A Jolly Holly Christmas - It's the 2022 Christmas Chatter Thread!

MACKEM99

Wot is a DH?

Spendless

MACKEM99 said:

Wot is a DH?

Dear/Darling Husband.


My Mum was pleased with her mini Estee Lauder perfume set for mother's day and had either completely forgotten I'd once mentioned getting them for DD or was being tactful as she knows the financial situation. I said on here late last year/early this year that I didn't think I'd buy as much earlier on anymore due to everyone now being adults and different situations and requirements applying. I am so glad that I didn't 100% stick to this and did have items already in to gift. You never know what life is going to through at you. DD's 19th birthday is next week and I'm pleased that's also been covered in advance.

princesskitty29

Hi all, DS2 came down with a virus last Saturday and I caught it off him, I was sick a few times on Wednesday and thought it was a 24hr bug but I have had constant nausea ever since. I’m feeling a bit better today but it’s still lingering. I’ve tested for covid but it’s coming up negative. DS1 has got a bit of a temperature today and is not himself so it’s making it’s way through us! My in laws were meant to be coming over for lunch today but we had to cancel that, it’s been a nice quiet day at home though.

I’m just watching a Christmas special of Only Fools and Horses and it’s making me all nostalgic for Christmases past!

Spendless it’s good you are able redistribute the presents, it makes it easier. Good idea with the wrapping paper!

Treasurequeen they are lovely candles.

Coxy oh no sorry to hear you’ve got covid, I hope you aren’t suffering too much with it and you’re able to rest.

MACKEM I read it as ‘darling or dear husband’ – not sure if that’s 100% right!

Dixie6549

This thread seems really nice. Thank you for it.

mandco

hope everyone's doing ok

sorry I've been mia  ds & dd tested postive for covid the day before my birthday (typical) and gave it to me  they sailed through it sore throat, bit tired ds had a cough me it floored. I couldn't even get out of bed the 1st few days and I'm still feeling totally wiped out 6ish weeks later. took taz to butlins last week ended up hiring a wheelchair as I was so exhausted(needed to nap midday even though we didn't do much) but he had a great time and the weather was fantastic

He won these little beanz type toys in the arcade and wants to collect the set but they come in those annoying blind bags. I was googling when we got home and came across a site called kids party crafts for less  they have some really cheap bits that are ideal for kids stocking fillers/party bags and a decent selection of other toys/crafts which would be great for xmas toy donations/party gifts. Delivery is on the higher side £4.99 but that is for next day so not that bad really- free over £40 which tbh is probably easy enough to reach. They had what he's after for 38p a pack next cheapest I could find was £1 a pack based on a 10 pack from amazon so huge saving even with postage.

The rise in the cost of living expenses is worrying -my shopping bill seems to be going up weekly at the moment and I'm dreading how much Gas & electric is gong to be. I have a feeling I will seriously need to rein in the xmas budget this year so I've started a weekly top up on a savings card for groceries which will hopefully cover the bulk of the xmas food. I was moving it into a savings account but that keeps getting eaten into by unexpected expenses like forking out nearly £200 to replace the garden fence due storm damage & then dd's car failing the mot £500 worth of work & test fees plus a weeks worth of taxis to & from work due to us being away which she didn't have due to starting a new job and not getting paid till next month. She probably won't be able to pay it all back in one go either. Its getting harder to replace what's been borrowed so I figured putting it straight on a card means its dedicated just for xmas and can't be borrowed for other things so at least that will be one less expense to worry about come December. 





 

Spendless

Sorry to hear you haven't been well @mandco

I remember the days of the frustrating collectables in blind bags! 

DD's 19th birthday yesterday. We gave her the items I'd decided to hold back at Christmas. Was the right decision, she spotted a 'travel theme' going on with her gifts. She adored her suitcase, said she'd never seen one like it before and had no idea where I'd got it (TK Maxx and never had them in again since). I also had a sneeky brainwave with some other items for her. When I lost my job at the beginning of last month it was a couple of days before DS birthday which I had already accounted for but not so DD. Thankfully I hadn't fully carried out my threat to not buy items up front, so I raided my present cupboard for items bought at outlets and TK Maxx and whilst hunting through I also found bags from the designer names from previous purchases direct from the stores, so I popped her brand name present (that I'd bought cheaply) into the matching gift bag and put them out for her. She's none the wiser and was happy with it (the instagram generation - rolls eyes!) and I'll just put the bags back into my cupboard stash -lol. 

C_J

@Spendless Happy Birthday to your daughter for yesterday - it sounds like she had a fab time, and wasn’t it lucky that you had bought ahead and squirrelled things away!

@mandco I hope you are starting to feel better now. The current strain of Covid seems to affect people in different ways, some don’t even know they have it, and others are knocked flat by it. My eldest daughter says she still feels as though she is struggling up a steep hill every day, but her husband hardly noticed having it and thankfully the grandchildren were fine (and thoroughly enjoyed an enforced week of isolation from school!)

I don’t have much to report on the Christmas purchase front, except that I called into £Land today and bought another couple of bits for each of the son-in-laws’ advent calendars - this time it was a car air freshener each (those tree shaped ones in a ‘new car’ scent) and a couple of small but very bright stick-on lights. These are different from ones I have seen there before, they are about 2” square and come in white, grey or black and have a switch on the front. I thought they would come in handy inside a cupboard.

princesskitty29

Hi all, we’ve all recovered from the tummy bug and we’ve come to stay on the farm we always stay on when we come home to visit my parents. I do love coming home to Gloucestershire, I miss it a lot. It was cold but beautiful sunshine yesterday but it’s blowing a gale and pouring down out there at the moment!

I’ve managed to get a few more presents in the Next sale; a large cinnamon Yankee candle for my friend, a glitter disco light for DS1 and a Home Alone mug for my brother that says ‘Merry Christmas ya filthy animal, and a Happy New Year’ – it’s the kind of thing he’d like! They were all half price or less.

I saw someone on Instagram had stuffed children’s Christmas socks with treats to look like a stocking and sold them at a craft fair, it gave me the idea to do this for my sons friends as he likes to give little gifts to a few of them at Christmas. You can get Christmas socks quite cheaply, I’d put one sock inside the other and stuff it so they also got a pair of socks with it as one sock wouldn’t be much use!

mandco I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been so poorly, how awful for you. Are you doing any better now? Gosh, Butlins is a high octane place to be when you’re feeling like that! I’m glad to hear Taz enjoyed it though, we’ve booked to go for a weekend in the October half term. Thanks for the heads up on that website, I’ve just booked DS2’s party so will need to thing about party bags, plus I’m always on the lookout for stocking fillers! The rising cost of living is a worry isn’t it, it’s hard to fathom how hard it’s going to be for everyone on top of other unexpected expenses like you mentioned. A savings card is a great idea, you can put a few pounds on here and there and then you know you have that to spend at Christmas, I might think about that too.

Spendless glad to hear DD was happy with her gifts!

CJ it sounds like you’re making good progress with the advent calendar presents, those stick on lights are handy.

Spendless

@princesskitty29 - I really like the idea of Xmas sock stockings. I think that could easily be adapted for teenage girl's friends by putting in inexpensive items like face packs and lip balms etc. Xmas or fluffy socks are still cheap when they get to the larger sizes. Did they also have a loop added so could be hung up or not do you know?

Beshki

I also took advantage of the n3xt sale. Packs of 3 white stuff socks for £6, which I think was half price. Quite a few men we buy socks for - lots of practical folk in our families lol! Slippers for £6 for OH. I never spend more than that but thought these might be better quality. Will see when they arrive. There was a lot I had bookmarked in the preview only for it not to go into the sale which was disappointing. Managed to get some baby clothes for Christmas and Bday gifts at a good price..it all helps.