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

zafiro1984

Spendless said:

Only to discover they're the first thing she searches for. Now gold coins are the one consistent in the stocking in the toe and the only thing that remains unwrapped so they are found easily.

Tangerine/orange in the toe and has been all my life. My mother used to put an orange in the toe explaining that during the war oranges were very scarce and therefore very precious. I used to put tangerines in the toes for my children. Strange how family traditions start and are carried on.

Peppapig

Thanks PRINCESSKITTY, it’s been a lovely couple of days and included a surprise family lunch yesterday and afternoon tea today followed by a leisurely look round the Frosts Christmas section. 

We’ve never done Christmas stockings but it’s nice reading about everybody else’s.

Mrs_Ryan

Hi all 
Some interesting topics on here. 

This year my mum insisted on only one present for everyone but she was the first one to change her mind on that! I’ve ended up buying her ten presents- including a Molton Brown set and a Dartington Crystal vase (the vase was almost half price on the DC website and the Molton Brown was off QVC) I also bought my brother a genuine vintage Fila polo shirt- he loves stuff like that and he’s lost a lot of weight so I was really lucky to find one on a vintage clothes website that would fit him perfectly. 

I do feel bad I haven’t bought much for DH- his family don’t really bother with him so I tend to spoil him- but mum has gone a bit overboard buying him stuff and he has a lot of clothes already. He asked for a shredder which I’ve got him- but money has been very tight this year so I haven’t been able to get him half the stuff I normally would. 

I also feel really bad that I couldn’t afford the polo shirt I buy him every year with our rugby team on- I got him one on EBay brand new with tags and packaging cheap because it was from a couple of seasons ago. I had to tell him about that though as the previous kit supplier’s sizing was naff and I wasn’t sure it would fit. He wasn’t bothered at all thankfully and said it was fine. 

EBay and Amazon have been my saviours this year- I’ve had some amazing bargains. I do still buy for nephews and nieces and I think I always will- when my nephews were young I spoiled them rotten as they were the closest thing to children I will ever have. DH has two nephews as well and I’m in charge of birthdays/special occasions for them- one is 13 and one is 17 so they’re at the difficult age now so I just get them vouchers for the cinema or Nando’s for birthdays/ exam results. 

I’m told they go down well but I’ve got them Superdry shower gel sets this year. I couldn’t let a year go by without buying from Boots 3 for 2 so I got their presents, plus a hand care set for their mum (she’s an HCA in a hospital so I always get her stuff to look after her hands- I sent her L’Occitane hand cream in the first lockdown, I used to do the same job and my hands were always wrecked and sore from washing and hand gel) and a Ted Baker set for their dad, plus some tea and biccies for OH’s dad and stepmum (they love their tea and biccies) 

I have already started wrapping up- DH is on leave next week and I’ve given him the job of transporting the multitude of boxes to the tip. I’ve already used two rolls of wrapping paper and barely made a dent in the mountain of stuff! I’ve ordered 6 more rolls of wrapping paper and I have 3 and a bit left- I have a feeling it will all get used as well 🙈

Beshki

I ordered some ‘posh’ soap to go into a hamper the night before last. I use it myself and it’s lovely and looks pretty enough to gift. It’s £6 plus postage. Less than 12 hours later the site has released a little gift set containing said soap, a mini version and a sisal soap bag for £10…so much more for your money, wasn’t very happy! 

Spendless

Beshki said:

I ordered some ‘posh’ soap to go into a hamper the night before last. I use it myself and it’s lovely and looks pretty enough to gift. It’s £6 plus postage. Less than 12 hours later the site has released a little gift set containing said soap, a mini version and a sisal soap bag for £10…so much more for your money, wasn’t very happy! 

That is frustrating. Offers/gift sets coming out later than those of us who early buy can be a pitfall. A shower  gel set I've bought my Dad, though I thought the original £10 price too dear, I bought when reduced to £7. I've since seen it for £5.99. I know that's only a £1 difference but it's a £1 that could be put to something else.

I'm guessing the refund policy doesn't make it financially viable to send back?  Or since you say you use the soap yourself could you keep this one for you and buy the £10 set if you want it to look 'more' for the recipient. Though I realise that's a larger overall spend than you anticipated.

Mrs Ryan - I'm impressed by your bargain hunting skills.

I bought new wrapping paper, only to discover I have no tags! During my hunt for them I put down a bag and the dog got into it and chewed a lipstick holder that I'd bought for DD that had Swarovski crystals on it and I'd found for a fiver in a clearance rack in Boots. Not best pleased! 

@kerri_gt - I had a lemon pudding from Aldi the other night. A new line in. It was a mini sponge with lemon sauce in the middle that oozes out. Comes in it's own glass mini bowl, heats in the microwave in just over a minute and cost 99p. Just in case you do feel obliged to get a lemon dessert in.  

kerri_gt

@Spendless does that mean hound may have sparkly poop 😳 how annoying although I guess it could've been worse. 

Thanks for the heads up about the lemon puds, I will have a look when I get a few bits for xmas in Aldi. Actually the individual puds are quite a good idea overall. Then if we don't eat them I can always send DM home with them in her Boxing Day doggy bag.

@Beshki it is so annoying when that happens isn't it. I ordered a very specific bday card for DB a little while ago. His bday isn't until Feb but I'd spied it a while ago online and it had just come into stock. Not cheap but he'll appreciate it. Anyway, a day or so after I ordered it, they did a % off on the website 🤦‍♀️ 
I try and balance the frustration against whether I'd be more upset at not getting the item at all vs extra spend. Usually that calms me down a bit as the item generally comes out top.
It also helps if its a small business as I figure I'm helping them a bit with their revenue.

Bit of progress made today. Managed a quick visit to TKM looking for satin pillow sets. They only had one of the ones with the scrunchie,  single pillowcase and sleep mask I really wanted, but I got that, and also two sets of two pillowcases which I'll use as a backup if I don't find another scrunchie/ pillowcase set.
Found the perfect socks for one DN and think I have some for other DN too so coming together.
TKM returns also now til Jan 2022 so have time there.
I also treated us to some cute Paddington xmas cards (love the films).

Spendless

Thankfully they were only a couple of crystals on the item, neither eaten by dog!

That's a good idea you had kerri to get both the gift set and 2 packs of pillow cases. Then you can return whichever isn't needed. When DD bought hers in Edinburgh, our home town TK Maxx was a couple of weeks behind getting the stock in. There were 2 designs of the gift set one because DD contemplated getting that one for her flatmate. I told her he'd been unlikely to use the sleep mask and wouldn't use the scrunchie so just get the pillowcase set!

The huge majority of presents are now wrapped. Hasn't seemed to take me as long this year. Maybe because I haven't got much for DS so far and with him not being here till after Xmas am not in a rush to wrap his and girfriend's gifts. I heard from him yesterday. He needed to borrow £20 to get some bits in. They are struggling financially. His gf is job hunting.

Tomorrow me and DD are going to see a play which is extremely relevant to her drama course. Going to be a very long day as a few train changes plus length of play. It's cost a fair bit too so I have told her to bear in mind the knock on  cost of this when it comes to her Christmas presents.  

kerri_gt

Spendless said:

Thankfully they were only a couple of crystals on the item, neither eaten by dog!

That's a good idea you had kerri to get both the gift set and 2 packs of pillow cases. Then you can return whichever isn't needed. When DD bought hers in Edinburgh, our home town TK Maxx was a couple of weeks behind getting the stock in. There were 2 designs of the gift set one because DD contemplated getting that one for her flatmate. I told her he'd been unlikely to use the sleep mask and wouldn't use the scrunchie so just get the pillowcase set!

I can't really see the girls using the sleep mask either, except for a bit of fun perhaps but as they both have long hair I liked the scrunchies in that set - it also seemed a little less grown up than the two pillowcases for a 10 / 12 yr old, IYKWIM? Still, the pillowcases may get more use - and if there's two of them (not sure if they have one or two pillows each) one can be used and one washed so kinda practical there.

Enjoy the play with DD today. I'm sure you'll both have a lovely day of it.

C_J

Beshki said:

I ordered some ‘posh’ soap to go into a hamper the night before last. I use it myself and it’s lovely and looks pretty enough to gift. It’s £6 plus postage. Less than 12 hours later the site has released a little gift set containing said soap, a mini version and a sisal soap bag for £10…so much more for your money, wasn’t very happy! 

@Beshki - I would SO send a polite email to customer services at that company to let them know how sad I was to have missed out on their offer by ordering a day too early. I'd probably trowel it on a bit thick, telling them I was a pensioner on very limited income (I dunno, maybe you are!) and how that extra value gift bag would have made a tremendous difference to me etc etc. If you are charming and light hearted about it, you would be surprised how often a company will send you a little something as a goodwill gesture.

Spendless

kerri_gt said:

Spendless said:

Thankfully they were only a couple of crystals on the item, neither eaten by dog!

That's a good idea you had kerri to get both the gift set and 2 packs of pillow cases. Then you can return whichever isn't needed. When DD bought hers in Edinburgh, our home town TK Maxx was a couple of weeks behind getting the stock in. There were 2 designs of the gift set one because DD contemplated getting that one for her flatmate. I told her he'd been unlikely to use the sleep mask and wouldn't use the scrunchie so just get the pillowcase set!

I can't really see the girls using the sleep mask either, except for a bit of fun perhaps but as they both have long hair I liked the scrunchies in that set - it also seemed a little less grown up than the two pillowcases for a 10 / 12 yr old, IYKWIM? Still, the pillowcases may get more use - and if there's two of them (not sure if they have one or two pillows each) one can be used and one washed so kinda practical there.

Enjoy the play with DD today. I'm sure you'll both have a lovely day of it.

Yes I agree about the pillowcases. If yours are the same as mine, the giftset contains 1 pillowcase plus scrunchie and sleepmask, the pillowcase sets have 2 pillowcases in.

Some things you just don't appreciate till years later. I didn't the dressing gown I received at 13. When I was still wearing it at 20 I did. Likewise the dice pendant I hated because it was unusual and not like my mates when I was 15/16, in my 20s I adored it and that on-one else had one!