A Very MSE Advent 2025

Blackcats

@weenancyinAmerica - your sister has an amazing amount of trees and I love that they are themed.  Could you post a photo of one of them?  Patriotic tree sounds great.

PennysIntoPounds

Oh my giddy aunt @weenancyinAmerica, 23 trees including 13 full size ones?! Please tell your sister she is living both the house size and Christmas decorations dream.
I say dream, I had enough of a stress choosing, paying for, decorating, and being fell upon by, our one tree so good luck to her (and you) 😁🥂

Cherryfudge

I seem to have fallen off the wagon regarding my Advent resolutions - more has gone into the freezer than came out, and I've neglected the perfumes, though I did remember to use a hair conditioner that's been sitting round too long. Not 'use up', but at least 'use'.

However... yesterday I managed to buy a few small presents and stayed in town to watch the tractor run. The publicised time turned out to be when stalls opened so I stayed another hour and saw some of the actual tractors, covered in lights and often with attendant Father Christmases, etc. It was quite festive and the kids were enjoying it, but I was cold and didn't hang around once the procession seemed to be grinding to a halt. Anyway, I saw it, which is what I wanted to do.

Today I took the pre-school class at church so it was all about Mary and the Angel - I had cardboard cut-outs to enact the story then the children coloured in their own little 'puppets', which was more of a success than I'd hoped for though one angel was neon green and another was inky black. Interesting. I wonder if any of those will grace family trees in years to come?

I wore Christmas socks and a Christmas scrunchie.

KajiKita

I have begun an important-to-me OAT.
My gardening fleece and trousers are swishing about in the washing machine - they really needed it after this weekend! So they will be fresh and usable again (if still scruffy) come the next dry daylight hours, Friday afternoon onwards

KK

Suffolk_lass

KajiKita said:

I have begun an important-to-me OAT.
My gardening fleece and trousers are swishing about in the washing machine - they really needed it after this weekend! So they will be fresh and usable again (if still scruffy) come the next dry daylight hours, Friday afternoon onwards

KK

Ooh, you've inspired me to get the old (cream padded nylon) barbour gardening jacket with the zip that doesn't stay up - and stick it in when I wash the cat bedding later. It must be two years since I washed it!

It is car writing for me today, and Mr Sl is moving my honey stash into the motorhome (it has a greenhouse heater in there as a damp precaution) so we have room for the tree to go up (tomorrow). 

And I have invited the two couples in our village, who stepped in and dog sat when Mr Sl was in hospital (so that I could visit him without kids having to come absolutely every day) - for drinks and nibbles next Monday - I'm going for cocktails and canapés with a little festive twist; in the sure and certain knowledge that they can walk home afterwards. Just a little thank you, we have not forgotten your kindness! - So I am planning that to keep me occupied (and postpose card writing in the best avoidance technique possible). Given how much I avoid card writing until a deadline looms (2nd class post deadline is Wednesday), I am surprised how much I resent receiving electronic messages and cards.

Oh, and when Royal Mail deliver your parcel, and you are invited to review it, if the same permie-postie gets five star reviews four days running, they may receive a £25 bonus. Our son is a postie and got this last week. Neither he nor we knew this, so sharing here, in case any of you want to spread a little happiness. I may have to pop this on our Village FB page!

EssexHebridean

Morning all - happy last full week before christmas! 

I had a great excuse to dig out jewellery for my Aunt's funeral on Thursday, and found the bracelet she and my Uncle gave me for my 18th so that was perfect! Teamed with a necklace with a little amber drop in a silver mount and on the finest silver chain imaginable - SO pretty!  

Friday was a beer festival with sparkly Christmas tree earrings.  Saturday was a low-key day of doing very little, although I did treat myself to a pile of charity shop books! Yesterday we went to a (very) local (but relatively speaking, not that useful) farmers market Christmas market, had a nice chat with our lovely bread man and his Mrs, bought lovely bread and cakes from them, then came home and had roast potatoes with houmous and salsa for lunch which I'm well aware is a LUDICROUS lunch but I wanted to check the tatties would roast well ahead of Christmas. (Also - it was roast potatoes and we should make them the centrepiece of a meal more often!) 

The Christmas tree earrings are back on for work this morning - I'll be wearing Christmas earrings each day this week because why not. 

I must remember to go to the bridge where I can see the Shard from tonight to look at the pretty colours too - well reminded, PiP! 

SL that's a great tip about the postmen although I can't remember EV ER being invited to review them. I did review my Et5y purchases this morning though so hopefully that will spread a little festive cheer! 

Wednesday2000

I went to a lovely Soundbath yesterday in a local church. The proceeds went to a local breast cancer charity. I heard about it from the women in my reiki group. It was so relaxing and serene as they had lights on the ceiling and when it ended it had gone dark outside. It felt almost spiritual.

I have quite a busy week with a few things planned to do. I am just doing some decluttering at home today as a local organisation wants donations of coats and scarves. I have just gone through my gloves and scarves box and I have a pair of mittens, a hat and a pair of gloves to donate. I am about to go through my wardrobe upstairs in a minute.

I need to finish my library book today so I will do that after my shower.

I might buy myself a new sparkly necklace tomorrow as I have to go out for a class in the morning so I might stop at a jewellery shop before that.

Wednesday2000

EssexHebridean said:

had roast potatoes with houmous and salsa for lunch which I'm well aware is a LUDICROUS lunch but I wanted to check the tatties would roast well ahead of Christmas. 

That sounds quite nice to me.

EssexHebridean

Wednesday2000 said:

EssexHebridean said:

had roast potatoes with houmous and salsa for lunch which I'm well aware is a LUDICROUS lunch but I wanted to check the tatties would roast well ahead of Christmas. 

That sounds quite nice to me.

It was SO nice!! The potatoes went super-crunchy, and the houmous came out really well as I remembered to drop a tiny bit of the liquid from the tin in with them so it was incredibly creamy. we finished the remainder of it off last night. 

Cheery_Daff

Not feeling particularly festive today after a work-related disappointment, but I did do my candlelit yoga this morning (44 minutes today, a long one!) I've come out to sit in an indoor green space in town for lunch, - a bride and groom are having their wedding pictures taken which is nice, and the church bells just played 'it came upon a midnight clear' (I think that's the name!). Nice and calming on a rainy Monday 😊

Just sat a post somewhere about finding small moments of peace in this busy week and it made me think of the things we're doing here. I can't find it again now, but it suggested things like lingering over the washing up, humming a favourite tune in the shower etc. Nice and simple things 😊