Getting in the Christmas Mood?

Mr U-t-B has upped and left me. 

(But only temporarily, I hasten to add.) 

He's headed off to the seriously snowy slopes of the 

Haute-Savoie for a few days, to help his brother-in-law (along with his wife, Mr U-t-B's sister) celebrate his retirement from teaching.  Two weeks ago, there was no snow where they have gone, but it finally got started about a week ago and has scarcely stopped since!

So tomorrow they will be hoping to draw back the curtains to this view, with the sun just creeping into the sky...

...and be able to venture out onto empty slopes...

...and get stuck into some deep powder...

 ...whilst managing to keep upright...

...before returning 'home'... 

...to suitable post-retirement apres-ski...

LOTS OF THIS

NOT SO MUCH OF THIS

I know they'll probably be reading this to find out whether I'm doing anything useful with my time whilst they're away.  I could have gone with them, but it's always a wee bit busy around now, isn't it?

Mr U-t-B will be crossing his fingers and hoping that when he returns on Tuesday or Wednesday:

a) The Christmas shopping will have been done, lovingly and decoratively wrapped, labelled and arranged oh-so artistically beneath the tree

b) The Christmas cards will have been written, addressed and put in the post (and that a letter will have been written and placed inside the ones that require it)

c)  Food supplies will have been purchased, cakes and biscuits baked, hams boiled and studded, and chutneys and preserves simmered and consigned to well-sterilised jars 

We'll see!

I'm not yet feeling any sense of urgency, and I am still busy 

de-cluttering, and rather enjoying the new orderliness around the place.  I may be too busy to do Christmas this year...