Preparing for Christmas 2011

jemtom

carla marie - i do that with everything i have a spreadsheet which i use to keep track of how much i have spent and how much i have saved!
possesion - im the same with ds i feel mean but he always ends up with too much so his nana is buying him his scooter, and when he does his list (this week at somepoint) me and his dad are going to split it and most of the bits on mine will be off family as i have already got him most of the things he wants. both my mum and dad are nearly done there vouchers came a couple of weeks ago consumer pulse is amazing!! just need a couple more bits for their stockings. i managed to get my mum a m&s coat from local cs for £1.50 in the sale from £5.99 and it looks new has a look on m&s website it would have cost around £70/£80 but it was dry clean only but put it on a cold wash and it came out perfect!
will have to try making some of that fudge thanks for all the recipies

ManPants

mum2one wrote: »

Gone flavoured vodkas on the go!! Looking lush

Pommegrate - used a 250ml bottle, portion of pommegrate seeds top up with vodka, skae daily, after 7 days strain through and keep the liquid (the pommegrates do have kick in them!.

Thank you - will be serving up a little pomegranate vodkas on christmas eve along with the merry cherries! X

ManPants

Also as have had "the talk" with various friends and other half so that there won't be ridiculous amounts being spent on presents as we are all happy to have a "contra entry" and cancel out each others presents to each other. A few christmas inspired meals around each others houses with some nice wine and company then taxis home!

Bought a gorgeous pink audi tt electric car for our god-daughter off Groupon last week (£99 reduced from £325) and a few other friends will get a nice bottle of red wine from Fortnums & Masons (they also do mail order for non - londoners and can send directly to recipients as well!). A nice Fortnums & Mason label and a special delivery to their front door gift wrapped and it looks like you've gone the whole hog!

Thank Godness I have had the chat about presents to friends as it actually feels that it may have an underlying christmas message rather than just blatant consumerism and an "I want" attitude!

Hope you are all feeling well and festive! X

jemtom

so im all done, i feel really good but have this little part of me that feels sad (no more shopping - i love buying for people and planning) and then i think of all my wrapping i have to do and im happy again! so just got to get wine/chocs for family and a couple of close friends, but im waiting for my co-op memebership coupons to come through allthough this is my first time with it so dont have a clue how much i am going to get just hope it covers those few bits or i may just give out boxes of biscuits makes a change from wine and also is cheaper . so my total spent on everyone is £108.55 and my total saved is £413.36 i am so pleased. now just to wrap presents and look forward to the day. i hope everyone else is doing well and nearly ready the mse way

Cake4brains

Hi all, been reading all your lovely makes and getting inspiration. Have made a few hanging hearts so far, just need to get some nice buttons to finish them off. Done 2 Sarubobo's and may make keyrings out of them. My OH has kindly cut out some MDF so I can make some notice boards, and I have 12 pouches so far for a hanging advent calendar. Only another 50 to sew! Decided to make it for the recipients to use in January instead of the run up to Christmas as we all know what a downer it is after all the festivities are over and its back to 'normal'. So I thought a little gift each day of January would make it so much easier to handle

jakesbakescakes

cake4brains - that is such a lovely idea. ahhhh would love to see photos x

louby_lou

made my sloe gin last night -

http://instagr.am/p/TEav5/

The jars are a god send!

cazuk11

What a great thread! So, I had 29 presents to get... 4 left!!! :j

My mother has got wind of my gloating and she has told me that I need to get all her presents AND my grandmothers too!!!!! No specifics, just names of people.

Mothers List - 11 to get (done 4)
Grandmothers List - 7 to get ( done 2)

Just waiting for the Mother in Law to call me now with her list and then I'll be back to square one again. :rotfl:

Well, 20 years in retail hasn't gone to waste as I can get it all done by the end of the week. Having worked in retail, I will be doing all my shopping online. No getting side tracked by going into shops and getting caught up in the chaos. Nope, not me!! I've even been online and reserved by Christmas food delivery.

I'm driving my husband mad as he doesn't want to be reminded of Christmas until Christmas Eve. Each to their own but it's not him that'll be running round like a blue @£$% fly the week before Christmas grabbing anything on the shelves is it????

Also got 7 birthday's to get done too... Aim is to get all presents bought and wrapped by Friday 18th November then I can relax and enjoy.

BRING IT ON!!!

:xmassmile:

04624181

am loooovvvviiing this thread. It ususally costs us a fortune at chrsitmas but I am proud to admit that this year we have had bargains alore thanks to being an avid follower of this site. Have done alot of vistaprint goodies for parents and grandparents. We have decided to just buy the kids of the family now as myself and my hubby come from big families. Got most of the nieces and nephews present in the debs sale. My 18mth old daughter is done thanks to the asda toy sale and tesco sale.
I got my son alot of top gear stuff in the debs jan sale and put it away. Just got to buy his main present now which is an xbox kinnect but have sold alot of stuff on ebay and music magpie so that pays for that. have really enjoyed the bargains and have actually wrapped all the presents that i have bought and they are in bags on top of my wardrobes. Good job really as daughter has finally been reffered for her recurring painful ear infections which perforates her eardrums. So tyring to run around and get everything sorted before hospital appt at the end of the month just in case they admit her.

carlamarie_2

your poor dd, thats sounds awful! hopefully they will get it sorted for her!

well i now have just 3 family presents to buy now:T, my dad, stepdad and niece! which i shall be buying on thursday and then thats them sorted!

i do, however still have to finish off dh, i have most of his gifts and if xmas came tomorrow i would be happy to give him what ive bought so far. but he's had a busy year this year and i quite feel like spoiling him! luckily, because i can finish everyone else off this week i can use the rest of the time and money in the run up to xmas to buy for him :T