Old style Preparations for Christmas 2011!!

Bobbykins

Hi MandM. If you like the rustic look, what about just covering the lids with brown paper and tying some garden rafia round it? Looks really good. If you can't lay your hands on any rafia, what about those stiff brown paper luggage labels tied on with string? - you know, like Paddington Bear has tied to his coat saying "Please look after this Bear" :cool::cool: (I think you can still buy these at the post office but not sure if they are expensive or not).
HTH

Flibsey

for the first year I've got ideas for home made gifts coming out the wazoo. normally I get great ideas, but I don't get them until november and it's too late by then. and I have to start soon as I'm having an operation on my wrists in a couple of weeks too lol.

so. I have 23 people to buy for. some re couples who will be gettin joint gifts... and so far I have ideas for 21 of them!!

brother (18)hidden storage book
brother (16, passionate about cooking) Takeaway Secret book and some cooking gubbins.
Sister (14) a handbag (handmade) or hidden storage book.
maternal aunt and uncle #1 curry set. Takeaway Secret book, cheap balti dishes (x3), spices in little jars all in a cheap wicker basket with a liner made from sari fabric.
cousin (18) hidden storage
maternal aunt+uncle #2 cupcake kit: cheap icing set, paper cases, silicone bun tin, recipe book.
cousin (2 I think, could be 3...oops) hand made teddy, scrap patchwork style. already started
mum in law and step-father-in-law (hippies): plate from hailand found in jumble for 20p, insence, candles all in sari fabric wicker basket
father in law and his girlfriend: chocolates and hot choc set mugs; mug with some sachets of hot choc, baggies of mini marshmallows and a nice spoon in. x 1 each.
brother and sister in law #1 same as aunt and uncle #1
brother and sister in law #2 (vegans) vegan cookie and cake mixes in jars, decorated with ribbon. this is more a gift for sis in law but bro in law will benefit lol.
friends (x3) dry jar brownies mix. they all raved about my brownies at a recent party!

daughter's best friends (children of my friends conveniently! all 5/6): hot choc kits OR desk tidy art kit.
siblings of daughter's friends: age appropriate little gift bags; sweets, jewellry, makeup etc. small and less than £2 each.

so here's my list and stuff i have already bought.
books for hidden storage will come from the local council's free book shop.
cheap cutlery trays to build storage, about £2
[STRIKE]wicker boxes and celophane [/STRIKE](online so has p+p too) £16.58
balti dishes (£1 each, "Kam's" basildon)
bamboo spoon sets x 3, £1.50 each home bargains.
[STRIKE]already got 3 copies of Takeaway Secret for £1.99 each from The Works so[/STRIKE]£5.97
icing kit, £1.50 home bargains
cupcake papers 72p/100 home bargains
[STRIKE]jars and bottles (online), lids and corks... 10 15ml jars, 10 100ml jars,20 lids, 5 x 720ml jars, 5 lids, 3 100ml botles, 6 50ml bottles, corks... [/STRIKE]£32.05 (p+p included)
silicon bun tin £1 £land
hot chocolate sachets x10
mini marshmallows x massive bag, Kam's.
[STRIKE]cardboard luggage labels [/STRIKE](ebay)£3.58 x 100
p. flour x about 2kg
sugar x 1-2kg
plain chocolate 500g ish
small metal spoons x10 ish

I am hoping to not go much over £60 for all 21 of them. fingers crossed. I am confident I can do this.

I'm also heading to the jumble tomorrow to have a dig through lol.

emg

wow, you sound really organised, thanks for sharing your ideas!

ALIBOBSY

Joining this thread as we need another shoestring budget crimbo. Last year OH was redundant, but has been contracting since early this year. Current contract due to finish on mon if they can't find any other projects they want him to look at.
Last year we managed it and had a great time, so gonna prepare for it now in case and if he does get another contract (hopefully soon) its a bonus.
Either way it seems such a waste the amount we spent in previous years when last year was enjoyed by us all just as much so aiming for another MSE/old style crimbo. Got a few pressies already and have been buying morrisons savings stamps (had £100 last year which cost us £97) This means the week before christmas we can go as a family and the kids can get some treats for christmas (plus a bit of wine and a bottle of white rum for me and OH) and any fresh items we want such as bread/croissants, smoked salmon, prawns etc. I like to do the stamps thing as we can't then touch the money and its ready for our christmas shop no matter what.

Started to sort through the freezers to make space for home cooked goodies-had a stew yesterday in the SC from 18 month old stewing steak lol was yummy and full of home grown veggies. Kids and OH well pleased.

Anyway found a turkey in the bottom of the freezer it was one of those £8 offer ones from morrisons last year. We bought 2 one for christmas and one for new year, but never used the NY one. Wondering if it will be ok to use this year. I didn't freeze it myself it was ready frozen and has never been out of the bottom of the freezer. Like last year we will probably have a beef joint as well so it won't be the only meat. So do i use it or not?

Ali x

pammer

Hi guys, I could do with a little help with what to make my Dad for christmas. I've been inspired by this post and I've decided this year I'm only going to give pressies I've made. I've got ideas for everyone but my dad.

He's not the sort of person I could give food to, he doesn't have a sweet tooth and he only drinks cider or whisky. And he's not big on ornaments/things to look at, he's more of a practical person.

I'm totally stumped.

I'm pretty creative, handy on the sewing machine and have access to lots of tool type things in our garage. But I can't knit.

His hobbies are walking the dog and course fishing. And he's a retired 67 year old.

I'd appreciate any idea because I have none!!!!

P x

juliejim

Alibobsy - I would use the turkey.

kayjay1809

I booked our two nights 'back home' at the Travelodge today for our pre-Christmas visit. It's the sale on at Travelodge and it cost a grand total of £24 for a Family Room, definitely worth doing if you don't have family to stay with

MandM90

Bobbykins wrote: »

Hi MandM. If you like the rustic look, what about just covering the lids with brown paper and tying some garden rafia round it? Looks really good. If you can't lay your hands on any rafia, what about those stiff brown paper luggage labels tied on with string? - you know, like Paddington Bear has tied to his coat saying "Please look after this Bear" :cool::cool: (I think you can still buy these at the post office but not sure if they are expensive or not).
HTH

That sounds perfect! Years ago my auntie gave gifts wrapped in brown paper which the kids had decorated with their handprints, footprints and christmassy stamps cut from potatoes. Just occured to me...I thought it looked great and the kids must have enjoyed it but not sure if brown paper is even cheaper than wrapping these days?

MandM90

Some brilliant ideas. Saw the takeaway book today, but I don't really have any friends who are into that kind of food. You're present ideas are brilliant; love the hidden storage book idea yet took a while to comprehend what you meant! Let's just hope when they open them they don't say "OH! I've always wanted to read this" before they turn to the massive gaping hole

I picked up an "easy gourmet" book which has space to make notes in for £1.99...looks much more expensive than it was.
It's a DDs friend's birthday next week and I got her a £2.99 Disney Princess cookbook with activities, and I'm going to get a cheap cutting set to give with it. I'm hoping that with a handmade card will be enough?

I'm looking at giving lots of HM hampers but bottles and jars seem so expensive to buy new! I have 3 nice bottles because DDs dad took her to pick and press her own apple juice and the ones they came in were lovely.

I ideally want to start making chutneys etc now but don't have enough jars. Been looking at some on eBay which are about a pound for a large jar. That seems silly when you can buy sauces/jams etc full for less than that...yet I don't want to buy them just to scoop them out because I hate wasting food.

Totally confused....sorry for MASSIVE waffle!

Flibsey

I'll also be sending chutney made a month ago to each person having cooking items... will be nice. I have 15 jars of the stuff to send out lol.
well I got all of my glass jars and bottle needed as parts of the gifts online today.... that's half the flipping budget lol.

just got my baskets needed and cellophane too from another site for stupidly cheap too.