Last minute Christmas preparations

**InDiAnNa** · 12-23-2008, 08:18 AM

I am SO not ready for Christmas!

FDH and I are leaving the city tonight, in-laws are picking us up and we're heading north for four days of mayhem, visiting family, catching up with old friends, and trying to have our first Chirstmas Eve/Day alone and together as a couple.

I am so disorganized, I havent done anything to get ready for leaving, gifts still haven't been made or wrapped, the house is a MESS, there's loads of laundry, dishes, the floors are FILTHY... I can't let MIL see the place like this!!

(JK she's so easy going but you know what I mean!!!) I also hate hate HATE coming home to a messy, dirty house after having been away for a few days, so it's for my own benefit if I go stark crazy cleaning for the next few hours...

Time now: 1.05pm. I have until 7pm tonight to get everything sorted!

Here's my list:

~finish all laundry
~hang all laundry on airers in kitchen
~let homemade truffles for in-laws set and then wrap and keep in fridge
~make biscuits for my parents and decorate, then put in tin and wrap
~run to pound shop and get both sets of parents a special card each
~wrap two gifts and put in designated giftbag
~prepare tonights dinner as much as I can to save rushing through it tonight
~strip the bed, wash sheets, make up fresh
~assemble Martha's cat box and find her favourite blanket and cuddlies (uh oh)
~put away all clean folded laundry
~finish ironing pile (uh oh)
~wash and dry all dishes
~tidy and clean kitchen
~clean bathroom
~put clean towels out
~wash all floors
~make sure all windows and doors are very securely shut and locked
~have shower, wash hair, dry hair, and prettify
~stay calm

Blimey. Wish me luck!! I'll use this thread to keep track of what I've done and what I haven't...!

Feel free to use this as a place to put your own lists of Christmas things to remember to do in the next 1.5days. Or just cheer me on from the sidelines ad kick my butt if you see me lurking on the other threads!!

**homesteadmamma** · 12-23-2008, 08:41 AM

Cheering you on and hoping you get everything done. I have everything bought, just not wrapped and the rest might get done, might not.

**TheRootedNomad** · 12-23-2008, 09:08 AM

Hope you get through it! I've got a list myself that I'm putting off while I have coffee.

**phoeny_moonstar** · 12-23-2008, 09:35 AM

Good luck hope you get everything done!!

**Patty A** · 12-23-2008, 09:49 AM

I'm Cheering.......don't you hate that when your "to do" last minute list puts in to the run fast mode to get everything done! I do, and I am still trying to get gifts wrapped. I swear, I was so proud as I did all my shopping early.
Now I just can't get the time to get all of it wrapped up and done. I hope you got your list all done and will be able to come home to a calm and clean home when you are all done visiting!

**InDiAnNa** · 12-23-2008, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by InDiAnNa

Here's my list:

~finish all laundry - 2/4 loads
~hang all laundry on airers in kitchen - 1/4 loads
~let homemade truffles for in-laws set and then wrap and keep in fridge - DONE
~make biscuits for my parents and decorate, then put in tin and wrap - out of the oven and cooling
~run to pound shop and get both sets of parents a special card each
~wrap two gifts and put in designated giftbag
~prepare tonights dinner as much as I can to save rushing through it tonight - DONE
~strip the bed, wash sheets, make up fresh - DONE
~assemble Martha's cat box and find her favourite blanket and cuddlies (uh oh) - DONE
~put away all clean folded laundry
~finish ironing pile (uh oh)
~wash and dry all dishes
~tidy and clean kitchen
~clean bathroom - DONE
~put clean towels out
~wash all floors
~make sure all windows and doors are very securely shut and locked
~have shower, wash hair, dry hair, and prettify
~stay calm - NOT DOING!

Getting there slowly...Just finishing a quick pasta lunch, then back to it. Only 3.5 hours to go yikes!

**AmyMCGS** · 12-23-2008, 10:24 AM

You're doing great! Keep going!

I finished making my Christmas cards and signing them at 3:30am today..... so I can TOTALLY relate!

I'm so far behind this year that it's just crazy. I'm playing online a few minutes while I wait for my caffeine to kick in and motivate me to get going on today's to-do list.

**McD** · 12-23-2008, 10:28 AM

Doin' awesome!

**Momto2Boyz** · 12-23-2008, 10:30 AM

Keep up the good work! Work on staying calm too!

I have a similair list to do today. We were planning on having a quiet Christmas morning with just us, but we have a tradition of having the neighbors over for breakfast and doing gifts with them, before we all start our crazy day. I hadn't said anything, and hoped it might slide this year, but of course, they all asked me about it, so we have to keep up the tradition. Of couse, it is nice to spend time with friends at Christmas (instead of only family) so I do enjoy it. And everyone brings something, so breakfast isn't a huge deal. But now, I have to get my house cleaned up!

So here is my list for today:
Pick up boys things
Finish wrapping gifts
Help boys wrap their gifts
laundry
dishes
clean out fridge
vaccuum
sweep & mop hardwood
clean bathroom
deep clean kitchen
shop for Christmas eve dinner, breakfast and take along Christmas dessert
dust

Tomorrow:
keep house clean (that'll be the big chore)
make cheesecake
prepare ham or roast (whichever we decide on)

I think that is about it!

**HisDaisy** · 12-23-2008, 12:33 PM

I can so relate. My folks are coming for Christmas and my house is mess. This is the first time that they have come to visit me since 2001 (Although I have visited them several times). My mom tends to find everything that is wrong, so I need things near perfect for her. I think that the idea of perfect is keeping me from starting.
Anyway there are going to to be here tomorrow evening (weather permitting).
Here is what I have left to do:
~Clean both bathrooms
~Clean kitchen counters
~Unload and reload dishwasher
~Pick-up living room
~Pick-up bedroom
~Finish unpacking office
~Run items to Goodwill
~Vacuum all floors
~Sweep and mop kitchen
~Sweep and mop bathrooms
~Put away laundry
~Wash 3 loads of laundry and put away
~Finish wrapping Christmas presents
~Finish putting up Christmas decoration
~Bake cookies
~Take out trash and recycling
~Make sure that I have everything needed for Christmas meals

Oh, and I have to work at DH's office this afternoon.
I am feeling a little overwhelmed.
So now I am getting off the computer and starting to clean.

**Debbie-cat** · 12-23-2008, 01:52 PM

Good luck everyone! Don't worry it will get done. I have a ton to do as well and I am just taking a break with my favorite website. Keep on plucking away!