To Do Today... / Christmas Decoration Trauma

Full list of actions to be taken to secure my status as Domestic Goddess/functioning member of society (for today at least).  In no particular order:

• Review of Poles Apart and lovely meeting with fellow bloggers
• Tidy House
• Bake - mint chocolate shortbread and homemeade mince pies
• Put up Christmas decorations
• Write Christmas cards
• Make shopping list for presents I still need to buy
• Assignment x 2 for courses I have ignored for almost 8 months
• Small amount of form filling for work, even though I'm meant to be on holiday

So far I have done none of these things.

I went out and bought a Christmas tree, lights and decorations.  The first lot of fairy lights did not work.  I find this out after I've wound all 100 of them around the tree.

I take these back for replacements.  I get home, feeling all clever in thinking I'll plug them in while I'm putting them on the tree so I know that they work. 

They do work.  For about 10 minutes.  Then... nothing.  Not even one little fairy light.  Unplug, replug, check for loose bulbs.  Darkness.

I can't put any more decorations onto the tree until I know whats happening with the lights.  Problem is I've now reached "christmas decoration apathy" and it can all just sod off. 

I realise this is probably my own fault.  These are Poundstretcher lights and you know what they say - buy cheap, buy often. But, I have another set of 50 from there that works fine, I just can't seem to make 50 go around the whole tree.

I will get to all the other stuff, but I now just can't be arsed.  Christmas is just so draining.

Comments

[blush]

dude, tell me about it. i quit with the christmas lighting ages ago.
my mother bought a martha stewart fake tree with the lights already on it...just put the poles together and plug it in! its the way to go.
jason and my tree is one of the tiny ones from target (stores) but its fiber optic so its basically silver and the ends change colors. its awesome.
im still putting together your christmas present to put under your BEAUTIFUL tree after you get those lights fixed up.
christmas is a bitch.
hehe

[travis erwin]

My boys are after me to string lights outside the house but I'm resisting.

[ellie]

oh, man. fairy lights are the 2nd to worst part of christmas! (family tension / bickering is number 1). xx

[rashbre]

I hate it when that happens with the lights. I sometimes wonder what happens between one year - when they still work after Christmas - and the next, when they all mysteriously fail.

I am sort of impressed that you are so far ahead with all of this though. I envisage at least another week before starting the tree/decorations process.

[Beth]

Blush - Thank you sweetheart! I'm so excited to be getting a present. You need to send me your address and I'll return the favour x

Travis - I'd say just bite the bullet and get it over and done with, the boys will love it and it'll be one less thing to worry about in the coming weeks. Hope you're feeling better btw x

Ellie - We went through 3 sets of lights before we got ones that work, thankfully the tree is now lit and decorated. I know what you mean about the bickering. There are just the 3 of us in my house so we can keep it to a minimum, thank god xx

Rashbre - I found myself wondering how many children were waiting excitedly for the lights to be switched on to be left heartbroken when they plug them in and nothing happens. I'd love to claim that I'm so organised. I actually just had a few days off work and decided that if I was going to have decorations up I may as well have them up for as long as possible. Plus, I hate having to spend my weekend sorting them out. Hardly the most festive spirit, I admit.