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

mum2one

Here we are its Christmas Eve, I'm like a big kid, and we have our final Santas Challenge for 2009, but the 1st to start with the organisation for 2010.

Hopefully as we have been so busy throughout the year, we should be semi-relaxed....

May appear to be a big list, but there little jobs.......

Have a notebook ready for the present openingto list who got what (2 benefits, 1st, incase of thank you letters, 2nd incase you have to recycle)

Wrapping paper - this is a 3 in 1 - (1st any really gd paper save, 1 you can recycle it next yr, 2nd - if you doing hampers pop the paper through a shredder - filling ready, 3rd -for the children, grab some xmas paper,and kids scissors see if they can make pictures - (quiet task!!)

Tree - decorations
May sound daft, but make sure tree packed away safely, the baubles etc well protected - this way there be ok for Xmas 2010

Christmas Cards
Great one for the kids, dd loves it, keep the cards, let them cut the front of the card into gift tags, (make sure no-one wrote in the cover!!) use a hole puncher, punch one hole use curling ribbon

Financial Review
This may be the time of the year, we've achieved so much last year, keep the good work up for this yr.
I have put some financial reviews up, may be worth looking at.

2009 Presents
Without sounding daft, make sure you have a list of presents that you gave out in 2009, so you don't double up, what u got them this yr

2010 List
If you get chance do a list for 2010, both birthdays and xmas, allocolate a budget....... for each person divide that by 12 and that gives you an idea for how much you save or need to make

Hamper Baskets
Now is the perfect time for Hamper baskets, shops selling them cheap

Sales - Xmas cards, wrapping paper
If you can get them in the sale, brilliant.

Stocking Fillers
If there are any little stocking fillers, small presents that you can put up.

Ebay
After Boxing Day - best time for the buyers as sellers are likely to be getting rid of their "unwanted" goods - buyers market

Freecycle
May be worth keeping an eye out, as a lot of people get the new items as xmas.

Summer Bargains
Yes its a sale time, but you can shop sazzy and pick up some bargains for the summer, as xmas sales they drag everything out of the store room, - you might get the sunglasses or hat dead cheap.

1p and 2p challenge
Does anyone else fancy saving 1p and 2ps and open them end of November, even ifits a couple of quid. DD has all my loose change, but after storing my Baileys tin from last xmas, asked could she use it for 2ps and 1ps and have a surprise!!

Santas Challenge
Hope no ones been cheating, dd and I can't wait to open ours.

Advance Planning -parents
Espically for parents with children at Primary school, its going to be "mum I've got a party invitee........but its been in my bag for a week!!........aim to have 2 boys and 2 girls presents in hand.

Christmas Day - Table
I know were brilliant,and were so organised,but remember we are not the only person in the house.........DELEGATE..... even if its something like putting the cultery out, ask for help if you need it.

Prep-
Try and get as much as you can do, table laid, veg prepared, you know where everything is,,,,,,sounds daft, but how many times does something get mislaid in the rush.

Comfy shoes
Without sounding daft, if your planning to hit the sales, get the comfortable footwear on, and something easy to take off when trying on clothes, nothing worse than trying to unzip items.

We're start a new tradation - Xmas Eve promise to yourself
Instead/ as well as new years Eve, how about we all make an xmas eve promise, something we want to do/achieve, doesn't have to be the London Marathon (not that cruel), mine personally, be more organised....... The Open Uni you have 5 sets of paper for the same thing, need to get them all in one place.

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Have tried to be jealous, don't rush we all have a month to get them done in.

For all our lovely newbies, don't feel u have to do every single task, its like a pick and mix, I like dolly mixtures but not mint toffee.......

mum2one

elysia2003 wrote: »

Thanks for posting the snowball thingy. I was advised to have a credit card in the summer just for using online as I had had fraudualent purchases made on my debit card. I'd always refused before as I knew what would happen!!

Anyway I got the card and have been paying off full balance until last month!!! Although I start in buying xmas pressies in January I wasn't as organised as I thought and went a bit mad on my card. No hope of paying it all off for the next few months. I have been absolutely dreading the bill but using the calculator, I know it's not ideal, but It's not as bad as I thought. It WILL be paid off asap.

So if anyone does have credit cards, loans etc - don't be put off by it, give it a go, you'll have something to aim for and will see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

Sorry about the credit card, but in the nicest of ways thankyou re snowball, it really opened my eyes,and I was able to get a debt free date, Nov 2015, but I know its there, and I have had a couple of mini shops, but hopefully 2010 be the year to get my rear into action xx

mrsow

hiya everyone

yeay pretty new thread!! :j
well im all ready for tomorrow which is for the best as its been snowing for the past hour :eek: it looks very pretty thou.
will catch up on the challenge later thanks mum2one it looks great.

hope you all have a great day tomorrow and will catch up in the new year
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL

Pips_Mum

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm you lot look familiar!

:rudolf: Merry Christmas to all of you :rudolf:

Newbies I look forward to the new ideas and suggestions you all have, existings you too!! :rotfl::rotfl:

Great Santas Challenge Mum2one

I cant open my secret Santa present until New Year as our Argos had run out of whatever it was and OH had to order it

Hey just reaslised it will soon be :icotbaske :rotfl::rotfl:

Lelc

I'd like to join this challenge too. I only hope I can keep motivated. I tend to start off well but then my enthusiasm begins to wain later.

I definitely want to be better organised next year instead of this mad rush which leaves me exhausted and disatisfied with the end result.

jamtart6

Can't wait to open my secret santa!

Thank you Mum2one for ALL your amazing organisation. I haven't been able to join in much due to time, but I read every single thing and next year, first year doing the Christmas dinner (I can't cook past toast yikes!) I will be 1000% organised for Christmas! I'll have to be !

Lots of Christmas wishes to all xox

Alli135

Please can I join. I have been following the 2009 thread but not doing much else.
Had a terrible year as lost Dad in July and lots of other bad illnesses and everything with family and friends - Hoping 2010 is a much better year.

I really love Christmas and normally drive everyone mad with planning (though not this year) but I have to say I thought I was organised till I read the threads.

I have 2 DDs 18 & 9 who love xmas to and am looking forward to be organised and money neutral next year and getting the little one to be more crafty.

Thanks for all your ideas

nikki2804

Can I join to please??

mary-op

Hello all :j
After a year that was a bit carp to say the least I'm looking forward to 2010 being a whole lot better.

Must get myself more organised.......I seem to have been 'doing Christmas' since January -the idea being my deadline to finish would be end of August for crafting/cards etc. Not so.........I was even wrapping stuff up and concocting bits this afternoon :eek:
So.............next year................
Be more organised,
Stick to some sort of timetable for doing things
Make list of who has what so not to repeat it over and over again.
Start scrapbooks for the family.........least then I can post them if not able to deliver

That's just a few..........I know there'll be more and I've a notebook to hand that'll fill up pretty quick I'm sure.:rotfl:

:jHappy Christmas Everyone:j

tq16

count me in, be good to do right from start, found to late this year so loads of ideas but not much done :-)