OS Christmas 2014 thread!!!!

[Deleted User]

It looks as if DD2 and Hubby will be staying at home with the little grandson for the first time this year, up till now DD has come to us and SIL has gone to his parents because they both like 'family' christmas. So, it looks like just the three of us and the hound. I've decided to ring the changes this year and turn back the clock to wartime britain so I've worked out a menu from an old wartime cookery book using rations available at that time and we'll give it a go. I'll try the recipes beforehand though, just in case something isn't as nice as it reads in recipe form. This morning I've made a Date and Ginger Cake which smells amazing and if it's good, that will be no1 on the list of things to make.

zippychick

Caterina wrote: »

Bah Humbug,

Minimal gift giving chez Caterina this year, even less than other years.

Hopefully we will spend the day as a family, cooking a nice veg dinner as we always do, exchanging small gifts and watching old film reruns on the TV.

May I remind you of Martin's article on gift giving, I recently shared it on another thread and as I re-read it made more and more sense:

http://blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2009/11/10/is-it-time-to-ban-christmas-presents/

No big preparations needed here, so hopefully not too much stress attached to Christmas this year!

Every year i beg friends and family not to bother with presents, but it never happens. They still go against my wishes. Last year i bought a friend a token present (few bits from M and S sale) and she spent an absolute fortune on me, it makes me really sad as she cant afford it. I really wish we could take the monetary value out of christmas and just spend some time together. unfortunately it's very hard to get people to agree. My mum's another one who won't listen no matter what.

me and my other half do a token present at a set limit (my idea), or we buy tickets to a show or something

Pooky

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

It looks as if DD2 and Hubby will be staying at home with the little grandson for the first time this year, up till now DD has come to us and SIL has gone to his parents because they both like 'family' christmas. So, it looks like just the three of us and the hound. I've decided to ring the changes this year and turn back the clock to wartime britain so I've worked out a menu from an old wartime cookery book using rations available at that time and we'll give it a go. I'll try the recipes beforehand though, just in case something isn't as nice as it reads in recipe form. This morning I've made a Date and Ginger Cake which smells amazing and if it's good, that will be no1 on the list of things to make.

Oh that sounds fun Mrs LW - I look forward to reading what you'll be having and how it all turns out.

littlegreenparrot

I have been trying for years now to cut down what I consider to be the unnecessary junk that gets accumulated at Christmas.
The wasted time, effort, money and resources really doesn't make me feel good.

So, presents only for close family. I think carefully about what they might need, and discuss it with them. I also really like giving and receiving tickets for shows, or cinema/theatre vouchers. Its so lovely (especially when on a tight budget) to be able to just go to something you fancy.


Colleagues and friends get jars of homemade mincemeat. Simple, but looks impressive. Must start keeping the jars for that.

Floss

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth wrote: »

BAH HUMBUG


(Tried and tested Cake and Pudding Recipe available November 1st)

That's way too late - my pudding is always made in January with reduced dried fruit to mature until the following Christmas, and my cakes (made as gifts and also paid-for orders) are always made in September to allow them to be fed with brandy until December when they are iced.

Lindy_-_Loo

Hello, we have cards and wrapping paper from the January sales and also some presents for my neices which I got in the boots 70%

Ordered a couple of bits from argos clearance and toys r us sale.

Cranky40 - I seem to remember reading that you have a son around the ages of mine (9 and 7)? Apologies if wrong. toys r us and argos have some decent bits in their clearance - TRU is free delivery this weekend.

Also ordered a couple of packs of top trumps cards for their stockings from top trumps themselves as they have a sale and free delivery until end of August.

We dont have mega bucks to spend so try and get as much as possible in the sales!
xx

calicocat

I won't be buying lots this year, special gifts for family and friends and that's it, not the silly tat that in gone years I have bought to supposedly make it all 'look' better.

My house looks like a witches coven with all the herbs drying so friends who love cooking will get bags of this, and i'll make HM lemon curd too for them as the little extras this year, and maybe caramelise some nuts as they are lovely HM.


I'm more into the xmas tree, fairy lights, and I just love wrapping stuff up....wrapping stuff up is one of my favourite xmas things, which is why I think I used to buy lots of 'extras'....(krap).

I have modified this over the last few years thank god as it's just rubbish we end up buying. I'm way more OS having been on this forum.


Yay.......xmas, I love it.

[Deleted User]

Thanks POOKY here's the menu

Christmas Eve
Breakfast - Fruity Potato cakes and H/M jam, Tea
Lunch - H/M scotch eggs, mashed potatoes, carrots, peas and leek sauce followed by steamed chocolate pudding and chocolate sauce
Supper - Sausagemeat loaf and H/M churney sandwiches,grated cheese and chopped celery sandwiches, ginger and date cake, chocolate oaty squares.

Christmas Day
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs and bacon pieces on toast, Tea
Lunch - Spiced Brisket in gravy, yorkshire puddings,roast potatoes,horseradish sauce,carrots,sprouts,broccoli followed by wartime christmas pudding and custard, coffee and chocs.
Supper - cold beef and horseradish sandwiches,cheese and oatcakes, iced wartime christmas cake, wartime mince pies.

Boxing Day
Breakfast - Porridge with dates, stewed apple, tea.
Lunch - cold sliced beef, cold cooked sausages, jacket potatoes,salad, H/M pickles and chutney followed by Wartime apple crumble and custard
Supper - Hot cheese scones, sausagemeat loaf and chutney sandwiches, iced christmas cakle and ginger and date cake

I think that's all the organising I'm doing over the christmas period and we'll keep wartime tradition with presents too and try for only one each which is useful and practical and lots of homemade small gifts for in the stockings. We'll decorate the house the way we always do and go gathering greenery on christmas eve to 'bring in the green' and the tree will have the same well loved things on it that we always have. Simple but pretty.

candlelight_2013

That sounds lovely Lyn, if you change your mind and would like visitors let me know

Candlelightx

candlelight_2013

Meant to say Lyn have you tried the chocolate and ginger cake yet?

I love ginger

Candlelightx