Christmas 2017 mega index/christmas chat!!!! Yes, it's early I know :)

tiredwithtwins

zippychick wrote: »

How are the Christmas plans going???

Chilli Jam can be made well in advance. I've used this recipe for years (although I remove the peppers, and have changed the ratio of chilli to make it spicier.)

I'm no jam maker like, but it's fairly simple and delicious with cheese! (and sandwiches, pizza, chips, mayo, salad, stir fry etc)

Zip

i can provide hotter quantities if needed! x

how far in advance do you make it Zippychick? and how long does it stay ok for?
xx

C_J

A few more Christmas stocking fillers sorted out today - a pretty earthenware/blue/white tapas dish (the sort for serving olives in) for just £2 in Home Bargains which will be perfect for my son in law who loves a bowl of olives, and a large tub of O'Keeffe's Hardworking Hands blokey hand cream as he plays guitar which apparently makes his hands dry. This was brand new and sealed in plastic package from a charity shop for just £1.

Bought a nice chunky 4 piece wooden puzzle of a bright yellow car for baby grandson's stocking, he'll only be 10 months old at Christmas but I can't resist getting him a few little gifts even though he won't have a clue what's going on. The puzzle was £2 in Tiger.

I also bought a book by the American woodworker Norm Abram for my husband, as he likes watching his New Yankee Workshop programmes on telly.

A good day's shoppin'

Tink_04

Another present bought today - my little stash is coming along nicely it's hard to buy for The kids at times as they keep changing their mind about what they are into but generic bits that come in handy like stationary or little sets are good!

Really excited as this will be our first Xmas at home just the 4 of us with me cooking Xmas lunch!! It will be so lovely for the kids to be able to stay home on Xmas morning and play with their stuff rather than get in the car for a long journey - they will be 8 & 4 so it's not fair on them and I've decided Xmas will be for us and everyone else can wait till Boxing Day.

zippychick

tiredwithtwins wrote: »

how far in advance do you make it Zippychick? and how long does it stay ok for?
xx

Flip sake i forgot the link!!! :rotfl:


I'm not kidding when I say i have jars years old. I make it every year for gifts. Wrap the jars in christmas paper and wee christmas stickers :rotfl: (pound shop)

nomi01

Off on holiday tomorrow so planning on taking knitting and crafting bits.
Want to make a start on xmas hampers for aunts/uncles/cousins. Last year, we did all handmade gifts in hand printed jute bags.
Everything was well received ( hopefully not just being polite) and it was enjoyable to do.
We customised each one, some spicy jams for foodies and bath bombs and candles for others.
The kids helped too. It was fun.

FoxFace

Hello lovely people

So glad to have found this thread, husband thought I was bonkers earlier when I told him I was starting the Christmas fund :rotfl:

I have a small weekly budget between now and 9th December and am going to start looking out for bargains

I also have a list of people I need to find presents for... no last minute, expensive scrambles around the shops this year

Tink_04

Got some more bits today! Claires accessories has a 3 for £5 and loads of bits in the sale so hot my daughter some stocking fillers and the works had an 80% off on kids books for got her 5 books in a jacquline Wilson box set as she has just got into these. Stashed away in my wardrobe for now until I need to get the big box out of the loft.

VfM4meplse

I'm just thinking of a few things that might work...in the form of old glass jars. There was another thread that is encouraging me to save my DE coffee jars instead of giving them away, and turning them into "gratitude" jars.

Poundstertcher is also doing some really cute milk bottles pretty slogans and matching straws atm, 2 for £1, and some 1L size glass bottles with wire and ceramic stoppers for £1.49. Useful for creating alcoholic treats for the winter and much cheaper than Kilner style bottles (admittedly the seal is not on a par with Kilner).

Tink_04

Thanks I might have a look for some jars to do a couple of projects with the kids for Xmas presents!

I like getting photo frames cheap (ikea) and letting the kids paint or stick things on like sea shells etc so might see if we can do some Xmas ones maybe with glitter spray or bits for the £ shop are good!

Islandmaid

I made pictures for my (adult) kids and their partners hampers last Christmas- a nice pic of them with their initials next to them - this one was for my youngest and his GF, didn't have a nice pic of them, so improvised (he's a red head) the frames were from the Range, very cheap, but I was pleased with the results