Changes for Christmas, 2013

[Winged One]

Well, I am putting one part of my plan into action - I have booked a house to stay in.

The kitchen in it is small, but I am intending bringing baking ingredients with me to do some cookies and mince pies, as we have decided to go there from the Saturday (Xmas is Wed this year) when we start paying for it, rather than possibly going into work for Mon/Tues and then travelling.

I am going to suggest that my siblings do our Kris Kringle draw and agree the present protocol OURSELVES (as in, not my mother deciding for us) as we are all together at my Bro's wedding in 2 weeks and possibly all together next weekend for DNephew birthday (one Bro may not get home until wedding weekend - but we can hope, creatinly 5 of us are together at the birthday).

 

[luludou]

Wings that will be so much more relaxing for you!! good for you for taking action.

 

[AnnieClaus]

Missjane- Thanks for the "bump" to this thread and the reminder.
Definetly am tired of feeling ragged and ruined during the holidays.

I already have figured out what I'm giving all the women.

Thanks to MrsSoup for telling us about Birchbox!!!

Birchbox is where you get a small box every month and in it you get several samples of beauty products (perfume, skin care, makeup, nail files, hair ties). BUT- you don't know what will be in your box when you get it! It's fun!

I signed up for 3 months and am really liking it.

Annie

 

[missjane]

Wings, I think going early is an excellent decision.
Annie, I remember last year some chose theme baskets. I think I'm going with that for extended family...just so easy!

 

[missjane]

Bumping this up since some of you are working in your notebooks...thought there may be some notes you put here you wanted. (I'm really making progress on those kitchen cabinets, can you tell????!!!)

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

Thanks for reminding me about this. There will be many changes here this year as we are in a new house and also DS girlfriend is living with us. Need to put in a plan to see what I can do for Christmas 2013.

 

[PamelaG]

Well, I am putting one part of my plan into action - I have booked a house to stay in.

The kitchen in it is small, but I am intending bringing baking ingredients with me to do some cookies and mince pies, as we have decided to go there from the Saturday (Xmas is Wed this year) when we start paying for it, rather than possibly going into work for Mon/Tues and then travelling.

I am going to suggest that my siblings do our Kris Kringle draw and agree the present protocol OURSELVES (as in, not my mother deciding for us) as we are all together at my Bro's wedding in 2 weeks and possibly all together next weekend for DNephew birthday (one Bro may not get home until wedding weekend - but we can hope, creatinly 5 of us are together at the birthday).

You've booked a house for a family Christmas celebration? How fun! Is it in a Christmasy location - Vermont, Quebec, the mountains somewhere?

 

[AuntJamelle]

I have absolutely no idea what changes this year will bring to our Christmas! Last year, of course, we had the house fire Christmas Eve which has just thrown everything into a tailspin ever since.

We have still. not. settled. with insurance. Long, LONG, horror story - but we've been struggling to come out of this being able to put our house back together the right way.

We are still in the apartment - and best base scenario we'll be able to move back into a finished house before Christmas.

I have no idea if that will mean Dec 1st or Dec 21st.

That timing will have a huge impact on how things go this year.

I guess I just need to plan for Christmas in the apartment - and Christmas in the new house - and then whatever happens, happens.

I'm still hoping that a miracle happens and we're home by Thanksgiving.

Will have to start brainstorming on all of this. A simplified celebration is ours by default this year!

 

[missjane]

AuntJamelle, I'm sorry things are still in such a mess almost one year later. By what you've said, I assume that work is being done on the house? What changes, if any, have you made? Did you get to "correct" anything you've always wanted different? I have heard many people say almost as soon as they move into a newly built house, they start realizing things they wish they had done differently. I think planning for the apartment is wise. That way you don't get your hopes up about the house only to have them crash. Then, you can always bump it up, if you get to!

 

[AuntJamelle]

Thanks, missjane! We are trying to hang in there!

No work - other than a small amount of demo and salvage done by myself and DH on evenings/weekends has happened on the house yet. We have to reach an agreement with the insurance company.

It has been a long road and we're not to the end of it yet. Until we settle we can't move forward with the bank that holds our mortgage or the contractor we have lined up.

That is what makes it so hard to guess when we can move back home - when we can get started will make all the difference.

We are planning to make some improvements while we are at it - and both DH and I keep trying to focus on the positive.

But 7 months of headaches - recently compounded by fairly serious health issues for our 3 yr old - make it tough going these days. We all miss our dogs too - they've been in the kennel all this time. And they are older - needing trips to vet - etc. It's just crazy.

Thinking/planning about Christmas this year is bittersweet! But I am determined not to stay down in the dumps! We have to endure!

 

[AnnieClaus]

Thinking of you, AuntJamelle.

Wherever your Christmas is, I'm sure you will make it beautiful.

Annie

 

[Winged One]

Aunt Jamelle, I hope the insurance co gets helpful for you soon. But more importantly that the health issues get sorted.

Pamela, we are renting a house for DH, DD and I just 2 miles from my parents and 17 miles from DH's parents. So it means that we will be part of the family celebrations in Cork (southern Ireland) rather than visiting more distant relatives and cooking for ourselves in our own house. Which is also a very nice but quite different celebration. It's been about 3 years since we last did the family one.

Now that our summer holidays are over (including buying 2 new decorations in Disney!), I must get properly started on the Christmas plans.

 

[missjane]

I've been looking at the calendar and haven't come up with a date for our family Christmas...just DH, our children and grandchildren. We have so many extended families to work around. I'm thinking I may even do it after instead of before. DDIL's brother works off. He's divorced, so her family has to work around his ex-inlaws, which means I have to work around them....so...

Last year, I tried to schedule around my sister from Texas, who never comes at the time she says she is, and didn't come at all last year after she said she was. This year, I'm not going to worry about that. If she comes, she comes. If my schedule doesn't fit hers, oh, well.

I haven't worked in stocking stuffers like I should have, but I still have some time. What month is supposed to stocking stuffer month? Is it August? I can start picking up some GCs to fast food restaurants. I remember I need to get Amazon cards early because they were hard to find at Christmas. I know you can print them online as a passcode, but I prefer the cards. I don't feel like I've given much if I just hand someone a piece of paper. GCs aren't much better to me, but it's what they want nowadays. I miss wrapping lots of presents...small, large, medium...whatever size.

 

[missjane]

Wings, how was your trip to the states?

 

[PamelaG]

Christmas anywhere in Ireland would be lovely!

When my parents lived in England, they rented a house in the Yorkshire Dales at Christmas. My sister and her husband flew from Oregon and the three of us flew from Chicago and it was the most wonderful Christmas we have ever had! For all the family to be together in such a picturesque location, it was magical. My parents are gone now and my sister and I are planning to recreate the family Christmas in the same location on the 15th anniversary.

Aunt Jamelle, I hope the insurance co gets helpful for you soon. But more importantly that the health issues get sorted.

Pamela, we are renting a house for DH, DD and I just 2 miles from my parents and 17 miles from DH's parents. So it means that we will be part of the family celebrations in Cork (southern Ireland) rather than visiting more distant relatives and cooking for ourselves in our own house. Which is also a very nice but quite different celebration. It's been about 3 years since we last did the family one.

Now that our summer holidays are over (including buying 2 new decorations in Disney!), I must get properly started on the Christmas plans.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

Last year, I tried to schedule around my sister from Texas, who never comes at the time she says she is, and didn't come at all last year after she said she was. This year, I'm not going to worry about that. If she comes, she comes. If my schedule doesn't fit hers, oh, well.
.

Good for you. I expect some fireworks. People who are this inconsiderate of others like this sister are sometimes the ones who throw the biggest fits when people do not bend to their orders.

 

[missjane]

Diedra, you hit the nail directly on the head!

 

[ChristmasRose]

I'm definitely planning and buying/making gifts earlier this year. After my mother died last year, I just couldn't motivate myself. I want to do better this year, but keep some of last year's simplicity. I'll probably play my Celtic harp on Christmas Eve, and I want to get the planning/learning of the music for that done earlier, too.

I bought my first stocking stuffer a couple of weeks ago -- Mickey Mouse band-aids! Am planning trips to Maine, Alaska, and Yellowstone this year, and expect to find a number of gifts/stocking stuffers in those places. Can hardly wait!

 

[AnnieClaus]

Looks like our thoughts/actions are heading towards "that way."

:fireplace:

 

[AuntJamelle]

Okay, I’ve reviewed my notes from previous Christmases. NOT the ill-fated Christmas of 2012! Haha

Here are few things that still hold true for me to keep in mind for this year – no matter whether we are in the apartment still (GASP!) or back in our home (HOORAY! )

- Always plan for the possibility of getting sick during crunch time!!! Get more, more, MORE done way ahead of time this year!!! This means crafting, meals/cookies/cinn rolls in freezer, etc.

- Start making frozen cookie dough mid to late October! (My MIL has a huge new deep freeze she will let me use a shelf of for our use this year - bless her!)

- Before making cookie dough – ALWAYS double check exp dates on baking powder and soda!

- Purchase parchment paper ahead of time – with coupons if possible – for those cookies that HAVE to be baked on them to avoid sticking!

- Gordon’s Food Service sells 72 pre-cut sugar cookies for about $10 – bake and ice! Per co-workers they are very tasty!!! They have them in various holiday shapes prior to each holiday, as well as circle shapes, etc. Consider these as possible short cut! Decorate with flood icing method!

- Go mid to late summer and pick up flat rate shipping box from Post Office for anything to be shipped!

- Quit redoing the same work each year. Use 2010 document as a start – compile ingredient lists for all tried and true holiday recipe items. Use that to shortcut creation of Master Grocery List each year!!!