Old Style Christmas Preparations for Christmas 2013

mum2one

Smoosh wrote: »

Whilst I'm posting in here if anyone has present ideas for children of the following ages, I'd be grateful!: 12 year old girl, 10 year old girl, 9 year old girl, 2 6 year old boys, 6 year old girl, 3 year old girl, 1 year old boy, 5 mo. old girl (not even born yet!).

Have you got an idea of budgets

My DD nearly 11 - going by her
Just starting to get into make up and likes her own toilettires,

(could do this for the 12yr old + 10 yr old) - pamper Hamper
Bubble bath
Shower puff
make up brushes
nail polish
tissues - box of tatty ted £1 big box or 3 mini boxes £1.50 - Home bargains)
shower gel
toe seperators
cotton wool
face mask
lip balm
make - up bag
small tissues (just got some love heart ones 6 packets £1)
bath pearls

6 yr old
Hair accessoires hamper
clips,
brush
stick on nail gems
if she likes Hello Kitty (most girls do) - £1land/£1world/homebargains - they do showergel, shampoo etc

or cooking hamper
you can do the items for cooking - cook your own cakes / cookies
apron
mixing bowl
small utensils (£1land get some good stuff)
add dry ingredients - pre weighed - just need to add eggs and butter
add a couple of recipies

-6 yr old boys-
maybe a backpack for school (usually get them from Argos)
lego
make your own set (mecanno set)
game - connect 4 type game (try to avoid cars etc that need batteries)

-3 yr old girl-
I would maybe go for disney princess, hello kitty items,
selection box
hair accessories
doll
nightdress (got some great kids ones £1world)

or
colouring books, pencils,

- 1 yr old boy-
I would go for clothing - as at that age he'll be growing out of stuff, go for a bigger age - be 1 at xmas - go for 18/24mth
or Argos - beanstalk range - designed for babies and younger kids
Pull out wooden puzzle (early learning centre) are other shops that do them

-5 mth old girl-
maybe look for a toy that is aged 2+ so she can grow in to it,
wooden pull out puzzles
book such as 365 fairy tales for girls (under £5)

=========
Family Hamper - Night at the cinema indoors
Could include kids dvd (or voucher for a dvd)
popcorn
chocolate
cans of pop
bottle of beer - man
mini bottle wine - lady
packets of sweets


the could be adapted to the 3yr old, 6 yr old - add kids dvd, pop, popcorn etc


With hampers, pamper packs you can go from £3 to what ever
======


I always look at Argos as most of the year they have clearance sales - and you usually look at your own store,

An online company i use
www,halfcost.co.uk - all new items (over stocks / last yrs items - inc kleenze, argos etc - they add new items on a friday - can be hit and miss but worth a look


Hope that gives you a couple of ideas to start you off with xx

Smoosh

mum2one wrote: »

Have you got an idea of budgets

My DD nearly 11 - going by her
Just starting to get into make up and likes her own toilettires,

(could do this for the 12yr old + 10 yr old) - pamper Hamper
Bubble bath
Shower puff
make up brushes
nail polish
tissues - box of tatty ted £1 big box or 3 mini boxes £1.50 - Home bargains)
shower gel
toe seperators
cotton wool
face mask
lip balm
make - up bag
small tissues (just got some love heart ones 6 packets £1)
bath pearls

6 yr old
Hair accessoires hamper
clips,
brush
stick on nail gems
if she likes Hello Kitty (most girls do) - £1land/£1world/homebargains - they do showergel, shampoo etc

or cooking hamper
you can do the items for cooking - cook your own cakes / cookies
apron
mixing bowl
small utensils (£1land get some good stuff)
add dry ingredients - pre weighed - just need to add eggs and butter
add a couple of recipies

-6 yr old boys-
maybe a backpack for school (usually get them from Argos)
lego
make your own set (mecanno set)
game - connect 4 type game (try to avoid cars etc that need batteries)

-3 yr old girl-
I would maybe go for disney princess, hello kitty items,
selection box
hair accessories
doll
nightdress (got some great kids ones £1world)

or
colouring books, pencils,

- 1 yr old boy-
I would go for clothing - as at that age he'll be growing out of stuff, go for a bigger age - be 1 at xmas - go for 18/24mth
or Argos - beanstalk range - designed for babies and younger kids
Pull out wooden puzzle (early learning centre) are other shops that do them

-5 mth old girl-
maybe look for a toy that is aged 2+ so she can grow in to it,
wooden pull out puzzles
book such as 365 fairy tales for girls (under £5)

=========
Family Hamper - Night at the cinema indoors
Could include kids dvd (or voucher for a dvd)
popcorn
chocolate
cans of pop
bottle of beer - man
mini bottle wine - lady
packets of sweets


the could be adapted to the 3yr old, 6 yr old - add kids dvd, pop, popcorn etc


With hampers, pamper packs you can go from £3 to what ever
======


I always look at Argos as most of the year they have clearance sales - and you usually look at your own store,

An online company i use
www,halfcost.co.uk - all new items (over stocks / last yrs items - inc kleenze, argos etc - they add new items on a friday - can be hit and miss but worth a look


Hope that gives you a couple of ideas to start you off with xx

Wow, thank you so much! Amazing ideas

I'm aiming for £5 or under for each of them, just because there's so many of them!

The older girls had me the most stuck, I can't even remember what I would have liked to have received at that age, and no doubt it's all different now anyway!

I'm looking at the Argos clearance for my store now, some great things. I've seen a cosmetic bag with body wash, shower creme and body lotion for £2.99, which I think could definitely work for the 12 year old.

I'll definitely be checking out that other company too.

mum2one

Smoosh - I love argos clearance, - i got a wack of bargains from there, the £2.99 set looks nice, I had a bigger version of it, - for £5 you can get some brilliant bargains, what I tend to do if I am doing a couple of people with hampers is like buy the multi-packs (6 pack of tissues, 3 mini boxes etc) and split them between the people.

The thing is with kids nowadays there old before there age, (I'm 42) my daughter thinks its so funny that I didn't get a TV in my room till I was about 10 or 11 and then it was a black and white - that was luxury, never mind waiting for a Video recorder........
But now its, TVs, DVDs, games consules, phones, playbooks, computers, - but then we had the freedom to go out play, explore, you knew everyone in your street - where as now - society not as safe - so theyve turned into gadgets...

Although what ever age they are a selection box always goes down well!! xx

Smoosh

mum2one wrote: »

Smoosh - I love argos clearance, - i got a wack of bargains from there, the £2.99 set looks nice, I had a bigger version of it, - for £5 you can get some brilliant bargains, what I tend to do if I am doing a couple of people with hampers is like buy the multi-packs (6 pack of tissues, 3 mini boxes etc) and split them between the people.

The thing is with kids nowadays there old before there age, (I'm 42) my daughter thinks its so funny that I didn't get a TV in my room till I was about 10 or 11 and then it was a black and white - that was luxury, never mind waiting for a Video recorder........
But now its, TVs, DVDs, games consules, phones, playbooks, computers, - but then we had the freedom to go out play, explore, you knew everyone in your street - where as now - society not as safe - so theyve turned into gadgets...

Although what ever age they are a selection box always goes down well!! xx

Splitting up multi packs is a great idea. I need to pop to the shops tomorrow anyway (dress shopping, another challenge in itself!), so I'm planning on checking out poundland, wilkinsons etc. to see if I can get any bargains!

It's kind of sad really. I'm 21, but it already seems like times have taken a massive leap since I was 12! Most of the kids already have so much stuff, and will no doubt be getting very expensive presents from their parents, so I just worry I'm wasting time/money buying them something that will probably only entertain them for 2 minutes!

I've seen this on Argos too http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=1500002951&langId=110&productId=789512 I think it could work well for the 3 year old perhaps.

Very true, selection boxes go down well at my age too :rotfl:

mum2one

Smoosh wrote: »

Splitting up multi packs is a great idea. I need to pop to the shops tomorrow anyway (dress shopping, another challenge in itself!), so I'm planning on checking out poundland, wilkinsons etc. to see if I can get any bargains!

It's kind of sad really. I'm 21, but it already seems like times have taken a massive leap since I was 12! Most of the kids already have so much stuff, and will no doubt be getting very expensive presents from their parents, so I just worry I'm wasting time/money buying them something that will probably only entertain them for 2 minutes!

I've seen this on Argos too http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=1500002951&langId=110&productId=789512 I think it could work well for the 3 year old perhaps.

Very true, selection boxes go down well at my age too :rotfl:

At 21, you have a heart of gold to think of everyone else, that book set looks brilliant, this is going to sound so tight, but as they were originally £10, I would split the set in half, and save the other half for bday present, another girl, or even put them up for xmas next yr.

Parents get collared for the big items, my daughter, she has something big from me and my mum and dad, - then has some odds and sods but she loves opening her other presents as there the surprises.

Another place online worth looking at is The Book people (if you go through topcashback you get some money back,) they do a good range of kids books each one tells you want age group, they do some gd adult books, you can get some bargains from there.

Its def worth shopping around, last week i picked up 2 cross stitch kits for 25p each, brand new (from a 2nd hand shop) route through the boxes, and the one kit got the shop tag on £18.75. xx

Smoosh

mum2one wrote: »

At 21, you have a heart of gold to think of everyone else, that book set looks brilliant, this is going to sound so tight, but as they were originally £10, I would split the set in half, and save the other half for bday present, another girl, or even put them up for xmas next yr.

Parents get collared for the big items, my daughter, she has something big from me and my mum and dad, - then has some odds and sods but she loves opening her other presents as there the surprises.

Another place online worth looking at is The Book people (if you go through topcashback you get some money back,) they do a good range of kids books each one tells you want age group, they do some gd adult books, you can get some bargains from there.

Its def worth shopping around, last week i picked up 2 cross stitch kits for 25p each, brand new (from a 2nd hand shop) route through the boxes, and the one kit got the shop tag on £18.75. xx

I love Christmas and I love family I get more satisfaction out of shopping for other people and watching them open their presents than I do from my own birthdays etc. Great idea to split the set, I could maybe save the other half for her birthday next year. I've reserved them anyway, so will consult OH tomorrow (although no doubt he'll have no interest!).

Thanks for the book idea! Books for the adults is a great idea, I hadn't really considered that.

That's a great price. I'm an avid charity shop shopper, so I'll keep my eye out for any goodies in there as well. I found some great nail polishes for myself last week (20p each!), I think something similar could work well for the older girls. I'd also like to buy my mum a handbag, but I can't really afford brand new, so if I can find one with tags then I'll be happy

Uniscots97

Smoosh wrote: »

Love this thread!

Last year me and my OH couldn't afford to buy anyone presents, but now that he has a better job I definitely want to (even though my parents will no doubt tell me off for "wasting money"!). We'll be on a budget though because we have 11 nieces and nephews between us! I'm thinking of making jam for all the adults and making the jars nice and festive

For the kids how about filling jars with sweets for them? You can re-use jam jars (Aldi's marmalade jars are a nice hexagonal shape), you can print a label with their name on to cover any print on the lid. Then as an extra (depending on their age/gender):- hair clips (Home Bargains), nail varnish (same or poundland), DVD's (poundland or CS), earphones (same shops). Put the gifts into a gift bag (Tesco's do plain ones cheap about 30p) and stencil their name onto it.

CountingPennies

Mum2one i'm loving your hamper ideas! Lat year I did a alcohol hamper for my sister-in-law (3 bottles of cider) along with a big bar of her favourite chocolate and she LOVED it. Put it in a small cheap basket i picked up from a carboot and wrapped cellophane round it. Everyone thought it looked brilliant. I also did my mother a footcare hamper with footsoak, cream ect. She also loved that. She said it felt much more personal and thought of because it was all stuff she liked/needed. Much better than the usual 3 for 2 overpriced rubbish i normally get her from boots! Lol.

I'm gonna pinch the pamper hamper idea off you for my 13 year old niece. Thanks for the idea!

Smoosh

unixgirluk wrote: »

For the kids how about filling jars with sweets for them? You can re-use jam jars (Aldi's marmalade jars are a nice hexagonal shape), you can print a label with their name on to cover any print on the lid. Then as an extra (depending on their age/gender):- hair clips (Home Bargains), nail varnish (same or poundland), DVD's (poundland or CS), earphones (same shops). Put the gifts into a gift bag (Tesco's do plain ones cheap about 30p) and stencil their name onto it.

Love the sweet idea Great for all ages!

OH has a 13 year old sister too, so the ideas will work for her as well. Although all she seems to be interested in is texting and talking to boys on the phone! Might talk to their mum to see what she's "into" at the moment.

mandco

Smoosh wrote: »

Wow, thank you so much! Amazing ideas

I'm aiming for £5 or under for each of them, just because there's so many of them!

The older girls had me the most stuck, I can't even remember what I would have liked to have received at that age, and no doubt it's all different now anyway!

I'm looking at the Argos clearance for my store now, some great things. I've seen a cosmetic bag with body wash, shower creme and body lotion for £2.99, which I think could definitely work for the 12 year old.

I'll definitely be checking out that other company too.

if thats the Baylis & Harding Beauticology Cupcake Cosmetic Bag def work for a 12yr however you may not get the bag as none of the stores local to me had the set pictured they gave an alternative set with 3 dif products.

for the baby I would def go with something from the lamaze range they are slightly dearer but you can usually find them on offer around the £5-£6 mark

for the 1yr old - something from the thats not my book range or any hard back type book / wooden puzzles