Christmas Preparations

 The biiiig supermarket shop was done today. For the last few years I've shopped in the week before Christmas for lots of frozen foods (for when we're fed up of festive foods and just want fish fingers and chips) the store cupboard basics ( things like pasta, flour, and chickpeas for making the most of leftovers so we don't waste food) and finally the household basics like soap, cleaning materials, kitchen towel etc. I've found its saves so much time and money. Admittedly the trolley was full, but its all safely gathered in and stored away.

We've two sacks of  our potatoes in the garage and 2 large pumpkins left - we've eaten the rest. In the freezer are plenty of homemade goodies like soup, curry and tomato sauces, plus homegrown fruits, peppers and chillies. Abel and Cole will deliver a festive box of vegetables and the turkey next week. We have eggs from the chickens, jam and honey in the pantry and  the Christmas cake just needs icing.  There is a barrel of beer clearing in the garage and the sloe gin just needs straining in to bottles. Milk and juice are delivered  from our local milkman.

When the supermarket is heaving next week all I'll need is a basket to get some nice cheeses, salad stuffs and fresh cream.  I'll hit the shops I need as soon as they open on Christmas Eve morning and will soon be away and back to the village. We have everything else.

I've worked out it saves me money as we genuinely work our way through everything not just at Christmas and New Year but in to January too, making the food bills for that austere month much lighter. So often snow comes in January here and I've a house full of family again if work and school are unreachable or closed, so I need plenty of ideas on hand to feed everyone.

Its a real feeling of safely gathered in and being prepared for the winter. Last week a wood delivery came from a local farmer and that's neatly stacked in the shed. The chimney was swept this week. I've all the presents bought or made. The cards have been posted or just need a walk round the village to deliver. We'll get the tree at the weekend.

Sounds like 'it' doesn't it! I love this feeling that we can pull up the drawbridge at Christmas, and just celebrate warmth and good food together as a family.

Off to pack presents....