Christmas – the lead up to the big day - part the second - the one with the words

Christmas Shopping
The food - There appears to be an extraordinary amount of items on the food shopping list. From potato chips/crisps to Maple Syrup and Apricot Marmalade for the Glaze on the ham. There are notes for cheese, pickles, and various tins of things that I can only marvel at. And we need them all. The supermarket shops are, after all, closed on Christmas Day, for a whole day. We might starve if we don't lay in just in case. You never know.

Christmas Wrapping
There is a list of things we've managed to put aside and pre-purchase for the children and the parents. In theory both sides of the him/her list should match, in quantity and roughly in value. Well in our house that seems to be the way. They don't.  And so it is with some trepidation that I have to prepare to visit the mall. For some old tat and needy things that'll never see the light of day again. To make it all equal and fair of course.

Christmas Pudding
This year I've asked MrsPdubyah to make for me Eton Mess, this is a change from previous years where I've requested Cassata. Less faffing about. There will be Trifle, there always is, and MIL will have made a Dundee cake.

Christmas Cocktail
I've stocked up on Sloe Gin, Rum, and Cafe Tequila, Vanilla Vodka, Ginger Wine, Gin, Jagermesiter, Brandy, Scotch and a few other things. I should be able to muddle through the day on that. I've still to get in enough beer to get me through the tourture of being in an enclosed space with the in-laws.

Christmas lazy
This year we're staying at chez pdubyah, the first time in 24 years that we have not been at the beach house.  It's not like previous years where all the provisions and trimming have to be driven to the beach house and then you relax, this year it's doing nothing at home. Now doing nothing at home is usually called Sunday in our house. Not always but often. Whereas at the beach doing nothing was called 10 days of being at the beach.

Christmas Sale
This year I've been pre-warned of the boxing day massacre - the needful shopping binge on boxing day. I'm abstaining, but I will be taxi driving. Joy of joys.