Old style Preparations for Christmas 2011!!

Draagonfly

Ooooh now this is an exciting thread :rudolf:...I was only saying to my friend at work today I must check out my kitchen cupboards & make a note of the things I need top up on for making the Xmas pudding as that time is rapidly approaching & here I find a lovely sparkly festive thread to help ease the run-in!!

I'm not one to get overly excitable about Xmas...how ever my hubby is a whole different kettle of fish....42 years old but you'd think he was 4 the way he gets all worked up about the whole thing...I was truly stunned the first time I set eyes on all the seasonal paraphenalia he has stashed in the loft...so many ornamental objects it is mad...but I have to confess that they are (mostly) quite lovely & they all have special meaning & memories to him

:xmastree:

meritaten

Pickled eggs, now is the perfect time to do them! and the last of the fresh beetroot too.
Cherrys! the last of the lovely English cherries - pit them and put them in jars and preserve them either in sugar syrup or brandy! I think English strawberries are coming to an end - so preserve them too.

Well_Preserved

I missed this thread last year somehow, so have made sure I'm subscribed now. Hoping to have more time to make this year as am working part time instead of full time, but therefore the budget is tighter! I love Christmas but it doesn't feel the same with no children now in the family, really - the youngest being my niece at 14.

Butterfly_Brain

Sloe Gin
Rumptoff
chesnut jam
onion marmalade
pickled onions
beetroot relish
brandy butter
rum butter
chocolate salami
nougat
marshmallows
truffles
whisky marmalade

I love this site it has lots of ideas
http://www.britishlarder.co.uk/recipe/treats-gift-recipes/#axzz1XDCJvNh5

chickadee

Well I would love to be more organised this year. I'm usually very last-minute and very stressed! I think the problem is that I have four birthdays in November so I get a bit distracted by that and I'm not very imaginative when it comes to gifts.

Butterfly_Brain

Oooh won't be long now that the kids are back at school thanks zippy x

Like most here I got all of my cards, tags, paper and crackers in the January sales and I have been picking up bits and bobs all year.

I have got nearly all of my food (Turkey, Gammon, Beef, Pork, sausage rolls, cheese rolls, prawns, cocktail sausages, mini spring rolls and some profiteroles etc )and booze except for a litre bottle of brandy and I need to replace the bottles of gin and vodka that I have used for sloe gin and a strawberry vodka. I have made chutney and onion marmalade. I usually make my pickled onions in October and am going to try to make Pam Corbins Chestnut Jam as a Christmas treat.

I have most of the presents as well apart from FIL and a few more for DS and DD. I have knitted a space invaders scarf and hand warmers for DD's BF .

Got to organise a Diamond anniversary do for the outlaws on Christmas Eve of all days :eek:

How about alternatives to Christmas Puddings Zippy?.... I know a lot of people don't like Christmas Pud.

D&DD have you got any more of your bakery recipes pleeeze my lot love the apple braid x

Molly41

I didnt get anything in the sales last year as I was just out of hospital and on bed rest so really need to be super organised this year. I will be going to C0stc0 to suss out the wrapping paper and other bits but will not be doing card except to my family :T

ifonlyitwaseasier

shellsuit wrote: »

I can't see a link for mince pies, is there one about?

(I'm getting more and more frugal as the year goes on and really fancy having a bash at making my own this year!)

try this (also has mincemeat!!!_

Molly41 wrote: »

I didnt get anything in the sales last year as I was just out of hospital and on bed rest so really need to be super organised this year. I will be going to C0stc0 to suss out the wrapping paper and other bits but will not be doing card except to my family :T

Molly they have most of it in now!! mind out the cute cuddly rudolph doesn't jump into your trolley!! (i resisted the big brown eyes and flashing red nose!!)

katieowl_2

Just two things to add really...

!) Last Xmas I decided that I didn't really fancy the electric oven on for the time it would take to cook a whole turkey, so I cooked two of Tesco's Turkey Breast Joints the ones that come in a foil tray - took just over an hour. Was plenty of meat, no leftovers to deal with, and we made all the trimmings as usual, including a big dish of our home-made stuffing, which is what everyone goes mad for anyway. If you keep your eyes peeled the roasting joints are often on 2 for £8 deal anyway saving £2 (I think?) and you can freeze them if you spot them on offer before Xmas. Tesco HAD a turkey breast joint at Xmas, with the turkey section, and and although bigger on it's own, the two joints I mentioned came in £2 cheaper AND you actually got a bit more turkey for your £££.
I cut it up in the kitchen and delivered it to family sliced...so it didn't look like they'd been short changed :rotfl: So stress free in the kitchen too...I shall never cook a whole turkey again. Most of the family only like the white meat anyway, and I struggled to force leftover brown meat down them!

2) My kids are all grown up now, so I didn't want to buy them toot, and we had a pretty tight budget. I suggested that we buy each other food presents. I thought it went pretty well actually. DD got a fruit themed gift, DS a junk food gift, and OH did rather well with an Italian hamper - which included a very large chunk of a rather good salami! There was a spot of lack of communication as I got the same thing from both DD and DH - a bottle of Campari and a whole load of nice chocolate, but what's not to like?

Kate

squeaky

here ya go...

mincemeat threads here on Old Style MoneySaving

mince pies threads here on Old Style MoneySaving

mince pie threads here on Old Style MoneySaving


Main threads...

Mince Pies

Mince Pies

Inspire me- 1/3 smll jar mincemeat

Question about Christmas Mincemeat - Delia recipe

Best Mincemeat Ever?

The best mince pie pastry ever?