Helas! Each year there are different challenges - really, it should all be as easy as pie, we should have plenty of dosh and be scampering about buying a telly to replace the hand-me-down and second hand ones we own - and then we should be showering each other with careful, thoughtful pressies, sending donations to all our favourite charities, sensibly ordering a moderate feast for Christmas day - and sending out invitations to the Epiphany party.
Last year everything was on hold until we got a payment - this year everything is on hold until my mother in law sends us the money she generously promised us when her house was sold. Today Ned offered me £150 on condition I used it to buy Christmas pressies online TODAY, because he realised that by the time we got any money, it would be too late to order them in time for Christmas... so I did.
It is beginning to get there, we have had cards printed, because, damn it, three years of e-cards, designed by me, is getting tiresome... and we have written some of them. I have put all the dried fruit for the pudding and cake to soak over night in brandy and whisky respectively. I have ordered a tree, bought two lumps of ham and some salmon to put in the freezer... I have also bought M's birthday pressies - and this year it will just be the 4 of us at the feast, since his sister in law is tied down with carer responsibilities, while his mother is hardly going to return from Cardiff for the event. So no pressure to get everything just so for the day - which is utterly wonderful!
What has not been done: any presents for anyone not directly descended from me...the calendar is marked " shopping frenzy" for 22nd December - I am guessing we will have dosh by then. And as we are not seeing anyone else before 29th December - that gives us 3 shopping days after Christmas (God forbid we should shop on Boxing Day, but I can imagine someone will want to). Decorating has not got very far - I thought we'd do a bit a day - maybe tomorrow. The main thing is to have enough bottles of decent wine and chocolates to distribute to those who have invited us to parties (5) before Christmas... the other problem is going to be pacing ourselves so that we are fit to get up the next day and go to the next party!
I am feeling disenfranchised - no turkey, by popular request, so all my usual planning - prepping the bread sauce and the sausagemeat stuffing and cranberry sauce and stuffing them in the freezer has not been necessary. I do still have to find a tongue though. Must ring Rook's. I am currently allowing myself to believe it MAY work smoothly this year. For the first time since the kids were born we are having 2 friends to lunch - and this is a real departure. I am finding it very odd. I am feeling under interested in the food - need to get inspiration, I think Elizabeth David's Christmas Food should provide a prod. At least she won't have dried cranberries and pomegranate seeds in everything!
Last year everything was on hold until we got a payment - this year everything is on hold until my mother in law sends us the money she generously promised us when her house was sold. Today Ned offered me £150 on condition I used it to buy Christmas pressies online TODAY, because he realised that by the time we got any money, it would be too late to order them in time for Christmas... so I did.
It is beginning to get there, we have had cards printed, because, damn it, three years of e-cards, designed by me, is getting tiresome... and we have written some of them. I have put all the dried fruit for the pudding and cake to soak over night in brandy and whisky respectively. I have ordered a tree, bought two lumps of ham and some salmon to put in the freezer... I have also bought M's birthday pressies - and this year it will just be the 4 of us at the feast, since his sister in law is tied down with carer responsibilities, while his mother is hardly going to return from Cardiff for the event. So no pressure to get everything just so for the day - which is utterly wonderful!
What has not been done: any presents for anyone not directly descended from me...the calendar is marked " shopping frenzy" for 22nd December - I am guessing we will have dosh by then. And as we are not seeing anyone else before 29th December - that gives us 3 shopping days after Christmas (God forbid we should shop on Boxing Day, but I can imagine someone will want to). Decorating has not got very far - I thought we'd do a bit a day - maybe tomorrow. The main thing is to have enough bottles of decent wine and chocolates to distribute to those who have invited us to parties (5) before Christmas... the other problem is going to be pacing ourselves so that we are fit to get up the next day and go to the next party!
I am feeling disenfranchised - no turkey, by popular request, so all my usual planning - prepping the bread sauce and the sausagemeat stuffing and cranberry sauce and stuffing them in the freezer has not been necessary. I do still have to find a tongue though. Must ring Rook's. I am currently allowing myself to believe it MAY work smoothly this year. For the first time since the kids were born we are having 2 friends to lunch - and this is a real departure. I am finding it very odd. I am feeling under interested in the food - need to get inspiration, I think Elizabeth David's Christmas Food should provide a prod. At least she won't have dried cranberries and pomegranate seeds in everything!
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