Christmas Day 2025

[Kittykatt]

Triple Dog Dare!

Pick 3 things
Do them
Post your TaDas!

»»—-Cheers! WTG! Ygg!—-««

Don't think about it. Just do it!
~~ I Triple Dog Dare ya! ~~
Good Morning!
»»————　✼　————««

[Kittykatt]

Merry Christmas, everyone!

[Kittykatt]

Thursday: Christmas Day
Stockings first thing
Ask DH to lay table
Ensure bathroom is clean and tidy
Run a quick duster and hoover round hall and sitting room
Trim and file finger nails -I can't get them clean after yesterday's gardening
Change into something pretty
Cook lunch - use timings in my book.
12 noon Dnextdoorneighbour C arrives
1pm lunch - roast beef, roast potatoes, roasted carrots and parsnips, gravy , Brussels sprouts, Yorkshire puddings, fresh fruit salad, cream
Take my apron off and relax!
Time for presents

[FrenchFlybebe]

◕‿◕ * * * Good Morning! * * * ◕‿◕

. . . and

Merry Christmas to all !


kittykatt, thanks for the start ! Sorry you had to do emergency gardening yesterday.

helia a paella for Christmas is a nice tradition, compatible with many diets and religions, and easy to scale up if needed. I'm curious about this oversized pan ! The brioche is for breakfast.

Doggedly I hope Germane's digestive health won't get in the way of your plans today..

Beautiful morning here. The nicest surprise was a snow covered landscape, it's a rare occurrence so close to the ocean. The kids are busy outside enjoying the snow and making their first snowball fight ever. It won't last, but it is something they will remember. And they seemed pleased with their presents. DS7 wanted to make sure his theory about Santa being only a legend was true, and stayed late, and went to our bedroom multiple times after midnight...
So we went to sleep with the presents still hidden. I suddenly woke up around 7 and realized there was something important to do first thing in the morning... and woke MrNG up to help me put the presents near the shoes around the tree. Then we realized it had snowed during the night.
So, presents opened, brioche and hot cocoa and coffee, and the warmth of the pellet stove, we're having a nice Christmas morning. Kids will be busy assembling Lego in the afternoon, and we have to plug and install the Switch console before we can enjoy Mario and his friends.

TADAs
up, brought out the presents in a hurry, arranged around the tree
pellet stove cleaned and on
realized that it had snowed, enjoyed the unusual sight
DS10 went out with me as he was curious to see the snow
brioche and tea and hot cocoa
opened presents together
some Lego assembled
a snowfight
also made a bird feeder (from a milk bottle) and put in on the plum tree

TODO
dispose of wrapping paper
easy lunch : peel and cut potatoes for french fries
MrNG will make burgers, meat ones and veggie patties
probably plug and install the Switch console
a Christmas movie in the afternoon ?
enjoy quiet day

[Kittykatt]

Merry Christmas, FFB! So ... has DS7 decided whether Santa is real or not after his overnight "experiment"? How wonderful for the DKids to experience snow. Lego sounds the perfect occupation for a Christmas afternoon.

No snow for us, but it's a chilly, sunny day. I can look out over my garden and feel happy when I see it We had croissants for breakfast (a Christmas tradition for us) and coffee made in the cafetière . Lunch is in the oven. Today's menu is roast beef, roast potatoes, roasted carrots and parsnips, Brussel sprouts, Yorkshire puddings, horseradish sauce and gravy, followed by fresh fruit salad and cream.

I'm just sitting down with Matilda on my lap for a few minutes as I have a short break before the carrots & parsnips need to be cooked.

[Kittykatt]

Thursday: Christmas Day
Stockings first thing
Ask DH to lay table
Ensure bathroom is clean and tidy
Run a quick duster and hoover round hall and sitting room
Walk Freddie
Pick up leaves in front garden
Trim and file finger nails -I can't get them clean after yesterday's gardening
Change into something pretty
Cook lunch - use timings in my book. WIP
12 noon Dnextdoorneighbour C arrives
1pm lunch - roast beef, roast potatoes, roasted carrots and parsnips, gravy , Brussels sprouts, Yorkshire puddings, fresh fruit salad, cream
Take my apron off and relax!
Time for presents
[/quote]

[trissie]

Merry Christmas for all who observe it today!

Frenchie, Christmas day snow is like the most magical thing!
did the kitties get any Christmas presents, kittykatt?

For us, Christmas is kinda over. Yesteday, everything went just fine, gotta say more peaceful than with my mom, let alone with my sister around. We even made it to church for the 8pm service, and that was including dinner and presents! A bit sad that a month of preparations culminated in a one hour event, but that's how it is. December 25 is my rest and recharge day, so I treated myself to a long sleep in (very needed) and then just reading in bed. I have to reclaim the kitchen, though, debone the turkey and start a turkey carcass soup, and tackle laundry. But I also wanna rest with a book (which was my tradition for Dec 25 before kids), so I will take long breaks And other than the turkey soup, I am NOT cooking today! That's another tradition in this house, Dec 25 you eat turkey sandwiches which you fix yourself

TaDas
- up and attem
- reading in bed
- dressed to shoes
- breakfast and coffee
- internet time

ToDos
- reclaim kitchen
- debone turkey and start turkey carcass soup
- 15 on laundry

[helia]

Sounds like a lovely Christmas morning, FFB. Wow on the Christmas snow! Yes, like Kitty, I'm curious what DS7 believes about Santa now?
Enjoy your sumptuous lunch with C, Kitty.
trissie, those are awesome Christmas traditions! You get to actually rest and enjoy the day.

Last night, dh and I didn't really cook; we just heated up tamales and made rice and some veggies. It was very nice to have that time to talk and touch base with each other without RH being present. Thank you to dd30 who is very perceptive! RH came home from the girls' place around 8:30, and the girls and the Cs arrived around 9:30 to do shoes night #1. DD27, R, and RH worked on the tangled yarn with me. We've made good progress.

Today: Currently, it is almost 8 a.m. I've gotten my first shoe gifts - small post its and some chewy candy. I'm drinking coffee alone in the living room; I can see the sun starting to rise. Looks kind of cloudy but still - no wind. We'll be otd in about an hour to attend the Anglican church's Christmas service. No other church that we know of has a Christmas Day service, and we missed the Christmas Eve service. After that, we're going to the girls' place for brunch. Dd27 is making star bread? I think it's like cinnamon rolls in the shape of a star? I'll probably boil some eggs to bring along as well. This afternoon, I'll go for a short jog -- that didn't happen yesterday. I'll work on some things that have been on the back burner, like Mem. thank yous. And hopefully, I'll finish untangling the yarn and start my new knitting project. And start wrapping gifts. Dinner will be dh's seafood paella, green salad, GF baguette, and dessert - I think dd27 is making a pumpkin pie. She's a tremendous baker in case you never caught that. We will probably read a Christmas story and light the candles on the tree tonight. And do shoes night #2 - just the 5 of us; J12yo will be out of town with her family and she asked me to do her shoe gifts for her while she is absent.

CG's brain surgery yesterday went very well. We were so grateful to hear that. We're praying her recovery will be swift and smooth, and there won't be any after effects. Our friend from the past church who owns an upscale Asian fusion restaurant downtown (and is also a chef) is going to make the family a special meal and bring it to the hospital for all of them to enjoy!!

Next:
- back exercises
- s2s and self care
- make the bed

Later:
- church service
- boil eggs
- brunch at the girls' place
- Mem. thank yous progress
- go for a jog
- put away old puzzle
- get out a new puzzle
- payroll: finish the curriculum review? (won't take long)
- read fun book!
- start new knitting project
- wrap some presents
- resurrect toodle do
- Christmas zoom call?
- help dh cook
- 6 pm Christmas dinner: seafood paella, Greek salad, baguettes, pumpkin pie (I think)
- after dinner clean up
- light the tree and read stories
- shoes, night #2
- duolingo
- update health apps

TaDas!
- up; weighed self
- coffee
- shoe!
- weather website, email deletions

WEEKLY ACTIVITIES
Thu 9:30 Anglican church service in other town / 6 - Cmas dinner for 5?/ light the candles and read stories/ shoes night 2
Fri date with dh?/ shoes night 3
Sat PACK/ K arrives / M returns/ shoes night 4
Sun write poems all day/ evening - celebrate SK!

Mon 10 - leave for the airport to TRAVEL TO WA to visit ds, F, and baby I
Tue See Ss in WA?

December Brain Dumps
This Week - House
- towel laundry
- can I scrub the tile in our shower?
- clean sheets on bed

This Week - Deskwork
- make appointment with optometrist and food doctor
- schedule mammogram
- Memorial thank yous
- reach out to JK?
- finish charitable giving for the year

This Week - Christmas prep
- wrap gifts

This Week - Errands
- get Mom's bags of stuff to the charity

General Brain Dump
- progress decluttering clothes - wip
- new phone eventually

Mom
- go through bag of Mom's knick knacks

[L.Ann]

Merry Christmas everyone! Snow on Christmas is definitely special, FFB.DD33 has been told that there is no Santa but she doesn’t believe it. Santa only brings her a stocking but she was up at 3:30 this morning to open it.

1-Christmas celebration

Menus
Thursday-leftover brunch food
Friday-one pot kidney bean and pepper soup
Saturday-black bean burgers
Sunday-Cajun tilapia and roasted veggies


Events
Thursday-Christmas brunch
Friday-DD32 off
Saturday-
Sunday-

Weekly House Blessing-mop kitchen, bathroom, dining room, windex, dust, swish and swipe, vacuum, trash
Extra stuff-


Accomplishments
-knee and stretching exercises
-breakfast for dog
-dress and pick up bedroom
-meds and temp for DD33
-set table and get hot chocolate set up

[FrenchFlybebe]

trissie, wishing you a lot of time for reading today ! I love the tradition of minimal cooking on Dec 25th.
I'm curious about what books Santa chose for you... I got Ken Follett's last novel.

helia, glad the surgery went well. I remember the beautiful pie picture you shared on Thanksgiving, a pecan pie if I remember correctly, was it you DD27 as well ? Oh, a jog on Christmas day... how brave !

kittykatt, lovely menu. Did you eat your Christmas cake yesterday ?

L.Ann that is early ! Were you up when she opened it ? As for me I still want to believe in Santa somedays. Don't we need to believe in magic and universal kindness ?

As for DS7, well he asked a few times that we tell him the truth, and we always kind of hinted at the truth and asked questions about "how likely is it that reindeers would fly millions of presents through the sky" and such. Night before last he asked me again, at bedtime. So I asked him if he really wanted to know the truth (yes) and what he would think if I told him Santa didn't exist and it was the parents who bought things and wrapped them and put them under the tree during the night, and he seemed allright with that, and I told him that what it was like. I also told him how I hid under the LR table around 8yo with my older sister and we saw our dad bring presents and I discovered the truth that day... But it seemed like he wasn't entirely satisfied. And so uesterday night he lingered downstairs as if he wanted to see us bring the presents. And at some point he entered our bedroom and there was a wrapped box visible in the open cupboard and he kept asking if it was a present, even after I brought him back to bed.
So what does he think ? He knows "Santa is a legend", he told me so (his words), but he still doesn't seem to "believe" the other option.
After they opened their presents I said "this one is from Granny S", "this one is from Auntie B", and I also mentioned returning one of the presents. Also a huge box was in the garage for months before appearing near the tree today, so...

We ate our traditional burgers for Christmas day. The Switch console is set up. I need to see if I can return one purchase from Amaz**. Garbage bags have been emptied and one lol is almost in. Things are slowly getting back to normal... there will just be the slight issue of how the new toys will fit into the boys bedrooms -> declutter over the weekend, and donate ?

TADAs
dispose of wrapping paper
easy lunch : peel and cut potatoes for french fries
MrNG made burgers, meat ones and veggie patties
plug and install the Switch console
lunch, remaining half of yule log for dessert, cleaned up

TODO
start lol
play a few games on the Switch (Mario kart, I think)
a Christmas movie in the afternoon ?
enjoy quiet day
dinner should be smoked salmon toast, and a soup.