Christmas Shopping & Conference

It’s that time of year again – what to buy for those members of my family!! It’s always the same every year, I never know what to buy them then end up buying for the sake of a present to open.

I love Christmas but the shopping is the worst part for me, maybe I’ll do it all online next year.

I have my daughter Kim’s 18th birthday first on the 23rd December, she wants a party but not all her friends are 18 so cannot hold it in a pub/club & my house is not big enough for the amount of people she wants to invite so will have to wait and we will hold a party for her in the spring.  So I get to take her out for lunch and have her first legal drink on that day – doesn’t seem 5 minutes since I was buying her dolls and kiddie presents, she is the worst to buy for but hope she likes what I have bought her – can’t say too much as she will read this.

Last week I went to both Manchester & Birmingham Christmas Markets – greedy I know but I have family in Bolton so went up to see them but managed a night with my colleague Michelle so we hit Manchester & the market – it was great, we had a mooch round the stalls & managed to fit in a few mulled wines!

Manchester Xmas Market

Kim at Birmingham Xmas market

On the Carousel at Birmingham Xmas Market

We acted like kids again and went on the Carousel, Kim used to love these as a kid so for fun we went on it.  It was fun and we giggled all the way round – made me feel like a kid again for about 5 minutes!  We have real horses now so no comparison.

I bought a few presents from Birmingham – I must admit it was better than the Manchester market, just a more livelier atmosphere,  maybe because it was a Friday night and it was busier but had fun at both. Kim chose a few of her own presents as was with me so made it easier but she has a few surprises too.

The only thing I bought from Manchester was a vest for my nephew, it said on the front ‘ If you think I’m cute you should see my AUNTIE’ – couldn’t resist it and it looks lovely on him.

So cute!

I went Christmas shopping with my mother in law yesterday to get the last of my presents – well I think I’ve got them all, I will check when I come to wrap the rest then panic when I realise I’ve forgotten something but not too late to fit in another shopping spree.  That’s the only thing I miss about working in an office in town – can’t just pop out to do a bit of shopping but I suppose I save money (to spend on cruises).

Arcadia – 2 night cruise cancelled!

Working for Cruise.co.uk we go on a 2 night cruise to hold our annual get together which was my 1st one last year and had a great time meeting my fellow homeworkers and office staff. This year we were booked to go on the Arcadia on Sunday 15th December but due to the bad weather last week the ship won’t be out of dry dock and back in Southampton in time so P&O have had no option but the cancel the 2 night cruise.

I understand why they have done this but some people don’t, they just worry that their plans have been ruined.  I have been reading comments that people put on Facebook about it.  If the ship had been brought back and was not finished after the work carried out or unsafe if something hadn’t been fixed, these people would be the 1st to complain. These things happen and we just have to deal with them.  These decisions are not made lightly and a lot of thought will have gone into this cancellation.

The Arcadia is due to sail from Southampton to the Caribbean on a 24 night itinerary so it is imperative that the ship is ready for this sailing rather than the 2 night mini break.  As much as I was looking forward to it these things happen.

Have you ever had a sailing cancelled? Or were you booked on Arcadia on 15th Dec?  Would love to hear your views.

Luckily we have arranged an alternative at short notice which looks fantastic and I’m still looking forward to the weekend, I will let you know what we got up to next week.