It always amazes me how at this time of year things move from it's far too early to think about Christmas to THERE ARE ONLY EIGHT DAYS LEFT AND I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING YET in the blink of an eye. Christina said something today which has stayed with me, about women (never men) putting pressure on themselves to make Christmas perfect.
I am going low-key this year. As always in fact. I am living in fear that the dog will swallow something again, so I am avoiding low-lying decorations, in fact pretty much all decorations, at this point. A chunk of work came in at the end of last week, to be done over the next few days, so I won't be spending my days creating festive works of art or planning elaborate menus. Hopefully once the urchins are home there will be some time to do things with them, which I'm really looking forward to, but I am trying to keep it simple and not Get In A State.
The youngest has found a type of glove which he does not yet have. You will recall his love of accessories and the fact that he has ALL the gloves - cycling, climbing, skiing, gardening, ordinary woollen, goalkeeping, running and last year's gift, Really Grippy, which were in fact a triumph. Well, he has discovered, wait for it, yo-yo gloves. Oh yes, that is actually a thing. Gloves to protect delicate little hands from the wear and tear of constant yo-yo-ing. The biggest boy said, 'Thank goodness he doesn't know there are basketball gloves.' Of course, I was immediately thinking, surprise gift! The gloves he didn't even know he needed. Basketball and yo-yo are huge around here right now. As is chess. I love how things go in cycles. Suddenly someone will get something out and, bam, everyone is obsessed.
Other than that, my main preparation for Christmas has been to stop taking iron tablets, which I'm sure have been making my joints hurt and my appetite disappear. I've lost any desire to eat an evening meal, and at the same time, it means that I don't really enjoy cooking it. I stand in the kitchen sighing and wondering what I could make that would be appetising, and thinking, actually, nothing. Which is not at all the thing for the festive season. I want to be looking at everything and wanting to eat it.
How are all the festive preparations coming along with you? Simple or elaborate or more than you can chew? I shall look forward to hearing.
If he gets into photography there are photographers gloves too.
ReplyDeleteReally! What on earth are those - just off to Google them.
DeleteI am in a state if I am honest and it seems I have been working on this holiday all of last month and this one too. I always and I mean always put pressure on myself to make it good, fun, surprising and well I just want everyone to be happy and remember Christmas's as far better than they actually were. Bah Humbug, I am a real Grinch this time of year.
ReplyDeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteMy yes. How in the world is it a week until Christmas?
I was just commenting on another blog how I have really relaxed in my approach to Christmas preparation.
Turning 40...several years ago...made me realize that all the perfect images in my mind are not as important as a relaxed, cozy, loving family Christmas.
Today my daughter baked, and I washed the dishes behind her. Then we snuggled and watched tv.
Have a cozy week!
I hope you get your appetite back! I should probably have that problem, I might lose some lbs. I love the decorating and card sending part of the holidays. I actually love the sparkling tree and colorful decorations. I have just a bit of gift finding and wrapping to do and I'm ready. I am slow but steady doing it all.. I'm not a ball of fire by any means. I just know I'm happy with all of it and I try to keep my expectations low. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
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Gorgeous photos, CT. Yo-yo gloves - who knew?! It's simple all the way round here. The tree went up this weekend and the presents have all been wrapped - I have to do a few over several days, otherwise I end up as a sellotape covered, bad tempered mess! Interesting about the side effects of your iron tablets; I hope your appetite returns in time for the big day. I think I would become resentful pretty quickly if I had to do all that cooking and didn't feel like eating any of it! Have a good week. xx
ReplyDeleteHi CJ ,why dont you try vitamin D 3 and magnesium ,most women are low in magnesium ,no harm in trying them ? Xmas will sort out ,we all stress about it but its always ok .take care of yourself xx
ReplyDeleteI am feeling like a Grinch this year. I had told the family ( daughter and son & their spouses and children) that I would have Christmas as our place this year and have been buying in all the bits and pieces over the last few weeks and was feeling quite excited to decorate etc. when last week my son told me that he and his family would not be coming here for Christmas as they would be having Christmas at their place with his wife's family and come to us on Boxing Day. Now I am feeling a bit down, and I told my daughter that they could still come but she said we could come to their place with her in-laws for tea but late in the day as they were going to spend the day at the beach. Now I don't really feel like I have got the Xmas spirit at all, just a bit let down but am trying to get in the mood, but it just won't be the same on Boxing Day as Christmas is over by then and everyone is Christmas'd out! Anyway, sorry about the rant, I will get over it and will enjoy the time with the family whatever day it is. Hope your appetite returns too, I used to take the Iron tablets and they made me feel nauseous, so it might be best to stop them at least for Christmas. Hope you get everything done that needs to be done, and I'm sure it will all work out in the end. Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteWhen my kids were small I really went for it at Christmas, homemade everything and masses of cooking and parties - now I'm a Granny and only enter the fray every other year. On my years off my kids and their kids go to the in-laws and I have a blissful peaceful time at home or away. A couple of years ago I spent 15th Dec -15th January in a treehouse by the sea in Wales - best Christmas ever!
ReplyDeleteOoh, that sounds soooo nice, Sandra. One year we had sausages and chips and a bottle of fizz, opened prezzies and went for a long walk. It remains of my absolute favourite Christmases ever.
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DeleteSandra, I think I might do similar next year. I have always tried to do what everyone else wanted, but maybe next year I will do something else. I do love to have the family around at Christmas, but it might be time to make some changes.
A treehouse by the sea in Wales is absolutely my ideal Christmas. I would never leave. Wonderful. CJ xx
DeleteMy daughter sent me a picture of a remote highland bothy and said 'shall we?' I admit I was tempted!
DeleteI think women put pressure and guilt on themselves all year round, it seems as if its inbuilt! HAving a slow Christmas is just lovely, I have slowed down a lot this year too x
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos. I am admiring the acorn and rosehip fabric hugely. Chortling about the gloves. I empathise with your youngest, I have a large collection of running gloves, all for various temperatures. It's taken me three years to work out that what works best in winter is a thin pair under a thick pair. Simple. I can't actually move my hands with them on but at least they don't stop working for half an hour after a chilly run!
ReplyDeleteI second the magnesium suggestion, most women in the West are chronically low in it. Better You original spray is an efficient way of getting it into your system quickly, it stings/ tingles the first few times you spray it on but is fine after that. It solved my exhaustion and various strange hormone- type symptoms a few years back, to the point I went from not being able to run half a mile to training for marathons with no problems. I absolutely swear by it.
Almost Christmas-ready here. I am feeling slightly pinched by it at the moment. The main issue yesterday was the pudding, which steamed noisily for EIGHT HOURS and still isn't fully cooked. Never again. I am, like Veggie Mummy, also wrapping presents on a daily basis! Have a good week, lovely girl xx
Good post and pictures. I like going low-key, and not just a t this time of year. I have a variation on the glove theme as I have various pairs of gardening gloves.
ReplyDeleteA simple, hopefully quiet and relaxing, Christmas will suit me fine. xx
Does he kayak? I believe there are kayakers' gloves. How about ski gloves?
ReplyDeleteWe spent last Christmas and the first week in January in Kauai, Hawaii with our kids and grandkids. It was their gift and I did no cards or decorating at all. This year I'm having a hard time getting into the swing of things and wishing we could spend every Christmas on a beach somewhere. That being said, I'm just easing into the whole Christmas thing. I may do a bit of baking or not, just happy to be with family and friends.
Do what you can and don't worry about the rest.
I so enjoy reading your blog, your photos are very nice, and I never knew there are so many types of gloves! I decorated my house up for myself only, as I leave for a family gathering in Chicago tomorrow, but it was very nice to sit with tree lights on in the dark these past few nights. The calm before the storm...going into the whorlwind of the crazy social frenzy of all the folks back home, I am preparing myself! A Happy Christmas to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteI have recently emerged from a bout of self-inflicted food poisoning from last year's homemade mincemeat. So this year we are having apple pies. Re gloves: has he got a pair of fingerless gloves that have flip over mitten ends?
ReplyDeleteI went to Sainsbury's just now and it was like Christmas Eve in there. What's it going to be like next Monday?
I love the glove obsession. Honestly I miss those days where there is a fixation with some type of thing. Happy Holly Daze! Wishing you and yours lots of happiness and no eaten decorations. xoxo
ReplyDeleteI agree about there being a time warp between thinking it is far too early to the panic of less than a week to go. But if I have learned one thing is it will come and go whether we are prepared or not and mostly everyone has a good time. I'm definitely not stressing about it this year.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea there is such a large variety of gloves! Quite fancy a pair for my Christmas actually, the warm variety that is useful for my cycle to work. I am sitting in a complete pig sty at the moment, happily ignoring it. We are finally decorating our tree today and needed to move furniture around to make space for it. I'll go on a cleaning frenzy on Saturday, before my mum arrives... I hope you feel more like eating soon, it is not fun to see mince pies and not want to eat them. Not sure if this is due to iron medication though, it is low iron that is associated with loss of appetite. Also, you'd need quite a severe iron excess in your body to experience joint pains due to iron. Sorry, scientist and former undergraduate medicine lecturer alert. Look after yourself my friend, maybe go and see a doctor in the new year? Wishing you strength for the final few days before Christmas xx
ReplyDeleteSo many gloves - who knew?! Wishing you a very happy time and some moments of rest for yourself x
ReplyDeleteYour posts always make me laugh CJ. I honestly did not know about the gloves thing, but John bought some Special Grippy Gloves when he laid our flooring and, once I'd stopped laughing, I had to concede that actually they were really good and very useful.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Christmas perfection, oh, I don't know what the answer is. I saw a meme on facebook or somewhere recently where it said: "Husband's Christmas shopping list: wife. Wife's Christmas shopping list: husband, children, parents, in-laws, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, teachers...." That basically sums it up in this house. If John didn't do so much cooking I don't know if I'd have bought him anything at all.