*Stop The Cavalry* It's The 2014 Christmas Chatter Thread

nic2075

Is anyone else having a panic that they havnt bought the kids enough from Santa?

I have got my DD (9) a stunt scooter, hair chalk, paint by numbers, a book, cheap headphones and a stocking with pants, socks, baubles etc.

DS (7) I've got a stunt scooter, a robofish in a tank, pack of books, and a stocking woth pants and socks.

I've also got them a ramp and buckaroo between them

Dd2 (3) got a snow glow Elsa, a book, a fairy thing that flies, cheap headphones and a stocking woth pants, socks, baubles and a Poundland frozen necklace.

I've only spent £70 on each if that infact. That would include Jammies for Xmas eve. I did get the scooters and Elsa on a 3 for 2 in Argos.

I know it's not all about the money. But it just seems hardly anything . We have been skint all year. So not even managed to get things through the year. Feel such a failure

nic2075

Ignore my last post. I have had a good think and have ordered a few small things to wrap. So they have more little things to open, nothing that costs more than a couple of pounds. I know they will be happy with what they have. They are good kids. The pressure just got to me for a bit. I keep seeing posts about what folk have bought and took a look at what we have.
They have had a great run up to Christmas, we have done tons of crafts, baked cookies and cupcakes. I helped my 9 yr old make bath bombs for her aunties and gran. We have watched loads of Christmas films, had hot Chocolate and tonight we are going for a walk round the village to look at everyone's lights.

Just writing it all out in a post here and remembering its MSE, gave me a wake up call. I've not paid full price for anything apart from jammies and they were Primark. So the value is more than what I spent.

Off to make a cuppa and watch Jingle all the way while tea cooks x

Peppapig

Sounds like you've had fun in the run up to Christmas Nic but I know what you mean about feeling that the pressies don't look as plentiful as you thought they would. Glad you've sorted things out now - and you're still MSE too so well done you :T

Just been reading back on last year's thread (The Holly and the Ivy) and Freespirit, you're Christmas spirit had disappeared at this time last year so don't worry, it'll be back

mandco

Nic2075 I've also been having a bit of a wobble over what the kids have this yr I've spent far less than I usually do and alot of what they have is small size wise so looks like hardly anything. I know they won't care and will be more than happy with what they have but it still niggles away esp when you see what some of our friends have brought.I know how lucky we are to have whatwe do and I try to make sure we get lots of quality time/do activites together as thats a big part of what xmas is about but I think we all want to treat the kids as much as possible and there seem to be more and more pressure every yr to buy more, buy bigger.

lots left to do but getting there slowly, very slowly at this rate I'll still be wrapping present xmas eve which is frustrating as I should have been done by now but I guess its true what they say about best laid plans. Anyway taz want to snuggle as hes tired so hopefully we'll have an early night and I can finally shift this migraine catch up soon tc all

freespirit66

Evening everyone, i have never been so late getting bits bought like dog food, cleaning stuff to last hopefully through most of january, the big shop etc etc and today i had 11 places to visit, was dreading it, thought it would be horrendous but actually all except one place was just normal in fact i would say quieter than a normal saturday :eek::eek:, tomorrow i have the main christmas nectar point shop to do, i have done well this year nearly £87 of nectar points so well chuffed and then i have a shop being delivered tues night with the last fresh bits. I feel so much more christmassy now i have got most things bought.

NIC im sure we all feel we havent bought enough for the kids at some point, wait until they are much older the pile just gets tinier and tinier

PEPPAPIG do you know i thought i had this time last year i was talking to DD1 about it today, i have had all presents bought and wrapped since october so no worries there, i knew i had enough points for a good food shop so no worries there either, my first christmas as a nana, i think it is my mind subconsciously going back 3 years when my XH walked in on christmas eve afternoon and admitted he had been caught having an affair, my life just stopped! Now, i think i am well over it, that every cloud has a silver lining, BUT im sure deep down somewhere in my subconscious it is still there??? I dont know i am just glad it is back, whether it will be after a trip to sains in the morning is anybodys guess :rotfl::rotfl:

MANDCO i never tried to keep up with parents of my kids friends when they were younger, it was impossible, they were spending ridiculous amounts, i did used to say to my kids did they feel they missed out and they used to say no, not at all, they thought their friends were just spoilt, and never played wih half they got anyway, and treated everything with no care at all. I hope your migraine goes quickly, thinking of you.

[Deleted User]

Finished debugging my son's room. Sprays really getting to my asthma so very glad. Bought a mattress encapsulator., and thank god, it was a good choice. But its all done thank goodness!

Tomorrow I start on making my younger son a plush toothless lol. Downloaded an online pattern, bought some material on ebay, have a sewing machine, will be interesting seeing if I can make it lol. Funnily enough he looked in an Argos catalogue today and it was the one thing he wanted. So I'll have to make it somehow. If it works, what I will be making will be a lot better than what you can buy.

Freespirit - had to laugh at your remark about piles of presents getting smaller and smaller.., you are so right. They cost three times as much and shrink yearly as they get older!

Christmas can start again now.., whoopeee! Even got a santa hat (with reindeer horns) in a 99p shop lol. I also embarrassed my younger son by singing Xmas songs because he wasn't smiling (didn't want to leave his game and come out). I'm a mean mum! The kids are getting stockings again this year, haven't got them for three years but decided to put all their choccy things in one this year. 99p store helped again lol!

I don't know where we will be this time next year (LL is trying to sell the house we are renting) so really wanted to make this a good Xmas.

princesskitty29

vulpix wrote: »

Did someone here sell paper cuts? I have been invited to a christening next year and thought one would be a lovely gift.

feisty made a lovely one for me as a Christening gift a couple of months ago, I would highly recommend her. I think you have shut up shop for this year haven't you Feisty but i'm presuming you'll be open again in the new year?

freespirit so glad you're starting to feel more Christmassy - just in time! :xmassmile

deannatrois glad to hear you have finally beaten the bugs!

nic2075 I know it's easy for me to say but try not to worry about how much you have bought the children. It sounds like you have been doing some fantastic things with them in the lead up to Christmas and enjoying some quality family time - in years to come they will remember this rather than what they got for Christmas. I know I barely remember things I got for Christmas as a child but I do remember all the other stuff I did with my family.

Well I managed to finally watch the Polar Express yesterday and wrapped a few presents. I'm slowly getting there on the wrapping front! I need to pop to M&S tomorrow to get a few bits with a voucher I have, and on Tuesday I've got a Tesco shop coming and we're picking up our turkey. I know this sounds stupid but I feel a bit too in control, I can't help feeling that I've forgotten something major!

We've got some friends coming over today for lunch so looking forward to that as we haven't seen them in a while.

I hope everyone has a good day xx

nic2075

Thanks ladies. Glad I'm not the only one who had a panic about it.

You're right about not remembering what they got s they grow. I can only remember a hand full of things I got over the years, but it's the memories of putting the tree up, and my mum doing a silly dance in the living room to the Mike oldfield Dolce something or other. All lovely times

Freespirit I can understand your apprehension, especially getting such a shock on christmad eve. It sounds like you are in for a lovely Christmas as a new Nana. And each one from now on will only getting better as he grows and understands a bit more.


I have tidied and set the tables out in the dining room. We have had to add an extra table. We now have 14 coming for Christmas dinner. It was 11 but my sister has asked to bring her mil and 2 sons as their dad has just walked out on them! I am working all day on Tuesday so am doign the food shopping with my sister tomorrow. So I will be cleaning the house today woth a quick going over on christmad eve. Working this evening too.

System

Has anyone seen this video , if you Google the heading below it should get you there [having a problem posting a link !] Its a fantastic way to wrap awkward items.
SYSK Wrapping Odd Gifts

Peppapig

Wow Chrissy, just watched that video and really wish I'd seen it weeks ago lol :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: