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**Adagio** · 29 November 2014, 01:02 PM

Re: Busy for Christmas ?

Originally posted by Chevvyf1 View Post

Can you share any "Evidence" of your Christmas preparations ?

The short answer Chevvy is no since I haven't made any

. Your handiwork is amazing

**wellyboot** · 29 November 2014, 01:22 PM

Re: Busy for Christmas ?

No evidence of Christmas preparations here! We don't send cards, but give to two different charities instead.
Any present shopping is done online, as Cerebral Lupus and crowds is a recipe for disaster, and anyway I need to be accompanied by someone to push my wheelchair (can't walk too far, and certainly not in crowds, with out falling over!).
Since my children have grown up and flown the nest,and I've turned into a "Grumpy Old Woman" (with valid reasons), my Christmas mantra is often "Bah Humbug"!!. Christmas in shops starts far too early, and it is now commercialised beyond belief - recent example being "Black Friday" chaos and fistycuffs.
For the first time in several years, both my grown up children will be here with us, and I can't think of anything better than that, present wise!
Sorry if my attitude causes offence, but we are all different!

**Chevvyf1** · 29 November 2014, 03:16 PM

Re: Busy for Christmas ?

Originally posted by Adagio View Post

The short answer Chevvy is no since I haven't made any

. Your handiwork is amazing

David, every week in Retirement, I set about learning something new - maybe an art technique (last week started using "Pad Paints and Dave Woolass classes"

) on some of the cards I used "Mica" plain and glittery/pearlescent

and play with "Stuff" to make a card for someone

Mind you I have lots of Stuff to list on eBay and I am not doing well at that

it is soo boring and leads to lots of unwanted asinine questions fro bored/lonely people who are never going to buy - just want to "talk to someone"

OR they want to offer you half of the advertised price

...

I was worried about "Full Retirement" and decided to "Busy" myself so as to not get bored

... living the line "Variety is the Spice of Life" ... to a point

**Chevvyf1** · 29 November 2014, 03:28 PM

Re: Busy for Christmas ?

Originally posted by wellyboot View Post

No evidence of Christmas preparations here! We don't send cards, but give to two different charities instead.
Any present shopping is done online, as Cerebral Lupus and crowds is a recipe for disaster, and anyway I need to be accompanied by someone to push my wheelchair (can't walk too far, and certainly not in crowds, with out falling over!).
Since my children have grown up and flown the nest,and I've turned into a "Grumpy Old Woman" (with valid reasons), my Christmas mantra is often "Bah Humbug"!!. Christmas in shops starts far too early, and it is now commercialised beyond belief - recent example being "Black Friday" chaos and fistycuffs.
For the first time in several years, both my grown up children will be here with us, and I can't think of anything better than that, present wise!
Sorry if my attitude causes offence, but we are all different!

No offence taken here

and I do not disagree with you

... I have so many past work colleagues and past skiing and horsing mates all over the place and my one big communication is "the Annual Christmas Card and Newsletter" ... except these days we are Skypettes

as well

I look on Christmas as a great winter holiday time

for meeting up with friends, wining and dining and playing old fashioned Parlour Games (well 1980's Trivial Pursuit ; doing jigsaw puzzles ; sketching/painting and swapping info on Art & Crafts we have each made and HOW ?

It used to be on holiday with my sons for 3 weeks in Val Thorens skiing and with like minded other (mainly) single Parents but some couple friends too

and Christmas Lights ... both have now passed in my list of enthusiasm my sons have their wives and families and as "two working Parent families" I only occasionally see them (they also live some hours+ more hours travel time away from me

... as grand children grow up they prefer to be with their new toys and own friends not old folks

...

and I am happy to live my life and not wait for a knock on the door or the phone to ring

daughters take their children home (far more than sons) and we do not get asked to babysit - being so far away from them all

I for one, have lurved having the little children and babies we did, for money/work these past few years - But I do not want to become a "Free childcare/babysitting service to family" - LIFE is too short for that !

I do enjoy making Cards, particularly a design for the recipient - it is entertaining and fun and I enjoy it

... one of these days we shall cease on the actual cards ... and give to a charity or two - but for now I make 20 cards for my local Church to sell and 20 for my great friend to take to the Royal Marsden Cancer Fund Shop to sell

... sometimes i make 20 in Spring for them to sell with my favourite photos in

4 x 6 orA6 - apparently they "go like hotcakes ... and if we can have anymore" the RM CF Shop say to my friend when she takes them in

**Rocknroll59** · 29 November 2014, 03:46 PM

Re: Busy for Christmas ?

I love the cards..

no offence to me either, why are we becoming like the USA ??

not interested in Black Friday or Pink monday come to that...Christmas has been hijacked over the years by more and more commercialism .....we have a new grandchild with us for the first Christmas and time spent with family and friends is far more important than how many presents we have...

Peter

**Guest** · 29 November 2014, 07:47 PM

Re: Busy for Christmas ?

Chevvy, you are one amazing lady, you must have 72hrs in your day to everyone else's twenty four or perhaps even twelve.

I am staggered by your energy, your creativity, your compassion and your accomplishments - I suspect that you are not of this world but sent here to Earth on a mission from somewhere else in the galaxy, a SUPERWOMAN!

Well be that as it may your cards and your wonderful presentation of them here is no less than amazing.

As for me and my family, Christmas has never been more than a low key - the "silly season" that comes and goes and we are all relieved when it's over and life returns to abnormal!

I'm personally looking forward to Autumn and winter when the weather is more conducive to riding the bike. Contrary to Nick's pics of you heading off to the store, all rugged up beneath a bleak winter sky, we are into the mid 30'C's and there's nowhere more comfortable than inside!

**Chevvyf1** · 29 November 2014, 08:11 PM

Re: Busy for Christmas ?

oh Mark

I am trying to act my shoe size ... not my age !

and keep up with Nick Nick !

WOT

YOU want Autumn - heck come here and bring your S'westa and Galosha's and a boat - maybe an Ark

**brian1208** · 29 November 2014, 11:16 PM

Re: Busy for Christmas ?

looks like you're making good use of your "Spare Time" Chevvy, nice work.

Our "Getting ready for Christmas" still involves Craft Fairs and the like, tomorrow is my last one (with Pam) at Highcliffe Castle tomorrow and then Pam carries on in the Hayloft (with about 24 others) until 21st December)

I reckon we will start thinking about getting ourselves ready for Christmas in about 2 weeks (at least we are away with our eldest lad and family on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, so don't have to prepare for that

)

**Floribunda** · 30 November 2014, 01:09 AM

Re: Busy for Christmas ?

The cards are amazing Chevvy. I envy you your creativity and energy. How the recipients must love them.
Not much preparation here, the (very small) Xmas tree decorated with tiny glass Angels collected over the years goes up,on the 1st Sunday in Advent, and comes down before Twelth Night.
I like to bake for friends and family - Honey biscuits (German tradition) and small gifts of chocolate Rocky Road for neighbours.
I hate the commercialism of Christmas and it gets harder every year to keep the true meaning of Christmas front and centre.

**Chevvyf1** · 30 November 2014, 10:14 AM

Re: Busy for Christmas ?

Originally posted by brian1208 View Post

looks like you're making good use of your "Spare Time" Chevvy, nice work.

Our "Getting ready for Christmas" still involves Craft Fairs and the like, tomorrow is my last one (with Pam) at Highcliffe Castle tomorrow and then Pam carries on in the Hayloft (with about 24 others) until 21st December)

I reckon we will start thinking about getting ourselves ready for Christmas in about 2 weeks (at least we are away with our eldest lad and family on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, so don't have to prepare for that

)

Brian, you two shall deserve the break on Christmas & Boxing Day as a well earned rest

Lucky You two

and what a treat Xmas

**Chevvyf1** · 30 November 2014, 10:19 AM

Re: Busy for Christmas ?

Originally posted by Floribunda View Post

The cards are amazing Chevvy. I envy you your creativity and energy. How the recipients must love them.
Not much preparation here, the (very small) Xmas tree decorated with tiny glass Angels collected over the years goes up,on the 1st Sunday in Advent, and comes down before Twelfth Night.
I like to bake for friends and family - Honey biscuits (German tradition) and small gifts of chocolate Rocky Road for neighbours.
I hate the commercialism of Christmas and it gets harder every year to keep the true meaning of Christmas front and centre.

I too hate the commercialism - my sons got to go skiing and new ski jackets and that was it

but most of all it was a wonderful holiday together, doing something we all loved and with about 40 others as well all went in a group

mixed single and marrieds and all the kidz

I like "making gifts" and also cook Scottish Tablet (aka Crumbly fudge) rum & raisin ; Vanilla & coconut ; Cinnamon etc flavours and put some in a cup cake paper labelled and 4 x cupcakes per gift box (of preferred flavours

) I even get some gift boxes returned in january (Empty !) for the next years Christmas Treat

It is nice to know that some card recipients have kept theirs over the years

and enjoy showing me past years in their albums

**Wee man** · 30 November 2014, 10:55 AM

Re: Busy for Christmas ?

Where do I send my box?

**Chevvyf1** · 30 November 2014, 11:54 AM

Re: Busy for Christmas ?

Originally posted by Wee man View Post

Where do I send my box?

Ed, you have my address

**OM USer** · 30 November 2014, 03:20 PM

Re: Busy for Christmas ?

You've been a busy girl Chevvy. I did get around to getting the festive stuff out of the shed though.

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