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

msgigglewick

Faints Dh just brought home a 7ft regency alpine christmas tree.. with extra boxes of lights and decorations... who is this man? and what have you done with my dh!!! lol (he's usually a bit of a grinch and no christmas until after his bday on the 11th of december.. i think i may have just fallen in love with him all over again lol)

Finally just made the christmas cakes, with my girls.. so they are in the oven atm. Will have to move them into the top oven in a few hours..... 4 hours to cook cake i dunno! who came up with that idea lol.. It smells lovely though! and i used christmas cake liquor this year instead of brandy. Thats rather yummy too!

Got 9 days until i can finish off the cmas shopping!

Shall reback bow but hope everyone is ok xx

System

Finally on holiday no work until December 3rd. We are planning a trip to Oswaldtwistle mill , the cinema and a meal out and if i can arrange it maybe a Meerkat feeding experience for DD.

mrsinvisible

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes, l had a nice day, family came and brought cake!
Yes, it is the wedding this weekend so l am up to my ears in flowers and foliage and wire and glue and oasis and net. It will all get done, and if it doesn't we can use the hotels own wedding d!cor.
Was in York with fave cous Thursday and Friday, for the annual Christmas shopping extravaganza, was fab, just spending time together, and laughing non stop. Bought all sorts, came back jiggered so yesterday and today have been recovery days.
have not started my reindeer challenge, waiting for divine inspiration l think.
DS2s best friend, who has cerebral palsy has got his letter for migrating to pip from dla so l am doing his forms too, poor lad is sooo worried about it, it is criminal. I found a 5 litre flagon of fabric conditioner hiding in the little loft which had gone lumpy and yukk, so l emptied it down the sink and blocked it. took me over an hour to free it and get rid of the mess. (what is it about chez invis and water?)

mrs-moneypenny

Belated birthday wishes MrsI I hope you had a lovely one.
Hope everyone is as well as can be.

Gave dd3 the elf she loved it and can't wait for 1st Dec so she can start having fun.

Tried a Christmas recipe today at lunch time 'marmite roast potatoes' they went down really well and have bee. Put on the Christmas dinner request list by everyone - par boil the potatoes for 20 mins then roast them in a tin that you've stored a tablespoon of marmite into the cooking oil or goose fat that you roast them in. They were really nice and crispy with a marmite tang.

Made a start on knitting a Christmas jumper last night, it will be quite tasteful I hope, it's a 40s style plum coloured short sleeved one with a beaded detail around the hem and shoulders.

Watched some of a really bad Christmas film on channel five this afternoon, we gave up on it in the end as it was just going from bad to worse.

Spendless

Hi everyone, Just dipping in. Haven't got time to catch up on many posts. Just looked back when I posted last, it was Oct half term. My high hopes for that week, never happened. DD got the winter vomiting bug on the Monday night and gave it one by one to the whole household. Nightmare and nothing done towards Christmas because of it. Grrrrr:mad:

I have been popping into town briefly on a Sunday just prior to dropping Dd off for her panto rehearsals. She is playing Hansel in Hansel and Gretel. Am dram but the theatre gets a good following. Have booked tickets to see her, once with friends and then on NYE with DH. Couldn't really expect anyone else to give up their NYE to watch. It's the 1pm performance though so can still have plans for that night.

Without BHS and I still miss Woolies, I find I'm struggling looking for shops that have plenty of Christmas stock to browse through. Our M&S doesn't have a good range. No idea why, as it's pretty big shop with 2 floors! Debenhams had a good range for DS but it was too 'gadgety' for me to understand and DH didn't answer his phone when I rang to ask!!

On my travels I have spotted monster high and ever after high dolls for £10 or less in the likes of poundworld and Home Bargains if anyone has girls that collect them, which is loads less than I was paying a few years ago. Wish DD only became into things several years after they were out. The number of times I've seen things she used to love 3 years earlier being sold cheaply.

We have booked to go out for Boxing Day meal. :j DH wanted Christmas day, but DS wasn't keen, DD turned veggie 6 months ago and is still finding her feet with likes/dislikes (initially her aim was to be a vegetarian that didn't like vegetable I think!) and I wasn't keen on the bill for that set of circs. Boxing Day seems a good compromise.

patentgirl

Freespirit can you please add me August 30th many thanks

3forholidays thanks foe excellent advice its 7 adults 2 children but you have given me plenty to think about thank you

Franalamadingdong

Ooh I've missed so much since my last nosy on here!

Re mousetraps have you tried peanut butter? And if you are not adverse to poisoning there's something called "pasta bait" which is very effective. I had things scratching under the decking trying to get in and this stuff put paid to it. Joys of countryside living. When the scratching stopped I stopped. I don't mind mice, but not in my house thank you.

Re broken bones. I hope your neighbour heels quickly. My mum broke her wrist, less than 2 weeks out of cast she broke it again. She's out of the cast now, after having to have a big op and pinning 2 weeks after the second break, but now she's got quite some time with physiotherapy. I don't know what it is like with leg breaks though. That said DS is 5yrs and one of his class mates broke her femur a few weeks ago. Poor mite.

Ahhh I have forgotten all the other bits now.

I have good news. After a few years of a feud between my parents (mostly mum) and my brother, things are softening. I made a big deal about how concerned he was with each break and the op when they happened. So I popped over to theirs today and brokered the subject of perhaps they might consider inviting him for Christmas and I could do the running round with the car after him. Turned out it is something that they had been discussing. They agreed to me extending the invitation. Really pleased. Not had an answer from him yet but I imagine he needs to think.

Anyhoo! If he comes that just means I have two gifts left to get - him and my mum. I've remembered DS's teacher and childminder and I have bought a gift for me from him as he was upset he couldn't get me anything and I've got a "just in case" gift for that random soul who I forget, or gift me when I'm not expecting it. DS wants Lego and a surprise. He is the most beautiful boy. Finally used the last of my gift cards and I used my Tesco vouchers as we don't go to the places they have on the boost so I'd rather use them now.
Done list is dad, other brother, his gf, nieces (2), nephew (1), childminder, teacher, son, "just in case" and me from son.
I have frames to get for pictures I'm waiting to arrive for grandma (paternal), grandad (maternal), aunt and mum's cousin. I don't want to get the frames before the pictures arrive, but I have an idea where I want them from.

I've also cleaned the understairs cupboard so the Christmas tree and decorations are readily accessible and you don't fear for your life when you open the door now. I've dug out wrapping paper in there too. Had to buy new cards and they just need writing.

Sorry! What a long post!!!

Peppapig

MRSMONEYPENNY we gave up on the channel five film too. Thought at the start it would be ok but realised that was a mistake so gave up and watched The Other Woman on Netflix instead which was good although not a Christmas film.

SPENDLESS nice to see you again. I think I have a similar attitude to your DD, I can't be a veggie cos I only eat carrots and asparagus. Sounds like you had the half term from hell.

CHRISSY hope you have a fabulous time on your trip. Feeding the meerkats sounds like fun.

MSGIGGLEWICK I'm very impressed with your DH. Must be something in the air as DH has agreed to us getting a 7ft tree this year. I've just checked and the one I've ordered is a Babylon pine one too!

GTQ glad you're so happy with your new car and hope you catch your uninvited guest! Your itinerary made me feel exhausted just reading it. All I managed to do this morning was get myself ready and do the banking!

MURIE I really like your reindeer t-shirt, I bet you'll love wearing it. How was the Aldi turkey parcel?

MRSINVISIBLE you certainly do seem to have a connection with water and plumbing

VULPIX I hope your neighbour is patched up well enough to still go to New Zealand for Christmas. That's a nice gesture to offer to walk the dogs. I think sometimes we say 'let me know if there's anything I can do' but people don't like to whereas if you offer something specific it's easier for them to say yes please.

Had a relaxing day watching films. Two more lots of donations dropped off today for project Santa Paws, I'm so pleased people are joining in. There are 74 people joined in the Facebook group now. It's called Project Santa Paws - Woburn Sands if anyone fancies having a look.

Ooh, I've ordered my new tree, yay!

Peppapig

Just seen the Waitrose Christmas advert and it's lovely :T

mrsinvisible

watched some TV last night and saw a new to me Famous Grouse ad, loved it. The big store Christmas adverts too, especially Aldi's. What a saddo eh? l watch tv to see the adverts!!
DGS girlfriend 's birthday on Saturday and l have been charged with collecting her present from him and getting it engraved....... what a responsibility.
Wrapped 9 more presents yesterday, (l always used to wrap them as l bought them then it was just a case of 'tarting' them up and adding the proper gift tag, but this year l didn't and l think it is better this way. Right, now to tackle today and do the school run thing, so l'd best get my caffeine levels up. Hope this week is a good one for us all xx