The tree is up, new lights adorn the outside of the house and the Christmas cards are written.  The young engineer returned home and found glitter and sparkle adorning the house – much to his disgust….Mr Grinch!!  but then he has the cheek to criticise the lights in our hallway – too bright, too harsh – and presented me with a box of soft white lights to use instead.  Not a “I’ll change them for you, Mum” but rather a “put these up – they’ll look nicer”.  Needless to say the lights have not been changed.

This weekend brought the return of the middle child – the politics student – home from university for Christmas.  An enormous suitcase returned on the coach with him and I have a sneaky feeling that his entire wardrobe is in there ready for the washing machine.  I wonder how quickly the clothes will make their way downstairs and into said washer?  Hopefully before the smell invades the rest of the house!

Hubby and I have worked our strategy for the Christmas shopping – early, local trips that don’t last too long and then home to collapse for the rest of the day.  I think that he will find himself doing more of the wrapping this year!  A couple of achievements have been that we managed my old school carol service last week and a family meal out last night with our kids, the eldest’s other half, mum and dad, and my brother and nephew.

The preparations for Christmas can be stressful – the food, family dynamics, shopping, expense, parties, having enough hours in the day. If you read my post yesterday – a letter to my chronic illness – you may have some understanding that this stress can be so much worse when paired with health problems, physical and mental.  Amongst the posts this week are several offering suggestions to help cope with stress, to plan and to make checklists.  There is a fab post of creepy Christmas legends, some wonderful magical moments and some lovely Christmas poems.

So grab an eggnog or some mulled wine, sit back and with a week to go enjoy some great Christmas posts.

https://www.navigatingthestorms.com/fun-things/holidays/stressed-out-for-christmas-excited-planning-helps/

https://www.brainlesionandme.com/christmas-analogy-for-spoonies/

https://www.achronicvoice.com/2017/12/17/holiday-checklists-spoonies-supporters/

https://www.awalkandalark.com/merry-christmas-blogging-friends/

https://fancypaperblog.com/2017/12/09/ten-ways-christmas-is-lovelier-than-last-year/

https://safemindspace.home.blog/2018/12/15/creepy-christmas-legends-and-customs/

https://debs-world.com/2018/12/16/my-25-day-countdown-to-a-happy-christmas-2/

https://justmuddlingthroughlife.wordpress.com/2018/12/04/christmas-stresses/

https://susielindau.com/2018/12/13/recapture-the-magic-of-christmas/

https://pamelajessen.com/2018/12/16/seasonal-poetry/

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Have a great week,

Claire x