OS Christmas 2014 thread!!!!

lynsayjane

jlhmd666 wrote: »

We normally buy for nieces and nephews which works out expensive and I would love to say no as I'm sure they don't need one more toy but OH wouldn't stand for that even if B.I.Ls and S.I.Ls would welcome my suggestion as then they wouldn't have to buy for my brood. I will broach the subject with him as that will save having to buy another 9 presents.

Rather than not buy anything and upset your OH, how about a compromise that promotes the family meaning of Christmas. You could buy each family a board game (monopoly etc) so ti's only one gift to the family which will save money, a gift is still given to please OH and it encourages them to spend time together as a family.

LJ
x

pollys

We now give family gifts, rather than buying individual gifts. Tins of sweets or biscuits, jams and chutneys or a family game.

Polly

craigywv

ok heres my take on onion marmalade.........4 medium onions chopped,4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar,4 tablespoons honey/brown sugar. in a pan put a blob of butter and melt and slow fry onions,also can add acrushed garlic clove at this point. add rest of ingredients and cook it down till a jam like consitancy. that's it. put in pot and keep in fridge. I make 5 times this amount depending on who its for. this yields 2 pots worth. I tend to add for Christmas either mixed spices or nutmeg again depending who its for cheap and easy xxx

Butterfly_Brain

jlhmd666 wrote: »

Sounds like you will have a lovely Christmas MrsL

I've been thinking a lot about this Christmas. Normally it's a big expensive affair but OH finds out next week if he will be made redundant and since visiting the OS board I'm not sure I want it to be such an extravagant occasion The trouble is I'm not sure OH will side with me and I will be seen as the mean mummy - again

We normally buy for nieces and nephews which works out expensive and I would love to say no as I'm sure they don't need one more toy but OH wouldn't stand for that even if B.I.Ls and S.I.Ls would welcome my suggestion as then they wouldn't have to buy for my brood. I will broach the subject with him as that will save having to buy another 9 presents.

I would also like to cut back on the amount of food we buy as there is always so much waste. I hate to waste food now but OH likes it all laid out in serving trays so that he can pile it on.

I think Christmas needs a rethink in our house this year so will enjoy reading everyone else's experiences

We stopped buying for nieces and nephews years ago, all of us agreed because none of us could really afford it. We still buy for the milestone birthdays 18 and 21but that is it.
All of us love making things so we always have a homemade present as well as bits that have been asked for, within reason. We keep expensive gifts for birthdays only.
My two have always loved their stockings and I just filled them with things like pencils, various shaped rubbers, small rubber balls, colouring books, dot to dot books, plastecine, pencil cases, a small 99p selection box, candy cane, hat, gloves and scarves and an apple and tangerine and other such things when they were small and everything was individually wrapped, it meant we had a lie in until at least 8am
Now that they are older they get smellies such as deoderant shower gel, batiste dry shampoo, hair gel and the like plus underwear, socks, gloves and a quirky cheap mug filled with sweets plus their fruit and candy cane.
We have a very light breakfast such as boiled egg and toast or cereal as normal
Dinner is only a glorified roast with a pudding or trifle, I do both. But this year we are having a magic chocolate pudding (self saucing) but we have always called it magic since the kidlets were tiny and we all love it.
Tea time is always turkey sarnies and mince pies

Boxing Day is always gammon with salad with trifle as a dessert.
Tea time is salad with prawn cocktail, sausage rolls, left over turkey made into a flan with left over stuffing balls bacon and sausages, left over gammon slices, boiled eggs and mince pies, left over trifle from lunch and slices of Christmas cake.

The day after Boxing day is left overs day so we just eat what has been left from Christmas day and Boxing day.

The day after that is turkey and gammon pie and I strip the carcass, make a good stock from it and the meat goes in the freezer to make things such as turkey stew, a curry etc
I only used to buy a small turkey, but I now buy a larger one in order to make lots of meals from it, much more economical.

The following day everyone has had enough of rich food so we have something simple like egg and chips.

New years Eve is usually a beef stew or steak and chips if we are flush :rotfl:

New Years Day is Roast Beef or Lamb plus a salad at tea time

I don't buy a lot of sweets and biscuits because I am diabetic, we do have some but not the overpriced ones in tins.

Butterfly_Brain

Thanks for the onion marmalade recipe craigy, I will do that tomorrow when I am doing my red cabbage, picalilli and Christmas chutney ala Delia tomorrow.
I will do the onions in September, the pickling ones are about but very expensive at the moment, so I will wait for the price to come down a bit first.

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/chutney/christmas-chutney.html

I tend to set myself a day to do it all and by the time Christmas comes it is lovely

bubblegumcola

I must admit I have been thinking towards Christmas and limits on our spending. I had already decided that I would make a lot of things myself this year to save money. I will pick up bits and pieces in the shops for the kids but I really need a far stricter budget than years gone by.
So I plan on making crochet flower brooches...takes no time at all to make and they look lovely. Crochet keyrings for the blokes. Possibly will do some crochet decorations as I've been given a couple of christmas crochet books from girls at work. I might make some beanie hats as well but depending on the weather they may get given out early!
Last year for myself I made felt tree decorations and a felt tree skirt which I was really chuffed with. I want to crochet table mats for the Christmas table and I want to make a Christmas wreath with crochet which I've seen on Attic24's blog, have done one similar to her springtime wreath before.
I'd love to make the teacup candles if I have the time.
I'm dreading the kids giving me their Christmas lists.

Pookie_lou

craigywv- thank you for your recipe, it's so easy I"ll have a go at that, I normally buy it as only I like it, and most recipes are in big batches.

I'm really excited about Christmas this year, it will be first Christmas in a new house and I'm already eying up the best place for the tree!

I couldn't do much last year but as we have been staying with the In laws until we got this house, I felt like I couldn't really make much due to space/ time and not wanting to encroach, so this year I can't wait!

I'm hoping to use the last of my a/ leave to finish work early too before maternity leave kicks in so all being well Il be able to leave early Dec so I can enjoy the Christmas period even more and enjoy decorations

happydays89

I have wrapping paper 10p a roll in Asda,all Christmas cards purchased in the sales.i have 90 percent of presents all from Boots in 70 percent off sale.Not much to do now except wrap it.

candlelight_2013

LYN I made the date and ginger cake, and I made it in a loaf tin, and Himself and i had a slice each tonight with custard and it was delicious. I think I am going to make this in a basin at Christmas instead of Christmas pud. It is only Himself that likes Christmas pud anyway.

I also made the carrot cookies, but I doubled the quantity and baked it in a tin. I flavoured it with orange extract and when it was cold made a bit of icing with lemon juice and spread over the top. I had a little bit off the end, quality control of course, and it was lovely, not heavy at all. Himself will have a slice tomorrow after lunch.

Thank you for the heads up on these.

I have also Cooking for Victory so will look through that as well.

Candlelightx

[Deleted User]

Yummy recipes aren't they? I'm always a little surprised at how nice they all turn out given that it was a period of austerity, in fact I think they're probably nicer than anything we can cook with unlimited ingredients from the shops these days, Lyn xxx.