Well this is a bit embarassing......I've not written on my blog for nearly two months. It felt like just a couple of weeks because I've been so busy. I looked at it just the other day and realised how neglectful I've been and then felt a bit too embarrassed to write another post. But I do love writing my blog, so what the heck, here's my first post in a while.
So the Christmas tree is up, the presents wrapped, the cards written and posted. I'm nearly organised! I have had Christmas tree envy looking at beautiful flocked trees all decked out in whites, golds and silvers on Instagram. Do I spend money on a new tree or do I get out my tradional tree and decorations in greens, reds, silvers and gold? The traditional tree stayed as I do love red and green as I think they are such festive colours.
I have a 7ft fake tree which comes with cinnamon sticks, fir cones and red berries already attached. I have a set of multi-function white lights that we add next and finally the decorations. These have been picked up over the years and many have been bought new but second hand on carboot sales, I love my knitted festive cupcakes the most, which I bought last year.
The three wreaths that we own we're put up last week. I have a huge cranberry one in the front dining room which reminds me a little of a massive red polo mint. This came from Marks & Spencers in the January sales around 10 years ago.
The two wreaths in the lounge are from Costco and we're both bought on clearance. I love the simplicity of the one that lights up. We have two settees in the lounge and so have a wreath over each settee.
I bought these adorable embroidered red felt cushions last year and they add to the festive feel in the lounge. I bought four so I have two on each settee. I love the large wooden buttons that fasten them on the back.
I've bought nearly all my food for the season too. This year (the first in 12 years) I am not hosting which is a welcome break for me. We have been invited to our family in Leeds (thank you Mum!) so will be heading up the M62 on Christmas Day with the car laden with presents and overnight bags. I'm just hoping that everything fits in my car. I'm helping by providing two large Christmas puddings and a gorgeous Christmas cake from the Fiona Cairns range at Waitrose. All Christmas fruit cakes were half price last Sunday so we were there at opening time and bought three. One large one to take with us and two smaller ones for my Dad and me. We've also bought the champagne and bottles of cava to take too. I know that Prosecco is very fashionable at the moment but I'm a dry cava girl through and through.
We are planning on having our own Christmas dinner on the following New Year weekend. For those who read my blog on a regular basis, you'll probably remember me buying a fair few turkey crowns from M&S on the reductions counter, so I have already taken the largest one up to Leeds, still frozen and in a freezer bag for Christmas Day. It should have been £46.64 but I paid £10. I have four more which were all 10% of the normal price, so we will be having a £35 turkey crown which has cost me £3.55. These have been frozen for 9 months as they were bought at Easter.
They taste fine and the texture is good too. I have been freezing turkey crowns like this for the last few years after my sister told me she did this. I was a bit cynical at first as I always bought a fresh one from Costco but after trying it one year with some trepidation, I realised I could hardly notice a difference apart from the turkey skin being not as crispy.
I've been buying chipolata sausages and sausagemeat & sage/onion stuffing from the reduced counter over the last couple of weeks so have these ready in my freezer along with ready prepared spiced red cabbage. I just have fresh fruit and vegetables left to buy really, so I feel fairly set and ready.
How are all your preparations going on?
I have a 7ft fake tree which comes with cinnamon sticks, fir cones and red berries already attached. I have a set of multi-function white lights that we add next and finally the decorations. These have been picked up over the years and many have been bought new but second hand on carboot sales, I love my knitted festive cupcakes the most, which I bought last year.
The three wreaths that we own we're put up last week. I have a huge cranberry one in the front dining room which reminds me a little of a massive red polo mint. This came from Marks & Spencers in the January sales around 10 years ago.
The two wreaths in the lounge are from Costco and we're both bought on clearance. I love the simplicity of the one that lights up. We have two settees in the lounge and so have a wreath over each settee.
I bought these adorable embroidered red felt cushions last year and they add to the festive feel in the lounge. I bought four so I have two on each settee. I love the large wooden buttons that fasten them on the back.
I've bought nearly all my food for the season too. This year (the first in 12 years) I am not hosting which is a welcome break for me. We have been invited to our family in Leeds (thank you Mum!) so will be heading up the M62 on Christmas Day with the car laden with presents and overnight bags. I'm just hoping that everything fits in my car. I'm helping by providing two large Christmas puddings and a gorgeous Christmas cake from the Fiona Cairns range at Waitrose. All Christmas fruit cakes were half price last Sunday so we were there at opening time and bought three. One large one to take with us and two smaller ones for my Dad and me. We've also bought the champagne and bottles of cava to take too. I know that Prosecco is very fashionable at the moment but I'm a dry cava girl through and through.
We are planning on having our own Christmas dinner on the following New Year weekend. For those who read my blog on a regular basis, you'll probably remember me buying a fair few turkey crowns from M&S on the reductions counter, so I have already taken the largest one up to Leeds, still frozen and in a freezer bag for Christmas Day. It should have been £46.64 but I paid £10. I have four more which were all 10% of the normal price, so we will be having a £35 turkey crown which has cost me £3.55. These have been frozen for 9 months as they were bought at Easter.
They taste fine and the texture is good too. I have been freezing turkey crowns like this for the last few years after my sister told me she did this. I was a bit cynical at first as I always bought a fresh one from Costco but after trying it one year with some trepidation, I realised I could hardly notice a difference apart from the turkey skin being not as crispy.
I've been buying chipolata sausages and sausagemeat & sage/onion stuffing from the reduced counter over the last couple of weeks so have these ready in my freezer along with ready prepared spiced red cabbage. I just have fresh fruit and vegetables left to buy really, so I feel fairly set and ready.
How are all your preparations going on?
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