❄❄ Let It Snow ❄❄ :: Christmas 2012 Chatter Thread

kayandy_2

This year my bf mum will be living next door with his aunt due to her cancer as she dosnt think she will cope here with the animals with one leg!! so it's our first Xmas where we have to do the food shopping && Xmas decs etc!! Although we go out for dinner on Xmas day this year were going tot his aunts next door as he wants to spend as many Xmas with his mum as possible as the doc said she got 50% of living for 5 years if it dosnt come back in her lung or leg!! My bf goes over board when food shopping at Xmas he normally gets his mum to buy so much stuff it just gets thrown!! For example I found 2 tins of chocs unopened about a month ago in the back of a cupboard they weren't even from last year they were from the year before!! So this year we are just getting the normal shopping as like I said Xmas eve Xmas day and boxing day we are out until about 10pm anyways!! I have already bought us 2 tins of choc && some nuts etc && will prob just get a few bottles are some Budweiser and wine then that's it!! I don't see the point in getting loads when we won't be here anyways other than to sleep!!

Ameyturtle

I am the strict lister and planner in my house. we don't meal plan as such but we do tend to eat similar meals every year. I wrote a list a few years ago of all the possible food stocks we 'need' for over Christmas I then typed it and have it saved on my computer all we then do every year is print 1 copy off cross off what we already have, don't need or have already bought I then type what we need and from which stores we buy it from. This year is going to be very different as we already have a lot of the stuff we would have at Christmas and currently no room in the freezers. So from here we need to inventory the freezers find out what we have and eat through it so that we can be organised in case of severe snow or anything.

Hope that helps

kayandy_2

Also can you make a kids baking hamper for less than £10 my bf little cus loves baking and I have no idea what to get et hit we only spend between 5-10 on her!!

ellie9ellie

Has anyone saved up the tokens for the Free Sunday visit to the Cinema with M&M's? I waited until the bags of sweets were on offer for £1.00 (Asda at the moment) and then bought 4 bags - 1 ticket = 4 tokens. It works out then £4 for a cinema ticket rather than about £8.50 and you get 4 bags of sweets. I've now got 4 cinema tickets and plan to take DH and the children to whatever Christmas film comes out. We watched Elf last year and I want to get it on DVD when it comes out in November.

SugarSpun

kayandy wrote: »

Also can you make a kids baking hamper for less than £10 my bf little cus loves baking and I have no idea what to get et hit we only spend between 5-10 on her!!

Absolutely.

Pound shop for mixing bowl, silicone spatula, muffin tray, a little apron and a packet of cupcake cases.

Print off a simple recipe, roll it up and tie it with a ribbon.

Take an old jar, ensure it doesn't smell, and layer in all the dry ingredients from your own cupboards (measure it all out). Close it up, add a tag with what is included and what isn't, and place carefully in the middle of the mixing bowl. Put the other stuff around it in a display way and then go to the supermarket and spend however much of the rest of your budget on instant icing (or add a mini jar with icing sugar from your cupboard) and cute cake decorations. Put them into the bowl, wrap it with cellophane and you're done.

Own_My_Own

I'm so glad I finally joined in on this thread. It's lovely to be able to chat about Christmas in September. None of my friends even think about Christmas until December. They all moan at me when ever I say something. Then they all moan in Dec when they are running round like headless chickens.

They all think I'm mad as we don't even have a Christmas day here.
I am a single parent of 2 children. I have a 15 year old dd and a 19 ds.
My ds has Aspergers and finds the whole thing too much.
So we have a normal day with some presents and chocolates.We do try to have a roast dinner, but a couple of years ago when the 25th fell on a Saturday we had to have a curry.We had the roast on Boxing Day, as it was a Sunday, and the day you are meant to have a roast.
It has been known for him just to stay in his room all Christmas day.
We do have a SMALL tree in the corner of the lounge. But that is it. My big tree and decks are in the loft, as I can't bring myself to get rid of them. (They are very old now)

I do miss the festivities, especially when the rest of the family ring, and I can hear everyone in the background. We tried to join them one year but it didn't go to well.:(
When it gets me down on the day, I have a glass of wine and think I could be stuck with in-laws, and I seem to feel better .:rotfl:

I think I over compensate our lack of Christmas by organising it all year! Yes you really can organise nothing.LOL
Even this has to be quite low key. BUT NOT ANYMORE. I HAVE YOU LOT :T:T:T

This year he is going to stay at a friends on the last weekend of Nov. So me and dd with 2 friends are going to Bury St Edmunds for the weekend. It is the weekend of their Christmas Fayre and we can't wait.:j Just hoping he still wants to go when the time comes. Fingers crossed

cornishorchid

Pinksteps wrote: »

My mum was brought up with strict aunts as she was abandoned by her mother as a baby (long story and not very Christmassy). Anyway she is eighty in November, my dad is also eighty. Anyway she said a while back she had never had a stocking so my son and myself have decided on a Christmas stocking for each of them. We thought of sugar mice with string tails and 'wartime' type gifts as well as some ice grips for shoes that we got them earlier in the year. So thoughts......?

Have aloof on the past times website, they quite often have discount codes too..hopefully they will have some nice ideas

Snugglebunny8

OMG that is my OH all over Noodles86! he even leaves the fridge open, the milk/ham/cheese out and the bread wrapper open .. also known to leave taps running, doors unlocked, car unlocked etc ... he's wonderful in every other respect, just ditsy!! I have a routine every night where I check the kitchen and I go round checking everything is locked, switched off, check the cars and the doors - born from past experience and necessity!

Food wise, I have a list from October onwards, clear out the freezer and fill it with party food (when on 3 for 2 in M&S, and I save vouchers all year) turkey crown etc. We have turkey crown and trimmings, Christmas pudding etc on the day, and buffet nibbles Chrsitmas Eve and Boxing Day - then 2nd roast the day after with what is left from the crown.

None of us keen on Christmas cake so we bake a chocolate fudge cake and sprinkle icing sugar on top with the Christmas cake decorations.

I've learned only to buy stuff that I know we all like and will eat, for example I like pork pie but I'm the only one who does, so I buy one small one rather than a big one which gets wasted. Crisps/crackers pate and cheese usually have good long use by date so I know they won't get wasted, and I'm careful with stuff like seafood starter treats that go off fast - the only thing I find a bit annoying with M&S is their use by dates, often think I'm done, only to find something on 22nd has use by 24th and have to go back again!

I buy chocolates, crackers, nuts etc weekly and put them away so don't notice cost so much, and save Nectar and M&S points.

I just noticed Advent Candles on Hawkins Bazaar, used to have one as a child and forgot about it, may have to get one for my kids!

kayandy_2

SugarSpun wrote: »

Absolutely.

Pound shop for mixing bowl, silicone spatula, muffin tray, a little apron and a packet of cupcake cases.

Print off a simple recipe, roll it up and tie it with a ribbon.

Take an old jar, ensure it doesn't smell, and layer in all the dry ingredients from your own cupboards (measure it all out). Close it up, add a tag with what is included and what isn't, and place carefully in the middle of the mixing bowl. Put the other stuff around it in a display way and then go to the supermarket and spend however much of the rest of your budget on instant icing (or add a mini jar with icing sugar from your cupboard) and cute cake decorations. Put them into the bowl, wrap it with cellophane and you're done.

Thank you for that didn't even think of the pound shop!! Will have to go && have a look next week once been paid!!

cornishorchid

Not sure who posted it, as I know it was a while ago, but found this is a a
Lovely catalogue which came through my letter box today.
It's a wooden nativity scene, http://www.mulberrybush.co.uk/toy-store/detail-wooden-nativity-set.aspx
It's a bit differ from others I've seen and is suitable from 18 months