* It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year * - It's the 2016 Christmas Chatter Thread

[Deleted User]

God you lot are going to be busy!

We go out for Christmas day, Mums on boxing day.

We do New Years day, probably be 8 or 9 but tbh DH does most of the cooking.

Dxxx

mrsinvisible

Mrs MP, you are going to be my saviour!! my son is vegan, please tell me what you cook for Christmas dinner for yours, and is there a vegan substitute for cream?
Have finished the Halloween decs they look ok, not anything special, but this year l hadn,t a lot of time.

freespirit66

Afternoon everyone, ooh ours is going to be a very quiet affair christmas day just three of us DD1, DS and me. DD2 her OH and Thumper are all going to the in laws this year. Then they will come over Boxing day. I am doing my craft challenge atm i hope it turns out ok

murie

Peppa- glad DH seems a little better (I hope by now he is a lot better as that was a few days ago). Hope you are enjoying time with DGD and that you get to finish everything you have planned x


Feisty- that is a lovely photo! Definitely one for the scrapbook. I too have log cabin envy. That's such sad news about your friends brother.


Princesskitty- yay you are finally in- have you decided where to put the Christmas tree yet?
Mrs I- you are always busy! Glad you have recovered from your lurgy. Why is it we can never say 'No'?
Mrs Moneypenny- sounds like you have your work cut out for you on the day! We are 6 on Christmas day then 10 on Boxing Day at moms, here we have plenty of room and I have a large kitchen so its ok but moms is much smaller and her kitchen is tiny but we all squish in and it makes for our traditional boxing day crush! We don't dress up on Christmas day just our scruffs but we do go all out on Boxing day in our best clothes- we are lucky that in effect we have 2 Christmas days.
Dolly Rocker- we don't do New Years day at all Im afraid, we do a big meal just 5 of us on New Years eve.


I have finally done my challenge for this month (Peppa have you done yours yet? If not I have beaten you lol!). I admit I have struggled with this one for both inspiration and mojo, but its done. If we do decide to do the card swap I can use this (so you all know what it is now).
Free- it will turn out beautifully Im sure x


Hope everyone is well xx

DomRavioli

Hi all! Hugs to those that need it.

Peppa, that is a lot of cooking and for so many different tastes.

Free, can't wait to see your challenge.

Well I've been lumped with yet more festive challenge. We hold a party for the residents of our estate, along with the youth club kids and their families. This year, our funding has been hacked, so I have exactly £8 to decorate a church hall. We do a winter theme rather than christmas (we are multidenominational) and I am absolutely not happy about it.

I have some basic craft supplies (white paper, glue/sellotape, string, wool, and pinterest!), but need to spend the tiny budget wisely. If anyone has any ideas I would be super grateful as what I've come up with so far is beyond terrible!

Clumsy42

mrsinvisible wrote: »

Mrs MP, you are going to be my saviour!! my son is vegan, please tell me what you cook for Christmas dinner for yours, and is there a vegan substitute for cream?
Have finished the Halloween decs they look ok, not anything special, but this year l hadn,t a lot of time.

Hi Mrsinvisible, have you looked at the dairy free alternatives that your local supermarket has? At least a few of them should be vegan friendly because they aren't made from dairy. Might be with the other cream products or the free from section or even the longlife milk section. I think Alpro might do a soya based one.

Hello everyone. Hopefully on the tail end of my cold now. Well I better damn well be anyway! :rotfl:

Going to get graduation photography done on saturday. They offer an early session to ease the queues on the day itself. :T

Present for my brother came in the post yesterday. The packet is a bit tatty but I'm hoping the contents are fine. Fairly sure he won't care what the outside looks like anyway! :rotfl:

Hoping to have more ideas for presents these next few weeks. Can't believe it's nearly November! :eek:

mrs-moneypenny

mrsinvisible wrote: »

Mrs MP, you are going to be my saviour!! my son is vegan, please tell me what you cook for Christmas dinner for yours, and is there a vegan substitute for cream?
Have finished the Halloween decs they look ok, not anything special, but this year l hadn,t a lot of time.

Alpro do a vegan sub for single cream. I usually do a nut roast, Linda mc sausages and a vegan roast from holland and Barrett for the vegan main, the veggies have puff pastry open tart filled with mushrooms in a creamy sauce This could easily be vegan as well but vegan partner of ddtwo cant stand mushrooms so have other stuff on offer so it doesn't look like he's being segregated. Everyone has him mushroom soup which the kids have said is the main Reason they come back every Christmas so I do cheat and get the non mushroom liking vegan a different soup to start. Lots of ready made puddings are vegan but I usually try and make my own. The vegetables and potatoes I just make sure are suitable for everyone by using only vitalite or coconut oil when cooking but there's butter on the table if anyone wants that on their potatoes. I try and sit like eaters together and put the meat eaters around mil so she doesn't start criticising what is on veggie or vegan plates.
Hth

I cheat with the meat option and get ready cooked sliced turkey from a deli Christmas Eve then I wrap it in foil with some gravy and throughly reheat it (mil thinks I've carved the turkey in the kitchen) I do do pigs in blankets for them to go with it.

Gettingtherequickly

Been busy at work so not been looking too carefully here.

DomRav: Ouch to the huge budget! Why not get some pine cones, maybe go on freecycle and ask if anyone has spray paint they no longer need which could be used to spray them. Actually ask on freecycle if anyone has something that could be used. If you have access to kids, maybe use some of the white paper (I assume it is photocopy paper) to cut into bells & get the kids to decorate. They would be chuffed to see them decorating the hall, especially if they sign them. Make some small poms poms with the wool, maybe nip into a fabric shop and ask if they have any end of roll scraps, no use to them, but you could make clothing for loo roll/kitchen towel centres.

For those who are cooking for vegans and aren't, I feel for you. I have a cousin who is a vegan, the rest of us are purebred carnivores!

Will try & catch up properly later.

Hugs to those needing them.

mrs-moneypenny

Domrav how about snowflakes cut from paper and either stuck on the windows or hung from the ceiling, they could be done as fancy or simply as you wish there are loads of temples on Pinterest. My DD1 made a lovely snowman out of old car tyres sprayed and stacked on each other, I've seen pallets painted as signs or pictures. Do you have a local paper or radio station that would put an appeal out for you. Or try your local freecycle. It sounds a heck of a lot of pressure to put you under to try and make it look festive on such a tight budget.

04624181

Hi everyone, DD is full of a cold so she has had a day on the couch. An adidas tracksuit I ordered for DS arrived today and its lovely. DS took the opportunity to circle everything he wanted in the catalogue that came with the order so at least I have a few more ideas. Ordered some more bits from the entertainer so will get hubby to pick them up tomorrow. Dont think its fair DS has to stay in whilst DD is ill so the DH and DS can have day out tomorrow whilst us girls watch films and paint our nails etc x


Nic2075- Sorry to hear you are still suffering, I have just turned true christmas on now you have reminded me. Just watching A holiday for love.
Fiesty- Our hotel stay was a belated celebration for our 15th wedding anniversary. It was lovely and the hotel made us feel very special, the food was AMAZING!!
patentgirl- Sounds like you got some good deals, I love brown paper with twine/ribbon, think it looks lovely xx
The gingerbread candle is a firm favourite in my house x
Mrs I - You are definatly not daft, you have a big heart xx hope your dds avon sale goes well tomorrow xx
Domravioloi-hope you have fun with your nieces this weekend. So sorry to hear about your funding. Some foraging for holly, twigs etc. PVA glue and glitter could even fancy up twigs.
Dollyrocker- I am having the same dilemma about the wrapping too x
Gwendolyn- Hope you manage to get your christmas plans finalised. We usually spend christmas at home but for the first year we are debating whether to go to a family members.
Mrs Moneypenny-wow! how on earth do you do it? lol i had to laugh when you explain about your MIL xx
Peppapig- wow you too Mrs, i thought it was stressful enough doing it for 3 adults and 3 kids lol
free- I am sure your craft will be lovely xx Your christmas day sounds lovely, intimate and special and full of love xxx
murie- how are you doing? I am up for a card swap if everybody else is, ooh cant wait to see your craft x
CLumsy42- What a good idea with regards to the graduation photography! hope you have a good time xx
GTQ- we are all carnivores here too xxx