A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

lizzyb1812

Taurus - keeping my fingers crossed that all goes well.

The weather forecast seems to have fast forwarded - very windy here and that puts the wind up the cat. Mind you, everything does Hope the new greenhouse stands up to it - it sounds quite rough out there - well, rough for East Anglia :rotfl: At least it will bring more of my apples down from the tree - it looks ridiculous with no leaves but lots of apples! I've got over 100 in storage and loads pureed in the freezer so don't want any more, but will try to get as many as I can and put them in a "free" box for the neighbours to help themselves.

Last bits of shopping to do tomorrow/Wednesday and Christmas will be sorted re pressies etc. I get finished quite early as most of my gifts have to get to destinations hundreds of miles away. Then may need to top up with some food bits next week - depends on whether the person I've given an open invitation to for Christmas Day decides if they are up to it or not.

Hang onto your hats

icontinuetodream

Rainy-Days wrote: »

I read in the newspaper today that many people over 40% of them will go into debt one way or another to get through Christmas. It just beggars belief really.

That is totally crazy!!! :eek: I do have kids (in their twenties now) and don't celebrate 'christmas' anymore (I do solstice) but when they were younger, I did the whole crimbo thing for them as thats what made them happy!! However, I never got into debt for it... they had a financial limit and knew what it was and chose to either buy pressies from it or just get the money (as they were older)...

Sorry if this upsets anyone, I am not trying to be controversial, but I never really understood what the whole commercialism around chrimbo was about....surely the festival is meant to be a celebration of family....since when has that included getting into debt? The worst thing about it, is that it is basically a two day event...how much food and drink can you really need and how many of those people you worry about spending loads of cash on would prefer just to spend the time with you??!!:eek:

Our solstice celebration at home is a true festival of letting the light back in....we gather around a fire, have a drink and some food while we talk about the things we want to leave behind in the darkness and the things we want to bring into the light in the year ahead... then we light candles to encourage those new things into our lives and to banish the things we no longer want, exchange small gifts and have some more drink and food and continue to talk...not suggesting it's for everyone, but it doesn't cost a fortune and it has real meaning for us all.....:D

SDG31000

I hope today goes well taurus and that you have a speedy and painfree recovery

kitschy

Just wanted to stop by and say good luck today, Taurus. Hope all goes well and that you can tuck into loads of [STRIKE]rubbish[/STRIKE] gorgeous things when you get home :grouphug:

mardatha

Well, I think when we started out on the "tough" threads we didn't really figure that the weather would be one of the many things that would get tougher, but so far it seems that way
Baltic freezing wind whipping right from Greenland I think and bringing fine snow that feels like sandpaper. Think it would be a good day to sit at the fire with Nella Last's book, but got son coming with pressies.
Absolutely love what Icontinuetodream says, I think that's why I prefer new year to xmas, its the start of a new one, the days get longer, and I start thinking of spring and what can I plant

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

Taurusgb, hope you get well soon x

just sat here contemplating taking the dog out, its a bit nippy out there! I am just doing my xmas shopping list and working out the best place to buy everything as there are deals everywhere that need a phd in economics to work out!

fuddle

You can't beat the content and cosy feeling. Sometimes I think if you have that in life you have it all sussed

Christmas is about family for me. It's a time we are all together and enjoy a happy time. DH and I watched Jimmy's Christmas last and he made a comment 'why do we have to have alcohol to enjoy ourselves at lunch time? It's false enjoyment surely' I tend to agree but we hardly drink. Our children do look forward to Santa Claus and all the magic that surrounds it but one thing we do not do is ask the children for a list of what they want. That is when, in my opinion, families feel under pressure to grant their children's wishes and end up spending senseless amounts of money in order to not let them down. We have not got into debt over Christmas. Our children have no cue what Santa Claus will bring them and it's that magic that makes it for them, not the magic of getting excited because they know that X,Y,Z is going to be opened by them.

I'm planning on going to our Church on Christmas Eve. It's only a small community church, but lovely with it. I'm not religious but I do want to share in thinking about those that Christmas time is difficult, I want to take time out to think about the loved ones that I have lost, I want to contribute and give to charity and I want to spread the good cheer with my neighbours. That again is what Christmas is about for me..... the adult version. I am uncomfy calling Chritmas, Christmas when I am not at all thinking about or celebrating the nativity but I hope that the good will and sharing in my interpretation of Christmas means that I still have the message.

My take on what we do really. Chuck a bit snow in on Christmas Day and I'm one bouncy bunny You don't need to get into debt over it and next year I will be making gifts, mainly food gifts because I know next year is going to be very hard and I like a good hamper, shows that there's some effort and thought gone into it.

rolo-polo1965

oldtractor wrote: »

I'm another thyroxine taker.

So am i, some days i just have no energy other days my meds seem to work, been like this for the past 24 years!

rosieben

icontinuetodream, what a lovely post, your solstice celebration sounds just right

grandma247

taurus I will be thinking of you today. I hope all goes well and you are back with us quickly.