*Stop The Cavalry* It's The 2014 Christmas Chatter Thread

JacquiS23

A few pages to catch up on yet but almost there. Hope those of you having not so nice times are over the worst.

Really loving the Christmas buzz!!

I'm jealous of those already starting next years gifts and those who are wrapped and sorted. Only present bought up to now my daughter bought herself and I gave her the money back. Must do better.

1st dec presents went down well, especially a little decorated tree thing I did for my other daughter. Basically I wrapped up 24 scratch cards in silver wrapping paper and numbered them, 'hung' them on the tree and did a bigger one in gold as the star on top. She loved it but anti-climax up to now she's only won a quid and that's tomorrows card, glad we got her chocolates as a back up.

JacquiS23

Thanks for the welcome freespirit and peppa pig just seen your posts x

FeistyFidget

Morning lovelies! The festivities are really hotting up

Well the orders finally seem to be slowing down and if all goes according to plan I will be closing the online shop next Friday.

I have my last Christmas craft fair that I am at today, so wish me luck! The ironic thing is that I am fortunate enough to do great online, but not very well at craft fairs. If this one is a flop I'm drawing a line under them as I don't need the stress or precious time away from DH.

I have a Christmas party tonight, I'm planning to not drink and be home at a sensible time so I can be up early tomorrow to deep clean and then finally put up the decs!

I've also woken up with a sore throat, headache and stuffy nose I'm ill every year over Christmas, but was really hoping this year would be different! Hugs to all that need them xxx

mrsinvisible

Hi everyone, buzzing in before buzzing off into the loft, for the Christmas decorations. OMO so glad you got time to post, and so sorry you are having such a rotten spell, hope things pick up for you all. JJ hope you and your lovely mum get well real quick, and then you can enjoy a really great Christmas.
Feisty, glad you are getting the orders, sorry you feel bad about the time it takes out of your day, but we all need to earn. Hugs to you, xx
I am waiting for 2 presents to arrive and then when they are wrapped THATS IT all done and dusted. (even the secret santa, and 2 wrapped but not labelled ones, (well it says love from me but not who to) one male one female type, in case of emergency.).
Still have a few cards to write and get delivered, and this weekend is the start of the deccy push. I may yet be ready for Christmas, then l can make the Christmas hanging baskets that have been ordered.
Hugs to all and virtual mince pies too. xxx

[Deleted User]

Never posted on here before so hope I'm not mentioning something that's been posted before but I have found that I don't get dried yukky turkey anymore (not my favourite meat anyway) by using the Jamie Oliver method of mixing butter with herbs and bacon, then putting this under the skin (lift it at the top end of the bird where the legs are and then slide the butter in all over the meat. I do it with chicken now for a special occasion because its so nice! Up until I discovered this trick, turkey was ALWAYS a dried up inedible disaster no matter how carefully I cooked it.

I always use a thermometer probe when cooking any joint., make sure its a 72 degrees in the thickest past of the joint and now we always get tender meat instead of dried up anything. Unfortunately before I discovered temperature probes, I tended to overcook joints just about every time! I've even managed to get pink in the middle beef (but hot enough to eat safely)!

When reheating, if I don't want to overcook, I do single servings and microwave it plate by plate to save drying it out again. Otherwise use the probe again.

I had a really fun conversation with my eight year old this week. He said he doesn't believe in Santa anymore because he saw his Dad wrapping presents when he came downstairs to go to the loo early christmas day. I just said 'Oh no, you mean to say your Daddy is one of Santa's helpers and he didn't tell me, I'm can't believe it!' i went on like this for a couple of minutes, totally astonished and he looked at me and said slowly in a sad wise voice (with accompanying pitying look for his totally loon mum).., 'Mum I don't believe in Santa anymore because I saw Dad wrapping presents'.

Oh well, guess that fairy tale is done with ha ha!

My LL is selling our house, so I don't know where we'll be next Xmas. I've been a bit down, its not an easy place to find a LL who will accept tenants who receive benefits (am a carer). I've been having problems with depression, but this week I went to see a mental health social worker who really seems to have his fingers on the button, and seems to think he might be able to help us having to avoid going into B&B miles away if we are evicted. Both my kids have autism, so its been hard even contemplating the next 12 months, the thought of changing schools, being in B&B, has been dreadful. Or even being on the streets if the council decided they won't help (I discovered the week before the LL told me he was selling the place that another borough has decided I wrongly owe HB to them, they let me know after three years so its too late to appeal) but he thinks he can get it written off.

There's something else going on too.., which is a bit of a mess and again, its a system thing that i'm not sure I can sort out (Tax credits overpayment, massive, certain I don't owe it, been paid the same for years but its convincing Tax credits of this).

So thank god for this social worker. Maybe, just maybe, with careful handling we won't be homeless when the house sells. So I can smile for now.

Gettingtherequickly

Ruth_honey wrote: »

Was going to ask...I'm planning on cooking a turkey joint on Christmas Eve and then slicing it up and reheating what we need on Christmas Day to save on the amount of stuff that needs to go in the oven. What would be the best way of heating it back up? Microwave? Oven? Don't want to dry it out. Please help!

Personally I would slice, spread on a fairly flat dish, smear some of the jelly that forms around the meat when it's cold, cover dish with tin foil & bung in oven. As the dish is pretty flat, it shouldn't take long to re-heat if it goes on floor of oven or once you have taken everything out to finish off.

Off to panto this evening, can't wait, especially as the 5 yr old hasn't tuned into the fact he is going!

quidsy

I've been loft organising this morning to put decoration boxes back and have found a bag of things I ordered early in the year and guessuwhat? I did buy blinking Christmas cards as I thought I had. Oh well I now have double!!!

Also found the personalised elf, chelsea mini tree and personalised chelsea bauble I got for ds. I really need to store early buys better.

freespirit66

Morning everyone,

RUTHHONEY i always cook my turkey on christmas eve, leave to cool then wrap in cling film and foil, dont slice, put in fridge overnight, then on christmas day get it out, slice up and put on a place cover in cling film and microwave, the steam under the clingfilm keeps it moist, i have never had dried out turkey hth. I hope you get your eye sorted must be very annoying

JACQUIS i love the idea of 24 scratchcards that is fab, hope she gets a nice big prize

PEPPAPIG well your prescription worked, woke up today feeling fine haha

FEISTY good luck at the craft fair, fingers crossed, and have a fab time at the party

DEANNATROIS welcome to our thread, oh you seem to be dealing with a very rough time of it, im glad you have someone to talk to and help you out, hopefully it will be a cloud with a silver lining, ah its a shame when they grow out of believing isnt it?

GETTINGTHEREQUICKLY have a fab time at the panto x

mandco

omo glad you posted you have been missed sorry things have been so tough

freespirit sounds like you had a wonderful day with max

Chrissyg love the santa list hope dd is ok

ruth honey hope your eye settle soon

feisty good luck with the fair hope your feeling better soon so many bugs doing the rounds at the mo

welcome to the newbies

not sure where this wk went seems like I blinked and missed it and while been super busy haven't really managed to get much done xmas wise. anyway better shoot hope everyone has a good weekend catch up later tc all

springdreams

Program on Channel 5 on Wednesday at 10pm: My Crazy Christmas Obsession