New, New Thirfty Gifty for Christmas and All Ocassions 2011..Santas Challenge...

SugarSpun

Oooooooooooooooooooooo six months till Christmas Eve!!!!!

I am fiendishly excited already, all the birthdays (except my nephew's birthday gift to be ordered from Amazon in November) are sorted, and all the Christmas gifts are bought, coming up next is our long weekend in Berlin (need to pay and pack but otherwise sorted), my lovely daughter's birthday in August (gifts need to be posted from the UK unless my parents are coming before that, so will ship the box only if they're not coming), Oktoberfest table needs to be organised (waiting for invoice for that but the reservation has been made), few family/friends' birthdays (gifts all bought and spare stash is healthy and plump) and then it's CHRISTMAS!! Have just been updating my spreadsheet, it is a glorious multicoloured thing and is making me very happy.

Things I meant to say: The Scholastic warehouse sale is on now, I ordered a stack of Mr Men Christmas books for all the kids I know and some spares because loads of people seem to be having babies all of a sudden. ASOS also has a good sale, I got some Cath Kidston ticket holders for £3 each.

Also I don't get onto MSE a lot, but wanted to thank you all for the Christmas chatting, it is lovely to sit down and read it all when I get a chance and I love getting a little look into what you're all doing. Thank you xxx

Challenge:

Christmas Preparation - Presents, cards, etc

Christmas Card List - List of recipients is made, I need to check to see if we actually have any cards left.

Christmas Present List - everyone on the list is bought for and there are a fair few emergency gifts just in case.

Cleaning - arrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhh I hate cleaning the fridge. But I will do it this month.

Christmas Tip - keep an inventory of your gift cupboard.

Parents -
Not time yet, we don't have any teachers to worry about :money:

Medicine etc

Good thinking! Had forgotten this for our trip next week, thank you.

Sorry another Parents one
Contact List check, have done it, all is correct.

Emergency Kit - I have a secret collection of emergency stuff in case of rain and/or whinging.

rufusdog52

Had a bit of money in Paypal this morning from a couple of little sales so I ordered some embroidery threads and some pretty pins to go in the craft basket for my Bro and Sil. Have enough for him with his art stuff in there but was bits for her I wanted to get. Might get a couple of nice fat quarters to go in next time I go to the quilting shop in Rochester. In the mean time I am going to have a look in 99p store and see if they have anything suitable to pad it all out a bit. May be some glue or something like that.

Forgot to add Hello to twisted angel xx

Anglea

Hi all

Welcome T. Angel

Mary, I like your shoebox idea.

Hello again Diddly, enjoy Cornwall, hope it's sunny for you this time, and no mud like those poor people at Glastonbury.

Hi Sugar Spun, I'm like you, I really like reading all the Christmas chatting I also like reading what is going on in other people's lives.

I haven't read the new challenge yet, I'm saving it until I get back from the shops.

mrs-moneypenny

June's Challenge

Christmas Preperation - Presents, cards, etc

Christmas Card List - Do I need to buy or craft any cards. How many do I need to post, (if poss see if can keep to standard posting). i write a list of cards recieved as i take the cards down so i have the right children/partners names for when i write my cards this list is my 'blueprint' that i start from when writing my own cards out


Christmas Present List
Update and see who still needs present, and set budgets for them. Budget is the word i need to remember and an keeping an ideas list and remembering to cross off poeple as i buy/make for them so i dont duplicate


Cleaning
Will try to be very gentle, but we have dad to blame for this one!! (his plans for 2mor!)
Clean the fridge - don't forget that lovely icebox.

The freezer.... hopefully as weve had a couple of freezer cleans, hopefully there won't be a build up of too much ice.
freezer was done last month but will give the fridge an empty and wash out before piling it up with tomorrows shopping


Christmas Tip
If you had to give one top christmas tip what would it be!!
make sure you know where you stash things so you arent tearing your hair out chasing things

Parents -
I know we've got about a month left at school, but it be the "best teacher", "teaching assistant", and if Miss Hoodie had her way, the whole school!! so if we can craft, or be very mse, we've got time to prepare.
my youngest is at high school so not such a huge problem as at that age the kids dont tend to bother at christmas i usually take a big tin of choccys into recepton and tell the staff in there to make sure the non teaching staff have somne before they go to the staff room that way you keep everyone happy

Medicine etc
I apologise that its a medicine reminder, but thinking school hols coming up, everyone be panicing, and rushing to get mediciation in.

Prescriptions - Check to see how long your current order will last, do you need any extras for holidays....

Home Kit - Paracetamol, plasters, diarrohea tablets, rehydration sachets (or can use flat cola).
first aid stuff is recently checked and sunscreen is all stocked up - just need the sun


Sorry another Parents one
Contact List, - check all contact numbers are up to date,
will also delete all old text messages off moby and check i have numbers in that i need not old out of date contacts

Emergency Kit - Have a few bits on standy for when the friend pops up to play, its rains and you get the I'm bored... for Miss Hoodie, I usually do something craftwise, (always try to have it ready for when her friend comes.
not really a problem for me as 16 yr old ds who mostly has friends round only come for food and xbox - saying that youngest ds was doing some knitting on a loom and elder ds friend was having goes on it and ended up giving xbox controller to younger ds so he could do some knitting:rotfl:

Savvy_sewing

Not sure if this has alraeady been posted or if right place but I noticed an offer while doing all my surveys etc etc
http://www.thorntons.co.uk/pages/category/category.asp?ctgry=Sale&affiliate=BYAT&cookie%5Ftest=1 Throntons are having a 50% off sale. So if your a chocca holic it may be a good one?

mary-op

Hello all :j
mum2one -glad everything worked out ok.

Been to hospital with OH this morning......well least biopsy just showed up inflammation, nothing really nasty doc.said but they still want to do more tests to check for crohns disease and his gall bladder.
As far as doc. is concerned his staples, or where they were, is healing up ok and a bit of prodding about and he said things were 'settling down'. Mentioned the dreadful 'wind' problems and he said its to be expected for about another 2 months -he should have another appt then and hopefully be back to some sort of normality.......least in that area. He sees back chappie next week and looks unlikely that he'll be able to have a back brace fitted for a while yet.........he's having a really ''down'' day today............fed up with hospitals I think.
Oh well, least weather for this weekend looks good so just may be able to enjoy the garden for a change:)

Hope you're all ok:)

rufusdog52

Glad it went well this morning Mary, I am hoping to get out in the garden too, have had enough of the rain now.

Mooloo, thanks for the link about Thorntons xx

Mrs moneypenny - had to laugh about the knitting machine, sounds like my two grandsons, they love to have a go at anything I am doing when they come round, sewing, knitting, doesnt bother them in the slightest.

Didnt buy anything up the town so good in a way as I saved some money. Didnt see anything in 99p store that stood out. Think I might leave it a week or so and then have another look as same old stuff day in day out lately.

SugarSpun

:eek: somehow I managed not to buy ANY Christmas cards in the sales!!!

Edit: panic over, someone on ebay is selling a lot of handmade cards - exactly the number I need! I'm taking it as a sign

rufusdog52

Well done Sugarspun xx I bought all mine in the sales, best thing for me is buying the personal cards. I never used to bother with them but do like receiving them, they seem more special so for the last few years I have been buying them in the sales.

susan42

I made another two cards today, elysia claimed the first one, but she might change her mind when she sees these i always buy cards in the sale, dont know why when I make mine.

mooloo - stop tempting us with chocolate, thxs for the link

good news on OH mary - hope his tests goes well

good organising - sugar

miss moneypenny - good xmas tip, usually sit there boxing day talking about something i bought for kids and havent given them...hence lots of hair pulling out while i try to remember what i did with them