Countdown to Christmas

Holidays are coming...holidays are coming...holidays are coming...

Yes It's only 6 weeks until the big day and there's no escaping it, Christmas ads, Christmas music, Christmas catalogues, Christmas films, Christmas lights, Christmas decorations etc. I don't mind as I love Christmas but it does make me start to feel slightly stressed at everything I need to do over the next 6 weeks. It the time of year when I write lists; Christmas lists for who to buy presents for; lists of what presents to buy for whom; Christmas card lists; Christmas food lists and lists of lists (I have to do a list of all the lists I need to do so I don't forget to do a list).
All this organisation starts off as fun but as the weeks go on and there's still things not crossed off on a list the things it starts to become a bit stressful. I usually end up doing a list of things still do in the couple of weeks run up to Christmas.

The things I need to do this week are:

Watch Elf (Already done this!)
My favourite Christmas film! I always watch it early November and it makes me feel Christmassy - no doubt it will be watched a few more times over the next few weeks.

Make my Christmas cake (Last year's pictured above)
I should have ideally done this already but it will still be ok to do in the next week or so. I've had all the ingredients ready to go for about a week but not had time. It takes a few hours to bake and the fruit has to soak overnight the day before you make it so it takes a bit of planning. If only I'd done my lists sooner it might already be sat wrapped up a tin and soaking in Brandy.

Online shop
I usually do a big Amazon order for the main presents for the kids, much cheaper and easier than carrying them round the shops. I did have a disaster one year though when most of my presents still hadn't arrived a few days before Christmas. I had to make a panicked call to Amazon and begged, shouted and cried down the phone but they said they couldn't guarantee they'd arrive in time. I had to spend 2 hours rushing round the city centre in the crowds of Christmas shoppers buying all the presents only for them all to turn up on Christmas Eve so I had 2 of everything and spent the first week of January packaging and posting it all back. Typical.

Buy advent calendars
I know its a bit early for this but I like to be prepared. One year when my step-daughter was younger we forgot to by her one and on the 2 December had to buy the only advent calendar left in Manchester. It was a lovely traditional calendar with beautiful illustrations but much to my step-daugher's confusion it didn't have any chocolate in it. She didn't understand what the calendar did or why it was empty, turning it over and over in her hands. We tried explaining that's what traditional calendars were like but we ended up buying her some chocolates to ease her disappointment.

I think that's all for this week, if I think of anything else I can always add it to my list!