*The Holly and the Ivy* and the You Know What 2013 Chatter Thread.

Own_My_Own

kaya1991 wrote: »

I've been up to my old tricks of slowly ordering bits and pieces online as they go into sales or I get discount codes, but I really like saving some of my Christmas shopping for late November/ early December to savour the atmosphere in the shops Am I the only one who is crazy enough to enjoy the busy bustle of town as it gets nearer Christmas?!

I suffer with claustrophobia and can't do my shopping in December. I get really stressed. ( as in I want to physically hit people in my way )I do love going to the shops in December to get the atmosphere, but I like to be able to leave a shop if I want to. A couple of years a go I went to Woolworth's at Lakeside in December and had to walk in and straight out. My BFF was in there for over 40 minutes buying gifts because the queues were so long. I was quite happy sitting outside looking at REALLY stressed people.

Amazingly I don't get stressed on the tube no matter how busy it is. I expect it is because everyone is going in the same direction and at a decent pace.

kaya1991

Own_My_Own wrote: »

I suffer with claustrophobia and can't do my shopping in December. I get really stressed. ( as in I want to physically hit people in my way )I do love going to the shops in December to get the atmosphere, but I like to be able to leave a shop if I want to. A couple of years a go I went to Woolworth's at Lakeside in December and had to walk in and straight out. My bbf was in there for over 40 minutes buying gifts because the queues were so long. I was quite happy sitting outside looking at REALLY stressed people.

Amazingly I don't get stressed on the tube no matter how busy it is. I expect it is because everyone is going in the same direction and at a decent pace.

I can absolutely understand that! I went into a VERY busy Superdrug yesterday with my boyfriend and within about five seconds we had to turn around and leave because it was so hot and crowded and unpleasant. Admittedly I only like to leave the last little bits to the last minute, unlike my brother who would do all his Christmas shopping at 4pm on Christmas Eve, and even then only begrudgingly :P

Spendless

I like to do my shopping after all the shops have got their stock in, which is why I have itchy feet around this time of year but before the queues become horrendous. We have had to change our annual Belgium/france visit to early Dec this year from late Nov due to dates of Xmas market and I think that's too late to be going and looking for stuff- I usually finish off my shopping after this trip.

I forgot to say also in HB today were several dvds at £2.99 these included several xmas ones such as miracle of 34th st, Jingle all the way and Deck the halls. There was also a Simpsons xmas title.

Over on the grabbit board, there are discussing the weekly Boots Offer of The Week

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4781859

Can't say I'm overly interested in what they've found out so far. Am not keen on body lotion even if they call it body butter/souffle/cream/balm and each offer seems to have it!

mkgirl1981

Crowdpleaser wrote: »

Yes its huge. Don't go at weekend or as Chrimboline draws closer as last year the world and his wife was in there. Couldve been because it was new though.

How much are the primarni guest towels and throws?

xxx

throws range from £3 for the thin cheapy ones ( still warm tho) £10 for the big doubled sided ones with soft fur on one side

freespirit66

aliaslotte wrote: »

Due to some pretty nasty circumstances, I've ended up unemployed this month and am now on the hunt to secure a new job as soon as possible.

So sorry to hear this, sending lots of good luck vibes in finding another one, its not what you need with the extra expense of xmas coming up

murie wrote: »

[QUOTE=
Awww-Thank you! I'm not ashamed of the hearing aid (not over the moon about it tho!) - I'm more ashamed at my own vanity/ shallowness I think. I'm so lucky to walk in my shoes when there are others really suffering every day and I'm a blubbing wreck over a bit of plastic. Mind you- knowing my luck it'll be one of those bloomin big brown boombox things that I'll have to balance on my shoulder:rotfl:
Thank you for your lovely words tho;)

Oh you have made me laugh, we are all vain in one way or another

Crowdpleaser wrote: »

Heard mentions of IBS. People who don't have it really don't realise how bad it can ruin your life. Im 33 and have the bad sort ie the dash to the loo one. Its ruining my life with my children. Am going through a particulary bad flare at the moment. I know lots is related to DD2 starting school and the upcoming house move. Anyway...xxx

Oh dear yes it was me, it affects so many people, mine is mainly stress related, but DD1 has it worse than me she practically lives on diarrhoea tabs, oh i hope yours settles down quickly

OMO thanks for the asda link, i cant wait to see this tweed one
WUVVIES well done on nearly being finished
TURBOSPERO hello and welcome to our thread
MKGIRL oh my god :rotfl:flipping thing is my DS would probably walk round in one of them
PRINCESSKITTY glad you had a lovely week in scotland, are you feeling better now?
DEBNDOT glad you all had a lovely family day out
KAYA oh what a year for you, my lovely but you have got through it and come through the other side i love that tree one of nigellas its gorgeous, i hate having to shop in december thats why i get it all done now, but i love going in and just sitting in starbucks/costa people watching, people stressing, people who are happy, people with loads and loads of bags, i just sit and let whoever im with shop, and bring their bags back to me, so i get all the atmosphere while being smug, no worrying over being able to park
OMO you and my DD1 would be lethal together she wants to commit murder when shopping and its ridiculously busy :rotfl:

Nanamia

Flowfy wow DS is doing so well, you must be very proud. Of course your love and support has obviously been a great help and confidence boost too You don't sound grumpy just tired, least with DH home next weekend you'll have company. If you are ever south Manchester way I can always pop the kettle on and kill an hour or two chatting xxx
Loubylou how organised you are. Did you get wrapped and hidden in time before your little darlings returned? X
Fluffysox they didn't look amateurish at all, they are delightful x
Pinknfluffy good luck for DS tomorrow, does this mean he'll be able to pick up his dancing shoes again? I truly hope so. How frustrating for him not to be able to do the one thing he loves to do. Bless him. Ooh the craft bank sounds fun (don't tell me any more I'm trying to get rid of my stash)
Did you manage to coax DMS into a little bit of painting? Haha xxx
Debndot thank you very much for the link, I've saved it as a thing to make with DGD2 Glad you had fun today and mse too, can't be bad Funnily enough I printed off a December calander sheet today to add Christmas activities too, I hope you don't mind me sharing xxx
Pinknfluffy thank you, just downloaded Meet me under the mistletoe and another light read (short story I think) Christmas at the Tea Shop Cafe. Will I be able to save them? Who knows xxx
Wuvvie you've done so well, getting everything so organised before your operation. Congratulations my lovely xxx
Choccymoose I'm still having the real/artificial tree dilemma! Need to get the things I'm keeping back in my living room and see what space etc. Now as for the decorations dilemma, don't get me started. Haha. A few years ago DH was very very poorly and quite bluntly I brought him home from hospital to die. December 6th.Cleared my lounge in an hour leaving only a sofa and a table to put his meds on knowing the hospital bed was huge. One of my sister asked if there was anything I needed and I asked for a little tree in a pot- she bought a little live tree about 50cms and I draped it in 100 fairy lights, knowing that if space got tighter I could just unplug the lights and carry the whole thing into the garden. All our usual decorations were in the loft except for one new decoration I'd bought on a trip out with BFF (before DH was poorly) I know it's a long and draw out story but DH (who didn't know he'd been brought home to die) recovered and is still with us almost 8 years on So the following year and the next 5 years that little tree grew and came back in each year, year one I was scared to decorate so just put a few glass baubles on and the one I'd bought the year before, the following year I got a little braver and our little tree grew from strength to strength eventually being decorated in glass/white black and a hint of red. The beautiful tree was too big to bring back in last year so we had a disastrous chopped tree still black, white and red! This year my room will be pink and green starts a whole new chapter in the Nanamia household Our original mis match of decorations still in the loft including things off my Nanas tree, things our children made and things from DH mothers tree. I will save those for another year xxx

Nanamia

Choccymoose I'm sorry my lovely, you got way more than you deserved there!! Haha I'm in rambling mode I think! xxx
Mrsinvisible whey my lovely, I'm blooming worn out reading that! You did fit a lot in to your trip. Think I'd be in bed for a week! I was thinking about your skyping cos you usually do it Saturday don't you? Glad you got chance to see the grandchildren today I'd love to have done some of those trips too, think DH would too. Definetely something I need to think about but not till after Christmas. Your advent calendars sound brill, but a lot of work! There is a pattern forming here. Can tou see how lazy i am xxx
Pixitotts wow your trees sound fab and so many, lucky you. Don't start me off again haha you too could end up with an essay! Haha. I was going to suggest Choccymoose went for gold too but that's before I got way laid with the ramblings of an old lady xxx
Alja well done on finding your bargains good for you having a day to relax today, you must've needed it xxx
Totality welcome, looking forward to getting to know you and our Christmas planning.
Clayton you are in my neck of the woods aren't you? May I ask which Range you went to? Sure I looked online and Rochdale or Southport were nearest but that may have been last year x
0462 hope your appointment comes through very soon and that although its scary it leaves you pain free and able to do the things you want to do xxx
Ruth_honey thank you, I've saved the mincemeat flapjacks recipe. I made the mincemeat muffins today Nitnurse thank you, DH (love him but his taste buds are cuckoo) said they were yummy and tasted a bit like mr Kipling manor farm cake! Tomorrow is weigh day for me so I will have a little taste Froze a dozen so that's my Christmas goodies started too xxx
Murie aww bless you my lovely. I'm really sorry it's making you feel down It did make me chuckle tho the thought of you balancing a ghetto blaster on your shoulder:) Im really hoping that the positive things far far out weigh the negatives. Sending hugs and I'm thinking of you xxx
Con1888 welcome, you are certainly in the right place
Aliaslotte it's good to have you back So sorry you've had such a tough time. From what you've said tho I think you ate gonna easy do it You are certainly in the right place. Sending out positive vibes to employers for you x
Crowdpleaser thank you for your post, it did make me smile x
Turbospero hiya, welcome aboard. I do feel your pain re passwords, I'm shocking at it!
Kaya you've had a tough time:( I'm glad you are on this side of it looking forward I had to google the baking tin and now I'm drooling I love it. You'll have to post pictures please when you've used it. I'm very envious I was about to say just about exactly the same as Freespirit has re Christmas shopping in December. She has a nack of thinking the exact same as I do haha. She's my twin sister separated at birth(I kno I kno you are two years younger too) haha. My plan is to sit and have coffe and mince pies, soak up the atmosphere, smile and people watch Linky is steering me towards the organisation I need to be able to do just that xxx

Nanamia

Nanamia
Take on NO MORE cooking/baking (doing anything really) for others
Carry on with decorating lounge
Write cards

By George she's done it woo hoo. I'm very proud of myself haha. It's the simple things xxx

I have also on the Christmas preparation front printed December calendar sheet to fill in with Christmas activities, made a batch of mincemeat muffins for the freezer, downloaded some Christmas books to the kindle app on iPad and bought some choccy bits for the stockings and pots of gold. Woo hoo go me. Thank you Linky really and truly. I am going to get my dream (thanks to you) xxx

This week I will
A) liaise with DD and book panto and Christmas trips
fill in on Decemner planner (thank you Debndot )
C) Make one savoury and one sweet dish for the freezer
D) ongoing living room

I cheekily also made (even tho the recipe says its ok I always make fresh) and froze cakes for two remaining orders and rather naughtily bought an icing sheet topper for the cake for this weekend so I've no decorating of that to do!

Now for the living room update: Joiner rang to say he was on his way and arrived 90 mins later, realised his plane was not right!!! Fitted one door (looks fab) and is coming back to do other one. So the saga continues. Tricky piece of skirting board sorted, caulk filled wherever necessary. Touch up required of emulsion and skirting boards painted. In Australia I saw whole houses built in the two weeks it's taken to do my living room!

Nanamia

Feisty I've seen on FB that you are ober busy But JJ, Sequeena and Msgigglewick hope you are all ok xxx

BBTHREE if you are lurking I'm missing you xxx

Moneysavingmumofone and Trendy sending sparkling twinkling fairy lights, hugs and lots of love xxx

Ameyturtle

Morning all yippee day off!

This week's goals include
finding what I already have
seeing what would fit in a stocking I want to.get them sorted.
Phone the tax office
Pay council tax
figure out what lush needs to be bought for stockings and advent
FIND A FREEZER

Fingers crossed for mum getting her injections this morning, because selfishly it will make my life aBit easier.

I am feeling so.unprepared for Christmas. I'm sure I'm not it just feels like it

Love and hugs to all xxx