House & Holidays Plan and Other Christmas plans - 2025 edition

This is the area for those who work best by posting detailed to-do lists each day.
Post Reply
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 »

mom-91! So lovely to see you here! The old gang is getting together! :-)
Do whatever works for you, even one thing done is rprogress! Maybe next year I could add the FlyLady missions too for those who follow them, but too late for this year.
L.Ann
Member
Posts: 1100
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2025 5:39 pm

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

Post by L.Ann »

Moving up my list….. I need to look at the schedule and see if we want to add more Christmas things.


Cleaning October and November
-spare bedroom
-DD32’s room
-my room
-hall
-kitchen
-dining room done except for scrubbing the floor
-living room
-bathroom

Decorations
-tree
-bins from shed

Gifts
Christmas
Brother, sister in law, sister, brother in law
DD32(half done), DD39(half done), DD41
DD39’s DH, DD41’s DH
Little Bit, DGD12- Duolingo, DGD6, DGS6 BMX gear, DGS11 BMX gear
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, cards ready to mail
Christmas shopping plans
Christmas activities-Tuba Christmas@1 12/13, Little Bit overnight 12/13, pictures w/mini cows 11/22, hospice Clydesdale event 12/14, family pictures 11/28, ICE and out to dinner with family 11/28, brunch with Santa 12/13@10
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
Nancy
Member
Posts: 26075
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 have been clearing out not holiday decor from the main part of the house this week.
User avatar
Kittykatt
Member
Posts: 2650
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2025 5:10 pm

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

Post by Kittykatt »

I've so very nearly finished decluttering/deep cleaning the bedroom, and hope to do that today while DH is at work (waxing the floor is easier with just one of is around ! :lol: ) Once there done, then I'm going to move into Christmas prep. DH printed the labels for the cards yesterday, so we're off to a good start there.
User avatar
Kittykatt
Member
Posts: 2650
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 hall😀
Deep clean hall😀
Declutter stairs (there shouldn’t be anything on there apart from the bowl with toys for Matilda!) 😀
Deep clean stairs 😀
Declutter sitting room 😀
Deep clean sitting room 😀
Declutter landing book case😀
Deep clean landing bookcase 😀
Declutter bathroom😀
Deep clean bathroom 😀
Declutter bedroom WIP nearly done
Deep clean bedroom WIP nearly done
Declutter spare room/ office
Deep clean spare room/ office
Declutter kitchen
Deep clean kitchen

Prune roses 25 done, 1 to do.

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

Christmas prep:
Find my Christmas book!😀
Gifts:
DH birthday (and card😀) and Christmas(and card😀) WIP
DH stocking WIP
DF E😀
Birthday gift and 100th card for DF E (her birthday is the beginning of January)😀
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 “thank 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 😀
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? Found nice cards for local friends at garden centre😀
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? DH has announced he will do it

Food:
Ring butcher and order Christmas meat😀
Delivery on 1/10 as they are closing for good the end of this week. Fortunately it should all fit in the freezer!)😀
Veg and fruit - are we having a veg box? Veg box ordered for 23/12😀
Christmas “goodies” – cheeses, biscuits for cheese,(Jacobs crackers from Waitrose )😀sweet biscuits,(M&S for tins of shortbread, Waitrose for chocolate biscuits)😀chocolate... 😀

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)😀
Am I having a Christmas veg box? Yes !😀

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!) Not this year, Matilda has started jumping up onto the china display cabinet where I usually put the Nativity set!!!! :shock:
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) I think we're doing something for the residents of the Y instead? I've signed up to do a shoebox (needs to be done and at church by 14/12)

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 so much simpler)😀
Write everything down in a logical order :
Full address of the church, name and email address for the treasurer, 😀Date: 4th December😀
Time, 11 am-12 pm (they have hourly slots)😀
Which menu I want to order with all the add-ons (simple buffet with bite sized cakes and fruit platter)😀
Order for 20 guests (Remember at least a couple need to be GF)😀
Explain that the treasurer has the "chequebook" for the church (she actually does everything online) and ask them to send the invoice there.😀
MD has suggested we make it a ticketed event, so liaise with D (parish administrator over design of tickets )😀
Ask D to print tickets😀 and posters😀
Number tickets and keep a list of names!
Work out costs per head:😀
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? - from Morrisons?
How / when do we publicise it? Ask D to print poster advertising the event😀
Tickets and poster now printed!😀
Started selling tickets after church today 😀


Carol service at church? Am I reading? ( does the catering committee want me to do the mulled wine?) Probably no to all of this!
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 year😀

Date to visit DBIL and family? (Probably early January) DH asked would I mind missing it, as he's been invited to spend the weekend there! :D :D :D Checked that DSisil knows about this, (as she will be doing all the hard work of looking after guests), and discovered she was the one who actually invited him.😀 So that's a win - win for everyone.( Remember to be extra gracious when DBIL visits for the W/E jist before Christmas, as I no longer have to trail all the way up to his house in the new year.😀)

To be continued...
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
User avatar
Kittykatt
Member
Posts: 2650
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2025 5:10 pm

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

Post by Kittykatt »

Bedroom is done!

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

Prune roses 25 done, 1 to do.

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

Christmas prep:
Find my Christmas book!😀
Gifts:
DH birthday (and card😀) and Christmas(and card😀) WIP
DH stocking WIP
DF E😀
Birthday gift and 100th card for DF E (her birthday is the beginning of January)😀
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 “thank 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 😀
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? Found nice cards for local friends at garden centre😀
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? DH has announced he will do it

Food:
Ring butcher and order Christmas meat😀
Delivery on 1/10 as they are closing for good the end of this week. Fortunately it should all fit in the freezer!)😀
Veg and fruit - are we having a veg box? Veg box ordered for 23/12😀
Christmas “goodies” – cheeses, biscuits for cheese,(Jacobs crackers from Waitrose )😀sweet biscuits,(M&S for tins of shortbread, Waitrose for chocolate biscuits)😀chocolate... 😀

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)😀
Am I having a Christmas veg box? Yes !😀

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!) Not this year, Matilda has started jumping up onto the china display cabinet where I usually put the Nativity set!!!! :shock:
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) I think we're doing something for the residents of the Y instead? I've signed up to do a shoebox (needs to be done and at church by 14/12)

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 so much simpler)😀
Write everything down in a logical order :
Full address of the church, name and email address for the treasurer, 😀Date: 4th December😀
Time, 11 am-12 pm (they have hourly slots)😀
Which menu I want to order with all the add-ons (simple buffet with bite sized cakes and fruit platter)😀
Order for 20 guests (Remember at least a couple need to be GF)😀
Explain that the treasurer has the "chequebook" for the church (she actually does everything online) and ask them to send the invoice there.😀
MD has suggested we make it a ticketed event, so liaise with D (parish administrator over design of tickets )😀
Ask D to print tickets😀 and posters😀
Number tickets and keep a list of names!
Work out costs per head:😀
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? - from Morrisons?
How / when do we publicise it? Ask D to print poster advertising the event😀
Tickets and poster now printed!😀
Started selling tickets after church today 😀


Carol service at church? Am I reading? ( does the catering committee want me to do the mulled wine?) Probably no to all of this!
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 year😀

Date to visit DBIL and family? (Probably early January) DH asked would I mind missing it, as he's been invited to spend the weekend there! :D :D :D Checked that DSisil knows about this, (as she will be doing all the hard work of looking after guests), and discovered she was the one who actually invited him.😀 So that's a win - win for everyone.( Remember to be extra gracious when DBIL visits for the W/E jist before Christmas, as I no longer have to trail all the way up to his house in the new year.😀)

To be continued...
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
User avatar
Kittykatt
Member
Posts: 2650
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 hall😀
Deep clean hall😀
Declutter stairs (there shouldn’t be anything on there apart from the bowl with toys for Matilda!) 😀
Deep clean stairs 😀
Declutter sitting room 😀
Deep clean sitting room 😀
Declutter landing book case😀
Deep clean landing bookcase 😀
Declutter bathroom😀
Deep clean bathroom 😀
Declutter bedroom 😀
Deep clean bedroom 😀
Declutter spare room/ office
Deep clean spare room/ office
Declutter kitchen wip
Deep clean kitchen wip

Prune roses 26 done😀

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

Christmas prep:
Find my Christmas book!😀
Gifts:
DH birthday (and card😀) and Christmas(and card😀) WIP
DH stocking WIP
DF E😀
Birthday gift and 100th card for DF E (her birthday is the beginning of January)😀
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 “thank 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 😀
List gifts I still need to buy - marshmallows for DH's stocking
DH is supposed to be buying for his family
Wrap gifts
Cards:
Do I need to buy more? Found nice cards for local friends at garden centre😀
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 in 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? DH has announced he will do it

Food:
Ring butcher and order Christmas meat😀
Delivery on 1/10 as they are closing for good the end of this week. Fortunately it should all fit in the freezer!)😀
Veg and fruit - are we having a veg box? Veg box ordered for 23/12😀
Christmas “goodies” – cheeses, biscuits for cheese,(Jacobs crackers from Waitrose )😀sweet biscuits,(M&S for tins of shortbread, Waitrose for chocolate biscuits)😀chocolate... 😀

Baking:
Mince pies
Gingerbread men
Christmas cake WIP
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)😀
Am I having a Christmas veg box? Yes !😀

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!) Not this year, Matilda has started jumping up onto the china display cabinet where I usually put the Nativity set!!!! :shock:
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) I think we're doing something for the residents of the Y instead? I've signed up to do a shoebox (needs to be done and at church by 14/12)

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 so much simpler)😀
Write everything down in a logical order :
Full address of the church, name and email address for the treasurer, 😀Date: 4th December😀
Time, 11 am-12 pm (they have hourly slots)😀
Which menu I want to order with all the add-ons (simple buffet with bite sized cakes and fruit platter)😀
Order for 20 guests (Remember at least a couple need to be GF)😀 Ended up with 25 Remember to liaise with caterers again a week before
Two Sundays before the lunch, close the list, as the caterers need to know updated numbers😀
Explain that the treasurer has the "chequebook" for the church (she actually does everything online) and ask them to send the invoice there.😀
MD has suggested we make it a ticketed event, so liaise with D (parish administrator over design of tickets )😀
Ask D to print tickets😀 and posters😀
Number tickets and keep a list of names!
Work out costs per head:😀
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 ) Jugs of water on tables and tea/ coffee from the urns
Bite sized mince pies? - from Morrisons? Sainsbury's 😀
How / when do we publicise it? Ask D to print poster advertising the event😀
Tickets and poster now printed!😀
Started selling tickets after church today 😀


Carol service at church? Am I reading? ( does the catering committee want me to do the mulled wine?) Probably no to all of this!
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 year😀

Date to visit DBIL and family? (Probably early January) DH asked would I mind missing it, as he's been invited to spend the weekend there! :D :D :D Checked that DSisil knows about this, (as she will be doing all the hard work of looking after guests), and discovered she was the one who actually invited him.😀 So that's a win - win for everyone.( Remember to be extra gracious when DBIL visits for the W/E jist before Christmas, as I no longer have to trail all the way up to his house in the new year.😀)

To be continued...
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
[/quote]
User avatar
Nancy
Member
Posts: 26075
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 did two rounds to move items off the bed in spare room put those in a closet.
Worked on the other bedroom put the off season clothing away that is in suit cases.
got seasonal decor out for Christmas decor and am deciding what and when to put it upstairs.
User avatar
Kittykatt
Member
Posts: 2650
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 hall😀
Deep clean hall😀
Declutter stairs (there shouldn’t be anything on there apart from the bowl with toys for Matilda!) 😀
Deep clean stairs 😀
Declutter sitting room 😀
Deep clean sitting room 😀
Declutter landing book case😀
Deep clean landing bookcase 😀
Declutter bathroom😀
Deep clean bathroom 😀
Declutter bedroom 😀
Deep clean bedroom 😀
Declutter spare room/ office
Deep clean spare room/ office
Declutter kitchen wip
Deep clean kitchen wip

Prune roses 26 done😀

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

Christmas prep:
Find my Christmas book!😀
Gifts:
DH birthday (and card😀) and Christmas(and card😀) WIP
DH stocking WIP
DF E😀
Birthday gift and 100th card for DF E (her birthday is the beginning of January)😀
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 “thank 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 😀
List gifts I still need to buy - marshmallows for DH's stocking
DH is supposed to be buying for his family
Wrap gifts
Cards:
Do I need to buy more? Found nice cards for local friends at garden centre😀
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 in 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? DH has announced he will do it

Food:
Ring butcher and order Christmas meat😀
Delivery on 1/10 as they are closing for good the end of this week. Fortunately it should all fit in the freezer!)😀
Veg and fruit - are we having a veg box? Veg box ordered for 23/12😀
Christmas “goodies” – cheeses, biscuits for cheese,(Jacobs crackers from Waitrose )😀sweet biscuits,(M&S for tins of shortbread, Waitrose for chocolate biscuits)😀chocolate... 😀

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)😀
Am I having a Christmas veg box? Yes !😀

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!) Not this year, Matilda has started jumping up onto the china display cabinet where I usually put the Nativity set!!!! :shock:
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) I think we're doing something for the residents of the Y instead? I've signed up to do a shoebox (needs to be done and at church by 14/12)

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! :😀
Find phone number for caterers (in the end I used their "Contact us" form, which was so much simpler)😀
Write everything down in a logical order :
Full address of the church, name and email address for the treasurer, 😀Date: 4th December😀
Time, 11 am-12 pm (they have hourly slots)😀
Which menu I want to order with all the add-ons (simple buffet with bite sized cakes and fruit platter)😀
Order for 20 guests (Remember at least a couple need to be GF)😀 Ended up with 26 Remember to liaise with caterers again a week before
Two Sundays before the lunch, close the list, as the caterers need to know updated numbers😀
Explain that the treasurer has the "chequebook" for the church (she actually does everything online) and ask them to send the invoice there.😀
MD has suggested we make it a ticketed event, so liaise with D (parish administrator over design of tickets )😀
Ask D to print tickets😀 and posters😀
Number tickets and keep a list of names!
Work out costs per head:😀
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
Email MD with final details a week beforehand
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 ) Jugs of water on tables and tea/ coffee from the urns
Bite sized mince pies? - from Morrisons? Sainsbury's 😀
How / when do we publicise it? Ask D to print poster advertising the event😀
Tickets and poster now printed!😀
Started selling tickets after church today 😀


Carol service at church? Am I reading? ( does the catering committee want me to do the mulled wine?) Probably no to all of this!
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 year😀

Date to visit DBIL and family? (Probably early January) DH asked would I mind missing it, as he's been invited to spend the weekend there! :D :D :D Checked that DSisil knows about this, (as she will be doing all the hard work of looking after guests), and discovered she was the one who actually invited him.😀 So that's a win - win for everyone.( Remember to be extra gracious when DBIL visits for the W/E jist before Christmas, as I no longer have to trail all the way up to his house in the new year.😀)

To be continued...
User avatar
Nancy
Member
Posts: 26075
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 brought up a couple of items set up a snow man basket for fun.
Got my holiday sweater out I'd forgotten about red white and black that was fun!

I have one more prayer shawl for the other granny.
A John Deer Cup to share with dd's SO.
Post Reply