* Rocking around the Christmas Tree * - It's the 2018 Christmas Chatter Thread

Nightowl

Hi,


I seem to have set myself a bit of a challenge this year. I watched 'Drowning in plastic' on BBC Iplayer and I can't look at anything in the shops without imagining it all floating down a river or causing problems to the wildlife. So I've become a bit more aware of packaging and have been listening to a great Podcast on my Spotify account called 'The minimalists'. They've made me realise I don't real need much, and after years of trying to declutter and not being able to fully I've realised my time and headspace is more important that the cost of stuff in my house. I could go on, but to keep it simple... how do I buy stuff for others when I see it all as unnecessary or bad for the environment ?
I've been on Amazon all day looking at recycled and environmentally friendly stuff, but it's really limited.


I'm thinking maybe experiences (Groupon, Buy a gift) will be the way to go. Perhaps find out exactly what my niece and nephew would like and give cash if they don't know. To be honest I'm in a good position this year in that I don't have to watch every penny... but I do want to spend wisely and mindfully. Would be happy to buy from Charities like Oxfam but haven't seen anything that inspires me yet.
Can you buy someone a kindle book and add it to there account? Rather than just giving a gift voucher if you have seen a book you would like to give to them?

describes

VeronicaMars wrote: »

I've only came back to MSE for this thread!! LOVED it last year

Where did you pre-order from? I'm looking to get this sorted and would love to have it sorted by end of November!

We are also hosting Christmas this year, just us and our in-laws. I've went on a bit of a strike on Christmas with travelling round peoples houses after years of trying to please everyone and wanting everyone together! I feel better this year as we have the table cloth and charger plates and all that jazz from hosting last year so will be nice to relax this year knowing its only the food we need to sort. Also want to start my traditions like going walks in the morning and coming back and having hot chocolate etc.

I have ordered mine from M&S to pick up from my local store on a Sunday. Hopefully nice and quiet and we can park for free so should work out nicely. I am going to get the rest of fruit and veg as normal in my shop. I am just imagining it as one big roast dinner to keep myself sane!
I'm the same. To go to my parents its a 2 hour drive then half an hour to another house and another and another. It gets too much. This year I have said I am staying put in London and that's it haha.

mandco

tesco have galaxy & maltesers selection packs 1/2 price now £1.50

got 3000 bonus point on the sains swipe & win promo so once added to my balance that should give me enough points to double up to get one of the games ds is after.

taz has asked for one of those wrapple toys for xmas typically wanting the one colour that was oos most places but I finally managed to find one so that's another thing ticked off the list.

Tesco also had a new range of flavoured lemonade's cherry, raspberry & rose mango & mandarin 1 litre for 49p - might make a nice alternative for any non drinkers

veronica -for the baby for 1st xmas we usually do a small toy then some practical gifts - things I'd have to buy throughout the next year anyway so there are presents to unwrap but I'm not buying for the sake of it- your lo is a bit older but we've done things like high chair, baby bouncer,baby walker,travel cot,weaning stuff then some clothes ect

Coxy11

Hi everyone,
Visit to home bargains this morning netted precisely zero gingerbread candles however did get a reed diffuser in both gingerbread and the Apple and cinnamon- will give one to mum for Christmas. No body warmers in sports direct and the smaller m&s didn't open until 11am. Only other shop open was clintons so I got 2 boxes of cards BOGOHP so that's me sorted.
Love the cup advent idea Peppapig. Night owl I think gift experiences are the way to go, or vouchers? Veronica - for our kids first Christmas we got them premium bonds with something small to play with.
Coxy

freespirit66

Evening everyone, I thought I’d be too late but managed to get the half price malteaser and galaxy selection boxes for stockings. My Christmas food stash is coming along nicely too.

NIC yes DD1 is having a fab time on her travels. I just hope the colours all go together in reality not just inside my head lol. Great bargain with the clown outfit, Thumper loves Mr Tumble lol

KERRIGT that happened to me years ago, I had got my nieces and nephews presents all wrapped and ready early, then my SIL said they weren’t buying that year. I ended up going to the children’s ward on Christmas Day and gave them to them.

PEPPAPIG yes I’m so glad DD1 doesn’t take after me! She loves jetting off on her own and seeing fab sights, me I can’t even go into town on my own lol. You sound very Organised, the cup advent sounds really good. I never got to use my £5 hobbycraft birthday voucher this year, I was too late!

COXY I think I saw some nice cards online in The Works, don’t know how nice they are in RL but they were a good price

VERONICAMARS i know what you mean about babies not knowing any difference, when my twins were 7 months, we just wrapped up the toys my DD1 had grown out of, they were happy!

MANDCO ooh will look out for the flavoured lemonades

Peppapig

NIGHTOWL I’m having a similar sort of battle with trying to minimise plastic and packaging which is really difficult given how much packaging there is with everything. I think cash or experiences might well be the way to go for you. Magazine subscriptions can be a good idea (although of course they also come with plastic wrapping each month and a small tree’s worth of junk mail) or how about adopting something or buying chickens or grain for a family in the third world? Oxfam have some good ideas. I sponsored a donkey from The Donkey Sanctuary one year for my BIL. You can also buy bales of hay or straw or barrows of carrots in someone else’s name - I forget the name of the charity now but I’m sure it’ll come up if you Google it. I think it was something like Hill Farm.

Peppapig

NIGHTOWL I just checked, it’s Hillside Animal Sanctuary for the hay/straw/carrot donation.

murie

Stokie- I noticed white tinsel in Wilkinsons yesterday, i think it was either £1 or £1.25, (it was you that wanted white tinsel wasn't it?)

Nightowl

Thanks Peppapig. I like the idea of the charity donations. I've been trawling the internet and have also found items made out of bamboo and also wheat straw - including a Peppapig plate for toddlers


Will probably do charity donations like you suggested with small gifts alongside. For the teenagers girls and ladies these will include Shampoo bars from Lush - minimal paper packaging. i've just tried one and they actually work. Bit expensive but are meant to last a really long time. Will pair them with a dish made of Bamboo that are sold on a well known auction site for 99p. At first I thought there was very little out there, but after a bit of digging a whole new world is opening up to me.
Magazine subscriptions sound good - maybe in online form to save the waste?


I have even found some reusable fabric wrapping - which presumably you reclaim afterwards. Though I think I will be using last years 10p rolls form the January sales first as i've alreay got them to use. My sister is planning on using brown paper that can be recycled and will attach bits of greenery/pine cones and the like to the string fastening to decorate.


I was asked at work today whether the secret santa value should be £5 or £10. I've said £5 to help keep peoples expenses down and will encourage everyone to think outside the box and make presents where possible. I will probably make biscuits as part of mine.

Treasurequeen

On eco friendly gift ideas. There is a company in Dorset that make bee flower balls for the garden that come in recycled packaging.

Another idea is A hamper filled with homemade goods or organic items in glass and recyclable packaging. Meat rubs in glass jars are a good idea.

Using the ribbon you get in a new top to hold onto a hanger, you can cut off and make ornaments to hang off them or use them with recycled card as gift tags.

I confess I am an eco warrior and have tried to be more eco with gifts this year. I’ve done An organic food hamper and gift voucher that I self printed for my parents.

I reuse bows and gift bags I just use sticky tape and the bows are like new again. I do love Christmas though but I try to reuse as much as I can. Not everyone is perfect or has the money, I’m glad I’m not the only one this year being more conscious. :j