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

kerri_gt

Peppa I'm not really liking the new forum either which has been keeping me off it. It doesn't work on my iPad still (something you would have thought the powers that be might have tested before the switch) and i don't like using my laptop in the evening as wfh its hard enough to separate work / home time, which then leaves my phone and i don't really like staining my eyes with it come the evening time.
I agree about the handwash...and panic buying of loo rolls...hope that's not for the same reason people have suddenly discovered hand wash!!
A doctor actually had to go online and give advise that bar soap and even washing up liquid could be used if necessary...I mean who on earth needs to be told that?! Does common sense no longer exist?

So sorry to hear about the business plan MRS LW , you sound very pragmatic about it. At least MR LW knows he tried and isn't left wondering  'what ifs' (i assume it wasn't the same kind of business plan my grandad and nephew had to open a pharmacy,  my grandads dream, somehow he ended up with all the risk on him. Would've likely been a really godd business had the not chosen to open opposite a ruddy great Boots store!) 

Nothing xmassy happening here either. Trying to focus on the rest of the year a bit more atm.

princesskitty29

Wow what a very surreal time we are living in, you just can’t believe how much havoc a virus can cause. Up until a week ago I very much felt like we just have to carry on as normal, but now just a week later I feel very differently. I’m not going out much unless I have to, i.e. to take Wiggle to school or nip into Tesco for some food as I worry about Squeak as he has a weak chest. I know it’s meant to be mild in children but he gets an awful cough and breathing difficulties with just a common cold so I want to do what I can. Of course it’s impossible to avoid anything as Wiggle is at school with a couple of hundred children every day! I feel a bit sad as we’re not going to visit my parents anymore, so I won’t see my mum for her birthday or Mother’s Day. My dad is in his 70’s and in poor health and my mum has asthma so I just don’t want to risk anything, how do I know I’m not one of those people that has got it but has no symptoms? We had Nadine Dorries in our small town a couple of days before her symptoms came out as she’s our MP! Anyway I’m not quite as hysterical as I sound, just dumping my thoughts on here. It’s a bit frustrating about the panic buying though, I refused to panic buy but I’m paying the price now with not being able to get hold of things. I have however booked my online delivery slots as far in advance as I can as I imagine a lot more people are going to start shopping online.

 

In other news I was all set to start my ‘Christmas Cottage’ cross stitch but then found several unfinished pieces!  So I’m going to try and work my way through them first. Has anyone else got any craft projects on the go at the moment? I love hearing about them.

 

Peppa we should start a ‘bring back the ‘emoji’s’ campaign! 

 

vulpix I’m sorry to hear the business plan didn’t work out, especially after the effort and money you put into it. I’m glad your DH has found something he enjoys doing though.

 

Redrobin it’s great your DH knows what he wants to do, fingers crossed he can do it.

 

kerri that’s really frustrating about not getting the forum on the ipad, you’d think it would be accessible on all devices as so many people use it.

Redredrobin

Reading that some can’t get onto the site on iPads I have the opposite issue I can only get on via my iPad/iPhone .

we have one staff member off work as he’s developed flu symptoms but no idea if it’s regular flu or this virus . My workplace is a very dusty environment to start with so coughing is a normal occurrence but shoppers reactions have certainly changed .

Anyone had their holidays cancelled yet ? My niece was due to go to Poland on Tuesday but obviously it’s now not happening and my parents have been told their May holiday to Tenerife is not definitely on but will get more information nearer the time .

I found out where to write for signed photos for Casualty actors told Dd her response was “ you would do that for me ?” Haha not sure who she thinks does all the other stuff that magical gets done .

squishylove1989

Hi All, 
Haven't really been joining in much, but with all that's going on the world I felt I needed to take my mind off things. Both hubby and I are classed as at-risk but also our other worry is my mother-in-law who has cancer (as well as loads of other health conditions) and they live in the USA (we live here in the UK), so should anything happen, with the travel ban we would be unable to get back and support them if needed. I'm sure many people are in similar positions though. Can just do what we can. 

Anyway, back to the Christmas chat, I always say I'm going to be more prepared and more often than not I do ok (always have wrapping paper stocked etc) but would like to do better this year as our income has been decreased by quite a lot. I also want to make more of my Christmas gifts. 

I'd love advice and suggestions about what Christmas bits I could be stocking up on now (especially stocking filler ideas for adults as would like to do my parents, siblings, Godparents and best friend a stocking each) or items that would make great homemade gifts. I'll be making the stockings myself, and am thinking about sewing up some Santa sacks to present the rest of the gifts in to each recipient, rather than gift bags. I'm going to do some homemade food items but any suggestions and recommendations on how long things keep would be fab. I'm new to sewing but would really like to learn this year, I crochet and cross-stitch a lot but would like to do more with my cross-stitch than just framing it, so any ideas would be great! 

I don't know if you can share pictures on here but would love to see things that people have made as well for inspiration if possible. 

Sorry for the long post, but looking forward to responses.

kerri_gt

My OH was flying north of the border yesterday to meet up with his brother and friends and supposed to be flying to Majorca today for BIL stag do..to watch a football match to start a few days away, thay was obv already called off...they were supposed to be flying with Jet2...also called off....they rebooked their plans to go to Ireland on Tuesday...and we now know the pubs are all closed there now. Looks like they won't be going anywhere. 

Feel so bad for BIL, he's the kind of person who will do everything for anyone. Still he won't forget this stag do and they're all making the best of it for him. Now hoping the wedding will be able to go ahead....at least it should be less than 100 guests.

Still, if we end up in lockdown perhaps I'll get ahead on my xmas  cards!

Peppapig

PRINCESSKITTY I’m the same, a week or so ago I was getting cross about all the hype and now I’m actually quite stressed. DH has heart failure among other things so I’m really worried I might contract it and pass it on to him (after all I can’t isolate myself from him when we live in the same house) but I’m also worried about my mum who is 85 and now in a nursing home with Alzheimer’s and she’s also unable to self mobilise. Isolating in your own home is one thing but with the talk now of care homes potentially being in lockdown for weeks or months I don’t know how we’ll get by. Her mental condition prevents her from using a telephone, reading a magazine or even changing the tv channel but she’s still perfectly aware of us visiting even if she does forget once we’ve gone.  My sister and I visit on alternate days for five or six hours and the staff all know how agitated she gets if she forgets we’re coming or thinks we’re late. I just don’t think she’ll cope if we don’t go. I’m just hoping it doesn’t happen even though I know it probably will.

KERRI that’s rotten for your BIL, I think a lot of people are going to be in the same position before long. 

REDREDROBIN DD1 and the DGSs are due to fly to Qatar to stay with family in April but we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

SQUISHY I’m the last person to advise on food gifts (I’m truly rubbish at everything to do with food except eating it which I excel at) but I think making stockings is a great idea and I’m all for hand made gifts. Last January I decided I’d make little needle felted dogs as Christmas tree decs for my sister and by the end of February I’d made one and a half. Actually just over a year later I’ve still only made one and a half. Maybe this will be my year lol.

vulpix

Haha Peppa you are funny.
We did at one time do a Christmas craft each month then post a pic of it but it sort of fizzled out,perhaps we should revive it starting with needle felted dogs!
I am the same,gone from not to fussed about the hype to quite concerned.My daughters job in a pub,what happens if it's closed ,how does she pay her rent.My 86 year old Mum,my nephews wedding,My friends son's wedding in Greece where everyone has booked air tickets,My sons job as a teacher,all his pupils due to sit exams,the list is endless.Everyone is in the same boat. We need to ramp up the chat as a distraction.
Squishy,how about cross stitch gift tags,I made some 20 years ago and we still use them.Also still put out cross stitch cards my Mum made 20 years ago. Of course we have our very own Christmas cake expert on here in Getting there quickly.I think you could make cakes them well ahead of Christmas. I usually make chocolate slabs as gifts and have made limoncello and flavoured vodka in the past,oh also a nice ginger cake which gets better with age. I always think I will make bath salts but never do.Everyone i know takes a shower anyway.
Take care all Vx

kerri_gt

I think a whole lot of the situation is that everyone needs to be rational and sensible Vulpix.
All the advise about hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, binning tissues, staying home if you feel unwell - these are all things we should do as basic hygiene and manners yet to some people it's like they're being taught a whole new language. Panic buying needs to stop - supply chains can still function and are still functioning, stocks are planned months and months in advance so the only reason we're seeing bare shelves is the artificial uptick in demand the herd mentality has created means that the final leg of the supply chain is fractured because stocks haven't been moved into distribution to match that demand. We're also so used to having so much choice (who actually needs to choose from 50 brands / types of baked beans) that seeing gaps on shelves freaks people out.
I was reading some social media yesterday afternoon and needed to stop on my way home to get milk - thinking that I was going to be faced with a local supermarket like Armageddon. Nope - aside from the lack of toilet roll (one old lady had been in three times to try and get some - I even offered to go home and get her a couple of my rolls but she said she still had a couple) and fresh bakery (usual by the evening) and a slight shortage on beers and special offer crisps (because us brits clearly know the essentials  ) there was still plenty on the shelves in reality. But that doesn't sell papers or stir up media reaction so we get fed all the extreme stories instead. 

vulpix

Well said Kerri,you should be writing the media reports. Mr V went to Aldi yesterday and the till queue was to the back of the shop.The assistant told Mr V that they get a delivery every day and tomorrows goods were already in the store roomThere is no shortage of supply of food.It is a worry though for all those people who cannot work because their place of work has closed but they are not ill.I hope they will be able to claim unemployment benefit.
It's a beautiful day here,a spot of gardening for me I think.
Vx

Gettingtherequickly

Kerri, I couldn't get the forum on my iPad either. Contacted the helpdesk, turns out that it is only working on the most recent software update and I couldn't update mine. Cost me a new iPad, I have known for a while that I probably needed to get a new one as mine is very old, so needs must.

Like everyone else, this virus is getting on my nerves, it is the uncertainty, other that washing hands, about what we should be doing. We are struggling at work to source masks, which we have to buy for the guys on site for their protection, but because of panic buying of them unnecessarily, we can't get any under our duty of care.

Christmas wise, managed to start attacking my spare room yesterday and found a load of things I had mislaid for last Christmas, so will start my list for this one. Bonus, clearing room, reducing waste and ahead of the game for Christmas 20!