OS Christmas 2014 thread!!!!

bossymoo

Ooh that sounds nice - I make chilli jam which sounds similar but would be lovely with apples in.

I might also make some mint sauce. FIL was in my garden the other day pulling up mint (lord knows where it came from) saying to me and MIL "I don't suppose either of you will bother making sauce from this, will you?" Lol he just got a snort and a "why, will you?" Heheh. But I might surprise him and make him a jar...

candlelight_2013

I only have one young child to buy for, the granddaughter of one of my best friends.

I am giving her Mummy one of my hampers, so I thought I would buy lots of small presents, i.e. glitter pens, books, reading book pencil case and perhaps some sweets, I will wrap them individually, and put them in a basket and a cellophane hamper bag so that it looks a bit like Mummy's.

She is only 7 so I think she will enjoy opening little presents.

Candlelightx

candlelight_2013

LYN we did the branch painted white the first year we were married.

We lived with FIL, Himself's Mum had died the year previous, and we couldn't find the Christmas tree, so he went and cut a large branch, painted it white and potted it in some plaster of paris.

We then put lights on it, I don't think we had twinkly lights in the 60s, and decorated it and it looked beautiful. In actual fact I think we might do it this year, perhaps on a slightly smaller scale.

Candlelightx

mothernerd

RE: Painting a bare branch - my mother used to get me to do this and we used it to display the Christmas cards we received. Had it in the dining room and tree in living room. One year I decorated the tree with tiny paper chains made with strips of quality street wrappers (about 1/4" wide). my brother kept buying my mum a 1/4lb of them, when she was ironing and she asked if I could think of a way of using them. They caught all the light and danced in any drafts (old cold house).

I have two trellis wigwams (used for growing peas and beans). I have used these in the garden with rope lights wound around them and for the past 3 years have decorated one of them to use in the dining room - it's tall and thin and can sit neatly on a small round table, so it doesn't get knocked over as people pass. Expensive to buy but may be worth looking if W1lkos or the pound shops have any cheap trellis in the sale - you could tie flat pieces together then it could be folded flat for storage.

Also have a gold tree that is intended for cards (n*xt one but DS1 saw it in a charity shop) which also makes a nice 3' high tree if decorated.

One year when we were having work done and were mainly confined to upstairs (could cook downstairs but not much else) I pushed the double bed and a single against the window wall (beds/sofas), sewed a piece of red velvet over the curtains (only tacking stitches). Used more red velvet and some green velour to make giant cushions out of the couch seating (just folded and tied with enormous bows to look like presents). Used a large piece of board (about 5' x 3') propped against the wall, covered it in a piece of green baize and 'drew' a tree outline on it. Spent the whole of boxing day (did multiple part-time jobs back then) winding the remaining lights in and out of the bannisters (wasn't much room for candles but as long as I have twinkling lights I don't care.

After the main meal on Christmas Day I would do a 'running buffet' - the big table stayed out, we had paper plates to save on washing up (I only got Christmas Day and boxing Day off - I have worked on Christmas Day 3 times), biscuits, crisp, nuts and fruit would stay out all the time and after each meal things would be put back in the fridge and a couple more hot snacks would be added at the next meal (all home made or put away when on offer and split into small portions, 4/ 6 slices of ham etc - you fit a lot more in the freezer that way) enough to feed my 3 and however many of the neighbours kids/ boys' friends were in the house. What was on offer constantly changed, there looked plenty without there being any waste.

skogar

The greenery wreath would definitley be cat proof and they do look very pretty and unusual. I had forgotten all about them and the hanging ball of greenery. I think I will try the twig tree first with unbreakable decorations and then if that doen't work maybe try the wreath.

Older_But_Not_Wiser

Hi all
This is going to sound really stupid but where can I get some greenery from given that I've none in the garden and no florists anywhere nearby? I assume we are not allowed to go chopping down bits from the local parks?

[Deleted User]

I'm lucky enough to live where there are country lanes to walk, and a common and a footpath through an estate that was planted up with hedgerow plants like hazel, holly and sloes some 20 years ago and I just take out the trug and secoteurs and get when I can on christmas eve. Do you have access to any common land/footpaths that are safe to walk you might find greenery there and that is free for the taking.

nursemaggie

I hope you don't mind me asking about this but I am puzzled. It is only since I came on MSE and have been reading the OS threads that I found out about teachers presents. It must be an awful expense if you have two or three children and what on earth do parents of large families do?

I was born just after the war and Christmas presents were only given within the extended family. Most presents were home made there just was not much to buy. My parents made toys and I mostly got books from aunts and uncles.

By the time I had children of my own things were better but we certainly did not buy for anyone who was not family or very close friends. My first two Children are 39 and 41 and teachers were not bought presents then the children make cards for their teachers.

I had a late baby at the age of 48. I was working full time, rarely saw other parents and when I did, I tended to be ignored because people thought I was not his mother. If teachers presents were given no one told me. I am beginning to wonder if this is the reason my son was bullied all the way through school not so much by other pupils though that did happen but by all of the teachers. I was bullied too by the teachers. I thought Christmas at school was unaffordable anyway without extra presents as his primary school expected money for something nearly every day in December and I just did not have it. Am I right? I hope not.

Now I am retired I am definitely going to make as many presents as I can. My daughter and family are going to her husband's sister's wedding in December so I have the chance to give them small presents. There will be no point in knitting them scarves as they live in Saudi Arabia. I am thinking I will knit some Christmas puddings for their Christmas tree, I saw them on the knitting thread. I have to be careful because of weight in their bags for going back SIL is from a big family. Can't put the chocolates in they will melt.

I have knitted two scarves and a hat. I am knitting hats, scarves and mittens for my other grandchildren and scarves for their parents.

I am nearly half way through a scarf for DS39. It's boring just fisherman's knit that does not grow very quickly. Think I may start on the children's scarves they are going to be bright stripes much more interesting.

IrishRose12

EstherH wrote: »

IRISHROSE12:

Just in case you didn't see my query about the classroom assistant survival kit, hidden in the long post above, I'm asking you here separately. Thanks in advance.

Esther x

This is an example of one of the survival kits. Only I've changed the ones I'm making around a wee bit and adding some wee bits that I myself find useful in work
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/461267186807981910/

nursemaggie wrote: »

I hope you don't mind me asking about this but I am puzzled. It is only since I came on MSE and have been reading the OS threads that I found out about teachers presents. It must be an awful expense if you have two or three children and what on earth do parents of large families do?

I had a late baby at the age of 48. I was working full time, rarely saw other parents and when I did, I tended to be ignored because people thought I was not his mother. If teachers presents were given no one told me. I am beginning to wonder if this is the reason my son was bullied all the way through school not so much by other pupils though that did happen but by all of the teachers. I was bullied too by the teachers. I thought Christmas at school was unaffordable anyway without extra presents as his primary school expected money for something nearly every day in December and I just did not have it. Am I right? I hope not.

I'm going to answer this from 2 different points of view.
Firstly as a Classroom Assistant I will say that I do not expect any Christmas presents, but they are appreciated when I do receive them, and I always make sure I thank the parents who give me a gift.
Secondly Not all parents give us gifts at Christmas or end of year. I don't think any less of the child you I don't receive a gift from, they are all treated the same.
Some children do be embarrassed when they see other children giving us gifts and feel left out when we are making a bit of a fuss over the children when we open them and say thank you etc. However I always ensure that I make a fuss of the child who don't also. SOme children would say to me I didn't get you a present, my mummy wouldn't let me etc. Mt response to that is I don't need a present darling. The best present you can give me is a lovely smile on your face, or sometimes I will say, how about you go and draw me a picture that I can hang up on my wall? That's the best present! It always cheers that child up or makes them feel better in someway. Those pictures are usually the thing I treasure most. I always save them and still have them in a box.

Now as a Parent.
My 2 children do bring in gifts for their teachers. I think it's nice to IMO. I appreciate what the teachers and assistants do for my children, even if it's just to say hello to them and make them smile. I know the stress and the hard work that they put in to make my children happy and successful in school, and they are seeing them grow just as much as I am. I also know how much stress and extra work that their classroom assistants have to do, and many people don't know about those.
I once had a parent tell me to my face she didn't get me a present mainly because I do nothing for her child!! I didn't tell her that I was the one who was helping her child learn to read as she was struggling, nor did I tell her I was the one who provided her with clean underwear when she had an accident, and I was the one who mopped up that accident afterwards. I was also the one who comforted her child as she was scared what her mummy would say when she found out she wet herself:mad:
I also didn't tell her that I was the one who spent my own money on those pants, socks and skirt for her child to wear the rest of the day.

So I make sure my children appreciate their classroom assistants and what they actually do for them. They write their own cards to them and I then give a separate card from myself for each one to thank them myself for helping my children to grow, and being there for them when I can't. I also buy another assistant who doesn't work with my DD anymore in her class, but my daughter loves her and she always sees her at break time and lunchtimes. I like to thank her for making my daughter happy in school also, and I know that she will be there for her if needed.

Every parent is different and it's their choice what or who to buy presents for, but it's certainly not expected (well I hope it's not) to give presents to teachers and other staff, however I think it's nice to show my appreciation to each one at Christmas and end of year

Older_But_Not_Wiser

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

I'm lucky enough to live where there are country lanes to walk, and a common and a footpath through an estate that was planted up with hedgerow plants like hazel, holly and sloes some 20 years ago and I just take out the trug and secoteurs and get when I can on christmas eve. Do you have access to any common land/footpaths that are safe to walk you might find greenery there and that is free for the taking.

Thanks for responding. I'm not aware of any, but the joy of this thread is that at least I've got time to find one before Christmas!