5 Things to do before Xmas|Christmas
19:01:00
Christmas has a couple of things in common with the Apocalypse. They
both have something to do with God and they both make me feel as though the end
of the world is nigh.
This Girl still falls into the trap of trying to get everything done
right before Christmas. Like, everything I was planning to do for the year,
jammed into about four weeks.
Okay, it’s not quite that bad, but you get the point.
Here are five things I did this weekend to get ready for the pending
merriment.
1. Decorate
Deck the halls with boughs of holly fa la la la la, la la la la.
This might not seem unusual to you, but This Girl has never been big on
trees and tinsel. The Lovely Deputy loves celebrating Christmas. This year,
‘I’m the arty one’ and Skater boy will be here, so I’ve bought baubles for the
tree he’s promised and hung bells and disco balls.
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Christmas
disco inferno
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The latter
is for my own amusement. I’ve even made a table placement.
This is me, going all out.
2. Made a
fruitcake
I don’t really understand why you’d ruin a perfectly good cake by
burdening it with sultanas, raisins, currents and glace cherries and then say
it’s especially for Christmas. Errrkkk!
However, in the spirit of Christmas I often make one for others, this
year is no different.
Of course, they’re meant to be made months prior but because I’m not a
connoisseur, it doesn’t mean that much to me.
I made mine this weekend.
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I
don't think I should have used fan-force.
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I have a number of recipes but I generally pick the one that includes
golden syrup, chocolate and jam. I just like the idea of it. Instead of glace
cherries, I chose mixed glace fruit: apricot, pear, peach, pineapple and
orange. I also halved the raisin quantity and replaced it with cranberries.
This year,
I’m going to make myself try the fruitcake. Grimace.
3. Sand the
wrought iron fence
This project has been on the books for years. I returned to it a few
months ago to abandon it again in preference to painting the spare room.
This weekend I took to the fence with an electric sander. I'd like it to
look presentable, instead of peeling paint and rust.
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It's
been too windy to go outside and sand today!
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Needless to
say, I didn’t finish it. It will now be added to the 5 things I do next weekend
to prepare for Christmas.
4. Plan the
Christmas Menu
The Other Girl was horrified when I told her that I hadn’t decided what
we were eating for Christmas. I need Lovely Deputy’s advice on young person
appropriate menus.
In preparation, I pulled every November and December edition of Gourmet
Traveller magazine since 1998, and a few of Maggie Beer's books, off my shelves
for ideas.
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Lovely
Deputy and I may have different definitions of a short list.
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Tonight I’m
planning on presenting my shortlist to him.
The desserts are non-negotiable however.
Christmas eve is Peach and Raspberry Steamed Pudding with Butterscotch
Sauce and Christmas lunch is a Chocolate Cherry Semi-freddo.
5. Clean the house
My house has to be spotless for Christmas. It’s just the way it is. So,
I took to the backroom with sugar soap, a giant garbage bag and the vacuum
cleaner.
I’m now working my way through the house.
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