Ahead or behind?

All my shopping is online now as I can’t get to the shops easily or walk about if I do.
My family are mostly cash or for close family bank transfer.
That suits me.

Talking to a work colleague the other day, it seems that they usually give Christmas gifts of actual cash, is this a thing now?

Do your families prefer a voucher or money or a wrapped gift?

Do posters set a price on gifts for families and friends or just buy things as they see them?
Do your families have amazon wish lists?
Do you favour online Christmas shopping to take the stress factor away or do you prefer to shop in your High St or shopping mall?

It would.

I’ve done some thinking!

The best Christmas for us all in our household would be to see dear sweet Henry and his mummies and their sausages all warm and cosy in their new home together! 🙏🩵

Fallingstar 💐
I can understand.

Life has been too unpredictable in the past couple of years, and not in a nice way, so have stopped planning ahead with very much at all. Christmas will happen but am not even giving it headspace at the moment.

fancythat

^Who says you ‘just have to get on with things’? Do exactly what you want, and never mind what other people think you should be doing^

Agreed.

Eggzackly - who needs pressure?
That said I have been buying a book of 8x2nd class stamps with my shopping each week 😇😇😇

Like Gingster, I love Christmas but don’t allow myself to start doing anything about it till after Bonfire night. And in the days when I made my own cake and puddings, mine were always as good as anyone else’s.😂

ginny

Not even thinking about it.

Neither am I.

It spreads the cost and stops the need for a 'big shop' in December. The trouble is, I get too pleased with myself when I have a reassuring pile of gifts, so still end up rushing nearer the time.

I am a bit like that myself.
Getting better. Hopefully.
I find I have neglected other things along the way. Which need doing too.

Who says you ‘just have to get on with things’? Do exactly what you want, and never mind what other people think you should be doing

Agreed.

I'm ahead, as I always start bits of shopping in September. It's a throwback to when that was when I went back to work, and would start getting stocking fillers and gifts for the children that I could sneak into the house without their seeing.

It spreads the cost and stops the need for a 'big shop' in December. The trouble is, I get too pleased with myself when I have a reassuring pile of gifts, so still end up rushing nearer the time.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

I’m not a fan. And it’s not going to be the same without Himself here. He loved it. 💙

Last Christmas was so sad we all knew it’d be our last one so younger daughter and son in law hosted a dozen of us. Just because.

I can’t face it this year neither can our daughter so we’ve decided champagne at hers mid afternoon then a curry (which we will book). Our Yorkshire Lass and her husband have spent the last 3 Christmases en famille, again, just because - so I expect this year they’ll either stay home over the Pennines or visit t’other family in Oxford.

I’m not even sure what to do about writing Christmas cards with my name only in them, a much loved twig tree we’ve had for 20+ years will make my cry assembling it on my own so I may not bother. Why press the emotional bruise? I may go to the Trafford Centre and buy a small decorated table top one from John Lewis.

Apologies for bringing the thread down. I realise I just have to get on with things, not overthink and do as much ‘differently’ as I can now. It will never be the same without my Mr Jovial by my side 🎅🏻

Thoughts with others in the same boat as me this year. xx

Who says you ‘just have to get on with things’? Do exactly what you want, and never mind what other people think you should be doing.
Make the time as easy for yourself as you can, you may be surprised at how much you enjoy.

I am ahead. Flights and hotel booked, ‘wee mindings’ for granddaughters bought, as well as the festive envelopes for their dosh, so just grandsons’ mindings to be bought.

We're the 'week before Christmas' variety.

Some presents are bought during the year if I see anything that immediately makes me think of someone. No one abroad this year, thankfully, or that would be another thing done early.

No visitors this year, no puds being made and cake left from last year that just needs icing and a few more feeds.

Other than cards we'll carry on ignoring it until the weekend before Christmas.

Hasn't crossed my mind yet, the tree goes up 1st December for the grandkids,
Then I don't bother till about a week before,all my kids will have their dinner at home with their kids and grandkids, they will visit over the Christmas period ,no pressure on them,usually end up arranging our visitation between themselves, they normally arrange a friendly monopoly and end up fighting it out noisily in the dining room while we watch TV.its fun really not having to host anymore, if any want to come on Christmas day tell me a week before and help with the dinner, that's it,

I loathe Christmas, and dislike this kind of thread.

Yet here I am. My fault.

I’m not a fan. And it’s not going to be the same without Himself here. He loved it. 💙

Last Christmas was so sad we all knew it’d be our last one so younger daughter and son in law hosted a dozen of us. Just because.

I can’t face it this year neither can our daughter so we’ve decided champagne at hers mid afternoon then a curry (which we will book). Our Yorkshire Lass and her husband have spent the last 3 Christmases en famille, again, just because - so I expect this year they’ll either stay home over the Pennines or visit t’other family in Oxford.

I’m not even sure what to do about writing Christmas cards with my name only in them, a much loved twig tree we’ve had for 20+ years will make my cry assembling it on my own so I may not bother. Why press the emotional bruise? I may go to the Trafford Centre and buy a small decorated table top one from John Lewis.

Apologies for bringing the thread down. I realise I just have to get on with things, not overthink and do as much ‘differently’ as I can now. It will never be the same without my Mr Jovial by my side 🎅🏻

Thoughts with others in the same boat as me this year. xx

Mr kindly bought my advent calendar yesterday, I have bought three presents.
The ingredients to make a baked cheesecake, to freeze and stuffing for five families, to freeze, are in various online shopping delivery baskets for this month.
So, I'm on my very approximate target.

I love Christmas and the jolly run up to it.
Not started yet though , I like to get Halloween over.

Not even thinking about it.

Not a fan of Christmas, actually really dislike it, but I go with the flow with DDs and DGSs around, although the DDs know how I feel. I have a Pandora chain and charm for DD2 already. Actually, I got it for her August birthday, then she changed her mind and asked for something else!
5 people will request gift vouchers, so just a question of getting those from wherever nearer the time - maybe late November.

Bah humbug, On Christmas Eve I put up the decoration (singular) usually a small wooden German decoration that was my mums. I buy some nice cheese and a few deli delights and enjoy with a good bottle of wine.
On boxing day morning the decoration is put away and thankfully that’s it for another year.
So all is running to schedule so far !