Should have added, the other day I bought an Advent calendar just for me! No chocolates or anything, just a big jolly Raymond Briggs Father Christmas, and the little pictures
Never had one as a child and always wanted one, so compensating now. I'm sure dh thinks I'm bonkers, but he hasn't actually said it.
Gransnet forums
Christmas
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. 
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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.
This is the chest, Namsnanny - it'll look better after the annual polish.
It was filthy when we bought it, in a UAE souk - layers of the dirt of ages. Took me forever to clean it up.
It weighs a ton!
Gonegirl … I've got two rolls of wrapping paper that seems to go on and on. But I don't really need them, as I'm scaling down.
Home made Chilli Jelli, and chocs tailored to their taste this year.
Money in the gc accounts as I shan't be seeing them, so no wrapping there.
We've bought tickets for shows and concerts etc., throughout the year which pass for Christmas and birthday presents. At £75+ a pop it works out better on the bank balance as it means we don't shell out for everyone in December.
Witzend … we were the same in our house. Disorganised, up until all hours. Driving off to late night Asda for batteries we had forgotten! Running out of wrapping paper and using newspaper - especially when the children were very young!
I remember one year we had built a tree house in a flat pack style.
I was still painting it and husband was erecting it at 4am Christmas day!
What a palaver that Christmas was. My husband had lost his job and we were having financial problems.
Christmas felt like the last nail in the coffin. So we came up with this idea of making swings from the trees with ropes, and a tree house for them.
All well and good but try building something in the garden with prying children's eyes!!! 
everywhere.
There were 4 of them under 11, so you can imagine the lies fibs we told as we attempted to hide what we were up too!
If I remember rightly we made shields swords and a flag to go with it!
Not so stressful nowadays, if a little empty feeling.
Well M0nica …. you deserve a well earned festive 
.!!
Carillion01 … How thoughtful of your gd, and creative too!
I bet it is treasured.
None of mine turned out to be very creative in that way, (mores the pity for me).
I find I really treasure things that have a lot of personal thought attached to them.
The nearest I had to this, was a heart shaped pebble picked up from the beach and given to me when one of my children was on their first holiday away from us.
Its so important to me it would be the thing I saved if the house was (metaphorically) on fire!
Do try to take a photo and post it. I would so love to see it!
In fact if you didn't mind I might have a go at that idea in the new year, ready for next Christmas.
It'll give me something to focus on craft wise between the Christmas hiatus and the first snow drops.
Well bought a plain fresh wreath and decorated it with things I have at home.
Then finished off the woven wreath I made from Wisteria shoots woven around each other.
Just put some fir cones on it for now. Not sure whether to scandi it, leave it au natural, or zhoosh it up a bit.
No photos I'm afraid until I get a new phone. I dunked it in tea the other day, now its kaput!!
BTW anyone got suggestions on what phone to buy?
I'd like one with a very good camera!
Love your photos JackyB The wreaths look soooo festive.
And those biscuits look delicious!!
To have any left at all shows great restraint 
Are they flavoured with Christmas spices?
Gosh you are all so clever and creative, mouth watering at the thought of those biscuits!
I have finished my crib, hoping someone will buy it to enable me to give the money to the local hospice at home service. If there are no takers, then will have to see if one of the GC would like one of my creations! Still got a skirt to make for one of them.
Well jura2 ...packing for Christmas hols is still prep for Christmas in my book !!
Got any tips on how to get the most in the case in the shortest time possible?!!
Also, a cleverly packed suitcase with a sprig of holly on it would make a great photo......go on you know you want to!!
Gosh! Are you opening a stall Maw
If so tell me where it is and I'll pop in and buy some thing, it all sounds lovely!
You must have started early, as most of those things take a while to infuse don't they?
Witzend ...sounds like a lovely Christmassy break for you and your family.
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