Christmas is coming! 2007 - merged thread

MrsTinks

Nothing sad about being organized The less debt - the more you have to spend in the sales! And the more you can buy (that you need!) in the sales the more you save and the less debt you run up and so the good cycle continues Instead of sticking it on cards and being skint through the sales and then paying over the odds for things AND high apr on top meaning you can't buy in the sales but next year again have to buy when it's all pricey starting the eveil cycle that is hard to get out of. I have loads of pressies in my pressie box which means that I won't get surprised by any birthdays and already have some of my christmas presents I am working on making my own christmas presents too which should cost a lot less and be much more personal I'm crocheting a little bag which I can fill with bath stuff for someone and give as a really personal gift - I think it'll be finished tonight and if it is it'll only have taken me 2 1/2 evenings (even slightly less as I actually spent a lot of time trying to get the start of it the way I wanted as I didn't have a pattern but was initially just messing about ) to make which isn't bad I'll post a pic ture here when it's done

angie_baby

Im in too, have already got cards, wrapping from the Jan sales. And today i bought a magnet making set thingy for a £1!!!!
I love christmas so much, and i dont find it to stressful. Because of all my bargins i got thoughout 2006 it ment the money i had been putting in my savings account for chrsitmas could be used on something else, which i did i took my boy to see father christmas in Lapland and it was GREAT!!! Not very MSE i know. Am going to think about homemade gifts for this year though.

Nneave

Well how sad am I? Apart from the baking for the Grandparents I've got all my gifts...

I should say only because I went to a scholastic booksale where the books started at 10p.

Just the food, wrapping and arguing about who/where/when etc now.

mioliere

Christmas planning early - nothing sad about that. I've been doing it for years and I reckon I have saved hundreds of pounds and miles of footwork. I am always on the look-out for things for Christmas and birthdays; I'm not actually going out deliberately looking, I just come across things and match them up with people on my gift list. I have four big boxes under the spare-room bed which gradually fill up over the year. I am collecting pigsback and other vouchers which I will save and spend in October. I bought all my tags and wrapping paper in the sales and I still have forty reels of quality expensive gift ribbon that were .5p each last year when my local Superdrug put them on sale. I found wrapping paper in a shop that was closing down four years ago and it was being sold for .2p for as much as you wanted and I have loads left! I also look in charity shops and sometimes find brand new things for next to nothing such as books and toys or pictures that can be re-framed. I make a lot of gifts as well because I like knitting and crochet. As Martin has said, Christmas comes at the same time every year - it does not take us by surprise so there's no excuse, really. I find it is such a lot cheaper spending the odd fiver here and there and it's great not being caught up in the panic-buying in the weeks leading up to Christmas and worrying about the cost afterwards. I sit back in a rosy glow and just enjoy the partying! I also take lots of photos of my grandchildren and put them in albums - one for their mum and dad and one for my mum and that always goes down really well. I also try and find a really good poem to type out and frame for my mum. These can look really special just by buying a cheap frame and decorating with outline stickers from craft suppliers.

I definitely recommend shopping early - it saves time and money and that's what we all want, isn't it?

MrsTinks

As promised pictures of the toiletries bag I was crocheting for some of my bargains/freebies as a gift

LJM

tine-that looks lovely you can tell alot of thought went into it

shazspice

Im so organised for xmas this year it worrying me!!!

I have all my xmas cards and wrapping paper that i bought in the january sales.

I have a few presents that i got in the sales from boots and superdrug.

I have £40.00 of points on my Boots advantage card and £30 of Morrisons savers stamps.

And i have £25 of Boots vouchers and £15 of argos from pigsback and valued opinions.

Everything seems to be going too well at the moment

sammy_kaye18

Wow tine that looks so pretty - id love to crochet but have absolutely no idea where the flip to start - plus there are lots of babies due to my family and friends at the minute, and lots of young uns and oldies in my family who could do with a nice wamr cuddly blanket so if you could let me know where to get started etc then id appreciate it lots!!!!

Yeah i havent really been bargain hunting for a while now but im hopign this week to get out there and do a fair bit more now. I have 4 baskets ready to be hampers. (1 is fairly big, 3 medium size) These are my plans for them so far

1. Romantic night in hamper (1 big one)
For my baby sister and her bf - they are expecting baby in Septmeber (it'll be her second, his first) adn so i think a romantic film/cd, bottle of wine, choccies, massage oil, babysitting voucher from me, and give them some quality baby free time together.

2. A Father/daughter/Grandson hamper for my dad (1 smaller one)
Daddys Girl Poem, Book 'Chicken Soup for the father/daughter soul'. Picture in frame of me and my dad when I was little, and a more recent one of me with my dad when i was pregnant. then another grandad picture frame with a picture of him and Ben in, Picture from Ben, tshirt (which reads my grandson walks all over me).

3. Pamper Hamper for my Mummy (1 smaller one)
nice smellies, Mum Poem, One of those teapots and mugs all in one, Flavoured baileys, nice choccies (she loves thorntons), Picture of Benjamin, One of me and her together, voucher for a manicure.

4. Movie Night In for my step brother and sister (1 smaller one)
Movie Rental Vouchers, Box of ready to pop popcorn, bag of sweets each, envelope with money in for pop etc, 'do not disturb sign', teddy incase they get a scary movie. I realy want to get them tickets to see something too - liek a concert for my step sis (shes slightly older 14) and maybe a show or something for my step brother (12/13).


Does anyone havve any other ideas what i could add to any of these?? Im thinking they all look a bit empty.

nickm122

I am just saving up all my points on Boots Advantage card (£11.20 so far), Tesco Club Card Vouchers (£10.50 so far) and Nectar Points (856 so far) and will use these to get presents with which should cut down spending costs!!

kittykirsty

Tine: Your gift bags look great, have you thought of selling them on ebay? I can't crochet to save myself but love the idea of filling those full of lovely gifts for my family!