*The Holly and the Ivy* and the You Know What 2013 Chatter Thread.

Own_My_Own

Not sure if its nation wide but our local Morrisons had 1 litre bottles of Biscotti Baileys for £10 today. :beer:
Would have been rude not to get one.

pinknfluffy28

Yipee disney christmas store is open!
Hows this for sad? I have started reading back our old "let it snow" thread! Starting on 1/11/2012, just to re-fresh myself with all those things you lovelies posted and I though "oh I must do that next year"!

I think we are all ready for the return to school/s next week, just need to get hair cuts over the weekend! I have marked a week Monday as "OFF" in my diary, and have decided I will delve into some of my cash-stash and make a start on some advent & stocking fillers.
I know there probably wont be many xmas themed (if any) bits out yet, but I am sure I can find a few suitable bits.

And finally, the android tablet we ordered for dd2 arrived today, reduced from £129.99 to £49.99. So charged that up out of site and now kids are in bed dh is sat loading games and apps onto it. Its much better quality than we were expecting for the price... and I am pretty sure dd will be delighted with her main gift from santa this year!

FeistyFidget

All your Christmas buys are making me feel festive jealousy lol

I am really hoping to get some Christmas stock in my store September as seem to be really behind everyone else! Just need to find the time lol

Can anyone recomend a good Christmas cake recipe for a small portion? I have decided to invite the inlaws and BIL/SIL round for boxing day and thought it would make a lovely addition to the evening buffet

caitlyn22

Thanks freespirit66 - we are booked for Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall! I had a romantic notion of seeing it late afternoon on the weekend after a day pottering in the city...before going on to skate and get hot chocolate or take a horse ride in the park. But I really couldn't bring myself to pay the costs of the prime-time shows!! OH was happy as it's a treat but I would have spent the whole time thinking this cost HOW much?!?! So we went for good seats but on the Monday morning. :j

Feisty so sorry to hear about your hubby. What a mess. It's horribly traumatic but write everything down, keep an online diary if needs be as I've been through something similar and it can drag on for a long time and I found at the point I needed to tell my side of the story I almost couldn't give it justice because I'd worked so hard to put it behind me! Hugs to you, let us know if we can do anything to help. I've quite the eye and pen for a fierce letter of complaint if it's needed

I have used this recipe halved previously and it turned out well so could even be quartered: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1160/simmerandstir-christmas-cake

I know they say cooking is an art and baking a science but I think Christmas cake is the exception, it takes a lot to mess it up so just go with approximate amounts! I've cooked them in baked bean tins then cut them in half to make two mini ones but my most successful mini ones have been using one of those Heinz tinned pudding cans. Plus you're forced to eat the pudding...

That's some impressive sofa recycling mrsinvisible, bet it felt good how that all worked out for everyone!

Poppygirl I'm like you, I can stockpile lots of things but tins of chocolate would be a struggle! I will still be buying a tin of roses - just the smell when you first open it is part of Christmas for me :rotfl:

I'm not too bad for buying other seasonal food stuff but I am going to have to remember that I do not really want to spend my entire month off cooking daft things everyday. I convince myself I'll do loads from scratch and I end up in January with some smoked prosciutto, some random frazzled herbs and a pack of ricotta, with no clue what it was all for.

Snugglebunny, I've said before that my OH swings from amazing present buying to moments of me saying "erm...what were you thinking?!' One year, after spotting Santa Buddies and saying how I loved the look of it, I got the entire Disney 'buddies' collection on DVD! There were bloody dogs in space, dogs in snow, dogs in Hawaii, dogs in theatre - about ten DVDs in total! I've been watching old Grey's as I'm all up to date on it. I love to watch the last couple of episodes of each season - all the dramatic ones!

freespirit66

Evening everyone, i have had a right giggle reading through todays posts, what are we like?? I needed some cheering up DS found out today he didnt get the job he came third?? Last weeks interview he came second?? Why they have to say where they came is beyond me but then im out of touch
FBW haha thats funny, as soon as you said matchmakers i thought of After Eight Mints!!! I am not buying them anymore again it was a family thing to have them after xmas dinner
FEISTY oh god your poor DH no wonder he feels so angry, he must be at the end of his tether, both of you have been through so much, i dont blame you for sueing, its negligent care, surely someone must realise what is going on and sort it out, sending you both lots of hugs, and try and keep that chin up! I stopped making xmas cakes years ago, again i always ended up freezing it then chucking it
MRSINVISIBLE i made pickled red cabbage once, never again the house stank for days thats good recycling of the sofas
POPPYGIRL well i definitely know the goose fat and cranberry jelly are safe, i wont be snacking on them :rotfl:
HANLEY glad you had a lovely last day, good luck on monday, so glad you got a new picture sorted in time
SNUGGLEBUNNY i wonder if we all end up with the same sweets uneaten in the tins :rotfl:
OMO oh now i could do with a glass of that tonight, amen!
PINKNFLUFFY thats not sad aah how lovely loading everything ready for her to open and get started straight away
CAITLYN oh i am so pleased for you hope you enjoy it, i am giggling about the Buddies dvds :rotfl:

nitnurse-not2

Fiesty. I’m similar to Freespirit. I have a spreadsheet for the regular Christmas food shopping which I add to or take off items all year. EG silverskins, evaporated milk, cinnamon sticks, mixers, fruit juice ……These are obviously items that can be bought way ahead and stashed away in a box under the bed. If I see things BOGOF I buy them and give the “free” one to my parents.
Whatever else I need for my Christmas Eve meal is on its own spreadsheet. This is just the ingredients I need for the 3 courses I cook for supper.
:j:j:j:j:j
Far too excited already:snow_laug:snow_laug:snow_laug:snow_laug:xmassign:

LalaGomay

:beer:

FeistyFidget

You guys are really helping me feel the Christmas cheer

Re: the sweets left over, maybe in typical MSE style we could arrange a swap? I'm sure that put in a box they will survive the post Of course if it is only for a few then I know it wont be worth it

We always have left from the roses; sticks of fudge and the hard toffee - not my cup of tea!

DH spoke to the solicitor and it doesn't sound promising They have a 99% success rate so will only take on medical negligence claims if they are sure of a win (no win, no fee). We have sent them the time line and whole written account, will hear a definite answer next week. Typical, DH finally comes round to the idea of suing and then it looks like we don't have a case

BloomingTasty

POPPYGIRL may have missed it somewhere but whats your fbook page? Love to look at what people do and 'like'

Looking forward to children going back to school next Tuesday, have got loads of stuff stashad in my wardrobe and under bed and need to go through and actually see what I've got! :j sad to though as my Little man is starting school and I'm gonna miss him:( what will I do with my time, sure I'll fill it with stuff!

Off to Chelmsford on Monday with children had promised them we'll Park and ride, they love the bus! The Costas for babychinos and then the Entertainer to get some ideas of what they want for xmas.

DD is desperate to buy some sylvanian stuff with her pocket money, what shes not aware of is I've bought some of the stuff on offer and put it away. Hope she doesnt pick something I've already bought?

Gonna spend some time today looking at 'organized christmas' web page. Need to print off pages for getting organsied! Lists are whats needed!

fatblackandwhite

http://www.marksandspencer.com/Christmas/b/44386030

Squee!