Preparing for Christmas 2011

SugarSpun

carlamarie wrote: »

im going to pop my xmas list and budget on here if noone minds and any ideas for gifts would be great too! Those in red as who dh pays for and blue comments are ideas i already have

DD AGED 3 - £150

My small girl is getting an Ikea kitchen and some of the pans/bits/food, plus a Happyland cottage and a stocking. And that's it

The Happyland came with her birthday present after the BOGOF at the Early Learning Centre, the stocking is just cheap bits and the kitchen was full price but I'm expecting her to love it I set a budget for everyone, and if I can find a gift for one person for less than the budget cost I can spend that "saved" money elsewhere. Having said that, I bought the kitchen for Christmas last year and she was so overwhelmed with the gifts she got that I ended up not putting it up - we opened one gift per day from Christmas to New Years and that was it for her, she really just wanted to hang out and admire the tree.

I've finished buying gifts for this year but have seen so many bargains that I'm starting on 2012.

candie_gill

I bought my LO a dora the explorer book to go with his busby reading system for xmas this week, i also got him postman pat on dvd from poundshop, a bag of marbles for his stocking(he loves them!). I have also bought him a buzz light year that lights up and speaks, aswell as a toystory 3 remote control car. I will find my notebook and edit with a list of his presents soon. It really doesnt seem like as much as last year but i have found things are more expensive this year. MY OH is going to get him a TV ( i may postpone this for his birthday next June as we are expecting baby number 2 and money is tight), i'm going to get him some lego, the hungry hippo butterfly game , a marble track thing and thats him sorted. Sticking another £40 on the xmas food card this week, that takes me up to £85. We are using up everything in freezers over the next few weeks and only spending £10 a week on basics we need, so whatever is saved is going straight on the food shop card and should easily have £200 saved eventually.

I have also got some bits and bobs in to make pots of gold, the poundshop do some lovely gold pots and you get 2 in a pack so a bargain!

jakesbakescakes

ooo Candie_gill....... what are pots of gold????? sounds fun.... ?

muffin_man_7

candie_gill wrote: »

I bought my LO a dora the explorer book to go with his busby reading system for xmas this week, i also got him postman pat on dvd from poundshop, a bag of marbles for his stocking(he loves them!). I have also bought him a buzz light year that lights up and speaks, aswell as a toystory 3 remote control car. I will find my notebook and edit with a list of his presents soon. It really doesnt seem like as much as last year but i have found things are more expensive this year. MY OH is going to get him a TV ( i may postpone this for his birthday next June as we are expecting baby number 2 and money is tight), i'm going to get him some lego, the hungry hippo butterfly game , a marble track thing and thats him sorted. Sticking another £40 on the xmas food card this week, that takes me up to £85. We are using up everything in freezers over the next few weeks and only spending £10 a week on basics we need, so whatever is saved is going straight on the food shop card and should easily have £200 saved eventually.

I have also got some bits and bobs in to make pots of gold, the poundshop do some lovely gold pots and you get 2 in a pack so a bargain!

I'm liking the sound of pots of gold are they ok for everyone i've got 20+ to get for this year would be good if i could use them for everyone what's the best things to put in them for little ones older ones i'm thinking teens and above would be smellies make up for girls but the lads are 20yrs and above ?????????any suggestions to get me brain going would be good i'm on a very very tight budget this year so if everyone had something like this it would mean they've all got something special if that makes sense t i a

candie_gill

muffin_man_7 wrote: »

I'm liking the sound of pots of gold are they ok for everyone i've got 20+ to get for this year would be good if i could use them for everyone what's the best things to put in them for little ones older ones i'm thinking teens and above would be smellies make up for girls but the lads are 20yrs and above ?????????any suggestions to get me brain going would be good i'm on a very very tight budget this year so if everyone had something like this it would mean they've all got something special if that makes sense t i a

Fab aren't they! Basically for anyone over 16 you can stick in scratch cards, a lottery ticket. The idea is they have a chance to win money (hence the name). For children and adults you can also put in money, gift vouchers, cheques etc. I wouldnt put any physical gift in, as they are ment to be 'gold' orientated so money or the chance to win it in some form. The lots of gold sweets, asda do gold smart price choc eclair sweets for 32p a bag and they taste lovely, chocolate coins, ferero rochers, gold lindt, worthers originals, gold quality streets... anything in a gold weapper basically! I am also putting in some festive confetti i found in the poundshop, they sell it every year so no worries on that one!

LJM

what about a fortune cookie ive seen them in gold and silver wrappers you can buy big bags of them

tq16

Can I join in too? On hol at the moment and always use this time to start planning christmas, I love it, get more excited than the kids Ithink ;-)
I feel pretty tight though when reading how much people spend (glad my kids can't read this) but totally agree that as long as you are hppy with the amount then totally up to the individual.
Hoping to make alot of presents this year as have alot of family/godparents to buy for. Have done pots of gold and snowman soup- liking fudge idea, may give that a go this year- any packaging ideas?

youngmummy

hi all, brought LO the v.tech smile system thing as they didnt have one of the presents i ordered him previously in stock so refunded me, also brought him 2 games for it that were both half price and got £5 off my total at the cheackout as well as a £5 voucher, just got to get him his socking things now and going to do him a chocolate goody bag. dont know what im going to get the rest of the family OH's parents can be really fussy and un greatful at times. but will think of something,

mum2one

I have just finished a christmas present tonight, (I will have to get a photo voa photobucket, ), I've just knit a really long wintery scarf, only cost £4 to knit, if you were buying it from a craft stall, I reckon it would not be a nice price.

I was very thrifty will the wool as made 2 egg cosies... doing a breakfast tray
teapot
cafetaire (both in poundland)
mini jams (4 for £1 in Morrissons)
egg cups with the cosies
home made coffees
fresh coffee
small box posh tea bags
2 mugs.
mini packets biscuits

do one for DDs other grandparents, and one for her aunty and uncle.

jakesbakescakes

Mum2one I love the idea of your breakfast tray - what a wonderful present. You've got me thinking who i could knit a set for!!!! i am finishing up my knitted turkeys now ready for the hampers and am contemplating knitting some Dr Seuss style funky felted stockings for friends. Our plum tree is ripening nicely then it's full steam ahead to make the jam. Also thinking of yummy home-made lemon curd for the hampers. Just got a loads of kids pressies online this weekend from the tescos half price sale plus the 20% extra discount code from the grabit forum.... woohoo.... we'll have xmas all wrapped up before the summer is out!!!!!