HO-Ho-HO EVERYTHING CHRISTMAS

[Queen Victoria]

Here's some ideas for hot cocoa flavorings.

I buy the cheap big can mix of hot cocoa.

Want one that tastes like ....

Almond joy? Put in a drop of coconut extract and almond extract

Mounds? coconut extract

French Vanilla? vanilla extract

Mint Chocolate? peppermint extract

Chocolate Raspberry? raspberry extract

And for my Graham Cracker one? - sprinkle of brown sugar, drop of honey and vanilla

Smores? add marshmallows to the above graham cracker one.

[renaeden]

Thanks.  My daughter wants new dress-up clothes and a new trampoline for Christmas, so I need to start making some dress-up clothes for her soon.

Just wondering what you have made and if you are still going!

Christmas does my head in, it always has, but one thing I like doing is wrapping presents. A couple of years ago my friend organised for us to volunteer at the shops wrapping presents for people. She dealt with the small-talk and money collecting (gold coin donation) and I wrapped the presents. I really enjoyed it.

[Callaway]

Thanks.  My daughter wants new dress-up clothes and a new trampoline for Christmas, so I need to start making some dress-up clothes for her soon.

Just wondering what you have made and if you are still going!

Christmas does my head in, it always has, but one thing I like doing is wrapping presents. A couple of years ago my friend organised for us to volunteer at the shops wrapping presents for people. She dealt with the small-talk and money collecting (gold coin donation) and I wrapped the presents. I really enjoyed it.

I haven't made any more costumes for her since Halloween, so I need to get busy.

I thought she wanted some dressy dress-up clothes and I bought some for her, but she meant costumes.

Thanks for reminding me.

[renaeden]

Hmm. I gather she has strong interests and am curious about what costumes she would like. I once dressed up as a purple wizard for a work party and everyone thought it was a bit odd.

[Callaway]

Hmm. I gather she has strong interests and am curious about what costumes she would like. I once dressed up as a purple wizard for a work party and everyone thought it was a bit odd.

For now, I will make her an angel costume and a cheetah costume, since those are two of the ones she asked for when we looked at the pattern book together.  I already have the angel dress cut out and the wings are finished.  The pattern I had called for cloth wings with batting, but my daughter wanted feathery wings with a wire frame.  She had a pair of tattered orange wings from the dollar store where the sheer nylon was torn up and ruined, so I cut it off and used the frame and elastic bands with a pair of toddler nylon tights she had long since outgrown, then edged it with a marabou feather boa I bought at Hancock Fabrics, where I also bought the white satin and some cheetah print fleece earlier today.  She's going to love them.

[TA]

Does anyone turn into somewhat of a Scrooge in the month of December or get any form of Seasonal Affective Disorder (Holiday Depression)?

['andersom']

Does anyone turn into somewhat of a Scrooge in the month of December or get any form of Seasonal Affective Disorder (Holiday Depression)?

I'm flu-like every first week of December, for years and years now. This year I was on my feet before my daughter had her BD, luckily. Aside from her BD, all festivities may be cancelled. The BD is the only important one.

That's more December festive stress than SAD I think. Bit of snow would be nice though, I do love the extra light snow brings.

[skyblue1]

Havent had  x-mas with family in 48 years.

I dont begrudge other folks enjoying the holiday and try to be as pleasant about it as possible.

Never understood humans being nice one or two days out of the year and mean the rest of the time

Thats just me though.


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[Pyraxis]

I don't understand it either. I prefer to spend Christmas with people that I actually like during the rest of the year too.

[Adam]

I think the point is that you might not like them, but you love them. And when it comes down to it, while you might not choose to spend every day with them or go out with them for fun, they're still some of the most important people in your life

Generally, of course

That's not the case with everyone, but appears to be the case for a lot of people who no longer see their parents/brothers/sisters frequently but do meet up at xmas

[TA]

I could never get the concept of loving someone, but not liking them, it does not make sense to me.

[Adam]

I think it's like when two siblings are at each other's throats all the time, but actually genuinely love each other. and as someone else said, regardless of all the bickering etc, if the world was gonna end tomorrow, these are the people most of us would want to spend the last few hours with

[Zippo]

one thing to say. BAH HUMBUG!

[renaeden]

Hmm. I gather she has strong interests and am curious about what costumes she would like. I once dressed up as a purple wizard for a work party and everyone thought it was a bit odd.

For now, I will make her an angel costume and a cheetah costume, since those are two of the ones she asked for when we looked at the pattern book together.  I already have the angel dress cut out and the wings are finished.  The pattern I had called for cloth wings with batting, but my daughter wanted feathery wings with a wire frame.  She had a pair of tattered orange wings from the dollar store where the sheer nylon was torn up and ruined, so I cut it off and used the frame and elastic bands with a pair of toddler nylon tights she had long since outgrown, then edged it with a marabou feather boa I bought at Hancock Fabrics, where I also bought the white satin and some cheetah print fleece earlier today.  She's going to love them.

That sounds elaborate. I like the sound of feathery wings better too.

TA - usually I get pretty depressed around this time of year. Christmas and New Year is part of it (I see it as a huge disruption) but I also think the heat plays a part too. Plus I just get depressed a lot for whatever reason. But I have been reasonably ok this summer so far.

[Callaway]

Hmm. I gather she has strong interests and am curious about what costumes she would like. I once dressed up as a purple wizard for a work party and everyone thought it was a bit odd.

For now, I will make her an angel costume and a cheetah costume, since those are two of the ones she asked for when we looked at the pattern book together.  I already have the angel dress cut out and the wings are finished.  The pattern I had called for cloth wings with batting, but my daughter wanted feathery wings with a wire frame.  She had a pair of tattered orange wings from the dollar store where the sheer nylon was torn up and ruined, so I cut it off and used the frame and elastic bands with a pair of toddler nylon tights she had long since outgrown, then edged it with a marabou feather boa I bought at Hancock Fabrics, where I also bought the white satin and some cheetah print fleece earlier today.  She's going to love them.

That sounds elaborate. I like the sound of feathery wings better too.

TA - usually I get pretty depressed around this time of year. Christmas and New Year is part of it (I see it as a huge disruption) but I also think the heat plays a part too. Plus I just get depressed a lot for whatever reason. But I have been reasonably ok this summer so far.

Here's the pattern I used with some modifications:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/56491503/kids-costume-pattern-mccalls-9496



I finished the dress now.  The only thing I still need to make is the halo but I might just use tinsel garland for that.  I need to work on the cheetah costume now.