Christmas 16 mega index/christmas chat!!!

SpekySquarehead

Bought my first 2 Xmas presents yesterday;

- An engraved torch. £57
- A toy for each dog. £2

I've a few secret santas that I wish would be drawn sooner so I can plan.

VintageLady

We absolutely love Christmas in our house so I'm very happy to see a Christmas thread already on here.

In terms of Christmas prepping this is the time I start to plan out the calendar as Christmas events are already being advertised. I like to go through my calendar and put in dates of events I would like to attend and also dates of when I want to get things done by. The issue I had in the past was not really doing anything till December and then trying to cram all my makes and bakes into 4 weekends on top of family and social engagements.

Now is also the time I look on pinterest for gift and decoration ideas so I have lots of time to make things. I like to mentally also make notes of things family members have said they would like.

I can't get too caught up in Christmas though because we still have Halloween and bonfire night to go both of which we also like to celebrate and we do lots of decorations for Halloween.

savingpennies

May I join in? I count up how much Christmas costs each year, divide by 12 and then save that amount for the following year. I try to spend less than I have saved and this has worked for the past two years. Christmas cards and wrapping paper were bought in January.

I knit and sew so I am hoping to make some of this year's gifts. So far I have planned:
two knitted VW cushions for DD2's car,
a knitted neck scarf/shawl for mum,
for DD1 - a knitted Chinese motif cushion for DD1, a sleep mask and some matching slippers with some bits of fabric I have.

Just need to get on and start, I'll update my progress as I go.

crazy-cat-lady_2

Oooh. Another Christmas thread. Love it. Can I join in?! I think l must read or post in every and any Christmas thread. Can't get enough. Husband is a Scrooge and keeps yelling at me that it's only August, stop it!

I got some great deals earlier this week from hotukdeals; 2 sets of nails inc Christmas crackers from boots, originally £30, reduced and reduced to £5! And three Yankee candle tart burners with 12 tarts for £20. Plus I already have a present cupboard rammed with bits and pieces from the January sales and any sales onwards. Ordered a few clothing present bits from the Debenhams sale yesterday too.

Bought myself a lovely new, massive tree really cheap last week and new table runner and napkins and got some big "do not open til December 25th" hessian present sacks from Amazon.

Also started with making bits of presents. I'm soap making so there's quite a few bits made as stocking fillers, and will probably add some crocheted items or jewellery items to the pile when I've made them all. Need some nice boxes to put them in. And got a box of Kilner jars delivered the other day, so i can start planning jams, chutneys, fudges..etc to make nearer the time.

Just started maternity leave so o have a lot of time on my hands for now. Making the most of it!

So, on a bit of a roll this month.

Frugal_life

:snow_grin :xmastree: Yaay!! Christmas!!! :xmastree: :snow_grin

Absolutely LOVE Christmas and everything about it! The OH isn't as enthusiastic but I have more than enough festive spirit for the both of us

Am happy to say we are very firm believers in the "if we can't afford it, then we're not getting it" way of thinking and make sure the cost of Christmas is spread across the year.

The best method for saving that works for us is having a spare change pot that we add to at the end of every week. Whether it be 5p or £5, it all adds up!

As well as this, I try and get as much as possible in the Jan sales/ any relevant sales as and when they pop up.

We probably only have 5/6 presents left to buy for Christmas '16 which means I can turn my attentions to finding new and exciting recipes to try out this year :T

Any remaining money saved in our Christmas pot between now and the main event will go towards dinner and the Jan sales. We're not too keen on Turkey and last year's spread included a nice bit of Beef from the local Butcher for Christmas Day and a bit of Gammon on Boxing Day (a tradition in our house). Haven't decided what this year's meat for Christmas Day will be but I'm sure it'll be yummy whatever it is!

Last Christmas was a bit of a rush for us as we moved into our new home 2 weeks before the main event, but this year I will have time to do some baking and put up a few more decorations. Can't wait!

Looking forward to reading about all of your Christmas preparations and OS tips

newgirly

This is my first post on a Xmas thread, I do love reading them

I started my shopping after last Xmas but still have lots to get, my favourite thing which is a new tradition is advent boxes for my three kids. I used to do the Xmas eve hampers but they lost interest as they got older

So last year I bought three glittery gift boxes 30x20 cm ish from the card factory, in silver , red and gold for each child. Then ordered candy striped red and white paper sweet bags from Amazon - very cheap around a couple of pounds for 100. I filled 24 (x3 :eek:) bags with treats and numbered the bags with black marker and sealed with big gold round stickers (also Amazon) that way I could make sure they didn't have all the best presents at the start of the month.

It did take a while to buy bits , but I spent months picking up odds and ends.

Some days were just sweets chews, gold coins etc. but others were a bit more unusual, football team key ring, Xmas gloves (primark sale 10p!) glitter nail varnish for the £ shop etc.

They really enjoyed opening them everyday and the boxes looked lovely under the tree, we can't put presents under too early because of the cat , so it brightens it up a bit.

Sorry if I'm waffling on, just thought I'd share

mrs_Badger

newgirly - you have inspired me to do this advent gift box for each of my nieces. They get sooo much, and I always feel as if my gifts are just lost amongst everything. By doing this they can get a something nice to use on the run up to Christmas, and I know they will love the daily surprise.

I aim to cover a shoe box each in Christmas paper.

Ideas (age 9 and 14) - £1 coin and a few sweets, sweets or yummies, mini can of juice, face pack sachet, hot choc sachet, lip balm, notebook, mini toiletries, ... I am thinking about 15 items of 50p each or less, and then about 5 x £1 items and about 4 better gifts like make-up set, and I've already got a hair chalks set and a bag for the oldest.

lillibet_dripping

VintageLady wrote: »

I can't get too caught up in Christmas though because we still have Halloween and bonfire night to go both of which we also like to celebrate and we do lots of decorations for Halloween.

We are absolutely Christmas mad in our house too - but I always say to the kids (20 and 21 would you believe!) that first we have to do Harvest Festival, Halloween, Bonfire Night and then Remembrance Day. As soon as the Veterans' 'march-past' starts, there is always a moment when we all look at each other and yell 'CHRISTMAS'!!!

We are moving into a holiday-lodge log cabin next month and already have the decking area decorations planned - think German Christmas market!!!

newgirly

Hi mrs badger, that sounds good I agree about the presents getting lost due to the amount they get sometimes. Primark have reduced jewellery items usually, there may be something suitable for your nieces. I also always get my dd some Xmas knickers from there too

Apple-shaped

love this thread and looooovvve Christmas too

have only got a couple of things as yet
Articulate board game £8 reduced from £22 and star wars light sabre heat changing mugs £2.50 from £5.

For anyone looking for jars for jam/chutney making I found some great ones in the sale at B&M yesterday, 500ml with airtight lids reduced to £1.99 for a pack of 3.I really wanted the ones with the red and white check lids but they only had blue and white check ones left..can't be fussy for that price though x