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

Spendless

Most of the shopping and gift wrapping is done. With FIL now moved into his 'granny' flat it became easier to see what we needed/would like. He mentioned a print that my late MIL had on the walls and initially said he'd like that back up, then mentioned how faded it now was, so didn't think it would look right on the brand new walls. We thought we'd replace it for him but as a canvas instead. He already has a mini whisky set but I thought I'd also add some chocolate he likes if there's any gift sets around for this brand. I can easily pick this up in my lunch hour next week.

I bought some flavoured moonshine at Edinburgh Xmas market last week, thought it was something different to the drinks normally bought for DH. I found a website and they also sold some accessories, so I've just ordered some bits to go with the bottle, which sort of 'extends' the gift. Unless anything spots my eye where I think 'that's perfect' for DH, that is him down. I need to pay his cousin for the painting she has done of the dog, which she is posting up to me.

I am later with finalising shopping this year, a combination of having lack of money before finding work and lack of time afterwards! I haven't bought a single card though and my family are big on named cards, so that is a job that needs doing this week too. 

I went to Tesco last night to buy my usual re-usable christmas bags and there was a serious lack of choice! I don't know if I'm just late buying this year or there wasn't much available in the first place. I picked up an elf and a Only fool and horses one, thinking some sides of the family could share till last minute, but then couldn't get my parents presents to fit in either! I know we talked about this some pages back. Can anyone remember where else does them so I can try there?  

kerri_gt

@Spendless try The Works for reusable bags, or the Pound shops also have reusable Christmas ones. Not sure how much they may differ in sizes but worth a check. Also try Lidl or Aldi if you have one near you.

Peppapig

PRINCESSKITTY I’m so glad your mum is doing ok and I think you’re absolutely right prioritising keeping well to be able to see the family over Christmas and home schooling the boys for a couple of weeks. In my book seeing people you love, and who love you, trumps a couple of weeks at school, especially at the age your boys are. I hope you all have a lovely Christmas with both sides of the family.

Spendless

Would you believe, I have now found the receipt for the bag. Never have found it if I'd looked for it. It had become mixed up in a bag of 'scrap' xmas wrapping paper that I use for stocking presents. I have till 1st Jan to take back. That opens up other options to me, but the bag is worth far more than the £39.99 I'll get refunded. DH has suggested we come up with a fib about the purchase of gf's phone that he could purchase it via some work vouchers we got and it's a 'one off'

Still having a think about it. 

Spendless

Spendless said:

Would you believe, I have now found the receipt for the bag. Never have found it if I'd looked for it. It had become mixed up in a bag of 'scrap' xmas wrapping paper that I use for stocking presents. I have till 1st Jan to take back. That opens up other options to me, but the bag is worth far more than the £39.99 I'll get refunded. DH has suggested we come up with a fib about the purchase of gf's phone that he could purchase it via some work vouchers we got and it's a 'one off'

Still having a think about it. 

DD has remembered ands jogged my own memory that we have already told and shown DS this bag and that it's for Christmas. That is correct. When I gave gf money for her birthday, I also supplied DS with some items for her from my present stash due to him getting the date of his own student loan incorrect and having no money. He asked me about the bag then and I said it was being saved for Christmas.

That rules out me returning it for a refund, fobbing it off as bought on a different trip or rolling it forward to another time. I am now going to go with DH saying the phone was due to some deal/vouchers he had and making it clear it's a 'one off' gift (something my Mum said I needed to make clear) 

At least it's sorted. Just been and bought some chocs etc for FIL and going to go and wrap now. 

C_J

I wish Aldi would do their red "Christmas Thyme" bag again!  It was perfect for delivering presents, but despite having bought lots of them when they were out (about four years ago, I think) I have none left as they all proved very popular with recipients and I couldn't prise them back out of their hands!  I am thinking about emailing Aldi Customer Services and pleading with them to have them again in good time (thyme, ha!) for next Christmas.

In the absence of the Aldi bags, I bought several of those check pattern laundry/market stall/storage bags:


(sorry about the large pic, I can't seem to re-size it). Mine were red check so looked vaguely festive, and it was a pack of five of them for about £12 from Amazon. They're handy as they have zipped tops.  Nobody wanted to keep these bags, so I got them all back

Regarding sprouts, we're not fans of them either but I shred them and pan fry them in a wok with pine nuts and finely diced streaky bacon, and they're really quite nice done that way. You could probably even do them with diced fake bacon instead so that your vegetarian guests could have them too.

kerri_gt

Bags seen in The Works today for anyone looking 



Posted off two lots of presents today so they are now in the hands of the couriers. 

@Spendless Lidl do a nice bag of deluxe sprouts in their frozen section, choice of with bacon or chestnuts (which is what we have with OH veggie). Cut bag, bung in roasting dish, chuck in oven. Min fuss for something you don't like. Highly recommend. 

Tried to find some tissue paper in town today, was either non existent, The Card Factory had minimal offerings of 2 watery coloured sheets of red for £1, £3 a pack in WH Smith! Finally found some nice sheets, red and some santa and reindeer on in Ryman, 8 sheets for 99p. Hurrah!

Two bottle bags going out of my stash this Christmas, how I end up with so many I have no idea.

Spendless

I went to a larger Tesco and found several more bags there, starting at 65p. That's more like it! I slipped up and bought the same bag twice because it has a different pic on the back to the front, but have put my parent's gifts in these because wouldn't all fit into one. Now moved out of the way and all easily identifiable for each household. DD's gifts divided into over the 2 days though I thought doing it that way felt she 'lacked' something, possibly because she's already had the yoga mat. So I decided to buy her some magnetic eyelashes. She gets blepharitis so has to be careful with falsies due to the glue. I got a discount code for these.  

I like the sound of the Lidl sprouts. Minimum fuss is exactly what I'm aiming for since we have 7 to dine and sis-in-law has already made it clear that she doesn't intend contributing in any way on or for the day, which is why I dug my heels in to DH and refused to host NYE as well. 

mandco

Princesskitty   glad to hear you mum is doing ok so far I can only imagine how worrying everything is esp with your dad not doing so well at the moment and being so far away. I think homeschooling the boys is a great idea with things the way they are being able to spend time with family this xmas is far more important than missing a few days of school at the end of term when they hardly learn anything anyway. They are young they have plenty of time to catch up.
I couldn't believe it when he won it he's wanted his own for ages but they are so expensive 
Take care of yourself 

Spendless that is def a tough one I do like dd's idea it takes away some of the impression you have lots of cash to splash but allows you to gift both items which do sound needed. I understand why you were annoyed with DH over the sprouts it might seem like a small thing but I don't think they realised how much work goes into xmas dinner.
I always do xmas dinner self serve everything in bowls on the side(as our table isn't big enough) and people can help themselves yes its a bit more washing up but I don't have to worry about who wants what and any left overs are easier to reuse. 

I haven't seen many decent reusable xmas bags this year they are either pretty small or very childish 

I think I may be a little bit insane as I've just paid £75 for a picture for ds    he found a company that do metal posters and saw some he really liked he said he knew he couldn't have one for xmas as they are expensive and he's already getting his gaming chair but said if he saves up enough would i order for him. He doesn't really ask for a lot and has had worked really hard through a tough year so thought I'd treat him just wish he'd said earlier as not sure if it will come in time as cut of time for guarenteed pre xmas delivery was friday but est delivery time is 4-5 working days so there is a chance. He's not expecting it so doesn't matter too much but would be a lovely surprise if it does.

still waiting on a parcel from hermes its been 10 days and its still stuck on we're expecting it - checked with the supplier and they said their system shows hermes have it so got to give it another 72hrs and it hasn't arrived they will resend it but that's cutting close to get in it time.

kerri_gt

@mandco that's a lovely thing to do for DS, worst case if it doesn't appear before xmas it will hopefully turn up between xmas and NY, and will be a nice surprise in that strange interim period. 

@Spendless when it comes to dinner I'm all for making it as easy as possible. I can and have spent hours prepping everything from scratch, peeling every veg under the sun etc. I now refuse to be billy no mates at the kitchen sink. 

Well done on getting the bags, another tick off the list.