Organised Christmas 2008.. The countdown has begun!

Dani85

Im glad I went to Asda before xmas shopping. They had an Eeyore nightshirt for £8 and with my 10% discount card, a bargainous £7.20!!!

mum2one

findingmyfeet wrote: »

thanks for that LOGAN and MUM2one-- that gives me more of an idea what to do. I used to spend between 200 and 300 each on them but cant afford that this time, think it will be nearer the 100 each mark if im doing well! Also got an agreement going with the adults in the family this year- we are only buying for each others children so that should help loads with the old budget.

Now off to make a cuppa , armed with my note pad to get the list going of things to buy, things to do etc. Right where shall i start..........the kettle...

thanks everyone, must start organising myself, i think you may be hearing from me again......( desparately trying not to watch national lampoons christmas vacation... my fave funny film.. once i've put that on theres no stopping me, trying to at least get through october. I order my lot to be in, we light the fire in the living room, snack tray lights off...then film..christmas begins.............)
byebye for now

The famous kettle on job, cup of tea, milk + 2 sugars for me.......... a note book, a couple of biscuits and cuppa, you cant go wrong!

I bet penny to a £1, that the other adults in the family circle are relieved at only buying for the children.
x

sarahf191979

Morning All

Well been catching up for the last 15min on what I missed yesterday.

Christmas Eve Tradtions....

Always New PJ's in our house too, 2 DS, OH and Me. Although this year after find a website full of hamper ideas I'm doing Christmas Eve Hampers for both sons, that so far both include

PJ's ( Primark £3)
Transformers Toothbrush (they transform too (B&M's Store 99p)
Transformers Bubble Bath (B&M's store 99p)
2 pks Transformer Cards (Something to make 19p Home Bargins)
Big Wooden Bowl (To put everything in 75p Sainsbury's)

Just need to get Which I will pick up bargins when I see

A Fancy Soap
Toothpaste
Slipper Socks
Print off Personalised Christmas Story Book

Will arrange them all nicely in the bowls (which I can use later in the bathroom) and Wrap them up.

We too alway watch a nice Christmassy Film before putting the kids to bed, Leaving the carrot and Mince pie out for father Christmas, and also throw loads of reindeer dust (Which we make during the day) out the back to guide him in.

Sarah
x

PS Need to go for a coffee now so will do a bit more catching up after that:o

lamplady

We do the PJs thing too. I usually wrap up Pjs and an annual for each child and we put them in the porch on Christmas Eve. I send one of the kids to get something from the porch, they spot the presents and read the tag which is a note from FC to say 'Put on your PJs, go to bed and read your annual'. They still do it and the oldest are teenagers now :]

Annuals have got harder to find for the older ones, so I buy them ones they loved when they were little - they are getting Power Rangers and Pokemon this year!

she_grinch

lamplady wrote: »

We do the PJs thing too. I usually wrap up Pjs and an annual for each child and we put them in the porch on Christmas Eve. I send one of the kids to get something from the porch, they spot the presents and read the tag which is a note from FC to say 'Put on your PJs, go to bed and read your annual'. They still do it and the oldest are teenagers now :]

Annuals have got harder to find for the older ones, so I buy them ones they loved when they were little - they are getting Power Rangers and Pokemon this year!

Hi everyone I'm new to this thread.
My 4 DD's still get PJ's for christmas eve and we have a tradition in our family that when Santa comes you have to be wearing new clean pyjamas!!! haha My daughters are 25,21,19,and nearly 18 now:eek: and the 2 eldest still come and stay at mine on christmas eve.:rotfl:

findingmyfeet

mum2one wrote: »

The famous kettle on job, cup of tea, milk + 2 sugars for me.......... a note book, a couple of biscuits and cuppa, you cant go wrong!

I bet penny to a £1, that the other adults in the family circle are relieved at only buying for the children.
x

mum2one-kettle always on in this house its the only thing that keeps me and hubby moving. Trying to be good with the biccies though between now and xmas, then i can pig out on any goodies i fancy over the xmas fortnight.

Well when everyone was at my parents a couple of weeks ago i plucked up the courage to ask THE question. Took a deep breath and suggested we just buy for everyones kids this year...... my brother had a huge grin on his face said ' are you sure? thank god for that ', he was chuffed as they are always struggling with the bills. My parents looked at me in amazement and remained silent. My sis went off on her usual huff and said' charming, if thats what you want to do fine'!!!!
Later on my parents rang asking if that included them, before i could answer my dad said he hoped it did because they had been worrying about paying for it all out of their pensions. ( they are new to pension living) I said yep thats fine just get the kids something, so they were over the moon. Next day - sis on phone (thought i was in for a slating), but she apologised, said it had come as a shock and when she had thought about it it was a good idea as her hubbies overtime had been knocked off and they have less money coming in. Honestly why cant people just come out and say things instead of keeping everything to themselves. It doesnt hurt for family to be kept up to date if anything is bothering them, i dont mean go out and tell the world your troubles but families understand, dont they?? so in a nut shell it got sorted, less to buy.
We have a huge gathering xmas day for dinner (17 of us in all) so we will all have fun with or without extra pressies.

sorry to ramble on... off to finish my list and oh...wheres that kettle

pinkladymel

findingmyfeet, have you thought about having a secret santa for your huge gathering? Setting a budget of about 5 or ten pounds and then all of the adults will have one present to open too.

Christmas eve traditions:
+We visit mom and dad, they take the children to see father christmas on Thomas The Tank Engine.

+ Me and Lee just enjoy the atmosphere and usually, despite all our efforts, have to pop to Sainsburys for some last minute things. One year my son would only eat this jarred organic carrot food and it was so hard to get - I ended up in Birmingham buying the shelf!!

+ We come home with the christmas music on.. "driving home for Christmas" (always reminds me of Lee coming home on Christmas Eve from work unexpectedly) and whilst the children are all still in coats and hats I grab my camera and two little felt pouches full of porridge oats and glitter (reindeer food). Lee helps them to sprinkle it and I take pictures.

(Just tried to look for a pic but I think it is on the other computer)

+ The children come in and open a present each. This present is brand new pyjamas and slippers and usually a little something like a teddy for bed too. Now they are all prestine for in the morning Christmas story for bed.

+ We get the kids to bed and sit down with a big hot chocolate with squirty cream on top and a spoon. Then the hard work begins:
- All of the presents are usually hidden in cupboards everywhere so they all have to be fetched out and lugged downstairs. Very sneakily! Lee won't let ANY PRESENTS go around the three before christmas because he says how can kids believe father christmas brings them if theyre already there.
- My familys presents are all organised and popped into the kitchen ready to take on Christmas day
- The turkey is prepared, bacon lattice made on top (which we ALWAYS eat at midnight LOL) and popped into the oven so you can smell it all night and when you wake in the morning it just says CHRISTMAS!!
- We sneak two stockings into our childrens bedrooms. Last year they were only 1 and 2 years old. We were both awake and listened to hear them open presents but there was no sound. When we went in Emily hadn't touched because she didn't want to be naughty and Logan was frightened of it. So funny. We put their stockings in the bottom of their cotbeds for the person who asked earlier.

Stockings contained:
+ A magazine they love with the free gift removed and put in the bag so they don't remove it theirselves and rip the whole thing lol.
+ Brand new clothes to wear (this has always been the tradition when I was growing up)
+ some crayons and a colouring book (although this was meant to keep them in bed so we can have a lie-in but in actual events.. we are so excited we lie there for hours waiting for THEM to wake up lol)
+ A brand new thomas train for my son (this is his pride and joy) and something pretty like something princess for Emily (she freaks over pink).

One year I remember my son didnt wake till 12pm. What kind of a one year old sleeps that long?!

+ When everything is done on christmas eve night and we are going up to bed we look at the room and think the kids are going to come down to this and it just feels so exciting and happy. I set the camcorder up ready on a tripod to record and get my camera ready for a few pics. I try not to take pics too much because you miss everything concentrating through a lens.

Then..

we sneak to bed.. sneak the stockings into rooms.. and the naughty bit..

We open a present each :D

Then I toss and turn all night trying to sleep!!

Shevs

Mel I thought you were going to tell us something rude when you mentioned the naughty bit lol, I though that you were letting us in on a bit much lol.

Everybody's Christmas traditions are lovely, I love the fact that we all get or give pj's. I dont have any children but I do have two house bunny's and it is there first christmas this year so I will spoil them (you wont believe what you can get for rabbits at Christmas, its mad) and make some traditions with them not that they have the faintest idea what is going on, they will probably just be thinking ''mmmmm something new to distroy''. Yeah I know I am a crazy rabbit lady xxxxx

logan

pinkladymel Alot of your traditions are pretty similar to ours. We have always done the clothes for christmas and I have to say I do agree with Lee that presents shouldnt go around the tree lol.
We have never done gifts on Christmas Eve though (might have to try that this year).
I always prep the food the night before too cos I couldnt stand for hours in the kitchen Christmas day when everybody else is having fun lol....Im worse than the kids!!!!

Last year when we put a present on Logans bed he just ignored it cos he didnt have a clue what it was, but Jake and Starr cant help themselves lol by 7am their whole colouring book is done


This year I do want to bring in alot more traditions from my family....like stringing popcorn for the tree, making paper snowflakes and christmas music on all day everyday lol

Any ideas of how I can get my 2 and a half year old obsessed with santa?????

Dani85

OOoo I love all this!!!

Oh and Mel my hubby is called Lee too!