Santas challenge 2017

Happy_Kitties

Katiehound I really don't know where you get ur energy from. £150+ is an amazing amount to raise for Dogs for Good in 5 weeks:T

Have picked up a few more presents for 2019 at really good prices, a couple are for charity auctions in 2019 and I manage to pack them away last night while getting DDs presents out to check off :A
Was missing a few presents but when I went on a hunt I found they had been tucked away in birthday present box:eek:
I've trimmed back on the spare presents I keep, gave a couple of bits to a friend for his DD for Christmas and donated an item into the Tesc@ toy collection point

When shopping for cat food yesterday I ended up getting the Christmas treats including a nice panettone. Only need a couple of fresh bits for Christmas now. Turkey all ordered from the farm shop which will be picked up on Christmas eve.

I've been behind on sending out presents. Usually do it the first weekend in December but being away threw me. Just one to send now.

I don't get many Christmas cards now.....the ones I do get are ones that always get a letter or a letter gets popped in a present parcel.

Determined not to stress and just enjoy. Slowly putting presents into gift bags aswell ready for the Christmas tree going up.

CCL I hope you are feeling better soon. There would be nothing worse than a poorly house thru Christmas esp with the younger ones.
Chanie I hope u haven't got a big to do list. I really should write a list just for those last bits of shopping or to do things or something will be forgotten......usually foil:D

crazy-cat-lady_2

Katiehound. Well done! Amazing amount raised.

Haven’t made a start on next year’s presents yet sadly, so very jealous Happy Kitties. Got a list of things ready for the online boots sale and Superdrug. Two of the places I usually get quite a bit from. I’ve cut way back on extra spare presents too. Been using some of them up from the cupboard and not replacing and given some for raffle prizes to charities and in charity trolleys at Asda. Someone may as well enjoy them.

Just had to put together 6 little gifts for the girls who look after my daughter’s room at nursery. A little box of milk tray, a nails inc cracker each (they were £25 down to £5 last year) and a little pack of thank you chuppa chups all in a little gift bag with a card from her. Only cost about £2 a present but hopefully looks like more.

Feeling a bit more human now than you everyone. I had pneumonia a few christmasses back and now it seems I end up poorly every year.

Happy to have just won a big elf on the shelf kit from Kellogg’s. No use for this year now but it’ll go away for next year. I’ve been comping a bit lately. Anything that’ll come in useful for us or presents to go away. Might be cheeky, but if it saves money 😜

Happy_Kitties

CCL well done on the elf on the shelf win, every little thing counts and helps.

I've been lucky with presents for next year. I went into Tesc@s for cat food yesterday and found they had some Disney Princess perfumes down from £10 to £1.25 so bought 3. One will go away for a charity auction but I have been lucky to have been in the right place at the right time for several items.

I've got a stock of 5 spare presents now that I will try to stick to.

The gifts for the girls at ur daughters nursery sound lovely, shows thought.
Really hope the family is fighting fit to enjoy Christmas

Katiehound

Just to say the £150 wasn't from the last few weeks (sadly) but what has been accruing in the tins since June. However I think my dog training friend has at least another £30- and that is from now. Hopefully she is selling some right now! as there is a special session this evening.

I did really well in a charity shop this week. A new Moulton Brown cracker (obviously not this year) @£2. They are selling online at a special price of £16 were £20:eek: Flip, there are only 4 small bottles inside.

I had a teeny bit of a gifts clear out as one friends daughter is moving into a house in London. I've given her a Seasalt bag with a bale of towels, a carafe, a glass chopping board and seasonal socks. Total spent £7.20.(The bag was the dearest item) Full price came in at over £19. The bale of towels filled a carrier bag and I swear they were eating space!!

The plan is to get all the other bits bagged or wrapped over the weekend. I am off south on Thursday. and write a few cards... I forgot that.....

On Monday I have promised to collect 3 unwanted duvets (big sigh- I don't want them just now) I would like to get a few doggy coats sewn: the friend involved with the Romanian dog charity has offered to store things when made. I might see a few more inches of floor space, if I am very very lucky.

It's turned really cold.....but at least the sun has been shining.
Bye:rudolf:

Happy_Kitties

Katiehound it's still an amazing amount to raise from the doggie-duvet factory:T

You fell really lucky with the Molton Brown, love the stuff, u only need a small amount. They are so distinctive that certain ones remind me of certain events in my life. I bought my DB some for Christmas and I think I've got some off DN and DD. You really got a bargain there with the cracker-bargains like that I'm not so lucky with!:rotfl:

A couple more gift bags made up last night:j. Just 2 to do and a parcel still to send-have a bit of a mental block on this parcel.......I think bec it needs a letter and I hate packing a parcel up:(.......determined this will be done tomorrow

Anglea

Hi everyone, it doesn't seem like a month since I last posted. I'm still finding it a bit difficult to get used to my new taps and sink as they are so different to the old ones.

My parents have had non stop problems at their house, no phone, no electric and a gas leak so I've been preoccupied and no time to post, then I've had DS2 visits.

DS1 is bringing his new g/f from Japan for Christmas. I had no idea he was seeing her at all before the other week. At least he's given me a bit more advance notice than his usual visits.

My friend has all the Christmas food at her house thank goodness as no room here, we've started taking a few cupboard type items (jars etc) and put them in bags in my garage. She's still got some last moment things to get. I've also got to make a visitors shopping list for food outside of the 25th.

Yesterday I made friend a birthday present as it's next week and I've got a few more things to make for her either for the birthday or all for Christmas.

I haven't got anything for the boys/gf plus I need to get the house ready for visitors, the dining room is still full of clutter after painting. I'm not putting up my usual tree or decorations but have a tree from the friend as the piano is still in the wrong position in the living room (moved for painting behind it) and I don't want the room to look too cluttered. I've got to wait until Christmas Day evening when ex will be at my house the same time as DS1, hopefully I'll remember to ask for it to be moved.

Post Office type mailings (parcel to UK, overseas card) are done so at least they are out of the way.

Chanie - what sort of egg baskets are you getting for MIL? I'm wondering if this is a round wire one? I hope your Xmas pudding turned out nice.

crazy- cat- lady I hope you are much better for Christmas, I also recall the household being constantly ill when the children were small. I don't have a slow cooker but I've seen recipes for 3 ingredient oven cake, I presume it must be the same one.

katiehound I wonder if you'll ever get bored of making the duvets or going away? You'll get much better weather than us in January and maybe another chance to sit at the Captain's table. How was this different to sitting at a normal table? Is the food different or is it just the company?

happy kitties Have you written your letter yet to go in the parcel? That's a lovely tradition with DD's snowman. That's funny about eating the Christmas choccies.

Today's bad weather has changed my plans, I was going to go to the shops to get a gift for DS1 and visit parents but I don't want to get drenched before arriving as I walk everywhere, so I'll probably either spend the day on Christmas prep or else have a much shorter walk to the Co-op to buy some bread if it ever stops pouring.

It's a shame that mum2one has stopped posting, I tried sending a message a while back and had no reply. Hope she and the family are ok.

Katiehound

I also sent a pm to Mum 2 one- but sadly no reply either.

Got a phone call today from dog training friend- more large duvets needed!
Will try to get a couple done tomorrow as she comes into town on a Mon & that would save a 15 mile round trip drive. Had hoped I had finished with them for a while- but if they are selling need to strike while the iron is hot. :snow_laug

I can't quite believe that every dog doesn't already have one of my duvets but we know some dogs rip them and of course new folk get new dogs, so whilst there is a demand I will keep going.

This year in total have raised £359.16, and grand total £1,610.11

Had brought down 2 bin bags full of stuff to make dog coats from the loft, but it looks as if they will go back up untouched... mutterings

Today I have managed all the presents packed and goodie bags stuffed and stapled at the top. Tomorrow need to write the cards (as few as poss!) get 2 pairs of socks in an envelope so postage as cheap as possible, and then check local cards. Just one posted card needs a note- not a letter.

The weather has turned foul. At least I got a line of washing half dry before the torrential rain appeared....

Good luck everyone with your preparations

Happy_Kitties

Katiehound a fantastic amount raised, and I don't think people will let u stop with the duvets by the sounds of it-very popular item and ur totally right about striking while the iron is hot. My besties DD belongs to a human/dog running club where they do races together and doggy duvets would be very popular

Anglea my poor DDs snowman, his cotton wool is slowly dropping off, he's had to have a few minor repairs over the past few years but still keeps going.
You sound like you've had a bit of a stressful month, I hate stuff like what ur parents have been going thru, just hate the stress.

I think the letter is putting me off with the parcel plus packing it up, I hate packaging up things but plan to do it today, get stuck in and start tidying up loose ends ready for DD coming home.

Was at an event last night, stopped at the big 24 hour Tesc@ on the way home. Stocked up on the 29p veg, got extra potatoes to make a soup this week but might do the same next Saturday as no crowds and so much quieter for any bits forgotten as I don't plan to do any shopping after Christmas and I can stock up on anything missing for the cats. They have a collection point for the local animal sanctuary so popped a couple of bits in there including some tins that have been left at my door for the cats

I haven't sent a PM to mum2one but did have a look to see if she had posted anywhere else on the site but nothing I'm afraid

chanie

happy kitties I picked up some cocktail baubles today. I remember the obsession we had last year over them, so I couldnt resist getting them.

Happy_Kitties

Chanie it's funny u should say about the cocktail baubles. I hadn't seen them in M@rrisons this year nor anywhere else so just thought they wouldn't be out, it was only the end of last week that I spotted that M@rrisons finally had some in......so bought some aswell for DDs gift bag........I think we're setting abit of a thread tradition!:beer: