Thrifty Gifty - Organised for Christmas and all ocassions 2009- Santas Challenges

sammy_kaye18 · 24 August 2009 at 7:49AM

Its a good job im organized or id be having major withdrawal symptoms form Xmas this month

boyfriend had his wage slip and it was only £470. He is overdrawn by £300 so cant afford Rent this month now so im trying my best to cover that - think i can do two weeks and all the other bills but hoping ill be able to get some of that back off him next month if his pay is better. Thing is he has to pay his ex £80 maintenance and has debts of £200 and needs petrol for back and forth to work for the month.

So skintsville this month for us so hoping I can get cross stitch done this month, and card making and covering the diary/photo album etc and that will keep my Christmas cravings happy. Might even start collecting pine cones when I'm out walking the dog for holiday crafts as a way of amusing myself and possibly make a start on my rag garlands!! Plus researching things his Xmas friend can get up to.

fruit-loop · 24 August 2009 at 8:10AM

xmascheer - how about something like this for packaging the hamper? http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.200-4518.aspx I know its a bit dear but i think ebay have the same thing much cheaper.

mum2one · 24 August 2009 at 10:48AM

[/QUOTE]:DGd morning ladies, can't believe its the 24th already, so heres Augusts SANTAS CHALLENGE
May look like a lot, but as always use it as a pick and mix, as to what you need / applies to you.

MAIN ELEMENT -(You can blame my daughter for this one!)

KITCHEN CUPBOARDS / Draws

Ask yourself, how much time is wasted looking for that favourite knife/bowl/recipie only to find its at the back of the cupboard.:cool:

Me, I'm splitting the kitchen up, under sink cupboard, pantry, wall units, and draws, and tackling one part at a time, be ruthless,

;)do you really need that rabbit jelly mould from when you were a child.

is there any out of date food, any nice surprises.

FOOD LIST
:DNows the time to start listing those extra items needed for xmas

:eek:How many of us buy that jar of cranberry sauce for the turkey, and then run around trying to get one. My fav xmas foodie is packet Brandy sauce, have to buy it when we see it - by Oct, as come xmas there sold out.

If you can get the extras list done, and split it between the weeks, save a massive expense, and ur be prepared.

ONE FOR THE MUMS- SCHOOL UNIFORM.
I know school uniforms were done as a mini challenge, just a quick re-cap, does name tags need sewing it,:mad: have we had a growth spurt:p, do the trs need turning up, does the swimwear fit.......:eek::eek:the endless list...

CHRISTMAS CARDS

is there any special cards you need to buy/make.....

Split ur xmas cards list us, (saves the writers cramp)

I split mine - family, post, school, friends

SANTAS SECRET SURPRISE

Let me explain more, ladies we work hard all yr, we organise the xmas shopping, the wrapping, I'm sure some men do help - in my case my poor dad, does all the fetching, carrying and delievering.

:cool:The challenge - make £10.00 between now and Nov's Santas Challenge, whether thats ebay, surveys, cashbacks.

The plan is by Oct's Santas challenge, all will be revealed, but a mini explanation.
Without giving the full details, theres no items to be posted to anyone, no personal details need to be revealed, just need a yes and ur name, (mine- mum2one).
There will be a list of 3 questions released in October, which will help in the choosing of the present.

(Theres method in the mad way I'm arrangeing this).

I THINK THAT'S ENOUGH WORK FOR NOW - TIME FOR A TREAT.

Pamper yourself.
For those with a footspa, use that, those without, grab some marbles, put them in a clean bowl, fill with water, bit of bath salts, bubble bath + relax.

Grab a face mask, (superdrug or Boots do single sachets, start from about 99p).

Treat yourself with a mini-papmering evening, even better grab a friend, (you supply the bowl, they supply the wine!!).

:DMake sure no-ones got a camera:eek::eek:

Hopefully, there be something for everyone on here.xx

Happy Santas Challenge.xx

chocolate.orange_2 · 24 August 2009 at 10:58AM

Mini Mums Christmas Shopping List

In addition to mum2ones list above.. I thought i would just add a little note..... Dont worry it shouldnt take more than 2 minutes

Whilst you have had your little ones off over summer. Did they mention something that they really 'neeeeeeded' ? ( I know mine did !)

So now if the time to keep an eye open for it at a greatly reduced price

Often summer stock is being reduced to make way for Christmas stock :j

So write your list and keep them peeled

Choccy x

cdsmiler · 24 August 2009 at 11:14AM

irishgirl62 wrote: »

i still need help with ideas for my son (12) chocolate hamper so far i have the chocolate fountain chocolate calculator

What about one of those dispensers where you have mini bars of dairy milk in and you put in 10p for one? (used to be 2p when my Nan bought me one when I was little!!!!)

Santas Challenge!! Well, I'm ahead with the kitchen utensils, plates, tins etc. We've not long done that what with us unpacking the last of our boxes from moving, and donating bits to hubbys sis and my bro. So yeay!! As for food - yes - our storage cupboard needs sorting!! WIll have a look at that in a few weeks be thinks. Got a busy 2 weeks getting LOADS of decorating done, but after that, I should be safe!

Food for Crimbo - normally I'd be looking for a decent pack of smoked streaky bacon around now (to make piggies - mini sausages wrapped in bacon!!) to freeze. A few years ago I left it until a week before Christmas to get the bacon, and EVERYWHERE was out of bacon!! Madness! So i've been a bit obsessive about it ever since. However, this year, with baby due mid-december, I don't think I'll be worrying too much.... everyone else will be cooking all the main meals of Christmas, so we probably won't need to stock up on too much. I hope. lol

Christmas cards - Well, I rush made a thank you card and a wedding card this weekend out of cross stitch, so I feel I've gotten myself back into it well and truely! So I'll start on the christmas ones soon. I'm only bothering doing ones for people who would actually appreciate it though - I know quite a few people who wouldn't even notice!! lol I have my blank apperture cards, my aida, my threads, but I haven't got any mounting boards for the cards!! Any ideas people?! Do I need them? I've only ever used them in the past as they came with a cross stitch card making set thingy....

The Secret challenge sounds interesting!!! Shall I just say yes now?!?!

Clare xxx

ellemm · 24 August 2009 at 12:05PM

Santa's Challenge

Kitchen cupboards & drawers

Well thanks, this was one thing I have been promising myself I need to do - so now have a little more motivation!

Food for Christmas - thankfully this year will be abroad for Christmas & New Year so nothing to do on that front!!

(Will have all the families over in January but will plan for that later)

Christmas Cards
On my calendar to be done before end of September (as away on holiday 3rd week for fortnight). So again, will get on with that as of now.

Plan to do address labels on computer to save some writing. I don't send many cards, only about 15 or so.

Don't have any children at home anymore, all flown the nest with families of their own.

My Calendar is looking good as have now completed 7 / 18 presents and 4 / 7 are even wrapped and labelled :rotfl:

Of the remaining 11, only a couple of things like vouchers and fresh stuff to add so in effect have bought everything I need.:T
Would wrap more but struggling for storage space!!

irishgirl62 · 24 August 2009 at 2:16PM

went to asda and got garden trowl and fork for 25p! and bought two garden blackboard sticks 25p each for my son who loves gardening i am still waiting on the book of growing vegetables in containers to arrive to see what else i need for his garden hamper

sammy_kaye18 · 24 August 2009 at 2:30PM

Santa's Challenge

Kitchen cupboards & drawers
Aha! I'm ahead too - had a mass clear out a few weeks back at the start of summer holidays so have cleaned all junk from draws and unneeded pots/tubs/tupperware and bits have been returned etc so I've already got that bit done.

Food for Christmas -
Well I like to have chicken adn boyfriend likes to have gammon so will be keeping eyes open in the reduced section for a small gammon joint that can be frozen and then cooked up on Xmas eve for him to have and then nibble throughout Christmas day. Also very lucky in that me and my mother in law get along super well and its a case of if she does a shop and see's Christmas things on BOGOF then she buys them and I get the freebie and vice versa so lots of my Xmas shopping gets covered fairly quickly - might even ask if i can go shopping with her one evening so we can go together to get it all done.

Christmas Cards
oh this is one im dreading. So far I have
work mates - 25 cards :eek:
family (no friends) - 14 cards :eek:
friends - 20 cards
nonnymouses - 16 cards :eek:
christmas card exchange on Magical Holiday Home - 29 cards! :eek:
Post Pals Secret Reindeer - 9 cards :eek:

So I count that as at least 113 cards and this doesn't yet include Bens class mates!!!!!!!!

Oh and card factory had loads out when I went in there earlier!!!! Going to look fro some welsh cards for the Christmas card exchange

Uniform
Have got this already - cost me about £15 in Tesco and brought him some wellies for £6 - we need it with the welsh weather - just got to get him new school shoes on 1st September and hes good to go but already seen the ones he wants so just need to pick them up

Oh and I want to take part in the secret Santa please!!!!! YES YES YES!

erm · 24 August 2009 at 2:43PM

Lucy_Lu wrote: »

I love JordanShannon's and Sarah's ideas! Also how about a flannel and bath crayons? Bath crayons are fab and are just what it says, special crayons that you can use to write on the bath. They don't leave a mark and wipe off fine.

Xmascheer, following on from Lucy's post, I found some cracking magic flannels on the Hawkins Bazaar "Stocking Fillers" Web site". I can't post links yet, because I'm too new, but just go to the site and click on the Stocking Fillers link (bottom right corner). They were in the "Under £2" section.

The whole site is pretty good. Stocking fillers start at under £1. I think you can get most stuff in store as well.

xmascheer · 24 August 2009 at 3:21PM

erm wrote: »

Xmascheer, following on from Lucy's post, I found some cracking magic flannels on the Hawkins Bazaar "Stocking Fillers" Web site". I can't post links yet, because I'm too new, but just go to the site and click on the Stocking Fillers link (bottom right corner). They were in the "Under £2" section.

The whole site is pretty good. Stocking fillers start at under £1. I think you can get most stuff in store as well.

Hi--have to pop over and have a look,

I got some Magic Flannels from Home bargains this morning--and a few more things in there as i am now making 3 hampers:rolleyes:--there was some nice kids bubble bath in there--loads to choose from (novelty type) and all below 50p:T

Thrifty Gifty - Organised for Christmas and all ocassions 2009- Santas Challenges

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