* Step into Christmas * & 2020 - It's the 2020 Christmas Chatter Thread

lazysheep

CookieMonster_ said:

Done a few more bits, made my list for dd8 after asking what she wanted this year. Am I the only one who tries to ration out their Christmas shopping? 😅 I know exactly what I'm getting her but don't want to get it all now as then I'll have nothing to do for the next few months. Plus we normally do a lovely Christmas shopping day in Newcastle in November but with the current situation it's really hard to anticipate if that's even going to be possible this year 😕 I think I'm going to get everything that's only available online now and hold off on other stuff like pyjamas etc 

My city's Christmas market has just been cancelled and others in the region are being 'reviewed'. I must say the local one is usually heaving because the stalls take up half the pedestrian space so it's way more crowded (and I'm not a fan under normal circumstances anyway!)

Treasurequeen

Dog presents now bought just my mum and dads stockings to do and their main presents and then i am done. I usually do a food hamper for my local food bank but its not going to be as easy this year to get all the bits. As you can only get a few of each item so will have to see if i can do it over a few weeks. 
A lot of Christmas events have been cancelled which i understand but its a shame that not a lot is happening for festive season. In my local area they are doing a pumpkin trail for Halloween - kids go around counting pumpkins in windows like the rainbows and the parents give them sweets for each one they see. Loads of streets are taking part and it would be good for the kids and big kids. 

familychristmas

im having a hard time figuring out what we are goin to be thankful this year ! dont get we wrong but given the current situation, you can say that I dont feel the Christmas spirit 

nic2075

Girlinayellowdress, I usually buy the special versions of Woman magazine and woman’s weekly I think it is. I’ve bought Good housekeeping and Simply Christmas before, but they weren’t my cup of tea. I prefer ones with recipes and Grift and crafts to make. I found the more expensive ones were just all about table decorations. So I guess I depends what you like. 

I’ve bought a few more gifts. For my 3 year old niece I got a wooden afternoon tea set and a vanity table from Asda, both down to £11/£10. I got my DS (13j a super dry hoodie in the sale, it’s a nice cosy one. He has grown so much over the summer and last few months, I can’t keep up with clothes for him. I also picked up more little Lego dots bags reduced in Morrison’s just now as stocking stuffers for youngest dd. 

Trying to make the best of Christmas this year, I know it will be different from every other year, but I think the only real difference for me is visiting family and having everyone here on Christmas Day for dinner. I’ll miss that. But I’m hoping I can still have my Dad as we have made a bubble with him as he’s on his own. As long as he isn’t sitting alone for Christmas I’ll be happy.  But I’ve always kept Christmas similar to the way I had it. Making lots of crafts at home, salt dough decorations, baking, walking and driving around the village looking at decorations and counting Christmas trees. Watching movies etc, we don’t usually go in for big markets, visiting santa, illuminated Forrest walks. So I don’t feel we are missing out on anything else. We do finish up on the 18th of December this year. It was extra days from having to go back early after the summer hols. So I’m excited we have a few extra days to spend together making stuff and chilling. 

I also have 4 small butter basted turkey joints that I picked up reduced one night down to 53p each! So I plan to keep them so I have enough for whatever happens and don’t need to buy a turkey I don’t need. I also do vegetarian meals too, so makes it easier to control what I’m defrosting and cooking. It won’t be the same as a nice big turkey cooking on Christmas Eve, but I just won’t need it this year. 

Gettingtherequickly

Just popping in to let you know about a deal I saw on Hot UK Deals.  LaRoc makeup brush set, including special discount code £3.75, I thought that this would be a fab addition to my nieces gifts, inexpensive, could be part of stocking, free delivery.

StokieBecks

Anyone who is a tesco clubcard holder the chocolate orange price for clubholders is currently 75p

C_J

Today my box full of Christmas was delivered from the online poundshop (delivery took about 7 days), so that's now two Christmas Eve boxes sorted for my grandchildren. They had lovely Christmas Eve boxes (they fold flat for storage, but are very sturdy when assembled) so I ordered them one each, plus Christmassy socks, imitation snowballs for indoor snowball fights which are probably not a great idea (!), Christmas colouring books and crayons, and plastic mugs with Christmas patterned inserts which you can colour yourself, packs of Christmas stickers and make your own paper chains with lovely patterns on them. I've already got them red knitted hats with a sparkly gold and red Santa belt on them which I got in the January sales for 50p each (January seems a lifetime ago!) and a few other little bits and bobs. I'm very pleased with them.

Another thing crossed off the list.

mandco

I'm feeling a lot better thanks just a bit of a nagging headache remaining 

Manged to preorder the PS5 with argos - thanks GIAYD   also preordered a couple of games from game- I have enough credit to cover 1 and a bit off the other so that's quite a saving  

All local xmas events have been cancelled including the xmas market    I get it but its a massive knock to the economy and the vendors who rely on the peak season sales -looking like its going to be a pretty bleak xmas this year 

Ordered a few bits this week
superdrug have the large choc coins b1g1f @ £1 
tutus, fairy wings, wands & tiara and some dressing up shoes for dgd2 to make her a dressing up hamper -need to find a nice box to put them in. Will check out homebargains for some other outfits when I get there next  (thanks for the suggestion free)
Matching xmassy dresses for my granddaughters to go in their dec 1st box - need to get tights to go with
Some mini xmas spoons for the hot choc station - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aneco-Christmas-Stainless-Dessert-Silverware/dp/B0814CLRFH/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=christmas+spoons&qid=1601471915&sr=8-7
they are pretty small but thinking I might use some of them to make some hot choc spoons.
Got a tin of the M&S shortbread and picked up one of the musical xmas tins £5 - shaped like a house and plays Tiz the season?
ordered the pork scratching calendar for ds -thanks to whoever mentioned it 
picked up a couple of small white toblerones which were going in ds stocking but think I might make him a white choc hamper instead as really struggling with ideas for him. Trying to source a white choc orange but they are always oos 

got some money of spend vouchers for tesco so picked up a playstation controller shaped stress toy and set of flavoured hot choc (9 single serve boxes) using this weeks.

Boots have the star gift deals back - the benefit mascara deal this week is pretty good deal as their stuff is so expensive 

CookieMonster_

@mandco not sure if this is helpful in your search for the white choc orange but when I went to Morrisons the other day there was a big empty shelf in the Christmas aisle where they should have been but they had bags of the white choc orange segments left in the regular chocolate aisle

rachsecret

DS wants a white chocolate toblerone so if anyone knows where these are stocked too, please let me know! 
I am really interested to know what a 'suitable' amount of money to spend on my son is. He's 23 and lives at home and an only child. Money is OK in our household, but I don't like the idea of indulging him too much and I think, unlike my childhood, that he has grown up never knowing hardship. We do insist he pays 'rent' and just put it away in a bank account for when he is older as I feel it is a principle thing, I know this is a really difficult question.