OS Christmas 2014 thread!!!!

craigywv

hi, I added to my cupboards and a few additions to Christmas boxes today with pots of plum jam., they taste lovely added some cinnamon to half the batch so its spicy for Christmas. next on the list is about a tonne in apples cooking and eating ones think will do some pots of apple butter I seen on google and QUITE a few crumbles will stew the rest for winter months and will assemble into tarts and crumbles as have no room in freezers for finished results.

greentiger

Natlie, I'd like your recipes too, please.

crowdpleaser, mistle-toes is a brill idea. A lovely change.

pigpen

I'm way off target this year too, I haven't even sorted the schools bags for Wednesday I am SUCH a slacker!!

I don't do cakes etc as no one eats them.

I do Christmas dinner on Christmas eve, last year we did Christmas day on Christmas eve.. then the ratbags went to KHs until about 5pmon Christmas day then they were all mine for the rest of the holidays.. he did only have 3 of them but this year only 2 will be going.. I wish I could have 'time off' lol.. I must be too nice

The list of presents in here is epic

I have done the 3 littlies, their stuff was bought in ELC sales about 3 years ago.. I want to get them the main cast of Toy Story and my 4 y/o wants a Sofia the First doll. I buy presents from the rest of the family for them too so I shall push some of that cost their way. .. done and dusted...

DS1 and DD1 are getting token presents, I am knitting DS1 a jumper and just got him some half price smelly but that might cover his birthday on the 29th of this month. and I have a sweater, 2 in fact, started for DD1 but I can't see me having time to finish either.

DD2 will get clothes and shoes/boots and make up, she wants a new phone too but I'm not going there, she is due an upgrade in June she can make do until then.. and DD3 won't be much different, though she may get a new phone as hers is due upgrade in October as is DS2's Freebie gifts are the best!


DS2 and DS3 I have no idea.. I have a 'new to us' PS3 for them all to share and an Xbox.. I have the back room set up as 'console room' to keep consoles out of bedrooms.

DD4 and DD5 who will be 12 and 10 respectively I have absolutely no idea what they might like! They say they want stupid things like sweets and last year all DD4 wanted was a 'wonzie' .. very cute and of course she got it, 2 in fact, she was desperately short of pj's. I'll look for a couple of Wii games I think. With clothes a dressing gown a few books and niknaks they'll probably have plenty.


OH I have a tassimo for bought dirt cheap last year, every time I see the pods on offer I grab a few.. I have quite the stash.. silly I know but he will love it.. my mother doesn't know yet but she is getting him a milk frother and DD1 is getting him the collectors edition of World of Warcrafts new expansion. I got him some pj bottoms for slobbing in a sale in January, Destiny for the Xbox and a box set of DVD's, slippers and some bits of stuff ... he inconsiderately got himself the milk frother, never mind I'll find something so he is done, though I might get him a few books.

The males of the family I got scarves and gloves in the Boots sale in January.

1 sister I knitted a shawl for and have a few silly bits for a £1 and 3 mugs with different rude words on each all beginning with 'C' or so each and a silly cat sign for her kitchen and my other sister I am knitting a silly hat for and got her some Jack Skellington lithograph things in the Disney store sale which she will adore! She has requested a stripey jumper in black and red!

I need to get a small thing for my neffypoo and some bits for my soon to be 4 grandbeasts! I have bits for the 3 already here so just the new one and I am thinking of whizzing together a patchwork cot cover

I have a scarf pattern to knit for my mother and a hedgehog planter to fill with bulbs for spring blooming. A cardigan for my MOL (mother out-law) and I put together a hamper of sweets and niknaks for my stepdad.. which he seems to love.

There are a LOT of handmade presents going in there and I have only got 1 finished so far. I have some lovely lavender shrubs so I am whizzing up little bags for those, my 3rd sis will like those for her kitchen, she likes such stuff.

See, I know where I want to end up but it is the time and financial constraints which will make it difficult. I have saved the miniscule amount of money KH gave me for the children which will cover their stuff I hope.. if it doesn't they'll go without!


ah, almost forgot, I got some little round glass candle holders I am thinking of letting the children paint as 'grandparents' gifts.. though I may set OH about them.

I want a wool winder.. and that's about it... but I have found a dirt cheap one so bought it already as I needed one!

I have £75 of boots vouchers and £30 in points all saved from various sources, £72 in tesco vultures

skogar

Enjoyed reading everyone's ideas so far. Loved reading about Mrs Lurcher Walker's plans and wartime Christmas menu. The idea of a date and ginger cake made my mouth water and I have a pkt of dates that needs using so have now ordered the book from the library and am looking forward to trying therecipe.

I stayed at a hotel in Innsbruck a few years ago and loved their very understated decorations -- small pieces of greenery, pine cones, dried orange slices, star anise and the ocasional wooden star. They were beautiful and very frugal so I'm sure Mrs Lurcher Walker's house will look lovely. Havingno Christmas decorations it was a good lesson in how little is necessary for festive decorations to look good, also biodegradable too.

I'm afraid my Christmas preparations consist of 3 items in my Christmas box. I wrap things as I buy them as I hate last minute wrapping as it always takes longer than you think it will.

Older_But_Not_Wiser

Ooh, I've hit the subscribe button and am getting excited already:T

I've done all the gift shopping and got cards, paper, tags, decorations etc so just the food to think about and as I'm determined to spend this Christmas Day on my own, I'm wondering if it is worth making my own feast or just buying lovely ready-made small things. I don't have a freezer so can't store things for long, and almost all the recipes I see can't really be made for one without being incredibly wasteful/ expensive.

Any of you brilliant people got any ideas for a traditional-ish feast for one that doesn't involve TOO many leftovers (want some of course, Christmas just isn't Christmas without a Leftovers Sarnie at some point!)?

nursemaggie

Iceland do tiny fresh chickens 2 for £5. You would have to order them for Christmas as they don't tend to have them in the two weeks before Christmas. You could cook them both or ask someone to freeze the second for you for new year. You should get three or four meals out of each one.

I would buy a small Christmas pudding otherwise you will be eating it well into Christmas. There is such a big variety of individual Christmas puddings it is a shame not to try a few.

I buy one of those tubs of thick cream with brandy or there is a choice of several liqueurs. They are nice on warm mince pies as well as Christmas pudding.

You can make a smaller trifle with half a jelly and less sponge and maybe you could find a small punnet of raspberries or some other fresh fruit just don't stint on the sherry. Things like stuffings can be made in small quantities. Have small sausages for dinner one day leading up to Christmas and make yourself a couple of pigs in blankets.

If you fancy cranberry sauce get the smallest jar you can find and I am sure I have seen a thread on using it up on here. You can use it in bread and butter pudding, milk puddings, and it is really nice in a curry and in your leftover sandwiches.

Bread and butter cranberry pudding for 1. 2 slices of any sort bread including, a fruit bread spread with butter and cranberry sauce. Cut into triangles. Arrange in a dish suitable for microwaving. Warm 200mls milk dissolve 1 tbls sugar in the milk do not boil. Beat an egg into it and pour over the bread. Microwave for about 1 1/2 to 2 mins. leave to cool a little and enjoy.

bossymoo

I picked up a couple more stocking fillers for the children yesterday so think we have plenty now. They have Lego bits and a wii game each. I'm not going mad this year, we've done bikes and dolls houses last year so small stuff is they way! We have no room! Lol.
I like to get a board game to share too, I think tosco do an "operation" type one called monster surgery that they will like. We have family staying over too so will arrange some activity / entertainment for those who fancy.
Possibly outdoors if it's bright. There is a nice short walk nearby.

Liking the sound of Apple butter - my tree is laden so I might have to attempt that!

boredjellybean

oh my gosh thank you for this thread !!!! I've just started my 2nd phase of Christmas planning (always brought on by the end of the summer holidays) I am off to get a cuppa & read the whole thread :rudolf: :xmassmile: :xmastree:

[Deleted User]

Hi SKOGAR glad you like the idea of 'bringing in the green' it's so much nicer than commercial decorations and we use clear glass votives with tealights to dot amongst the greenery too. It's not just how it looks that is nice but how the fresh greenery smells too, coming down into the lounge on christmas morning is a very nice experience and I still try to be first up to have the tree lights on before the family come down even if they are all grown up now!!! It's surprising what is still green and collectable too, we get holly leaves, sometines we're lucky and get a few berries, trailing branches of ivy which wrap round standard lamps and bannisters, holm oak which is evergreen, old mans beard (wild clematis) which by December has wonderful whiskery seed heads on it, any kind of conifer I can find too and pine cones, teasles, seed heads etc. it all goes together to make a swag for the mantlepiece, behind pictures on the walls and in vases and jugs to stand on side tables etc. If I've got enough left in the kitty after I've got the food in I might buy some white lilys to stand in the middle of the table as the perfume from those is worth the outlay of cash. Hope you can enjoy this kind of free decorations this year, Lyn xxx.

I also use bay leaves and rosemary which add to the nice smells and I have them in the garden!!!

judi24

Love the sound of all thet greenery as decorations - I really must be a bit more creative this year as I live the smell too! I dont need to buy any decorations but would love to make some bits from fresh greenery. My problem is work and home seems to get so crazy the week or 2 before christmas so run out of time to do things! This year want to spend a day making and baking some bits to give as gifts and a day being a bit more organised with decorating etc


Yesterday I was sorting DD1 bedroom as she moved out last month and found some gift sets she has been given and doesnt want so they will go in my present stash.


I just need to sort the kids - without going mad! going to try to buy bits each month!