1. Making a list (actually a colour-coded excel spreadsheet) of people to get presents for in about September and gradually ticking everyone off. I'm normally finished a couple of weeks before Christmas so I can then feel super smug. I don't know what comes over me - I usually hate shopping and I've literally never been this organised about anything else in my life.
2. Getting the Christmas tree - my mum and dad have a tradition where they don't get their tree until late afternoon Christmas Eve when everyone is shutting up shop. There's an element of danger as it's sometimes difficult to find one by that stage. And also my Dad sees it as a challenge to either get one free or for next to nothing, as people are normally just giving them away by that time.
Now I do like the fun and tradition of getting one at the last minute, but I also like looking at my tree and it smelling all christmassy. So now I have the best of both worlds. I get my tree a couple of weeks before xmas and then I go round to my mum and dad's on Christmas Eve to help them do theirs.
3. The Doctor Who Christmas Special - love Doctor Who all year round. In fact I think it might be my favourite TV programme of all time. The Christmas special is a little treat to keep me going between series. I'm sure the new Doctor is going to be great - looking forward to seeing what happens to David Tennant. I'll probably have a little cry, I'm a real sucker for things like that.
4. Opening my stocking - I'm 27 and have always had a stocking. Thanks Father Christmas!
5. Mulled wine - I'm teetotal the rest of the year but I love mulled wine. When I make my own, I make it to my taste - i.e. sweet and weak and not too wine-y. Here's my recipe:
2 bottles cheap red wine
1 carton of orange juice
1 clementine studded with cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 lump of root ginger about size of thumb, peeled
Sugar to taste
Heat heat heat, stir stir stir, yum yum yum.
Mr Beet's top 5
1. Ham (We cook it on Christmas Eve for Christmas morning breakfast, but he usually sneaks a cheeky slice on the way home from midnight mass)
2. Christmas tree smell and getting the house all christmassy
3. Boxes of biscuits
4. Christmas dinner / boxing day buffet
5. New clothes to wear on christmas day - usually socks that are too big.
I think you need to share the spreadsheet design with the world. I have NEVER managed to get a spreadsheet to represent the joint presents, money and various combinations that arise at Christmas.
ReplyDeleteWow - you worked out how to post a comment! Nobody else (including me) has been able to! I'm relocating to wordpress so that should sort things.
ReplyDeleteI have secret ninja web skills to allow commenting on blogspot blogs - Wordpress is far better.
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