A busy time of year

Lime Marmalade from 2014

Things are always hectic leading up to Christmas. I started holidays a week ago with the intention of getting everything ready to welcome family, extended family and friends on Christmas day. I also have rewrites on a novel I need to do before resubmitting it.

I've done zilch. Well, I've rewritten four chapters but that wasn't difficult once I'd worked out what needed to be changed and how. I've caught up with friends and read a couple of books. I still have to prepare the house for a crowd and make gifts.

My family do homemade gifts for the adults. Something small that still shows we care. My thing is usually jams, jellies, chutneys and pickles. This morning I made one batch of strawberry jam. It's only enough for 11 people so I still have another batch to make, as well a some chutney. Savoury and sweet. I'm trying to keep it small this year. Most years, I give multiple types of preserves and still have shelves full in the pantry after.

I've put off the preserves this year. I usually start mid-November so I can give them to colleagues as well. This year I didn't. I decided I didn't want to do that anymore and was going to make sweets instead. I did one day with my daughter, making sweets, and decided preserves are much easier. Throw everything in a pot and watch it boil. There's none of the careful shaping and layering that's needed for sweets.

There's less than a week to go and I still haven't written a list of things to do - it's the only way I can accomplish everything by deadline.

As this will be my last post before the actual Christmas day, I wish all of you a joyful holiday season and a happy and peaceful new year.

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