House & Holidays Plan and Other Christmas plans - 2025 edition

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trissie
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Posts: 1166
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2025 6:03 am

Re: House & Holidays Plan and Other Christmas plans - 2025 edition

Post by trissie »

Nancy wrote: Sun Oct 05, 2025 10:27 am Mental Health Card

Holidays have been a challenge these past few years.
I've needed extra time to rest, regroup, and take a break for self care.
I'm also team "I need a vacation before holidays and after holidays too"!
What can we do to make it easier and more relaxing for ourselves?

(I am thinking of booking a spa weekend in January :-)
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Kittykatt
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Posts: 2659
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2025 5:10 pm

Re: House & Holidays Plan and Other Christmas plans - 2025 edition

Post by Kittykatt »

Christmas Preparations:
Decluttering and deep cleaning:
Declutter hallπŸ˜€
Deep clean hallπŸ˜€
Declutter stairs (there shouldn’t be anything on there apart from the bowl with toys for Matilda!) WIP
Deep clean stairs WIP
Declutter sitting room πŸ˜€
Deep clean sitting room πŸ˜€
Declutter landing book case
Deep clean landing bookcase
Declutter bathroomπŸ˜€
Deep clean bathroom πŸ˜€
Declutter bedroom WIP
Deep clean bedroom WIP
Declutter spare room/ office
Deep clean spare room/ office
Declutter kitchen
Deep clean kitchen

Prune roses 17 done, 9 to do.

Christmas List!
( I’m going to need to make amendments and additions, but it’s a start.πŸ˜€)

Christmas prep:
Find my Christmas book!πŸ˜€
Gifts:
DH birthday (and card) and Christmas(and card)
DH stocking
DF EπŸ˜€
Dnextdoorneighbour C
DH’s family: A, DH will sort: R, S, L&G, B, L2, R2 & D, J
Give tubs of chocolates to: vet, hairdresser, anyone else who has been really good to us this year to say β€œthank you” – Ocado order for this last year - see if they give good value again?) This year I have bought the Big Mix to a of chocolates from M&SπŸ˜€
List gifts I still need to buy
DH is supposed to be buying for his family
Wrap gifts
Cards:
Do I need to buy more?
Update card list
Check addresses and get DH to print out address labels
Write cards
Are we doing a newsletter this year?

Food:
Ring butcher and order Christmas meatπŸ˜€
Delivery on 1/10 as they are closing for good the end of this week. Fortunately it should all fit in the freezer!)πŸ˜€
Veg and fruit - are we having a veg box?
Christmas β€œgoodies” – cheeses, biscuits for cheese,(Jacobs crackers from Waitrose )πŸ˜€sweet biscuits,(M&S for Tim's of shortbread, Waitrose for chocolate biscuits)πŸ˜€chocolate... πŸ˜€

Baking:
Mince pies
Gingerbread men
Christmas cake
Glaze Christmas cake
Fudge?
Truffles?

Christmas grocery order – Waitrose (KEEP CHECKING
FOR CHRISTMAS DELIVERY SLOTS FROM MID SEPTEMBER and put the basics in my trolley.) Just need to add any seasonal items, and be careful not to get carried away! Remember fruit for fruit salad, also parsnips, carrots and sprouts (unless I decide on a veg box)πŸ˜€
Am I having a Christmas veg box?

Decorations:
Tree
Wreath for front door
Lights round porch
Lights on kitchen windowsill
Wooden Nativity scene (this depends on whether Matilda tries to chew it!)
Church organ musical box, gingerbread house tin and Christmas tree tin (on top shelf of sitting room bookcase?)
Christmas card holders over kitchen door
Hang Christmas count down ornament? (Or will this make my life too stressful? :lol: )

Events:
Christmas shoebox for Moldova - check what suitable gifts I have already (I'm assuming our church is doing this again this year)

2/12 Women’s group meditation - S and S are organising it.

4/12 Parish Christmas lunch. I'm organising this for the first time this year Booked for 04/12 at the back of the church. Need to book caterers soon? ( I'm keeping it really simple this year, so just a buffet). Caterers booked! :D
Find phone number for caterers (in the end I used their "Contact us" form, which was souch simpler)πŸ˜€
Write everything down in a logical order :
Full address of the church, name and email address for the treasurer, πŸ˜€Date: 4th DecemberπŸ˜€
Time, 11 am-12 pm (they have hourly slots)πŸ˜€
Which menu I want to order with all the add-ons (simple buffet with bite sized cakes and fruit platter)πŸ˜€
Order for 20 guests (Remember at least a couple need to be GF)πŸ˜€
Explain that the treasurer has the "chequebook" for the church (she actually does everything online) and ask them to send the invoice there.πŸ˜€
MD has suggested we make it a ticketed event, so liaise with D (parish administrator over design of tickets )πŸ˜€
Ask D to print ticketsπŸ˜€ and postersπŸ˜€
Number tickets and keep a list of names!
Work out costs per head:πŸ˜€
Also need tablecloths, crackers (DF PM has lots of Xmas napkins she will provide) fairy lights on font, paper chains? Chocolates on bowls on tables? MD has offered to make simple centre pieces for table
MD has also offered members of the social.committee to help set up /clear away
Remember we need a separate table for GF food
Tea and coffee from the urns, soft drinks? (No alcohol as we would need an Events Licence, and I'm not going down that route )
Bite sized mince pies?
How / when do we publicise it? Ask D to print poster advertising the eventπŸ˜€
Tickets and poster now printed!πŸ˜€


Carol service at church? Am I reading? ( does the catering committee want me to do the mulled wine?)
Christmas services: are we having a Bethlehem Mass at 9 pm on Christmas Eve again? (It was a lot more popular that midnight mass, especially now people are getting older!!!), will I be asked to read? Bethlehem Mass again this yearπŸ˜€

Date to visit DBIL and family? (Probably early January)

To be continued...
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L.Ann
Member
Posts: 1106
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2025 5:39 pm

Re: House & Holidays Plan and Other Christmas plans - 2025 edition

Post by L.Ann »

Cleaning October and November
-spare bedroom
-DD32’s room
-my room
-hall
-kitchen
-dining room
-living room

Decorations
-tree
-bins from shed

Gifts
Christmas
Brother, sister in law, sister, brother in law
DD32, DD39(half done), DD41
DD39’s DH, DD41’s DH
Little Bit, DGD12, DGD6, DGS6, DGS11
2gifts for gift exchange

Birthdays
DD38-handprint card w/flamingo, DD32 got her gift, two cards
DD41
DGD12
DGD6-DD32 got her gift and I got mine, got card
DGS6-DD32 got her gift and I got mine, got cars

DD32-12/19 hotel weekend w/ICE and Holidaze cirque tickets

Christmas cards, Christmas stamps, mail gifts, wrap gifts-cards and stamps bought
Christmas shopping plans
Christmas activities-Tuba Christmas@1 12/13, Little Bit overnight 12/13
Shutterfly thing-make card, DD32 2025 book, Little Bit 2024 book, calendar for DD38, Little Bit 2025 book, Little Bit 2024 school book
User avatar
Kittykatt
Member
Posts: 2659
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2025 5:10 pm

Re: House & Holidays Plan and Other Christmas plans - 2025 edition

Post by Kittykatt »

Christmas Preparations:
Decluttering and deep cleaning:
Declutter hallπŸ˜€
Deep clean hallπŸ˜€
Declutter stairs (there shouldn’t be anything on there apart from the bowl with toys for Matilda!) πŸ˜€
Deep clean stairs πŸ˜€
Declutter sitting room πŸ˜€
Deep clean sitting room πŸ˜€
Declutter landing book case
Deep clean landing bookcase
Declutter bathroomπŸ˜€
Deep clean bathroom πŸ˜€
Declutter bedroom WIP
Deep clean bedroom WIP
Declutter spare room/ office
Deep clean spare room/ office
Declutter kitchen
Deep clean kitchen

Prune roses 21 done, 5 to do.

Christmas List!
( I’m going to need to make amendments and additions, but it’s a start.πŸ˜€)

Christmas prep:
Find my Christmas book!πŸ˜€
Gifts:
DH birthday (and card) and Christmas(and card)
DH stocking
DF EπŸ˜€
Dnextdoorneighbour C
DH’s family: A,πŸ˜€ DH will sort: R, S, L&G, B, L2, R2 & D, J
Give tubs of chocolates to: vet, hairdresser, anyone else who has been really good to us this year to say β€œthank you” – Ocado order for this last year - see if they give good value again?) This year I have bought the Big Mix tins of chocolates from M&S for everyone πŸ˜€
List gifts I still need to buy
DH is supposed to be buying for his family
Wrap gifts
Cards:
Do I need to buy more?
Update card list
Check addresses and get DH to print out address labels
Write cards - after the fuss last year, I've designed our card and had it printed (Snapfish!) All DH will have to do is stuff it I .the envelope along with the newsletter (no writing required!!!) And worst comes to worst, I'll be able to quickly.do them for him (I'm not telling him this, as I really do think he should send cards to his relatives, but I don't want the elderly ones especially to miss out. So...)
Are we doing a newsletter this year?

Food:
Ring butcher and order Christmas meatπŸ˜€
Delivery on 1/10 as they are closing for good the end of this week. Fortunately it should all fit in the freezer!)πŸ˜€
Veg and fruit - are we having a veg box?
Christmas β€œgoodies” – cheeses, biscuits for cheese,(Jacobs crackers from Waitrose )πŸ˜€sweet biscuits,(M&S for tins of shortbread, Waitrose for chocolate biscuits)πŸ˜€chocolate... πŸ˜€

Baking:
Mince pies
Gingerbread men
Christmas cake
Glaze Christmas cake
Fudge?
Truffles?

Christmas grocery order – Waitrose (KEEP CHECKING
FOR CHRISTMAS DELIVERY SLOTS FROM MID SEPTEMBER and put the basics in my trolley.) Just need to add any seasonal items, and be careful not to get carried away! Remember fruit for fruit salad, also parsnips, carrots and sprouts (unless I decide on a veg box)πŸ˜€
Am I having a Christmas veg box?

Decorations:
Tree
Wreath for front door
Lights round porch
Lights on kitchen windowsill
Wooden Nativity scene (this depends on whether Matilda tries to chew it!)
Church organ musical box, gingerbread house tin and Christmas tree tin (on top shelf of sitting room bookcase?)
Christmas card holders over kitchen door
Hang Christmas count down ornament? (Or will this make my life too stressful? :lol: )

Events:
Christmas shoebox for Moldova - check what suitable gifts I have already (I'm assuming our church is doing this again this year)

2/12 Women’s group meditation - S and S are organising it.

4/12 Parish Christmas lunch. I'm organising this for the first time this year Booked for 04/12 at the back of the church. Need to book caterers soon? ( I'm keeping it really simple this year, so just a buffet). Caterers booked! :D
Find phone number for caterers (in the end I used their "Contact us" form, which was souch simpler)πŸ˜€
Write everything down in a logical order :
Full address of the church, name and email address for the treasurer, πŸ˜€Date: 4th DecemberπŸ˜€
Time, 11 am-12 pm (they have hourly slots)πŸ˜€
Which menu I want to order with all the add-ons (simple buffet with bite sized cakes and fruit platter)πŸ˜€
Order for 20 guests (Remember at least a couple need to be GF)πŸ˜€
Explain that the treasurer has the "chequebook" for the church (she actually does everything online) and ask them to send the invoice there.πŸ˜€
MD has suggested we make it a ticketed event, so liaise with D (parish administrator over design of tickets )πŸ˜€
Ask D to print ticketsπŸ˜€ and postersπŸ˜€
Number tickets and keep a list of names!
Work out costs per head:πŸ˜€
Also need tablecloths, crackers (DF PM has lots of Xmas napkins she will provide) fairy lights on font, paper chains? Chocolates on bowls on tables? MD has offered to make simple centre pieces for table
MD has also offered members of the social.committee to help set up /clear away
Remember we need a separate table for GF food
Tea and coffee from the urns, soft drinks? (No alcohol as we would need an Events Licence, and I'm not going down that route )
Bite sized mince pies?
How / when do we publicise it? Ask D to print poster advertising the eventπŸ˜€
Tickets and poster now printed!πŸ˜€


Carol service at church? Am I reading? ( does the catering committee want me to do the mulled wine?)
Christmas services: are we having a Bethlehem Mass at 9 pm on Christmas Eve again? (It was a lot more popular that midnight mass, especially now people are getting older!!!), will I be asked to read? Bethlehem Mass again this yearπŸ˜€

Date to visit DBIL and family? (Probably early January)

To be continued...
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User avatar
Nancy
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Posts: 26078
Joined: Wed Jul 09, 2008 6:52 pm
Location: Washington state in the Pacific Northwestern part of the USA.
Contact:

Re: House & Holidays Plan and Other Christmas plans - 2025 edition

Post by Nancy »

I am SO glad I did yard sales for crafting supplies last summer and have a good supply
of things to do that do not have to be started from scratch. LIke quilt blocks.
Fun snow man print for one so could be done in Jan.

I'm thinking of sewing hot pads next year instead of crocheting them as they
will be faster and be easier on my arm.
User avatar
trissie
Member
Posts: 1166
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2025 6:03 am

Re: House & Holidays Plan and Other Christmas plans - 2025 edition

Post by trissie »

House & Holidays Plan Week 7: Bedding and Bath Week

https://organizedhome.com/christmas/hou ... -bath-week

This Week's Focus: Linen Closet and Bathrooms
The day before Thanksgiving is no time to discover that your good tablecloth is shredded and stained. This week, we're diving into linen storage areas and tackling family bathrooms as we prepare for Christmas. We'll check linens and clean and organize bathroom areas so we're prepared for holiday primping ... and guests!
In holiday prep, we'll think ahead to what we need to wrap and ship gifts, and continue gift shopping.

This Week's Household Checklist
- Into the bathrooms to declutter, clean and organize! From the master bathroom to the small half-bath off the hall, this is the week to focus on the household's "facilities". Clear away clutter in each bathroom, then deep-clean fixtures, floors and walls. Organize personal care storage and prepare for entertaining and guests.
- Light into the linen closet. Linen storage areas can become a catch-all space, so rout them out this week. Return misplaced items to their homes, then organize sheets, blankets and towels to make them easy to find in busy times.

This Week's Holiday Prep Checklist
- Make a pre-holiday linen check. As you declutter and organize the linen closet, make a quick linen check. If you need sheets, towels, or blankets, add them to the shopping list now.
- Start stocking up on bathroom basics. Running out of toilet tissue isn't a major problem--unless it happens during a holiday party. Before the season begins, stock bathrooms with ample supplies to ward off embarrassment.
- Set up a holiday wrap and mail center. Use an empty closet, corner or an under-bed organizer to gather gift wrap, ribbons, bags, tags and supplies. You'll speed gift wrapping and parcel mailing with supplies all in one place.
- Simplify mailing chores with an account from USPS.Com. Power to the Postal Service! A free account with USPS.Com makes it easy to buy postage, print labels or arrange for carrier pickup. Better, the USPS will deliver free flat rate mailing boxes to your mailbox, then collect your labeled packages at the door under the Click-n-Ship program. No more waiting in line!
- Buy, wrap and package overseas gifts for mailing. Next week's mailing deadline means that overseas gifts must be bought, wrapped and packaged for mailing this week. Check gift lists and complete any overseas gifts.
- Begin shopping holiday bazaars--or swaps. It's bazaar season! Service clubs, church groups and school organizations offer great holiday savings--and a lot of fun--at holiday bazaars. Bazaar season starts in early October; add a few events to your calendar to shop for gifts and decorations. Another frugal source for gifts and decor: holiday swaps. Check your favorite online community for active swaps, where members exchange like items for holiday giving.
- Continue working on Christmas cards. Divide the Christmas card list into five sections. Complete one section this week. Goal: to be finished writing, signing and addressing cards by November 15.


all the printables and more reading material can be found at the website linked above.
User avatar
trissie
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Posts: 1166
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2025 6:03 am

Re: House & Holidays Plan and Other Christmas plans - 2025 edition

Post by trissie »

Holiday Grand Plan Week 7: Guest Room

https://holidaygrandplan.com/07-guest-room-week/

HOLIDAY PREP
- Make one batch of Holiday Goodies.
- Make one extra meal for freezer again labeled HOLIDAY MEAL.
- Buy two canned food items from menus (get 2 of each item, one to use and one to donate to food drive).
- Buy 1/8th of TO BUY gifts. Save all receipts, note return policy before buying. Ask for gift boxes.
- Wrap and label packages. If needing to ship, get some shipping boxes now and store packages in them.
- Work at least 1 hour a day on homemade gifts.
Decorate for Halloween:
- If you decorate mainly with a fall harvest look, then a few Halloween things can make it for Halloween. After October, replace the Halloween decorations with Thanksgiving things for a minimum of work.

CLEANING/ORGANIZING AREA: GUEST ROOM

all the printables and more reading material can be found at the website linked above.
User avatar
trissie
Member
Posts: 1166
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2025 6:03 am

Re: House & Holidays Plan and Other Christmas plans - 2025 edition

Post by trissie »

Week 7 - master bathroom
- clean door
- clean lights
- clean window
- clean wall tiling
- clean convector
- scrub floor
- take toilet seat apart and soak it in bleach
- clean/reorganize vanity
- clean/reorganize cabinets around mirror
- clean/reorganize tall cabinet
- clean/reorganize small cabinet
- declutter make-up and nail polishes
- clean shelf above mirror
- clean top of dryer
- detailed cleaning of dryer filters
- declutter and restock medication
Last edited by trissie on Mon Dec 22, 2025 2:47 pm, edited 11 times in total.
L.Ann
Member
Posts: 1106
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2025 5:39 pm

Re: House & Holidays Plan and Other Christmas plans - 2025 edition

Post by L.Ann »

Cleaning October and November
-spare bedroom
-DD32’s room
-my room
-hall
-kitchen
-dining room
-living room

Decorations
-tree
-bins from shed

Gifts
Christmas
Brother, sister in law, sister, brother in law
DD32, DD39(half done), DD41
DD39’s DH, DD41’s DH
Little Bit, DGD12- Duolingo, DGD6, DGS6, DGS11
2gifts for gift exchange

Birthdays
DD38-handprint card w/flamingo, DD32 got her gift, two cards
DD41
DGD12
DGD6-DD32 got her gift and I got mine, got card
DGS6-DD32 got her gift and I got mine, got cars

DD32-12/19 hotel weekend w/ICE and Holidaze cirque tickets

Christmas cards, Christmas stamps, mail gifts, wrap gifts-cards and stamps bought
Christmas shopping plans
Christmas activities-Tuba Christmas@1 12/13, Little Bit overnight 12/13
Shutterfly thing-make card, DD32 2025 book, Little Bit 2024 book, calendar for DD38, Little Bit 2025 book, Little Bit 2024 school book
User avatar
Kittykatt
Member
Posts: 2659
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2025 5:10 pm

Re: House & Holidays Plan and Other Christmas plans - 2025 edition

Post by Kittykatt »

Christmas Preparations:
Decluttering and deep cleaning:
Declutter hallπŸ˜€
Deep clean hallπŸ˜€
Declutter stairs (there shouldn’t be anything on there apart from the bowl with toys for Matilda!) πŸ˜€
Deep clean stairs πŸ˜€
Declutter sitting room πŸ˜€
Deep clean sitting room πŸ˜€
Declutter landing book case
Deep clean landing bookcase
Declutter bathroomπŸ˜€
Deep clean bathroom πŸ˜€
Declutter bedroom WIP
Deep clean bedroom WIP
Declutter spare room/ office
Deep clean spare room/ office
Declutter kitchen
Deep clean kitchen

Prune roses 22 done, 4 to do.

Christmas List!
( I’m going to need to make amendments and additions, but it’s a start.πŸ˜€)

Christmas prep:
Find my Christmas book!πŸ˜€
Gifts:
DH birthday (and card) and Christmas(and card) WIP
DH stocking WIP
DF EπŸ˜€
Dnextdoorneighbour C
DH’s family: A,πŸ˜€ DH will sort: R, S, L&G, B, L2, R2 & D, J
Give tubs of chocolates to: vet, hairdresser, anyone else who has been really good to us this year to say β€œthank you” – Ocado order for this last year - see if they give good value again?) This year I have bought the Big Mix tins of chocolates from M&S for everyone πŸ˜€
List gifts I still need to buy
DH is supposed to be buying for his family
Wrap gifts
Cards:
Do I need to buy more?
Update card list
Check addresses and get DH to print out address labels
Write cards - after the fuss last year, I've designed our card and had it printed (Snapfish!) All DH will have to do is stuff it I .the envelope along with the newsletter (no writing required!!!) And worst comes to worst, I'll be able to quickly.do them for him (I'm not telling him this, as I really do think he should send cards to his relatives, but I don't want the elderly ones especially to miss out. So...)
Are we doing a newsletter this year?

Food:
Ring butcher and order Christmas meatπŸ˜€
Delivery on 1/10 as they are closing for good the end of this week. Fortunately it should all fit in the freezer!)πŸ˜€
Veg and fruit - are we having a veg box?
Christmas β€œgoodies” – cheeses, biscuits for cheese,(Jacobs crackers from Waitrose )πŸ˜€sweet biscuits,(M&S for tins of shortbread, Waitrose for chocolate biscuits)πŸ˜€chocolate... πŸ˜€

Baking:
Mince pies
Gingerbread men
Christmas cake
Glaze Christmas cake
Fudge?
Truffles?

Christmas grocery order – Waitrose (KEEP CHECKING
FOR CHRISTMAS DELIVERY SLOTS FROM MID SEPTEMBER and put the basics in my trolley.) Just need to add any seasonal items, and be careful not to get carried away! Remember fruit for fruit salad, also parsnips, carrots and sprouts (unless I decide on a veg box)πŸ˜€
Am I having a Christmas veg box?

Decorations:
Tree
Wreath for front door
Lights round porch
Lights on kitchen windowsill
Wooden Nativity scene (this depends on whether Matilda tries to chew it!)
Church organ musical box, gingerbread house tin and Christmas tree tin (on top shelf of sitting room bookcase?)
Christmas card holders over kitchen door
Hang Christmas count down ornament? (Or will this make my life too stressful? :lol: )

Events:
Christmas shoebox for Moldova - check what suitable gifts I have already (I'm assuming our church is doing this again this year)

2/12 Women’s group meditation - S and S are organising it.

4/12 Parish Christmas lunch. I'm organising this for the first time this year Booked for 04/12 at the back of the church. Need to book caterers soon? ( I'm keeping it really simple this year, so just a buffet). Caterers booked! :D
Find phone number for caterers (in the end I used their "Contact us" form, which was souch simpler)πŸ˜€
Write everything down in a logical order :
Full address of the church, name and email address for the treasurer, πŸ˜€Date: 4th DecemberπŸ˜€
Time, 11 am-12 pm (they have hourly slots)πŸ˜€
Which menu I want to order with all the add-ons (simple buffet with bite sized cakes and fruit platter)πŸ˜€
Order for 20 guests (Remember at least a couple need to be GF)πŸ˜€
Explain that the treasurer has the "chequebook" for the church (she actually does everything online) and ask them to send the invoice there.πŸ˜€
MD has suggested we make it a ticketed event, so liaise with D (parish administrator over design of tickets )πŸ˜€
Ask D to print ticketsπŸ˜€ and postersπŸ˜€
Number tickets and keep a list of names!
Work out costs per head:πŸ˜€
Also need tablecloths, crackers (DF PM has lots of Xmas napkins she will provide) fairy lights on font, paper chains? Chocolates on bowls on tables? MD has offered to make simple centre pieces for table
MD has also offered members of the social.committee to help set up /clear away
Remember we need a separate table for GF food
Tea and coffee from the urns, soft drinks? (No alcohol as we would need an Events Licence, and I'm not going down that route )
Bite sized mince pies?
How / when do we publicise it? Ask D to print poster advertising the eventπŸ˜€
Tickets and poster now printed!πŸ˜€


Carol service at church? Am I reading? ( does the catering committee want me to do the mulled wine?)
Christmas services: are we having a Bethlehem Mass at 9 pm on Christmas Eve again? (It was a lot more popular that midnight mass, especially now people are getting older!!!), will I be asked to read? Bethlehem Mass again this yearπŸ˜€

Date to visit DBIL and family? (Probably early January)

To be continued...
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