A Jolly Holly Christmas - It's the 2022 Christmas Chatter Thread!

princesskitty29

Hi all, I hope everyone is doing ok? It sounds like Christmas planning is still in full swing! I’ve had a busy few weeks as it’s been DS2’s birthday so we had a party one weekend, then his actual birthday and a trip to the Space Centre on Sunday. On Friday – the hottest day of the year – I ended up spending the entire day in hospital with him. Ever since he was tiny whenever he gets a cold he gets a terrible cough and laboured breathing, we’ve been to the doctors a few times over the years but nothing ever came of it. His breathing was particularly bad on Friday morning so we left the house at 9:30am to go to a walk in centre, they said his oxygen levels were too low so we were sent to children’s A&E and then onto the children’s ward, we got home at 9pm! I had no idea the day was going to go like that. Thankfully with a nebuliser, an inhaler and some steroids he improved greatly and by Sunday, his actual birthday, we were able to go to the Space Centre which we all thoroughly enjoyed. Our ticket was automatically upgraded to a years pass so we will definitely visit again!

The only thing I have done for Christmas lately is buy my mum a sudoku book from Poundland. She does sudoku every day so I always get her one for Christmas and birthdays. It’s DS1’s birthday in August which I need to get planning for and then after that I can get really stuck into my Christmas planning!

Treasurequeen I quite often make paper chains with the children when we have celebrations, it’s so easy and cheap to do and they really enjoy it. It’s lovely when you do something that has a lovely memory attached to it. Thank you for the Christmas book list!

Spendless those goody bags sound great, I’m coming for a sleepover at your house!

Coxy oh it is upsetting when you put in so much effort and it isn’t appreciated, I feel for you. Not on the same level but I remember when my Grandma turned 80 I had a brilliant brainwave to adopt a dog for her through Dogs Trust (kind of like sponsoring a dog not actually getting one), she had lost her dog a few years before and couldn’t have another one so I thought it would be lovely to do this and she’d get updates on a dog she’d sponsored. I was so excited to give it to her and it wasn’t cheap either, but barely an acknowledgement when she opened it! I was so disappointed.

Coxy11

Breaking news.... DMum finally called me last night - haven't heard a peep since 12 June!

Beshki

I noticed the ‘man cave’ face washes etc are on and off offer on 4mazon at the moment. I have added a couple of half priced goods to my basket, and will order when I am paid as these will be useful to make up a mini hamper or two come Christmas. Vegan, cruelty free etc & ethically packaged. Also ordered OH a book, and I think that will be all for this month as the £££ are very stretched currently!

princesskitty29

Better get organised! 

sammy_kaye18

Hello all

Room for another little Christmas prepper? 

I have had a bit of a wonky start to the year with losing a grandmother and two friends to different illnesses (heart failure for one and Acute Myeloid Leukaemia for the other at only 34) in the space of about 3 weeks so it was a long haul of negative energy and put a downer on Christmas and then between both parents getting covid and losing our elderly dog and all the usual fun that family life brings , I am just about now trying to turn my attention to Christmas - and especially with the cost of living and price rises at the minute - Im glad Im a prepper and have the fore thought to start it now. 

I have cleared out my Narnia cupboard upstairs and found out a load of Christmas bits which I am thinking I might make into a few other items etc. 

Also started to make a list and start looking at bits and pieces to give and get for people. Im also signed up for an amazon offers page that sends me deals to my phone along with any freebies and glitches that happen. 

I am hoping this year to make several gifts and to give more practical gifts that will actually be used.

@Treasurequeen one of my favourite memories is sitting and making paper chains with my sister when we were little to decorate our basement / playroom! Still love doing it now with my kids. 

@princesskitty29 I hope your son is ok. My 3 yo niece had a scare last night and ended up in A&E she has asthma but they think she now has sleep apnea due to her adenoids and tonsils so she will be having them out asap. 
Also my birthday is July 17th if I could please be added to the birthday list. 

Christmas prep wise I have started making a list of ideas for people. 
I have a list of food in my head which I will sit and think about a bit more later to fine tune. 
I have started to get a few small gifts  mainly slip on slippers etc but I will see what else came out of the narnia cupboard as Im sure theres more in there I can regift. 

Also cross stitching some christmas cards so will give them as gifts to a few people too. 

Time to really make a focus of it and start prepping. 

princesskitty29

Coxy I hope the call with DMum went well!

Beshki it really does help buying little bits during the year like this even when money is a bit tight, it is such a Godsend come Christmas time.

Good to see you sammy_kaye! I am so sorry to hear about your losses, what a torrid time for you.  It is so hard to lose anyone but especially hard when they had so much life ahead of them. I can only imagine how it’s been for you especially with trying to get through family life every day, I hope you’re looking after yourself. It sounds like you’ve found a few gems in your Narnia cupboard (love that name), it’s always satisfying to find things of good use! Just in case it helps there is a list of food items at the start of this thread that was put together ages ago by some of the old crew on here. I always say I’m going to cross stitch my Christmas cards but I’ve always got a big project on the go that I want to finish, so this year it’s ‘Christmas Cottage’ by John Clayton, I’d love to have it finished by this Christmas but it might be a tall order with the amount of time I can actually dedicate to it! I hope your niece is ok and that the op goes well, hopefully that will help her. We’ve got a follow up GP appointment on Tuesday so I’m going to discuss an asthma test for my DS then, DH has asthma and DS has always struggled so we shall see! I will add your birthday to the list. 😊

princesskitty29

GTQ I hope you are ok and looking after yourself, thinking of you.

mandco I know life's busy but hope you're ok too.

Spendless

My Mum is currently on hol abroad, always a sun worshipper, after having had skin cancer last year she was staying out of it as much as possible. It  meant she went for her first spray tan before going, beautician told her to moisturise first.  As she's also waiting for a hip replacement, that proved difficult in her being able to twist to get to her leg where she's had Cancerous cells removed  which is also a very dry area. Having a google for ideas I came across this. 

 https://www.thisworks.com/products/skin-deep-dry-leg-oil-limited-edition-50ml

The usual full size one is £44 - gulp! This is a limited edition travel size (perfect for Mum to see if she gets on with it) for £15 and finding a 10% voucher knocked it down to £13.50

Redredrobin

Its been a while but im hoping to be on here a little more regularly from now

In the past couple of months i have had my car written off by a drugged up male in a police chase and we have got a new fur baby , a little Shih tzu/ Bichon cross who is a little pocket rocket demon called Leia.

Christmas wise i have bought a few bits mainly for Dd's lucky dip advent .

I will try and read back pocket rocket permitting 

sammy_kaye18

princesskitty29 said:

Good to see you sammy_kaye! I am so sorry to hear about your losses, what a torrid time for you.  It is so hard to lose anyone but especially hard when they had so much life ahead of them. I can only imagine how it’s been for you especially with trying to get through family life every day, I hope you’re looking after yourself. It sounds like you’ve found a few gems in your Narnia cupboard (love that name), it’s always satisfying to find things of good use! Just in case it helps there is a list of food items at the start of this thread that was put together ages ago by some of the old crew on here. I always say I’m going to cross stitch my Christmas cards but I’ve always got a big project on the go that I want to finish, so this year it’s ‘Christmas Cottage’ by John Clayton, I’d love to have it finished by this Christmas but it might be a tall order with the amount of time I can actually dedicate to it! I hope your niece is ok and that the op goes well, hopefully that will help her. We’ve got a follow up GP appointment on Tuesday so I’m going to discuss an asthma test for my DS then, DH has asthma and DS has always struggled so we shall see! I will add your birthday to the list. 😊

Oh I will have to have a look at the John Clayton Christmas Cottage - it sounds lovely. 
I do have so many crafts to get done and some are Christmas specific so I will have plenty to keep me busy and focused. 

Yes it was a hard time at Christmas but they were all such characters that remembering them and their memories was looked back with such fondness and brought a smile to our faces. 
This year we have lost our elderly dog Mabel though and it has been hard with us missing her so I want to try and make something for her to have her included in our day but I am not sure quite what yet. 

I do keep toying with the idea of buying a cricut machine but I think I will just get myself in trouble craft wise tbh and will end up with so many more projects that it might drive my husband nuts!