Santa’s challenge 2020 ...

chanie

I’m going shopping tomorrow so DD can spend some of her birthday money -will be a great opportunity to to look for some bargain Xmas 2022 gifts🤣.   Before we go, I’m going to pop to Sainsburys to check our their reduced Christmas stock - I normally get wrapping paper and reduced gifts, if I can.

I diverted some cracker gifts to the link boxes - nail clippers, bottle openers and a cookie cutter, plus I managed to get my hands on the shoe box that OH had.

Happy_Kitties

I cannot believe how much u are whizzing ahead with 2022 preparations Chanie…..putting the rest of us to shame😆.
Picked up a couple of choc bargains this morning for a club I belong to that had to shut early before Christmas. Have popped them under the tree with the bottom lights draped everywhere. I will wrap them at some point!

Nothing else done but I did remember to take a January birthday present over to Duncles to pass on in January and I must remember to put a birthday card in the post the end of the week.

I can tick one present off for 2022 plus an extra pair of gloves for my shoeboxes but that is it so far. I was also given a scarf for Christmas that really is not me so has gone in the hub collection bag for the dementia parcels next year or however the organiser chooses to use it.

Determined to go into 2022 with minimal waste and I’m still decluttering aswell.

chanie

happy kitties it’s lovely that you always think of others with your efforts and are very charitable.  I’m sure the items you donated will be appreciated.  I bought some McDonalds happy meals today and the toy was a beanie baby wearing a Christmas hat.  One went on the tree and the rest have been diverted to my link boxes.  

I do like grabbing bargains! I’m making up for last Christmas.  Lockdown affected my prep and I really felt it this Christmas, so im pleased to be back on track.

 In Sainsburys today, I bought some crackers (reduced to £3) and some wrapping paper, which wasn’t as good as a deal as it used to be. 

One thing im going to focus on next Christmas is being more sustainable.  I might try my hand at fabric wrapping presents (even though I’ve just stocked up on wrapping paper).  

Some presents went down well this year.  I bought some personalised prints and put them in frames and everyone I bought them for likes them.  I also continued the tradition of making my Dsis and DNs a hamper with some treats, which Dsis said she looks forward to.This was something I wanted to give before Christmas, but just didn’t have the time.

OH has a big birthday coming up next year, so I need to start preparing for this.  Not sure what I’m going to get him, but need to start saving and preparing.

finally, we took down the tree today!  Although we love doing the whole tree thing, both OH and I are ready to take it down quickly after Christmas and get the house straightened. This is the earliest we have taken it down though.  

Happy_Kitties

Thank u Chanie, it is kind of u to say. Just trying to make the best of a duff present situation. A good friend also got exactly the same as me from our mutual friend and we both always say we never give to receive but mutual friend insists on buying for us. We both also got a plant bulbs to grow flower thing each. The problem is one of my cats, if they haven’t dug up the bulbs, if I do manage to grow something, the same cat will destroy. I remember DD bringing a beautiful aloe Vera plant back from uni, that did not last long at all. So we decided to make the best of the situation and she is giving me her scarf which will also go to the hub and she is having my plant bulbs thingy for her mum so it is a win win situation.

What a great excuse for a happy meal. Going to be doing that! There was one toy before Christmas that the hub was chasing from the happy meals.

U r really grabbing the bargains. I went to Tesc@s this morning for cat food, picked up more choc items to make up some goodie bags with yesterday’s chocolate, one present, one item for the charity auction and a small choc gift for Duncle. There wasn’t masses there but it isn’t a big store so pleased with what I got and the cats were pleased with their food!

The hamper for Dsis and DNs is a great idea esp as life is still abit upside down. Just gives a bit of normality.

Katiehound forgot to ask did u get peeling for Christmas day? U said u had offered ur services for homeless meals?

We are a great bunch and I think we have very much developed into a preparation and a charity thread aswell that was started by Katiehound with the shoeboxes. Since then we have never looked back!!

chanie

@Happy_Kitties what a great idea to swap gifts with your friend.  I was given some clothing for Christmas that wasn’t my style, so I retuned it and bought DS some undies.  It makes my sound like a martyr, but it’s not somewhere I normally shop, so it made sense for me to get something for that children.

I’ve just fallen down the rabbit hole of reusable wrapping and saw some lovely fabric bags and wraps on Etsy.  I dont think I could give up wrapping paper completely, as children enjoy wrapping paper, don’t they? I am going to buy a few bags and wraps and trial them with adult family members.  I may try a few bags for the children, alongside wrapping paper gifts, so they get used to them.  

Katiehound

Hello
No, I didn't peel veg- I wasn't needed. Home alone instead! but the weather was great, bright & sunny. The following days the weather was utterly dismal, I just wanted to stay in bed but the hounds won't allow for that!!

Today I collected 7,8 or 9 duvets to convert into doggy duvets. I don't know exactly how many there are because at least one bag has 2 crammed into it. No prizes for guessing what I shall be doing in the next couple of weeks! I think I will try to get them all hemmed and some might end up pushed into the loft.Boy, do they take up a load of room!!
I also emptied the collecting 'tins.'  The village PO had £111 & dog training also had £111- so £222 for Dogs for Good next week.

My seasonal trip wasn't to the shops but to the tip! Sadly my old wonderful sewing machine went... not viable to get it repaired, and a broken printer & some small electrical bits. I'd like to say that there is now a vast empty space but that would be a huge exaggeration!

Happy_Kitties

What a start to 2022, three things either broken or need fixing/looking at but the oven has definitely gone to that big oven in the sky….tbh I’m surprised it lasted as long as it did. I’m looking at it as that’s my three rubbish things out of the way and 2022 is going to be a good one.

Must stop spending money!! Have picked up quite a few items for the charity auction and now have 5 presents bought as well. The sales have been kind to me. Ordered online with the Boots sale. Everything came in one piece except for one men’s set that I really wanted for the auction. Still need to take that back to Boots. It is obvious that the packaging was trashed when it was packed and not during transit so no idea why it was sent out on the state it was. 

I’ve slowly been packing things away (tree will be Wednesday, would like to do it sooner but just won’t get chance) and as I’ve packed the presents away I’ve been wrapping them aswell. Im in total agreement Chanie, u cannot beat some wrapping paper and with my club who still have to have their presents, I’ve used wrapping paper for the main presents and reusable bags for the chocolate coins which I’m sure the parents will reuse next year. They look so pretty hanging from the tree.

Katiehound it’s a shame about ur sewing machine but by the sounds of it, it really earned its keep. The funds u raise are amazing plus repurposing things to help the environment.

I’ve been focusing more on my shoeboxes aswell. Picked up 4 tubes of toothpaste (30p each) and soap. Itching to get started!

chanie

Katie how long will it take you to make up the new batch of doggy duvets?  7-9, sounded like a hefty number to get through.

hapoykitties hope you get a shiney new oven sorted quickly.

I started on my 2022 Xmas list, where I write down everyone I need to buy for and what I’ve bought.  When I was putting away the items I’d already bought (I put everything in a high cupboard, away from prying eyes) I found a gift for DN, which I’d forgotten about, so that was a nice surprise.

Im going to try and step up my efforts for Christmas 2022, as I really felt the affects of my slow progress this year.  OH also has a big birthday coming up in the autumn so it’s another reason to get myself sorted early.

Happy_Kitties

Chanie I also write everything down! I would never keep track otherwise. Now that was definitely a win finding a present for DN

DD had been asking if I had managed to pick up any wrapping paper from the C@rd Factory, she was on the ball and dragged her BF shopping on Boxing Day

It was the first time I had managed to get to my local one today and managed to get things for my shoeboxes, wrapping paper, colouring books at 75% off. Got a lot of bits for very little including elasticated reindeer slippers with a fleece lining for 70p which will lie very flat and act as padding as well. There was one pair left, I’m going to try and get back to the shop again in the next day or so, if they are there I will pick them up. Was unlucky with no personalised cards still out but only really buy for Duncle and DD at Christmas now so not really an issue after the bargains I picked up.
Just didn’t realise everything had gone to 75% off.

Also managed to take back the men’s set where the packaging was trashed to B@@ts.

Feel really happy with the bargains that I have picked up, working hard to try and make sure i am much better with birthdays this year……I was truly shocking last year.

Katiehound I hope u r sewing away!

chanie

I mentioned in a previous post I wanted to be more sustainable, so I’ve invested in some fabric gift wrapping items, which I’ve been playing around with.   Each wrap cost about £5, so I can only use them for people who I know will give them back 😂.   I think the wraps look pretty cool, but that’s only because wrapped items of the right size - some other items I tried were too small, so there was too much loose fabric and some items were too big, which meant I couldn’t tie the ends.  The fabric gift bags are easier to work with.