* Walking in a Winter Wonderland * - It's the 2015 Christmas Chatter Thread

CupOfChai

Delurking again myself because NO ONE UNDERSTANDS about Christmas but you bunch...

I'd go on holiday and have a lovely time. But that's just me.

kaya1991

Thanks for all the congrats! I've just done battle with the scanner for the first time ever and have sent off my contract - just the slightly uncomfortable resignation conversation tomorrow and we're off!

mrs-moneypenny - So nice to see someone else doing hyacinths - my mum used to send my brother and I round to the neighbours' houses before Christmas with hyacinth pots, so your post reminded me of that

free - I think cutting down your card list is totally sensible! We have a HUGE bag of all the mismatched cards from the ends of boxes, and some years I only use the last few cards from an old box (we're talking boxes from 1998 here, that shows quite how many we have kicking around)

I'm doing some sorting this weekend - clearing out some clothes for the charity box at work. I might also have a bit of a book cull, because my bookshelves are groaning under the weight of all the books I've collected over the years, and now I have a Kindle I can save some space!

On the Christmas front, I need some inspiration for my brother's present - he'll be 23, and preparing to go back to uni to do his Master's in Conservational Biology. He loves books, martial arts and the gym, but I'm utterly stumped. He gets annoyed when I ask him for present inspiration before about 22nd December (why buy in sales in advance when you can pay full price at 3pm on Christmas Eve, after all?), so I'm having to go it alone! Any ideas would be massively appreciated

starlet1990

Hello everyone
feisty resting is hard but you will be glad you did. Sounds like the house situation is stressfull not good when you have been misinformed. Thanks for the candle link may give it a go.
kaya good luck with the new job and with the resignation. It will be worth it!
cherry Im loving the etsy finds may have to order some for hampers.

Hello to all newbies and hugs and love to anyone ive missed or needs it.

Not much Christmassy done this week just trying to fine tune ideas so I can figure out where I need to go. My little sister has said she wants football stuff especially Barcelona fc so need to figure out where to find that. I really want the shops to start having there gifts in as I love browsing them. The matalan stuff had me wanting it all!!.
Anyway Im gonna go back to my relaxing day off which is much needed
Xx

starlet1990

kaya maybe you could do a mini uni hamper I did one for a friend last year just got bits she might need through the year so she could save money. Or maybe stuff for the gym sorry if no help just ideas lol x

Salmagundi

Aloofdragon. I wouldn't hesitate to head off to Kos. The tourist industry is enormously important to both the local economy and tour operators and, if they know they are going to lose money, both bureaux will do all they can to minimise impact on tourists. Should you witness the refugee situation first hand, it would be a wonderful opportunity for you to explain to your son that life doesn't always run smoothly and these unfortunate people are embroiled in a situation not of their making and are reaching out to others for help, which they will now receive, and that he musn't be afraid because they will be OK. I'm sure you'll actually have a really lovely time.

p-pincher

Hi Everyone

Christmas prep going well. Picked up my mum's main present, a samsung galaxy tab from me and my 2 sisters. One sister still owes me her share but asked her to not give it to me and to pay my share of our step dad's pressie. So there's 2 main presents sorted. Picked up a few stocking fillers as well. Dil is going to let us know what Dgd wants soon.

I've spent hours looking through pinterest and matalan. Really impressed with the selection on matalan. There's a lot of things I want. I've decided to change my colours on the tree and need more red and there's some lovely red glass decoration's on there. Can feel an order coming on very soon.

Loads of good stuff on pinterest as well. I love present wrapping as well. Last year I went down the brown paper route. It looked great. This year I'm leaning towards black white and red bows. I'll have to see what starts appearing in the shops.

Just waiting for the Christmas catalogues to start appearing. Love the boots one. It really signals the start of my Christmas prep along with the m and s food one. Hope everyone's plans are going okay x

camhan

Hi, another newbie here! but have been following this thread for years.

John Lewis website now has a Christmas section.

Think I will be spending my evening browsing.

Nicky

littleskintdragon

Had a really busy day, ds's birthday party! Absolutely shattered now and my back isnt thanking me at all!

Christmas wise i ordered wrapping paper and tags. I always buy different ones for dd and ds from santa, also ordered a different one for family and friends. Ive got a few rolls left from last xmas, so i should have enough. Cant wait until theyre back so that i can start wrapping

Also ordered dd a new quilt, with pugs on. She spotted it when i was nosing online and loved it, and a quilt was on my list so a other one off the list! :T

Peppapig

Welcome Aloofdragon and Canhan - lovely to have all these new people to join in the Christmas mania.

Aloofdragon, I think what Salmagundi said is really sensible and a good way to handle things. Hope you have a fabulous time if you go.

Feisty, please don't feel guilty - grateful yes but guilty no. My sister, my DH and I did most of the decorating at DD's new house (along with my mum who's 80 lol). We did it because we wanted to help and to save DD some stress so seeing DD and her little family happily settled in their own clean and decorated house is all the reward we need. I'm sure your inlaws are doing this for the same reasons and will feel as happy as we do.

Was just thinking about going to bed last night when I saw something out of the corner of my eye and a huge (well big-ish) spider scuttled across the floor and under the sofa. I did what any sane person would do and screamed a fair bit. Fortunately while I was working out how I could go to bed not knowing where it was it ran back out again and DH sprinted across the room and got it and put it outside. Big relief but tonight while typing I'm still looking out just in case there's another one. I really am a pathetic wuss - don't know how I managed when I was on my own with the girls lol!

freespirit66

Evening everyone, i hope everyone has had a good weekend! MRSINVISIBLE you would have been proud of this non gardener today, i finally got off my bum (the energy with this diet is amaaaaazing) and went out the front (which i hate in case anyone talks to me especially neighbours :eek:) and started weeding 2 yes 2 hours later it was transformed, the kids did come out the last hour and helped but i cant believe how much we got done, i really was ashamed how it looked but after starting the back garden and seeing how nice it could begin to look gave me the encouragement, so massive out of control hedge i took the decision to just chop the whole thing down, although i can see it needs money spent (boo hoo) the fence needs painting, replacing, it just looks a 100% better plus of course it was all part of my "porch" cleaning in organised christmas !!! Result today i was looking at paper for next christmas and then DS came in tonight and said do you want these? He had two beautiful brand new rolls of JL christmas wrapping paper one with red stags and one with gold stags that he used last year, he said he doesnt want to do the same style again this year, i nearly bit his hand off

LITTLESKINTDRAGON that made me remember i found some cards the other day from an asda sale one year and i cant for the life of me think why???? they just really arent me, arent suitable for anyone i send cards too, god knows why i bought them, i am going to stick them on our local free facebay group im sure a teenage girl would love them! Hope your back feels better soon!

FEISTY please dont feel guilty, she is right they would be upset if they knew it was harming you or the baby after all you have been through! This baby will be very special to them as well, im sure you have been keeping them going with cups of tea!!

SMOOSH i have always wondered what those village candles are like, how they stand up to yankee candles, thankyou for your opinion

GETTINGTHEREQUICKLY after doing all that you deserve a nap my lovely!! Did you see those lovely wine glasses on the matalan christmas site? They were the ones i was telling you about and you asked about serving dessert in them

ALOOFDRAGON welcome to our thread, i get you i would feel exactly the same as you, but you have saved for this holiday and have been looking forward to it, i would go if you really dont feel safe or like the atmosphere when you are there, then you could always ask to move or come home, go have a wonderful holiday!

CUPOFCHAI hi and welcome back to our thread, the more the merrier

KAYA well done you! I thought the same as STARLET a back to uni hamper, either practical things or real treat things that they cant afford to buy now, supermarket voucher, or a reading/book hamper, fleecy throw, hot chocolate, biscuits, chocolate, nice mens bookmark, book shop voucher??

P-PINCHER yes didnt matalan have some lovely things?

CAMHAN hi and welcome to our thread, ooh thankyou will have to go have a look now!

PEPPAPIG haha i have to catch all spiders round here, the girls are terrified i am fine, BUT i must admit the size of the flipping things this year even i am a bit freaked out!!!