Santas challenge 2017

crazy-cat-lady_2

Wow 2020 started already. I’m way behind with THIS year on where I usually am. Started off well and flagging now.

Things have been a little hectic though and I haven’t had time or money spare to do much. Hopefully I can make a start soon.

We are away most of December so it’s going to be chaos this year and I’m already stressing about how I’m going to get everything done. Going to have to visit all friends and family and dish out presents on the 1st or 2nd of December or they won’t get them til after Christmas. We get home on the early morning of 23rd and got to soft out food, cleaning, unpacking and Christmas dinner prep while jet lagged.

chanie

Haha ladies, I still have lots to do for 2019, but sometimes, if you see a decent gift, you just have to get it.

I also bought one more gift yesterday for my BIL, which was an insulated water bottle from TK Maxx.

I now have 9 people left to buy for. This includes:
3 x cash
2 x where I have already sorted part of the gifts
4 x still to buy

Plus OH and thr children.

Gosh, when I write it down, it feels like I have lots left to do, despite having bought so much already!

Happy_Kitties

I actually managed to put my first shoe box together last night as I had loads of bits left over from last year. Just a couple of little items short but I think I also have enough to put almost another box together. This first box is slightly bigger than they would like but don't want to waste the box.

U have done so well Chanie. I keep getting overwhelmed by all the wrapping I need to do, especially as I won't be able to bend post surgery for a few months and everything is tucked away in suitcases under beds.
Im concentrating on those I will need to send out first.
Really really struggling with DD this year. Always get the usual bits she uses throughout the year and a main present but struggling this year with the main present, as yet I have no ideas at all. Even struggling with her usual bits as when I was sorting out some of her uni stuff into a proper storage box I noticed she has loads of shower gels etc left over but then I keep thinking she still has the rest of the year to go yet so will be in need of supplies by then!

chanie

Well done on putting your first shoe box together. I have a different strategy to you - rather than do one box at a time, I do all of mine at the same time. This does make it more difficult see how the boxes are filling up. I managed to get another box today. OH got some new work shoes today and my first thought was ‘ooo, I can use the box’.

I’m sure inspiration will come to you about DDs presents. Me and OH tend to leave thr children’s presents until much nearer the time and we always find something in the end. As long as everyone else is sorted in good time, we can cope with just having to sort out thr children.

Happy_Kitties

People must think we are bonkers when we become very happy to see a shoebox!
First one completely finished and wrapped.
Chanie I couldn't do it the way you do it, I would lose patience but I think doing one at a time can become quite long winded but I am going to aim for 4 this year.
Still quite a bit left over from last year including some knitted items DM did before she gave up so I'm 3/4 thru putting together an elderly box. Got to get a few bits to finish it off. Have found Tesc@'s Molly medium bars of chocolate have a good shelf life, are only 30p and a decent chocolate. Forgot to pick up the chocolate today

Other than the shoeboxes and aiming to get a present wrapped tonight, ive come to abit of a standstill again

chanie

I am off to Home Bargsins this weekend, so I’m going to try and stock up on stuff for my boxes and the Christmas toy appeal. I haven’t registered with link yet, so I must get onto that.

The 2020 present I ordered from Sainsburys was out of stock, but they had it in store, so I picked it up today.

Katiehound

Ha! I'm still here- but more lurking in the background! Almost halfway through the year and when I have been at home I've been ill. Not good!!

5 week cruise from early Jan from Colombo to Dover.
Then picked up viral cough whilst home for 10 days
2 weeks in Ireland (coughing!)
Home for less than 10 days (still coughing!)
17 days tour of India- Golden triangle + extra including tigers (very full on.) Came home with food poisoning (lasted 3 weeks)
4 weeks in Ireland
Have been home for 2 weeks now and trying to catch up on everything: stacks of unfiled paperwork, osteopath, dentist,get dishwasher mended, replace washing machine (26 yo)replace broken camera etc etc.

Today signed up for shoe boxes. Now £3 per box
New leaflets- not displayed online this year
This is the info from Link HO:
"List is similar to last year but we have asked people to put 6 core items into every box whether is a Family or and Elderly Shoebox and then add extra items to make the box they want. So core items are candles/holders, soap/flannel, Toothbrush/toothpaste, Sweets/Chocolate, Small Game and Gloves or Scarf or Hat. Everything else is extras."

I have a lot of stuff collected- car boots are good for small items/ thin scarves etc. Need to pack boxes by end of August so I can cruise with a clear conscience.

Most of my friends are getting cheapie tat from India- I have pretty pens, mirrors, bags etc & already bought one mag sub with a free GH apron. I also got a handsome coffee table cities -in -maps book for E4 from Dealz- so £3.50ish- that's going to be a prezzie.

Best wishes to all

Happy_Kitties

katiehound u have really been through it, food poisoning is a very nasty business. Hope u r doing okay now and glad u r still lurking and haven't left us.

How many shoeboxes are u aiming to do this year?
I'm actually thinking of aiming for 5 this year. I've become a dab hand at packing loads into a small space and after Chanie said about h.bargains I popped along to my local to see what I could get.
I'm really happy I've got a local collection point this year, DD won't have to take them back to uni.

Apart from the shoeboxes just need to wrap and send fathers day present, a couple of birthday presents then I have no more birthdays until October.
Apart from the shoeboxes I haven't really been focused on presents, more focused on the garden at the minute

Katiehound

Erm yes, the food poisoning was a pain- not the kind of souvenir you want from anywhere, I thought I was going to be living on dry toast, bananas and live yoghurt forever!

My plan is to do 8 boxes. I collected the boxes whilst in Ireland because a local shoe shop there saves them for their own shoebox appeal. The car was so full and the boxes wouldn't go inside each other so I had to pack them with things that had to come home with me!! I'm cheating - mine are size 9/10! but they are not boot boxes.

Unfortunately the local collector has retired so it's going to mean double the distance: a 50 mile round trip instead of 24 ( and I used to visit a friend about 5 more miles away so it was convenient.) I have tried phoning the 'new' one to see when they will accept the boxes- no answer, so far.
In the past I have tried to cram in hat & gloves/mitts but never bother with woolly scarf- just too bulky.
I'm wondering what best before date they want for sweets. April/ May 20 perhaps?
Hope the leaflets come reasonably soon so I can see exactly what is needed. I know I need to source wind-up torches, that wasn't easy last year.

Just now better get out with dogs- we are going to start building an ark soon- just pouring non stop all night and all day! My bathroom is full of soggy leads , collars and dog coats. Rain- ugh!!

chanie

katie wow, 8 boxes. I’m impressed.

I’m planning on doing 4. This will be 3 family and 1 elderly, as I find the elderly ones more difficult to fill. I enjoy the diversity of the family boxes.