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

kerri_gt

Describes I've done both 'cook everything from scratch' and bought everything 'pre prepared' plus a mix in between. Last year I was trying to wait til late on Xmas Eve to get and RTC turkey, then thought to myself as I stood in M&S 'hang on, why am I stood here, I'll be in the kitchen tomorrow cooking as it is, and right now everyone else is off out enjoying themselves or at home with their feet up' So I ended up with a non-RTC M&S one and then a few bargain bits in Sainsburys.

I was also ill the week before xmas so dragged myself out with all the other hordes getting the meal when the shops were rammed.

This year I'm going to try and get most of my stuff from Cook!
(https://www.cookfood.net) who do lovely 'home made' frozen food. That way it's in my freezer and done. I don't want the stress / thinking I still need to do x,y,z the weekend before Xmas. I work hard, and yes, it's prob not the cheapest way of buying everything but just once a year I'm allowed not to be :money:. Plus I end up cooking enough for days so it prob is more thrifty than I realise.

wort I too struggle with the getting it all to the table while hot thing - I tend to try and ensure I warm bowls with warm water beforehand (no room in oven at the time) and cover with lids or foil and cloths. I'm also going to try and cut down on the number of different dishes we have, we do not need two types of cabbage, two types of potato, parsnips, carrots, sprouts, other 'green' veg, plus pigs in blankets and additional stuffing AND turkey :eek:

describes

Thanks for the tips everyone. I have decided I will pre-order a M&S turkey crown. I plan to slowcook it. My mum has done that the past few years so I would like to give it a go.

I have ordered a few presents off Etsy and have a rough idea what to buy some family members.
I am committed to avoiding what I do every year. I always feel like I haven't got people enough (even though there is plenty) or I buy them too early, and I miss the feeling of buying, so I buy more. So not money saving! I got myself into credit card debt last Christmas for it so I am determined not to allow myself to get like that again. I love the buying, wrapping up presents and giving. Not so much the amounts it can cost in the end!

girlinayellowdress

What a few weeks we have had. DS has been finally told by the doctors that they have drawn a blank over his mobility and admit defeat. Although he is in constant pain and cannot walk far unaided he accepts that but just wish he knew when he was younger. I must admit the fact there will be no more hospital appointments for it is a relief and we can reevaluate everything once it has sunk in.
On the Christmas front I only buy mainly for DS now, he is done apart from advent calendar bits and the fact I must find it all as it is stashed around the place. I also need to get something for my mum but she’s proving difficult.
And, the builders are finally out (although hopefully will be getting a new front door before Christmas). Finally starting to get my home back and not resembling a builders yard. We will start again next year as my mum is selling up and with the money she will receive from her house she is paying for a granny annex to be built on here. So for now it is making the most of the peace and quiet.

Mrs_Ryan

Hi everyone :hello: I’m a bit of a lurker, I post most years but just tend to lurk and enjoy reading everyone else’s posts :rotfl:

Things are a bit manic and disjointed this year. I would normally do the present run late Nov/early Dec but as a) I’m working for the first time in four years and no time off in December is to be had and b) mum and dad are clearing off on a spectacular month long cruise for their golden wedding anniversary the present run is being done late October.
Given the fact that due to the incompetence of my university and the incompetence of my employers, I’m short of almost 4 grand that I was expecting. So the shopping I’ve done is okay and will have to do but isn’t amazing. Coupled with the fact I’ve also had three birthdays (in the space of 5 days- all close family- mum, sister and nephew) plus mum and Dad’s anniversary (bought them £50 worth of Australian dollars for that is where they are going, £1 for every year of their marriage) and although OH and I don’t usually do anniversary presents we got engaged on the 2nd of October so I bought him a gift- it’s been far from easy!
I just have OH’s big presents left to get (he wants some CAT work shoes, and a B&Q voucher but I’m getting him a watch as well and his usual rugby calendar. Oh and some socks) when I finally get my student loan/overtime and then I’m done! Everything is wrapped- feels odd!

What I have got so far-
Mum Ugg slippers (I bought these off M&M Direct- absolute bargain, £54.99. They’re the moccasin type and the only other place I found them was on the Ugg website and they cost considerably more they’re definitely kosher- I have a lot of Ugg boots so I know what to look for and they’re definitely real)
M&S pyjamas (£7.50 in the sale )
Dove set (Boots 3 for 2)

Dad Bottle of obscure Irish whiskey, Oor Wullie book (I got student discount on this on Amazon as I have Student Prime) Nivea for Men set (Boots 3 for 2 again )

Sister Lush box (can’t remember which one but it was one of their Xmas ones) Forensic Psychology for Dummies (she’s studying a Forensic Psychology degree- she has no previous knowledge so I figured it might help- also cheap with my Amazon Student Prime)
BIL Chocolate pizza (no I have no idea either but my sister says he’s a choccy fiend and I spotted this in Boots 3 for 2) plus a Game voucher
Nephews and step-niece Game vouchers for the boys and a New Look voucher for my step-niece plus Jack Wills mini toiletry sets for all 3 (Boots 3 for 2)

Brother and SILAmazon voucher

Best mate 3 bottles of Snow Fairy shower gel from Lush (she’s so easy to buy for- she will be over the moon with that)

My rugby friend Jack Wills toiletries tin (she loves stuff like that but has little money to buy anything nice for herself as she is full time carer to her grandma so I always try to buy her something that she can pamper herself with. I bought her Poison Girl perfume for her birthday but I can’t stretch to it again unfortunately)

My church friend Crabtree and Evelyn afternoon tea box- biscuits, tea and jam. This was an absolute bargain- I bought it from the outlet store which was closing down and I paid something ridiculous like £3 for it. My mum bought about 10 of them as gifts as they had boxes and boxes of them

Friend from work Unicorn make up kit thing from Avon. It’s exactly the sort of things she likes- holographic make up bag and brushes etc. That was on offer as well.

Finally
OH
So far he has-
History of Leicester Tigers book (I spotted this in the window of a charity shop near my work. It’s in beautiful, clean condition and is a bit of a rarity. The only other copy I could find online was £55 :eek: I paid £8 which I was really chuffed at. He’s a big fan so I’m sure he will love it)
Box of Nando’s sauces (he loves Nando’s sauces and yep you guessed it- Boots 3 for 2 :rotfl:)
Dove for Men set (Boots 3 for 2)
2 x boxes Whittards tea (he loves this, I bought it as usually I go to London before Christmas and get him the Fortnums tea he loves but I didn’t think I would be going this year, turns out I am now so he’ll get the Fortnums tea as well got student discount on the Whittards tea )
Pogues CD (I’ve had some of their stuff on my Apple Music in the car and he keeps asking me to play it so I bought him the CD)
Small box of chocolate Brazil’s
As I said, just his big pressies to go which should be easy enough.
It feels odd to be basically finished but it does mean that I won’t be tempted to buy anyone apart from OH anything I haven’t budgeted for- as when I have money all the presents will have been delivered home and I will have no way of despatching anything else

kerri_gt

Mrs_Ryan wow, you are brilliantly organised. With Oor Wullie being mentioned I sense a Scotland connection.

Sounds like you've got some great bargains there, has Lush got the Snow Fairy shower gel in already? I absolutely love the smell of it (and I think OH does cos he kept nicking it in the shower).

Mrs_Ryan

kerri_gt wrote: »

Mrs_Ryan wow, you are brilliantly organised. With Oor Wullie being mentioned I sense a Scotland connection.

Sounds like you've got some great bargains there, has Lush got the Snow Fairy shower gel in already? I absolutely love the smell of it (and I think OH does cos he kept nicking it in the shower).

Not quite Scottish but my mum and dad live in North East England so not too far off Dad has always loved Oor Wullie and the Broons.
Yep Snow Fairy has been in a couple of weeks they have the whole Snow Fairy collection I was a little worried in case it didn’t come in on time but I was relieved when it did.

Trendyjenny

hi everyone, back again x
getting into Christmas swing x

04624181

Good Morning All,

Spent the weekend filling in my Christmas planning book. Took advantage of the £6 off a £50 spend at smyths and ordered DD some more Christmas gifts. Put an order in at The Entertainer and Currys. Ordered her a Gojigo fitbit style fitness tracker for £19.99. DS new tops arrived so will put them in his Christmas stash. He needs stocking bits but can pick them up when I am mobile again. off out to my hospital appt at 1pm, hoping he clears me to walk.

Nic2075- We too are a board game loving family. We love Dinkee, What u talkin about (adult v kids) - currently £5 at The entertainer. We got this last year and was a huge hit and absolutely hilarious! Think words is a good one too. I have ordered Play and wing get set sketch for DD this year from Entertainer as it is £6 at the min.
Kerrigt- We are monopoly lovers in this house too. Have had to buy a new board this year as we had lost some pieces. I have not played dingbats, will have a look. I made the suggestion to my family last year that we should have Christmas dinner on Christmas eve and then just snack and relax on Christmas day. That did not go down well but Im hoping we may do it this year.
princesskitty29-I absolutely loved Guess who! The kids loved it too. Hope you had a nice weekend with your brother x
peppapig-Your musical whistle game sounds fun. I have ordered some kazoos to do something similar after looking at a Disney game that was £10 and was basically 4 kazoos and cards with names of Disney songs on. I bought a pack of 12 kazoos for £2.50 from amazon and will print off some songs for us to use.
K80Black- Oh my gosh, glad you managed to get in your living room eventually.
wort-great ideas to make Christmas dinner less stressful
describes-I too am the panic buyer at the late stage. Last year was a year that I was immobile so I could not panic buy in the shops and we had a great Christmas.
GIYD- Sorry to hear about Ds not receiving a diagnosis. cannot imagine how that may have an impact on you all. We are all here if you ever need to chat.
Mrs_Ryan- wow well done on being so organised
Trendyjenny- Welcome back
free- How are you doing? Hope you are well xx
Murie- Hope you are well Mrs, how is the Christmas prep going?
MrsI- How are you doing lovely?

Big hugs to all who need them, sorry if I have forgotten anybody I am going to try and come on more regular xx

Thrice

Afternoon all!

So I finally pulled out all the gifts I've bought a wrote a list of them, then I re-wrote my 'people' list, and allocated gifts to everyone. Managed to complete about 7 people so far (ignoring some small add on's like socks).

I'm having some issues with DH about some gifts for his family. His sister and her husband are quite well off, so DH always complains that you 'can't buy them anything as they have everything'. He's wrong of course, I can buy nice gifts for people!!! I saw the lovely M&S housecoats in the outlet for £20 each, and DH has a £15 voucher I can use, so £25 for two (retail at £35 each so it's a bargain!). They both do need new housecoats, so it's a win-win. No, DH want's me to edit 10 years worth of photos, pick out the best and then have them framed, to gift framed photos. I mean.... it sounds great but... I could just to go M&S and then I'm done?

Am I bad for wanting an easy life?? I do 100% of the shopping for every single birthday, christmas, anniversary or anything else involved in our lives. I'd rather not make it harder than it needs to be, especially when the costs involved aren't that different! I'd still need to pay to have the photos printed then buy frames, so it's not really any cheaper?

Help!

missmoose

This year will be my first time doing Christmas dinner so I've been making more Sunday dinners for practice. I don't normally cook many because its just the two of us and a bit of a waste of meat. The one I made last month was delicious my only error was runny mash, I don't know what happened yesterday but my OH said he was getting Gordon Ramsey over to film an episode of kitchen nightmares it was that bad.:(

Started slowly buying bits for the Christmas food shop, OH thinks I've gone mad because I've planned it all out with what to add to what week to spread out the cost so we're not buying everything in the run up to Christmas.

Nic- Not sure the age range of your family but we play jack box party pack every year and have a right laugh. Some of the games are not family friendly though. Its a virtual game with I think 4 games in each "pack" and they're all kind of quirky, but hard to explain. (e.g. in one game you get something weird to draw, and then everyone has to guess what they think it is, then all the guesses pop up on screen with the answers and everyone has to pick the right one and points are awarded). So you have the game running on a laptop or computer and everyone links in to it with their phones-tablets-laptops. I can have a look if there are any setting to make any of them PG if anyone is interested, we play with all adults so I've never looked before. Majority of the games we play are for adults but my brother is huge in to them so there are a few quirky ones I can list if anyone is looking.