It will soon be Christmas :))))))

Morning, I’m a little hyper that today I have turned over all calenders over to December in the office, the decs are up at home, and are going up in the office today, my Christmas ringtones are on, and soon the big man will be coming, I do love Christmas :)) xx

Glad you’re getting it all sorted Ruth. I used to love Xmas but have to say these days I find it a bit too much… But there’s bits of it that I love. I’m not a religious person but I love Xmas carols & always listen to Classic FM this time of year as they play loads of carols. Glad you’re having fun, Pat x

My grandchildren’s presents are all wrapped up ready, not that I am organised, I just cannot cope with all the hustle and bustle wwhen the shops are busy.

I sound like a right ‘old woman’ , sorry.

Pam x

M&S still say they will deliver… by yesterday!

I WILL not stress yet!!!

I have actually got some of my purchases, which is pretty organised for me, usually I would be starting next weekend lol. Largely online means I had to be a bit more ‘on the ball’ :wink:

Sonia x

Want to add that last year my family… mostly adults… decided not to buy for adults and only for the three children in the family. It was great and we all agreed it was the most stress-free and cheapest Xmas we had ever had. So that’s the rule from now on… I have bought my grandson’s present and will send money for my two great nieces… And apart from a few small boxes of choc’s for neighbours… that is my lot!!! Ah except for one old friend but I love this… every year we stick to same plan… We are not allowed to spend more than £10 and it’s not allowed to be new… charity shop or eBay only! That one is great fun and we always manage to find something lovely… I figure this year my whole Xmas will come in under £200… with no debt to pay off and the minimum of stress. It can be done esp after your children have flown the nest. Pat x

I dont know if any of you will be interested in this but if you gomon google and put in portable north pole it takes younto a site, that I do for my grandchildren. Its all free, and if you answer each question, they get an email from Santa which relates to them only.

My grandchildren love it, and Christmas is all about them, so I do it just to see their little faces.

Pam x

Go going straight onto that! Thanks… X

We are the same as you Pat a few years ago we decided just to buy presents for the children and it has taken the pressure off everyone.

We always have everyone round on either christmas day or boxing day, which means this year for the first time ever we will be by ourselves on christmas day. People are asking us if we want to come to them and we have to kindly say no it’s fine (.we are actually looking forward to a quiet, calm day before the invasion comes !)

Pam I’ve just been onto Portable North Pole and it’s so great, I will be having fun composing Emails for the six grandchildren which range in age from 5 days old to 7 years ( they are a big part of what keeps me level-headed and positive.

I am like you Ruth I love christmas, but I am only too aware that for far too many people it is not a happy time, so if you are one of those people take good care of yourselves in the next few weeks.

Judith x

They love it Pat, it comes as a video.

Pam x

Bah Humbug!

Will be off to Australia; they do Christmas in style over there. Imagine, over here, a July/August bank holiday heat-wave weekend, then add lots of booze and a beach with good surf…bliss!

You indoorsy hostessy types enjoy your cold, dark, dank UK “festive” (what an irony!) season!

I’ll post here on 25/12, clutching a cold beer on a beach with a suntan.

Clucker I lived in South Africa for 25 years with hot summer Christmases and don’t think we had the same Christmassy feel. I enjoyed the champagne breakfasts cooked outside but it felt much like any other weekend but with presents otherwise. I love the lights and lit fire (secretly even the cold, but just for Xmas week) here, it definitely makes it feel special. Only my opinion but I am a big kid.

Cath xx

I am a nightmare at Christmas with present buying, I just love finding that perfect present and seeing their faces when they open it, kids and adults a like, I save all year so I can manage it, althogh as I have had to go onto reduced hours to relieve some mid afternoon fatigue next year may be a little different. The kids wrote their Christmas lists last night, so today I will be mainly looking for the stuff they hadnt asked for until last night lol and then I will do the portable north pole vidoes, I’m putting them both on the naughty list in the hope it improves their behaviour so I can re-do it with the good list (cruel to be kind and all that!) For me Christmas starts now, tree, Christmas lists, concerts etc but it will be interesting to see how it pans out this year and how much energy it takes from me, but I seem to have orgainsed the access with my ex so I have a break every couple of days. Clucker, your Christmas sounds like fun and I am sure you enjoy it, Cath a fire and lights always brings home that Christmassy feeling for me too. Has your delivery come yet Sonia? Take care everyone x

Clicker, I have spent Xmas in Australia … 1963 !! … In an immigrant hostel. I remember a new shipload of immigrants arrived Xmas morning and came in the dining room which had white tablecloths and all the places were set and we laughed as they thought it would be like that every day… It was never like that usually. It was an old army barracks and a tip. Can you imagine living in a corrugated tin hut in an Australian summer! The only people worse off than us were the poor Aboriginies who lived in a camp even further out of town than we were. Sorry but I do not have good memories of Australia. One memory is not being allowed to sit near the Australian children in school as they said we had lice. It was a good lesson though… I always feel a great sympathy for the immigrants here as I know how it feels to be an outsider and to be considered less than human. Sorry that got a bit serious… Of course I wish you a lovely visit to Australia and my experience was 50 years ago. Pat x

I still absolutely love Christmas …however I’ve learned to approach it differently! Presents only for my grandchildren…just a few bits and bobs…they all like the cash as their main presents …my son and daughter in law…I mean he’s only 42 and still my baby! And my long suffering husband. All bought on the Internet during the course of the year. Wrapped one at a time…quite stress free. I’ve spent Christmas in Spain , Bermuda and Bali…just not the same for me…made me feel sad! I love the winter…candles…nice fire etc…however I will happily admit that I enjoy it from inside my nice little warm house. Pat, You never cease to surprise me… What an interesting life you’ve led. Sonia, like you I married an angel…does all the cooking…how lucky are we? Take care everyone…8 inches of snow forecast soon! Keep warm, Nina x

Nina, it’s a good feeling to have such support isn’t it. He took my Mum flowers when I was diagnosed as he knew she would be having a bad time :slight_smile:

Anyhoo, text sent to all today and up to 11 confirmed (including us) and 2 dogs (small ones luckily!) and one more reply to come. I’m actually feeling more Christmassy than usual now :wink:

Yes Pat, that’s crazy!

Sonia xxx

I thrive on a) physical warmth and b) natural light. I loathe their opposites.

Is is any surprise that I prefer an Australian, or southern hemisphere, to a UK Christmas? Regardless of any “family” issues!

i am looking forward to xmas this year as i have an 11 month old grandaughter,i have got all her presents online as i cant get out these days,my other half will be cooking the xmas dinner for us all,like he has done for the last few years,and hes a better cook than me,so thats good,he put all the lights and the 7ft tree up last weekend (i helped by tweaking the baubles on the tree, lol)so we are pretty much ready.

J x

Hi Mrs J, how lovely for you this Christmas to have a grandchild, its little ones around that really do make it a lovely time.

Our grandchildren’s presents are all wrapped up ready, love to see their little faces.

Pam x

Hi Pam,

yes i am so excited,its such a special time, christmas with your first grandchild,i feel so lucky.

J x

I am sooooooooooo jealous Clucker Pigeon,its always been a dream of mine to be sat on a beach xmas day, i booked twice to go to the canaries,but had to cancel due to me being too ill to travel,so i dare not book again.have a lovley warm christmas you lucky thing you lol.

J x