Santa’s challenge 2020 ...

Katiehound

chanie said:

  When I next go to Tesco’s, I’m going to buy the toiletries like soap and toothpaste.

 

I think soap and toothpaste (59 pence) may well be cheaper in Aldi- if you have one near you. They had 400ml (yes, I know a tad  too much) shampoo for about 90 pence. All the supermarkets seem to have done away with their own brand cheapie cheapie items.
 
Tesco have the cheapest disposable razors but it wasn't worth a 30 mile trip for them ! This time I 'shopped local' either Aldi or the cheapie shops, or Wilco. My friend bought me reporter note books from The Range (none in Wilco)  and I think they also had packs of 2 x nail clippers @£1

chanie

Katie yes, I do have Aldi nearby, so I will check that out as well.

Happy_Kitties

@Katiehound i listen to Michael Ball aswell but missed the mention. Missed the one u did with Rylan aswell
I checked on the collector's and they are just the same, we don't have many in Wales. But it is a good job i did check as the cut off for the bags of education is the 1st August and i still hadn't done the third.
Duly packed it up only to find i was short of toothbrushes they ask for as an additional item and in a box it was overweight.
Picked up a pack of 2 toothbrushes for 25p from Tesc@ while shopping this morning. Found some strong plastic packaging an item came in the other day(so glad i saved it), bag packaged up (was just under weightwise) used own stamps from RM surveys and it is now on its way. Did not like rushing about with it. 
If i do them next year, note to self, try and find a box big enough to take all 3 bags. 
Haven't done any other wrapping. Really need to wrap some presents for a friend who has had a baby. I was half way thru those and stopped!
I've got Christmas wrapping to do but haven't felt like doing it. Really need to do it as i go along otherwise i will leave it until last minute-like Christmas Eve night
I think it's just me and DD home for Christmas. I think i had said previously that DM had said Christmas was cancelled this year and doesn't seem bothered by it, so have treated myself to some Spode Christmas tree design bits which i have wanted for a long time but could never justify the price.

chanie

happy kitties your last minute rush sounds like me every year with my Link boxes!  This year, I’m determined to not leave the wrapping to 1/2 before they are due to be delivered 😂.  Well done for getting them finished, particularly under our current difficult circumstances.

It was MILs birthday recently.  As she has just had her garden done, I suggested we get her something for the garden.  We struggled once we got to the garden centre though because we arrived 15 minutes before it was due to close 😂.  We settled on a bird feeder, which was well received.  When I suggested ‘something for the garden’ to OH thought it was like giving loo roll, so I was very smug when MIL was pleased with it.  

OH siblings have sorted out the secret Santa for this Xmas, so I only have one sibling to buy for.  I’m seeing this sibling at the weekend so I’ll find out what they may like.

Happy_Kitties

@chanie i can honestly say that the third bag of education felt and was indeed chaos!!
I've been working on link box number 7, a family box this time after i picked up all of the cheap bits in Jan.
In the meantime as the other boxes are stacked up blocking a wardrobe door i thought i would give the collector who i had problems with last year the benefit of the doubt and give a call to drop off at least half the boxes, esp as where he is, is such a lovely drive. 
Surprise surprise no luck or response back so  i will be going in the other direction to drop off. Its a shame as if i had hospital i would automatically be going past, but the hospital is in a covid hot area so i can't see appointments until the end of the year.
If we have nice weather (we keep getting rain) i will aim to take a drive and drop at least half the boxes off this month. Thats what i keep telling myself, im trying to be efficient, trying being the word!!
With regards to the bird feeder i don't think u can go wrong with a garden present. Got my bestie who has everything the bird box and it went down really well
Good news on the secret santa and i love it when u get the chance to find out what someone likes without them realising what u r doing, then they are thrilled that u actually took time to think about them
Still no wrapping of presents but there is a chance DD can drop some birthday presents off for fav cousin's children. Early birthday presents but better than me being rubbish. I still have a january one here
Off out to see if i can get some gift bags.
Mantra- i will be efficient!!

Katiehound

Happy_Kitties said:

 
In the meantime as the other boxes are stacked up blocking a wardrobe door i thought i would give the collector who i had problems with last year the benefit of the doubt and give a call to drop off at least half the boxes, esp as where he is, is such a lovely drive. 
Surprise surprise no luck or response back so  i will be going in the other direction to drop off. 

Hi Happy Kitties
I am assuming that you phoned the person concerned beforehand. It's a bit early for them to be receiving boxes- but even so I would be contacting head office to get them to check it out, especially as you had problems last year. HO will know if they did indeed collect boxes then.

Sad news. I've decided that I won't be going to Ireland this year. I reckon both here and there are fairly safe but there is a small matter of 450/500 miles in between using service stations and 4 hours of mask wearing on the ferry. ( x2 of course!)
It's a big blow  but the house there is well looked after- I just wanted to get a change of scene with a large garden and views of the mountains!

Today my torches turned up. They are really good, the big strong ones that generally retail around £5-6... I paid £2.29. Well pleased.
I have managed to find 4 more boxes- friends have given me smaller boxes and I have done a swap.  However they are the variety that are collapsible so I have glued a piece of stiff  card in the bottom.- I don't want them falling apart!!  I was also short of 2 x mugs- knew there were a couple in Ireland I didn't need! but a friend gave me 2 new ones . I shall be packing boxes over the next 10 days and then maybe deliver in a couple of weeks.

Tomorrow I've been invited out for afternoon tea at the local garden centre- so we are taking advantage of the Govt scheme. Planning to do the same next week with another friend- unless we are re-locked down!!

Happy_Kitties

Katiehound- sorry to hear about Ireland. The travelling inbetween bit would def be a headache.
Enjoy your afternoon tea, now that does sound lovely.
Success i am dropping 6 boxes off on Saturday. Yep had rang beforehand and left a message with the one difficult to get hold of. Found an alternative number, rang that and left a message. In the meantime i decided to ring the other contact in the other direction. That turned out to be a school. In light of the current situation i thought thats not going to work for me and then the contact i had difficulty with rang me back. Turns out they have actually been out with link to hope twice distributing boxes. They said you just think u are filling a box but u will never know how much people appreciate it and seeing the number of elderly in sheer poverty caused them to have a rethink. We've arranged to meet where its easy to do a socially distanced drop off but it really made me feel like we are doing something very worthwhile. I have shoebox number 8 from DDs friend but have yet to fill it hence why i am not dropping all of them off.
I just really really hope we have nice weather now, it is such a lovely drive without rain!
Ive also managed to order extra bits like gloves and socks really cheap in the matalan sale ready for next year.
Considering we've had a lockdown i have been so so lucky with sale items, i sent another 8 items off to the charity organiser today.
No christmas presents wrapped but have been busy wrapping birthday presents ready for shipping out.
Space, i will have some space and presents seem less this year although i cant find one......already!

Katiehound

Space, I will have some space

Ha, that needs to be my mantra! I seem to have less space and the house is  in a worse state than ever ! (not the fabric of the house, just the fabric & 'stuff' inside!)

In Ireland they call it 'cocooning' not shielding. Sounds softer, cosier!

Glad you will get to meet the area collector, and interesting to  hear that they have been out there. I fully realise the situation when I look at the photos and I think what we have- and throw away, and they have- nothing.

Unfortunately no hot water bottles here- the shop has been rejigged- but they were winter stock, after all. If I can get hold of a couple more boxes I will do 2 more- but they will be bottle-less! I also have yarn for knee blankets but first one only .......1/8? made... I was going to do that in Ireland.

Trying hard to stay positive. I am burrowing in the material mountain and have found pieces of fabric that would make small bags- A4 size to go in boxes. The material is too tough for duvet covers, or just too nice. Will soon have a stack made! I have actually seen bits of floor but haven't yet found the missing bit of sewing machine!.... yet.... It has to be in that room......!

Happy_Kitties

Katiehound-i hope u find the missing bit for the sewing machine!
Im hoping when i go upstairs i will see space! 
Four lots of birthday presents went with DD today. Im ashamed to say the Jan birthday presents are among them but a very late treat for the recipient!
I cannot believe i actually forgot to put a hottie in one of the boxes. They are all crammed full. So if DD does manage to get an extra box i will do an extra one.

It is hard staying positive and must be extra hard when u had things planned like Ireland. Katiehound u do great things with the doggie duvets.
Plans for tonight, wrap some more presents that i want to deliver over the weekend for a friend who has had a baby..........then hopefully with 6 shoeboxes gone........lots of space!

Katiehound

Ever since late March I've been doing a daily positive thinking kind of e-mail...... it's now x 4 each week. Yesterday one of the recipients took me out for afternooin tea at the local garden centre as my 'thank you' treat which was very nice indeed.  In the e-mails I have, from time to time, mentioned the shoe boxes and how I'm progressing. Anyhow he asked about the charity, who, what etc and then he gave me £20 to do another box! How sweet was that?

I managed to get 2 reasonable boxes from Clarks today and I have ordered 3 more leaflets from the charity (by phone) as I don't have a printer. I had in the back of my mind that I would do 2 more- might be 3!

Space? What's that? There's seems to be a shortage of that here!!