Hello everyone. Things are a bit slow due to real life in December, I know. And I haven't put in much of an appearance lately, either. But since there is no December thread (that I can see) I just thought I'd start one.

Hi Susan, I'm still skulking about!

How are your preparations for the holidays going?

Hi, Snarkles. Meh. Trying to embrace the holiday cheer. The winters here are awfully grey if you don't live up higher (in the Alps). Still, my cat's bright orange. We have to take what we can get, right?

And yourself? popcorn and cranberries?

"Winter" here mostly means a bit of rain and fog, which is what I have today. Yuck. Supposed to clear the rest of the week though and be in the 60s, which will be nice.

Orange cats are awesome. I cat-sit for a big, orange fellow and he's adorable! I'm a fan!

I may, emphasis on MAY, have just completed the Christmas shopping.

!!!! yippee!

Also, the yearly funny photo for the xmas card is done and sent to print at the express photo, just have to get the cards all addressed and into the mail now. So close to being finished!

We've decided to order pizzas for the upcoming boat parade since we are just having immediate family instead of a big party -- so that will be easy peasy.

Husband and his mom are in charge of their xmas dinner (sauerbraten something or other I think?) so I have no responsibilities in regards to that.

I go to my parents on xmas morning and all I have to do is show up with my gifties (they put on a christmas brunch) -- yay, also easy peasy.

Things are falling into place. Whew.

Yay! We don't really have much extended family over here, so I also don't need to worry about impressing anyone.

As for the presents, I am totally running out of ideas. I just can't think of a thing that my kids don't already have ten of!

My Floridian constitution says it is cold. It is 70 in the house and I had to put on jeans, a thick sweatshirt, and fingerless gloves. It is under 50 outside. The pelicans are looking for their sweaters.

Kids must be tough to shop for, Susan, they are teens-ish right?

Hi Magicsusan and Mrs Snark

I've just rejoined the boards and thought I'd drop by the December thread.

I'm in Canada and, as of Dec 13, no snow to speak of and relatively/strangely warm (-2 degrees C). Christmas shopping is done - now I just need to haul stuff across the country to my FiL's house because "Santa will find you wherever we spend Christmas!"..... If all goes well, AirCanada will NOT lose my bags in transit.

Nice to meet you both and happy holidays!

Sarah

Hey Sarah! Nice to meetcha!

I think I got my shopping done too, and cards in the mail, and I'm pretty much ready to get this holiday ON. Sorry you have to travel though, not my fav thing to do during this season. Fingers crossed your bags make it!

Hello BrainySarah! My goodness, you two are tall! I fell like a hobbit!

Yikes on travelling at this time of year- do you have to lug kids as well?

Snarkles, they are 12 (13 in March) 16 and 18. I've finished knitting a pair of end-paper mitts for the youngest, and she's also getting a cat-a-day calendar, but other than that, I'm at a total loss. The eldest loves everything, the middle one wanted of all things a Hobbit pencil case! They are nowhere to be found, but I did find a zippy hoody with a map of Middle Earth on the back. That's got to be good, right?

Now, I just need to sort out a healthy, yummy, not-so-much-work-that-it-will-be-the-death-of-me, vegetarian, festive holiday menu that everyone (bear in mind that Thirdling does not like pasta or rice or beans or anything green except broccoli and the occasional kiwi fruit) and get the ingredients before someone else has bought them. What could go wrong?

I haven't weighed myself in weeks. I know I've put on a kilo or two- nothing too horrid, but that's not even why I haven't weighed in... it's just been one thing after another for a while now and none of it coming out positive, know what I mean? Sometimes a crisis can serve to sort of wake everyone up or reset things but that's not happening. And my attempts to become more independent (read: get a paying job) have been thwarted in bizarre and unforeseen ways, too. I know I'm being vague here, but I'm kinda just venting. Sorry!

On the other hand, this is the time of year when it's perfectly acceptable for a grown woman to glue glitter to pretty much anything that will hold still long enough, so that's got to be good, right?

Take care, you two- and anyone else who drops in!

End-paper mitts are adorable and I had NO IDEA that's what those things were called. None whatsoever.

I'm imagining you completely covered in glitter right now, Susan, yes, covered in glitter and continually gluing more glitter to cookbooks as you search for the perfect Christmas meal to suit your rather difficult and specific needs. A glitter-covered cat strolls by, all glittery. It's lovely.

Woman, you deserve a cocktail!

How can thirdling not like pasta or rice? This seems impossible, really.

The "Endpaper" aspect refers to the color pattern, not the shape- though I love the name anyway; I picture people wearing them in an old cottage while reading an equally old book.

Your imagination concerning the glitter is pretty accurate. It's a shiny world!

As for Thirdling not liking pasta, did I mention that Middlekid doesn't like pizza? See what I'm up against?

Has the wrapathon started yet at your place?

I have not begun wrapping, though I should. Any minute now I will set my mind to it.

Any. Minute. Now.

I shipped my final packages this morning, though, so that is the last of those lines I'll be in this year, yayayayay!

A kid who doesn't like pizza. Amazing!

How is it going there? Have a menu picked out yet?

Me either, with the wrapping, but I'll start tonight. I swear. Almost definitely.

Before we can wrap, we have to do the "Gschenklisturtz," which is when we dump out all the presents to make sure they are more or less even. Wouldn't want anyone thinking we're playing favorites, right?

I have picked a menu. There are vegetables involved, but also an ungodly amount of cheese. I was at least trying to keep up with the jogging (which I've been doing since February) but winter sometimes gets the better of me, I'm afraid. I plan to be a snowbird when I grow up, lol!

Are you having a peaceful time? Take care of yourself, Snarkles!

Still haven't wrapped anything -- I believe I'm in denial. Right now I'm about to go to Super Target for a final "am I really done, DONE" shopping/card-picking-out spree. Gah.

Don't. Wanna. Go.

Glad to hear you've got your menu sorted. That must be a big relief. I wish you could come glue glitter to my face, which has a decidedly Grinchy cast to it lately. Glitter would be an improvement, I imagine it would settle nicely into my frown lines.

I need a serious injection of cheer.

I googled "Gschenklisturtz", because I was thinking of taking it as my middle name (little known fact: I don't actually have a middle name) and was flummoxed on how one would pronounce it. I like the way it looks very much, though. It has a certain weight to it, a seriousness that can't be denied, yet also whimsy -- what with the abundance of consonants.

Me likey very much.