We had a lovely and quite white Christmas and New Year. But I was left with a slight feeling of disappointment in myself under a general sub-heading of ‘Must-Try-Harder’.
I was about to write a list of things to do differently next year, but I just know I’ll lose it so here it is, preserved in cyberspace, my List for Christmas Future.
Start thinking about presents sooner
I dislike shopping so much that I try to do most of my Christmas shopping in a single hit. I really need to start thinking about things much earlier so I can choose gifts more carefully and in less of a hair pulling rage. When I say sooner, I mean like now. If I see something that someone will like, get it, or at least write it down.
Make the time to select bespoke gifts
I know lots of people who make really special things and sell them on Etsy and Folksy or on their own sites. I am so chuffed when someone carefully selects something handmade for me I want to make sure I do the same when I can.
Get gifts for Ern’s friends
This is not something that I ever imagined would be on our to-do list, but Ernie got some lovely cards and presents from his canine pals and I want to make sure he returns the favour.
Get a Cheesy Christmas CD
Even though we don’t have one, it seems imperative in my mind to have a Christmas Carol CD playing when we put the tree up, or when we have people round for drinks. I need to buy one in the sales to play next year.
Someone will get ill
This year I was prepared for this one and stocked up on pharmaceuticals to cover all eventualities. One or all of us will usually be quite ill over the break. The boy spent this New Years Eve throwing up (a sign of New Year’s Future?) and I was poorly next day, unfortunately it was not due to alcohol, because in all the kerfuffle I never touched a drop.
Don’t put the tree up whilst in a grump
For reasons unknown I was in a bad mood when we put up our tree and decorations this Christmas. Not only did it show, as I only put up half the decorations I usually do, but it is supposed to be a fun time with the boy. I want to make his Christmas memories good ones, not ones where Mummy is shouting at the ‘stupid frickin tangled fairy lights’ or wondering if she can have a 2nd sherry at 3pm.
Get a real tree
I flip between thinking its a big waste of time, resources…and trees, and thinking its the only proper option. We have used the artificial tree for the last couple of years and I think next year we should go natural. A massive fat tree that won’t even fit through the door.
Buy good wrapping paper
I don’t mean really fancy stuff, but packs of 3 for 2 from Paperchase that is sturdy and good at folding and sticking. Oh, and lots of ribbon too.
Buy gift tags
You will NOT get around to making your own. Even if you do you won’t know how to stick them on. Writing the names on with a Sharpie Marker for the last 2 years was just lazy (see photo above) even if you did stretch to a silver Sharpie this year.
You won’t make a wreath from scratch
Do what you did this year and buy a lovely lush green one for £7 then add fancy pants seasonal things that make it look homemade. Oh, and make sure you have florists wire and new sticks for the glue gun, plus lots of red ribbon (for some reason you will need at least 5m to get it round the door).
You WILL need more fairy lights in 2011
I know you are sure that you have more fairy lights than this and will ask where have they all gone? The ones you put on the tree have pretty much had it. You will spend 2 hours untangling them and then re-tightening every bulb as they flicker on and off. You DO NOT HAVE any outdoor lights left, they died of death several years ago. You will need to buy some more, but Ed will still not want to spend the best part of an afternoon up a ladder in the rain attaching them to the house. Think of somewhere else to stick them.
“Think of somewhere else to stick ’em”
When the ground is not frozen, in the Summer perhaps, plant some sort of fir tree in the front garden. That way you can wang you tree lights on that instead of trying to illuminate the house. Or stick some random illuminated deer out front to amuse the neighbours.
Either make stuff…or don’t
Every year I have intentions of making lovely homemade items, and sometimes I do manage it. I am not sure how much people really want chutney or cheese straws or pickled shallots, but they sometimes get them in a homemade hamper. Mostly I save bottles for some fabled homemade vanilla essence but then forget to order the vanilla pods in bulk, or all the vodka gets drunk. I need to either do it, or shut up about it.
Accept Santa
George will go on telling us that he believes there is a Santa, until we stop filling his stocking and eating the mince pie. I am pretty sure he knows that it is all a big lie, but he daren’t let on, just in case it isn’t. He certainly isn’t going to start questioning it in December. So accept that you will need to ‘bite the carrot’ and drink the sherry until you just tell him the truth.
Invite friends round for lunch more
Not necessarily Christmas Day Lunch, but having people around for lunch over the holidays is nice. They can bring their kids, so we don’t all need babysitters, we get to eat and chat together much more than if we tried to go out for an evening. It’s all a bit grown up, but I guess we are now too.
Take a Day off together
Taking a day off together before Christmas is a very nice luxury if we can fit it in. Either having a leisurely Christmas shop with lunch thrown in or, as we did this year, having a day at a Spa. It got the whole holiday off to a good relaxing start and provided a good divide between Ed’s hectic work life and 2 quiet weeks at home.
Embrace the leftovers
But only save the things that you will really use.
Some things are worth cooking…
…some things aren’t.
DO make your own mince pies, pastry, Christmas pudding (use Domestic Jules Recipe but leave out citrus peel and currants and add a spoonful of cocoa), brandy butter, sausage rolls (by Ed) and trifle. Question: Why did I not make trifle this year? I bought a new trifle dish and everything.
DON’T bother making mince meat, Christmas Cake (unless you make those little ones like Grandma did) Note: Get the mini cake recipe from grandma Wendy.
Also, one of the two Christmas puddings that the recipe makes is enough for us for 2 ‘sessions’, so you can donate one to a friend. Hands up anyone?
Make new memories
We have had all sorts of festive escapades in the past, like taken George on the Santa Special Steam Train, or gone to Center Parcs Winter Wonderland, or just done daft things and taken photographs (say no more). Make sure we make some fun memories each year.
I am sure there are lots of other things that I will add to this list as I think of them, but that will do for now.
Here’s looking forward to a fabulous Christmas 2011.
Lou
January 5, 2011
What a wonderful post!
thingswemake
January 5, 2011
thanks Lou!
Jules
January 5, 2011
I love this post. I’ll let you in to a secret. I usually make mincemeat as it’s my Christmas tradition. However, this year my mince pies were made with a supermarket’s basics mincemeat with a generous glug of sherry stirred in. No one noticed 😉
thingswemake
January 7, 2011
Thanks Jules – I found the supermarket mincemeats a bit ‘too’ boozy this year. You don’t notice so much if you have them with a sherry though! Thanks for sharing that pudding recipe. We really enjoyed it and still have another to go at at some point.
Sally
January 6, 2011
I love your list Claire – it’s almost identical to my list (although yours is written down and mine is in my head . Not a good plan). I think I’ll go out and buy up gift tags in the sales today in fact as mine also were also scrawled on with a Sharpie. Where we differ…I am a new convert to homemade bread sauce and would not be without it (great in turkey sandwiches too) and homemade mincemeat is a soothing, uncomplicated job for me and fills the house with Christmas scents. I will not make a ham again as it just adds to the meat mountain, a smaller Christmas cake for sure and I gave away one of my puddings but I should have given away the larger one! I’ve decided to make a few New Year presents as I have a feeling that the best intentions for next year will fall by the wayside yet again. It’s like a switch is flicked at the start of November to make days half their length. Thanks for sharing (especially the fun photos).
thingswemake
January 7, 2011
Thanks Sally, for your lovely comment. I quite like bread sauce, but Ed & G don’t, so there is no point in making it, although they don’t like parsnips either, but I just HAVE to have them anyway! It’s funny reading about you walking on the sunny beach in December. Hope your New Year gifts work out well.
Apryl
January 6, 2011
this christmas got away from me. it was a horrible autumn (except for the trip to the states) and i wasn’t in the mood for christmas. I had so many plans about getting things made and baked and it just didn’t all happen. I still haven’t baked any snowman cupcakes like I usually do every year. I promise to do better next christmas. honest.
thingswemake
January 7, 2011
I tend to have good and bad years (effort wise) so I’m hoping to summon up more energy for a good one next year :o)
Grandma Wendy
January 6, 2011
The mini Christmas cakes were made using Delia’s Wedding Cake recipe from ‘Delia Smith’s Book of Cakes (1977)’. I made the 9 inch recipe and it was enough for 1×6 inch cake and 12 mini cakes. The mini cakes were cooked for about 1 hour. I omitted the mixed peel as you and John don’t like it. Glad that you enjoyed the cakes.
thingswemake
January 7, 2011
Thanks Wendy. Will make some next year. Did you notice I nicked the little holly leaves off the top for my cake pop!? See you next Weekend.
jujubean2401
January 6, 2011
I don’t know why but your list made my eyes leak ! It all sounds too familiar ! But you certainly got me with the Santa bit ! My eldest is exactly the same but he has to keep the magic for the 3 yr old twins ! I miss Christmas !! lol ! Great Post Claire xx
thingswemake
January 7, 2011
Thanks Julia. My eyes leak at everything at the moment. Not sure if its age, SAD, Christmas or what. Glad you liked it.
louise
January 6, 2011
Fantastic Claire
You have written everything that was in my head – especially the bit about only half the Christmas decs going up. I am having Christmas at our house this year so I need a list like yours – so can you please remind me to look at yours in Sept!!!
thingswemake
January 7, 2011
I’ll remind you! (if I remember) Your house will look lovely all Christmassed up.
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
January 7, 2011
Excellent thoughtful post. I spend a lot of time putting off Christmas saying it’s being celebrated too early and “it’s not Christmas yet” but then I get in right state because of trying to cram so much in at the last minute. I think next year I’m going to just embrace it from Hallowe’en onwards and try to be more organised.
My thoughts on your points:
Wrapping paper – yes definitely better quality is worth it. Nothing worse than sticking your fingernail through something and having to do it again or patch it up making it look a mess. Besides, the earlier you can wrapy and the better your presents look in their “clothes” the longer you can enjoy them sitting under your own tree.
Lights
Oodles of lights a must. I bought FOUR sets of Ikea battery powered lights on suckers, two white two red this year for 3.99 a set. Bearining in mind I already have four sets of crappy woolworths ones.
Mince pies
Making your own is a must. Even amateurish efforts are ten times better than the dull supermarket ones.
Gift tags
I cut my cards up in January when I take them down so my tags are already made. Having said that, I prefer to use stickers on a roll as it’s one less thing to fuss about when wrapping in a hurry.
Real tree
They’re double the price of five years ago but my husband still insists. I kept saying we could get one in argos for £15 but instead we had the real one which is now sat next to our recycling bin. At least the council take them away for you now (at least they do here) rather than having to drag it to some local recycling point and get the car full of needles. We are fortunate to have somewhere to buy one within walking distance so we don’t get needles in the car now at all.
Good turkey
Again I say to husband, let’s get a crown joint from supermarket as I hate the smell of boiling turkey carcase but he says he loves picking at the meat and bones for days afters and who am I to deprive him. We buy ours from the local butcher which costs double the supermarket but along with the tree, these are the two main purchases we make for Christmas and I feel it’s doing my bit to help our wonderful local independent butcher stay in business.
Christmas CD
Not cheesy but definitely Christmassy, I like the Diana Krall Christmas album and “A Very Ally Christmas” by the woman from Ally McBeal. There’s enough of the cheesy stuff on the telly and in the shops so I like something a bit more refined in the house!! It all has the same effect.
Your dog receives presents from other dogs?! That’s so funny!
Make sure you circulate this post early in November next year as a reminder. It’s full of super ideas.
thingswemake
January 7, 2011
Thanks Sarah. I think that is the most well thought out and detailed comment we have ever had! I will make a date in my diary to recirculate and perhaps will have added a few more points by then. We flip between turkey crown and full monty turkey from the butchers too. Must check out those Ikea battery lights, sound like a good idea.