Too many gifts to buy...

vivw_2

Don't forget DVD's are quite cheap these days , add some pringles and some sweets ...put in a decorated box and you have a 'night in' basket/box

west_is_best

I really wouldnt mind having you Christmas list to buy for!!!!

Anyway, what I do with Bro's and Sister's is buy them something silly, like "boob shaped" condiments for the male's, that I bought in our local pound shop.... for the ladies I get something silly like "Penis shaped pasta"... or something silly and laughable down that line. You would be suprised how glad they are for getting something to put a smile on their faces on Christmas day. I know it sounds daft, but it works. When you get to that certain age, if you want soemthing you go and buy it.
As for my 11 nephews and nieces, Ive set out a rule that once they get to 16, I only spend £5.00 each on them, so I get something like a pair of slinky thongs for nieces and Sympsons boxer shorts for the boys. What I have found is people appreciate you cutting down as they feel they can too cut down on the costs.
As for parents, we pay for their fresh turkey every year...
Childrens friends, I keep my eyes open for cheap items in the sales and store them untill Christmas. I managed to get hold of 15 travel bags from Superdrug this year for £1.00 each. My Daughters have been filling these bags today with BOGOF shower gels from Tesco and soaps etc etc. Plus, I have managed to get hold of loads of lovely fashionable necklaces from the pound shop, for £1 each....

I hope this helps, just point out, if it puts a smile on their face Christmas day, it's done the job

Good luck love xxxxxxxxxxxxx

lynnescomp

We dont buy for DHs 6 borthers and sisters or 3 step brothers and sisters or my Brother. As they now have children and we just buy for them.

Aunts uncles and Grandparents DHs Stepgrandparents etc all get some dort of Present that includes a photo of my 2 girls. This year we are making Calenders with the little tiny calander books which cost about 50 back on to card with the girls phot and loads of glitter and stuff.

Good luck on what you decide to do I would be honest With your adult family and set a budget for the children that all the family stick to.

windyseddon

http://www.superdrug.com/bin/venda?ex=co_wizr-locayta&template=wz_locayta&collate=ivtype&collate=price&collate=cat&collate=brand&fieldinvt=type&termtextinvt=invt&typeinvt=exact&fieldprice=price&minprice=0&maxprice=10&typeprice=rangefilter&fieldivtype=ivtype&termtextivtype=gifts&typeivtype=exact&termorder=invt%3Aprice%3Aivtype&pagenum=1&perpage=10&threshold=0&spellcorrect=1&datasource=superdrugen&setsortorder=price,name&setsortprice=ascending&setpagenum=1

C_J

funnyfreckle wrote: »

CJ, I love the sound of your keyrings but I'm not a great sewer! Is there a simple pattern or instructions anywhere I could follow?

Funnyfreckle : they were really quite simple to make. I have some plastic shape cutter templates (like the ones from Fiskars, here : http://www.rubberstamp-world.co.uk/s_294855template_hearts.jpg) but I'm sure you can find templates to download free from the web.

I drew around the template onto the material, cut out two heart shapes and a thin piece of wadding to match, then sewed around them with my sewing machine, leaving a tiny opening at the top of the heart. Then I cut about an inch of grosgrain ribbon, folded it in half and inserted it into this gap to create a hanging loop, and stitched the material closed. I then blanket stitched all around the edge of the heart in a contrasting colour wool, but you don't need to do that if you want to keep it simple

I then slipped the ribbon loop onto a metal key ring circle (I found a pack of trigger clasp ones on ebay, 6 for 99p, like these : http://i19.ebayimg.com/08/i/000/bc/43/dc36_2.JPG) and it was all done.

I don't have any pictures of the ones I made, but they were sonething like this :

http://i1.ebayimg.com/05/i/000/c7/11/0ab0_2.JPG

Hope that helps!

culpepper

I wouldnt buy anything for childs school friends. They will be getting plenty from their own families remember. We used just to buy or make cards for the kids at school,when mine were little.
Tiny baby wont notice no pressies either and wouldnt understand if they got one.
We buy a bottle of plonk for family couples. Well hubby gets some given him at work at xmas and we are teatotal so strictly speaking we dont buy them.
Homemade biscuits in a nice jar or tin go down well too.
Family kids used to get games or craft/activity sets to share.
Once it was a book of how to make balloon toys for instance which included the balloons and a blower upper,another time was a book for making bubbles with an enormous bubble wand that you could lift up to stand inside the bubble.

Doozergirl

When my youngest was tiny, I read on here about filling stockings with things that are useful. Obviously baby doesn't really appreciate it but the bigger one needs to know that santa left something. I filled hers with baby food, teething biscuits and just generally small items that I knew she needed.

There are some really lovely ideas on the festive fivers thread. Some things you wouldn't realise cost that little, other things, the thought goes a long way. I liked the baby christmas trees which people can plant in the garden and an ebay shop which sells glass pendants.

I swear by www.thebookpeople.co.uk They're doing four Jeremy Clarkson books for £6.99 at the mo, which is good for men and a really gorgeous 'in the night garden' book for £3.99 (rrp £9.99) which is really beautiful; far better than I thought it would be; my little one will absolutely love it.

Someone's already mentioned Sainsbury's - all the toys are half price, plenty of them from 25p upwards! I stocked up yesterday.

And Asda wine mini tasters are £1 each and you get a till spit for £1.50-£2 off your next bottle. I've bought 8 for someone and will give him the vouchers too, so he can decide which ones he likes and get some more money off if he wants - he'll like that.

H's family are quite wealthy and it's a battle to keep up really, but with a bit of clever shopping, you really can get good quality things that appear more expensive than they are.

Just keep reading the shopping boards! I'm doing it religiously at the moment. I don't normally as I end up spending too much on bargains

98sidney

I know not everybody likes them but charity shops can hold afew gems in them for kids and adults. Also wilkinsons have reasonable price gifts in them, and our online too