A Very MSE Advent 2025

EssexHebridean

It's something that I think this thread is really valuable for - making us stop and think about the small things that perhaps usually we'd either do on autopilot or not do at all. This time of year can be so frantic for some folk, and even for those of us who don't have lots of social stuff going on - whether through choice or otherwise - it's still a good way of just pausing to take stock a little.

Makingabobor2

This morning I had a Reiki session to set me up for Christmas and exchanged cards and gifts with my lovely therapist/friend. Then met another friend for festive coffee. Bought a book for DH for Christmas from the charity table in the cafe, and am now finally starting to feel festive and not too many things I " have" to do. Mainly normal cleaning, washing, and gift wrapping ( which is only about 4 presents).  So am going to try to watch a festive program every day and also listen to more Christmas music. Need to get my list of Christmas baking sorted and then can get into that towards the end of the week., 

Blackcats

Teabag of the day is Apple and Pear green tea.  Very refreshing and I took the time to just sit and drink it from a pretty mug.  I agree that this thread helps us to extract joy from little things as well as re-discover the lovely things we already have.

i did give myself an MSE advent budget this year and bought myself the snowflake earrings that i keep wearing, some penguin socks, the yank e candle advent calendar and a pair of cheery pyjamas.  Other than the candles everything else was from vin ted and well within my self imposed treat budget.

i am going to relax in the bath later as i have finally decided to use some fancy bubble bath I was given last Christmas.

PennysIntoPounds

Classy light grey cashmere jumper for me today, such an 'I will remain calm and collected in the face of a million things to do' item of clothing.
Paired it with a checked shirt and checked scrunchie as I'm a firm believer in dressing like a lumberjack as often as possible over winter.

Wearing with unusual pearl dangly earrings that I do wear a lot but we're allowed to wear loved things for the joy too 😁
Paired that with a seldom worn pearl ring and stacked that with a gold band.

Vacuumed mum's flat before her Christmas tree was delivered, and managed another listing.

Listings are my always-OATs and I really do need to have a decent session tomorrow to get things listed in time for Christmas gift buyers.

Is anyone up for joining me for an hour's power listing session tomorrow, say 11am?

Blackcats

PIP - I would if I could but I can't 😉.  We are away for a few days - that's a great excuse.
them norf London lumberjacks are proper posh in their cashmere jumpers!

PennysIntoPounds

Haha @Blackcats it was free on olio cos it has one teeny hole in the sleeve. Love the generosity of people with much higher standards than me!

KajiKita

After some back and forthing on a possible time slot (this was the 4th attempt to find one) I finally got an appointment for my blood tests at 4pm this afternoon. 

Nurse was running very punctually to time and even though her face fell in despair at me telling her I had small veins and needed a small needle (she’d had a rotten day), she got it first time - she praised me for being well hydrated! 😊 Flipping hurt mind, but at least it’s done! 😊👏

So I can now forget about blood tests and other such boring health nonsenses and focus on nice, cheerful, Christmas facing things 😊

KK

Rhyddid2026

I'm going to count my glass of ruby ale as my advent joy for today. 

Cherryfudge

I wish I could join in the 11am listing as I'm all inspired by having sold my first item on V1nted. However, I'm going to be out of the house from late morning till tea time on Wednesday, and also the light is so poor for decent photos. It was sunny the other day and I put about five items up, most of which have interest. Whether that's due to the sunshine, I don't know.

Yesterday DH got our Christmas tree down from the loft but it smelled musty so we put it on the lawn to get fresh air. As an added bonus it got heavily rained on, but it now seems to smell okay! It's up but we daren't put lights on till it's dry.

Nothing used from the Forgotten Toiletries department, but I've got my usual favourite scent on now: I reckon that needs using too. A few more frozen berries have come out of the freezer, but a bit mote satsuma peel has gone in. I must have nearly enough for the marmalade, surely, but no time for a couple of days in which to cook.

The Christmas scrunchie has been worn again... the family's Christmas stocking are out of the Christmas textiles drawer but I'm nowhere near packing them. I did give some thought to what else to add to them and came up with a few ideas. No one yet has hand cream, and that's always useful. The 'lads' haven't had hair gel. The 'girls' might like something with a bit of sparkle. Once I've done two days of childcare, I hope to have energy left to go looking for those things!

weenancyinAmerica

Went to two Christmas concerts on Saturday. Then to my sister's to help with the Family Tree - because it has pictures of the family over the last 50 years on it. That was tree number 15 and she has decided that is enough for this year. This is the patriotic tree:


The green box is one of about 50 she uses to store the ornaments. They stay in their own little house until next year.