Christmas is coming! 2007 - merged thread

MrsTinks

I'm lucky... there is only going to be 2 of us this year for christmas - I'm hoping for a lovelly quiet one with OH and no family! I'm guessing it'll be our last christmas with just the 2 of us as if everything goes to plan then next christmas I'll be carrying around "bump" - we get hitched in May and we'll start trying for the first addition to the family then
So it'll be a fairly cheap affair and hopefully I can avoid the turkey I'm thinking of ordering a duck again from our lovely butchers and spoiling ourselves a little bit... might even get lobsters for new year as is the tradition in my family (they are cheaper in Denmark - especially when you know the fishermen lol) - but at least it means no fighting the crowds at Tesco for the best turkeys
Why not try and grow you own spuds for christmas? Stick them in now and they SHOULD be ready in time for christmas dinner
I stuck my christmas spuds in last night

looneyleo

Just thought I'd let you know how my hampers are going, all charity shop purchases (as new)

SIL: Pamper Hamper: Basket 75p, Boots aromatherapy set (was £6.00) £1.00, (Foot care set 4 items) £1.75. TOTAL: £3.50
Brother: Curry Lover Hamper: Basket £1 TOTAL £1.00
Brother and partners Pamper Hamper: Great BIG chocolate Mug 50p TOTAL 50p.

I'm hoping to get each basket done for £20.00 max and it be full of stuff for them all. Scouring the charity shops everyday and really enjoying it!

nicki_2

I'm really lucky this year - we're at the ILs for Christmas which means no grocery shopping for me BUT I will offer to bake the Christmas cake instead as my contribution That teamed up with all the baking/sweets I'm making for gifts should keep the costs of this Christmas down :j

mikeD

Re-Hampers. Excuse for asking but I'm new to this sort of thing. What do you use to put all these wonderful stuff in??? Please tell me!

mikeD

tine wrote: »

Why not try and grow you own spuds for christmas? Stick them in now and they SHOULD be ready in time for christmas dinner
I stuck my christmas spuds in last night

What variety do you use? Do you steam/boil/roast them?

MrsTinks

mikeD wrote: »

What variety do you use? Do you steam/boil/roast them?

I stuck some red ones in I had left over from earlier in the year, and also 2 that have started sprouting in my kitchen against my will :rotfl:
You can do what ever you want - I would just stick in any you have around that have started sprouting (think it's called chitting - check the greenfingered board!) and then you can do what you wish with them. I've never been one for following guidelines on what to do with spuds - I'll merrily cook whatever I find however I like :rolleyes:

MrsTinks

mikeD wrote: »

Re-Hampers. Excuse for asking but I'm new to this sort of thing. What do you use to put all these wonderful stuff in??? Please tell me!

You can put hampers in anything you want really Either keep an eye out for bargain baskets (£1 shops can be a goldmine!) or you could get inventive and use the trays for satsumas you get nearer christmas (you know the little wooden ones?) Or if you are doing a "new car owner hamper" you could use a cheap plastic bucket, for a "garderners delight" how about using a cheap plant pot? (Incidently I picked up 4 at Tesco today - reduced from £2.97 to 74p each... whether they will become presents or get pilfered for my own garden... who knows lol!)
There are lots of creative suggestions about on how to do the baskets

annaangeluk_2

Margaret54 wrote: »

have a go at making your own christmas cake and you will feel so proud of your efforts:)

First of all I'd just like to say, I know it's still July (just!) but I'm so excited about xmas already! I'm like a big kid! :xmassmile

Anyway - Christmas cake: when is the best time to make xmas cakes? Also our local weigh and save place has xmas cake packs with all the ingrediants already weighed out into bags. For a luxury cake these are about £4 /£4.50 ish. Does this seem like good value? Obviously any alcohol, eggs, icing etc are extra but I've never made a xmas cake before and I'm not sure if this works out more or less expensive than normal?

Thanks

rosieben

annaangeluk wrote: »

Anyway - Christmas cake: when is the best time to make xmas cakes?

Also our local weigh and save place has xmas cake packs with all the ingrediants already weighed out into bags. ....

Used to make mine a few months pre-christmas and that gives you lots of time to add alcohol!! I stopped making christmas cakes many years ago when I realised that none of us actually like them! Now I have chocolate or madeira cake with a bit of holly on the top instead!

I always think that anything pre-weighed and pre-packaged is likely to be more expensive but I've never used a weigh and save. If yiou never intend to cook anything again, maybe it would be cost effective. But if you use flour etc in the normal way then best to weigh up your own. I'd be happier knowing exactly what was in mine too.

edited to say - Love the christmas tree anna!!

r.mac_2

Hi everyone - can I join in?!

I am getting married on 8th December this year and don't get back from honeymoon until Christmas eve! Needless to say with all the planning and celebrations I need to be ultra organised for Christmas this year.

I bought all my christmas cards in January in the sales and plan to write them in early November, and have my mum post them when we are on honeymoon. I have also started a present bag. I have so far got:

Present for my Mum
Present for my sister (1)
present for God son
present for friends child (1)

Need to get:
Present for my dad
present for Mum in law
present for dad in law
present for My sister (2)
present for sister in law (1)
present for sister in law (2) and fiance
present for granny
present for grandparents in law
present for friends child (2)

and of course present for my Husband to be

I have been looking in the sales and collecting bits as I go along!

you are inspiring me - keep all those tips coming please!