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

[Deleted User]

I am having a go at HM Bailey's for Christmas gifts and would appreciate some advice. The recipe calls for single cream. Does that mean fresh cream or something like Elmlea which has a longer shelf life. The recipe I am using is from BBC good food so hoping it turns out OK.

I treated myself to a Christmas planner so feeling quite organised with most of my cards written and most gifts bought. I am adding some HM bits to each gift such as Yuleade (my gran used to make this so its a family favourite), the HM Bailey's and some jams.

Peppapig

MoneyMission you are definitely on a roll - decorator sorted and M&S food on the way, good for you. Wouldn't it be nice though if just for once people did what they said and we didn't have to do any chasing up.

Welcome to the thread LoveLifeAgain - sorry to hear about the cake although that sort of thing is a regular occurrence in my kitchen, hence why I'm a 'buy it not bake it' person lol. Kissmenow9 if you're going to CMK it sounds like you're in the same sort of area as me.

Nic I'm the same, one minute I'm all ahead and in control and then a couple of days later it seems like there's loads still to sort out and I'm miles behind. Mind you, at least us Christmas crazies (thanks Ellie) have the panic in November and not on Christmas Eve

Good luck with the home made Baileys Allie23.

Having a chilled afternoon watching True Christmas and customising the vintage crackers I bought to have on the table on Christmas Day i.e. Taking out the awful plastic 'toy' and adding a Christmas scratch card. I do like not being at work - the only drawback I can see is the lack of pay at the end of the month oh and having trouble knowing what day of the week it is ha ha

Cherry24

Wow, it's ages since I've been on here. Thought I would just pop in. I've got all my presents for Christmas and December / January birthdays sorted now. I just need to wrap them which I seem to be putting off.
I'm currently reading Matt Haig's 'A boy called Christmas' which is nice and festive and have already eaten 2 chocolate orange's that were kind of supposed to be for Christmas.

Hope everyone is well

mrs-moneypenny

Pink&fluffy I work in a school and often hear the Santa isn't real message from kids. My response to the upset children is he might not visit the ones who said it cos they don't believe, but as long as you believe in him he is real and will visit you. I've had a few parents thank me over the years as it was in their opinion kinder for me to intervene rather than have the children worry and be upset till home time. It's what I would say to my own children
A couple of the much older ones once asked me why I bother being so fussed about it as its not true. I simply asked them if they wished that their Christmases we still as magical as when they were little and they believed in magic. I never heard them saying anything negative about it again.

Trees are all snowflaked up at school now, I have flakes and fake snow-made from Halloween webs, the bluebirds have their little stocking hung on their nest and I even made some icicles from skinny tinsel stuff I found in my craft stash.

Might try and get some wrapping done at the weekend

kaya1991

Pinknfluffy - I'm sorry to hear that My mum is a teacher and her class (year 1, so 5 and 6-year-olds) are currently doing the same thing. quidsy is exactly right - why take your chances? It's great being 24 and old and wise enough to know he's real - I bet those children will feel very silly for doubting the big man in a few years.

Cherry24 - A Boy Called Christmas just arrived for me the other day too - isn't it gorgeous?! Spookily enough, the topic of my blog post tonight is cosy books for Christmas, and I included that book! His others are well worth a read too.

I THINK I'm done with my Christmas shopping! I think if anything, I've gone a little bit overboard and might end up stashing things away for birthdays, whoops. But the next fun bit is the wrapping (I wish I could have a job as a present wrapper), and after that it's the big Christmas food shop! I'm off to Gunwharf Quays at the weekend with my mum, so we're going to write the food list on the train. On Sunday I'm going to a Scandinavian Christmas market in London - SO EXCITED!

kiss_me_now9

Peppapig wrote: »

Kissmenow9 if you're going to CMK it sounds like you're in the same sort of area as me.

Sounds like we are close, I'm in the big town beginning with A - but only until January as I'm off to Sheffield then


7 items sat in my Amazon basket and I'm umming and aahhing about all of them! Damn my indecisiveness lol

04624181

Hello my christmas crazy friends :j

Clumsy42-glad your parcels are not damaged, weather is so bad at the moment
Pixiefairydust- I like the tree. I am currently being treated by the pain clinic and I have joined the gym too to try and get fitter and let flabby lol
mandco-thanks for the heads up on selection boxes at tesco. Managed to pick up some for the kids and my sister x Going to nip in wilkos and see if they have got the half price wax melt warmer instore.
freespirit66-lol Im the same, im currently deciding what colour to paint my kitchen wall x Good luck with the wallpapering. Youtube is very useful lol
mcculloch29-The bottle jumper and hat is fab! I have bought a santa suit and hat bottle set from card factory for 99p to go with my santa tablecloth for christmas dinner lol x
kiss_me_now9- theatre tickets sound like a good idea for your sister and BIL, Amazon delivery is painful! I always am just under the threshold so have to "find" something to get free delivery
FeistyFidget-Fantastic news that you have the movers booked, it is all official and you will have a fab christmas x

MrsCD

pinknfluffy28 wrote: »

Good Morning All.

I need to rant I'm afraid, so please feel free to pass over my rather selfish post ...

Gutted. Dd2 has been quiet for a few days, and this morning on the journey to school, I found out why. A couple of the boys in her class told her on Monday that Santa isnt real. They explained how parents do it all etc. They are 7 & 8.

We knew it wouldnt be long before dd2 (8) worked it out for herself, but she was absolutely devestated and told me she feels really sad.

I refuse to lie to her, so I told her that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, and suggested that she asks santa (in secret) for just one special gift, something she knows mummy & daddy would never buy for her... I just have to hope now that the item she asks for is the xeno monster she has been ranting on about all year, but that I have point blank refused to get her (its been sat on top of my wardrobe for the last 6 weeks!).

The mummy part of me wants to grab these boys by the collar and shake them, but as I work at the school, its probably not a great idea ;-)
So I have had a word with the teacher and warned her, as some of the kids in that class are still very firm believers. Luckily shes a great teacher, and big fan of Christmas, so she is going to have a class discussion today about the big man, how different religions and different people have different beliefs, but that she certainly still believes in Santa!

Hopefully, between us, we can at least get dd's christmas spirit back, if not restore any kind of belief.

Why cant kids just be allowed to be kids these days? Rant over xx

Hi pinknfluffy
If the U.S. air force believe that's good enough for me! Norad track Santa every Christmas eve and you can follow online. It is really maddening though and I do feel for you.
Have you read the editorial by Frank P Church called 'Yes Virginia
There is a Santa Claus.'? It's really old but lovely. Charles Bronson made a film about it but it's never shown these days. Just found the whole film available on Bing movies.

04624181

aaargh nearly lost my post so had to post just half....

Mrs Moneypenny-Would love to see the trees if you get chance, they sound lovely x
Murie-zipped joggers are difficult to come by, the last pair I got my hubby were adidas ones from sports direct. Lucky you going to the Good food show, hope you have a fab time xxx fully understand your concern over your DD, its only natural. To be honest I have been sat in the cinema imagining what would happen if somebody came in. It has affected us all.
elliew8-I love the grinch, glad your wrapping went well. B&M and HB are stores that you can never come out of empty handed. (well I certainly cannot!)
pinknfluffy28-you are quite right to be annoyed. I would be too. I think you have handled it really well x
peppapig-studio24 have lost alot of customers over their total lack of customer service. Hope the list helps xx
LoveLifeAgain- sorry cannot help with reccomendations on cake but sure somebody will be able to help xx It is easy done with the cake tin bottoms, I have done it too x
nic2075-So excited it 36 sleeps!!! we all panic when it starts to head near december. My husband has to go in for an infusion of immunosuppressant drugs every 8 weeks so me and the kids made him a hospital survival kit. Its a rucksack/bag with a crossword puzzle book and pen, spare change for paper/magazine,some foxes glacier fruits to get rid of bitter taste the infusion leaves him with, a supermalt milkshake drink to keep his strength up, a chocolate covered flapjack, a sport drink bottle for him to be able to fill with his choice of drink, some ginger cookies incase of sickness, air travel bag incase of sickness, a notebook with a message off me and the kids and insulated mug with a few of his favourite tea bags in.
maybe add some Biodene products for your dad if chemo gives him a sore dry mouth
moneymission2015-fantastic news about your decorating and glad you got sorted out with M&S.
allie23-HM baileys sounds great, which planner did you treat yourself too? I am debating whether to treat myself to one or just keep using my homemade one
peppapig- your afternoon sounds lovely, have you any pics of your crackers please?
Cherry24- Well done, you are organised. Christmas music on now, get all your christmas wrap out and all the stuff you need and have a mammoth wrap time lol x
kaya1991-you have got a wonderful weekend planned have fun x

04624181

If the U.S. air force believe that's good enough for me! Norad track Santa every Christmas eve and you can follow online.

That statement is absolutely fantastic and ought to quieten a few non believing older children!


Well have bought a few more bits today like sweets to go in gifts and some selection boxes. Found out my mum is working christmas day so its just me, hubby DD DS and my sister christmas day. We will do my mum a plate of food and some goodies for when she has finished work. she is working boxing day too so she will be shattered bless her x tomorrow is going to be spent picking some parcels up, food shopping and maybe a coupe of gifts wrapped as am back at the gym next week so that seriously messes with my christmas planning time lol but got to get this flab off lol