It's nearly here!!! After today there is only one more weekend till Christmas - so exciting!!!! How are we all doing with our Christmas Preparations? Below is a recap of our goals for the week and a summary of how we got on!
Christmas Prep Week 5
Plan menu for Christmas
Husbands birthday (a non Christmas day)
Prepping/planning/making teacher gifts
Teen social
Get tickets for children's ball
Start on the wrapping
So this week has been busy, my husband has been working away in Denmark, so I've been flying solo. My home edder had his last lessons this week and he has just a few things to finish off next week and then he has completed his schooling. End of term, meant little celebrations and remembering to bring contributions! He also had his pathfinders social, where he invited a non christian friend, at Frenchies - a 1950s dessert restaurant and they had lots of fun. He seemed so grown up as I dropped him off in the evening for a night with friends.
My son number 3 had his youth group social too (he attends one at a different church that a lot of his school friends go to and they take from a year younger) He also had a great time. They threw a party on the premises with a party tea, lots of games and crafts and he got a scooter as a present!
Son number 3 and 4 are going to our churches children's Christmas ball next week and I did remember to get tickets when I dropped them off to their club. They have to dress up 'posh' so outfits are ready and a new shirt for son 3 as he has grown and doesn't fit into his old shirt anymore. This week they also did the sponsored reindeer fun run - running to raise funds for Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice.
Eldest son had Christmas jumper day and panto this week. There's been lots to remember and driving around. In order to cope when flying solo I just make sure I get as early a night sleep as possible and try to prep in advance everything I can. I do really simple dinners, that mainly involve heating food from the freezer, so I can keep life simple for myself.
I did have a moody day Thursday which I put down to lots of running around and still batting off the cold I had a week or two ago. Mum life is a busy life, but I do want to encourage my children to make friends and to celebrate/have fun. We are Christians and have lots to celebrate - we should be having the most fun!
Saturday was a non-Christmas day as it was all about my husband as it was his birthday - if you follow my Instagram Stories, you would see that we went out for a meal together. Its not easy to do being gluten and dairy free as the choices can be very limited. He had his special breakfast (he chose Coco pops), we did cake and presents - we thanked God for him.
I did not do any wrapping apart from birthday presents and I helped the boys to wrap their Christmas presents for their dad. That has now moved to this week... Thankfully Husband is off and enjoys wrapping so I'm going to happily delegate this job over :)
Teacher presents! I have 2 children in primary so we make their teachers gifts. My eldest is in a specialist school so he makes presents for all his friends and teachers. My eldest has planned to make everyone a special individual cake and to put them in cake boxes, so this week we have ordered all the stuff and we will be doing this over the weekend. He has RSI in his main writing hand so I have to help him with a lot of these tasks at the moment.
My primary children, have been decorating plant pots - making them all Christmassy - each with a baby spider plant in, ready to give to their teachers next week. It's actually been fun to be crafty and paint together after school - very relaxing - if a little messy.
I will post pictures of the finished products on my Instagram Stories next week.
Christmas Dinner Menu
I have finally decided what we will be eating! Keeping it traditional with Turkey and trimmings. I have been going through the ingredient lists and working out what I will need to make from scratch and what I can buy. This is because I can no longer eat gluten or lactose.
We start Christmas Lunch around 1pm
Breakfast = American style pancakes with maple syrup bacon and fresh fruit
Starters = Prawn cocktail or pate with flat breads
Main = Turkey, stuffing, pigs in blanket, goose fat roast potatoes, maple roasted parsnips and carrots, savoy cabbage and a few token brussel sprouts. Yorkshire pudding.
Pudding = choice of mince pies & custard, Christmas cake or Yule log.
We don't normally have evening tea, as everyone is stuffed from earlier but as we are entertaining Christmas Eve, there will be nibbles readily available if needed. I imagine my children will just tuck into their selection boxes and tubes.
Here's next week's plan:
Christmas Prep Week 7
Remember all of kids social engagements
Pre-make Christmas Dinner food where possible
Our home group Christmas evening
Wrapping!!
Christmas Cards
Prep for Christmas celebrations over weekend and following week
Pray all the food shopping actually comes in the delivery!
Previous Christmas Prep Series: