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

princesskitty29

Hello everyone! Lakeland are sending out more biscuits and we’ve had a word with the courier (who was very apologetic) so hopefully no more biscuits lobbed over the fence and broken! I popped out shopping on Thursday morning whilst Squeak was at pre-school and tried to get to as many shops as I could! I picked up stuff for Halloween and managed to get a few more Christmas presents. I got a pretty pink sequined stocking for my friend, Guinness caramel chocolate for my FiL, a Reece’s Pieces cane for SiL and a Pot Noodle stack for DH – I couldn’t resist! He generally doesn’t eat them very often at all but every now and again he can’t resist. I remembered that they’d been building a Home Bargains nearer to me before lockdown so I drove round to see, when I drove past it was finished but when I got up to the door I was 2 days too early – the grand opening was Saturday! I’m going to try and pop there again sometime this week.

 

We’re currently still due to be going back home to visit my parents next week, I’m desperate to go as I’ve only seen them twice this year but I do fear we’re going to be put in lockdown again. Pressure is growing on the government and if they’re going to do it now seems like the best time as the children would only miss one week of school. We shall see.

 

Welcome back aimeemum! Good to hear from you again.

 

mandco M&S and John Lewis now have their extended returns policy, I asked in Next the other day but the lady wasn’t sure, she said it’s usually from the end of the month and that the website would be updated.

 

Spendless I’m so sorry to hear about your DD, gosh that must worry you endlessly. The great difficulty about this year is that everything is out of our hands and we have no control over what is going on, it’s very unsettling. I do hope your DD can find some calm and peace amongst it all. Sorry also to hear about your MiL, you really are going through it over there, big hugs to you.

 

nic I’m glad your test came back negative and that you’ve managed to enjoy some of your time at home. I just absolutely love the idea of growing and eating home grown produce, I have tinkered with growing tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes and onions but would like to start taking it more seriously. I was under the impression that if you were in contact with a person that has covid you have to stay at home for 2 weeks, but the child in Wiggle’s class who’s older sister tested positive came back after a week of the positive test. The older sister had gone to live with her boyfriend after getting the result but I assume she’d been at home beforehand. Very confusing. But then the school must know the situation and wouldn’t let them back? Very confusing!

 

irishninja that’s so funny I was thinking about you the other day as I know you usually join us around this time of year, good to see you back! I have followed you on Instagram. Sorry to hear you had to move back and you’re back in lockdown but glad you’re getting prepared and have a little sideline that’s doing well.

 

Treasurequeen the heated blanket is a great idea! And you can never have too many Christmas books.

nic2075

Princesskitty, yeah if you are in close contact with a positive Case you need to stay home for 14 days from the last point of contact. I suppose you only know that if you are contact by track and trace or are told by the pre school etc. I knew it was the Friday before I took the test, so I still had another 7 days to isolate.  The NHS text that told me the negative result told me I still need to isolate, I thought I was free at first, then read it properly.  

Hope you still get to see your parents. I’m planning to drive and see my Dad today, but it needs to be outside. He lives right on the beach, so we will just need to have a nice walk on along the beach front. 

Yesterday I picked up some clothes for DS. I went to primark and got him stuff to wear just now. Cheap T-shirt’s and a pair of jeans. But bought some nice clothes from Very for his Christmas.  I also picked up chocolate coins and chocolate sprouts for the advent calender, while I seen them and had no kids with me. I also seen sage and onion stuffing balls reduced to 70p, so I bought 2 packs and put them in the freezer, they will go nice with my 53p turkey joints 😊

Spendless

princesskitty29 - Thank you. Daughter is now 17 and in her final year at colelge, where she has been a lot happier than at school, but she's still not recovered enough as yet.
Today we are visiting an outlet shopping centre. Daughter is excited, me not so much because I went there only a few weeks ago without her. She's at college in this area (the school issues contributed to us sending her out of area). I refused to go to the nearer and larger shopping mall, despite there being 2 shops I want to get stuff from purely down to the high infection rate in that city.
I'm hopefully to maybe be able to finish off a few Christmas presents. 

mandco

Princesskitty Things are very uncertain at the moment and more lockdowns are looking likely so fingers crossed you get to see your parents - it must be really hard not being able to visit esp with the boys so little still.  Positive news on the lakeland/courier front hopefully no more damaged goods. Sounds like you managed to pick up quite a bit this week - its def harder to shop when you're time limited. Shame home bargains wasn't open but at least its not long till you can go.

Nic  a walk along the beach with your dad sounds lovely - hope the weather is good.  You've bagged some fab xmas dinner bargains so far 

Picked up quite a few bits in home bargains yesterday including 
marshmellow toppers 99p (snowflake/snowman or poloar bear face) 
packs of 2 galaxy or maltester sach hopefully you'll find some ets & a pack of mini marshmellows 99p
single hot choc bombs 99p (they even had snowman soup)
I got some xmassy craft sets & a paint your own xmas plate 
large indoor snowballs= these were a massive hit last year 
They had some nice mug/mug sets including a bamboo coffee cup & shortbreads £1.99 - leaf/flamingo print

Tesco have 1/2 price on finest gammon joints so used my last money off voucher towards a large on which I've popped in the freezer really for xmas 

Ordered a storage box for dgd fancy dress stuff - it wasn't exactly what I was looking for but it will do and once it comes that's them finished - I just have to wrap it all 

we made it pumpkin picking so now have 3 extra large pumpkins ready for carving closer to halloween.

2 more cases of covid at ds school this week - thankfully none have been in his year yet but its still worrying. 

freespirit66

Morning everyone, pretty much finished now, the last stocking bits are being delivered today. I gave up trying the shops in the end, I don’t know why shops advertise products and some stores have them and some don’t? So all presents bought, stockings filled, dog treats bought, advent calendars bought. Just food now, although I’ve got turkey crown and pigs in blankets in freezer and 2 boxes of snacks/treats bought. I’ve got the pjs, mugs, hot choc, marshmallows, shortbread, dog treat for the Christmas Eve box, just need some chocs (bought Lindt from the outlet then realised they were nut flavoured, DS doesn’t like nuts) and some miniature spirits to put in hot choc. With all this uncertainty over what’s going to happen, I’m glad I won’t have to panic about getting hold of stuff. 

GTQ so sorry that you won’t be able to get home this year, I hope you don’t spend Christmas on your own

MANDCO you being so organised and posting things you’ve bought has helped me a lot. I’m going to look at the gammon joints now

PKITTY I hope you get to see your mum and dad and have a lovely break

VULPIX hope you get everything done before your op. Hope you are still enjoying your job

TREASUREQUEEN you sound very organised too, love the sound of your heated throw. I’m going to look into them, because DD1 is still working from home and is costing a fortune with her electric heater going

Mrs_Ryan

Evening everyone 
I’ve just ordered some Xmas Eve pj’s for myself and hubby- it was so difficult getting some for hubby! I’ve ordered him a navy checked pair from Jacamo, most of the ones I found were joggers or shorts and hoodies- but he prefers the t-shirt style tops and long thin material bottoms. I treated myself to a set of the gorgeous long sleeved modal Pj’s from Victoria’s Secret. I bought some when I was in Meadowhall a couple of weeks back and they are amazing- so soft, they stretch for miles and they’re warm without making me sweat. I managed to log on when there was only 10 minutes left of a 20% off code so I rushed my order through and got them cheaper  

Spendless

Sainsbury's have the Galaxy selection boxes. I saw them tonight. They are £3 and have a few different galaxy bars plus a couple of ripples in them. 

aimeemum

Book arrived for the 1st December box. It's a book I owned as a child but I don't know what happened to it - the Puffin Book of Christmas Stories. We're going to be reading stories and poems for home-school so I thought, for the £1.85 it cost me, it would be a good addition to the shelf Still got to get everything else for in there, but it's a start! 

Beshki

How does everyone keep track of what offers/bargains are where? I am trying to keep visits to shops to an absolute minimum at the moment but I forget all about what I’ve gone in to look for in the bargain shops as soon as I’m through the door! 

chanie

Beshki keep a note on your phone or keep a little notepad and pen with you.  I also find it helpful to browse online before going shopping.  That way, when you do go out, you can go straight to the item you want.