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I hate to mention Christmas, but?

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby Gillthepainter » Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:38 am

My MIL always used to say "Don't worry about me, I'll be all right I suppose". Cue the violins ....

That looks great, EM.
I don't know it, no. It's 5 miles away from our house.

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby Pepper Pig » Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:50 am


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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby Uschi » Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:21 pm

herbidacious wrote:We may go down that route, but we can't really book anything. The problem is that thing where it's technically possible to stay somewhere but you don't feel safe doing so, underwhich cirumcstances you potentially lose money. Sheffield is a bit of a Covid hotspot. Has been all along.


I did not know there are no nice hotels in Sheffield. Maybe a self catering unit then? Less contact to anyone and you can take disinfectant.
I hope you can find a good solution.

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby Earthmaiden » Tue Oct 20, 2020 2:07 pm

Pepper Pig wrote:Was this a thing last year?

https://waitroseandpartnerspresspack.co ... ur%20feast.


Wasn't it a whole apple or something last year? I find Waitrose get a bit too pretentious at Christmas (even though I'm sure the pud is delightful).

I did sort of clock where you were Gill. Abbey Farm is rather rustic but popular - lovely for lunch as you can choose huge organic salads or soups. They only serve meat on Sundays. The shop's nice for a mooch and there's an Indian crafts bit as well.

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby Stokey Sue » Tue Oct 20, 2020 3:15 pm

There are lots of hotels in Sheffield - essentially one of each chain you have heard of and a few chains you either thought had died years ago or never heard of
I've stayed in quite a few of them over the years for work, none I'd choose to spend Christmas in
I think there are a few smaller ones on the outskirts that are more restaurants or upmarket pubs with rooms but chances are they will either be closed or doing only full board packages over Christmas

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby Gillthepainter » Tue Oct 20, 2020 3:40 pm

You do tend to haemorrhage money staying in hotels over Christmas.
New Year isn't so bad, we go to Doncaster usually for new Year and stay within walking distance (30mins) of my sister. Or the Mount Pleasant = the rooms are VASTE.

Yes, we are in South Cerney, EM. Saxon village within walking distance again (3miles) of Cirencester. There are quite a few farm businesses around. One of the best is at Daylesford - it looks like there are a few in London too according to their site.
I quite fancy asking for a flower arranging course for my Christmas present.
I'm appalling at it.

https://www.daylesford.com/event-category/garden/

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby Pepper Pig » Tue Oct 20, 2020 3:55 pm

Is an Air BnB out of the question?

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby herbidacious » Tue Oct 20, 2020 8:39 pm

Yes plenty of hotels. Not necessarily nice ones, but I don't really know tbh as I don't usually need to stay in them. I was just being negative ;) I have stayed in one in town which was quite nice, but it's not takiing bookings. But we don't really need nice. This is a functional visit. I do need quiet though. There is a Mercure which may be ok. £50 a room per night. Will book something as soon as I can find out if I can get a cat sitter.

Might have looked in Derbyshire, but as I said, this is iffy. We don't want to get snowed in. It's nearly happened at my mother's, even, (a mile from the boundary) a few times.

Had quick look at Air BNB - seem to be mainly rooms in houses, and ones that are more suitable (need two rooms) are no cheaper than a hotel. And do I trust the Covid aspect of these? Cancellation policies are less last minutes than hotels too.

Blah! Grin and bear it, is what we will have to do.

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby Stokey Sue » Tue Oct 20, 2020 9:53 pm

I've not been to the Novotel in years (the one near the Crucible) but I really disliked it, the entire décor consisted of grey laminate, as did its sister hotel in Paris, but I'd avoid

I don't know the Mercure, looks OK, it'ss part of the same group (Accor) as Novotel and Jury's Inn I think, Jury's Inn always worth checking out though I don't know the Sheffield one

I quite like the Crowne Plaza Royal Victoria, though getting to it through the one way system is fun and the relentlessly Victorian styling can pall

What now seems to be the Best Western on the Quays I loved when it was a Stakis, found OK when it was a Hilton (though rubbish food then) generally like Best Western

If you just want a clean comfortable bed the Ibis opposite the station is probably OK, not stayed at that one, but usually like Ibis, they are efficient

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby herbidacious » Tue Oct 20, 2020 10:54 pm

The Mercure has bad TA reviews. There is another big, bland (Double Tree) hotel very near to my mother near Norton. Might try that. Or perhaps I will look at air bnb after all. Homeaway seems to have been taken over.

The first time I ever stayed in a hotel was a Novotel in France. First road trip/proper adult holiday with a friend aged 20. Her parents were worried about us staying in youth hostels, so gave us vouchers for two nights in Novotels. It felt very luxurious after youth hostels. Weirdly there was a speaker in the bathroom so you could hear the tv. Happy days. I dreamt about that friend last night...

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby herbidacious » Wed Oct 21, 2020 11:12 am

I am now thinking, sod it. We will just stay with her and take our own bedding.

Cat sitter is not taking bookings, and told me to ask again in December. I think she is going to fold her business. This is very bad news for her, of course, and us. Will take a bit of learning to trust a new company. I assume there is one...

Looks like Sheffield is going into tier 3 very soon.

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby miss mouse » Sun Oct 25, 2020 4:55 pm

herbidacious wrote:I am hoping I get a love of Christmas back at some point, or at least lose the dread.

...


I am not helped by my mother and husband always saying how much they hate it. I can muster enthusiasm for most things, if I need to, but not in the face of constant adversity of this nature.



Have you ever considered saying 'No' Herbie?

I largely hate Christmas, so many expectations which I fail at every time so 'do it without me' I say. Luckily I worked for most of them.

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby herbidacious » Mon Oct 26, 2020 12:11 am

No, No is not an option. Everyone would be miserable and I would suffer too, then. It's a no win situation.

It will be a very minimal thing this year. Assuming we go, we will have to leave at 3/4pm on Christmas day so I can't really do an involved meal as I will need to clear everything up before we leave. Actually I am a bit worried about this :?

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby Uschi » Mon Oct 26, 2020 1:44 am

Herbidacious, don't stress quite so much! :newhuggy
Do go, it might be her last and you would feel bad if you didn't. As for the food and everything else, try and keep it simple. What does she like/expect and what do you two like? There is lots of stuff that can be made ahead and maybe frozen. Magic1

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby jeral » Mon Oct 26, 2020 3:40 am

Pound shops are good for disposable foil trays and plastic cartons for food that can be reheated in oven or microwave, so should only need to clear up elegant serving dishes/plates, unless that's not what you meant by clearing up. (I can live with non-eco once a year in covid times when needs must.)

My parents didn't understand clearing up, wondering why (being affronted that) I wasn't spending the limited time with them instead of in the kitchen, as clearing up was less important in their eyes. Perhaps given two of you, one could engage your mum while the other sorts out?

On the upside, staying with your mum means theoretically covid-free and money saved on staying elsewhere can be saved for a treat later. You will have a nice trip seeing countryside en route which in semi lockdown some of us town dwellers have only vague memories of now...

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby smitch » Mon Oct 26, 2020 9:38 am

Herbi, why don’t you order in ready made stuff? Sainsburys have some nice looking veggie options this year and I’ve had good stuff from M&S in the past. Then do as Jeral suggests and get disposable items to cook it all in.

Can you not get automatic feeders for the cats?

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby Earthmaiden » Mon Oct 26, 2020 9:57 am

Clearly it would be harder to find the right set-up in a town miles from home but last year people like Deliveroo were delivering ready cooked meals, presumably veggie ones too. I wonder if this might be even more of a thing this year with lockdowns and people not wanting to go out.
Otherwise, I agree that somewhere like M&S is the answer if the logistics mean you can preorder and collect or have delivered in a timely fashion. Make sure you take tubs and cool bags for any leftovers you mother doesn't want, take a couple of crackers etc and it would be quite easy. Yes, you still have to wash up but maybe not use ALL the best tableware! Making it special doesn't have to be a huge chore if you plan and do it with love.

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby Pepper Pig » Mon Oct 26, 2020 10:04 am

jeral wrote:My parents didn't understand clearing up, wondering why (being affronted that) I wasn't spending the limited time with them instead of in the kitchen, as clearing up was less important in their eyes.


My mother was, and still is, the sort of clearer-upper who whisks your plate away from your mouth the minute she thinks you're finished. I am not that way inclined but I always remember our next door neighbours when I was a little girl. It was a couple with three huge teenage lads. We would feed their cat when they went on their annual holiday . Before they left they would have an enormous fry-up and leave their greasy plates/dishes/pans all over the kitchen to wash when they got back at the end of the week. It took all of my mother's patience not to do it for them.

I agree about buying-in Herbi. The Waitrose stuff looks really nice this year.

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby herbidacious » Mon Oct 26, 2020 11:21 am

My mother has 8 carers coming in in the course of the day. They don't always bother with masks or wear them properly, so not so very Covid safe and this is Sheffield.
As I have said. Reasons not to stay there: no door on the loo, carers in and out, uncomfy beds, thin walls (snoring) so little sleep, bath/shower that has commode slooshed out in it several times a day, not very clean in areas my mother doesn't use i.e. upstairs where we sleep (this is the one bonus - being upstairs), mother shouting out to me when I am in bed/having the tv on too loud (she sleeps in the room below) so I have to get up and ask her to turn it down (roll reversal from teen years ;) ).

Options are open though, as can cancel hotel up to the day.

re clearing up it's a matter of not being able to leave washing up for the carers to do. That wouldn't be fair. There is no dishwasher of course.

re food my mother eats very little. Last year she requested roast potatoes and parsnips and sliced cooked meat. I also did 'all the trimmings'. I will do what I can. Last year we bought a table and set it up as a surprise after she'd gone to bed. I also made crackers. I can do this again but adds to the clearing up aspect which detracts from the hopefully relaxed Christmas day vibe but I suppose leaving mid afternoon will do that too.
I do want to make things as nice for her as possible within the limitations. As Uschi said, it may very well be her last - the way she is at the moment this seems not unlikely at all. She may not even get that far...

Any food we have will have to be able to sit in a car for up to 7 hours in a cool bag. Delivery to hers isn't a good idea (it makes her very anxious as it means her leaving the back door open and a stranger coming in with it. (I think this rules out Deliveroo, really), and can't rely on the big supermarkets now anyway. I see Waitrose Christmas slots have all gone. I also don't want to take more than we can eat as she won't eat the leftovers and would rather not take them all the way back to London. Cooking from scratch simply isn't an option for time reasons and also dodgy oven. I've not done it since we've been going up there other than side dishes and sundries. (She will not eat anything remotely fancy. No herbs, spices, garlic etc.) What husband and I eat is unimportant. Husband would rather not eat in her house at all. He thinks it's unhygienic.

Best tableware?! :) Assorted very small plates, and horrible dirty-looking plastic-handled looking cutlery. I'd *love* to shove it all in a dishwasher. Not sure she even has three plates and dishes. Will take a couple just in case and possibly knives and forks for husband and I.

I don't want to go on about this (although I have). I have a few other anxiety-provoking things going on right now and they are probably making everything else bigger. But it's fair to say that I have dreaded Christmas every year for a while now. It wasn't so bad when my mother was able to come to us.

Smitch re cats, one of them needs medication. We can't put it in the food as the other cat will eat it. We have tried microchip feeders, but they turned out to be a very expensive waste of money, alas.

Right I am going to try not to think about this any more for now.

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Re: I hate to mention Christmas, but?

Postby Uschi » Mon Oct 26, 2020 12:02 pm

As for food in cool bags: most sauces/soups can be frozen, so they will act as extra cooling elements and thaw without too many problems.
And most things will survive happily in a cool bag. If you are very worried an electric cool box to plug into the car is a possibilty, but on the whole I don't think cooling should be that big a problem.

Ready made stuff sounds good, too. And the disposable things.

Sort what you and OH want first, that will be one worry less. Then sort what your mother wants. Last year's menu does not sound that complex.

Bake some biscuits ... it is soothing, they keep for ages and your mother can enjoy them for quite a while.

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