* I wish it could be Christmas every day * - It's the 2017 Christmas Chatter Thread

04624181

Hi everyone, sorry I have been MIA! Been so busy at work, I can now say I have a contract until july this year which will be renewed on a yearly basis. love it!! I have not had time to do anything gift related at all. We are off for a week now, so the clean up has begun.
Hope you are all well, will try and catch up xx

Peppapig

That's good news 0462, I'm really pleased for you.

Glad you've found us MRSMONEYPENNY, I have to keep the tab open on my iPad and just refresh it otherwise I can't find the thread.

Wow CHRISSY, that's a lot of money to have to spend. I know what you mean about giving money, I think it's because mostly people live together first and then get married so they've already got all the household stuff. It does take the pleasure out of it a bit though and I think KERRI is right though, they could have phrased it more gently. I agree with FREE too, I do t like people to be able to work out what I've spent

Hope the painting is going well VULPIX, I've done a bit myself lately getting the house ready for sale.

CLUMSY that must have been horrible, I once saw two dads come to blows in a children's playground when we went to Hever Castle, I was disgusted, how can grown men behave like that in front of children?

Well, the house has been on the market since Thursday and we've had two viewings and an offer (too low and they haven't sold yet). The other people are coming for a second viewing but they're looking for an investment so not hopeful of an acceptable offer. Have another viewing booked for Friday though so fingers crossed.

Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend.

kerri_gt

Fingers crossed on the house Peppa we moved last year and round here second viewings weren't really an option as it was just before the referendum and if you snoozed, you lost out.

Chrissy I know what you mean about not wanting people knowing what you've spent. I felt a bit of a tight wad last year at a friend's wedding as the year wanted £ for their honeymoon. However I also found a print that was just perfect For them and part of the hen night theme so I got that instead of a card. However it was shipped from the US so wasn't cheap, esp as it was a print, so bigger than a card. I gave them the balance of what I'd given as cash to their honeymoon.

Well, I've stashed some Xmas gifts away today that have been sitting out (I keep them in a draw but it's a pain to get to so I'd been putting it off) also put some Xmas tins I bought in the £ store for 50p each in there, wasn't sure if they might rust in the loft with any condensation from temp changes.

How is it Sunday evening already? Been pottering and doing a few jobs this afternoon and the day seems to have flown by.

vulpix

I am with you on the giving money as gifts thing.I give the kids and partners money for birthdays n Christmas but thats different altogether.We gave money to my cousin for her 40th wedding anniversary recently.It hurt to give £40,I wouldn't have spent as much on a gift.But any less seemed stingy.

Most productive day for me today.Went a walk with the friend who smashed her leg up before Christmas.Had coffee at mine then DD2 and I spring cleaned her bedroom.All without a cross word :eek:
Tomorrow after school we will tidy her wardrobe and under bed drawers.Makes me feel so much better.BAGS of clothes sent to my cousin who is organising a jumble sale.

I also had a sort out of the wardrobe in the spare room where my present stash is.Lots of stuff gone to a friend who is looking for tombola prizes.They were mainly gifts from my MIL:o

Peppa that is fantastic.Sounds like you will be on the move soon.
Tomorrow is the day.The dreaded painting of the architrave day.I cannot put it off any longer.

0462 it;s great that you are enjoying your work.I dreamed I was back at work last night,I miss it sometimes.Well the kids,not the actual work.

vx

nic2075

Morning, I have read back, but so much to remember. Apologise for forgetting everything. And hope I get the right people when commenting.

Peppa, good luck in the house move.

Pixitotts, I used to get wicks etc from my candle making company or somthing like that. I used them to make tea cup candles. They have been the best burning candles ive ever had, they burn so evenly all the way down. It's really easy just to melt the wax in an old pan.

0462- glad you are loving your job. It's great you have a contract til the summer. Fingers crossed they renew it in September.

Ive had a busy few days. The kids were off school all week. I work in the next council over with different holidays (such a pain!) so I only had the long weekend off last week. So it meant ferrying the kids around to my sister, dads and kids clubs for childcare Tues-fri. The enjoyed their week. But I took them away to a wigwam again on Saturday. When we were there in January, a big group of boys appeared and had a party in one of the wigwams. It's meant to be a quiet zone, so the owners were apologetic and offered us another stay for free. We had to use it before the Easter holidays and the price starts to go up for the rest of the year. We went on Saturday and had a great time building fires, toasting marshmallows and going on a hike. It wasn't that relaxing for me, but was nice to enjoy the quiet and fresh air.

We are back to school as normal today and I'm back to my usual hours plus overtime. I'm up silly early today as my back is always sore in the morning. And I enjoy an hour of peace with my coffee and Internet before the kids get up ��.

System

On freebies board theres 6 free candle samples with free delivery they are most likely tea lights but some lovely fragrances.

Re the wedding issue - They are older 40s and have combined 2 households so i understand they dont need anything , we always intended giving money maybe with something personalised with their wedding details on but the way this card has been written basically saying they only want donations made direct to the travel agent and no "pointless" gifts has really peed me off .
They are having a set menu but my DD is Autistic so food is tricky so i asked if she could just have plain chicken and carrots apparently thats too much trouble but there is a vegeterian option she could have good grief if i could get her to eat vegetarian stuff i would have had a lot less battles over the years ! Their suggestion is i take her a packed lunch .

kerri_gt

CHRISSYG wrote: »

On freebies board theres 6 free candle samples with free delivery they are most likely tea lights but some lovely fragrances.

Re the wedding issue - They are older 40s and have combined 2 households so i understand they dont need anything , we always intended giving money maybe with something personalised with their wedding details on but the way this card has been written basically saying they only want donations made direct to the travel agent and no "pointless" gifts has really peed me off .
They are having a set menu but my DD is Autistic so food is tricky so i asked if she could just have plain chicken and carrots apparently thats too much trouble but there is a vegeterian option she could have good grief if i could get her to eat vegetarian stuff i would have had a lot less battles over the years ! Their suggestion is i take her a packed lunch .

I think the term 'pointless' was probably an unfortunate use of phrase by them - they likely thought they were making things easy for people (or perhaps not, but I do try to see the best in people where possible)
I am surprised about the packed lunch suggestion as a lot of places will not allow outside food at such a 'do' (although I remember the venue for my SIL wedding cooked turkey dinosaurs for my autistic DN which they bought with them - again surprising). Could you perhaps enquire to the venue yourself?

Regarding the £ - at least if you pay it directly to the travel company, chances are the recipients will not know what you've spent. Of course, if it's really annoyed you, and you're forking out over £400 for the day, you don't have to give anything - they'll be none the wiser I'm sure.

pixtotts

Thanks kerri gt & vulpix for all the candle help and nic2075 oooh I might have to see if I can find any teacups to do some in I love tea!

CHRISSYG I agree with Kerri, maybe try contacting the venue its self, could be the couple just don't want to ask/risk paying extra, the venue might be more accomodating. You'd expect them to have some plainer food options for children anyway, and you can't get much more simple than chicken... Or at least you can ask them about bringing something for her, you wouldn't want to get there and the venue have a paddy at a packed lunch
I think the £400 for the accomodation would be enough to scare me off haha, I really dislike giving money/ vouchers for gifts I don't like that people know exactly how much you've given them, and money has different values for different people. Like my sister spent £45 in primarni the other day, I can't spend that on clothes and not feel guilty. I've taken to doing a papercut for them I count that as the token gift bit (though to buy it from me it would be £60+ I count it as a token gift because I don't pay myself lol) then buying experience days as the proper wedding present, and it's caught on amongst my friends, it's quite fun watching them have days out and weekends away throughout the year knowing that that's our wedding presents they are spending/using

Ooops sorry about the essay! x

mrsinvisible

Hello, half term sloth has struck. and although there are loads of jobs l should be doing, CBA wins the day.
Chrissy, £400 is a heck of a whack for accommodation! at that price the hotel should not only cater to DDs needs, they should serve it with gold spoons! as for travel agent why not give them currency in the denomination of the country? not quite so cold blooded? I don't mind people knowing what l have spent on them, as 'it is the thought that counts'. Mind you, l would be asking them if they wanted me to come or would they rather l simply put the accommodation cost straight to the travel agent, might make them think a bit.
You could always skype the ceremony.
Right l'm off to look at the freebies board for tealights, thanks.

DomRavioli

Hi all,

Had a bit of a strange day today. Waiting on call from mental health to see what's happening, should be tomorrow. OH off to football tomorrow so I have some time to myself, and hopefully with good news.

Picked up some wool to continue my niece's blanket (its patchwork and she gets new squares when it's looking a little small!), so that's me for the next few evenings.

Managed to pick up some typing work, not much but enough to keep the head above water whilst I'm still housebound, cannot believe its been since June last year.

I need to get my thinking hat on about Xmas, will take some time this week to get a plan together.