Old Style preparations for Christmas 2012!!!!!

miss_emmajane

Doing good with our prepping now, aiming to be completely sorted by the end of October as I have a lot of uni work in the next couple of months alongside my birthday, and all the festivities to be enjoyed!

Presents are nearly sorted aside from OH who only has a few bits - thinking about setting a budget for us, as we can't afford to buy lots as we did before we got our home. We have most of our snacks sorted (mostly from the Christmas lines at ALDI & LIDL - florentine biscuits, and greek baklava particularly) and don't need Christmas dinner prepped as we're going to my parents for it.

We have a couple of bits left to finish off presents, some savoury snacks & chutney to complete our Christmas eve 'picky pea' & festive snacks .. and then we're done. Makes me really look forward to enjoying the holiday knowing it is all sorted out!

*niptuckfan*

well done all you super organised folk! what i would like to do is give some kind of home baked item for gifts to colleagues and friends - something i could wrap in cellophane with a nice bow - any ideas or recipes would be gratefully received

MrsCD

*niptuckfan* wrote: »

well done all you super organised folk! what i would like to do is give some kind of home baked item for gifts to colleagues and friends - something i could wrap in cellophane with a nice bow - any ideas or recipes would be gratefully received

Have a look at this website and see if there's anything that takes your fancy!
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/christmas/index.htm

meanmarie

Boredjellybean....as a 67 year old I am always very happy with book vouchers, garden centre vouchers or pots with nice plants...if your parents in law don't have room for pots inside maybe something that could go outside where they could see it from the house?

Good luck

Marie

[Deleted User]

Thank you everyone so much for the great posts and fab ideas for Christmas- I really was feeling very depressed about the cost involved now that I am trying to deal with my debt- however the ideas here are great- you've inspired me to start and realize we can have a wonderful Christmas on great budget!

Keep em coming!!

GL

boredjellybean

meanmarie wrote: »

Boredjellybean....as a 67 year old I am always very happy with book vouchers, garden centre vouchers or pots with nice plants...if your parents in law don't have room for pots inside maybe something that could go outside where they could see it from the house?

Good luck

Marie

Thank you Marie I am thinking I may get a couple of nice pots from the garden centre & plant them up with spring bulbs for my in-laws, my gran may well end up with a bottle of something boozy & I'll update her digi photo frame with some new pic's of the great grand children
As for the aunts & uncles I'm still undecided
Next job is to think of something for the kids - the older two want kindles (eeeek)

boredjellybean

thought I'd bump this up - I'm back on track & in planning mode (I know I'm running out of time lol) can anyone give me any tips on what food they buy/prepare in advance for the festive season - I was thinking I'd make some sausage rolls & buy a few extra things like mayo - we host the family over Christmas & tend to do a big buffet which is added to over the week

Sarah xxx

daisiegg

boredjellybean wrote: »

thought I'd bump this up - I'm back on track & in planning mode (I know I'm running out of time lol) can anyone give me any tips on what food they buy/prepare in advance for the festive season - I was thinking I'd make some sausage rolls & buy a few extra things like mayo - we host the family over Christmas & tend to do a big buffet which is added to over the week

Sarah xxx

So far I have bought/made:

- made the Christmas cake
- made two kinds of chutney, chilli jam, pickled shallots and clementine marmalade
- bought a big tin of chocolates
- bought enough wine and beer to take us to the new year
- bought the turkey crown to go in the freezer
- bought frozen ready made pastry and sausagemeat for the freezer, will make and freeze sausage rolls nearer the time
- bought some savoury crackers and dips, snack type things we don't have at other times of the year
- bought schloer and some other soft drinks for non drinkers

All of the above has been picked up when on offer over the last month or so.

Things I am still planning to make or buy...

- nearer the time we get fancy pât!, cheeses, lots of part baked rolls and baguettes, as well as obviously all the stuff for meals etc
- will buy smoked salmon when I see a good offer and put it in the freezer
- I'll make and freeze braised red cabbage ready for Christmas dinner
- I'll make and freeze some sticky Christmas gingerbread in small portions so we can get it out as and when
- will make and freeze Christmas cookies and cupcakes
- I'll also make and freeze some nice wintery soup for lunches/starters
- I usually make and freeze Nigella's Boston Baked Beans from her Christmas book; doesn't sound typically Christmassy but they are delicious and great with sausages/gammon etc over the festive season!

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

Savvy_sewing

Argh did you have to bump it up! Now I know that all the aims of the beginning of the year totally went out the window and i need to start thinking of the dreaded C word.!
Nothing done at all in this house. the only way is up I suppose!

[Deleted User]

I have started Christmas preps- as you can see from my signature I have no extra pennies for the festive period.

Firstly, I have bowed out of works Christmas parties (easier than I thought- not much nagging from colleagues).

I have also had the dreaded chat with both our families- they finally now know that we have money problems (after years of hiding it from them). We have explained we will be spending less on Christmas presents and will be giving token pressies only (bottle of wine for example).

I have used B**ts points to buy a couple of things and have been saving small amounts with my mum to buy pressies for DS- he also knows pressies are not going to be endless this year.

I am going to concentrate on lovely times with our families rather than expensive pressies.
GLx