Lets get started for Christmas 2011

gizzie121

I'm definitely in for starting next christmas preparations now.

I've got some stocking fillers for the kids in the sales, managed to get nieces and nephews birthday or Christmas presents in the Boots sale, and I got cheap cake boards from Morrisons as I always make cakes for the adults.

I've got some very cheap tags from M&S, but to be honest, I should have made them, as I've got a fiskar cutter in a tag shape, but I only realised when I went through my craft stuff to sell.

Decluttering

I bought a big box of Christmas cards today, 30 for £1.75. They were pretty good ones too, probably about £3 per pack and since I'd struggle to find 30 people to send to, I thought they'd do nicely.

Will now have to go back because my mum heard about my plans, realised how clever they were and has now bought my pack of cards off me! So now I'll also have to find ones with a different design, surely sending the same cards is the same sort of faux pas as turning up to a party wearing the same dress?

If I can find any cheaply priced clear glass baubles anywhere, I might have a go at decorating them for gifts. Considering my creative skills though, it might be a gift that insults more than pleases!

whitewing

I would like to join in this thread too, if you'll have me. I've always ignored similar before as I thought they were just about homemade stuff and I am not that organised yet.

I have bought next year's Christmas cards online in the sales, so I am pleased with that. I think tomorrow we may brave the shops to get all the 'Granny', 'Aunty', 'Brother' cards in the sales if I can - my family do so love them and this year I left it too late and spent a fortune.

woody1612

thanks sethsgran for the link - i've just had a look and there are some amazing things on there. Really inspired now.

7roland8

Ordered cards from BHS site - £1 for £5 packs.

Also ordered two card holders at half price from Lakeland.

Bought extra Xmas paper in Tesco for next yr - 3 for 2 and only 75p to start with.

Have a present drawer with loads of nice torches (in gift boxes off QVC), Moira C scarflaces (from large packs) pluys any bargains I see through the yr. (Ordered nice toddler items for next Oct. from Empire Stores for £3 each)

Made a list of al birthdays and Xmas gifts needed for people.

Have large box of blank cards which do for anything (birthdays, thank-yous etc) - even sympathy when they only have one flower on etc. Pick up sets on ebay when reasonable.

Also bought the Tesco Value red Xmas paper which will now do fir birthdays too.

azjh77

I'm all for a hand made Christmas!

We went to Church on Christmas day and all the kids took one of their presents for a bit of a show and tell - I was so proud when my son 'showed' the toy I had made him! (it was a sock monkey hybrid, made from those socks with the toes!)*

I'm aiming for hand made for all in 2011 - I'll need to make 4 presents a month to get them all finished so it should be interesting!

Merry Christmas to all crafters and a thrifty new year.

* My other son chatted on about how cool his Hamster was!

jollymummy

I did online surveys and saved from my grocery budget every month during 2010, I'm pleased to say Christmas only cost and additional tenner in gifts that I hadn't planned for. I'm going to do the same again this year.
I've already bought my Xmas wrap and cards from the M & S sale for next year - my order is on it's way
I'll also try to make something every month for pressies, I make earrings and cushions and cross stitch.
I'm also going to make some little Chritmas cakes and start my jam and chutney making early as I always seem to run out of time !!
Good luck everyone.

Well_Preserved

Reckon you could start marmalade making soon - the Seville oranges will be available before long. Also there are recipes to make other marmalades at more-or-less any time of year you choose. I particularly like Nigella's Pink Grapefruit one where you boil the fruit whole first for quite a long time, then slice it when cool enough & boil to setting point. Marmalades will keep for a long time - should be fine for next Christmas.

sethsgran

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stray-Sock-Sewing-One---Kind/dp/0715330160/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1293494023&sr=1-4

BBTHREE

Hi All I am in.

My masterplan is...

1) Get one of the christmas savercard thingys from Asda and put £5 a week on it (when budget allows).

2) Keep an eye out when the Argos Clearance really starts. (I got some really amazingly cheap xmas presents from this around July\Aug)

3) Keep an under the bed storage box really under my bed for all pressie collecting, starting with any pressies I am recycling.

So far in the sales I havent yet bought any pressies but I have bought a load of christmas decs for next year, some new xmas lights from Wilkinsons marked down from £20 to £5, and some christmas cards for me, and some for my kids to take to school next year for just a £1 a pack at Asda.

I do still need to get to Cardworld and purchase all next years family cards though.