Preparing for Christmas

The little kitchen shop where I found my coffee pot had their Christmas catalog out:

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I generally shop for Christmas early because I find the whole scrum at the last minute thing too much to bear and I really really don’t want to have to waste time trolling around the shops because this or that is out of stock.

By December when people start complaining and getting stressed I’m usually pretty chilled out because I’ve already done the work and can just enjoy myself.

Last week the advent calendars arrived and I ordered the Christmas staples that can go out of stock and cause me grief like decent wrapping paper (on 3 for the price of two), the standard pickles like decent piccalilli and the little balsamic vinegar pickled shallots to go with the cold cuts, the best sized gammon joint etc etc I also have two grocery delivery slots reserved for the 22nd and the 23rd Dec.

It used to irk me that it started so early but I now realise a lot of people do not get paid early just because it’s Christmas and October can mean only two pay slips to absorb those extra food and gift costs.
I think perhaps the nursing has affected the way I approach life in general because if a job has to be done and you have a moment to do it then DO IT because you can’t predict what will happen later workload wise.

A couple of weeks ago I left the place in Spain set up for our return..

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Yes thats right a Christmas Tree went up in October, you can shoot me now 😆
In my defence I won’t see it until the 17th December and I like to arrive at the house ready.
It is a pop up Christmas Tree, it literally takes 2 mins to assemble and disassemble, I was so impressed I bought one for home in the UK too.

My son said he was sad as our usual 3 hour fight with the big tree is something he enjoys, but it is just for this year as I’m not fully decorating a home I won’t even be in on Christmas Day!
 
Our local Tesco are selling reindeer plushies, the Tesco close to work are selling elves. Last night I told The Velvet Curtain that he had to make a choice, do we buy a reindeer or an elf for the shelf.. he gave me 'that' look, I was only joking anyway, just stuff to clutter the place during the rest of the year.
 
I can tell you that duty-free in Rome had a fully-stocked Christmas area…and I don’t just mean the booze!
 
Kings Island (amusement park) have a lot of their Christmas lights up, saw them from the highway driving home last night. Very nice.
 
I couldn't hold off any longer, I went to the butchers and the local farm shop yesterday. Today I have been prepping the freezer for Christmas. Leek and potato soup, pork and bacon patties for brunch muffins, giant piggies in blankets all made, and a load of other stuff thet just needed freezing.
 
TastyReuben said:
Kings Island (amusement park) have a lot of their Christmas lights up, saw them from the highway driving home last night. Very nice.
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I went to King's Island with neighbors a couple times when we lived in Cincinnati. No, not with my family. My dad didn't comprehend what most people called "fun." To him, why would anyone do anything other than work? 🤷‍♂️

CD
 
caseydog said:
went to King's Island with neighbors a couple times when we lived in Cincinnati.
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My kids dragged me along there one day. I sat in the bar almost all the time. I absolutely hate and despise Theme Parks and Fantasy Islands (and Disney, Orlando, etc.) No way - I'd rather read a good book.
 
caseydog said:
I went to King's Island with neighbors a couple times when we lived in Cincinnati. No, not with my family. My dad didn't comprehend what most people called "fun." To him, why would anyone do anything other than work? 🤷‍♂️

CD
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Oh, have I got a story for you…

Remember, my parents (mainly my dad) were the “fun=Satan” type, and the way to keep kids out of trouble is to work them to exhaustion.

With that in mind, sometime around 1973/74, Dad won a free all-expenses-paid weekend to King’s Island. Two nights in their (modest) hotel, entrance tickets for Fri-Sun, and spending money on top of all that.

Us kids couldn’t believe that Dad actually agreed to take us. I was 7 or 8 at the time.

The day arrived. Dad, of course, worked a full day, drove home, ate supper, prolonging all the joy as long as possible, it seemed, until we finally piled into the car, four of us kids (two oldest were “too cool for school” about the whole thing), and off we went to make the 40-minute drive to the park.

King’s Island was a Big F***ing Deal at the time, our Disneyland, and it had even been featured in an episode of The Brady Bunch. I was so excited, I was vibrating in the back seat of the car (‘67 Chevy Bel Air, if you like trivia).

Across backroads, state highways, until we left familiar roads for parts unknown, into the town of Mason, and then, like a giant beacon of dreams come true, there rose the replica Eiffel Tower on the horizon, and…could it be?…the outline of The Racer rollercoaster track, thin as a hair in distance!

I cried real tears at the thought of riding all the things I saw Greg, Marcia, and the other Brady kids ride on the TV! I couldn’t believe it! I was the luckiest kid ever! A whole weekend!

We ambled up to the lodgings, got checked in…and Dad said he was too tired to go out, and went to sleep, and there was no way Mom would take us out on her own, so there we sat in the room, though I did get to go down and see my first-ever in-ground swimming pool. Didn’t get to swim because I couldn’t swim, and none of us owned swim trunks anyway.

Up the next morning, and we had the breakfast from the hotel, which I think was just pastries and such, nothing hot, then we started off across the parking lot, made the gate, and Paradise opened before us.

The Racer…the old-timey cars…the log flume…oh my god, the log flume! We were gonna ride it all!

Down the main strip, full of food vendors and shops…”Will you look at the price of that?! I ain’t payin’ that!” - but didn’t we have spending money from the prize?! Wha…?

So we walked by everything, heading right for the tower, that’ll be cool to go up! Off I went, only to be snagged by the collar and smacked by my dad.

“Get your hind end back here! Act like you got some sense! We ain’t goin’ up that thing! Get up there fer what? Tah look aroun’?! I never heard of nuthin’ so stupid!”

Same thing everywhere we went…an attraction would be right there, and Dad would have some excuse for skipping it: “Line’s too long!…What kinda idiot would do that?!…Nope, keep walkin’!”

We walked all around, ate no food, and rode one “ride” - a steam train that circled around and gave a tour of the park. It was like Dad purposely wanted us all to see what was so close, but still just out of reach.

After a few hours, he said it was too hot and we were going back to the room. We did, and after a short nap…Dad had Mom pack everything up and we went home - less than 24 hours after we got there!

We knew better than to cry and even ask about it, and the cherry on top? Mom actually said, as we were pulling away, “That sure was somethin’ else, huh? Did y’all enjoy seein’ that big ol’ park?”

😕
 
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