Old Style preparations for Christmas 2012!!!!!

boredjellybean

sistercas wrote: »

ooh i'd like to join this thread please.

i save £1 a day from jan1st to 30th nov which gives me £335 to spend at xmas , enough for food and presents :j
i also start picking bits and pieces of xmas food/ decs from september onwards too

Great ideas there will try & do that next year!

Rosygirl

boredjellybean wrote: »

Hi there I'm loving this thread though I fear it may be the new year by the time I read through it all :rotfl:

I've started making my planning lists & noting down prezzie ideas & trying to figure out a budget (no idea how I'll fund it yet tough )

I've a quick question - does anyone know of anywhere REALLY cheap for stocking ideas? I will visit then £ shop but I have 4 stockings to fill :eek: any suggestions would be great

Sarah xx

It depends on the ages for the stocking's recipients (obviously!) but I have 3 to do (all boys) and have found lots of party bag present type things on Amazon which are cheaper when bought in packs of 4 etc. I also got a few bits in the Hawkins bazaar sale but not sure if this is still on. HTH

boredjellybean

Rosygirl wrote: »

It depends on the ages for the stocking's recipients (obviously!) but I have 3 to do (all boys) and have found lots of party bag present type things on Amazon which are cheaper when bought in packs of 4 etc. I also got a few bits in the Hawkins bazaar sale but not sure if this is still on. HTH

Thanks for your reply - my bubbas are aged (at Christmas) 12, nearly 10, nearly 3 & 8months

I'll check out party bag ideas

boredjellybean

lisakay wrote: »

I'm feeling super excited about christmas already:j.
I bought a couple of presents in the jan sales, but today I made my first batch of onion marmalade. it's now in jars in the garage ready to make pretty for christmas presents:D only 5 jars so far, but it's so nice I'll be making more, when I get back from holiday I'll be making chilli jam to go with it and getting my christmas cakes done. also planning on doing damson gin. did it last year and it went down an absolute storm:beer: the local pub saved me the empty little wine bottles so i'll ask them again this year. I'll be collecting baskets and boxes over the next few months ready to make them into little hampers. I'll think of another chutney to do as well and maybe put in a packet of oatcakes or something. that will be most of my presents sorted except brother and sister who just wouldn't appreciate it, and the littlies.

:beer:

Hi would it be possible for you to pm me the recipes for the onion marmalade & chili jam by any chance??

firesidemaid

lotti379 wrote: »

Thank you for the ideas, her main hobby is writing (on the laptop) which whilst a wonderful creative and MSE hobby, is not so good for present buying! Hum. Still, some cracking ideas guys, definitely have noted them all down! Thank you so much!!

In that case, what about computer goodies - you can get lots of quality things quite cheaply. eg. clip-on light, case, lap-top tray, screen wipes, notepad + pens.

ragz_2

boredjellybean wrote: »

Hi there I'm loving this thread though I fear it may be the new year by the time I read through it all :rotfl:

I've started making my planning lists & noting down prezzie ideas & trying to figure out a budget (no idea how I'll fund it yet tough )

I've a quick question - does anyone know of anywhere REALLY cheap for stocking ideas? I will visit then £ shop but I have 4 stockings to fill :eek: any suggestions would be great

Sarah xx

I used to try to get all my stocking fillers for under a quid (cheap rubbish like you get in party bags), but after a few years of chucking most of the stuff out a few days later/finding it still in the stockings next Christmas I have had to be more selective. I try to get few but slightly bigger/better things.
Poundland is still good for DVDs (I got spiderman ones I think, they had a lot of different ones, one each for my boys this year), character socks, character toothbrushes/paste, glowsticks/glow wands.
Then a tube of sweets/chocolates (usually on offer in SM for about a quid).
And then find a few decent enough things for a few pounds each.

I budget £20 each, 2 boys and one girl, this will be the trickiest year as my DD is also nearly 3 this christmas and wants pink girly stuff which will all be awful plastic tat no doubt!

Edit to add ideas I just thought of...
- Torch
- Drinks bottle

LV_Sue

Try Crafty Crocodiles for stocking fillers - and loads of other stuff!
http://www.craftycrocodiles.co.uk/search/all-products

Butterfly_Brain

boredjellybean wrote: »

Hi there I'm loving this thread though I fear it may be the new year by the time I read through it all :rotfl:

I've started making my planning lists & noting down prezzie ideas & trying to figure out a budget (no idea how I'll fund it yet tough )

I've a quick question - does anyone know of anywhere REALLY cheap for stocking ideas? I will visit then £ shop but I have 4 stockings to fill :eek: any suggestions would be great

Sarah xx

How about for the older ones.........smellies, pens, sharpeners rubbers, pencil cases or stuff from this site is really reasonable

http://www.mummymartinstoybox.co.uk/

lisakay_2

jellybean i will, but you may need to remind me as i'm off to bed now and sleep seems to erase all memory:rotfl:
ur all doing well with christmas preps. i've prepped all the veg for chillililli tonight and tomorrow i need to chop goodness knows how many courgettes for chutney:eek:.
2 1/2 pairs of fingerless mitts finished now.
started on the girls stockings with disney pocket kites in the asd* sale for 75p although i'm pretty sure they'll not fold back up to pocket sized after they've been used!

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chilli-jam-2692

actually, might as well get it done now x i'll have a quick hunt for the marmalade one x

http://www.food.com/recipe/confit-d-oignon-french-onion-marmalade-211001

http://www.deliaonline.com/community/yourrecipes/preserves/Onion-Marmalade.html

have used both of these, both nice but prefer the second one.

ragz_2

Thanks Butterfly brain, that site is good. Crafty crocodiles is fab but I got the catalogue and just want everything!

Ordered a few bits on Amazon last night, including Cr*p Cars Trumps/Cr*p Christmas trumps cards for a few quid (posted) which I thought would make a funny gift for one of the men I have to buy for, along with a bag of sweets/homemade fudge. Will make them laugh even if they never play them and there are a few male relatives I always struggle with so that should work nicely.