New Thrifty Gifty - Organised for Christmas and all ocassions 2010- Santas Challenges

mum2one

santas challenge November.

1st message from Miss Hoodie, tidy out your bedrooms, and make sure its clean.

As usual think of it as a pick and mix......

Check out any presents that are brought, whether they need batteries, or if there for your children, see if anything can be made up before hand.
Also batteries for cameras, make sure camcorders etc are charged and u know where they are!!


Check prescriptions - reorder as necessary, just going by our surgery there cut of date is 17th December - but try and avoid the last minute rush.

Healthcare checklist for home-
Check prescriptions
Diocalm or own brand tabs
paracetamol
Rennies
Plasters
Alca setzer
re-hydration sachets (or drink flat cola)
Children - Paracetmol, Calpol

Check - when doctor surgerys are closed
out of hours doctors number
out of hours dentist number
is there a walk in NHS centre
What the chemist rota is in your area
There displayed in doctors surgery, and local papers

Car - now got frosty mornings
de-icer
scraper
windscreen cover
try and keep petrol topped up, couple days b4 xmas queues no go!

Ladies - A treat!! - Book your haircut in early to make sure you get the
appointment you want, not the ones that are squeezed in!!

Gas / Elec - anyone on prepay meters - check locations for top ups

Magic Box - No not the money tree at the bottom of the garden, but
have a few tricks up your sleeves - for those emergency
moments - or long car jounrneys
DVD
Colouring sheets
Craft box
Jigsaw
dig the wii / ds game etc thats not been used for ages

Grocery Shopping -
Online - Book your slot in early, even if you just put a pint of milk
in to reserve the slot

Shankies Pony - Get your lists ready, check opening, closing times

Any family gettogethers -
Apart from the emergency hip flask!!!, check if anyone is vegetarian - would be solds law.

Spare Presents
The incase of emergency presents, - make sure there something you like, may fancy that box of Thortons Chocolates that are half price in Mr T's. Be such a waste to carry them forward to next yr for a birthday present!!

School Presents
If your children are anything like Miss Hoodie, its the teacher, ta, the head, the people that read, and the choir teacher!! (there all having santa soups and Vistaprint Goodies!!
Also suggest getting a few spare presents - incase your child comes home with extra presents - great suggestion - Selection box, pre-wrapped ready for last day.

Tree, Lights, Dec's
If you decide you don't like your decs, lights, tree etc, and haven't had chance to replace them this year, do a list of what you want you want to replace - be ready for the sales, - put the new ones up, discard the old ones.

Advent Calenders
If your doing fill your own, hunt them down from that safe place!!

Double Check Family arrangements - just incase hubby's etc have made new arrangements!!

Santa Letters
At the mo the Post Office are doing free Santa replies, - write to
Father Christmas
North Pole
SAN TA1

(I know it was on last weeks mse weekly email).

Present Wrapping
If your doing a hamper etc and have got no filling, shred wrapping paper, festive and very mse!!

Also anything that is breakable - add a label to the present

Set yourself a countdown plan
Writing Cards
Wrapping Presents
Delieverying - double check that the people in - save wasting a journey
Xmas Eve Plans

POSTING
ftp://ftp.royalmail.com/Downloads/public/ctf/rm/RMG2087_Xmas_POPOS_Leaflet_v1.pdf

thats the official royal Mail download,

Quick run throu

Card is larger than 240mm x 165mm x 5mm - needs large letter stamp

UK DELIEVERY
Tues 15th Dec - Standard Parcels
Fri 18th Dec - 2nd Class letters / 2nd class recorded
Mon 21st Dec - 1st Class letters / 1st class recorded

SPECIAL DELIEVERY
Wed 23rd December

Stamps - Presently Superdrug have 5% off 1st class stamps.

Turkey-
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/seasonsandcelebrations/winter/saferchristmaseating/
the link is from the Food Standards Agency,
guide on there for time needed to defrost, cooking time. Really good info.

Last but least..........
If you get chance do a few standby meals for the freezers, so if your running late - got something to hand.

piglet27

Thanks for the challenges mum2one and miss hoodie think I have a handle on most of these after quick read through, going off to bed now so will reply in detail tomorrow.
Good night all.

mum2one

Santas Challenge December

I know its early, and esp after the massive list just done for Novembers Santa's Challenge, but as most of the challenge really revolves around Xmas Eve, Christmas Day and the sales - thought get them in now, again pick and mix.

1st thing - Your all safe, Miss Hoodie is safely tucked up in bed, so you have a cleaning free month!!

2011 - Use which ever method you find easier, spreadsheet, notebook etc, and set up your present list and budget for Birthdays and Christmas

Save Christmas cards, - reuse the fronts as tags, great if you have kids, as they can use plastic scissors - wavy edges etc

Any good wrapping paper can be kept ready for shredding next yr.

The Christmas morning notebook - handy for 2 ways, 1st if you have children - and they send thank you letter, you know who got them what, and also if any gift is unsuitable and can be recycled - you won't be giving it to the same person!
(I had a friend do that to me with a book - best bit was wrote inside the cover - Happy Christmas 2008 - she recycled it back to me!!)

Xmas sales - online sales tend to start before the high street, worth keeping an eye out for those. Main things to aim for cards, wrapping paper, tags, etc

Have your Xmas treat sorted - by this time ladies and our lovely gentleman - put your feet up and enjoy everyone else doing the headless chic run. xx

esmer

I was sent this mail, and I thought I would pass it on to all you drivers in this cold weather.

Helpful Hints For Winter

Keep your headlights clear with car wax! Just wipe ordinary car wax on your headlights. It contains special water repellents that will prevent that messy mixture from accumulating on your lights - lasts 6 weeks.

Ice-proof your windows with vinegar! Frost on it's way?
Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water & spritz it on all your windows at night. In the morning, they'll be clear of icy mess. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the melting point of water---preventing water from freezing!

Prevent car doors from freezing shut with cooking spray!
Spritz cooking oil on the rubber seals around car doors & rub it in with a paper towel. The cooking spray prevents water from melting into the rubber

Fog-proof your windscreen with shaving foam!
Spray some shaving cream on the inside of your windscreen & wipe if off with paper towels. Shaving foam has many of the same ingredients found in commercial defoggers.

De-ice your lock in seconds with hand sanitizer!
Just put some hand sanitizer gel on the key & the lock & the problems solved!

I'm definitely going to be trying a lot of these, if not all of them

mum2one

NickyBo wrote: »

Crikey Mum2one, I'm so glad you are okay! Can I give a little advice (I'm sure you've already been told, but twice is better than none!). When you get your epipen you will be trained in how and when to use it. You will also need to train your parents and other people who are with you a lot, so they can use it on you in case you can't.
A little boy in my class has very severe anaphylactic allergies so all the staff had to be trained in how to use the epipen, it's very easy. The best thing I was told is that you can't do any harm by using it when you shouldn't. So if you suspect you might be going into anaphylactic shock but aren't sure, use the epipen in case. It's better than leaving it too late. If you do need to use the epipen, someone will then need to call an ambulance, even if you feel fine after.

Thanks for the reminders about school christmas cards. I need to get DS's cards for his nursery friends. I also need to print off a zillion class lists for every child in my class. I do about 60 - one each and then a spare for when they lose the first one!

Nicky - ur one in a million thank you. I saw my GP today, bless him he nearly fell off the chair in shock, thought I was going to have to give him the kiss of life!! He's referred as an urgent case for allery testing and an epi-pen.
I was flavour of the month today, I took some flowers for the nurse and box of chocs to the doc to say thank you, - went to leave them at reception, but the girl went and fetched the doc and nurse out to come and see me. Apparently I was the talk of the day, as apparently all I was doing was apologising for queue jumping!. They were both over the moon, the nurse said it was the nicest thing anyone had done, thought there only £2 bunch from Asda, but guess it was the thought that counts. The doc was really shocked as well, but they were so helpful. They said it was the 1st they had dealt with there.
xx

mum2one

Foxy - That weekend sounds absolutely amazing, you deserve to be pampered, and a cookery lesson..... that recipie sounds fab for the yule log.

Mary - A massive thank you for the recipie, sounds absolutely fab.

A massive massive thank you to everyone for your kind words and advice, I just wish I could come and give everyone of you a big hug - ur have to make with a virtual one!!

Touch wood, on the mend, just got 2 days of steriods left then should go back to feeling normal......

Miss Hoodie went singing with the chior 2ngt, - 1st ngt of the xmas shopping, they sang twice, 1st outside, I didn't go, dad took her, so was so happy as her old TA was there, (she retired but comes into read with them), madam pipes up to her, dadda fancies you, he brought your christmas present from Marks and Spencers.... luckly she saw the funny side of it......
Then the 2nd batch singing was in a church, she came home froze, and now has tummy ache, so has took to my bed. I think its her way of coping.
Popped a note to the teacher to explain, and she really nice and said she was more clingy - but at least she knew why, - and not to worry thats she not being bullied, (big relief), but I can pop in next week and redo the parents evenings.

I must apolgise for the cleaning on Nov's challenge, as Miss Hoodie typed it for me, she was so pround bless her!!

Hope no one gets snowed in, a massive thank you for the tips on the car, saved itto file - be put into pratice. xx

findingmyfeet

morning all just passing through on my way out for my big day out,

thanks for the list mum2one will study that tonight.

abdonz- im off to meadowhell to do my shopping (thats what my dh calls it) will pm you where i am

rufusdog52

Morning all

Have put a photo of my next shirt on my blog. Got up early again and cut another one out and will have the day to my self to get on with the sewing. Might even get the two cut out and started on.

Hoping to get a few other bits wrapped up some time today or if not may be tomorrow. So far only OH's bits wrapped up. Going to make a start on the clues to the treasure hunt as well although not sure how many I will need until I get to wrapping as can;t remember what I have got her now.

Nice set of challenges mum2one, thanks for them, Rufus xx

PS Esmer, love the snowmans soups on your blog xx

erm

rufasdog, those shirts are absolutely fantastic. And I love your paintings, as well. You are very, very talented!

mrsow

HI everyone

I feel like I only get on here once a month now. Hope everyone is well and if youve got snow (like me) you manage ok.

Thanks for the challenge MUM2ONE and MISSHOODIE, going to print it off and put it on the fridge to encourage OH to participate.

Im now quite organised for Christmas, 3 items ordered awaiting delivery, everything else bought and wrapped, cards wrote and stamped so BRING IT ON!!!!!

Just need general day to day shopping.

Will try and have a nosey around all of your blogs Ive been reading about.

Lisa
xx