Best (xmas,don't shoot me!) Present

[thesunflowergal]

For those of us who obviously have loads of things (kids) on our minds it would be great to have an idea thread for pressies, I'd love to make family things this year, but just have no idea of where to start. The chutney is out as the apple tree was attacked by wasps, so we lost just about all our crop

Sarahx

What a good idea Sarah!! I am sure that we could all done with a few more ideas.

[Mr and Mrs luvpie]

Why would your boys not knit MrsL? My brother knits & so did my Grandad.We used to have a knitting Bishop here in Leicestershire in the 80s

MW

They both tried last year, very briefly, but boys being like they are it turned into lets see who can stab eachother first with this pointy thing, rather than worrying about how long their scarf was going to be!!!!

[Big Al]

I was only being cantankerous.....

[Millymollymandy]

I was only being cantankerous.....

I shouldn't worry, the Crimbo brigade ignored us anyway!

[Thomzo]

I was only being cantankerous.....

I shouldn't worry, the Crimbo brigade ignored us anyway!

Oh how can you not love Christmas? Lots of baubles, bangles and bright shiny things. Twinkly lights, logs fires, cheesy music, too much food and a chance to dress up posh for a night out or two. I'm going to come out and say it I LOVE CHRISTMAS

There, I've admitted it.

Zoe

[Millymollymandy]

Christmas is like marmite.

[Spuddle]

Oh, how I agree with Big Al and Flo!!!!!
I HATE Christmas!
Why does it have to start in September?
Why does it have to be SO commercialised?
Does anyone remember the time when Christmas began on Christmas Eve and ended on Boxing Day?
These days Christmas is just an excuse for plastic shopping binges, over-eating, over drinking, and buying awful presents that no-one wants and that probably end up on eBay or at the local charity shop.
This is not Christmas - this is inexcusable over-indulgence and a waste of precious resources at a time when half the world is starving.
I now fully expect ignominious ejection from the Ish community!!

[Gert]

I love some of these Ideas. I too have started thinking about X-mas, but with good reason. Everyone at Gert's Farm have decided that we are going to have a completely self sufficient Christmas, which is taking some planning.

Booze- Honey Mead and Blackberry wine, in the making now.

Food- there are a few nervous looking chickens out there, and loads of parsnips and leeks. Spuds are stored and beans are frozen.

Prezzies- Are being made in various secret locations.

Any ideas of what else we could add to the mix would be most welcome.

[Millymollymandy]

Chestnut stuffing - get out there and pick yer own chestnuts when they start dropping!

There's a recipe for foraged Crimbo pud that was on Fergus whatsits foraging website that Hedgehogpie posted. If you want to be truly self sufficient that is.

[Gert]

Chestnut stuffing - get out there and pick yer own chestnuts when they start dropping!

There's a recipe for foraged Crimbo pud that was on Fergus whatsits foraging website that Hedgehogpie posted. If you want to be truly self sufficient that is.

Of course ! well done MMM, how could I possibly have forgotten Chestnut stuffing.

[Millymollymandy]

We aim to please! Also homemade decorations - you can make some nice table decorations with all the mid winter greenery especially if you have some evergreens or conifers or holly etc. Bung in a few candles (perhaps you'll have to make your own ) and if you put them in that oasis stuff and keep them watered they should last a couple of weeks.

[MuddyWitch]

See MMM, even [img]you[/img] have to plan ahead a little!

For the record I don't celebrate CHRIST~mas, being a Witch. I celebrate Yule on Dec 21st as the religious bit , exchange pressies on 25th as that is the day when the Sun is obviously getting stronger, (& it saved hassel for my girls as they grew up) and we have our big dinner on Boxing day.

We try to make most of out gifts, wrapping, decorations & goodies our selves, as the run up & preparations are half the fun. BUT you are not allowed to say the 'C' (or 'X') word before Hallow'een (Samhain & my b/day, for us) is over.

MW

[Thomzo]

Bung in a few candles (perhaps you'll have to make your own ) and if you put them in that oasis stuff and keep them watered they should last a couple of weeks.

Is that where I'm going wrong? I never realised candles needed watering

Sorry Mandy, couldn't resist it.

Oh, and BTW, I also love Marmite. Perhaps there's a link here?



Zoe

[Millymollymandy]

Bung in a few candles (perhaps you'll have to make your own ) and if you put them in that oasis stuff and keep them watered they should last a couple of weeks.

Is that where I'm going wrong? I never realised candles needed watering

Sorry Mandy, couldn't resist it.

Oh, and BTW, I also love Marmite. Perhaps there's a link here?



Zoe

Good one!

[Millymollymandy]

I don't HATE Christmas, really I don't, we have had some lovely family Christmases - but I do think it's different once the family have all grown up and moved away. When there are no smalls about it just isn't the same for me and it does seem to come around awfully quickly these days (hmm could be I'm getting old!). We got so fed up with the commercialism of the whole festive season that the whole family decided not to buy presents at all last Christmas and rather than feeling sad or deprived we all felt incredibly liberated. Whilst friends and neighbours ran around frantically trying to buy the perfect gift I suddenly found myself with time on my hands, lovely - more time to toast my toes in front of a blazing fire and read a good book, and my kids said the same. On Christmas day we went to the beach and cooked bacon butties by the sea and had a lovely long walk and came home to a roaring fire and a selection of all our favourite treats we'd prepared the day before. Different? yes - the first time I hadn't spent the day running around cooking, clearing up and generally making sure everyone else was having a good time. I think we'll risk the raised eyebrows of friends and do something similar this year!

That sounds fab. What I hate about Xmas is the run up to it and the preparations and for me the writing of letters to lots of friends and relations who live around the globe. I don't mind the actual day itself and I quite like opening presents - just hate buying them for other people!