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Christmas

Christmas prep

(284 Posts)
Namsnanny Fri 11-Oct-19 19:58:50

I'm going to keep a kind of diary of some of the things I make and do for Christmas.

If anyone wants to join in they are welcome.

Maybe we can swap ideas. smile

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First of all I collected up the pruned tendrils from my Wisteria, and wound them around each other to make a wreath.
Still needs a few more strands to plump it out, but when finished I will decorate it.
Not sure whether to go for the trad. Christmas red and green with bits of glitter, or maybe skandi type with natural fir cones cinnamon sticks etc., finished off with a velvet vanilla coloured bow!
I'll have to take a look in the Christmas craft box(es!) to see what is looking the nicest.

Next persuaded my husband to bring down the many boxes of trimmings etc., down for me to check through, and they are now stuffed under the dining table until I get to decorate the house later on.
I cant ask him to trudge them back upstairs, too much stress on the knees!
It gives me the chance to look through and see what is looking a bit jaded and decide if I should buy new.

Found the outside lights and tested some to see if still working. Yes, so arranged them strategically in the back garden.

We had cut back a large tree a couple of weeks ago, which left the view from the window a bit empty, and I didn't like it.
So we dug out a large pot, heaved it (well he heaved I steadied it) onto the sack truck and wheeled it into position.
Then stood the largest pruned branch (about 3ft) into it and filled the pot with earth to hold it in place.

The branch is nicely twisted so I spent a couple of days on and off winding lights around it to emphasise its lovely shape. Fiddly but the effect is very pretty.
Then I filled the top of the pot with some trailing variegated ivy, (being sold off at 50p a pot).

Now I've left the lights off for now, as it is a little bit early!
But I'm looking forward to seeing them everyday from my window over the Christmas period.
It's the one thing that perks me up when the clocks change and windy wet winter seems to stretch out before us.

Namsnanny Fri 20-Dec-19 00:04:41

Made Delia's Sticky Puddings, and guess what? They've risen a little too much, so I will have to cut of the tops (which become the bottoms, if you understand) to level them, and what to do with the trimmings???

Well I'm scoffing them with a well earned cup of tea!! grin

They're for Christmas day, served with marmalade sauce or Christmas pudding flavoured ice cream.

Still without a phone so I can't post any photos at the moment, but I've finished off a wreath with sprouts and fir cones!
Also a knitted hat in green and red strips which goes with a Christmas jumper. I've put little bells on the jumper so I shall do the same for the hat!

Witzend … Did you find the Father Christmas duvet cover for you gds?
Not that it really matters, I'm sure they love a sleepover with their Gran and Grandad!!
Enjoy their company tomorrow smile

I'm sure all will be well for the newby and Mum but I would be like you in your situation. Not daft at all.

Callistemon Fri 20-Dec-19 00:07:48

MawB wow!

You can 'away here' if you like tchsmile

Namsnanny Fri 20-Dec-19 00:19:40

Craftyone … you sound content and ready for anything Christmas can throw at you …...can I come for a visit????grin

Namsnanny Fri 20-Dec-19 00:23:28

No Callistemon … you have to get in the queue, I bag first dibs on MawB's Blackberry vodka!! tchgrin

How are you keeping?

Callistemon Fri 20-Dec-19 00:28:46

Oh, you can have all the vodka, I'll just sample all the rest!!

I have been out and haven't done much at all.
I'll set the DGD to work after they break up.

Callistemon Fri 20-Dec-19 00:29:30

Not with anything alcoholic, I should add hastily!

Namsnanny Fri 20-Dec-19 00:58:21

I hope you enjoy her company Callistemon … that's what Christmas is all about. [tchsmile[

Callistemon Fri 20-Dec-19 09:44:37

Thanks Namsnanny
It will be both of them, hope all is calm!

Witzend Fri 20-Dec-19 11:00:42

I'm making list of every single thing I need to take to dd's on Chr. Eve - inc. my own knife and potato peeler etc.! since she is so heavily pregnant I'm doing all the food shopping/cooking. Not being a martyr, I'm happy to do it.

SiL is very capable and willing, but he will have more energy for occupying little Gdcs - I shall be happy in the kitchen with non stop carols on Classic FM!

Dh doesn't really cook, but is ace at clearing up, suits me fine.

Making brandy butter and cranberry sauce today. Need to get on top of everything, since I have a feeling that this baby is going to be like her brother and put in an early appearance! According to scan a week ago. she already weighs very nearly 6 lb.

Yes, thanks, Namsnanny, I found the duvet set - lurking right at the back of the top shelf of the airing cupboard. Had to stand on a chair to find it!

Hope everyone else's preps are going well!

Namsnanny Fri 20-Dec-19 16:16:50

Witzend ...sounds like you'll all have a lovely happy family Christmas, I'm glad for you all, if a little envious if I'm truthful tchblush

Ooooo! Standing on a chair, right before Christmas, a bit daring eh?! tchgrin

Yes thanks things are tripping along nicely. I'll probably be knitting up until Christmas eve, but if I don't finish for this year I can store items for next Christmas.

Off to the Sally Army Christmas Carol service on Sunday. I love carols so that will be entertaining.

I echo your last sentence, 'hope everyone else's prep is going well!'

Namsnanny Sat 21-Dec-19 15:33:35

My way of having methane free Christmas AND still keeping the traditional sprout in the kitchen!!!??

Namsnanny Mon 23-Dec-19 17:40:37

My sil likes cheese cake so I e just finished making one with two flavours, vanilla half for him and orange for me and anyone else who might call!
It's not guaranteed that he will visit so I thought I'd I indulge myself with my favourite orange and dark choc.
Probably freeze the other if he's a no show. In convenient slices so he can take a slice with him if and when I see him.

Made a wreath for my great Grandads grave and took it today. It's a couple of years off 100y anniversary of his death and the grave needs a complete overhaul. I think I will make a new years resolution to get it repaired.
The Egyptians believed if you said someones name after their death they lived lo ger in the afterlife.
Id like to think that too.
Merry Christmas crafters and grafterssmile

Namsnanny Fri 03-Jan-20 18:47:12

Sorry to everyone, but I've just knitted the centre for 3 Christmas cards for next Christmas tchgrin.

So that's an early start isn't it?

All I have to do now is hope I don't loose them, which of course I will!!

AllotmentLil Sat 04-Jan-20 23:14:33

Are we the only two still reading this thread Namsnanny?! grin

Namsnanny Sun 05-Jan-20 15:40:11

And then there was one!
Pro ably AllotmentLil tchgrin
All good things come.e to an end.
Still love your name, I presume you do have an allotment?

AllotmentLil Sun 05-Jan-20 21:51:39

As we’re the only two here I’ll let you into the secret - no I don’t, used to have a very big garden though!

Namsnanny Mon 06-Jan-20 02:23:40

tchgrin ...

Awww go on, now you're going to tell me you're not called Lil either!!

(thumbs nose) Mums the word!

Namsnanny Tue 28-Apr-20 12:36:29

BLAME CORONAVIRUS.....BLAME CORONAVIRUS!!!

RightO, I'm expecting and accepting abuse of some kind!!

Yes its too early to think about Christmas, and I'm very sorry if I will upset some, but...…

Cv19 and lockdown has prompted me to find things to do, and this is one of them.

My first ever knitted Christmas card.

It's not terribly good and I had a lot of trouble sticking it to the frame. Knitting being a stretchy fabric and card not.

I'd forgotten how to knit the holly leaves so they're a bit 'individual', and I think the main body of work would turn out neater if I had used 2ply instead of 3ply.

But be under no illusions, this card is being sent (nearer the date smile) to some poor unsuspecting soul this year grin

Namsnanny Tue 28-Apr-20 12:38:13

OOPS! Here's the offending article!

Namsnanny Tue 28-Apr-20 12:39:15

Plus its raining today so I'm bored!

Witzend Tue 28-Apr-20 12:45:17

You’re not the only one, @namsnanny - I’ve been making nice cheerful C-word-y things more or less since lockdown started!
I posted about the latest on the crafts thread. It’s good to think ahead to (we hope!) a time when things will be at least mostly back to normal.

Anyway, as it says in Jean Greenhowe’s intro to her C-word Special pattern book (one of the ones I’m using) it’s never too early to start preparing!

Witzend Tue 28-Apr-20 12:47:24

That’s lovely, Namsnanny!

Namsnanny Tue 28-Apr-20 14:57:22

Thanks Witzend … but it's a bit shall we say 'homely' !!

If I keep it up the next ones might be a little more tidy looking
wink

I'll go over to the craft thread later on and have a browse.
Just now I have to minister first aid to my husband, because as I'm typing I saw him through the window fall over and land flat on my Clematis - which is in bud and just about to open sad
He (husband!) does seem to be ok as he is limping around the garden in the wet, but may be suffering from concussion or bleeding to death under his jacket, so I suppose I'd better go and check! grin

May7 Tue 28-Apr-20 15:19:58

Well I've wrapped most of my xmas presents. I hate xmas shopping and actually dont really like present buying either as I'm not really good at it so I usually just buy things when I see them or if there's an offer on.

It occurred to me last week that if the virus got me then DH wouldn't know who the presents were for so I wrapped them and labelled them .
Now there are a few missing but I'm sure no one will mind. Do you think maybe this was forward planning taken too fargrin
At least I'll be surprised when recipients open them on xmas day as I wont be able to remember what I've bought.
Too early to put sprouts on do you think ?????

Wheniwasyourage Tue 28-Apr-20 16:53:30

No, of course it's not too early to put the sprouts on - in fact if you haven't got them boiling away merrily by now you might (if you go to our local Tesco's anyway) have to buy Moroccan ones as that's all they had last week!