* It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year * - It's the 2016 Christmas Chatter Thread

mrs-moneypenny

I've put the empty quality street tin to good use, stuck my printed label on the lid and made a start on saving for next Christmas.

pinknfluffy28

Thanks all for the games suggestions, both logo and scatagories are now in my wish list :-)

Dd1 is actually getting a ps4 for her birthday in October, so may look for a dance type game, that could be fun.

Well done to all of you who have took the decs down. I am dreading doing mine, we have gone all out this year with it being our first in our new dream home, and I just know it will look very bare and not at all sparkly.

MoneyMission2015

pinknfluffy28 wrote: »

Thanks all for the games suggestions, both logo and scatagories are now in my wish list :-)

Dd1 is actually getting a ps4 for her birthday in October, so may look for a dance type game, that could be fun.

Well done to all of you who have took the decs down. I am dreading doing mine, we have gone all out this year with it being our first in our new dream home, and I just know it will look very bare and not at all sparkly.

I feel the same pink, I have started putting some of the smaller decs away and it already looks bare. I'm not looking forward to taking the trees down but I know once I've cleaned everything up & moved a few things around it will look homely again. I've actually gone ahead & ordered myself a nice little treat, a large vase and some twig lights to go in the corner where my main tree currently is. Hopefully it can add that little bit of sparkle in the non Christmas tree months : )

Kittikins

Yippee, my first presents for 2016 Christmas arrived today - Christmas socks for my dad from M&$ and 30 snowman-topped pencils for my class (whatever year group that will be, I reckon they'll all love them!) for 25p each! Oh and a necklace and earring set for me from DD that I'll put away and completely forget about, like I did with this year's presents that I bought myself from her

Have already bought some birthday/father's day presents as well, I do like mooching about on sales websites!

nic2075

FeistyFidget wrote: »

lol I have been 'hired out' through work to the business downstairs before to get everything organized. It is a real passion of mine! In the US they actually have companies that come to your house and organize it all or a particular room! They have whole shops dedicated to organization items! I think I live in the wrong country



Ooo thank you, I had no idea there was a new Sherlock! Will definitely have to watch on player Enjoy your holiday!



Well done for excelling in the social situation! I can imagine how hard that would have been, I'm fine with people I know well but somehow manage to come across as stuck up to strangers as I'm painfully shy.

As for the entertainment idea, does either your DH or DD have a games console? You can pick up some really cheap group games like Buzz, singstar or dance mats for a few pounds at summer car boot sales and they always seem to go down really well at parties You'd be surprised how keen everyone is to jump in after a few shandy's

I read about an amazing money challenge yesterday that seems pretty simple. You save 1p on 1st Jan, 2p on 2nd Jan, 3p on 3rd Jan etc and by the end of the year you will have earned £667.95 over the year and the most you'd have to put in would be £3.65 a day! Plus it doesn't reach over the £1 a day limit until the 2nd week of April I blogged about it if you wanted a read and a link to the printable template;

http://thriftybutglam.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/save-66795-in-year-1p-at-time.html

I've got my jar already filled with over £4 (it's a leap year so needed to start with £3.66 to use the template ) DH is under very strict instructions not to touch any of the money, not even for car parking :rotfl:Fingers crossed it will pay for Christmas and give us a bit of a boost for next year!

Thanks for the link to the spread sheet Fiesty I had seen it on a frugal fb page, but it was all had written out. I'm too lazy for that lol. It was nice to read your blog. I'm awful for remembering blogs and regret not following them and go looking again x

nic2075

killielila wrote: »

happy new year everyone !!

Happy new year hun. Just a wee nosey but are you from Kilmarnock? I stay just outside Killie, from Troon originonally. Be nice to see someone local to find/share local bargains x

nic2075

Me again, sorry am in alone and bored lol.


I love blogs, but struggle to search for ones I like. Is there a way to search? I usually find them through Pinterest or someone else's blogs. I love American family ones, frugal cooking, simple living, the good life type of thing. I like lots of UK ones but I love American ones, Just love the recipes. It comes from growing up in Saudi in an American compound.
I've came across some great ones. But always looking for recommendations. Anyone got any you love?

princesskitty29

Well like some of you i'm already getting organised for next Christmas, i've had some bits and bobs delivered that I have put in the Christmas box. I won't buy everything yet but it's always nice to know i've got stuff stashed away. We're starting to look at some rental properties where we're moving to in Bedfordshire as it's likely we will need to move in March. We've applied for a mortgage to secure the new build house in October – fingers crossed we're approved! That's the only thing standing in our way. The idea of moving twice this year with Wiggle is a bit daunting, but I know it will be worth it in the end. That means I too need to declutter! I've already started on Wiggle's room as there's lots of stuff he doesn't need anymore, I just need to keep the momentum going!

fiesty great job on getting your pantry sorted, it looks great. I love the jars with the blackboard labels on, i'd really like to do this in the future as I have lots of packets all over the place.

lazysheep oooh lucky you! Where are you going on holiday?

Nitnurse you're not selfish, you deserve to do what you want to do! Now i'm a mum I understand just how hard it is, so once you've got your children to adulthood and they can take care of themselves you more than deserve to focus on yourself. Enjoy it!

pinknfluffy ah it sounds like you had a lovely NYE, well done you for hosting a party like that when you find it so difficult. It's really nice to know your neighbours I think, I hardly know any of my neighbours!

mrs-moneypenny your New Year's Day sounds like Christmas day! It sounds really lovely, and I love the fact your DS can sing and play the guitar for entertainment.

Kittikins you sound super organised already! Good bargains.

lellyo

Morning all!!

Feisty... Thank you so much for putting that savings tip on your blog( which looks fab, by the way!), i'll be printing that off later!

Had quite a nice afternoon yesterday. One of the mums i met at baby groups, when our kiddies were a few months old, was having a mad hatters tea party, it was her birthday. i was so unsure about wether to go or not, but glad i did, it was such a nice couple of hours, DS came with me, so he was able to have a play, while i chatted to a couple of mums i havent seen for a while now as all our children are at school!

Not sure what we'll be doing today, did want to do something nice as DS goes back to school and DH goes back to work tomorrow, but the weather looks rubbish, so it may have to be an indoor activity!

Hope everyone has a good day! Xx

FeistyFidget

lizzie_b wrote: »

Well our decs are down. I love them but the place looks so much neater once they're down. My poor tree has taken a hammering from the monkey and his toys this year so the bottom just looked a mess. Time to start the big clear out now. Far too many toys have entered the house this Christmas. I can't get in the dining room for toot toot tracks!!
Feisty your pantry has inspired me. That and the room of doom upstairs are going to be my January projects. OHs projects will be the garage and boarding out the loft, he just doesn't know it yet.

Better get on, happy new year all xxx

Good luck with your January projects! Boarding the loft is on my to-do list, but seeing as I haven't been allowed to set foot in the loft since we moved in due to the baby, I have no idea how realistic this will be :rotfl:I'd love a garage! We have a double shed and I ventured in there in daylight yesterday and the men have been using it as a dumping ground full of cardboard and wood offcuts, we have some flat packed shelving in there (from our shop 2 years ago!) that I was itching to put up, but seeing as I am supposed to be taking it easy I was good and just locked the shed back up

nic2075 wrote: »

Your NYE party sounds great Pinknfluffy well done on the social aspect. I'm very like you, I hate the thought of socialising or meeting new people. But usually end up having a great time by the end. Karaoke is a favourite. I prefer trivial pursuits lol, but most friends I know prefer to get the karaoke machine out.


I've just taken all the decs and tree down. It took me all morning/afternoon! I was sad to see it go, but feel better after a good Hoover and dust. I have my fake candles lit and a few higher up. What I will miss is my wee tree at the front door. I had nice coloured lights on it. It cheered me up going to the loo and seeing it or coming home lol.

Planning another family games night tonight. Going to play Trivial pursuit family edition, charades and rock band for something different. My wee boy hasn't played it before and we got the whole set up, including drums and 2 guitars for £10 in a charity shop before Christmas. X

We had rock band when it first came out years ago and LOVED it! We paid well over £100 for the same set up second hand, but I think for all the use we got from it, it was worth it

nic2075 wrote: »

Me again, sorry am in alone and bored lol.


I love blogs, but struggle to search for ones I like. Is there a way to search? I usually find them through Pinterest or someone else's blogs. I love American family ones, frugal cooking, simple living, the good life type of thing. I like lots of UK ones but I love American ones, Just love the recipes. It comes from growing up in Saudi in an American compound.
I've came across some great ones. But always looking for recommendations. Anyone got any you love?

Google used to have a function where you could search by blog! I blooming loved it, sadly they got rid of it I don't have any that I really subscribe to, but I find a lot of them through pinterest, but you can easily search for money saving / thrifty blogs etc. I know I have in the past

Well I have the girls coming round at 1pm for an afternoon tea. I have told them I will contribute a lemon drizzle loaf (made weeks ago and hidden in the freezer) and some leftover crisps, if anything else is wanted, they need to bring it themselves. Basically I go over-board with buying / making food and although it is appreciated we can't justify the cost at this new stage of our income. I'm quite proud of myself for sticking to my guns It will be the first time most of them have seen the house and the first time my closest friend has seen it from the awful state it was in (see the video and photos on my blog) and to how it is now. The only downside is I now need to motivate with the cleaning!

Enjoy your Sunday everyone!