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

Spendless

Sorry to hear you're sufferring redredrobin. Hope you're feeling better soon.

My MIL died recently. She was a very thrifty woman, who considered many things too expensive and a waste of money (to my frustration at times!). I've needed some sort of box/container to put my FIL's xmas  present in to wrap. Nothing I got was suitable or large enough and something held me back going and spending money to deal with it. Yesterday DH suddenly suggested a box on top of a shelf in his office, which was perfect and I've used. Not long after I saw a snall white feather on the living room carpet, no where it could have come from. I didn't pick it up though. Later when DD came home from college she noticed the dog had something stuck to his face. It was the white feather. Yesterday I really felt MIL was with me, stopping me going and buying a box when something was in the hosue to use an then when I didn't pick up the feather to acknowledge her presence, stuck it to the dog so we'd notice (she was practical to the very end). 

Re the xmas bubble. We have invited our student son's housemates to share Christmas with us. If it was just son I'm guessing he wouldn't count as a seperate household as he lives with us when it's not term time, but by including the rest of the household it does. As the 2 housemates can't return to their own parents within the 'travel window'  and I don't have sufficient space to put them up for more than a few days, we have to trust they won't mix till we collect them, which is now likely to be on Christmas Eve. I also extended an invite to my Nephew yesterday via my sister. He's recently gone to Uni and is going through madcap things that students tend to do when experiencing the first freedom. My own son went through it. I eventually learnt to ignore son's weekly wiindup phone calls and told him I thought they were all an excellent ideas, sis hasn't got there yet, hahaha, so after last week's difference of opinion nephew isn't telling her his xmas plans. I said I'd already got a house full of students anyway, 1 more won't make a difference so to kick him over here if his alternative is spending the day alone in student digs.  For this reason we can't mix with older more vulnerable family members once they're back. My parents are understanding of the situation. I have 2 Nans in their mid 90s. one who is likely to be with my parents on Xmas Day, the other is to remain in her care home as they aren't letting residents out.  

mandco

I did it again I typed out a long post the other day but didn't actually post it - I think I must have clicked preview instead of post note to self double check in future. 

Spendless sounds like your Mil was with you in spirit the other day. Re the bubbles its a bit of a grey area and only you can weigh up the risks to your bubble but students returning home over the holidays count as your own household and as ds roommates live with him and are not visiting anyone else you could technically include them as part of your household group 

Got the boys playstation  - disgusting that so many ended up on ebay at huge mark ups. I really feel for those who couldn't get a preorder or even worse those that did and then they never turned up - there were some real horror stories about amazon & yodel.
Ordered dd a ring from pandora in the black friday deal but it didn't fit - Waiting on a refund but had to reorder now as the offer will have ended before it comes through thankfully the new one fits lovely. I also agreed to go halves on a pair of timberland boots she wanted as they were £180 - managed to get £50 off in the black friday sale so happy with that.and that's her pretty much done present wise.
Waiting on a few bits to arrive in the post - it seems to take forever at the moment and have some bits on click and collect which I'll pick up next week when lockdown ends(I ordered now as lots of things I wanted keep going oos and quite a few things have been removed from the website as no longer available)  
My yappy subscription box finally came - Yes its a bit expensive £25 a month normally(£15 for the 1st box) but I think its still pretty good value overall as you get 8 items - 3 toys, 2 treats, poop bags, personalised newspaper & 1 other item. The toys were great quality - chewie wasn't fussed about one of them but he loved another and the treats are all natural with no added junk/fillers
Dropped off the christmas charity appeal gifts so freed up some much needed space 
Feel like its slowly coming together but really need to make a start on the wrapping and dig out all the bits for the dec 1st box and elves arriving next week.

ds school has over 1/3 of the students off isolating at the moment including 1 entire year group due to several cases of covid so hoping we can make it to the end of term without him being one of them. I know a lot of people are happy we can mix over xmas but not sure what we are going to do yet as rates are still climbing here despite the so called lockdown I will be surprised if we are not tier 2 next week 

kerri_gt

Afternoon. Bah Humbug. Fed up at the news, basically scuppered all my pre-xmas plans to see friends ... apparently I can't sit and have a meal with 1 other person I know but I can go and work out in a gym with 50 people I don't   Although at least my gym classes will be back on - missed 7mths of it this year and thoroughly fed up with it all. 
mandco good news on the shopping. Not sure if you've every looked at Office Offcuts (and Schuh have a similar site) where they sell either returned or ex display shoes / boots at some really good prices. I got some Ugg boots that would've been ~£200 for £80-odd earlier this year from there. I couldn't see anything wrong with them at all - one may or may not have been tried on but after a few wears, they all look the same anyway. 

StokieBecks

Beshki said:

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 did you place an order? My tracking hasn't changed at all. order dispatched on the 20th and tracking caught uo on 23rd to say it was at  XYZ sorting and would make it's way to local depot but absolutely nothing since. 

3forholidays

The plastic tubs of chocolates (Roses, Quality Street, Heroes, Celebrations etc.) are now 2 for £6 in A$da. Price of a single tub is £4. Offer only on until 29th November according to post on Hot Deals.

Redredrobin

I stared walking a couple of weeks ago and in the last 11 days I have walked 28 miles ! Not bad for a couch potato.
 If anyone sees a deal on an iPod can they give me a shout please ? If there aren’t any I will just order one tomorrow regardless and them my shopping is done . 

  I think our tree is going up tomorrow, I don’t think dd will wait any longer but we aren’t bothering with anything else this year . 

Treasurequeen

John lewis has hotel chocolat on offer at 15% off online. 

kerri_gt

Treasurequeen said:

John lewis has hotel chocolat on offer at 15% off online. 

Hotel Choc also have 15% off £25 or over spend, and some BF bundles too. 

Treasurequeen

Im not going to be able to see my grandparents or auntie this Christmas as it will be too many bubbles and my grandad is classed as very high risk. So as a family we have decided that we aren't going to risk it. So Christmas day will be my parents, myself and my brother and his fiancée. i am in a support bubble with my parents, so we will only be in two out of the three bubbles. Its going to be a very strained christmas. Boxing day will just be me and my parents. Fingers crossed next christmas is better. Went past local tescos on way back from a walk and it was packed, queues the length of whole car park. Think people are starting to panic. Luckily most of my food has already been bought, presents  and cards all bought too. 

Hope everyone is doing ok x 

Spendless

Was it  a big Tesco? If so it's black Friday so  might have been people looking for any offers on electricals etc. Plus it's end of the month, so pay day for many, or people might have decided to go and get what they can now before all retail opens next week and there's loads out shopping everywhere.
I need to go through our freezer eat up what's there and start re-stocking ready for the students coming. I've decided to do a buffet tea for Christmas eve when they first come back..