Countdown to Christmas 2018.

In many ways we are sort of lucky here is Australia at Christmas time. The weather is typically very very hot during the festive season..meaning most of us rarely need to slave away in the kitchen on the day. I do one or 2 roasts in the 2 days leading up to Christmas day to serve cold with salads and side dishes. Please take it easy Fharraige...plan to do only what you can do... hoping you have a peaceful joyous Christmas day.

My husband will bring the presents up (our tree is in the basement because of the cat) and do the bending and lifting for dinner, so I'm good for that.

Right now I'm just enjoying the decorations and not being in the chaos for last-minute shopping.

We are going to my in-laws tomorrow.

I'm sorry. I used to try to work on Christmas, too. That way I could pretend it was just a regular day, except with pretty lights at night. What kind of work do you do?

The tree cuttings are a nice idea.

I'm sorry to say that I'm not much looking forward to Christmas this year. I don't know. Christmas was lovely when I was a child. As an adult, when my family was young, the season was stressful. Now it's just plain horribly lonely. I mean, my husband and I will go to a diner for dinner, but. I guess I thought that Christmas always meant a big family gathering.

Last year the days were going so slow and I just wanted Christmas to come already. Now it seems to be approaching much faster than last year. Only 3 days and 5 hours left. I watched The Thundermans Christmas special today and I think that was the last of the specials I wanted to watch. Now I just need to watch A Christmas Story and the 1938 version of a Christmas Carol.

Hmmm. Will be sharing xmas eve with family. On the day itself I will be at home alone. Not looking forward to that part.

Just caught sight of what mountaindewed posted. Might have to dig out my video of a Muppets Christmas Carol.

Christmas Day we are going to a friends parents house. We went there for Thanksgiving. I love her family.

Hi roadartist.

Yes Christmas can be a downer without all the trimmings like when we were kids...But we can make new traditions and make Christmas whatever we want it to be. It doesn't have to be about presents and sleeping the afternoon away after eating too much, or dealing with family who we only see once per year...Maybe make it a day when we eat junk food and clean out our clothing closets, making up a few boxes for charity. Or spend our day in our pjs watching old movies....I have to admit that although I don't do the obligatory family thing, I 'do' like the Christmas season....It is a marker that tells me that I made it through yet another year, a time to make plans for a happier next year.

I wish you and your husband peace and joy this Christmas...no matter what the day brings.

Your wishes are kind. Actually, I've never been about the presents or the food. What I miss most is a tradition of taking my children on Christmas Eve to drive around and look at the lights. After that we would stop somewhere for hot chocolate. I had the dream that when they grew up we would somehow keep that tradition going, at least meet on Christmas Eve for hot chocolate. Silly me, of course a tradition would be a scene in a movie, not in actual life.