Put away your purse & become debt-averse

wishingthemortgaheaway

Oooh and I'm the subject of 'box' advent calendars - I agree. A total waste of money - especially when you may not like all the smells/flavours of the things in them. We have indulged the Pickle in a 'insert famous brand' brick building one this year. And I must say, apart from the fact each day is in a little plastic bag (grrr) I'm impressed. He has had something to build each day, not one day has it been a single item with no construction required. It seems that advent calendars
Have bourne the brunt of the media 'pull a sad face' stories this year- coconut covered chocolate two days in a row - missing chocolates etc. However, i am happy.

Sorry, I've whittered on on your diary enough.
Have a good evening - keep warm

1LuckyLady

Wish - we used to swap wellies around with friends when they were little, I think I only actually bought them one pair each!


ooooohhhhh cream soda and dandilion and burdock, those are Christmas childhood memories! I don't think my two have ever had them! (off to pop it on the festive shopping list now!) Right I really must get on, I've spent far too much time on your thread this evening

DawnW

I remember taking my 2 older children occasionally to a cafe for 'ice cream soda' which was basically cream soda with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in it. It was definitely a summer treat though, not at Christmas x

HairyHandofDartmoor

Well done on resisiting the allure of glittery Christmas tree baubles. We used to have a good laugh at some of the weird and wonderful decorations at our local garden centre. I saw a bauble I loved in the NT shop but it was a fiver and we really don't need it, so I resisted. There is something about Christmas that makes me want to throw all financial restraint out of the window and spend spend spend on decorations, food and gorgeous presents. But so far I'm resisting . I think it's because I want the family to have a perfect Christmas but I know there's no such thing and money can't create one anyway.

That Icelandic traditiong of reading books and eating chocolate does sound nice. Although reading is a bit solitary.We always watch a Christmas film together on Christmas eve and often indulge in hot mince pies with cold clotted cream on.

What do you do on Christmas eve Foxgloves?

foxgloves

1LL & Wish - I like to hear about these swapping arrangements for children's clothes & other gear. It must be really helpful & it is certainly greener. I'm not at all surprised to hear about that row of Christmas jumpers in the charity shop. They have just become a throwaway trend.
Wish - Your child has certainly got great use out of those stretchy Christmas slippers!
F

foxgloves

HHoD, Well, I still like to do the same sort of things on Christmas Eve that I did growing up, & when my parents were alive. They usually hosted Christmas, so obviously that's changed now. We have decided on a four-year cycle now..... so we'll spend Christmas at my sister's, the next year we will stay home, the year after that, they will come to us & then we will please ourselves again the next. We don't have children so we don't have to think about keeping anyone else happy - we like to see our nephews though. We see some of Mr F's family but..... how shall I put this..... we are estranged from most of them. On Christmas Eve, I usually do at least a bit of baking & make chestnut stuffing. I like to play some Christmas music & watch something Christmassy.... like old Christmas episodes of comedies, etc. We like to play games & have the tree lit & lots of candles. If we are not away, we like to have a walk in the morning to see some nice frosty greenery if the weather's right. If we are not with family on the day, we enjoy the opportunity to spend some quality time together.
F x

foxgloves

Wish - Meant to say.... that Christmas tree rescue sounds amazing! It really is just criminal that something as good as that was going to be skipped. What a wasteful society we are! Glad it was saved.
F x

Honeysucklelou2

Really like the Icelandic tradition - after the busyness of getting everything ready, I like the idea of reading and snaffling chocolates.

foxgloves

I do too, Honeysuckle & as we still have free libraries (despite hideous funding cuts), & places like A*Di have nice cheap festive choc, it's a tradition most families can access, regardless of income.
F

foxgloves

Ewwwwwccchh - Not feeling too well this morning. Really hoping it isn't the dreaded nv brewing. We'd planned a night out in the city centre tonight, with tickets for a Christmas concert, but I'm not going to feel up to that.
Still.... not throwing up yet, so fingers crossed. Back to blanket & hot water bottle.
Normal diary service will hopefully resume soon.
F x