❄❄ Let It Snow ❄❄ :: Christmas 2012 Chatter Thread

noodles86

Own_My_Own wrote: »

All presents now in lounge. I DID NOT BUY THIS MUCH !!!!

Am absolutely shattered. We have 3 floors and it is a VERY LONG WAY from the top to the bottom. Especially when you do it 4 times loaded with bags and boxes.

This has given me all intensive I needed to cut down next year.

Have just got to work out who can have gift bags, and what I REALLY need to wrap. ( Not a lot I hope):D

I love wrapping! Sad I've done all ours! X

weeclick

JJ. wrote: »

Thank you so much Weeclick, I'll be sure to give him extra cuddles from everyone who has been thinking of him.

I've also finished decorating my Christmas cake, I'm so pleased with it. It has also been a good distraction for me with Boo being missing. It's helped to take my mind off it for a while.

Your cake is amazing!!!

noodles86 wrote: »

As it happens two helpful things happened since I was last on, firstly dd dropped out about the jumper and another present arrived broken. Then the subject of Christmas presents come about and I asked if what dd had said by accident was true, which of course was confirmed. He then said he bought it as I said I liked christmas jumpers. Which I then reminded him I already had one. He appreciated that I thought it was too much money to spend on something that was going to be worn once, if that. I was just honest and said that as we hardly buy anything all year I would rather have something that I could use more than once a year. He said he finds present buying hard, I suggested that maybe starting a bit earlier on in the year instead of the week before may help ease this! So thanks for all the comments but I am glad that it wont be wasting money.

I was trying to find the words to post about this earlier and just didnt have the time after lunch to say everything I wanted to. Firsly Im glad you were able to bring the subject up (saves you havin to worry) My bf always seems to drop hints about what Ive got, I already know Ive got concert tickets by the amount of times Im asked how much I like the song / band every time they appear on the tv / radio or a newspaper then followed by tickets landing on the door mat and my sister knowing and saying how shes always wanted to see them Unfortunately its the one time of year I dont want to know what Im getting and every year I seem to find out so annoying! But I realised today maybe Im better knowing so I can work up any disappointment I might have lol. I agree christmas is the only time we buy gifts for eachother and you would hope the person you live with would know you well enough to buy something youve mentioned wanting or seeing something and just knowing its "you" At least he remembered you like christmas lol but Im sure he will take it well and realise he could get alot more for his money! I think if he only started shopping this week then hes been limited for time and stock so yes starting earlier would maybe help lol. We usually take a few days annual leave in October and plan a day of shopping (splitting up for an hour or two before doing family gifts) this works well and I can imagine I would be lucky to have any presents under the tree by this stage if we didnt do it

Got paid today and as great as it is I can only imagine how long January is going to be, This is my first monthly wage since 2008 (used to weekly pay up until April this year) so dreading it! Need to stay focused! At least Ive very few presents I need to get now, a few odds and ends to finish hampers and thats it Funny how many hours overtime Ive worked and then work out how much of that has gone to the taxman its enough to make you want to stay in bed instead on a Saturday morning! :mad:

Looking forward to handing over our secret santa in work tomorrow. Ive managed to get 3 bottles of persons favourite drink, a big box of malteasers and a hand cream all of said persons favourite things so hope I dont disappoint, looks like quite alot in the bag for £10 so very pleased!!

Went to the christmas market tonight and enjoyed a banana beer (if you ever get the chance then try it it was lovely!) Now to keep up the 6am starts for the gym which so far Ive managed ZERO times this week! (still go in the evening though so all not lost!)

aliaslotte

Not checked in for a while... Congrats on the new baby and I am glad everyone's Christmas plans are coming together.



I finished my wrapping this morning [before work]. A bit sad to have it done. Managed to fill two of those santa bin bags with presents for three people [my parents and my brother], so I think I may have gone overboard lol.

Work was quite quiet. I think a lot of people have finished now... We did have quite a few blokes though, who stereotypically said they had only just begun. Bless 'erm!

I didn't get the job last week. It went so well! I was buzzing after the lesson, but was able to give a proper reflection in the interview [picking up on a couple of things to adapt or change after meeting the children] and the interview went well. They seemed to like what I had to say and they said my passion for teaching was clear. But, I didn't get it. I am at a loss now as to what I am doing wrong lol. I haven't had negative feedback for the last four/five interviews, but I haven't been "the one" for any of them. Jobs have pretty much dried up now, so I am going to have to think of something else. Maybe a grad scheme [as I am eligible for a lot of them, due to having plenty of work experience and a 1st on my degree]. In the meantime, I am doing some freelance work. It is sort of journalism crossed with advertising. I have thirty articles to write by 28/12. I was sent the list yesterday and have so far only done two [whoops lol] but I am enjoying it. It is nice to have a reason to write again [aside from my personal journal] and there is a great sense of satisfaction when you read over a finished article and it seems to work.


Oh, and we finally have our Christmas tree up. Yay!!!

Nanamia

JJ your cake is amazing. Well done, I've got to do a pirate cake for DGDs birthday on Thursday! Baked the cake today and will "carve" in the morning- I'm hoping the inspiration fairy sprinkles some magic dust whilst I sleep tonight
I'm so loving all your Christmas trees and am excited to get ours up soon!
Aliaslotte you poor thing. There is obviously nothing more that you can do. It's such a shame cos we know how much you deserve your perfect job. All I can say is you've not found the perfect school for you yet. The other projects you have on the go sound very interesting and will keep you out of mischief (ha ha)
Noodles I'm so glad that your dilemma almost painlessly sorted its self out.

Moneysavingmumofone and Caitlyn the cherry scones are a very old recipe I've been using since I was at school. That's why the measurements are in ounces! 8oz SR Flour,1.5oz butter, 1.5oz sugar, 1.5oz cherries (chopped) milk to bind. Rub butter into the flour, stir in sugar and cherries add milk to bind. Roll out approx 2cm, cut, bake on greased baking tray, brush with egg yolk or milk, about 12 mins. Oven 180*C. Totally foolproof. X

SugarSpun

Everything is now here and wrapped and sorted, and I am horrified at the amount I have bought DD - she has 19 things to open plus a stocking and that does not include things from grandparents, uncles, aunts... ARGH I have overfaced my child and she will not play with a thing.

All her stuff still cost me under 30 because of vouchers for various things but STILL. I am completely ashamed of myself.

loulou123

Hello everyone

I'm panicing! I am so unorganised with Xmas and still have the following to do...

*write Xmas cards (i have written and posted the ones that need to be sent)
*wrap all the presents
*buy food for Xmas day (i do have the turkey)
*buy presents for 8 more people (i work in care home and the company gives us money to buy each resident a present, so 5 members of staff split the task - I was only asked yesterday as someone else can't do it.

I'm sure there's more! Thing is I'm working 1-8 today, 8-8 Thursday and Friday. I have the weekend off but alongside doing all the above I need to:

Sat - travel 60 miles each way to see mum and stepdad
Sun - day is being spent with hubbys mum and brothers (will properly be all day)

Then I'm at work Xmas eve 8-8!

Am panicing now...

noodles86

loulou123 wrote: »

Hello everyone

I'm panicing! I am so unorganised with Xmas and still have the following to do...

*write Xmas cards (i have written and posted the ones that need to be sent)
*wrap all the presents
*buy food for Xmas day (i do have the turkey)
*buy presents for 8 more people (i work in care home and the company gives us money to buy each resident a present, so 5 members of staff split the task - I was only asked yesterday as someone else can't do it.

I'm sure there's more! Thing is I'm working 1-8 today, 8-8 Thursday and Friday. I have the weekend off but alongside doing all the above I need to:

Sat - travel 60 miles each way to see mum and stepdad
Sun - day is being spent with hubbys mum and brothers (will properly be all day)

Then I'm at work Xmas eve 8-8!

Am panicing now...

You do seem to have a lot to do! Are there any tasks that you can delegate? Writing cards & wrapping maybe? Any stores that you can browse online and then collect all in one go? Tesco direct, Argos, Asda etc? I think you may end up feeling a little tired this week, you do seem very busy! Maybe get the food shopping after work one night 24 hour shopping?

SugarSpun

loulou123 wrote: »

Hello everyone

I'm panicing! I am so unorganised with Xmas and still have the following to do...

No panic:


*write Xmas cards (i have written and posted the ones that need to be sent)

Make a charity donation instead of writing them. Tell people.

*wrap all the presents

Gift bags.

*buy food for Xmas day (i do have the turkey)

M&S and Tesco (I think Tesco?) do click and collect, place the order online.

*buy presents for 8 more people (i work in care home and the company gives us money to buy each resident a present, so 5 members of staff split the task - I was only asked yesterday as someone else can't do it.

Free trial of Amazon Prime.

chickywiggle

good advice sugar spun

a little known fact about Amazon Prime (well I think it is).....even if you've used it and cancelled it.....you can almost always do the same again.... I think it's let me use it 'free trial' about 4 times now on the same account.

weeclick

^ agreed with above first thing I was going to say is get a delivery or collect and collect, if you have a smart phone use the tesco app to do your shopping during your break and collect on way home from work or if you have someone in the house get delivery.