Lets get started for Christmas 2011

carlamarie_2

its been a long time since ive updated on here so this is long overdue! i am getting on really well with my immediate family
dh is a recently qualified gardener and is wanting to get together a kit for home i have spent £22 on bits and bobs (seeds, tools etc) full price is over £70 still have to get him a spade, fork, rake and hoe which will be a lot more expensive as the one he wants are around £30 each:eek:. i have bought a 'pop up' veg planter and planning on popping all the smaller bits inside - hoping to fill it and its about 3/4 full now:T
my three kids are almost finished - just wiating for the boots shopping night to finish them off - but i have the money for all of it and as a bonus the points i earn will pay for a highchair:j

but im way behind on everyone else! blue stuff are what i already have, anything else are ideas
mum - hair care hamper (got some stuff already) and ?
dad -
stepdad - trivial pursuit segment and ?
dads girlfriend - girls night in gift set (wine, glass and scarf)
nanna 1 -
nanna2 - far away gift set from avon
brother 12 -
niece 17 -
nephew 14 - cup-onk, top gear dvds x3, next gift set
nephew 4 -
niece 9months - monsoon dress and ?
best friends little girl 7- harikuma runway set, girralaff, barbie pjs

and thats it! any ideas are very welcome

beccye

Hi everyone

Only 67 sleeps!!! Which is quite worrying because I have exams between now and then so my getting ready for Xmas will have to take a backseat.

I think I've got about 50% of my presents, but will pull out all my boxes and do a stock check in the next couple of weeks. I do keep a spreadsheet for all my presents and prices but for some reason I find it easier to sort out who has what when its all laid out in front of me!

I have done my Xmas cake so that is in the cupboard, being fed more alcohol each weekend. The OHs DS can decorate that nearer the time.

I have also decorated 4 canvas tote bags. I intend to give all the females a personalised tote instead of paying for the paper gift bags. It seemed like a good idea when I dreamt it up but in reality is quite time consuming! Bearing in mind I'm only decorating the bags, they are taking about 6 hours to do!!!!!! But I have bought the canvas totes and have buttons and beads galore so I shall persevere.

I also had the bright idea of OHs DS making cushions for his nans but am now moving away from that idea!!

I think I'm going to give the toffee vodka a go this year too. Did skittles vodka last year which looked amazing in the 5 individual color bottles.

I think I am running a little behind this year but hopefully I can catch up and be ready to start wrapping presents at the beginning of December

kiss_me_now9

beccye wrote: »

I think I'm going to give the toffee vodka a go this year too. Did skittles vodka last year which looked amazing in the 5 individual color bottles.

Beccy, how long do you ''mature'' your skittles vodka for? Not sure whether to start making it yet or not. Also, what do you decant your finished product into? And does the initial vodka make a difference?

I'm trying to get as prepared as early as possible because of uni exams and various questions over where I'll be/who I'll be with/whether or not I'll be working christmas. So far:

Sister and OH: Hamper (about 10% bought, about 40% of it will be home made and I'm hunting for bargains for the other 50%)
Mum: Maybe a pampering hamper?
BF: Not sure yet
Dad: Again, not sure

I hate buying for guys :$ So far all my hamper contains is some chutney and some jewellery for my sister. Must make sure that I put in some stuff for her OH that isn't just food!

his_missus

Hi all! You sound like you've been busy. In the last week I've grabbed some freebies and just pay p&p freebies and also bought some little me 2 you bears second hand from a FB "friend" who is selling items to raise money for her local neonatal ward. Have also made gift boxes and gift bags from cardstock a friend's hubby got free for fixing a machine at a papermill. Also tested a cookie recipe with the intention of making some for pressies(nearer the time of course) but they're just not going to last with Hubby about.

beccye

kiss_me_now9 wrote: »

Beccy, how long do you ''mature'' your skittles vodka for? Not sure whether to start making it yet or not. Also, what do you decant your finished product into? And does the initial vodka make a difference?

I used the guide here:

http://mixthatdrink.com/skittles-vodka-tutorial/

It says that the skittles dissolved overnight but mine did not. I think I ended up leaving mine for about a month whilst I found some bottles to decant them into. In the end I got 5 mini bottles of wine from Tescos when they were on offer and used those. There was one brand that has a plain bottle and plain black screw cap that was fine. We then made labels on brown parcel tags.

I wouldn't advise making them just yet because for some reason the orange one separates. (My friend had exactly the same problem)

As for what vodka to use, I just used Tesco own brand and it was fine.

Pixie_Fairydust

Hi all,

Got a large bottle of Millions aftershave in Boots tonight..... its there Christmas shopping nights today and tomorrow. Spent £51 ( I know it sounds a lot but it will last my DS all year) and I got £17 on my advantage card, result! :T

Got my Body Shop stuff delivered, had one parcel where I spent £40 but got it for £20 and 2nd parcel was 25% off, so got the ladies in the family some lovely stuff and 2 Halloween gifts, pumpkin body wash, only £2!

Still to order from The Book People, I must make a list and just do one big shop. They are very good, I use them most years.

My Amazon basket is full, I need to tweek it a bit! Thought of doing a film basket for my DS. DD wants the Toy Story box set (she's 19!)

I got a brilliant CD from Poundland, its called Christmas Classics by the Crooners, its so good. I hope they have some more left when I go in tomorrow as I think my parents/in-laws would like it.

Happy planning everyone

Pixie

^!£$&

beccye wrote: »

Hi everyone

Only 67 sleeps!!! Which is quite worrying because I have exams between now and then so my getting ready for Xmas will have to take a backseat.

I have a 5000 word dissertation to write & 3 exams arghh
Good Job I'm pretty much done, pressies bought just need to wrap them now!!

PixieDust

Ooooh I'll wrap for you! Pick me! Pick me!!!

beccye

Only 45 sleeps now...:T

I have been placing online orders all over the place, I think its a fear of missing out! So I have taken advantage of the following:

• Tesco clothing
• Body Shop
• Office
• Secret Sales
• Kurt Geiger/Elle

An added bonus is that the box the KG bag came in looks ideal for one of the hampers I am making for grandparents. I actually need 4 boxes, can I warrant another couple of orders?!?!:rotfl: Tbh I think my OH would kill me.

Not far off finishing all the purchases, just leaving the HM stuff to be completed. That should just leave me to wrap them in December and then sit at home feeling smug when my friends are battling the crowds in town!

B x

beccye

This is ideal for anyone doing hampers:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3605525

I just got £50 worth of stuff for £24 x