Stepping into 2012 in style, remaining WISE and AVID all the while

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New thread.

Great news Anniemac! All that nb work he did will reap rewards I am sure.

Thanks for brow soothing too, Carciofi and anniemac .

Amber yay to scarf.

Annie, what brilliant news!

Happy Christmas eve to you all . Lots of busy sales prep going on I see.

What are you all eating for dessert tomorrow? I need inspiration . Was thinking of baked Alaska but not sure having never done one before. Finally settled on homemade chestnut stuffing and bread sauce but shop bought cranberry sauce as accompaniments to main meal

Marsha, I get the whole eyebrow panic thing, what did your DH think? Mine hates any mucking about with eyebrows, too coiffed makes 'insouciance' harder to do.

Pickled DH has requested lemon cheesecake (no cooking - just 2 tubs mascapone, juice and zest of 2 lemons, icing sugar on a digestive or ginger biscuit base - so easy) and Im doing Faye Ripleys pavlova but with raspberrys and kiwi which is also v easy. Will make it tonight and leave in oven overnight. Baked alaska sounds good tho, more christmassy than lemons! Keep meaning to try these mini ones I bookmarked. here

Annie great news, what a lovely Christmas present for you all!
NY love the sounds of your parents house! How lovely for DD.

Speaking of which, DSs are about to open one each - the scooters from my sister, thought it would be nice to go on them as they deliver cards to the neighbours (and help with the news we are off to church later!)

Portia, I'm so glad that you love your leather trousers. The Agnes look fab on you so I can just imagine how good they look on and what a great colour - oxblood

Yes that's it Pickled . Dh isn't keen because to him I'm still as I was ten years ago (isn't love good ). He says he hates change. I might not be a threading type person. Too immaculate. Will ask the family what they think.

Mmmm at these deserts, we are on Gatwick Express, so hungry.

Love the scarf Amber

Carciofi love the AH purse, infact loving it all

Wonderful job news Annie

Blue you never know the size 6 roxy may well end up in the N'ham Whistles store! I like the top shop one too, did you get the one with the quilting on the shoulders?

Marsha I can understand the eyebrow issue - they make such a difference to the whole face. I often don't like my very freshly threaded brows as it looks just a bit too done for me - looks better several days later. I do like a good strong brow though

NY your parents sound great - lucky you and DD

Ach desserts....

Zembo that's good to know, maybe it's something that looks better after a few days.

Annie, I am really delighted for you, that's great news.

My brother and his wife can't get to New Zealand until St Stephens Day as their flights were cancelled and are stuck in Melbourne. My SIL is very upset, it was to be her first Christmas day spent with her family in 5 years.

NY, your parents sound so thoughtful.

Marsha, have a great trip.

Pickled, we are having pudding, I love it, could eat it every day. I bought it from the local deli, making it is beyond me (though I did manage a passable Christmas cake).

Happy Christmas Eve

Annie what fantastic news, I'm so delighted for you

Marsha I'm sure your eyebrows are gorgeous! I'm with you about being catious with the links. I have had my eye on something for 2 months now, every time I go into town I call in to make sure it's still there! Checked it yesterday at 4 so I'm hoping we'll make it until 9am on the 26th. No late night for me tomorrow. I think it's the last one in the country This time last year I was battling through a blizzard to get my Nicole Farhi boots, love the boots, it was worth it!

Carciofi I have a red Kate Spade wallet, always easy to find at the bottom of the bag!

Emo I wouldn't be able to resist the temptation, surely a nice walk to clear your head before the vistors arrive is a necessity

Pickled we HAVE to have trifle on Christmas day, I have just made the cake and am marinating the strawberries. Homemade custard and whipped double cream It is a once a year indulgence and a Christmas highlight! Love pavlova too, with passionfruit a la Nigella.

Portia love the sound of your leather trousers.

Good luck with the sales Amber hope you get what you want

I'm sure the boys will love the scooters Ollie

Taking dc into town later for hot choc and look at the lights. Always buy Laduree macaroons and Chanel lipgloss for my mum on Christmas Eve, gives me an excuse to go into town to check on my dress.

Happy Christmas Eve Lovely Ladies

Am supposed to be doing a few last minute present wrapping bits whilst DH has taken DD1 to the ballet but let DD2 go at her own pace on walk to local supermarket(5mins round the corner)so half spent 1 and half hours collecting leaves en route so I Need a cup of tea!

annie great news for the family!

portia love the oxblood trousers..you must look amazing in them.

pickled DH and I are chocolate heads and NO fruitcake passes our threshold ..we will be having chocolate sticky toffee pudding plus extra cream

marsha do you remember when annie cut her hair and was really upset because it was such a change but actually looks stunning with the shorter hair and hard to imagine a different style now..may just take a little time to adjust.

annie keep meaning to ask..where was your minimeet dress from?

premiered my SS scarf yesterday(I know I said I would wait till Xmas day )..took it to see Arthur Christmas..is anyone else as hopeless as me..yes I blubbed!

yummy I loved 'this is england '88' my favourite so far,very poignant,beautifully done.have you got to the end of 'the killing 2' by the way?

VB you sound like the perfect mum and daughter..very thoughtful and caring.

Did anyone else read Richard Scarry's 'the night before the night before Christmas yesterday?

right must do some presents..oops nearly forgot have ordered this but clueless about mango sizing so not getting my hopes up.

Hi everyone. Wishing you all much strength and patience over the next few days. Hope everyone's travel plans go smoothly and above all hope everyone gets what they want in the sales!
Dd watching Monsters Inc again. DH washing up. DS barely coping with the excitement!
Got my turkey breast. 2.2kg is loads of meat! Have had pasta for lunch but made chocolate roulade with cream and raspberries for pudding. I have a friend calling later and I'm out of mince pies. Have made the pastry case for the tarte au citron and have made breadcrumbs for the bread sauce and stuffing. We did most of the packing last night. There is heaps of presents.
Next job is to fetch the flowers I've ordered ready for chapel. Why do I have the Christmas Sunday week? Hot some lovely ones last year though.
Love the sound of all your Christmas Eves.

annie, meant to say, what a wonderful Christmas present to you all. So happy for you.

Oh Annie that's great news. Well done to your DH. Will it mean him traveling away from home?
Amber it's a yay from me!!!
ollie you are gorgeous and not in need of loads of make up.
How funny so many of you are thinking of a new wallet. I have my eye on this Reiss one. Saw it is westfied this week but had too many other things I had to get. In RL is more orange. Tis lovely. mobile.reissonline.com/shop/womens/womens_sale/ellery/pumpkin/?q=Wallet
oh and ollie thanks for John Lewis sale tip. We need a new TV and have my heart set on a 'smart' one. Fingers crossed they have something in the sale.

My DD is BEYOND herself with excitement. She has just gone upstairs for a nap- unheard of. I think she has actually worn herself out with excitement!!!!

Verity, you have made me homesick. I love going into Grafton Street on Christmas Eve, we always used to.

Ah, sorry carciofi. It's actually v crowded, lots of jostling, not great with little ones. See you there next year maybe

Thanks reine you've made my day!

Yum yum to chocolate roulade bloss, I've just scoffed 2 of santa's mince pies, hope he doesn't mind.

As usual I haven't wrapped a single present, up til 2 am as usual I guess.

Going to have a quick look at mulberry sale

Chocolate roulade sounds delish, Bloss.

Yep, next year, Verity!

Ollie, the grey Taylor bag is on sale. The Rosie bag I like is also on sale but £245 is still an awful lot for a nylon bag, right? Tell me it is!!

Right, Mulberry have helpfully not put the Rosie in black in the sale, and after some deliberation I have decided I am not happy settling for the pink. So no Mulberry for me, which frees up the budget for other things (not necessarily a bad thing!)

Popped to the shops, but was very restrained and only bought the cream version of the lace t-shirt I have from Comptoir, which was half price.

Am dithering over McQueen scarf and MiH velvet Oslos. Do we think velvet is too wintry?

Carciofi I think it's a lot for nylon. Another reason why I have resisted. At half price maybe, but 30% not good enough for me...

Lets wait for half price. :)

Velvet is wintry but they are so nice on, I bought them on Mrs CB's recommendation.

To my lovely SS. Have just applied my new MAC nail polish. I LOVE it!! Thanks again.x

Thanks for all the desserts feedback, we have settled on mini baked Alaskas - thanks Ollie and wish me luck .

Mmm, feeling hungry reading about all these desserts! My MIL makes a mean Christmas pud, which is lighter than normal, so I shall attempt some of that for Christmas dinner. DH and ds1 are just off to the Christingle service, I'm going to need to stay home with ds2 so he can have a nap after a disturbed night last night. Then off out for dinner with BIL and his family. Lovely to read what everybody is up to, I think Christmas Eve is one of the best bits of Christmas!

Annie, I am so pleased to hear about your DH's contract, congratulations! And great news that it is relatively local too, hope it lasts for a long time.

Great news Annie, what a lovely gift for Christmas.
Carciofi my DH went into BTs (to get me voucher, I hope) and brought all the DC. Serves him right. He never plans ahead.
Am of your trousers Portia.
Don't worry about the eye brows Marsha, you'll love them in a few days. I have strong brows and always get them threaded. Would never do it any other way now. It just doesn't look the same.
I have just taken ham out of oven, cooked it in coke, like last year. Had a tiny sliver. Yum, yum.
I have done a chocolate roulade for friend where we are going to later for a glass of bubbles, am on my second hazelnut pavlova with orange curd. One for my Dsis and one for me! (all me!)
Happy Christmas everyone! Hope Santa is good to all!

And oh yes Carciofi Waaaay too exxxy for nylon. You are essentiall paying for the badge in that case.

Happy Christmas Eve everyone! Lovely to hear what everyone is up to. The Christmas elves have juat delivered pyjamas, stockings, reindeer food and a Peppa Pig DVD, so the DC are happy and looking the very picture of traditional Christmas (bar the TV, that is..!). We're drinking mulled cider, cooking our ham and beginning to prepare for tomorrow whilst gassing. It is so lovely to be with friends and beginning our own traditions. Off to church for the first time at Christmas this evening and have spent a lot of today at the farm - chopping logs, feeding the animals and so on, the DC are ogling it and so are we.

Annie what a fantastic gift for you all! Well done your DH.

Enjoying the sales talk - I have my eyes put for some navy skinnies. Typically, I like a new season Whistles pair and the navy Oslos. What to do, what to do..?

Enjoy your evenings all.