Frosty the Snowman - it's the 2025 Christmas thread!

mandco

@coxy11 that’s frustrating about the vans good job you checked fingers crossed the replacements come in time. Your doing better then me I still haven’t gotten round to the wrapping yet - I have done some but way behind where I’d hoped yo be by now - no surprise there really 

@Spendless that Vase is very pretty it would make a lovely gift I might buy one myself for next Xmas 
safe travels for dd lovely she’s able to come home in time for Xmas 
hope you’re doing ok Under the circumstances 

most of the Xmas food shopping is done apart from the fresh bits that wouldn’t last long enough yet & the Xmas tree is finally decorated 
 had our spa day this week it was lovely and so relaxing being able to properly stop & just chill without being interrupted which I didn’t realise how much I needed. dropped off all the gifts that needed doing so this week
sdd is coming over Xmas eve with the grandkids to pick up theirs. we’d hoped to drop off at theirs as we do have other things we wanted to do Xmas eve and when they come here they end up staying all day but she guilt tripped oh into it by saying how much the girls want to come to ours .no doubt I’ll end up feeding them too.

can’t believe how quickly this month has flown by just a couple of days to go
  

Spendless

Oh gosh mandco does that mean you're going to have to rearrange/shelf your original Christmas Eve plans? I totally understand grandchildren wanting to visit, but it's not like you're retired grandparents with time on your hands, you still have a full household that you have to take into account. Admittedly Christmas Eve  afternoon  DD is going round my parents and making sausage rolls with my Mum, and I'm using this time to prep veg etc but DD is an adult and my parents  are retired and coming to us for Christmas day dinner so don't have any prep they need to do. 

I worked yesterday now have a run of 4 days off, followed by a shift on boxing day, then the weekend off, then a shift on the Monday and another run of 4 days off. I don't think that's bad for a retail job when I'm getting both Xmas Eve and New Year's Eve off.

DD arrived home safely yesterday, tired due to having a crying baby in the next seat to her on the plane. Later today me and her are going to watch A Christmas Carol, DH is off but I think  his plans are to finish getting the house tidy, though it's pretty much done.

Coxy11

Morning all! Early risers on here. I've been up since 5.30am with a busy brain too!

Annoying about CE @mandco, especially when you have other plans for that day. Definitely check what time SDD and gang are arriving as you might be able to get away with just drinks and a mince pie! 

Glad DD arrived home safely @Spendless and enjoy the film. I'm planning to watch a Christmas film this evening. We Sky+'d a couple yesterday as were out all day.

Replacement Vans should be arriving today. I have a blood donation appointment at 12.55pm and DH and I are shopping for remainder of Christmas food and some regular food shopping at some point. Probably will be afternoon as DH is not an early riser and is still asleep! Lucky him.

We had a trip to the panto on Saturday - it's a family tradition and my Mum's gift to us all. We go to the same small theatre each year and this was by far the worst production we'd seen. Terrible sound quality and absolutely no story line. I guess if you're 5 and you wouldn't be too bothered. Funniest thing is, DD is meeting one of the male dancers for coffee this morning having followed him on IG after the show.

We were at DSis's yesterday and despite not drinking I managed to sing karaoke duets with both my DSis and DD. Absolutely hilarious rendition of Fairytale of NY with DSis taking the male part and really getting into character. Goodness knows what her neighbours thought. 

teabody

Hi all, 
Just here to say hello after perhaps over 10 years of being absent from the boards but I am sat here tonight totally disorganised....lacking in presents to hand out beyond my now teenage boys and feeling deflated...like how did i get to this? Nothing wrapped and still stuff to get with 2 days to go 
I never commented much before but did spend time reading and being much more motivated and inspired as a result of reading yours. It is so nice to see that a few of you from back then are still here and I intend to get back into the MSE way. Lately life has been overwhelming and I intend to get back on track and feel much more in control and organised once more.
So a little thank you from me for the continual running of the thread and inspiring the rest of us and just know I'll be lurking around x

Auti

Hello @teabody - it is good that you have come back and happy that you are lurking I do a lot of that too. I wish you a calm and relaxing Christmas and a good, productive 2026 - overwhelming is left in 2025 now plans and time for you and your boys and, to be fair, is it really necessary to give anyone else presents? 

Make a lovely cup of tea and ask the boys to help with whatever is important and have a giggle together ( they might even like it - mine did after moaning)

x

Coxy11

Hi @teabody xx I would say at this stage, just concentrate on the necessary things. You have gifts for your children, no need to stress about anybody else. So long as there's some nice food for Christmas Day itself, don't worry about anything else. The shops are back open on Boxing Day so just focus on CD xx

I am still waiting for the replacement shoes for DS2. FedEx said they'd be delivering between 9am and 1pm yesterday but then updated to say "before 10pm" then when I looked after dinner it said it would be today before 10pm as parcel had been returned to depot. I know the depot is in the country town and the roadworks around there are hideous as DH has to drive that way for work.

Apart from a blood donor appointment today (thought it was yesterday but realised I'd got the date wrong just before setting off!) I am here. We have also now invited MIL and FIL for late lunch tomorrow. We will cook a gammon in the morning and do potato salad, coleslaw and saladings. Will also crack open the cheese mountain. DS1 and DIL are coming after 8pm as he has a shift at the pizza place, so we have some party nibbles to stick on once they are here.

DH is dropping off gifts for youngest two nephews at SIL's today. She is working but older 18+ children will be there. DH said last night "is there anything for the older ones, like a card etc?" Err no, they live at home and are mentioned (along with their partners) in the card for SIL and BIL. He is really struggling with this. We received a card from them - a packet card - written by a child (def not SIL or BIL's writing) and DS1 included to our house, when he's lived in his own house for 4 years and is married. No mention of DIL on our card. Petty I know but I'm cross about it!!

We posted BIL and SIL's card last week first class. Have not received a card from them and aren't seeing them until 28th.

Have arranged to go with MIL and FIL to a NT place on Saturday. DS2 and DD are out with friends so no point them coming here for food, that's why we invited them tomorrow.  

We are gifting DS1/DIL, DD and DS2 some cash alongside their gifts. We bought nice cards last week in Canterbury and I wrote them out and signed "Mum" and left them open for DH to sign his name....which he did last night....in RED pen! FGS he had one job......

We finished our food shopping in T's yesterday. Had a £5 off a £50 shop. I've started a Second Purse and managed to get some stock items for that too. We did scan and pack and had a spot check at the till of 27 items. Luckily we had some duplicates like bottles of bucks fizz and mixers, however, DH had failed to scan a slab of 24 pepsi max, so the whole trolley had to be unpacked and re-scanned. So embarrassing and did the walk of shame back to the car. Again, DH causing mischief. Have realised I've enabled him over the 35 years we've been together, by doing all the shopping, so he gets really flustered. Cannot tell you the number of times we've used a self service check out and he's packed the items before I've paid, which then sets off the till! 

DD's coffee date with the panto dancer went really well and she went back to meet him after the evening show. He has 3 shows today and tomorrow, off Christmas Day, then 3 shows BD until the run finishes on NYE. He's from a neighbouring county and works on cruise ships for part of the year. Not sure whether it will go anywhere but she was really happy yesterday and said he's lovely. Won't buy a hat just yet.....