Not mentioning the T word at all

CCP

Morning all.

A flying visit from me as I'm in the office and really should be doing some work - strangely being on the forum is more interesting, somehow.

I was planning on a trip to Tesc0 at lunchtime - it's rather against my principles (simply because I have a long-standing gripe with that particular store, rather than anything against Mr T in general) but I've got a bonus points voucher and was hoping to use it to get some more flour on the 3 for 2 offer. Sadly I've left the voucher at home, so that's that plan out of the window! :doh:

SDG31000 wrote: »

Sorry for the whining. I need an IV of festive spirit or failing that.........vodka.

In my family, 'festive spirit' is my DF's HM sloe gin - as it now seems permissible to mention C-mas I might treat myself to a glass of it this evening, as I still have some leftover from last year. :beer:

Right, back to the wonderful world of work - at least I've got the promise of a glass of festive spirit to keep me going through the rest of the day!

ubamother

mmmsnow wrote: »

Argh, Christmas.

<begin rant>
I'm a little hurt that every invitation to come to our flat is met with, "Oh, you should come to us, instead." :mad:

I can cook and I do keep a clean house so I don't understand what the problem is!

</end rant>

Glad to get that off my chest.:D

Would it help to think of it in a slightly different way? Mothers show their love for us by, well, mothering us - as we grow old enough to cook, keep house, lead an adult life, our relationship with our mothers changes more quickly for us than it does for them. I'm guessing your mum's 'doing' Christmas at her house helps her retain her 'mother' role in your life - mum's are in charge of us and the dinner and decorations at their own house, just as they were when we were dependent on them. Being a 'guest' in an adult child's home takes some getting used to I'm sure.

I certainly don't think you should give in to this, but perhaps trying to see it as a loving reaction to change from your mother, rather than a hurtful judgement on your housekeeping skills, may help keep the boil down to a simmer!

scottishminnie

I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't get the whole mothers and Christmas thing. I've hosted Christmas dinner for my parents and sister (when she hasn't been in some far flung exotic location) for the last 5 years. About two months ago mum and I were discussing Christmas and she mentioned bringing her two dogs along (last year she only had one who came along and was well behaved.).

Now much as I love both of them to bits (that's the dogs, oh and my parents too I guess!) the youngest one is a bit of a holy terror and you really don't know what mayhem he is about to cause. Added to this I had new carpets laid throughout most of the house earlier in the year. They are beautiful but the are also cream - heaven only knows what I was thinking, living in the country and buying light carpets but there you are. So mum was a little hesitant about bringing the dogs and suggested she could have dinner.

Now the reason I did it previously was to give her a break after 30 odd years of having it so I said if she was absolutely sure she wanted to then she could have it this year and I will bring the starter, pudding, cake and a few other bits to lighten the load.

Well she's been like a kid with a new toy ever since, telling my sister how excited she is to be "allowed" to have Christmas dinner "back" and she's been off to buy new table linen and so on. She has made me feel like I've somehow denied her something for the last 5 years.

Families -I'll never understand them:)

shelley_crow

Christmas to me is a pyjama day. We don't leave the threshold and if we do, it's to go to the bin. SIL always ends up racing here there and everywhere on xmas day, ever since the kids were little. If relatives want to come for an hour then they are welcome to but I won't be taking the kids away from their presents to drag them around all day. Christmas away from my home wouldn't be christmas to me, we go to MILs on boxing day.

Frugalista

I hate Christmas :(:(:(.

greent

SDG - glad DS1's wrist is much better today

Forgot earlier - kidcat - take it easy with your pneumonia, please..


Thanks for the replies re: fidge cake! Have made 2 trays of fridge cake with masses of choc chip cookies (and 3 broken bourbons) Was quite a good way of getting rid of some bits out of the cupboard - 1/2 pkt marshmallows just about to go out of date next week, the remains of a pkt of flaked almonds, a few broken walnuts from a huge bag I bought, some sultanas (bought by accident - thought I'd picked up raisins - the packaging had changed so both were the same ), some dried apricots I'm bored of, glace cherries which are quite 'squishy' so no good for on top of cakes, but fine in them. I also threw in a couple of spoonfuls of 'silver balls' as I've got 3 tubs of them and then sprinkled on some white choc stars over the whole lot when in the trays. Bleurgh - my idea of pudding hell!

Have had a request from DD's school to send some things in for Christmas hampers for the 'less fortunate and elderly'. Am debating tinned peaches, tinned tomatoes or tinned chickpeas I have large stashes of each. I suspect I'll plump for the peaches - not sure my nan or DH's gran would know what to do with chickpeas (not that they're getting a hamper), so I'll play it safe

I've got a request for more cakes next week for DS2's Xmas fair. DS2 has a book fair on at school which we're 'encouraged' to attend. DS1 has brought home 2 books of raffle tickets for his Xmas fair (10 tickets @ £1) and entry is £1/ adult, 50p/ child (so £4 for all of us to go) Then there's a letter home from DS1's school about a short-notice trip (only £9 but it's toa Xmas market - so more money would be needed on the day) It just seems to be going out here, there and everywhere right now

On a lighter note I decluttered 2 children's books to an aunt for her DGC yesterday - and she brought me a NEXT coat, 2 prs shorts and a new pr slippers from the DGC for DS3 Good swap! Am off out in a mo to take 8 bags of books to the local dog rescue place, along with a large bag of towels and blankets and a small bag of treats. It's over the road from a garden centre, so I'll probably pop in and get my nan a gift token for Xmas (it's what she wants - she has one every Xmas along with photos of the children), so that'll be another present out of the way

Igamogam

shelley_crow wrote: »

Christmas to me is a pyjama day. We don't leave the threshold and if we do, it's to go to the bin. SIL always ends up racing here there and everywhere on xmas day, ever since the kids were little. If relatives want to come for an hour then they are welcome to but I won't be taking the kids away from their presents to drag them around all day. Christmas away from my home wouldn't be christmas to me, we go to MILs on boxing day.

Pretty much like this here - drawbridge up.

Gave up having the 'whole family' Chritmas thing when we suddently realise it was us dragging ourselves away from our home comforts every year - all of OH family live within the M25 and all my significant relatives live across the globe - when we said 'why dont you come to us' to OH family there was general consternation - "but its sooooo far" What they really meant we live in rural isolatoin and it gets very dark and quiet and if snows we will starve and of the course the journey was much shorter for us because we wanted to be kept awake at night by unfamiler noise and street lighting;) So ever since its 'drawbridge up' and we have never looked back.............

katieowl_2

The yellow ball is struggling here a bit today.

I've just picked the car up from the garage after the apres MOT welding - £250 ouchie. Left car 2 with him as that's acting up, but they think they know what it is (common renault fault apparently - could be smoke and mirrors for all I know or care) but should be a quick fix (hmmmm) and we should get it back tonight.

So to cheer myself up I went and 'did' Mr T. for the double up on finest wines offer. Lady at the cust. service desk couldn't have been more helpful, and pointed out that as I'd got more than 6 bottles I needed to get some more...to take it OVER £60 as the 5% six bottle discount would be under the voucher total, as you have to spend the whole of the doubled up £20 (following me?) So I traded in £30 of points for £60 of finest wine, and my additional bit of cash was about £7 :money: for 12 bottles of decent red wine.Very pleased with that. On the way out of the store, with JUST these 12 bottles clanking in my trolley I passed the guy at the front of the store, handing out free samples of alcohol free cocktails, recipe leaflets and info for Drink Aware Wales I jokily covered up the contents of my trolley and we had a bit of a laugh and chat...he's going to call his wife going into our BIG nearest Mr T today and tell her to do the same...."You're a bad influence you" he said to me "I told him everyone tells me that!" (LOL but it's mainly when I'm bearing trays of cake)

Anyway I had to pop into town for a couple of things, it was packed being a Thursday, but I did manage to bag a free parking spot. Was naughty and went into The Works, was very tempted by a couple of cook books but resisted those, but I did buy some 3 for 2 Xmas stuff, two packs of cards, and a snowman and santa salt and pepper shaker (£1.99!) So officially i guess that means we can talk about the C word?

Was tempted to pop over the road when I got to the car, and treat myself to a pasty from the bakers - but thought - NO there is food at home. Came, in peeked in the fridge and had a LBM. There are currently 8 pasties in the oven made with my favourite lard/butter pastry, and they are filled with the remains of Mondays Bolognese, and last night's potatoes and pea! I've even microwaved the remains of the egg wash as a treat for the dogs, and they have their own mini pasty made from the remains of the pastry, nom nom.

Kate

SDG31000

I made it to the shops and back :T Although it was touch and go when I was dragging my not inconsiderable carcass up the hill. I think taking some Kalms helped a lot and plan on dosing myself up with them for the rest of the day in the hopes of sleeping tonight.
I now have Earl Grey tea :j I also got a swede for 25p and 12 mini croissants for 75p. The croissants are going to be turned into chocolate croissant bread and butter pudding for Saturday when I'm feeding the masses. I also remembered to get a bag of toy stuffing for the owl and some knitting needles from the charity shop to replace the ones I snapped.
I have to admit to giving into temptation and going into the sweet shop. Their traditional sweets were half price, so I got some jelly babies for DH's stocking, 4 bags of sweets for DS and DBIL's present, a bag of violet drops for my stocking and 3 Toy Story tubes of sweets topped with bouncy balls for my friend's son's birthday on Sunday. Grand total of £3.90.
Now that I've read katieowl's post I feel the need to make pasties, so am going to see what I can find lurking in the fridge to make them from.

Justamum

Frugalista wrote: »

I hate Christmas :(:(:(.

You're not alone. If we didn't have children it would be just another day for us.