Well, with 10 days to Christmas (or is it 9) I have finally made some inroads on the shopping. I have been cooking for a week or so, and have shoved into the freezer a load of chestnut stuffing, some red cabbage, a chocolate roulade for the boys (they don't like Christmas pudding). I have bought a ham, and frozen it and industrial quantities of sausages - some to accompany the turkey - others to eat at parties...
I had this idea that it might be nicer to have people drop in casually over the Christmas season - advertised that we would be "At Home" on certain dates. Then I suddennly panicked - will they all expect vast quantities of food - probably not, but since I usually make a lot of food.... Today I rebelled a bit, I thought, let me blend with the furniture for a change - let me not stand out by having made endless efforts for these events. So I decided I would not do more than 5-6 plates of food for these things - and make a vat of mulled wine and have some plain alternatives - and hope for the best. We could crack open some of our weird and wonderful drinks - and we still seem to have plenty of vermouth in the cellar.
Now I've calmed down a bit - I need a few presents for kids - and a mother in law pressie - and perhaps something small for my father - (he has a book coming)... something for the boys to give him (fudge/truffles) and probably something for the boys to wear. The trouble is, I sort of promised them winter coats - and I am not sure if we can afford them...
What shocked me today was how much money I spent - I realise that it's the same every year - we usually go to France and buy loads of nice food and booze - but this year we haven't, so we have had to buy food and booze here... rather more expensive for booze. Still, we don't need much more now except a turkey and some fruit and veg - so nothing major. It's almost over....
Apart from the cooking of course: mince pies, stollen etc. and perhaps a few brownies, should I have made a cake for Pa? Could he have half of ours? So many things to think of.
This is probably the mindless wittering category - no matter, the exterior political situation is so grim and upsetting that I cannot bear to comment on it.
I had this idea that it might be nicer to have people drop in casually over the Christmas season - advertised that we would be "At Home" on certain dates. Then I suddennly panicked - will they all expect vast quantities of food - probably not, but since I usually make a lot of food.... Today I rebelled a bit, I thought, let me blend with the furniture for a change - let me not stand out by having made endless efforts for these events. So I decided I would not do more than 5-6 plates of food for these things - and make a vat of mulled wine and have some plain alternatives - and hope for the best. We could crack open some of our weird and wonderful drinks - and we still seem to have plenty of vermouth in the cellar.
Now I've calmed down a bit - I need a few presents for kids - and a mother in law pressie - and perhaps something small for my father - (he has a book coming)... something for the boys to give him (fudge/truffles) and probably something for the boys to wear. The trouble is, I sort of promised them winter coats - and I am not sure if we can afford them...
What shocked me today was how much money I spent - I realise that it's the same every year - we usually go to France and buy loads of nice food and booze - but this year we haven't, so we have had to buy food and booze here... rather more expensive for booze. Still, we don't need much more now except a turkey and some fruit and veg - so nothing major. It's almost over....
Apart from the cooking of course: mince pies, stollen etc. and perhaps a few brownies, should I have made a cake for Pa? Could he have half of ours? So many things to think of.
This is probably the mindless wittering category - no matter, the exterior political situation is so grim and upsetting that I cannot bear to comment on it.
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