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

lemonade_money

I gave myself a kick up the bum and went to Home Bargains. Never been there before and wasn't overly impressed to be honest. Still managed to spend £25 though. I'm just disappointed because I didn't find what I was looking for. I went through my christmas box at the weekend and found a wooden advent calendar with the tiniest little doors - it will probably only fit a small wrapped sweet and I was looking for alternatives so if anyone has any ideas please do throw them my way!

lemonade_money

MRS TINKS where did you get the chocolate frogs from?

MrsTinks

lemonade_money wrote: »

MRS TINKS where did you get the chocolate frogs from?

There is a lady near me who does American and Japanese sweets. She will also get in things to order like HP sweets if anyone asks. Her FB page is called Seriously Sweet and she's based in Bicester. I know she posts things out too - she just drops things off for me with a friend and then I collect next time I'm in the area

You might find things cheaper online (although these were cheaper than at HP world!) - but at least I know they're in date LOL

Gettingtherequickly

MrsTinks wrote: »

GTQ - just a thought - would you need to have certified food preparation area etc if you're making food to sell even if it's for charity? I don't know the rules on this to be honest but someone did fall foul of it round where I live a couple of years ago? Please check up on it before hand just in case! I don't want any of our MSE'ers to end up in trouble over fudge! (Other than the "I ate too much" kind... hehehe)

Depending on your fudge though it should last a couple of weeks in the fridge, but I would make it as close as you possibly could in case people were planning on keeping it themselves for a few days at home?

:eek: Didn't think of that. Plus side, one less thing to do!

murie

GTQ- phew, reading your list of activities has tired me out!! You and Mrs I seem to have an inexhaustible energy supply!


Peppa- love those slippers! Are you feeling any better?


Mrs Tinks- HP world is disgustingly expensive I think.


Lemonade_money- HB can be hit and miss but don't give up on it as there can be some real gems at times.


We went to the German market in Birmingham yesterday, wet and cold but we had a lovely time, if anyone is planning to go be warned - its very expensive! £6 for a stollen is just one example, needless to say I get mine from Aldi lol!

Peppapig

Ooh MURIE the Christmas market must have been fun, if expensive. We went to one of the German ones at Guttesloh when DD lived over there and it was amazing, the pork rolls and chocolate covered fruit was fabulous. The potato rosti that we thought was something else and had with apple sauce not so much. In fact I still feel sick when I think of it lol. I haven't been able to eat anything like it since. Feeling better today thanks, slept well and didn't wake up til ten past ten!

LMG1305

lemonade_money wrote: »

I gave myself a kick up the bum and went to Home Bargains. Never been there before and wasn't overly impressed to be honest. Still managed to spend £25 though. I'm just disappointed because I didn't find what I was looking for. I went through my christmas box at the weekend and found a wooden advent calendar with the tiniest little doors - it will probably only fit a small wrapped sweet and I was looking for alternatives so if anyone has any ideas please do throw them my way!

Lemonade - how about one of those felt stocking advents. I've seen them in a lot of places, I'll try & find somewhere for you in a bit. Or one year I bought mini gift bags (really small, can't remember where from sorry) and bought stickers with numbers on so then labelled them all 1 to 24. I was able to fit things like nail polish in, chocolates, small lip balm pots etc. I'll have a nosey and come back to you xx

LMG1305

Lemonade - a few I found

http://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-chamonix-advent-boxes-set-of-24/p2683334

http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/arraycollection/product/modern-classic-advent-calendar-bags


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Set-Advent-Calendar-Gift-Bags/dp/B0094EXVVS
These are the ones I bought a few years ago. You can get a decent small gift in & they're quite thick so I have kept them & use them every year now. I forgot they actually come with stickers too, I thought I'd bought them separately. They're not available on amazon but if you search on Google for advent calendar gift bags a few ideas come up.

LMG1305

https://www.rastallanddaughters.com/24-advent-calendar-gift-bags

Here you go, they're on this site for £6.95

LMG1305

Hi everyone, I hope you're all well and feeling the festive spirit. I am well & truly in it now. We had christmas music on in work yesterday and I wrapped some gifts last night. I have got my sisters some cute travel size toiletries and over the year I have managed to blag a few perfume sample bottles, sample toiletries etc so I had quite a good stash that I have split between them and put into a really cute christmas gift box that I bought from The Works. I'm really pleased with it, some lovely little items in there and didn't cost loads of money. I also put some other bigger bits in there that I've picked up throughout the year when they've been on offer so it will be a nice treat for them both.

I am putting my decorations up this weekend. I just can't wait any longer. I usually have them up much sooner than this but we went away for the weekend and we're having some work done in our house, so I've been a bit all over the place with everything. I am going to get organised this weekend and get them all up so the house will feel lovely and cosy again. I hate having work done in my house because when I know other people are in it or have been in it during the day I feel a bit detached from it until they are gone and everything is back to normal. Bit strange I know :