The FastDay Forum

@Juliana.RiversThere will be things like home made sweets, I am a big truffles maker and I love baking, flowers, and not even the expensive ones, just something cheerful and it's more symbolic than anything.

Right now all I am missing is some organic smoked salmon for New Year's day. As the 24th will be a fast and the 25th will be at my parents house, I have everything else. I also have everything else for the week after, the 31st will also be a fast and, except the smoked salmon and some puff pastry, I have everything.

To be honest, I do all my shopping, even grocery, early in the month because I hate this time of year so I do anything to be rid off the shopping as soon as possible. I went grocery shopping yesterday and it was a nightmare, it took me 3 hours. 3 hours !!!!!!!

We have hardly started as 4 close family members have had birthdays this week, so I always wait to get the birthdays out of the way before we start on the Christmas shopping. We just went out yesterday and got what we needed for the kids, so they are done (apart from stocking fillers, that'll be done last minute.) I am going to order some presents this weekend, but most of all I need to get started on the presents the kids are making and the photo calendars we make for my parents and grandparents, we don't give 'proper' presents to the adults, they get a home made gift and calendar, the only issue is that I am not 100% sure what we are doing yet!! Luckily we are spending Christmas at my parent's place in Sweden so I don't have to prepare any food in advance, I'm just going to make a few things for us at home and visitors, and then do some baking when I get to my parent's place the weekend before Christmas.

Not even started al la my other thread. I normally get it all done the week before xmas. A mad shopping spree for me . Sometimes feels like supermarket sweep

Xmas shopping (and 3 birthdays) starts in earnest this afternoon. Sitting here putting it off

Did it go well @lizbean? X

@CandiceMarie one birthday and one Xmas present sorted ..... a long way to go, but hey I'm not panicking will picky up en routey ... perhaps in L'Pooly ....how you doing or are you done.

Good thing not to panic @lizbean
I only buy for children,and only for those over three yrs of age,so am all done and dusted..all done online..kids books seem to be much cheaper online but i feel a bit guilty for not supporting local bookshops
Lots of good quite trendy shopping places in Liverpool One plus the usual Monsoon/ Accessorize ( i love those last two! ) and the usual dept stores..John Lewis,Debenhams BHS ...and plenty quirky shops too but not in Liverpool One...depends what you're after really
Looking forward to meeting you..hope i' ll be well enough for it..seven is a lot for me to meet up with..am noise sensitive so find noisy places with more than one conversation going on exhausting..
its tedious having health probs! May only be able to meet up for coffee which is what i did at the last Lpool meet.
this time last yr went to aLondon meetup as was at DDs for xmas..just three of us met up,just a short meet as well,but it was nice
If i was in london this xmas,wd catsit for you,i often housesit/ petsit for friends
Hope you get sorted with somebody x

@CandiceMarie Aw, fingers crossed you are well enough for a quiet coffee mo. I'm sitting in a new style 'wet fronted dress' , the washing up went a bit mad, honest water jumped out of the sink, never seen it like that before. Anyhow the soup was fabulous, well worth a soapy shower.
Ordering two books [url http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shifts-Shocks-l ... the+shocks][/url] and http://www.amazon.co.uk/Capital-Twenty-First-Century-Thomas-Piketty/dp/067443000X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418074801&sr=1-1&keywords=pickerty
Everyone else is receiving a cheeky one one of these
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlMT-oEIQuo a book and a lesson!
Interesting year ahead