Christmas thread

Esme

Esme

Administrator
Staff member
Thought we could post our pre-Christmas highs and lows on this thread? Is anyone organised? I have Christmas cards bought (but not written) - and that's it! SS texted asking for a large sum of money as "part of my Christmas present early" the other day :rolleyes: I think he overheard me saying maybe we should just give him money this year - now toys are history and he has just about everything else.
 
You read my mind.
We need to post some of the happier moments too. And some normal issues like yours.

I bought most of the presents and one was a request for money. I had a good day and quite happy with myself, did it all in one swoop.
I found some gifts for my grandchildren not too expensive and still so cute.
Since I have a bigger family, we agreed to make the gifts useful and not very expensive.
Who doesn’t love unwrapping the presents.
I am thinking of putting up the Christmas tree earlier and decorate our home to have things to remind me of family, happiness, good food and good times.
I feel it is important especially when times are not so great and we need reminders that it is time of celebration and a time for new beginnings and celebration.
My Christmas tree is usually very colorful, kitschy and I bought a new, really nice advent wreath.
I also bought a new Christmas table cloth and
Christmas crib, simple, but nice.
I will see how it turns out.

I don’t like cooking, but I got some great ideas from my friend, she is very into designing and made everything look so great. No complicated recipes, the baking is more H’s thing, but I may have to assist.
I will also have to negotiate for my time. More sets of grandparents and families want their own time, so we will see how it goes. I am considered the more flexible parent that can wait until Christmas Day.

Both SSs will be in Switzerland, so it is my family only. But as soon as ESS returns he will come over.

How are others preparing for Christmas and the holidays?
 
Uncomplicated recipes sounds good to me. I am just trying to work out the easiest simplest way to do Christmas dinner this year without a big food order, and just two (or possibly three) of us. What I used to do was order a bird from the local butcher - sometimes two pheasants. Turkeys are too big but we've had those as well. But had too many times of them being "off" when coming to cook them. I think they don't handle the supply and demand well at that time of year.

The main thing we both like (OH in particular) is the red cabbage recipe I use. There's no alcohol in it - the wine is substituted for orange juice and it's lovely slow braised. I usually make that the day before and put it in the fridge.

I literally don't have any Christmas presents to buy this year! Ss will want money (and maybe a few stocking filler gifts but even those are hard to find for a teenager who has everything). OH and I have a lot of bills going out so we usually just do token gifts. I tell him what I want - he says ok and I end up ordering it lol. He is hopeless at navigating internet shopping.

So I have all the ingredients to do a Christmas cake for us, but cooking is a bit painful right now. The recipe is one you make 3 weeks before Christmas and it's nice. But will need to do it in the next week - carefully.

I'd still rather not bother with it all this year and go on holiday instead!
 
Holiday is a great idea. I have to be with my family, they expect it. Your simple cooking sounds good.
 
Pudding is easy - 6 minutes in the microwave! It's not the cooking I mind really, it's all the hassle of getting food in at that time of year and keeping things in date. The last couple of years I've got a turkey from the butchers - which is far too big really and costs a lot of money. And OH isn't even a big fan of turkey. Just because it means I've always got some in if SS turns up and wants a second Christmas dinner. I can reheat some. But it's such a palaver storing it and freezing half of it. On the other hand we don't run out of food. At least the butcher drops it off on Christmas eve.

I might try and get a turkey breast joint from the supermarket this year so it's easier. I've done all home cooking for about 13 years now and I'd rather do more ready meals these days! I think the turkey cost £75 last time as well!

Anyway on to fun things. I have some nice charity Christmas cards from cancer research. Thought these were so cute! They're out of stock now.

Mini Mouse Christmas Cards - Pack of 10 | Cancer Research UK Online Shop

We're not sure if this cute little mouse is stuck on the branch, but it looks very content with the berries and Santa hat!
shop.cancerresearchuk.org shop.cancerresearchuk.org
 
We actually have YSS and wife and the twins coming to us for Xmas day! First time in forever that we have family at ours!!!!! I am still hesitent, someone will get ill (the twins are 5 and get every bug going), or it will just be too difficult to get them in the car and drive 2 hours to us on Xmas day. They can not stay over as they have 5 cats and nobody to look after them. At least if they do not come it will not be because they hate us :giggle: . Doubt we will even get to see our two eldest grandsons, only the EFH gets to see them.
 
That sounds great! I am sure they will come. It'll be great to have 5 year old twins there for the day - sounds fun. Bugs or not! It's such a shame about the elder two grandsons. Does YSS talk to his brother at all?
 
Christmas tree "skirts". When did that start? They're all over the place. Looks like the tree is standing on a round fluffy rug, but it has a hole in the middle that covers up the base of a fake Christmas tree. The place I bought the tree was selling the fluffy "skirts" for about £200. Good grief, it's just fancy fleece smaller than a blanket. I got one that looked identical from Dunelm for £15. A small one. I like the idea of covering up the base of the new fake Christmas tree I just ordered. And a bit of fleece on the table always looks nice.

I'm getting quite excited about the new fake tree. It's pre-lit (lights in place). The lights run on battery so no wires trailing or bending to switch them off. It's only 3'6" but I wanted something easy to put up and down and to stand on a small table. Could have fitted a 5 foot one in but they were ridiculously expensive. And I did want one that had lights as well and looked like a real tree. I will miss not having a real tree in the house, but I won't miss the palaver of carrying it in and out of the house and trying to get it straight in its pot.

It's this one

Baby Nordmann Christmas Tree | Balsam Hill®

Create a charming Christmas display no matter the size of your space. Shop Balsam Hill's Baby Nordmann Christmas tree and enjoy free delivery.
www.balsamhill.co.uk www.balsamhill.co.uk
 
Last edited:
Well joy in getting that was short lived. Chaotic week and I’m burned out before we even get to Christmas.
 
All change here. Decided I don't like the expensive fake Christmas tree, so I'm sending it back and spending the money on a steam cleaner instead - to get the smell out of the sofa cushions! Despite the hassle, I still want a real tree - even if it's just a small one.
 
Unfortunately I had a set back with my rib injury the other night and now can't use the blooming steam cleaner - or go out for a nice afternoon to get a Christmas tree - so I've ordered one online again, like we did when we were isolating. This is so annoying. So much tidying and sorting to do before Christmas and I'm having to rest. I think we'll just have to fudge it this year.
 
I’m sorry, hope you get better soon. Both me and H have been sick for the past weeks and I just can’t get back to normal. I get extremely tired. H is about the same, but better today than me. I felt better yesterday and cleaned our home and went out.
I am worse today, but have work obligations I cannot postpone. I hope we get back to normal soon, it feels like a never ending struggle.
 
Yes Christmas isn't always perfect. People get sick. To be honest I almost wouldn't bother with a Christmas tree this year, if it wasn't for SS - so need to keep up the traditions. I'm glad I ordered a tree online though - it just gets delivered to the door :) Same place we've used before and it's pot grown. Only a small one. This has it's pros and cons. The pros are - it didn't drop any needles, even when we took it out of the house after Christmas last time. And no fiddling about trying to get the stem into the tree holder and get the tree to stand up straight. The cons are - it is quite heavy to actually pick the thing up and get it up onto the side table! With the weight of the soil in the pot. There is no way I can do that this year so OH will need to do it. Hence it's not a big tree. Also the pot was quite muddy last time and needed putting inside another pot.

We still actually have last year's still in its pot. The idea was to either plant it out and dig it up, or repot it into a bigger pot, and use it again this year. However with the year I've had, that didn't happen in the end and it's still outside in its original pot - which is now too small, and is looking a bit bare! It's not dead but not particularly great looking.
 
OH just told me he bought himself some new slippers. I said - you could have waited till Christmas! It's only 3 weeks away. So he'll have three pairs of slippers now. More for me to trip over :rolleyes:. We're only really doing token gifts because SS presents are expensive. His was slippers and pyjamas - not very exciting I know! Better than mine which is a long handled dustpan and brush and a dressing gown. But the long handled dustpan and brush will look interesting wrapped up and SS still loves the look of large parcels!
 
So the boiler broke down yesterday! No hot water and heating - but it's up and running again now thankfully. Needs a new time clock though as that has gone now.
 
Is everyone organised? I am rapidly going off Christmas! Mainly because I’m restricted with cooking and cleaning. I decided to keep it as simple as possible and order everything from M&S with pre prepared vegetables etc. Normally just get a turkey delivered by the butcher. Then changed my mind as everything had cinnamon and spices in. OH hates cinnamon and I’m on blood thinners and so avoiding all the spices. So cancelled all that again. I’ll see if the Butcher can do a turkey crown. I couldnt lift a whole turkey right now! Thing is I always need to do two Christmas dinners so the logistics are always tricky at the best of times. One on the day and one a few days later. A turkey works well for that - slices can be reheated for the second one as everything is only dated until 26th December. OH will have to chop vegetables - if I can make sure he’s here to do it.

No Christmas cake made either as I’m not up to it so I’ve bought one which I won’t like and cost a lot of money! It’s never quite the same as a home made one. Managed to find one without spices!

Still haven’t got the sofa cushions steam cleaned or the living room cleaned or the tree up. OH says he’ll do some tomorrow but it’s a week after I wanted it doing!
 
I am currently in bed with an on off cold that I just can’t shake off. I can’t take time off, so it got quite difficult by the end of the week and today I have to rest.
Wish I could go out, feel good and wrap the presents, put up the tree and most of all see my family.
It’s been too long, but I can’t go there sick.
Christmas is thankfully not here yet, I would not want to spend it in bed.
Hope this will finally pass. I must have picked this nasty thing somewhere. H was very sick too, so work piled up for both of us.
 
Ah it’s not easy when someone gets sick is it? I hope you feel better soon.
 
OH has steam cleaned the sofa cushions today and done some hoovering. Just hope the steam cleaning works. Next job is to clean the window area and get the tree up - but the table for the tree is in use elsewhere so some thinking needed.

Meanwhile Im considering something really simple for our Christmas dinner like game pie - comes frozen and you just stick it in the oven
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top