What I will do differently next Christmas

Christmas always used to be lovely at ours with sons and their partners and my Mum and stepdad. Often had daughter in laws family there too. So different now as Mum has passed away (miss her so much!) and stepdad is in his 90's & goes to his family now. Sons have their own homes now & do Christmas there rather than all wanting to come to us so that makes me sad as whole family never seem to get together. We are hugely welcome at either of their homes so that is lovely but I miss the old Christmases. This Christmas DH & I had Christmas on our own which was peaceful and lovely but we have both commented that we probably won't do that again. Miss the family too much. What to do next year? It will be lovely whatever but never the same as it was.

We did see the Pope

Well that's not too bad a Christmas!

I fear I might have gone OTT with some presents e.g. for the DDs' MILs. Because I had bought some "big" presents from L'Occitane, I had the opportunity to buy 3more little make-up bag type wash bags full of travel size products for about half price (about £15 instead on nearly £30) and it seems to have misfired. Nobody sounded very pleased at their present (I would have been!) and I suspect they thought I had set a precedent for a "bigger" present than in previous years I t is so hard to judge it right, I just usually pick something that I think someone will like, not weighing up relative cost etc and if I get a bargain, so much the better! Ah well, home made chutney next year

MammaN that's awful!

Freeze the cheese nelliemoser especially the hard cheese. You will be able to make very superior macaroni cheese/cauliflower cheese/broccoli and blue cheese(it doesn't have to be Stilton) soup and it will not go to waste!

Christmas was unexpectedly lovely this year but I was ready for it to be 'over' days ago, and I'm sick of eating Christmas food in it's various incarnations. Can't wait for tomorrow ie a 'norma'l day.

I agree with the not buying so much food. Apart from that I would not change the Christmas we have just had. Saw both DSs and families, briefly on Chiritmas day. Dinner was DH and I, lovely and relaxed. On Boxing Day everyone came to us.

x

Wilma I agree with th idea of cutting down on the little "oddment" presents.
What I must do is to replan my catering for me and him, (just us on Christmas and boxing day) and only two days when DD and family come.
I am left with mountains of cheese which we do not get an occaision to eat.

It would have helped a lot if OH had not taken it into his head to buy another dozen mince pies and a panatone. We just do not need all this cake and fancy cheese for snacking on.

We did the "away for Christmas" bit several years ago. After years of DH going on about wanting to go away and do something different at Christmas I relented. We gave all the family one full year's notice so they all knew they had to organise something else. We went to Rome. They tried very hard to give us an acceptable Christmas dinner - I wish they hadn't. We did see the Pope but apart from that Rome was basically closed. We didn't have a particularly good time .

Meanwhile, instead of getting on with their own thing DS and DD came home (as usual) and cooked for DMIL and DBIL with elder DD and DSIL arriving later (as usual). The only thing missing was us!

All else being well, the only thing I would do differently is buy fewer 'little extra' gifts. We don't have many to buy for, but despite keeping a list I have trouble resisting buying little extra gifts that I think someone will like. Not only does it add to the cost of Christmas (which is expensive enough), I often end up with too many things for one or two people and end up looking for things to balance it out again. Plus we're supposed to keep to a limit per person, so it's not on really to go too much over that limit.

Otherwise I hope nothing changes to make it necessary to do things differently.

Christmas next year will be the same as this year (God willing)we always do the hosting,for any DC and DGC who want to come, there is Christmas lunch.Because Mr Roses helps out, it usually goes smoothly.I enjoy Christmas at home, wouldn't want to go away.We rarely have much if any food left over, the turkey makes three different meals, biscuits and chocs are eaten and enjoyed.

Next year I won't start shopping early. Despite spreading it over nearly two months, or perhaps because of, I have spent much more than usual, finished up with things I neither wanted nor needed, missed out on some great "week before Christmas" bargains, saw nicer cards than the ones I bought earlier, was done and dusted by 10 days before the big day and yet still felt totally stressed out.
Can't win, can you?

Last Christmas, I was due for a hip replacement on 17th December, so I had everything done by about 15th - cards written, presents wrapped etc. Some of you will remember that the operation was then cancelled. But oh, how nice it was then to sit back....this year was NOT as organised, despite my good fitness levels. So maybe next year I'll start early? (Huh!)

I won't buy chocolate or crisps. No one wanted them and then I'm left eating them. The worst part is, I've not really enjoyed them.

My husband gets heartburn if he eats my truffle torte. Very rich, loaded with double cream and chocolate. Will do some other pud next Christmas.

I'll do nothing different. Serenity Amadores in Gran Canaria was lovely, my sons and grandchildren did exactly what they wanted, and we'll meet up on New Year's day.

My daughter and I have decided to have Christmas Day in our house next year for family, we went out this year for lunch and everyone was disappointed in the food they had (not to mention the cost) Probably because we have several excellent cooks in the family Will have between 12-18 adults and around 5 children if everyone can make it. Luckily I have two large steamers for veg and we will have two ovens (one in daughter's side of house and one in mine) plus two fridge/freezers so fingers crossed! Going for the easy option of a turkey crown, piece of ham and a piece of beef plus a nut roast for the vegetarians!

Ps if I'm still here too

YNK so don't squabble with family!

I won't make two large Christmas cakes.

Better had be!

Fingers crossed. x

You'll still be around, jings #tougholdbird

that's if I'm still here

I've no doubt I will do it all again next year. Just couldn't not. I might not make a Christmas cake. Or just a very small one.

So many of them, JanT8 ? I have just counted and there were three, maybe four people who had family problems in about thirtysix posts - and it didn't sound as though any of them had a me-first agenda. If you want to see that there are other threads where your bracing advice might fit, though it would probably not be welcomed by the recidivists posting on them.