Christmas 16 mega index/christmas chat!!!

Islandmaid

Hi all,

I'm back from our holiday, so time to think about Christmas - we only buy for the 3 kids and parents, kids BF/gf's will get a token gift or a gift token (do you like what I did there!)

I always do a stocking for the kids and DH, I was nearly lynched a few years ago when I said I was going to stop.....

I,m thinking hampers for all of my 'adult' children - watch this space..

C_J

I had a day off on Friday and went to one of those outlet shopping centres. In the Yankee Candle outlet store I bought a couple of the large jar candles in a gorgeous White Christmas fragrance reduced to £8 each, and the Carousel tealight candle advent calendar for a tenner. I'm hoping the fragrances will be fine until the end of the year (everything is sealed, so it should be okay, shouldn't it??).

The jar candles are earmarked for a really good work friend, and my son-in-law's parents. The advent calendar is for my younger daughter who has just moved into her first house-share with her best friend, and I thought their tiny tiny cottage would like a festive tealight-a-day thoughout December

kacie

I've nearly finished my shoe boxes!

Started on making my Christmas cards this week as well.

Thinking of making more gifts this year, and pinterest has been a great ideas resource!

hermionesaver

Just ordered an Elf on the Shelf book and dvd set from Amazon with some vouchers I had (lowest price I've seen them on the market place at the moment) Hoping my DD will be old enough to enjoy it now as she'll be 4 and a half at xmas DS probably will be at bit young as he'll be 2 in Jan.

I'll have to get planning some elf antics!

cheel

Oh I started elf on a shelf with my son about that age! He absolutely loved it! Its become something really special now.

I have got one more present, a alphabet game for a friends daughter and started knitting tiny stockings to put a,freddo or some such in for sons classmates. 4 down 27 to go!!

I've also found some knitting needles to make the handles for a knitting bag I'm Making for my little sister.

Big sister is getting married in December and her wedding quilt is underway.

Busy busy busy

Butterfly_Brain

C_J wrote: »

I had a day off on Friday and went to one of those outlet shopping centres. In the Yankee Candle outlet store I bought a couple of the large jar candles in a gorgeous White Christmas fragrance reduced to £8 each, and the Carousel tealight candle advent calendar for a tenner. I'm hoping the fragrances will be fine until the end of the year (everything is sealed, so it should be okay, shouldn't it??).

The jar candles are earmarked for a really good work friend, and my son-in-law's parents. The advent calendar is for my younger daughter who has just moved into her first house-share with her best friend, and I thought their tiny tiny cottage would like a festive tealight-a-day thoughout December

They will last, I bought four Christmas cracker votives at Dobbies in January for £5 each and they still smell strong so four pressies out of the way, that will do for our dear friends.
The Works currently has a sale on and I have picked up quite a few books at £2 each, a couple of sets of vinyl coasters that look like 7" singles at £3 for four, an ice bag for joint pain and headaches ideal for sports injuries, people with arthritis, migranes or other aches and pains for £2. A couple of " In an emergency break glass" money boxes, and a Harry Potter Trivial Persuit £9.99 (We all sit down and play games over Christmas. So as you can see I am well on the way with pressies :j

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Islandmaid

Butterfly Brain - Thank you for the tip about the works - just ordered a few things for DH and DD, she will love the Harry Potter Trivial Pursuit

Whoknowskt89

This is the last year of no kids to buy for as my sister is pregnant and due in January.
Present wise, I'm putting aside a little bit of money each month and every year nearly every single Christmas present I buy is from boots as my family love smellies and the food/cooking range they do.
My siblings (3) and their other half's get joint presents now which saves me a little bit of money.
I look online and in the boots catalogue for whatever I'm going to buy them and then wait until the points events to buy everything and it's usually things on 3 for 2.
Between the presents, extra points and other things I buy in the year I end up usually with around £120 in boots points. Then in the sales I buy up the birthday presents for the year and normally have a little left over for a treat.
I'm very lucky in that no one expects much (only single family member) and my family are usually really happy with what I get them, my dad usually relies on my presents to have a nice stock of shower gel etc for the year and one of my sister's loves the soap and glory gift sets she gets every birthday.

Tink_04

Well bought my 1st xmas presents yesterday and today! Argos 3 for 2 is on so I had some birthdays coming up for the kids so extra presents have been put away in the xmas stash box! Lego mostly as I know that's what will be wanted but it's given me a good start!

We don't do xmas cards any more and make a charity donation instead as we were spending £40+ on bits on paper! I try to take a nice photo of the kids instead and give them to family and friends.

My DD will be 7 soon and I'm going to get her some more grown up bits so maybe a little handbag and fill it with bits for her - she seen kids ones in river island for nearly £20! I'm sure primark will have some in along with some bits for her to put inside.

Not sure about this elf on a shelf thing as seen loads of people do them last year and they looked like fun so might see if I can get a pair so the kids have one each. What do you do with them tho? Apart from let them get up to mischief in your house?

f0xh0les

Just realised our school holidays start on 16th Dec this year (in Leicester - friends in Manchester don't break up until 23rd!) So I have 3 full weeks of 4 DS at home to keep entertained and will have to have all presents wrapped and well hidden, so I need to get organised. Two of them have birthdays in October and DS4 was a Christmas Eve Eve baby so I need birthday presents for him too. Then DS3 has a birthday 4 weeks after Christmas, but he gets sorted out in the post christmas sales. Ok, that is enough motivation for getting my 'self' in gear.