Christmas ‘Jobs’

~ beetleypete

It’s the tenth today, and things are starting to ramp up for the three-day Christmas season.

Julie wants the tree and its decorations brought down from the loft this afternoon, and I really must write some cards!

On Sunday, we are travelling down to Essex to see some of my family, staying overnight with one cousin so another cousin nearby can come and see us. I have a big box of presents to take to them, mainly for the children. Ollie will enjoy seeing the two small Spaniels she has, and having some stairs in the house to run up and down.

The following week, we will have an extra clean up in the house, and Ollie goes for his ‘Christmas Bath’ at the groomer. I then have to try to keep him out of the river for a while. (Good luck with that, I tell myself)

Not that we are doing much on the 25th, or the 26th. We are going to a restaurant on Christmas Day afternoon for a traditional turkey meal, and have nothing planned at all for Boxing Day on the 26th.

The 27th is another matter. Julie has invited all of her children here for a seasonal buffet, including their partners, and their children. We are not sure who can make it yet, but if they all do show up we will have ten guests, plus us two.

At this time of year, I can usually be heard saying “Roll on the 27th”. This year I am changing that to the 28th.

60 thoughts on “Christmas ‘Jobs’”

  5. You seem to be on top of things Pete, I tip my hat to you.
    We just had Zosias birthday party and if it was a dry run for Christmas then I have enough already 🙂
    Our neighbour has said that we can help ourselves to a tree, a nice thought, but it now means I have to go and dig it up (or cut it down) so we could be late with the tree this year. Mind you on the plus side I can dull down the sense with some nice wine and beer and come up smiling closer to the new year 🙂

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    1. Off topic, My cousin’s Transylvanian girlfriend gave us some Romanian ‘fire water’ last night. Julie couldn’t drink it, but I downed a large shot in one, to be polite. It nearly took the lining of my throat away! It made me think of home-made Polish plum brandy, and how drunk I once got on that stuff!
      Cheers, Pete.

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      1. Slivovitza from plumbs, a good Slavic tradition, but they make bimber (moonshine) from anything over here and everybody knows someone who makes it. I’m dreading the visit to the neighbours as politeness requires a dram or two to be consumed and I’m not that young anymore 🙂

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  7. Christmas is definitely on its way, Pete. I am finally knuckling down to my Christmas gingerbread project. I wasn’t sure I was going to do one this year, I had not inspiration and then it hit, out of the blue. I started today. I have made 40 of my 150 Christmas crackers for charity, that still requires some effort and I need to ice the Christmas cake and put up the decorations. It is all nice when it’s done… We are going away on the 27th and I am looking forward to it.

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  8. I do t do cards, Phil does a few for his work pals. The tree went up yesterday but that’s all I do and like you Phil wouldn’t bother at all without me. Phil is working Christmas Day until the afternoon so I’ll be cooking in the morning, I’d love to go to a restaurant instead but Phil would divorce me as he reckons I do roast dinners better than any restaurant. I think we’re having family descending on Boxing Day, so more work for me and I too will be saying roll on the 28th! Enjoy your time away Pete, as best you can!

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    1. Thanks, FR. Julie is sorting the tree decorating as I type this. The restaurant we go to has pretty good food, to be fair to them, and saves me a lot of work cooking and washing up on the 25th. I get a day off from the kitchen, which is my Christmas treat.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  11. Writing cards! well done Pete keeping that tradition alive, seems the way is now sending e-cards usually pre computer generated written. Have a great time and a glass of wine on me.
    Cheers

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  16. busy days ahead for your Pete. we are going to our son’s for Christmas as we did on thanksgiving. unlike pre-Covid holidays, ours will be small, quiet and intimate. happy for Ollie’s Christmas bath 🙂

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  17. Busy, busy. I’ve got to give Chaka (my English Shepherd) a Christmas bath too. It’s funny, she loves to swim and wade in any body of water, but she hates a bath?…Go figure. Anyway, it sounds like a lovely time preparing for you family. Lovely and tiring.

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  18. It seems you like your peace and quiet, as do I. When you are not used to having a lot of family around, you don’t learn all the ins and outs. My reaction is to curl up within myself and go very quiet but then you get pegged as standoffish or snobby. My attempts to interact never seemed right. So I can understand how you feel Pete. I hope you’ll manage to enjoy bits of it at least.

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    1. Thanks, Annette. I find it all quite a hassle, to be honest. Months of stress in a build up to just two or three days of rather ‘forced’ celebration. But I play along to keep the peace. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

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