Anyone else live in a family where Christmas preparations fall mainly to women? We set ourselves ludicrous goals, rush around getting everything sorted...I keep hearing and having conversations that revolve around "Are you ready yet?" "Have you bought everything for Christmas?" Do you want to put your fingers in your ears and stick out your tongue when you meet someone who has had all her presents bought and wrapped since October?
I decided to drop a few christmas activities this year in the interest of saving my sanity and retaining some energy and a bit of money. Plus cut down on waste. First for the chop is Christmas cards, I am just not doing them, except the mandatory half a dozen for elderly relatives who will ring and complain if they don't get one. (yes, they will and/or sulk...seriously). Second, I contacted various friends a few months ago and asked if we could just not do presents for children or ourselves this year...everyone said yes and seemed relieved, lots of people are feeling a lack of money this year. I am still doing presents for family and a couple of friends, but I feel so glad I don't have to have a long list this year. Am I now an offical killjoy? I have to say I do love Christmas normally but what I love is the lights, trees, advent, decorations, food, and most importantly seeing family...not the grind of hard work and over consumerism. As I am going to be only three weeks off the due date for this baby I cannot go to visit my family this year, they live 200 miles away and I don't think I can manage that car journey! So I plan a simple Christmas meal here just me, Mr Minnado and the children and lots of sitting on the sofa. We have a "Christmas box" which recently came out of hibernation, in it live Christmas and wintery story books and a small collection of festive dvds. It caused great excitement when we opened it on 2nd December. We are currently reading one book a night from the box and plan to watch the dvds nearer the big day. So, I am not completely mean. Anyone else have mixed feelings about Christmas?
Now then, deep breaths....camomile tea....and back to some blogging about sewing.
I've made some super-comfortable maternity pyjama trousers. At the end of the day it is a pleasure to put these on. I am doubly pleased with these as I have used some some stash fabric and every little bit of decluttering gives more space, plus I didn't have to spend anything on them!
The first pair are from an Ikea duvet cover found in the charity shop quite a while ago. I made a skirt in the summer from the matching pillowcase. You can see the big bump panel which I used the scraps from my mariposa dress for.
The second pair in greens and blues are made from a duvet cover I bought in the summer. I had used a large piece of the duvet cover for a skirt
I am also just in the process of finishing off a maternity dress. I had other maternity clothes to sew but that running-out-of time feeling means I may just stop here, put my feet up and knit till the baby comes.
I love your strange flamingo pose! hehe!
ReplyDeleteAww, I really do feel for you, it's stressful enough come Christmas time this year but being pregnant too must be more tiring than I can imagine. You do seem to be keeping your spirits up though!
I don't think you're being a Scrooge, like you this year I'm only buying for my nieces and nephews and not for their parents...they will get some edibles as it's a bit of a tradition that I make chutney and biscuits but otherwise nothing major.
In all honesty, this year I think all I want for Christmas is some time off work, seeing my family and eating lovely Christmas dinner x2 as will go to both our parents, thankfully one one day and one the next! No Vicar of Dibly for me thank you very much! hehe! And it would be nice to get some sewing done for me and J.
Go and put the kettle on and put your feet up and watch Santa Claus the Movie! That always gets me in the Christmas mood! xx
Recent years I've also been jaded by all the consumerism associaterd with Christmas and shock last year didn't send Xmas cards either. I bought some this year though. Like mimi said its rough on you this year having a bump to follow abd you need to let yourself off the hook. 23 years ago today came my perfect excuse for opting out of Xmas and giving all the present buying ( not that there was much- we were skint) to dad was wonderful! Your Xmas box is a great idea! Keeps some magic in December. Pjs are very jazzy, I recognise fabric 2 especially. I bet they get well used- hurrah to pjs!!
ReplyDeleteYour pants are great! They look super comfy and stylish :)
ReplyDeleteI hear you about Christmas. This year it's a bigger deal than normal because we're going back to Hawaii for the first time since we've moved away. So that means presents for all those folks there, which we don't normally do, on top of normal presents. And I decided to make things for some of them: the deadline is rapidly approaching! I'm glad to make things; I prefer that. But I should've started earlier.
I have a love-hate relationship with Christmas and just want things to go smoothly without anyone in our massive family falling out after one too many sherries! It was all more magical when we were little so I think it's lovely that you have a Christmas box - I bet your children will have happy memories of that and the excitement and anticipation of the big day. I'm sure everyone will understand you wanting to keep things low-key and hope you get lots of sitting down time. Those PJ bottoms look so comfy, love the print on the blue / green ones.
ReplyDeleteChristmas is going to be really quiet here this year...it makes it stress free but i miss when the boys were little and we would do Christmasey things...maybe i could do them with the dog :)
ReplyDeleteI love your pjs! Hope you have a lovely week xxx
Lovely trews and lovely fabrics. If you have 1p plus p+p to spare, can I recommend a book to you? It's called Romancing the Ordinary.
ReplyDeleteFind it on Amazon and in a day or two you can start reading the December chapter at the end of the book. In this chapter the author addresses exactly what you are stressing about. I read it yesterday and it settled my mind quite a bit!
I put my foot down on cards a couple of years ago and this has had the added bonus that we now
receive fewer cards so don't have to find places to put them or agonise over whether to recycle them or keep them for something crafty....
Girl-- you'll be three weeks from your due date at Christmas?! Um, you shouldn't be stressing at ALL about holiday preparations! Sometimes the best holiday seasons are the ones where you're able to make time to reflect and recharge. So please don't feel like you need to do anything out of a sense of obligation. Take care of yourself and your little family and, if you feel up to it, maybe phone a few people that you don't talk to as often as you'd like in lieu of sending out cards. (Oh, and be sure to spend lots of time in your PJ's!)
ReplyDeleteWell I have done absolutely nothing for Christmas this year other than start to knit a jumper for my daughter.I have not bought any cards as we have a very small family and there is a load left over from other years,ditto paper that just needs ironing out.I buy the same amount of food that I would usually and we just dont go mad.I detest going into shops and hearing nothing but John Lennon, Slade and bloody sleigh bells all the time....I know we do get snow but never once in my fifty years have I seen a damn sleigh go by the house.
ReplyDeleteJust do what you want to do... and keep up the strange flamingo pose!
Aw - you should have done the flamingo pose in the pink trousers! ;)
ReplyDeleteYou are doing the right thing. Not scroogey at all. Christmas should be a relaxing holiday for you and your loved ones. Full stop.
Oh - and I saw the recommendation for Romancing the Ordinary - I have that book too and it has kept me on a level keel in difficult times.
Cute PJs! :)
ReplyDeleteI totally feel with you. I can't believe how time flies!
I do like Christmas usually, but I kinda don't feel it yet this year. No snow yet, and I seem to be pretty good at ignoring the decorations everywhere... I'm also in the happy position that my immediate family decided to do away with Christmas gifts a few years ago, and concentrate on spending time together and have a lovely Christmas dinner. I still do gifts for my grandmas and a couple of friends, but nothing stressful. :)
Christmas anxiety seems to have replaced yuletide joy. Maybe I should make pjs for all. I love the idea of a winter box too.
ReplyDeleteHow funky are those PJs...lol. regarding christmas presents, I just don't do them. When I was growing up back in Cameroon, Christmas was a time for us to spend as a family, and we were never bothered about gifts. The only thing might be a new dress, but that almost always stopped when you got to 10 years. We normally just cook alot of food, and leave the doors open for anyone who wanted to come and eat with us that day. This year the only present I am getting is for my husband. END OFF!!!
ReplyDeleteHooray, it's working on my home computer!! I thought I recognized that fabric in the IKEA duvet :) How wonderful to have something to lounge and sleep in especially when you feel you need it most. And kudos to you for reclaiming Christmas for you and yours -- it really shouldn't run you or your bank account ragged.
ReplyDeleteI don't have kids, but I've slipped by for many many years without making a big hoo-ha out of Christmas. I love being with family, but the presents and the prep is too much. Nieces and nephews and the boy get small gifts, everyone else gets.