organising christmas 2009 !

Intergalactic_Floozie

I think making gift tags from this year's Christmas card's is a brilliant idea, and I am definitely going to do it when I take this year's cards down.

Went to local Woolworth's this morning and spent £5 on Xmas cards for next year, got 113 cards in total (So, it will probably do me for two years LOL) and most of them are the "luxury" type where you only get 6-8 in a box, and some of them are quite quirky with pom poms on them etc..

Funny though, how I went down to Woolie's on 19th December on an emergency Xmas card buying mission only to find they didn't have any decent ones in stock, so lordy knows where these lot I bought today were hiding!

Jammygal

w h smiths have cards reduced and free delivery

embb

I've been today and bought all my cards and wrap paper for next year half price at Birthdays & WHSmith, bought smellies gift sets from Boots & NEXT, infact MIL is all done will recycle any gift bags/bottle bags and will cut up the xmas cards to use as tags, I've made a start :T

SunnyGirl

I'm def going to join everyone on this if that's ok? I've used old cards for gift tags (cut with pinking shears & used hole punch) for years and reuse present bags for as long as possible! I went into the PDSA shop today & cards were half price but the lady told me that they half them again after 1st Jan so I'll take my chance then. I asked in the heart Foundation & Scope and they do the same.

Incedentally (sp?) I got 11 boxes of kids mini cards in WH Smith at the end of Jan about 5yrs ago for 10p a box!!!!! The kids have only just finished them this year LOL.

This year I didn't use tags on the kids presents I bought 3 lots of Disney wrapping paper in Poundland and gave them all their own colour. DD (16) got lilac, DS (14) got blue & DS (10) got red they all thought it was great. I suppose it wouldn't work so well when they're little and the boxes are massive though - you'd always end up running out of one colour or another. It worked for my lot though so thought I'd pass it along.

I'll post with any other organisation stuff I do. I'm making a few presents this year & have sorted out some cross stitch patterns to look through & the stuff to make oven pads for my DM & MIL.

Racklen

im thinking of making my wrapping paper ur of fabris 2009 and an embroidered gift tag and just ask everyone to give me them backeqach year so they can be wahsed and ironed if need be & reused well we are constantly being told about reuse and recycle so why not plus you can get some really nice fabrics, ive got my book ready to fill in with what im geting people and what ive got but havent started anything yet as im making all the pressies so ill have a few days off before the madness begins, (made all my pressies 2007 which was great fun but have been to busy to do it 2008), well recycle crafting is cheap and keeps you out of trouble, im also thinking are starting a different tradition to giving cards as i hate it when you get a card with no personnal message in it i dont see the point so i think for close famiily and friends that a poem or verse shall be written or even taken from a book and just put on a nice piece of card alittle more personal, i personnaly find someone wishing me a merry xmas in passing to my face or on the phone means more than a card

emay

I've still got loads of wrapping paper that I bought last new year, so that should see me through another year (I don't buy patterned, just the mettalic stuff so I can use it all year round), kept all my gift bags to reuse (and some wrapping paper, but only because it was 2 quite big boxes so there are some large uncreased areas)
I always make my own cards, so thats sorted.
I need to go through my organiser and update it now (I think I posted about this somewhere before...I have a notebook with one page for every person I buy for, and through the year I write down anything they mention they might like so I'm (usually) never stuck for an idea)

Jammygal

emay wrote: »

I have a notebook with one page for every person I buy for, and through the year I write down anything they mention they might like so I'm (usually) never stuck for an idea)

Thats genius!!! Should really do that

bestpud

Racklen wrote: »

im thinking of making my wrapping paper ur of fabris 2009 and an embroidered gift tag and just ask everyone to give me them backeqach year so they can be wahsed and ironed if need be & reused well we are constantly being told about reuse and recycle so why not plus you can get some really nice fabrics, ive got my book ready to fill in with what im geting people and what ive got but havent started anything yet as im making all the pressies so ill have a few days off before the madness begins, (made all my pressies 2007 which was great fun but have been to busy to do it 2008), well recycle crafting is cheap and keeps you out of trouble, im also thinking are starting a different tradition to giving cards as i hate it when you get a card with no personnal message in it i dont see the point so i think for close famiily and friends that a poem or verse shall be written or even taken from a book and just put on a nice piece of card alittle more personal, i personnaly find someone wishing me a merry xmas in passing to my face or on the phone means more than a card

I love the fabric bag idea!

As for the cards, there was a guy on the radio the other day (I think it was a local station) who was talking about a card his wife and her friend have been exchanging since 1972 (I think it was).

It's a big card and I think (I was driving at the time and dd was talking too, so I couldn't work it out at the time!) they send it one year and receive it the next!

They even use the same envelope and just add a new label!

He said they used to be workmates and started it when one of them moved away.

They write a little bit each year but have loads of room left apparently!

I thought at the time it was a lovely idea.

choccycat

Hi anyone mind if i join in this?
I bought all bday and next years xmas gifts in jan sale one year and its so much better so have decided to try this again or at least grab any bargain pressies for the pressie cupboard when i see them.Ive relly gotta save money this year all round.
I always recycle gift bags i recieve and also save the nice paper gift bags from certain shops that you get your purchases in ( plain with no shop names on that is! ) I'll def be cutting up my cards for tags too.
I love the home made effect and the fact someones gone to some trouble to make something. I had a gorgeous purple and black pure silk dress when i was pregnant and i cut it up and stretched it over a canvas pic frame and hung it on wall as it matched feature wall paint colour and so many people comment how nice it is so maybe do some things like this to give as gifts too.;0

sparrer

emay wrote: »

I've still got loads of wrapping paper that I bought last new year, so that should see me through another year (I don't buy patterned, just the mettalic stuff so I can use it all year round), kept all my gift bags to reuse (and some wrapping paper, but only because it was 2 quite big boxes so there are some large uncreased areas)
I always make my own cards, so thats sorted.
I need to go through my organiser and update it now (I think I posted about this somewhere before...I have a notebook with one page for every person I buy for, and through the year I write down anything they mention they might like so I'm (usually) never stuck for an idea)

I bought a roll of wallpaper for 50p in the local charity shop back in the summer, it's pale and subtle so can be used for birthdays, when I decorate it with pasted/drawn on pics suitable for the recipient, and Christmas, when it gets holly, glitter, ribbons etc to adorn it. It works with lining paper to although that can be a bit thin. I also have a list which I keep on the comp..my neighbour always asks how I know just what she wants (don't tell her I just listen then rush home to add it to the list )