaven knows what. And unfinished parcels and rolls of wrapping paper and ribbon have taken over the entire sitting room. Dh is literally side-stepping over everything Christmas-related on his way out of the house ... .
If I had a bottle of Christmas sherry available, I think I would swig it right now! Instead I think I shall chivvy dog and dd out in to fresh air for a much-needed walk.
Knitting hope a blast of Handel proved uplifting once you were there (although I share your dislike of being stuck in a theatre seat)!
Cant and knitting will definitely treat myself to a winter flowering jasmine in that case (once I find out when best to plant)
Can't about those reindeer noses ... . 
Can't and Fuzz hope you are able to catch up on sleep tonight!
Lauren happy birthday to your dd! Hope you have a lovely party! And attending to horses in the snow sounds like my idea of heaven (although I know it is cold hard work in reality) but always miss riding at this time of year!
Crikey Grey that list is humungous!!! Congratulations!! And great that you were able to have a lie-in too! (The tea and raisin wine sounds delicious btw!)
Waves to Toffee Shannara Stillwearing Dogsbum Honu Nicknacks Feetheart Whoknows and anyone else I've missed!