I just told dh he was a bloody old misery 😡

I think it’s too early. Garden centres and shops around here are full to overflowing with Christmas tat and it’s just too much.

Every year when we get our decs out ….. week before Xmas ….. I look at ours and it’s all years old. Stuff the kids made, knitted bits my Mum made, things I made, some shop bought stuff.

There is a box of 6 Mr Men Baubles dating from 1980. They are those very fragile glass effect baubles. I think of my late SIL when I see them as we were both new Mums with babies just a few weeks apart. We were shopping with the babies and bought a set each. There wasn’t the choice back then but the image of that shopping trip is fresh in my mind. My SIL passed away just a few days off 2 years ago.

Until last year I bought my youngest granddaughters Christmas decorations. Last year it was different. Aged 7 we went to Fenwicks to buy Christmas decorations. They had £5.00 each but they had a little leeway (a bit later). Afterwards we went for hot chocolate and cake that was enjoyed by all. They looked at the different decorations for ages before deciding which ones they wanted. We will be doing the same this year.

My oldest daughter introduced the idea with her two children, now grown up. They each have a set of Christmas decorations with memories. I hope my grandchildren will have the same memories. For me, it’s not just about the decorations it’s about making memories with them.

I needed a lie down after reading 3 nights 4 full days 😱

I love the John Lewis Christmas shop Witzend but I haven’t been around to get there for the last 4 years and doubt I will make it this year either! No way Mr. B will agree to take me, if I’m honest I’m just not up to it at the moment. Have a lovely time with the grandchildren.

School plays, carol concerts, Christingle services.

And a visit to Father Christmas.
Looking out for the sleigh going across the sky on Christmas Eve!

Anyway, it will be their 'tat' not his. What's he worried about!!

I think it's a lovely idea. The GCs will enjoy the novelty of the bus and the store already set up for Christmas. Exciting for them. Making memories.

My grandchildren don’t finish school until the afternoon of 22nd Dec. No one in their right mind would take a child into town on the Saturday before Xmas! Or any pre-Xmas Saturday, come to that!

I think a trip to buy a bauble is a lovely idea, though I might balk at taking three aged under eight! Nowadays, if you leave these things until a couple of weeks before the big day you will probably find all that’s left to buy truly is the cheap tat. We still have glass decorations we bought for our first Xmas together in 1972. I don’t think that can be considered tat. They’re full of memories and still as pretty as the day I bought them.

It’s such a sweet idea Witzend. Children love tat. And hopefully , that ‘tat’ will be hanging on their Xmas tree for years to come. Btw you are brave to go shopping with 4 little ones. Is Scrooge coming as well - only joking 😂 Have a lovely time !!

Fleur20

It's OCTOBER!!
What are they going to do for excitement in December?
Surely there is something else available ....

School plays, carol concerts, Christingle services.

What a lot of miseries there are on Gransnet these days.

It's OCTOBER!!
What are they going to do for excitement in December?
Surely there is something else available ....

Norah

welbeck

i agree with your husband

I do as well. I don't purchase useless tat and don't want our GC in shops making unnecessary disposable purchases.

Tree decorations are something to be treasured and passed down; I'm still hanging ones on the tree that were my Mum's which I remember from when I was a child and also have some from my MIL.
They are not disposable tat.

When they come out of the box each year, they bring back lovely memories, the excitement of the tree going up and remembering that my MIL would never put the tree up until Christmas Eve.

🎄🎄

welbeck

i agree with your husband

I do as well. I don't purchase useless tat and don't want our GC in shops making unnecessary disposable purchases.

Wonderful memories being made for them, I salute you. I would have heard the same from mine and also continued regardless.

So, it’s only October, Wenmore, but it’s nearly November and school holidays are the ideal time to be doing these things and before it all gets too hectic. You go for it, Witzend. I think it’s a smashing plan.

“their” decorations.

I think it’s a lovely idea Witzend. It’s creating memories for the future, and when they take out there decoration in years to come, it will remind them of the lovely time they had with their grandma.

Have a lovely time!

Yes, I know it’s only October, Wenmore, but it’ll be nearly November plus half term, so we want Nice Things to do.

Dh is not usually a Grumpy Old Grandpa, not most of the time anyway. He’ll be coming with us, but I might point him at the nice, peaceful cafe in the church, opposite JL, and we’ll join him afterwards. The church caff is v handy anyway - there are loos! And Gds is a Wee Monster - frequently wanting to Go.

He is of course quite right - it is all tat! But the children will love it!

October!

i agree with your husband

We had a tradition of each child choosing a decoration each Xmas, and we would choose one. When they are old enough to have their first tree, they take their share of the decorations. I love to see them

Sounds a lovely few days.

I wonder if your other half now finds the sudden influx of noise/activity overwhelming and the unusual grumble is a symptom? My other half finds our little human hurricanes tiring at times, struggles with our home in utter chaos - mess everywhere etc, especially as he still works full time. We don't have them to stay often so the 'disruption' is more noticeable (I love it, but my other half is a creature of habit if left to his own devices). I am now mindful of this and arrange things so that my other half gets some down time without the GC realising he isn't 'joining in'.

Hope you have a lovely time with your GC, enjoy x

A long stint. However, you don't have to fill their every moment. When I was doing the same length of time with DGSs last summer I only aimed to do one main activity a day. When not doing this the boys just relaxed and played and dreamt and chatted. Their lives are so full these days it's nice for them to just be. They were very happy.