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

Mojoworking

Free I don't know what to say you have so much on your plate it is no wonder sometimes you have a cry. Try not to be too hard on yourself.

Can the name be "most wonderful time of the year" please sometimes mentions of the c word too early provokes the less enthusiastic!!

I've not been on for over a month. My Christmas mojo has left me.

I should've just done all my Christmas bits by August and feel more on control.

whitesatin

I've decided not to do any kind of reckoning on how much I have spent. I did manage to save money each month and met my target so that helped.

Anyway, apart from collecting a chess/draughts game from Argos tomorrow, and a food delivery arriving on Tuesday, if I don't have it, so what?

Feeling a lot less stressed re the meal on Christmas Day. Once I made the decision that "cheating" is ok, it made life easier and should, along with a few keep things warm gadgets, the meal is in hand. For the first time, I am going for Waitrose roast potatoes in goose fat and plain ones for vegetarians. I won't have to worry about which meat juice "contaminates" the potatoes. I have ordered a turkey crown, a ham and have made a nut roast. Veg will be Aunt Bessie's parsnips, Yorkshires with frozen sprouts. I have made and frozen a red cabbage with apple dish as well as my own stuffing. Bought in the gravy and bread sauce (only a little as nobody except me likes it but have two packet mixes on standby). Starters will be mostly ready made with a bit of smoked salmon pate on blinis. No Christmas pudding as such but a quick microwave "clootie dumpling" for anyone who feels the need. Plenty of cakes etc. to keep everyone full and happy. A cupboard full of wine/beer/port/sherry, everyone happy!

I am now going to try and relax and enjoy.

aliaslotte

I am planning on making my usual festive rocky road tomorrow (which we have at home and which I also give to people as additional little presents).
Ingredients wise, it contains dark chocolate, milk chocolate, golden syrup, butter, amaretti biscuits, marshmallows, and dried cranberries.
For the first time, I am curious about adding alcohol to the mixture (we don't have any children in the family or anything - adults only lol). Do any of you have experience of adding alcohol to rocky road? What would you recommend?
I was thinking of disaronno, perhaps.

vulpix

The expectation at Christmas can just get too much at times.I am so grateful to be going to my brothers' this year.Another wipe down in the kitchen this morning and we have a tree up in there.When my daughter is here longer than half an hour on her way elsewhere I will get her to put some pics on of the kitchen for those who are interested.

This afternoon I have recorded a Christmas story for our local radio station.It will be played out on Christmas Eve.It sounds quite good with production in the background.Bells etc.

I will clean the sittingroom tomorrow and get a tree up.

I like both suggestions for the new thread name.

Not long now. Vx

Ruth_honey

Well, I didn't expect her to leave it so late, but my cousin did what I've been expecting her to do. Called up today and tried to invite herself (and husband to be!) to visit over Christmas. Gently turned her down, saying that where we've had to clear out our bathroom, there's even more stuff in boxes around and there's just no space. Which is true...but also we've had them up two years in a row now and we just want a quiet day to ourselves this year. After such a rubbish year, I think we deserve it. And to ask just 5 days before Christmas is leaving it far too late! We've already bought food in, for starters.
On the plus side, my brother has finally paid in the money he owes me for mum's gift. So now I'll tell him where I've hidden it...ha ha!
Watching Love Actually again tonight. Love this film. :-)
Oh, I think White Christmas is based on Holiday Inn. Not watched them both, so not sure how different they are.

princesskitty29

mrs-moneypenny I didn't mean that to sound like a lecture by the way! I was just thinking to myself that if people could afford it why not. But most of the time there is no need to spend money like that and certainly no point if the husband is needlessly wokrking loads of overtime!

046241841 it's great you managed to have a productive time on Saturday and now you're all the more prepared! We didn't go in the end yesterday but that was mostly because Wiggle's cough was worse and he was coughing and spluttering over everything and we really didn't want to pass on any germs right before Christmas. My friend's little boy has caught everything going this year so she agreed. I hope your DH is ok and doesn't come down with anything.

3forholidays I love both, but prefer 'It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas' a little bit more. If nothing else we have the names for the next two years now!

msgigglewick I know you might not see this now but wishing you all a speedy recovery and a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!! :xmastree: :xmassign: :snow_grin Have a wonderful time and see you on the other side!

freespirit oh your poor thing, sometimes things have a habit of getting on top of us. I have felt like that at moments even though I am organised too, it can all feel a bit much sometimes as there seems to be so much to think about at Christmas. Plus you have all been unwell which has an impact too. How lovely going to get your nails done, I should do that as mine are awful! You'll have to share some of the other things you want to do when you get a chance! OH my word £800k on a tree topper???!!! :eek::eek::eek: What programme was that?! I suppose when you're a multi-millionaire or billionaire it can be a drop in the ocean. I'm guessing the family with £250k to spend on decorating their home didn't pull out the baubles from the loft that they've been using forever?

whitesatin oooh your Christmas day meal sounds lovely!

vulpix wow recording a Christmas story for your local radio station sounds exciting! Are you involved with the radio station? Have fun putting the tree up!

Ruth_honey 5 days before Christmas is down to the wire, like you say you've organised food etc now. It can be hard saying no but you've been looking forward to a quiet Christmas so you enjoy it.

Well i'm mostly done here, wrapped all the presents I could wrap. I have got a desk calendar on it's way for DH from Wiggle full of pictures of them together so i'm hoping that turns up today or tomorrow. I made a no-cook Chocolate Crunchie Fudge yesterday from a recipe I found on Pinterest – it's amazing and so easy! I've got some Christmas cellophane bags so i'm going to cut it up into little squares and give some out as gifts. Although I totally forgot to put icing sugar in it as the recipe stated, it still tastes delicious but i'm wondering if the icing sugar was meant to dry it out a bit so it's more like fudge. Oh well too late now!

I can't believe how quiet this thread is for this time of year, in previous years if I missed a day i'd miss about 4 pages worth! On the positive side it means I can keep up! Please don't anyone else leave - i'd be so upset if this thread disappeared!

mrs-moneypenny

Not taken as a lecture at all Princesskitty, I don't like upsetting Anyone and realised I may have come across as judging their Christmas by commenting. No offence was taken.

Ruth glad you said no and I hope you get a lovely peaceful Christmas to recharge your batteries

Holiday inn is black and white, it's a love triangle between Donna Reid (she was a gorgeous looking young woman) Bing Crosby and Gene Kelly it was ok but obviously quite dated and contrived. Nice afternoons entertainment. White Christmas is on today so I have a date with that and my ironing pile planned as I have the house to myself in that time slot.

Hope all are well and getting there without too much stress.

04624181

Hi everyone, Only 4 more sleeps now!!

3forholiday-Appreciate you agreeing to do the thread, Thank you x I really like- Its beginning to look a lot like christmas.
msgigglewick-Have a fantastic christmas, I forgot about norad so have set a reminder in my phone x
nic2075-still not watched its a wonderful life, I will get some time to myself to watch it this christmas
freespirit66-you are human! We try to be everything to everyone and we soldier on, it has to come out somewhere so the tears are the outlet. You and your family are going through a lot. ALthough you have all done amazingly your body has to reease the tension somehow. Release the tears! Put a good weepy movie on and ball your eyes out. There is no shame in crying, it s fantastic release xxx
mojoworking-hope you find your christmas mojo and manage to get sorted xx
whitesatin-I too second the "cheating". I find it is much more important to me and my kids that me and their dad are sat spending time with them during christmas day rather than cooking all day. We are trying out cooking the turkey on christmas eve, we will parboil some veg christmas eve too, ready to roast on christmas day. Trying to organise as much as I can before the big day
aliaslotte- Sounds lovely, sorry I cannot help with the achohol as I have never made it but it sounds lovely.
vulpix-your kitchen sounds lovely and I would love to see pics x wow local radio station, sounds fab xxx which one is it? You are local to me arent you. I will tune in xx
ruth-honey-good on you for sticking by your guns. I cannot blame you for wanting a quiet christmas. Also your cousin is cutting it fine asking you so late. enjoy your christmas xxx result on your brother paying the money xx
princesskitty29-glad you mentioned to stay in, desk calender sounds lovely x your chocolate crunchie fudge sounds gorgeous, going to search for the recipe x

Had a lovely day at church, the kids did a nativity, we sang christmas carols, we had lunch with family, went back to church and watched a dvd and sand and danced some more. Fab day! we were all very tired on the way home, hubby treated the kids to mcdonalds on the way home. I do not know where they fit on that food lol x
Today is a day of cleaning! dropping dog at groomers at 12 then going to nip a couple of errands. kids are just going to relax today.
big hugs and christmas sprinkles xx

04624181

mrsmoneypenny- OOh you have given me a good plan, May have to copy you on that one. Have just downloaded it from sky ready to tackle the ironing later. Thank you xx

Clumsy42

Morning all. Can't believe how close we are to the big day! :eek:

My little niece was her overnight on saturday. I think she managed to clock up several miles on her journeys round and round the house. So much energy! :rotfl:

I've done all my wrapping so thats good. Could have done without banging my head on my desk after bending down to stick presents under the bed. I do live up to my username some times! :rotfl:

Re - 'cheating' on christmas dinner. We've always (that I can remember) done frozen vegetables, parsnips etc. It's not cheating. It's just managing your time/energy more efficiently. Plus who says you have to cook absolutely everything from scratch? Must be the pesky Christmas Police!

Hope everyone is as well as can be. Not long now! :T Ooh and I'm all for 'It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year' for thread title.