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Hello Forumites! However well-intentioned, for the safety of other users we ask that you refrain from seeking or offering medical advice. This includes recommendations for medicines, procedures or over-the-counter remedies. Posts or threads found to be in breach of this rule will be removed.OS Christmas 2014 thread!!!!
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Many thanks for the 'nudge', zippychick - definitely needed in this house!
What a great :idea: to turn it into a Christmas Mega Index :j :T!!!0 -
I've completed my non-present buying.
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Tight Wad here doesn't give presents except to a very good friend (last year she and her OH had a box of things that I had saved up - lovely things for her and practical things for him).
I have tons of Christmas cards bought in previous years along with wrapping paper. I carefully cut the fronts off cards I was given last year so will recycle them this year.
Need to go blackberrying in the park - I might freeze crumbles or bottle the fruit for Christmas and serve it with posh cream. I spotted some red apples in the park too (they have red flesh too), when I told mum she told me not to eat them as they will make me ill as they are crab apples (I thought crab apples were tiny) anyway I will pick them and stew them and see what happens.
Due to being skint, I would like to make more presents.0 -
Bah Humbug,
Minimal gift giving chez Caterina this year, even less than other years.
Hopefully we will spend the day as a family, cooking a nice veg dinner as we always do, exchanging small gifts and watching old film reruns on the TV.
May I remind you of Martin's article on gift giving, I recently shared it on another thread and as I re-read it made more and more sense:
http://blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2009/11/10/is-it-time-to-ban-christmas-presents/
No big preparations needed here, so hopefully not too much stress attached to Christmas this year!Finally I'm an OAP and can travel free (in London at least!).0 -
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Looking forward to a more frugal Christmas this year, I am setting tight limits on how much I will be spending on presents. We are just a year away from completing our IVA and the cost of living is always an issue. My salary pays a flying visit to my bank account and then it's gone. The monthly supermarket online shop gets more expensive as time goes by, and I have started doing more YS shopping, visiting supermarkets in the early evenings to grab any bargains. Last year I made mincemeat for the first time, which was a great success, so I'll be doing that again. Home made Christmas cake and mince pies, brandy butter, just need a good recipe for a gluten free Christmas pud (might be one on the Juvela website, must look).
We have a small hamper of treats from the Ringtons tea man, so we won't need loads of sweets and chocolates (step away from the tins of Quality Street!). Last year our Christmas was not over-the-top spending or food-wise, yet we (me, OH and DS) all enjoyed it.
I work shifts and will not know what I am working over Christmas/New Year until early December, but it is no big deal - as long as I get a few days off all together we can have our Christmas then.One life - your life - live it!0 -
My sister and I don't do Christmas for each other or the children as by some slip of planning, she had three of her four children in November and I managed to produce my one and only also in November and on the same day as the birthday of one of hers..... We do birthdays instead. They get enough at Christmas and it's an expense we can both do without having all those birthdays the month before.
My dad lives in London and I don't so he gets an Asda shop delivered. It saves me worrying about him and his other half running short of food if the weather turns bad. I mostly order tins and jars as they are harder for them to carry home and they last longer with a few treats to make it fun.
I must make a list of the other ones I need to buy. I have a couple crossed off and stashed in my bedroom already. I like to buy stuff to suit people, not the last minute gift pack things. I have a beautiful enamel butterfly bracelet for my cousin from my son and a basket of bulbs from me despite saying I was only buying square things this year (I hate wrapping).
It's also mine and the boy's first Christmas in our small house rather than the 5 storey "Faulty Towers" where we used to live. We'll be having dinner here together instead of out with friends and we're both looking forward to it.0 -
Great new thread.
Luckily I think I have most stuff. Buy wrap and cards after Xmas and also lots of bits on the sales - all online as I cannot really get out.
Don't spend a lot but really enjoy the giving. Have two drawers full plus stuff on top of wardrobes.
Try and get things on offer - so Body Shop Butter for around £2 makes a nice gift.
Got two nice satchel bags on Amazon Deals for sons girlfriends at £13 for both - quite a big spend for me!
Presents are usually under the £5 mark for anyone outside the immediate family apart from my only sister who I like getting bits for - as she does for me.
Hubby's family don't bother apart form his mum so I don't bother either. But like getting for my two nieces and their families - plus a few close friends.
Won't be posting too many cards because of postage but like to hand deliver what I can.
Only thing that costs really is money I give sons - both grown up - and some little bits and pieces as you have to have novelties to open Christmas morning.
Have loads of decorations but as last son now moved out he may be taking some of those - but I will enjoy buying more if necessary - though I expect he'll buy new and leave me with the old.
Never that keen on Christmas Day itself but love the build up - packing, sorting, writing cards and letters, decorating house etc.Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day. -- Sally Koch0 -
Love it!
I don't tend to buy for anyone outside my immediate family, and then it's only a fun gift so we all have something to open on Xmas day. It's enough to see the children with their things.
They had big gifts last year, and both have bikes now, so there's not really anything I want to splurge on for them. They will be 4 and nearly 6. My eldest has been after the Lego Arctic stuff, so I popped it on CamelCamelCamel and bought when reduced by a reasonable amount. Littlest one likes anything Disney Princess so have got a couple of things for her in the sales.
I do them a stocking each plus a couple of good toys, a game to share, a book each and maybe this year a wii game too. Possibly one that the whole family can join in, I expect we will have a house full again.
I won't be buying loads of eats "in case someone pops by" as they never do without arranging first, and it only takes 20min to rustle up some home made biccies if needed. We will do a good roast dinner but in the past too much gets cooked and wasted. Not necessary.
I think this year, the children are getting more of an idea of money. So I may give them a bit of cash each so they can buy something for a special friend and grandparents. Last year we made candy-cane sleighs which went down really well.
I don't tend to write cards to people I see all the time, but I do send to friends and family further afield.
I love Christmas, but it's the twinkling lights and the being with family that really makes it for me. Oh and elf magic, of course.Bossymoo
Away with the fairies :beer:0 -
AHHH! The dreaded C word ! Complete non event !0
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