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

pigpen

Peppa.. I spent 3 weeks sorting downstairs.. then last weekend did the boys room.. while I did that.. they did this..







I can't even get to the cupboard with the decs is due to Tiddles crap being 2ft deep in the bedroom and I just don't have time to do the tree other thank this weekend.. with hospital appointments and school stuff, wrapping, sorting my mothers shopping, the usual housey stuff and other bits like the car going for service.. it all takes up too many days.


I just want to cry.. I love my tree! I even bought a new topper... a reindeer one.

Own_My_Own

pigpen wrote: »

I'm really sad. We are not having a tree this year. I love my tree I love Christmas but I am fed up of doing everything when it comes to tidying and sorting and as a result of the total lack of help with anything I am refusing to do it so we aren't having a tree as I have nowhere to put it and all I am getting is bickering and whining.


Hopefully by next Christmas it will be a lesson learned.


So very sad for the littlies who are both delighted by Christmas trees.

We are not having any decorations either Pigpen

I just got the tree down from the loft and started to decorate it. Ds commented that he hated it and dd started moaning I was in the way of the TV. So I took it back down. Ds has now gone out, and dd is upstairs banging about because she hates this house.

To be honesty I don't care right now. Every year I get less Christmassy. My childhood Christmas' revolved around how drunk every adult could get and my adult ones revolve around trying to please everyone else, while running round like a headless chicken. Where did that get me ?

I think my problem is every year I think this Christmas will be different. But they never are. So why put myself through it.

pigpen

OMO.. doesn't it just make you sad. You try so hard to make it special and you get nothing but grief for it. I have 3 reception rooms so there is no excuse!!

Own_My_Own

pigpen wrote: »

OMO.. doesn't it just make you sad. You try so hard to make it special and you get nothing but grief for it. I have 3 reception rooms so there is no excuse!!

I have a 14 by 11 lounge and a 14 by 8 kitchen. That's it.

Dd is always saying all she wants is money for Christmas, so next year that's what she will get. I'm not running round the shops looking for stuff.

Ds is happy with what ever he gets. He likes getting smellies and a couple of new t-shirts, so he will get them and money.

I can't keep doing this to myself.

OrkneyStar

Quidsy, I am possibly the only one saying DON'T SELL IT, I think the stress of selling something that expensive, worrying about it getting lost, being scammed etc wouldn't be worth it for me, but of course it's up to you.
Pigpen, I understand how you feel, it must get you down. Maybe you could summon up the energy though- it's not fair that the wee ones should suffer when it's possibly the bigger ones (who should know better) making the mess/not helping out more?
We have moved our tree, back to where we normally put it, and it does work better there. We also all made paper chains this morning and have them hanging in the lounge.
Yesterday I ordered loads of photos from truprint, not sure when they will come. Daddy taking DS swimming this afternoon so I will get some more of mum's scarf knitted.
Snow melting and it's milder/rainier now instead of wind/snow. Waiting for stuff in the mail, no post Thu or Fri and nothing today yet either!
Hugs to all who need them.
OS

Ruth_honey

mkgirl1981 wrote: »

Soooo... Apparently Cats + christmas trees don't mix!
She's just figured out to climb up the branches & I think it's just come the closest to falling down since I put it up weds night - bloody cat!

This is one of the reasons we're not putting up our main tree this year. Last year I spent most of my time stopping the cat climbing up it!
Putting it on top of boxes to raise it from the ground, then pilling presents round the base in a way where she couldn't stand on them also stopped her a bit. But now she's a bit older, she realised she can jump higher so I'm not going to bother putting up the tree. Not really sure where it can go now the living room has been rearranged anyway.

Nanamia wrote: »

Ruth sounds like a good day I've borrowed you tea/coffee hamper for the lovelies in my chemist ( hope you don't mind) I get flavoured douwe Egbert (sp?) vanilla, hazelnut and caramel £2 sainsburys and flavoured twinnings on offer too same shop and an earl grey just need a hot chocolate now and I will make a few shortbread or cookies to pop in too They are so good to me in there sorting out all the meds etc for DH and mine too

Borrow away! Thanks for mentioning about the Douwe Egberts flavoured coffees being on offer too. We love these and I have a voucher somewhere (if it's not expired) so I'll grab some more.
The Twinings hot choc from Aldi was a fab price and my friend swears its the best hot choc she's ever had. I don't mind the tesco everyday value one myself (best with added Baileys!;) ) but for a hamper, I would put in something posher looking.

pixtotts wrote: »

Ruth_honey - it is definitely worth getting the brush and bowl I find they make roots so much easier, and seems to make it a little tidier, have more control over where the stuff is going. Yes the brushes are sold as hair dye brushes, bigger set than I got but still crazy cheap £2.49 ebay version - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HAIR-DYE-TINTING-COLOURING-KIT-BRUSH-COMB-BOWL-BARBER-SALON-TINT-HAIRDRESSING-/181168734627
and I got my cape from Avon, but it's only available to reps now (they are just selling off end of stock, I keep meaning to order another one so I have a supply lol) but if you know someone who does avon you could ask them if they could order you one or... ebay, I found one listing silver, black or pink - £2.75, or second one auction (no bids ends tomorrow) £2 and £1 postage for an Avon one, which is pretty good they are only making 1p if it sells for that !

I googled about the henna only thing that came up was people having really bad side effects to the temporary henna tattoos people got at kiosks (who aren't regulated and so the henna isn't proper henna). I hope that's what it was your hair dresser was warning about, and I'm safe with my hair dye henna. It's actually the lush henna I use! It is soooo messy! But I love the colour I get
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Funny that the eBay link you posted was for something in Ilford-that's where I live! I think I'll get a set for mum. I don't know any Avon reps, but it's not dear to buy the capes from eBay and it saves getting dye on the bathroom rug (again!).
I couldn't find anything online about henna. Maybe she only heard part of the conversation I was having and thought we were on about henna tattoos.

bladerunner73

Quidsy, if I were you I'd sell it, although I'd possibly advertise it locally on Facebook or something or do a collect only cash auction on eBay as I don't really trust the post and couriers much especially at this time of year (I know that's a sad thing to say )
So sorry some of you are having a rotten time I wish you all lived closer to us then you could all come over and hide, it's a bit untidy but there's plenty of space and wine and I'm sure we could manage mince pies and chocolate or some other healthy treat - coupled with Christmas films and a ban on grumpy people

pixtotts

OrkneyStar wrote: »

Quidsy, I am possibly the only one saying DON'T SELL IT, I think the stress of selling something that expensive, worrying about it getting lost, being scammed etc wouldn't be worth it for me, but of course it's up to you.

Could do collection only that will ensure wouldn't get lost or get scammed... could even write up 2 receipts one each and both sign them that way they can't even go back to ebay over it.
It's a desirable enough thing that local collection/delivery only wouldn't effect sales too much probably...

I dunno I've never had a problem with ebay and we've bought and sold across the board large, small, cheap, expensive... largest being a 17 foot boat trailer... and never had a problem *shrugs*

pigpen - thats so sad about no tree . We have 3 usually in our house but as I'm house sitting 17th- 30th December I was considering not putting mine up but I will in your honour .
I totally understand where you are coming from though me and mum have spent the morning tidying so we can get ours next weekend when dad's home and my sister has done nothing! We called her to come help and she said "but its Saturday it's my day in bed I don't do anything on a sat" (funny that's what she does every day shes not at college!!)...But she missed out because of it we found £80 in a handbag and split it between us lol. My mum is really bad for getting money out before Christmas for all the Christmas shopping and in case we go out anywhere..then getting a new bag or purse for Christmas and leaving the money in the old one and only finding it as she went to chuck it out, we found £300 in one last year!!
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quidsy

Pigpen if they make all that mess after you did a big clean up then personally I would be getting rid of most of it.

That might teach them to tidy up their crap. lol

I am strict though, everything has to go back to whence it came once they have finished playing/using it. My son (and husband) often find things they "can't" find, sitting on top of the recycling. So when I say, you can't find xyz, was it back it's place? No. Oh then it's in the bin.

I have in no way a super tidy house but it does help.

pixtotts

Ruth_honey -ah the chances of that! I'd have offered to get one of the Avon ones for you but my next delivery is too close to Christmas, but the ebay ones look the same, I love the fact they have them different colours. My old housemate at uni needed more than just a cape... she got it EVERYWHERE! I had loads of rubber ducks all with black splodges on them from her hair dye, it would be up the mirror, all over the floor, all over the sink and the bath and the shelves it was crazy I don't know what she did... it was like she shook her hair about like a dog does lol.

quidsy - thats a brilliant idea for getting things tidy!

I think we must be really lucky cat wise, none of ours have ever taken a fancy to the tree! Though it seems our cats are only naughty when they aren't at home, when they were still kittens they went to my aunts for two weeks while we were on holiday and my sisters cat was apparently running up her curtains constantly, he's never once done it here, but her fancy expensive John Lewis curtains he loved ...oops... good job he's cute
This is all my one does....


sleeps in all the presents! under her is a pack of jump leads for my uncle...
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