It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Off Topic Chat

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121564753#Comment_121564753

We have the Christmas bedding stripped & waiting to be washed, we dont have a tumble dryer so will be watching the weather forecast closely to see when we can get out on the line!

The backlog of washing is off the charts as it is... really do need to invest in a decent dryer.

Loughc

Lovely morning for the walk to crèche this morning. Myself and Elf1 slept in late unplanned this morning. But it was nice dropping him off without the morning rush cause of work.

So sick of the rat race lately but the lotto isn’t working for me either. And I can’t grow a good Santa beard so that occupation is out as well I do have his belly at the moment.

SarahLil

Still sitting with the glow of the Christmas tree I am sure my neighbour is horrified 🤣 I don’t get it….with this glory they give themselves for taking down their Christmas tree early

Anyone with toddlers and still loving Christmas tv there is a good 45 min show on Netflix Spookley & Christmas Kittens the cat is called mistletoe my little one is loving it she’s taking it all in

We use to do a family saving club too but stopped about 7 years ago I’m going to buy some Dunnes Stamps monthly for the Christmas shop and put another bit aside too. All the extra bits for the house, yourself, gifts and children add up

I am mentally doing notes on what I was short off for Christmas and what extra decorating I would like to do this year

@gidget I’m the same I look after the family graves I love picking up little bits to add to wreath’s or trees in Knick knack shops

miamee

Our neighbours next door have their tree down, just noticed yesterday. They had it up early in November so I suppose they were sick looking at it whereas we put ours up first weekend in December and will leave it up til this coming weekend at least.

BK5

I have no intention of taking anything Christmas related down till Saturday morning and will probably still have stuff up on Sunday.

Last day off work so we'll head out for some lunch in a few hours just to stretch the very last bit of joy out of the time off before day 1 workwise of 2024 starts tomorrow.

Is anyone going on the "dry" for January?

Cork Lass

As people have been mentioning saving for Christmas 2024 I just thought that I’d mention that Aldi do a Christmas savings card. You can top it up at the till to a total of €500, very handy.

SarahLil

Yeah @BK5 I am going dry I am not much of a drinker these days but it’s so easy to have a couple most days over the Christmas

I stopped drinking in April 2020 before I was pregnant and went 2 years plus without a drink I would say I slept better, more energy

anyone else cutting back or doing dry January?

Cork Lass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121564825#Comment_121564825

I don’t normally do dry January but I will this year.

DvB

I dont really do dry January as like others wouldnt be a big drinker anyway throughout the year and could go weeks without alcohol of any description.

Will definitely be cutting out sugar & crisps though, I did the dog on them both over Christmas & am disgusted with myself for it.

miamee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121564895#Comment_121564895

I saw a post somewhere just before Christmas that said something along the lines of 'Don't worry about what you eat between Christmas and New Years and focus on what you eat between New Year and Christmas'.

I ate the usual amounts of chocolates and crisps and desserts but after reading that I didn't beat myself up about it, I enjoyed myself and will get back to my normal eating (or hopefully a bit better) very soon.

SarahLil

Exactly @miamee great way at looking at it

SarahLil

I like this one…

CheerLouth

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121564775#Comment_121564775

We do have a dryer but with the price of electric, I only use it to run the clothes through for 5 mins before I fold them. I have a Sheila's Maid though & it is the best money I've spent in terms of general household equipment. There are 5 of us so I opted for a big one from here: https://theoldmillstores.ie/product/sheila-maid-ceiling-clothes-airer/

But Homestore also have a small one for much less: https://www.homestoreandmore.ie/clothes-airers/edwardian-airer/142087.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAqNSsBhAvEiwAn_tmxSm5BryfhDOz-ICQy_0j0KKkRySHxmIQUWkYiQlnWx5of3PhPxkpcRoCw5IQAvD_BwE

Smell the glove

Off to the airport now, have to go abroad for a couple of days with work. Will post any Christmas related pics. We will take down the decorations this Saturday then and that will be it until November 30th....yes I am that insane that I'm already thinking about it 🤣

CheerLouth

Finalised our Summer Hols at lunchtime - delighted with myself now.

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121565760#Comment_121565760

Always a great moment that!

SarahLil

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121565760#Comment_121565760

Brilliant great to have something to look forward to

SarahLil

Missed the posts earlier on dechristmasfying the house I had thought about it but boxes in the attic I need the OH to take them down the closest I will get is packing away Christmas clothing, Christmas accessories

Still have the Christmas placemats on the table it will look so bare when they are packed away

DvB

Spoke to the Mrs at lunchtime, she is WFH nowadays & said she's sick of looking at the decorations & wants to get the house back to normal. So we may not make it to the weekend after all, though I suspect we're so tired in the evenings that we'll be leaving the tree's & external lights until then in reality.

To be fair to her, I bet I'll be the same when I get home this evening. Most years I get very little enjoyment from the decorations after we go back to work & feel like we're flogging a dead horse for the Christmas season feels.

miamee

Just discovered half a box of Quality Street under the tree that I thought we'd finished...hehe

gidget

I was in Stephen's Green Shopping Centre earlier & while rushing out I passed Cassidy's Travel which had a display rack of brochures inside the door, just about caught a glimpse of Christmas Markets Brochures, should be in again on Friday so going to pick one up for possible future travel ideas.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121566532#Comment_121566532

I took the tree down today myself but all outdoor lights and indoor light up ornaments are staying up until Monday morning.

Posy

I've the bits and pieces down and in a big bag waiting to be attic-ed. Think I'll turn the tree off Friday night, to come down Saturday. I usually want to have it still there for Little Christmas but think it would be too miserable to take it down and put it away on Sunday!

I'll definitely leave my pop up hall and kitchen trees up until Candlemas. Then it'll be nearly time for my Easter wreath and garland to cheer the place up again!

DvB

Came home to the Mrs having taken down and packed away pretty much all our inside decorations. Just the external lights and decorations to be looked after now.

BK5

Wife and myself just talked about the decorations earlier as well. She is going to start taking down the bits that are all over the place tomorrow.

By Saturday the tree, the garland on the fireplace and the external lights and decs will all that will be left.

Heroditas

I'm away with work from tomorrow morning until Friday night but the plan is for herself to start taking a load of stuff down until there's just the lights and tree as well as the outside stuff left. We'll then do them on Sunday because we have visitors on Saturday. That be that for another year.

Oh and the bedclothes need to be changed, washed and put away

Loughc

Anyone watching the darts tonight? Some final

antimatterx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121568034#Comment_121568034

Class. Can't believe how fast Luke Littler gave up his lead. Felt like seconds.

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121568034#Comment_121568034

It's quite entertaining I must admit.

jellybear

Just watching the darts here...can feel my stress levels rising!😄 My brother in law is over at it...some atmosphere I'd say!

We'll be leaving decorations up till Saturday. Hubby is back to work tomorrow after 2 weeks off. I'll be home with the 4 and 1 year old tomorrow....say a prayer for me 😆

DvB

Delighted for Humphries, he's a class act.

Heroditas

That was such a high quality final. Great end to the tournament and Christmas 💪

Jude13

Took the reindeer antler and nose off the car this morning. My OH has taken down most of the decorations in the house, just need to pack the trees up. I need to completely re-arrange the shed to accommodate them, this PM along with taking down the external lights and reindeer.

Posy

I'm going to get a skip in the spring to clear out my attic and shed, just random bits knocking about, like old chairs etc taking up space. Love having a clear out. 😁

SarahLil

Morning lovely bright morning out there

Christmas tree still going strong here

Had to bite the bullet this morning and do Dr online I am awake coughing most of the night I don’t want to take any chances with my asthma ended up with inflamed lung last year after repeated visits with a doctor in GP practice not listening to me

Good luck today @jellybear 😀

DvB

As I'm WFH today I've been told that if I'm not too busy I've to get the external lights down this afternoon/evening so we can sort out the attic storage space. Having bought more new christmas lights to add to the already crowded storage space something needs to be done, can see a clearout being carried out in the next few weeks.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121569100#Comment_121569100

I do love a good clearout, very therapeutic.

Someone said to me set a goal to get 3 things out of your house a day you don't need or want anymore even if it's something small, I was like 3 things sure that's nothing but then you realise that's 21 things a week each and every week and all of a sudden you can notice some more space and less clutter in the house.

DvB

As I'm WFH for the first time since Christmas I've taken the wife's lead & put away all my little home office Christmas bits & changed the Christmas desktop background on my PC to a winter one. TBH with the day being bright & sunny its been a lot easier to look ahead & just get on with it.

dubstepper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121569384#Comment_121569384

As some point you are sitting in a bare room?! 😂

BK5

Dare I be the first to say a bit of a stretch in the evenings? 😄 But seriously I was in the back garden at 5:00 and it wasn't totally dark. Another couple of weeks and we'll really a difference.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571573#Comment_121571573

Just under 14 mins stretch since the earliest sunset (which was about a week before the solstice, the mornings keep getting darker for a bit longer)

https://mastodon.ie/@theauldsthretch

Posy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571210#Comment_121571210

I was thinking that, you'd have nothing left after a couple of weeks!

pigtail33

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571573#Comment_121571573

I definitely notice the grand stretch in the evenings. Maybe I imagine it, but it seems to get dark slower once the sun has set in January compared to December! Maybe it was just the sunshine today that made it seem brighter for longer.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571210#Comment_121571210

I think it only applies to small items not essentials or furnishings 😂😂

buzzerxx

Seen this Today. LOL.

Posy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121572324#Comment_121572324

"Today I threw out the sofa, fridge and one of the beds"

Loughc

It’s a cold one this morning but just glad it’s nice and dry out there.

CheerLouth

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121573652#Comment_121573652

Apparently, we are going to have two weeks completely dry - no rain 🙌

CheerLouth

Also, we've made it to the end of the first week of January - yahoo!

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121573668#Comment_121573668

I'm currently in Sligo, it's bucketing down here and was raining most of the way here too.