* Step into Christmas * & 2020 - It's the 2020 Christmas Chatter Thread

pixtotts

Sorry about the post and run, I feel like I just don't stop at the moment, every day has something happening. 

I've fully stocked up on Christmas stuff in the Hobbycraft sale, I have a huge pile of the fillable baubles for next year, and ribbons from m&s, dunelm and sainsburys. Christmas has now been fully packed away in the studio, it's all in boxes then tucked in a crate behind the desk, just the ribbons to add to it, they are currently on my bedside table. I need to find a box or something to put all the stuff to go outside into by the time I've loaded up with laptop, phone and tea I struggle to carry much else out there lol. 

I'm going to pack away my Christmas jumpers later today then that's it officially over x

Redredrobin

Not sure about the new layout but I’m sure I will get used to it ( eventually)

Dds birthday is sorted and have ideas for hubby’s , that’s all the birthdays I buy for some others get cash but most are over 18 which is our cut off limit .

Although I’m not actively looking for Christmas pressies I have bought Dd a book which she wants which can be difficult to find and a t-shirt with the NCIS cast pics and signatures on .Finally managed to get her into kindle books which she is loving , her because a lot are free and I’m loving it because there’s less clutter ! Win win .

Anyone know how long you have to wait to paint new plaster ? They are doing the damp work starting Monday hopefully finished by Friday then it’s full scale painting !

Redredrobin

Oops a bit big ! Muttley wasn’t impressed with the wintry weather .

princesskitty29

I feel like I’ve been hibernating the last week or so, and by the looks of things outside for good reason! The boys had a birthday party to go to yesterday and we’re going to take them swimming this morning but apart from that we’re having a quiet weekend. I’m bracing myself to take the boys to my parents for a couple of nights tomorrow for the first time by myself! I used to take Wiggle quite often when he was younger and we lived closer, but it’s about a 3 hour drive now. It’s actually the journey I’m a little apprehensive about and keeping the boys happy as I can’t do anything whilst I’m driving. I’m sure it’ll be ok, Squeak will probably sleep for a bit and they do have DVD players to watch on long journeys so fingers crossed we won’t have any disasters.

 Such sad news about Caroline Flack, I don’t actually know her that well as I don’t watch Love Island and I haven’t really seen her in anything, but it’s sad all the same. It made me think that she wouldn’t have been the only one yesterday, very sad indeed.

 vulpix I’m really sorry to hear about your SiL, what sad news. I’m glad to hear she didn’t suffer for long. I’m not sure I knew about your new business? It must be frustrating though if you can’t get on with it!

 Redrobin oooh he looks so cosy!!!

vulpix

Greetings from Edinburgh.
Went to see the Lion King last night.I have seen it before but it is still fantastic,and I am not a musical theatre fan.We have done a bit of driving about on a trip down memory lane as I was a student here years ago.It is 35 years since my last visit! I shared a flat above an undertakers just off the Royal Mile. 
I picked up some reduced heart tea lights from Sainsburys all colours so useful as an add on gift. They had some lovely stuffed toys very much reduced in the valentines section but not valentine related iykwim.
Still no news about the business,will tell all if we get it!
Think your puppy has the right idea this weekend Redrobbin.
Pk you can always resort to the good old eye spy on your road trip.Is wiggle about 6 now? I used to play the number plate game with mine when they were young. Take the numbers from a car in front and make a number puzzle from it. eg 74 in the reg 7plus 4 or 7- 4 or 7x4.With letters we had to make nonsense sentences up eg RNU rabbits need underpants,roses not umberellas etc etc
breakfast calls
Vx

Treasurequeen

This weather has been awful lately, my screening and solar lights flew off my balcony on Saturday. Managed to rescue the screening but the lights are gone. Did a stock take on my present box under the bed and it’s empty. Which isn’t like me at all. I’ve not found anything  in the sales at all. 

Hope everyone is ok x 

Gettingtherequickly

Hello, struggling on the new format at the moment, can't login on ipad at home so having to sneak on pc at work.

Not much happening at the moment, trying to catch up on things that need to be done at home, last weekend actually was a full gtq one, got a lot of bitty things done, but a lot more to do. Was in Egypt the weekend before, they are in the final straight to the big move to Canada. Kids had been on school holidays the two weeks before I arrived (I know bad timing!) and were getting ready on Saturday night to go back Sunday morning when the youngest said "Poppy, are you not going to work any more?" (He had finished work on Thursday, was supposed to finish mid January, but realised that he would have 20 years service on 2nd Feb and would qualify for company pension, so it was a no brainer to stay a couple of extra weeks)  "No" "Does that mean you are old?" Don't you love the questions that kids ask?!

I think I need to go through what I have at home and either use as birthday gifts during the year or be completely in control of what I will be giving for Christmas. Nearly time to start thinking about Christmas cakes! Have made a 2 tier wedding cake for July, but based on something my aunt said (and she didn't even know that her daughter had asked me to make it!) not sure if I should make another tier. Venue size strictly limits the numbers, which means there will be very few friends invited to the wedding itself, so there will be an evening event nearby so that all of their friends can be invited, but as the cake is going to be undecorated and served with a good cheddar cheese instead, my aunt thinks that would be fab to serve in the evening, but it is not up to her. My instinct is to make one, worst case scenario, it will be eaten on the day, best case, a well matured Christmas cake! Any thoughts?

lazysheep

Eugh this weather! Don't mind the cold, just the rain means you can't get anything done.  We've been having the front converted to some off road parking and they've been working on it since September because of all the rubbish weather we had at the end of the last year and now.  It's so close to being finished, just want it done now!!! 
No Christmas plans here at all - nothing bought in the sales either  Coming to the end of family birthdays until June and looking forward to the arrival of a new baby niece on Friday/Saturday (planned section) so will have to plan when to go to London for tiny baby cuddles

kerri_gt

GTQ Been on less too due to lack of tablet access, have to use my phone instead. I would make the extra tier and then if its not needed like you say its a Christmas cake sorted and won't go to waste. If you have it ready at least there will be no 'i wish i had...'

Lazysheep i feel your pain about the drive, we are heading into the 4th year of trying to get our garden landscaping project finished. Year 1 = cowboy builder, year 2 = competent landscapers but took longer than planned, year 3 = couple of snagging issues scheduled to be sorted then boom, house was struck by lightning knocking out some of the garden lights.  We're still battling the insurers who seem to be if the opinion that because they can't prove it was the lightning that caused the damage they won't pay out...despite the fact the lights worked fine the nights before the strike then didn't work directly afterwards. Apparnetly according to the insurers thats just a coincidence    there is not an emoticon to convey my level of actual displeasure. Next stop FOS....

princesskitty29

Yesterday felt a little Christmassy as we had hot chocolate’s with all the trimmings (Wiggle’s included leftover Christmas sprinkles) and watched The Grinch! Although I say we watched The Grinch, what I actually mean is it was on for the 10 minutes we sat and drank our hot chocs and then the boys were running riot again as soon as they’d finished!

So one of the perils about being organised and buying some Christmas presents in the sale is finding out someone has got something you’ve bought, I went to my friend’s house the other day and I spotted one of the presents I’d bought for one of her boys. It was an indoor bumper drone. Although this can happen whenever you buy the presents, you never know if someone has already got something and I’d still much rather be ahead of the game. The good thing is it was a good bargain, £40 reduced to £12 so I’m sure I will be able to sell it and make my money back.

Treasurequeen I can’t imagine all the items that people have lost through high winds. We inherited a garden waste bag the other day and no-one has claimed it.

vulpix oh I do love Edinburgh, such a magical place. Funny you should mention that game with the number plates – DH and I used to play that before we had children!  Wiggle enjoys i-spy so thanks for the suggestion I’ll remember that. The journeys went well actually so I’m pleased and have confidence for the future now.

GTQ I don’t see the harm in making another cake, at least you know you’ll have enough for both events and if it doesn’t get eaten then it can be eaten another time.

kerri it is so awful how insurers try to wriggle out of everything, everything is so black and white to them. It sounds like more than a coincidence that the lights stopped working the day after your house was struck by lightning and they would know that!