YouTube Christmas Tag

 My vlogger friends have been playing Christmas Tag - Christmas Questions to answer and then tag others.

I wasn't tagged as I'm not a vlogger but I thought I'd bring them in here and answer anyway.  No tagging though.

Here we go . . .

1. Best Christmas memory 

I have so many but I think one of the best ones is Beth's first Christmas.  Nanna, Mum, me and Beth were posing for a 'four generations' family photo when little Beth looked straight at Nanna and gave her the First Smile - and Dad caught it on camera.  

2. Favourite three Christmas Movies 

I don't watch a lot of movies but I would say Muppet's Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street (the Mara Wilson one) and Elf.
I don't count the Snowman series because they were made for telly and were not 'films'.

3. Favourite Christmas Scent 

Hmmm - well, I love citrus as a scent and I love cinnamon and the third one has to be my Jo Malone Orange Marmalade.

4. What do you put on top of your Christmas Tree 

A star

5. Build your perfect Christmas dinner/pudding meals 

Oh, gosh.  I don't think I have one.  Anything tasty with loads of veg and some roasties will do me fine.   For dessert, something light!  NOT pudding or mince pie, thank you!  I like them but not after a roast!

6. Favourite Christmas drink 

Champagne, the dryer the better.  Dad always used to bring a bottle of the Real Stuff with him and it was so good.

7. Top five Christmas songs 

Hmmm - in no particular order . . .

In Dulci Jubilo

When a Child Is Born

Once in Royal

In the First Light

Thorns in the Straw

. . . all of which are in the calendar and playlist.  But, really, I have loads of them, loads.

8. Do you wear a Christmas day outfit 

Well, I won't be going nude!!

Probably my Seasalt dress with a sparkly lightweight jacket/cardi on top - and my bauble earrings

9. If you have fur babies do you get them gifts 

I don't have fur babies but I have brought and wrapped treats for Beth's cats - silly me!

10. Sprouts Yes or No 

Yes, yes, YES.  

Please.

11. Who will you be spending Christmas day with 

My family - Dave, Beth and Alex

12. If you could go anywhere for Christmas where would it be 

I'd love to go back to the Arctic Circle - it was proper snow there.  

13. If you got one Christmas wish that would last just for Christmas day what would it be?

I think I would want a Christmas with all my family, as they were at their best.  Nanna, Grampy, Mum and Dad, Dave and family, John, my two, Anna and Alex.

14. Die Hard - a Christmas Movie?

I've never seen it so have no idea but the overwhelming vlogger opinion is that of course it is.  Who am I to argue?

There you go - Christmas Tag.  If you fancy having a go, feel free to use the comments space below.    

Blogmas day 24 and my gift to you.

Good morning, everybody.  Welcome to Christmas Eve at last!  It's very mild outside and the strong winds have died down - for now anyway.

I've just taken the leg of lamb out of the freezer - and promptly dropped it on my toe - ouch.  Nothing broken, but it did hurt for a few moment.  Hopefully, that is the worst thing that will happen today.

Circuits with Lindsey was great fun yesterday.  It was a sort of open house and there were eleven of us, including three youngsters.  There was such a great vibe - Lindsey told me ages ago that this was a sort of dream - go have a class where all ages, sizes and genders were exercising together and having a great time.  I think yesterday was pretty close.

Back at home, I pottered around, working through my list until it was all done.  I decided I would go to Morrisons at about five thirty rather than do it really early this morning so I did, it was bustling but not packed, I got everything on my list plus (don't all shout at me at once) another half price leg of lamb.  See, lamb is my favourite meat but I hardly ever have it because of the cost so it was a great opportunity.  They are both in the freezer, of course, and I will enjoy them scattered through the year.

And finally, my lovely Slim Win chat group had a sort of online party which was lots of fun although one of us received some bad new towards the end - no details, of course, but please would you think of Stephanie through the day when you can.  Thank you.

The puzzle is finished and here's the final photo.  This is the best I could manage as there's a lot of reflection off the pieces.

Now to break it us, section by section, and put the pieces back into their own numbered boxes.

The last Advent of Change is about Re-engage, a charity that is committed to older people being heard, valued and engaged.

It says:

Today you have given the gift of friendship to a lonely older person, enabling them to enjoy Christmas in the company of others.

I am so lucky to have both my children still living close by but not everyone is so fortunate and this sounds like a great charity.

https://reengage.org.uk/about-us/

There are so many charities, so many important causes.  I'm very grateful that this calendar has opened my eyes to some of them.  We can't support every good cause but this calendar is a way of spreading much needed financial support much wider than one would do individually and I think that's great.

And the penultimate gift from the M&S calendar is a little tube of L'Occitane hand cream for dry skin which is just perfect as my hands have felt very dry recently.  I've used a bit and it's lovely, much better than what I have been using which is more scent than anything else.

I think this might be one product I will go on buying.

I won't post about tomorrow's last product until boxing Day when my Twelve Days of Christmas starts.

In my Christmas survival book today it says:

shopping @ 6:00 - did yesterday

Lamb out first thing - done

Any housework? - none apart from the usual daily stuff so done

Groove - it's online and Christine is coming over to do it with me and then have a quick coffee and chat

make cheesecake for tomorrow's pud

Change water in flowers and use day 3 food

Prep lamb and veg

Make Med bread

Anything else?

It all sounds very nice and festive really.  And then, this evening, see below.

Happy Christmas Eve, everyone.  xxx

Today's Advent music has to be something I will be watching this evening,  the iconic Carols from Kings - here's the traditional starter where the soloist is only told just before it starts.  Sooner him than me, that's all I can say.

Here you are - Once in Royal David's city.

And here, fingers crossed, is the link to the whole playlist - it should contain every carol/song in this years Advent Calendar.  I will be playing it while I do the last minute stuff and then while I relax with my cuppa and my knitting.  Enjoy!

(and, if it doesn't work, please let me know.  Thanks.)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjBnYixEZmRf-WwI8CfsSeBkl197SOMPO

Edit:  I have changed the settings of the playlist - you should be able to play it now.  I think I made the same mistake last year:  it needs to be 'unlisted' not 'Private'.
Maybe a not in the Christmas Survival Book might help next year

Blogmas day 23 - a bit photo heavy.

Morning, lovely people.  Only two days now.

Yesterday was just a lovely, happy day.

After a few days of feeling lethargic and lazy, my get-up-and-go came back again.

I attacked my bedroom and the bathroom, cleaned, dusted, swept and changed my sheets for the ones I always use for Christmas - lovely, soft, brushed cotton tartan duvet cover and pillowcases that are so cosy and snuggly.

I did quite a lot of tidying up downstairs but I decided to leave the cleaning for today because if I had done it yesterday, that chances are it would have needed a going over tomorrow but doing it today means I can forget about it totally until afterwards!

I iced the cake while listening to my Christmas playlist and it was both happy and sad, remembering how Mum always did this in past days.

I wasn't sure how to decorate it so I took two photos of ideas and ran them past Beth and Alex.

They chose this option so that's that sorted.
By the way, I went round to Beth's, took some presents and came back with others which are now . . .

. . . under the tree and that's pretty much how it will stay until Christmas afternoon really.  It looks so festive and exciting (and keeps most of the clutter in one place).

During the morning, there was a knock at the door and when I opened it, a parcel had been left on the doorstep - a box of posh goodies from Bertie (Chris' grandson) and his mum and dad.  Totally unexpected and so very kind.

It was

some fruit cake

a lemon drizzle almond cake

(both now sliced and out of harm's way in the freezer)

tiffin (to enjoy on Christmas day)

some fudge (ditto)

some fancy tea bags which I'm going to start enjoying this afternoon.

I got another parcel a bit later, some flowers from my brother, John.  I'll take a photo later as they hadn't opened properly yesterday.

And I had a lovely exchange of emails with him too.

I got three loads of washing done (including the bedding) and, as the sun was shining, I threw caution to the winds and dried quite a lot of it in the tumble dryer.   Most of the remaining ironing is now done and there's just a bit more to do today.

And there was still time to sit, chill and catch up on Christmas recordings.  

Such a lovely day, despite the gusty winds and the rattling fence during the evening.

The penultimate bit of the Advent puzzle.

Not quite penultimate for the M&S advent box as it is a twenty five day one which is quite nice.  I'm starting to think what I can use the container for.  I could put some of the special baubles in it but that would mean shutting it away all year.  Perhaps I will use it for a crochet project; it isn't big enough to hold knitting needles really.

I'll think of something or, maybe, you have some ideas?

Edit because I forgot to say what today's thing is - it's a small tube of 'sleep and replenish' and is basically a night cream.  Again - I will use it but I won't be getting more - Aldi's night cream is fine.

The Advent of Change today is a brilliant one.  It is Project Harar which provides cleft lip and palate treatment to children across Ethiopia. 

Today you have offered vital treatment and support to a child born with a left condition in some of the most rural areas of Ethiopia.

Fantastic!

https://www.projectharar.org/

Beth and I were talking about this calendar yesterday - I bought her one as she had never come across it before.  We both agreed that it's something we want to do every year from now on.

I was also pondering on the Reverse Advent idea - that every day through Advent you donate something to your local food bank.  I want to get on board with that too although in a different way, not just Advent.  I will think it through a bit more.

In my Christmas Survival Book (nothing special, just a note book with a nice cover) it tells me that today I will:

go to circuits at Lindsey's

finish the washing and ironing

clean downstairs

do my usual pre Christmas kitchen clear-out - just the surfaces, etc, to give me a clear run)

Make the cooking plan for Wednesday - although that's not so crucial for a slow roast leg of lamb but it will remind me of things I need to get out of the freezer, etc.

I also had 'make Mediterranean bread' but I am out of wholemeal and sundried tomatoes so it will have to wait until I have done the last bits of shopping early tomorrow morning.

That's really not so bad, is it.  Plenty of time to chill and watch Christmas telly recordings.

Have a good day, everyone, and make sure you have enough time for chilling and being kind to yourself, OK?  

A couple of carols for our advent music today.

Away in a Manger, sung by Libera,

and O Little Town, from the King's Singers.

Blogmas day 22

Good morning, everyone.  After a nasty, wet, windy day yesterday, it looks as if today is going to be a bit nicer.  It has started better anyway - no wind, no rain, a semi-clear sky and the ground is dry.  Fingers crossed.

What did I do yesterday?  

Well, I made some pastry in Thermione as I said yesterday, and used half to make some mince pie bites and that finished off my jar on mincemeat.  I am sure I have enough now.

And I made a batch of the oats and seeds crackers - you make it in a slab and then, when it is completely cold, you break it into irregular shards.  They are delicious and seriously addictive but in the best way as they are packed with highly nutritious and heart-healthy ingredients.  Also, they are adaptable.  I swill be making these again and again and again.
Here's the link to the recipe.  https://loveandflourbypooja.com/oats-and-seeds-crackers/

Today's Advent of Change focus is Emmaus which works to end homelessness and it says:
Today you have helped fund specialist support and accommodation for someone escaping domestic abuse.
Wow!  https://emmaus.org.uk/

Here's today's puzzle.  Either it was a remarkably easy one to do or I'm getting just a bit better at it!

Only two more bits to do and I've really enjoyed it.

However, as you know, My Christmas goes on until Twelfth Night (just be grateful it doesn't go on until Candlemas, Feb 2nd) and, as well as my twelve little gifts to myself, I am getting out last year's puzzle and doing two bits each day.

And M&S has 'given' me another hair product, a blow dry cream, which I will definitely use, starting today!

Today is a busy day, as is tomorrow, because I want everything done and dusted before Christmas Eve.  So there's cleaning, tidying, washing, drying, ironing, sorting out, rearranging . . . and a partridge in a pear tree!

By tomorrow evening, everything should be ready.

OK, that sounds much more than it actually is and I will definitely have time to watch all the stuff that I have set to record so I'm not feeling at all sorry for myself!

About this time last year, I was waiting for the taxi to arrive to drive me and Diane to the ship to start our cruise.   It feels a bit 'odd' thinking about it.  Maybe, one day . . .

How about you?  Are you nearly there, going away, having people round, keeping it quiet . . . ?

I like this short poem by Eleanor Farjeon.

How will you your Christmas keep?
Feasting, fasting or asleep?
Will you laugh or will you pray,
Or will you forget the day?

Be it kept with joy or pray'r,
Keep of either some to spare;
Whatsoever brings the day,
Do not keep but give away.

Today's Advent Calendar music is a beautiful rendering of 'Mary, Did You Know?', sung by the One Voice Children's Choir.

Blogmas day 21

Morning, everyone.  Day 21 begins and it looks like an easy one for me.  

Yesterday's Slimming World party and taster was great fun - Heidi brought three games with her including one that had a prize for everyone.  Mine was a jar of Options hot chocolate which is quite nice added to yogurt.

Oh, and we had a snowball fight!!

After tidying everything up and making sure we left the hall in good nick, I headed over to Morrisons and the 'fun' began.

To be fair, although it was very crowded, everyone seemed in good humour and was happy to shift over, move out of the way, make space with a smile or a friendly word.  It makes shopping so much nicer, doesn't it?
The bill, even after the deductions for points, More Card special prices, etc, was eye-wateringly scary but, when I got home and had time to sit down and think about it, I did get quite a lot for my money really.

They had restocked on the half price beef, pork and lamb and I managed to get the last leg of lamb.  I don't need it now but a whole leg of lamb for £15 is too good to leave.  I did ponder more beef but didn't because I cut the last one into four small roasts which will do me and Alex nicely.

I got loads of Schloer zero because it was a very good special price and I almost always get a bottle each week.

There was alcohol, of course - that always costs.

I now have plenty of cheese - we all love cheese.

And nuts - raw nuts.

And they had veg at 10p a bag (really!) on my More Card so I got some - I need to get them prepped and in the freezer at some point.

What I didn't get was crisps.  There's four days to go and crisps are my downfall.  I'm going to walk round on Tuesday (must check opening hours) to get them and, already, a few extra items are on the new list - I'm nearly out of plain flour, for example.

Never ending, isn't it?

Once everything was away in fridge, freezer, kitchen cupboard or garden room, I sat down with a coffee to ponder the bill before jumping up again to do some baking,

Here we are!

I baked a loaf that I decided to keep freeform rather than in a tin - I always add some mixed seeds to the dough nowadays but yesterday I also crumbled in some chestnuts and it is delicious!  I use a mix of strong white and wholemeal plus spelt and/or rye and it does make a nice, flavoursome loaf that doesn't sit too 'heavy'.

I used Thermione to make some sweet pastry for nine mince pies - one fall apart as I lifted it out so, obviously, I had to eat that one.

Then I made some oatcakes.  There's a lovely YouTube channel called 'Ali lives well on less'.  Ali used to comment on here occasionally; some might remember her.

Anyway, she does Money Mondays and Foody Fridays and her recipes are great.  Simple, frugal and delicious.  Often, the simplest recipes are the best and when I make them again, I will try using melted butter instead of oil and adding some finely grated hard Italian cheese (the basics kind).

Here's the link to the oatcakes recipe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjq-7zrZbNU&t=237s

The bread, all nicely sliced  and now in the freezer, as are the mince pies.  

(boring picture, I know, but I love a home made loaf!)

Today's M&S offering is a cleanser, something I will definitely use, so that's good.

The Advent of Change today focuses on Winston's Wish, a charity that supports bereaved children.

Today you have funded a Memory Box giving a grieving child somewhere special to keep treasured memories of someone they love.

A lot of these Advent of Change charities relate to children and, after a lifetime of working with children, this means a lot to me.  I'm definitely 

doing this again next year.

https://winstonswish.org/

And here's the puzzle for the last three days.  Only three more to go and then I will carefully break it up, day by day, put it back in the little boxes and store it away to use another year.

As I said above, today should be an easy day.  I have already made a batch of ordinary shortcrust pastry in Thermione (so it  might work better than making it by hand) and I am going to make mince pie bites, an idea I got from another good YouTube channel, Budget Cooking UK.

Here's the link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5oUx86a9nU&t=334s

I know it sounds like I have loads but when I thought about it, there's four of us on Christmas Day, I have a friend coming to stay over next weekend and I probably have five of us here on New Year's Day.  And I probably won't need to shop much until well into January.

The other two things I want to got done today is to make Beth's crumble topping for her savoury crumble and to make some of those mixed seed crackers that we loved so much.

And then I can catch up on my recordings, listen to some Christmas music, chill, knit and generally have a good relax.

I hope you have a nice a day as I plan to have.  Stay safe, be happy and enjoy the vibe.  xx

Two videos today - I always link these two together in my mind, probably because of the breath control needed to sing the choruses.   I always need to take a sneaky breath halfway through!

Blogmas day 20

Good morning, lovely people.  Happy only-five-days-to-go-mas!

While I think of it, tomorrow's blog might be a bit late because I think I will be going to M&S for a few things Morrisons doesn't have in at the moment (e.g. smoked salmon) and M&S opens at six tomorrow morning.

Yesterday was a lovely day.  I went over to Chris' for a chat and she provided mince pies with our coffee.  Home made ones - lucky me.  They were delicious!

Then Val came over and we went to the Horse and Groom and had a lovely lunch together.

It's just as well I have decided I won't be weighing at SW until January, isn't it?

The M&S calendar has given me some Bloom and Blossom soothing foot and leg mist.  Now that will definitely be used, especially as the weather gets warmer again.

I'll have to do the puzzle later as I'm a bit pushed for time this morning.

The Advent of Change supports the National Autistic Society today.

Today you have provided relief and reassurance to the parent of an autistic child by giving them access to emotional support and connecting them with others who have been in their shoes.

Because of Alex, I really do know how crucial that can be.

https://www.autism.org.uk/

It's Slimming World today and it is a taster session/party.  I'm taking in some turkey, cranberry and chestnut festive baubles (aka little meatballs on cocktail sticks) with some cranberry sauce for dunking.

Then it is the dreaded Christmas shop at Morrisons.

I've made my list, 

I've checked it twice (more, actually)

I've tried to make sure

It's naughty and nice

(but not too naughty) . . .

Er . . .

(any suggestions for the next line from you talented lot?)

Then  I will be putting it all away and starting to work through a Little List - I have bread to make and I've decided to make some mince pies using a thermomix recipe for pastry in hopes that just maybe, if I hardly touch it, it won't be too like cement!

I'll get them done and in the freezer today and then I could tackle my bedroom which isn't too bad, won't take too long but does need doing.

And then I can chill.  Nice.

Advent calendar music.

If you are a primary teacher, you will have come across Out of the Ark, a wonderful, talented company that produces all sorts of music for children - assembly songs, songs for special occasions, musicals . . . so, so much, all with amazing backing tracks, overhead words, everything you could want to make the music fun.

This is one of my favourite ever Christmas songs from them, 'Child in a Manger Born'

Blogmas, day 19

Oh, my gosh . . . so close!

First of all, for Chris and anyone else interested, here's a link to some info about the whole Swingle story from their first days to now, through their various incarnations.

https://www.theswingles.co.uk/about

I got plenty done yesterday.  Circuits was great fun - not the group I usually go to but I know several in the other group.  

At home, I got more wrapping done (there's always more, I'm finding), wrote cards, got the downstairs dusted and tidied (great relief), finished the ironing although, like wrapping, there's always more in the offing, worked on my shopping list (too long and too much unnecessary stuff) and went back to Lindsey's for personal training, gift in hand.

And I got my little olive wood thingy on the tree where it looks cute.

I slept well!!

Today's offering from M&S is a purifying pink clay detox mask which seems to solve every skin woe under the sun, according to the blurb.

I've been lucky enough not to have had any real skin problems apart from getting old and wrinkly (which isn't really a problem, it's just a fact of life) and the usual teenage spots during the sixties.

I'll use this though - after all, why not.
I was going to do a sort of pamper day on Christmas Eve but I'll have things to do so I'm blocking off a day in the New Year, maybe the first Sunday, to try out some of the goodies from the calendar.

I'm not sure I've ever done a pamper day at home, only a few spa days with Beth.

Today's Advent of Change supports the Panathlon Challenge.  That's another new one to me.

Panathlon Challenge provide sports competitions and training days for young people with disabilities and special educational needs - I think that's a brilliant one, having worked as the school's SENCo for many years

Behind the door, it says:

Today you have helped a child with disabilities to throve, by providing a leadership course designed their confidence and self-esteem.

https://panathlon.com/

I'm going to do the puzzle later.

Today is a bit of a sociable day - I'm round to Chris for coffee and chat and I will take Bertie's present round with me - Bertie is Chris' little grandson.

Then Val is, I hope, coming over and I've booked a table at the Horse and Groom as a Christmas treat.  

The rest of the day is just the usual to keep a home ticking over and finalising the shopping list.  I suppose I ought to give the fridge a bit of a sort out so there's room, although I can put stuff in a box in the shed (the garden room is heated a bit) which is now rodent proof.  The old shed really wasn't and did have little visitors from time to time.  I never saw them but they kindly left evidence.

Anyway, enough waffling for now.  Have a great day and see you again tomorrow.  Enjoy the music.  xx

Here's your Advent music link for today.

It's the great King's Singers with their version of 'Deck the halls'.