Old Style preparations for Christmas 2012!!!!!

mummybearx

I'm actually not too badly organised this year!

Got 3 Bayliss and Harding gift sets for free a few months ago, I bought 4 Body Shop £25 gift sets when they were on glitch, and I have two big Accessorise gift sets reduced in Superdrug to £1.99 each.

That's all the women on my list sorted. I also have 7 or 8 slankets I got for £1 each in the B&M sale, some for the women and a few are kids ones.

Struggling with the men on my list though. Doing swagbucks and I've got about £60 of gift vouchers for amazon, think I will get them a book or a dvd each. Not entirely sure yet

I also got lots of wrapping paper for free, gave loads to my family and to my neighbours. Will be a laugh on christmas day when all the presents are in the same paper lol x

bossymoo

I've got DS a dinosaur encyclopaedia today. And each some pj's for the Xmas eve hamper. Looking at the stash, I think they have plenty now. I did want to get them a balance bike each, though. And thinking of making some memory boards, as gifts.

Want to get mil a handbag organiser, she always loses her keys or something. FIL can have some brandy, my mum her favourite posh soap and stepdad likes vodka. Will do them all a nursery photo in a nice frame too.

My brother lives abroad anyway, but they are going ski-ing over Xmas and new year. So I might send the girls a little parcel before Xmas with a few goodies. Maybe some earmuffs and warm socks, plus some sweeties, pics from our kiddies and maybe if I can get an advent calendar without chocolate, that they will be able to take with them... Hmm I wonder if I've got a suitable box?

findingmyfeet

just been catching up on the thread, totally loving it all. Now we are in to october it seems to be coming in pretty quickly and seems more real.

food Hamper box going well, chocs, tea, coffee, tinned meats etc so far by december i should have my storecupboard stuff and ust have fresh foods to buy. contemplated my cake and mince pies now. This week we are eating from the freezer to make space for xmas baking and prep stuff.

I have finished knitting my friends baby cardigans and crochet pram blanket and one knitted cushion. lots to keep me going still. I have made a gift budget for family i need to buy for and by living very frugally for the past few weeks have a bout half the money i need so far.

got the bo*ts xmas cataloue to browse through, bit expensive for me but i do have around £20 in points to spend so may be able to get something on 3for 2 for free.

my gran used to reycle all wrapping paper, ribbons anything and everything. we got told as kids to be careful unwrapping stuff !! This year i am thinkin of using a roll of brown parcel paper and using xmas ribbons and pine cones ?holly sprigs etc to decorate them. i sometimes make gift tags by printing off some small photos i have taken of people or places and sticking them on coloured luggage labels.

Butterfly_Brain

Got some brussels, carrots and parsnips from the market today and have planted some sprouty potatoes so they will be ready in December. They are nice and snug in their little house of tyres
Looking for gift ideas for the outlaws that I can pop in their hamper. I already have most of the pressies for DH, DD and DS and I am doing pots of jewels this year for the teachers (similar to pots of gold but you can use anything with a jewel coloured wrapper)

katholicos

Made a batch of soap and have crocheted facecloths, some for us to use and some for gift giving. I put 3 crocheted facecloths with a big chunky bar of soap then tie it up in a bow using a long strand of crocheted links. Very frugal, but i think, quite impressive considing it is all homemade. Not everyone appreciates home made gifts, more fool them!

Patchwork_Quilt

Had a leaflet through the door the other day from a local restaurant, advertising their Christmas lunches all through December. It got me thinking, as Mum vowed last year that it was the last time she was making a big family meal. I've rung and asked if she would like us all to meet up here, go out for one of these meals and then come back for coffee and mince pies. It would save an awful lot of work and we could pay for her and my stepdad as their Christmas present. Given that they are still desperately trying to cram the contents of their two houses into one, they certainly don't need any more 'things'!

Making a Christmas pud tomorrow, if I can remember to soak the fruit.

pinkypig

I have also made a start! I have cleared out a shelf in the dresser for my Christmas food stash and have got a few AP bargains in there as well as some extra wide foil that I got from HB today. Quite a small stash but is is a start :j
I also got some YS swede and carrot and a red cabbage for 40p. I have steamed and mashed carrot and swede and that is in the freezer. The red cabbage has been braised in slow cooker with some windfall apples and I will freeze that when it cools.
I have done my Christmas menus and have also made a note of what I have got and where I have put it (learned from bitter experience that I often end up getting things twice because of my awful memory!).

Have also been through my pressie cupboard and now have a list of who is getting what and with the exception of DD who hasn't actually said what she wants I have pretty much everything :j
I got my cards, ribbon and paper in clearance sales in Jan along with some candles, crackers and serviettes so I am hoping for minimal spend which is good because we have a really tight couple of months coming up (don't we all?).

Couple of bargains today;

1. Pound shop had Goosebumps books which are usually 3.99 or 4.99. Got DS one for his Christmas Eve goody box. Also had Katie Price (!!!) novel for DD who is a big fan.

2. Went on to the works site to use 20% off £10 voucher and had a real palaver! Eventually gave up because it would not apply the discount and went to bed. Glad I did as I got an email this morning saying they had noticed I had visited the site but had not purchased and gave me a £5 off code if you spent over £30 :money:. Code was SAVE5 when you reached the checkout if anyone is thinking of placing an order (didn't say when it would expire) because every little helps folks:).

Good luck with your frugal festive planning everyone

PP x

boredjellybean

Hiya - I really need to get back into this..... I was so enthusiastic at the beginning of September but now I seem to have run out of money & ideas I'm really struggling to think of prezzies to buy & my children are not being helpful with their Christmas lists - I may tell them they've got one week or they get nothing

I may try & get back into the swing of things today & plan my cards or decorations

Sarah

Butterfly_Brain

BJB When my two were small, they loved lots of presents, but they only had one main present then lots of bits like colouring books, pound shop toys and books, felt pens, pencil cases etc. I sat for hours knitting toys, clangers, noddy, bob the builder you name it and they still love their little bits even today and DD is 23 and DS is 18, but now they get deodorant, hair care stuff, lip salve, gloves, hats and scarves because they always lose one, socks and underwear and I knit gauntlets for both of them.

Ellie83

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

BJB When my two were small, they loved lots of presents, but they only had one main present then lots of bits like colouring books, pound shop toys and books, felt pens, pencil cases etc. I sat for hours knitting toys, clangers, noddy, bob the builder you name it and they still love their little bits even today and DD is 23 and DS is 18, but now they get deodorant, hair care stuff, lip salve, gloves, hats and scarves because they always lose one, socks and underwear and I knit gauntlets for both of them.

You could be my mother The way mum does it (even now I'm 29 and sister 26 ) is we have one main present and then little things like magnet, a funky sponge, some chocolate, knitted little things etc.

I know it's not really Christmas but I have been crocheting little pumpkins to put on the window sill :rotfl: