Christmas isn't Christmas without.....

[MrsAverage]

I suppose it has to be mince pies.... even tho they don't like me any more,

[Dancedintherain]

I only realised last year that I don't really like mince pies or Christmas pudding, just ate them cos of tradition!!! Erm, my pudding with sugar sprinkled on top to make it bearable (don't like creams or brandy butters?). My LIberating Decision lol. If they so damn good why don't we eat them in August?

(HEnrietta...a card game called ..." What?" was easier and worked with folk living with dementia beyond early stages, was a good choice. Simple but if one can muster enthusiasm it can be made entertaining and less stressful, challenging. AMazon can supply of course.)

[Scally]

christmas pud! I used to get my mum to post one to me when I was living in Japan. Cost a bomb!

I worked Christmas day when I was in Japan, cos it isn't a holiday there. New Year was something else though, remember those sticky rice cakes?

[Scally]

christmas pud! I used to get my mum to post one to me when I was living in Japan. Cost a bomb!

I worked Christmas day when I was in Japan, cos it isn't a holiday there. Christmas doesn't make much sense in a different culture. Japanese New Year was something else though, remember those sticky rice cakes and the walk to the wonderful temples and shrines ?

[shiela_1702]

For me, it's not Christmas when I'm not with family.

[Mary_16121]

without the Turkey - ours is STILL IN THE FREEZER

Perhaps we will eat it at Easter.

My partner became very ill, spent almost 6 weeks in hospital - had emergency surgery and now has an ileostomy - also diagnosed with dementia.

So Turkey lurky - we are looking for you......

serious question.... does anyone else caring for someone with dementia, feel as lonely as I do? xx

[Pet66]

Mary. The turkey I purchased 2 Christmases ago was in the freezer until last Christmas.Hubby was hospitalised because of strokes. Sadly he's now in a nursing home because of strokes and vascular dementia. I gave the turkey to my daughter last Christmas. It was a very expensive one! No good in my freezer as it was best before Oct 2017.
Yes I feel lonely. I don't physically look after hubby now. Visit every other day and make sure he has everything he needs, and that he is cared for. He is, too be honest, and if I have concerns I go to the manager. Sadly, dementia and loneliness seem to go hand in hand. I'm ' lucky' now though. Am slowly learning to have some life. Meet a friend once a month etc. I hope you can find some me time. It's essential.

[jenny lucas]

For me, it's goose fat. My husband discovered the joys of Geese at Christmas, and for the last few years of his life that's what we always had (We also did a turkey crown for my then quite young son, who only wanted completely 'white' meat, and for my MIL who was not going to eat 'weird stuff' at Christmas!). Anyway, as anyone who has ever cooked a goose knows, you get VAST amounts of goose fat off them - far more than you can use in that single cooking session.

So, I used to get about half a pint of spare goose fat which I froze, then saved to baste the next year's goose with roasties etc etc.

But, one year, my husband died of cancer before Xmas. I never did re-use that goose fat from the previous year. It's still in the freezer I believe. It's probably rancid by now. I guess at some point it will have to be chucked. But I can't bring myself to do it.

(I also have, in the back of the fridge, and this sounds really weird, I know, the last unopened mini carton of apple puree, which was all he could eat in his final days. Again, I couldn't bring myself to chuck it. Chucking it will tell me that he is not coming back, for certain. So I just don't do it.)

[Mary_16121]

This isn't Christmas related - but Easter

Like Jenny in a way...

My son ( well foster son - but I had him from 4 months) died aged 13, and I still have an easter egg of his, and it is 21 years since his death.

I am putting this on here because tomorrow would have been his 35th birthday. Hard to even think about.

James had cerebral palsy as a result of ill treatment by 1) his parents 2) his previous foster parents.

He was a lovely lovely lad and I still miss him and always will. My life is in two halves Before James Died and After James Died.

JAMES 05 05 1982 - 05 09 1995

this week was also the 40th anniversary of my Dad's death

CARL 29 09 1919 - 30 04 1977

A difficult week, not counting all the caring issues with my partner.....

just needed to say that