Christmas Prep

Made me laugh!

Whoa- is it just me or are we seriously ramping up into Christmas mode now? It may be only early December, and the big day is still nearly three weeks away, but I'm detecting a definite whiff of panic in the air. The fact that we haven't bought the tree yet, nor got a single decoration down from the attic is unusual, odd even, because it looks like everyone else has!

When we lived in the US, and folks traditionally put their trees up the day after Thanksgiving, it seemed shockingly early... but not any more. Am I sounding a bit 'bah humbug' about it all? Don't answer that... but while I'm on a roll, here's another one- the taking down of trees almost as soon as Christmas Day is over. What is that about? It's a SEASON for goodness sake! Twelve days of Christmas and all that, and, seriously, there are few sights more forlorn than an abandoned tree on Boxing Day. That said, conversely, leaving it up too long is another no no- friends of ours had a desperate habit of leaving the tree up till Valentines Day, which is just wrong...and downright lazy. And yes, I realize that I'm sounding suspiciously like the Christmas Tree police, (Special Branch- geddit?), so I'll zip it...for now.

Other preparations? Well, I've booked my pre- Christmas Tesco delivery slot-  those slots are like gold dust and fill up fast but they're sooooo worth it. Never more so than a few years ago, when it was -13 outside, and the lovely Tesco man STILL made it out to us in the sticks! How we would've survived Christmas without that garguantuan cereal and toilet roll drop, just doesn't bear thinking about. (He DID admit though that he'd made the extra special effort because he thought we were an old people's home but still.... that's dedication for you!)

What else? I'm in the middle of writing my Christmas cards. Loverboy didn't manage to get a cheesy Christmas letter done in time this year but honestly, I reckon Facebook ticks that box now anyway. Plus, it makes them heavier and after dropping £50 on stamps this morning, I'm all about saving the rainforest.

I also spent a day cleaning and clearing  the toy room of junk/big plastic toys. Top tip- if at all possible do this job in the middle of the night, or at the very least, use black bags so your precious angels can't see what you're sneaking in there for charity/ bin/ other people's toy rooms. Start clearing and suddenly even the crappy Mc Donald's toys become beloved childhood heirlooms that they can't bear to be parted from. But somehow I managed it, and for a few short weeks I'm pathetically enjoying the sight of colour coded toy boxes and plenty of shelving space.

Present wise *whispers* I think we're almost sorted, which is great. And yet....I always have an uneasy feeling that I've forgotten something or someone important. Which is nonsense, I mean I've made the list, I've checked it twice...but still, I can't shake it off. It's the same story every year, and honestly it only ever leads to  unnecessary spending, which you KNOW I'm totally against, (except obviously in the case of absolute necessities ....like shoes or handbags.)

Guess who?

So, logically the next step, even though it's still a fraction too early, is putting up the Christmas decorations this weekend. I'll also be getting my Christmas playlist sorted, making the first batch of mulled wine and most thrillingly of all, revealing this year's seasonal toilet rolls. Meanwhile, Loverboy will be off to get the tree, which is actually more dangerous than it sounds. A few years ago, he dragged home a monster sixteen foot tree which we could hardly get upright. He said it looked much smaller in the field, which beside the twenty foot ones, it probably did.  I, on the other hand, am all about the small but perfectly formed, non shedding variety, or better again, an artificial one complete with snowy branches and lights. But this year, given that its probably our last one living in the country, Christmas tree-wise, he can knock himself out. So be afraid, my lovelies, be very afraid....