NST December 2023 The Most Wonderful Time Of the Year?

wishus

Sorry for the absence, I've been mad busy. Today, like @laura_lau I'm on NSD #17. That has helped so much, though I've blown budget in groceries and present buying and had to dip into my next year's holiday and house repairs money slightly. Food this Christmas was expensive. We had an extra person invited along who has had a rough year and we wanted to help make it special for them, and we did, so that's good.

My travel plans next year don't include any exotic locales, just Glasgow, Chester, Great Yarmouth, and Cornwall. Not the original plan, but priorities...

I'm determined not to go to the shops again for any food until January, and definitely have enough mince pies to last until then. I just cashed in my Q transactions and got them back in Sainsbob vouchers, which are worth an extra couple of quid if you get the cashback as vouchers rather than money. After a year of not much the haul this time was £39, mainly from travel, so that should come in handy. I also have a book voucher from doing the Future Health survey, should I feel I need a retail fix. *eyes teetering TBR pile of books*

My Christmas was awesome. I loved the Doctor Who episode (don't mind the singing) and playing silly board games on the day was great fun. OH did all the cooking, it was delicious, and he didn't make much mess so it took me less than an hour to wash up (one year it was 3.5, but the taste to mess ratio is definitely not a thing, he has proved that now, because it was so yum!). We had chicken and beef with sausage and cranberry stuffing, parsnips, carrots, sprouts, roast spuds, and red wine gravy. I managed to have a second dinner on boxing day, followed by ramen with the chicken the next day (made the noodles myself). I only just cooked the ham, so we had a bit of that on some pizza last night. We have another packet of sausage meat, so OH has requested burgers tonight (I'd have gone for meatballs myself... I think there may actually be enough for both). Doing potato and leek soup for lunch, made with the ham cooking liquid.

The post-holiday declutter has already begun in earnest. I have put boots, t-shirts, and curtains on an auction site, and OH took 2 full bags of ill-fitting clothes to the clothes bin at a supermarket car park for charity. We have another box for charity including more clothes, computer mice, fiction books and cookery books, waiting to go. A toast rack went into recycling, and a colander in the bin. I also did a make-up declutter and got rid of the smeary reds I no longer wear, and binned the make-up bag, replaced by a red bag I already had that's a bit sturdier. I have advertised some crafting supplies on social media, and have promised some toy stuffing (being collected today) and some blue yarn already. 

Right, I think that's caught up! Merry Christmas everyone!

ditty1234

The Challenge
Well how did I do?

H   Help - you should not take on all the responsibility. 
Well I did and I didn't, for various reasons it's best that way. But I did not invite as many visitors as I wanted to, and yet, it has been a busy 2 weeks. 

E    Empathy - be kind, be sensitive, do what you can
I know it doesn't really count, but we are all doing a cold water swim tomorrow for an animal charity. I did an other very small donation to a local homeless charity. 

M   Magic - it was magic, actually - our little Christmas at home and our being invited to neighbours big family Christmas. That was incredibly nice of them. 

O    Outings and Events need to be budgeted for.
Well I did a running group do and a work do, both were in budget. I went to see ds2 at uni and it was nice, we went for a walk in a country park and had a meaning of life chat. Lovely. Now can't remember what I have done with ds1 - oops.


S   Spend Free Days - This went medium, I have lost count, but have not really gone shopping this last week as fridge was incredibly full, and I still only need vege and milk! And a shop for next week, will do that tomorrow. 

T   Tackle DEBT or build SAVINGS - this is sticky, as I am currently running on a deficit, until work sorts out my pay at the end of January. 

W   Work. - I don't really have lunch or coffee out unless with friends or treating somebody. Might have treated myself once or twice in December. 

O    Only buy food that you and your family love - we had a lovely Christmas dinner, and it is all eaten or in the freezer.

N   This month is NOT just about Christmas. Well I have struggled with my health and energy, so have not been as healthy and as active as I would otherwise. But I add lots of herbs and vege to every meal. And have inserted a few vegetarian meals over the holidays to save on meat and money. 

D   Donate £10 to a food bank or homeless charity. Did small donations.

E   Exercise according to your ability. Weather has not been conductive for this, so sadly I have not exercised hardly at all!

R   Reading, music and candles  have been present and about a third of a puzzle completed so far!

F    FOOD plan ahead - I have cheated and made lots of things from scratch, now need to determine what to do with 3 vanilla beans! Only potential food waste so far. 

U   You need to set all  budgets before the start of the month this is my most troublesome bit, I really don't seem to be able to budget or stick to a budget very well! January will be a fresh start. 

L   Look at where you can cut back and make notes for next year - Staying at home was my massive cutback this year and I have saved £4-600 but that is also money I don't have anyways. And I will be doing a fair amount of travelling in the coming year.

T   Traditions - start your own - I bought a charity puzzlel to do this year, that is my new holiday tradition. 

I    Illness - self-inflicted, the usual bugs, exhaustion. I will be reviewing and reducing my self obstructive behaviour like staying up all night drinking and making puzzles - from January. 

M   Plan- Ds1 has a b'day in January so am trying to plan for that, and do something fun and cheap.

E    Even the smallest children can handle some tasks - don't have that problem :-)

O   One good deed is all that I require. Sometimes my good deeds is keeping my young men going. Which is a limited deed indeed in the big picture. 
F    Five achievements done during the year, 
- got an arts grant
- did some art
- got a residency
- kept my job
- kept the heat on

T    Think ahead -   Yes bos :-)
H   Habits continue or review   looking mainly at sleep and food habits. 
E   Everyone has leftovers - just had a left overs dinner and am boycotting buying bread until the freezer is empty.

Y    You can CHOOSE what type of Christmas you have.  Small is lovely.
E     Everyone deserves love - yes
A    Always practice gratitude 
R    Refurbished An addition to our 5 'Rs'. Ds2 dragged me off to the skip this afternoon. A few bits moved on. 

That's about it, that was my December, it has been a good one, bring on 2024, a lot of us are ready for it. 

ditty1234

Grandmanerd thank you so much for being the Festive host :-)

f0xh0les

ditty1234 said:
F    FOOD plan ahead - I have cheated and made lots of things from scratch, now need to determine what to do with 3 vanilla beans! Only potential food waste so far.

I can only think of putting them in a jar with sugar and making your own vanilla sugar for posh coffee or baking,  or in a jar with vodka for vanilla vodka, or first in the sugar jar, and then in the vodka - 2 for 1!

DawnW

@ditty1234 you can simply put your vanilla pods into a jar of sugar to make lovely vanilla sugar for baking. Label it though, as it would be very strange in tea!

DawnW

I have completely lost track of NSDs. Today wasn't one, as I did a small supermarket shop. Also bought beer for OH, a jumper for me in the sale and some bits for my brother. Used a money off voucher.

I am determined to buy less food going forward. I seem to be forever struggling to use things up, or get them into the freezer before they go off, indicating that I buy too much to start with. This also I think encourages us to eat too much. We both need to lose weight. The freezer is full, so I should be able to save some money on shopping during the first month or two of the New Year. Further freezer tetris will be needed tomorrow however, as I have braised a large red cabbage (from cheap supermarket Xmas veg offers, which I didn't get to use over Christmas) with apple and onion. All packed into freezer trays and in the fridge for now.

f0xh0les

Got lots of painting done, but did not manage to mull my pears. Oh well, there is always tomorrow! 

I did manage to roast a butternut squash for a Thai coconut butternut squash soup for lunch tomorrow - only one person refused my brown lentil soup today - it was delicious.

Caulked some ceiling joints, cleared up after myself, did a small shop for tomorrow's job list, but did not spend any of my actual own physical money.  

Tomorrow should hopefully be payday, and I need to complete the car Insurances this weekend, I have quotes, I just need to pick one.  Then I will know how much money I will have to start 2024.

ldee2111

Life has been so beautifully busy this month with lovely times spent with family and close friends. I am now shattered and in need of a break - hah! 

My head is already in wrapping up the year mode with reconciling budgets, sorting next year’s and clearing out Christmas and other clutter. Took a huge bag of donations to the charity shop today, so huge that the bag handle burst and I had to drag it in through the door of the shop and up to the counter. Lots of lovely stuff which I tried selling on V!ntD without success. But it was time for them to go. 

Looking forward to the New Year, it always feels like a fresh start for me. It’s like getting a new note pad and stationary set. 

Grateful today for a lie-in, for clearing clutter, for homemade chicken ramen, and for good times with family and friends.

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for dc and dh going to town together, for getting to the gym, for dc enjoying the afternoon with a friend, for deep discussions with dc, for giggles with my cousins.

abundant1972

Good Evening! 🌖

Sorry I haven't been as plugged in this month. It's been a strange month and feel like the sands are shifting around me constantly. It isn't bad - just the unknown. So I'm trying to stay open to possibilities and new adventures. Had a lovely day today - gym, breathwork class, some nice food and a chill. With family tomorrow then on my own for NYE/NY which I enjoy. 

Today I am grateful for:

1) My little home and security
2) Ability to exercise and look after myself
3) New connections

Today = NSD number 12

x