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

skogar

Pepperpig - Well obviously the first lot of Christmas sweets had to be quality checked to avoid disappointment. 2nd lot - obviously an insufficient sample was taken initially for adequate quality checking..... :)You can't be too careful.....

StokieBecks

Peppa the chocolate sweets made me laugh - we bought a tub of heroes as a treat when we were both off for a week . Well that tub went and other half obviously had found a taste for them and opened one of the tubs I had put up for christmas      so you aren't the only one who has opened them

I was going to do some more wrapping today but I now have to work so may try and do some nore tomorrow. Really want to get the bulk done now as we are creeping ever closer to December and with not knowing what restrictions will be in place and lots more hours at work i need everything ready  in case we have to doorstep drive and drop

StokieBecks

Was re-browsing the hotel chocolat website when an offer box flashed up on screen for £20 off the Merry Christmas everyone selection so added that to my basket. Not only did it take off the £20 it gave me free delivery so although it isn't exactly what i would have ordered it's a nice treat for £35 instead of £55 plus postage

https://www.hotelchocolat.com/uk/family-christmas-bundle-gift.html

Beshki

StokieBecks said:

Was re-browsing the hotel chocolat website when an offer box flashed up on screen for £20 off the Merry Christmas everyone selection so added that to my basket. Not only did it take off the £20 it gave me free delivery so although it isn't exactly what i would have ordered it's a nice treat for £35 instead of £55 plus postage

https://www.hotelchocolat.com/uk/family-christmas-bundle-gift.html

I’m glad you mentioned this, I’ve just been on & the same came up for me. Might be just what I need to give as a ‘family’ gift - too much hassle and expense thinking of individual pressies when people have everything they need And who doesn’t like chocolate?!

Beshki

Something I am finding this year is that I have a lot of guilt about buying less from small independents. The fact is, they’re 10x more expensive and not always really what I would like to gift people. I am making up a stocking and for example in Wilko bamboo reusable makeup wipes are £2.50 in a bag, I looked to see if I could buy from a small business and they are anything between £15 and £20+ - for one I don’t have that money available this year but also it would alter the cost of the stocking from £20 to £200 if everything in it was so much more expensive. Just not always achievable and I do feel guilty about it but there isn’t much I can do this year x

nic2075

Morning. I’m also glad I’ve shopped early this year. My area goes into tier 4 (Scotland) lockdown today at 6pm. I’m still working because I’m in a school, so the only way it really affects me is that I can’t travel out with my local council to the next where my Dad lives. I’ve been meeting him at the beach for a weekly walk. I can’t do that now 😞  I’ve got nearly all my shopping done. Just my work secret Santa to get and something for my nephew. I need to try and get that from Smyths online this weekend. 

Those who wrap early, how do you store it all without it getting smooshed and looking rubbish by Christmas? I have 3 kids worth of stuff. I’d like to wrap it so they can’t find it. I tend to store their gifts in the huge home bargains bags and in my wardrobe in my room. But when I do this I think everything looks wrecked or gets ripped when I’m taking it out. Possibly my rubbish wrapping skills lol. I also like to take it all out and look at together to make sure I’ve got everything. 

kerri_gt

nic2075 could you store the wrapped gifts in boxes somewhere else perhaps? That way they have more protection than in a bag.
We have an ottoman bed so I tend to store wrapped / unwrapped presents in that (making sure they are not higher than the mattress bit that comes down!) and a cupboard I can stick other bits in if need be. 
Beshki I had a similar conversation with a friend about independent stores. The issue is they don't have the buying power to buy in bulk and be able to offer the lower prices like larger stores. I don't mind paying more for something that's truly unique - like local produce or something crafted, but I do find it a bit irksome when something is Made in Taiwan and 5 times the price I could find it in a larger store. 

Spendless

Morning everyone - Just about everyone has had to adapt to a changed situation this year, so try not to feel bad, you can only do what you can.. For our household within the first 10 days of the March lockdown, I'd lost my job, the course we'd booked DS on to enable him to get work around his studies had been cancelled and DD hit the birthday she'd been waiting for which meant she could have finally applied somewhere for a job in an industry she's interested in only for that sector to be closed and barely re-opened since. DH is the only one whose job has remained the same but finances still affected because his wages have had to go towards supporting the rest of us a lot more than was anticipated.

Re presents once they are wrapped, what I do is buy the re-usable bags from the supermarkets in advance. I don't mean the 10p on the counter ones, I mean the ones near the checkouts that cost anywhere between 60p and a few quid. I try to buy the cheaper end ones in a Xmas design. I then put each 'family unit' presents in one bag eg My parents in one bag. If there's room I might add my grandmother's presents. These bags then go on a worktop in my conservatory. 

 That leaves my own household for my 'present cupboard' where all gifts go during the year. Some years ago I stopped writing tags out for household members and instead used specific paper for each. As the kids got older and stopped receiving gifts from others, this did mean it could look a bit 'boring' under the tree, so I then went for a colour code or theme for each. So daughter with a theatrical interest would be likely to get wrapping paper that had designs like the nutcracker on it, or disney princesses whereas geeky son would get superheros and DH striped paper. Something easily identifiable. I also don't start wrapping until all shopping is complete.

 Stocking presents are left till last and done on a completely different day, frequently last minute (xmas eve a favourite - gulp). I don't stick to my same wrapping paper rules for these instead I use every scrap of paper I have for them. So as not to mix them I take out one child's at a time, fill the relevant stocking with the bits to ensure it will fit. Then I sit and wrap that child's. At the end I put the stocking presents away with tthe atual stocking (after a final 'fitting' session) and in a colou coded carrier bag. I usually try and find amongst my stash a pink one for DD and a blue one for DS and then either keep them upright or loosely tie the neck so contents don't spill out.


As I am typing all this above, I am realising my DH hasn't got a clue how I do all this and should he ever find he has to 'fend; without me at Christmas, he wouldn't know where to start. He'd manage to locate presents, but the 'extra bits' just wouldn't happen or happen the same way and if I told him in advance he'd not remember anyway.  It's perhaps time to let 17yo daughter into some of the Xmas magic secrets

ETA - So I told teenage daughter how I do things in case I'm ever indisposed at Christmas. Her initial reaction was 'so, you're telling me and not Dad. Sounds sexist to me'. I pointed out that it'd be her that was disappointed things weren't running the same way and as much as DH would pay lip service to what I said the chances of him following it through or even remembering were minimal, to which she agreed. Turns out she knew my routine with the exception of using scraps of leftover paper for stocking gifts. So much for all the years when they were little that I thought I hid stuff carefully away - lol. 

nic2075

Thanks Spendless. I also use specific paper for each child and one separate paper that’s from Santa. The same one for all three. They usually get a couple of small things on their list and the stocking is from Santa. The big thing and the rest is from me. 

I just don’t have the space to put boxes.  I have to hide stuff in the back of my wardrobe, which is a bit like Narnia, but I already have other things stored in there.  I’ll try and pack it a bit better and not bring it in and out.  Hopefully it will look ok. I like doing a little wrapping on Christmas eve, but don’t want to do it all. I also wrap everything individually to make it look more 😂

I went to Smyths today and got a Fortnite character for my nephew. Pretty expensive l thought for what it was (£19.99 for a 6” doll) but he does play well with things and it’s the only thing he asked for. He’s usually into army things, but he has every tank and army set up out there. 

Spendless

I think a lot of people end up asking friends and relatives to help out with where to hide presents especially if they have a spare bedroom. In my younger day I helped a friend out that way. Later on my Nan's spare bedroom became the place to store my kids stuff because my sister had already nabbed my mums house for her kids presents. Becomes easier when they get older as the presents get smaller in size.