* Driving Home for Christmas * - It's the 2021 Christmas Chatter Thread!

StokieBecks

Brilliant thanks spendless I will look for it next time I am in and check dates 

Will be different for you this Christmas. Maybe if your daughter still wants a stocking you will be able to think of a way round it. Perhaps christmas eve or new years day?  When we were a bit younger and it was just the four of us (mum, me and siblings)  we did a new year present. We drew a name out and we bought for them so there was always four presents  left under the tree, one each for New Year.

Beshki

StokieBecks said:

Spendless was that afternoon tea set you mentioned in B&M?  My Grandad is really hard to buy for but that sounds perfect so would like to have a look.

I bought some screw top containers like these



Got 5 - for the niece's and nephews. They were £1.50 each and have bought some of the pouches of heroes and celebrations today which with my staff discount worked out at just over £12 for six bags. These have perfectly filled the five jars and will add a bit of money into an envelope in the jar too  and that's them sorted this year. They are all getting older now and so hard to buy for within budget.

I found some eggs in Home Bargains that contain mini lynx/dove toiletries. Think they were £1.49 each (currently show on amazon at £5 which i wouldn't pay). Nice little extra stocking filler even if they are the wrong season 

Not sure how much the B&m ones were but I noticed M&S are doing one for £20, which I didn’t think was too bad given it’s a bit fancy. I think I’ll buy one for an elderly relative that I struggle usually to buy for :-) x

StokieBecks

Thanks beshki I will have a look at that one too. Always handy to have plenty of options to consider.

Day off for me today, currently working on a fundraising calendar for the wildlife centre I support/volunteer with on occasion - Not very christmassy for me but hopefully it will appear in a few stockings at Christmas and make some money in the process for the charity.

Spendless

Gosh I'm useless at giving enough detail. The B & M  afternoon tea set is only a fiver.

I'm guessing the M & S one is this one that looks really lovely.
https://www.marksandspencer.com/coffee-morning-box/p/hpp60206064?extid=ps_ps-bpla_ggl_hampers_food__-_UK_-_-_&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7MGJBhD-ARIsAMZ0eevqo0j6lWm-V_rk1Zypb_XeB0Bk7M8iNFaOPpaOO3Ab6iTwmBZXFxIaAlnGEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

So I've now got a dilemma as I have already got a mini whisky wasting set for Nan and intended to put the (B&M) afternoon tea set with it. She only drinks whisky in tea, which considering there's a couple of malts in the set is sacrilege (not that I'm a whisky drinker) but since she's nearly 96 when else are you going to do this. .Having now seen the M&S one what I might do instead is give the whisky set for her birthday this month and buy the more expensive set for Xmas. This would remove me having to buy a present this month whilst we still shell out for DS and DD moves to Uni/drama school.   

Me and DD went to Scotland yesterday as she had an interview for a p-time job (unfortunately doesn't think it went well). However went into TK maxx and bought DIL2b a bag from there which is being put away for Xmas. 

I still measure how ready I am for Xmas gift wise by asking myself 'If the Government announced it was Christmas day tomorrow, do I have enough in to give everyone a present?' I give myself the following rules. I am 'allowed' to leave till later on easily available supermarket stock eg bottles of alcohol, boxes of chocolates, things that you have to buy last minute eg flowers, anything where you just print the info out and don't have/need to have a physical gift eg theatre tickets/holidays. Any money gifts and anything exchanged between myself and DH as we can have the discussion about what we'll do later. Last year I was so glad I had this plan in place when we went into lockdown 2 as it meant my main present buying had been completed by the end of October and I could avoid the hoards shopping in December when the stores re-opened. What I need to do now though is check my present cupboard and see where I'm at. 

kerri_gt

@Spendless I thought about Xmas that way too last year - unfortunately it always seems to be DH and DM who are the last I buy for. 
We have agreed 'tree presents' only with DM this year - did agree that last year but naughty me saw a lovely bowl for her sideboard...which is still in it's box I saw when I went round  So deff tree only / token presents this year. I do have a scarf I bought for her last year and kept back - idea was to return it, then we had the Craig David weekend (T2 to T3 to T4 to lockdown  ) and Dotty P then went into administration so couldn't return it. I should prob look at picking up a few other little bits as / when from now on.


DN's (*3 - 2 girls / 1 boy) will I think be Primark nightwear as I mentioned before - or the two girls at least. So that will be nearer the time when xmas ranges start coming out. 

What I do need to get is cards - since I didn't get any in the sales (no sales as such) and O2 didn't run their promo last year. Boo. 

Nan sounds marvellous. Perhaps doing what you said about the sets might be easier for you - I dislike whisky full stop so single, double or any malt doens't make a diff to me 

mandco

Spendless  congratuations to ds and hm1 
sounds like dd has had a rubbish time with the jobs shame she didn't feel she could address the issue at the cleaning job far too many young women get hassled and made to feel uncomfortable in their working enviroment there's no excuse for it and it makes me mad that people still get away with it.  I hope she gets the wages sorted it tough when they want to do things themselves but maybe don't have the confidence to push when needed like we would. 

Princesskitty hope you had a lovely break at haven 

lots of xmas bits appearing online
I was tempted to order the lego marvel advent calendar but Taz seems to have gone off lego so not sure it if its worth it? I did see a fidget toy one so might get him that

I'm hoping to get the bulk of my xmas shopping done by the end of November as it looks like its going to be another year of stock issues and delivery delays 

Spendless

mandco - DD got paid the other day from the shoe shop thankfully. She did owe me some money but I've told her instead to pay for her own hair appt. She gets the better deal, but she came so unstuck with waiting nearly 3 weeks later for her wages when she just missed a payday when starting - so 7 weeks without wages. She should now have another pay day from there just before she moves away plus whenever he current job pays her, but yes such a shame that her idea to 'load' up the jobs prior to moving didn't work out.


I realised the other day that DD wouldn't be home this year for an advent calendar. I think the first year DS was at Uni he bought himself one as he didn't want to feel he was missing out.

StokieBecks

No idea if it is any use to anyone but noticed The Works are celebrating their 40th birthday and have some 40% off offers  so may be some bits useful for putting away

https://www.theworks.co.uk/c/offers/40th-birthday-mega-deals


(Edited to add I have looked - the discounts are mostly jigsaw puzzles if you know someone who enjoys)

kerri_gt

I buy myself an advent calendar now. Stopped buying OH one as he wasn't really fussed and would just eat it all in one go anyway. Last year I treated myself to a Hotel Chocolat penguin onem

Beshki

Spendless said:

Gosh I'm useless at giving enough detail. The B & M  afternoon tea set is only a fiver.

I'm guessing the M & S one is this one that looks really lovely.
https://www.marksandspencer.com/coffee-morning-box/p/hpp60206064?extid=ps_ps-bpla_ggl_hampers_food__-_UK_-_-_&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=Cj0KCQjw7MGJBhD-ARIsAMZ0eevqo0j6lWm-V_rk1Zypb_XeB0Bk7M8iNFaOPpaOO3Ab6iTwmBZXFxIaAlnGEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

So I've now got a dilemma as I have already got a mini whisky wasting set for Nan and intended to put the (B&M) afternoon tea set with it. She only drinks whisky in tea, which considering there's a couple of malts in the set is sacrilege (not that I'm a whisky drinker) but since she's nearly 96 when else are you going to do this. .Having now seen the M&S one what I might do instead is give the whisky set for her birthday this month and buy the more expensive set for Xmas. This would remove me having to buy a present this month whilst we still shell out for DS and DD moves to Uni/drama school.   

Me and DD went to Scotland yesterday as she had an interview for a p-time job (unfortunately doesn't think it went well). However went into TK maxx and bought DIL2b a bag from there which is being put away for Xmas. 

I still measure how ready I am for Xmas gift wise by asking myself 'If the Government announced it was Christmas day tomorrow, do I have enough in to give everyone a present?' I give myself the following rules. I am 'allowed' to leave till later on easily available supermarket stock eg bottles of alcohol, boxes of chocolates, things that you have to buy last minute eg flowers, anything where you just print the info out and don't have/need to have a physical gift eg theatre tickets/holidays. Any money gifts and anything exchanged between myself and DH as we can have the discussion about what we'll do later. Last year I was so glad I had this plan in place when we went into lockdown 2 as it meant my main present buying had been completed by the end of October and I could avoid the hoards shopping in December when the stores re-opened. What I need to do now though is check my present cupboard and see where I'm at. 

Having read the reviews on the M&S I’m now not sure! Apparently it comes just packed in a cardboard box (ie as though you’ve just ordered the stuff, not a hamper) & the dates can be only 3 days in date. Think I may need to rethink!?