Thrifty Gifty Santas Challenge 2014

mum2one

A special day today Miss Hoodie has gone to town with her friend the first time both of them have gone without a parent, dropped them off in town, going to pick them up at 3pm bless her heart she has texted 4 times, rang, she was so funny - they'd gone to McDonald's she ordered a plain cheeseburger but they only took off the pickles she said the q was to long to take it back so they have it to the homeless man outside and he shared it with his dogs.

They both had the lecture, don't talk to strangers, don't split up, keep receipts in your handbag and make sure u know where the toilets are.... The girl she's gone with comes back home with miss hoodie most nights and the 1st place straight to the loo for an extended stop! Xx

susan42

Thanks everyone on the good wishes for house. I have packed absolutely zero lol. Got new tablets from doc don't know whether I'm coming or going

Hope grandad hoodie doing ok mum2one

Mum2one- lol at miss hoodie. It's nerve wracking the first time they want to go on their own isn't it. I remember being asked by DS & dd why I was driving up and down the high street , phones wasn't that common then

Angela hope everything ok

Moneyenny - hope you mil tests went ok, good for you taking your crafts. Hospitals boring places at the best of times

Thinking of you rufusdog

If I missed anyone out its not intentional , waves I'm off to a funeral and just noticed the time. 2 he drive to get there so best get s move on

Have a good week with christmas prep. I

I have to defrost the freezers again!! The boys keep leaving the doors open. I wouldn't mind but it's a mystery what they go in there for neither of them cook anything

mum2one

Santas Challenge October

Here we are getting closer to the special day, so heres a little challenge to help things go smoothly....


Christmas Cake
Hopefully by now everyone has got all the ingredients ready for the xmas cake, and your ready to make it, esp allowing time for the cake to be fed... not forgetting the quality control the chef has to do;)

Weather
Apart from the high winds, its def showing us that Winter is on the way, sounds mad but check and make sure that everyone in the family is all sorted.
wellies
wet clothes
hats, scarves, gloves
umberalla

Sleep
You can tell its getting colder and we're approaching winter, the clocks go back on Sat night, so we all get an extra hour in bed, so make sure all clocks, watches, microwave, esp check the heating controls, so that everything takes the extra hour into onsideration.

Where am I??
This is the time to start putting pen to paper and work out where we/family are over Christmas and New Year.
Am I catering for 2 or 20... Even put in stuff such as xmas cards writing, last posting, wrapping weekend all the behind the scenes items need to be marked off so that we can relax somewhere along the line!



Online shopping
This is a 2 in 1 trail of thought..
1st - grocery shopping, - if you do your grocery shopping online, keep an eye out for the Christmas slots, as these will fly out, even if you just put a pint of milk or a chocolate bar in the list, - you know your slot is safe.

2 - Rest of the web..
Although it may say 2 to 3 days delievery, we pretty much know that may go over the estimate, it may be worth looking into a click and collect service, as it saves waiting in and your parcel will be safe, (great for prying eyes, and also dont wait in), the 2nd thought to this, is check where the item is coming from, it is out of stock, 14 day delay, or coming from China...



Christmas Cards
[SIZE="2" Everyone has their own system in place, such as family, friends, street, post - even if you start with the list and then spread the writing out to say 5 a day/one families card/those that need posting... if we can this done, its one big tick off the list.[/SIZE]

The Christmas List
Run through your xmas list, if you have it stored on a computer,make sure there is a 2nd copy, something as simple as sending yourself an email with the file attached, so if anything goes wrong, you can get to the copy.



Survival List
have everything that you need ready to hand for which ever task you are doing...

Wrapping Presents, - plenty of sellotape, scissors, paper, tags, a nice choc bar, drink ...

Card writing - pen, spare pen, cards, lists, food bags (sounds daft but grab a few sandwich bags as you can groups together), stamps,

Extras for Christmas
following on from last months checklist, (stop tap), double check that you know wher everything is, - start a little spares box, batteries for the remote control, notepad ad pen, candles, matches, dry spaghetti, (can be used as a lighting stick) little torch, a few bits or starters.

Telephone / Emergency list[]
If you a checklist of numbers, such as family, your own mobiles, doctors, dentist, chemist, plumber, if you cover for boiler etc, also try to add a little comment such as closing time over christmas, - also which chemist is open. We hope dont need it, but better to have it handy

cars
It may be worth checking your antifreeze in the radiator, your screen wash is full, and you have a scraper and de-icer all ready, if you stock up now, your in a better position to get the items from £1shops, rather than last min on the garage forecourt

Money makes the world go round...
have a check on where you are on the sites are you near a payout, generally if you order the payment by mid Nov, you should get for Xmas, if not it start 2015s pot off...


Miss hoodies corner
It wouldnt be a challenge if we didn't have this corner... Miss Hoodie is being quite nice, and has suggested that you look at the food cupboards/pantry/storage - pull the items out, wash the shelves, and before you put back check the expiry dates... this way you may find something you thought you had lost, and also give a chance to see what you can add in for Christmas.

Hope everyone has a safe and lovely Halloween and fire works, - keep safe but have fun. xx

susan42

Thanks for the challenge mum2one -good idea regards the heating clock. Made note of that.

Cakes made 7 in total

Who's here for Xmas , always a mystery . Due to work commitment and weather

As regards miss goodies corner. I've done the kitchen shelves. Did find a Christmas pudding 3 years out of date OH said he'll have that...

Need to defrost freezers again due to doors being left open...might leave it until we move

No dates on moving yet but one party want the week of Dec 16th wow that's not good when your a Christmas nut like me. So I can see Christmas being spoilt for me. My plans for Christmas start the last weekend in November when I do a Christmas craft fair. All the presents are bought before, the tree goes up the 1st and all the decs, takes 3-4 days . The Christmas village is up before and switched on, mince pies and drinks. And then December spent going around shopping centres, garden centres (some hundreds of miles away) and houses viewing decorations, visiting and lastly food shopping.

Christmas this year.......moving :-(

Not a happy bunny

Anyhow OH taking me away in November as I'm so stressed . I think the worst of it is hanging around while everyone decides on a date.

Enough moaning. To.morrow I'm g ling to make some sweet trees and sweet bouquets. And hopefully some more cards... I need some birthday ones and a get well one.

Hope everyone's ok and busy . I know you must be because your all quiet

mum2one

hope everyone ok, back safe and sound from Wales, - but as normal wouldn't be a normal holiday if everything went ok.
we had some bad news on the Sunday, a really close friend, her husband passed away suddenly, he was only 60, and had just retired from work in July. its knocked everyone for .

Grandad Hoodie doing ok, so funny, we went shopping, Miss Hoodie had got my pull along trolley, black with pink ;aw prints, - just parked up, and next minute, Grandad hoodie looks likes hes going power walking, shoots off to the papershop, 20 yards infront of us all....... Thou Nanny Hoodie wasn't happy bunny, she wanted to come shopping, he decided that no, once he got the paper, - the cafe they were going....

Give you a laugh, our caravan did some rocking (high winds), so bad one ngt, that when Nanny hoodie was on the toilet, the force of the wind, was pushing the outer wall of the bathroom, and pushed her off the loo!!

I did get chatted up while away, he works in the area, 12 yrs older, single, 4 kids, and grandchildren..... got chatting at the 1st weekend, then were going to try to arrange a drink for before I went home, saw him Thurs, said catch u later (enroute to loo), we were going to swop numbers.... I missed him..... catch up again soon as popping up for day, see him then.

The car was a bit full, Nanny hoodie had big bag of laundry on her lap, back seat was Miss Hoodie (holding 2 crates of stuff), Doggie -middle of seat, cooler bag on the foot area, Grandad Hoodie - had lightweight bag... took an hr to unload the car..

Bargain fleece blankets, £3.99 from Store 21, there was gingerbread man design, red and white swedish design, and grey penquin, there a good size.

xx

teabody

Hiya all :wave:

Found the right thread this time! I have headed back on the run up to xmas...hope you don't mind. I have started the pressie shopping and managed to keep the pennies down. Slightly more organised with that than I was last year but might think about doing my own xmas cake although I am not the best at baking....so if anyone can suggest a beginners recipe I may have a go!:o

I will take a look back to see what you have been up to through the year....hope all is well with you all xx

mum2one

Hi teabody a big welcome, sounds like ur doing well with the Xmas plAnning, I use an easy Xmas cake sort the recipie for u later on fone at mo xx

susan42

Hi teabody welcome, think I remem you from before or did I dream that up. Well done on the organising.

Well me and oh fell out lol, not really but a disagreement, he's taken to packing the house up at 5 o'clock in the morning !!!! Then sitting down with his paper at 8am. Well the upshot is I can't sleep then and due to my chronic pain syndrome I need my full 8 hours of sleep!!
Not an happy bunny am I .

Yesterday he said to me have one final check around so I can make a rin to the skip. Irritable me told him I have nothing. But I'd check. I ended up with 14 bags of rubbish and 4 bags of clothes for weigh in. He gave me a look but as I pointed out . It's all useful things but have decided , instead of keeping in case of id get rid and as for clothes. I decided instead of keeping if I put weight on hed just have to buy me new :rotfl:

Anyhow today I'm going to make some cards for my christmas craft fair as there won't be much moving around today from over doing it yesterday.

Lol mum2one at your mum falling off the loo. And do I see a romance brewing? Good luck. Just be careful with the babies coming seems like he likes kids. What does miss hoodie think?

Mrs money penny hope your ok and your organising is going well. I do see you on the other thread. I read but don't join because it moves so fast. I suppose we all read other threads but don't join in

Angela
Rufusdog

Thinking of you both hope your ok

teabody

Thanks for the welcome,
Susan42, yes I was here last year and nearly ended up on my own when this years thread started but you kind people found me and guided me in the right direction. I fully intended on remaining through the year but got distracted. I am going to write my lists and start getting back into the thrifty vibe.

mrs-moneypenny

hope all are well

new cushion covers and throws on settees so lounge looks cosier.
have defrosted the freezer and am making lists - think i know who weve got for christmas just need a couple of confirmations either way
cake made and being fed.
need to make a start on finding cards and wrapping its in the attic just needs bringing down