Christmas Prep - how's it going?

GC's gifts are bought but not wrapped, nobody else gets a gift.

IT was force 10 in the bay last time I did it. We diverted from Lisbon to Vigo as the waves were to high to let us get into Lisbon. For some reason the captain ( cunard's only lady driver) was worried about grounding the keel in the wave troughs.

Some of the e-shopping is done, a couple of GSs still to buy for. Why do people complicate matters by having birthdays in December? Tickets for journeys to and from DSs have been bought. Tiny tree already up because I had a visitor at the weekend. Some cards done and distributed locally; e-cards still to do and goodness-knows how many to be posted. Tomorrow I might be organised.

mañana

Really organised at first, then hit a lull which I am in the midst of at the moment

Presents all bought, presents wrapped none
Cards all written, cards posted none
Most of non perishable goodies bought
Lots of things in the freezer
Decs out the loft and being done this weekend.
I'm feeling good about all that but still feel ba humbug.

We had one of those too, Galen. Southampton had actually closed and our P&o ship,just rode it out in the Bay. We looked around at breakfast and were surprised to see nobody else there! The crew were fed up because they had flights booked to the Phillipines and would miss the. Felt so sorry for them. Quite an experience.

All the presents are bought, none wrapped yet. Cards all sent, and I have started on the decorations. Christmas cruet set is being used! Here's an example.

I am steeling myself to write the cards.......hate that job.
Got most of presents and wrapped

Not sure what to get tomboy ten year old who has no interest in clothes or usual stereotype stuff. Wants Lego but we have so much. Any ideas?

( Garden showing my new saxifrage in full flower a bit confusing.)

Yippee - I've done it! - last Christmas present bought!!

Still got my son's to sort out. But I've only just dealt with his birthday!

Presents sorted out weeks ago and given to darling daughter for dgds.
As the little darlings are coming this weekend I've got the incredible Gary ( what would I do without that boy?) to get out my old fibre optic tree. I'll sort it tomorrow.
He's also put the fairy lights around the grapevine pergola in my front courtyard. Looks very pretty.

The unreplaceable Gary

I hope he knows just how well known he is and greatly admired. We all want a Gary.

Have written five cards and wrapped nothing, but it is all to hand now. Our decs will be going up this weekend when GS comes to stay and he is christmas tree decorating helper in chief, so can't do it without him! I am having a baking day tommorrow, so mince pies for the freezer, and gingerbread to construct a house from. I bought a kit last year and the gingerbread was horrible, but GS really enjoyed putting it together. I don't look as if i'm enjoying it much though! Talk about Mrs Grim!

Aha! Where did my photo go???? It was there in the preview!

Here it is!

Was about to start writing cards when I discovered posting them was going to cost £30. We've just moved house so that's my excuse. I shall make some little puddings and a cake though, and enjoy my granddaughter's visit, over from America for her 10th birthday.

I'm quite well ahead with cards, presents and wrapping but it's the catering I dread. I'm no Jamie or Nigella, and we have a few fussy (mostly for medical reasons) eaters in the family, so it is all very difficult. If it wasn't for the cooking I would be quite happy as I do love seeing the family and I don't mind the bed changing and the subsequent laundry. I just wish they'd all bring their own pic-nics!

Love Christmas, always have, always will but I hate hassle and panic and avoid it at all costs.

As I have been organising Christmas for nearly 50 years I have a written plan which I flash up on the computer around the mid-October; check through and revise and then follow through; pudding. cake, mincemeat etc cooked at one a week from early November. Cards were ordered when I checked the list. We go to a farm shop to get the tree on Friday, followed by a special lunch at a very nice pub nearby. I will do the decorating gradually over the next week. Presents mainly sorted, so much easier now everything can be ordered online. Trudging round the shops buying presents was the one bit of Christmas I hated.

I decided many years ago to try not to over cater at Christmas. I cook one meal a day, have plenty of bread, cheese and salad goods in the fridge and freezer and for all other meals people fossick for themselves. I do not bother with nibbles, chocolates, nuts, dates etc. Meals are large and when the holiday ended I used to be stuck with nuts, dates, half eaten packets of crisps and boxes of chocolates, opened and sampled, but no more. Fine tuning the catering and reducing it to necessary minimum, has been a great hassle reducer, as has being able to cook a lot of meals in advance and shove them in the freezer.

I like your last para, MOnica and entirely agree with you. I always worry about tea on Christmas Day, buy in loads of stuff, make mince pies and cup cakes and so on, and then find no-one is very hungry. DH hates waste and complains bitterly if we are left with a lot of food when they've all gone home.

I`ve got a few food items in the fridge and freezer, most presents are bought or ordered, fingers crossed they all arrive in time. Most of the cards are written, nothing wrapped yet, starting at the weekend. The tree is planned to go up on Saturday, when daughter`s birthday cards come down, that`s the same every year.
I used to invite the family round over Christmas, did a buffet, but it got so we didn`t have room for everyone at once, and had to do it 3 times, I used to get terribly stressed about not being ready in time, not enough food, etc., so last year I didn`t do anything, and same again this year, and it`s such a relief not to be doing it!

Presents wrapped, cards written (other than the 3 DH is responsible for ). Minimal decorations installed. All very quiet now! Few food worries as the children are feeding us Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Just one pudding to produce. First time for many years without major cooking. It feels odd. Think I could get used to it

All cards written and posted.
All presents wrapped.

No food shopping done at all. We shall have 3 guests including dgs for five days also unexpectedly their two Labradors !!
All of us go to dil for dinner and I take a pot of soup and possibly the .trifle.
Dil will have 12 for dinner and others who will call after. It then becomes a party and eventually DH and myself will go home to peace and quiet, likely taking dgc with us who is only 11 months. Our house guests we can follow when they are partied out.
Nothing is arranged for Boxing Day. I'm cooking a stuffed farm fresh Turkey crown with salad and nice breads....possibly home made potato salad......a bit help yourself style for 4 of us adults + any drop ins. Will have mince pies and possibly a M & S cake and delish shortbread.

I'll order a shop home delivery for 22nd and pick up other bits and Bobs of the treat sort.

Lasagne in freezer together with a cottage pie should cover just about everything else. And there are always the loyal omelettes for backup.

I was doing really well until I came down with flu!