best old style money saving christmas hints and tips

Peartree

Mum_on_a_mission wrote: »

Cards and how many you can end up sending seems a place to look at from an OS point of view. The cards cost, and so does the postage.

In our large office, rather than everyone sending everyone else a card, we buy one large card. Everyone writes a personal Christmas message on it for everyone else and sticks £1 (or more if feeling generous) in a box. We then give the money to our chosen charity for the year (someone will take the money and then do it through Giftaid to get the maximum donation).

We all save money and effort, a charity benefits, its very much in the spirit of Christmas, what could be better?

Mrs_Thrify

_Layla_ wrote: »

I'm making my own Christmas crackers this year, similar to ones I made in school many, many moons ago! They don't 'bang' but they look great. .

Toilet roll tubes
Crepe paper
Ribbons/Glitter/Glue/Cotton wool for snow etc
A little sweetie treat inside each one.

Put a treat inside the toilet roll tube, roll the tube up in crepe paper (allowing enough on either side to twist) tie twists with ribbon, and decorate as you wish.

Simples (And much better than paying stupid money for them!)

Layla, toilet roll tubes are a no, no. theese days after they have been in the bathroom. then you are putting food in them. You are not allowed to use them in any crafts because of hygine. You can cut down kitchen roll inners instead.

_Layla_

julie_d wrote: »

Layla, toilet roll tubes are a no, no. theese days after they have been in the bathroom. then you are putting food in them. You are not allowed to use them in any crafts because of hygine. You can cut down kitchen roll inners instead.

I didn't think about using kitchen roll... would have been much easier than what i did which was buy smart price toilet roll and push the tubes out from underneath the tissue. My kids don't mind using the tissue without the cardboard tube lol.
I wouldn't use them from the bathroom, I'm not THAT frugal :rotfl: but thanks for picking up on it, I didn't really explain that I had taken necessary hygenic precautions

northwest1965

Mum_on_a_mission wrote: »

Cards and how many you can end up sending seems a place to look at from an OS point of view. The cards cost, and so does the postage.

Places were you might usually send cards to several people - make one fab one and hang addressed to all. I usually make a small donation in lieu of the saved cost but that bit is not compulsory!

Are actual physical cards necessary - would an e-card be better? There are some lovely free sites
Moam

This year I have emailed at least 20 people (family) and told them i am not sending cards this year! Instead I am making a donation to a charity of my choice:T

greenbee

northwest1965 wrote: »

This year I have emailed at least 20 people (family) and told them i am not sending cards this year! Instead I am making a donation to a charity of my choice:T

I only send cards to people I don't see that often - I don't see the point of sending a card to someone I see very day and can SAY Happy Christmas to!

Patchwork_Quilt

A bowl filled with spare baubles looks nice on a shelf.

We always save wrapping paper throughout the year and reuse at Christmas, mainly because I dislike seeing all the presents wrapped in the same paper. We make labels from last year's cards. We do make cards with the scraps if I can find a cheap set of blanks/envelopes.

This year, we have made our own cake (gluten free), pickles and chutneys. We will make shortbread and mince pies nearer the time. Boxes of pies might be cheaper but the temptation is to buy too many. I hope to be eating our own parsnips and sprouts from the allotment. We will be having a chicken instead of a turkey, because it is smaller and there is less waste.

Also, I have been shopping in the sales since October to get one or two presents for less.

After Christmas, I will buy our wrapping paper and some cards for next year when they are half price.

queen_of_string

I made a pile of these one year for tree decorations. use an unbent paper clip to hang them and, done in nice colours ( or draw on by rugrats) they look very effective.

http://isorhythm.net/origami/cube.html

Apricot

Home-made gifts can be great as well and they show you've thought long and hard about something special. I once made my cousin, who had just moved into her own place a recipe book, I typed up family recipes and found some internet recipes that I thought she would like and put them all together in a pretty display book which cost about £1.50 - two years later the recipe book is still a regular sight on her kitchen worktop. Another fab present is "a hug in a mug" - basically buy a mulitpack of cheap mugs, multipack of flakes, bag of marshmallows & hot chocolate sachets - assemble them in a mug and wrap in cellophane - tie with ribbon and maybe a bauble and voila! Great looking gifts for a minimal amount!

Frugality doesn’t take the joy out of Christmas. In many ways, it adds to it. It’s a great feeling to find a perfect gift for only a fiver. Besides, when I think back to Christmases past, it’s not the gifts I remember, but the time spent with friends and family

luxor4t

I made our Christmas table cloth from a length of gold & cream fabric from Dunelm Mill, I think it cost £8 to cover a long refectory style table & make napkins. It will pay for itself in 3 years but last far longer.

I look out for Christmas themed dishes, plates etc in charity shops & car boot sales through the year - practical decorations. Looking carefully I've found Wedgewood & Coalport in among the drunken santas!

For the past 20 years I've stuck to the same colour scheme for the tree - red & gold - so it looks elegant. Mind you, we also have the more traditional 'psychedelic explosion' look on the dining room tree with all the kids' decorations from way back....:xmastree:... it wouldn't be Christmas without them!

Butterfly_Brain

julie_d wrote: »

Layla, toilet roll tubes are a no, no. theese days after they have been in the bathroom. then you are putting food in them. You are not allowed to use them in any crafts because of hygine. You can cut down kitchen roll inners instead.

Bloody Health and safety has gone mad! This how we did it in the 70's with no ill effects:mad: