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

Spendless

Yes I  also went to B & M the other day and saw the aisle full of Xmas confectionery. I was tempted to get some and store it (at my Mums, I'll eat it) because I don't trust the prices not to soar. 

I was in B & M looking for the Guess Who game. I know some of us have older/adult kids or a combination of both old and young and we've discussed buying a kids item and giving it an adult twist - aka alcoholic slushy makers last year. 
DD showed me a game going viral on where you take the game Guess Who but instead of asking the questions 'Does your character have a hat/moustache etc?' it is subjective Guess Who and you make up your own questions and then knock down the cards where you think they don't match the answer. Eg me and daughter managed to get the characters up online and the sort of questions she asked me was 'Did your character attend Glee Club at school/Did your character opt for science subjects/Does your character have a wine subscription' Whatever nonsense you fancy asking, the opponent can expand the answer from yes and no too. So does your character own an expensive water bottle?  The other can answer Yes, but only because they were bought it as a present - they didn't buy it themselves. For anyone intrigues but in case I'm not explaining well if you google 'subjective Guess Who' you'll find videos on it.

Anyway they didn't have it in B & M though they had a cheaper alternative of the same game. I eventually found it in Home Bargains but it was £15! That was more than I was expecting but will get it for DD shortly before she moves away - a month today.

I have to say I'm glad the days of buying school shoes are over. The whole family has wide feet, DH & DS also have wide feet, DS shoes used to cost a fortune and he'd go through about 3 pairs in a school year he was so hard wearing on them. Even DD's all black for drama school don't cause me the same problems school kit used to.

mandco

popped into sainsburys today and they had all the xmas mince pies/xmas pudding ect out 

don't know if anyone else is using the asda rewards app but they have a few good boosts on there at the moment - the tubs of xmas sweets have £1 cash back making them £3 each - I'd be surprised if they go any cheaper than that 
- 
finally manage to sort ds enrolment got an email today to say he's got 2 days next week and he'll get his proper timetable then. He does get a bit stressed about not knowing what days/hours he's doing and the college obviously knows already so why they can't just email it over?

Meant to be packing for our weekend away but can't seem to get motivated  its about 1/2 done but the weathers looking unpredictable so trying to work out what to take. 

Have a good weekend all and I'll catch up next week 

Clumsy42

Hi all! Remember me? Every year I think I'll join in throughout the year and every year I always fail.

I haven't started my annual work on my Mum's advent calendar yet. But I do have some ideas for my nieces presents - will be making them a DIY chocolate lolly kit (they have allergies, so not much choice ready made).

Saw that the Boots Christmas section is ready online. The British Museum range is so lovely! Might have to have that Hokusai hot chocolate/mug set.

Hope everyone is as well as can be. xx

Coxy11

Hi all,

I picked up a Metr0 free paper today and there's an offer for Harry's shaving trial set, usually £11.50, on offer at £3.95. Visit harrys.com/metro 

You need to sign up for a subscription but can cancel at any time. There's also an opportunity to add a mystery. I did this last year for DS2 and it's a great razor.

Spendless

Will have a look at that. I want to get a shaving hamper together for DS. 

DD asked if she could have an advent calendar this year but not a chocolate one. I do have a jewellery one I bought reduced cos last years and saying 2021 on the box doesn't matter as I'm taking the items out and putting them in a large advent stocking I have. After that  the stocking will hold Ds and gf's items Xmas morning. I did raid the jewellery calendar for some bits for the holiday goodie bags. I think I need to find around 6 more items but will have to think of suitable stuff. She's currently car booting most of her mini items to raise money for charity for her pageant role, and de-cluttering to move to drama school again, so don't want to buy stuff she doesn't want.  

I spent a while this morning browsing the Boots Xmas stuff on-line. Notice they have quite a lot of Radley stuff this year that I'd be interested in having. 

sammy_kaye18

Good Afternoon all 

I am back. Husband and I had been together for 20 years on September 1st so he surprised me by taking me away to Worcester for a few days (well actually we went up on Thursday, he had to work Friday in the Worcester store, and then we travelled back this morning for him to go to work in his regular store in Swansea) but still we had a nice break, some sight seeing, took lots of pictures etc and generally had some nice time being husband and wife without the worry of bills, kids, dogs etc. 

I did take my cross stitch with me though and got a little bit done. I did also go to hobby craft to get a few bits and remembered a cross stitching hoop to help make my card making cross stitches easier! 

@Coxy11Thanks for the hint about the shaving promotion. Son is 18 and reaching that age where he has facial fuzz, failing that if its not suitable for him then I will give it to my husband. 

We also had the HMRC cost of living payment first yesterday - which is weird since I didn't think we qualified but apparently since we get tax credits we do - so we have put that aside into another bank account and are going to leave it in there for the winter months. 

I really think I need to start making up a Christmas cupboard of things like food bits that we'd like. We don't do lots of fancy things come Christmas and are quite basic but I still want to make sure I have things that are our comforts. 

Also meant to add if there are any LEGO fans on the page - if you look on places like WISH or ALIBABA - they sell lego sets (exactly the same, same sets etc) and they come with instructions - they just arent in the fancy box. I brought a set each for us last year (a small one) and we sat down after dinner and all made our sets up and we all had great fun so it is our new tradition so Im going to get ordering a few sets ready for then but they are so much cheaper and the quality is just as good. Just bare in mind the delivery times. 

@Spendless I love the idea of an advent calendar too. I was thinking this year I might make my mother an advent calendar box and give her little bits and pieces she likes as opposed to a big gift because she never really asks for anything and is trying to clear her house a bit incase my grandfather decides to live with her since we lost my nan. So I think useful small things might be a better way to go. 

Todays focus is to start looking for some christmas deals, really make a start on my christmas cross stitch otherwise they will never get finished and sign up for the metro deal 

Beshki

Noticing my gift ideas shifting the more depressing the news gets. Not only am I going much more minimal, but my choices are moving towards less frivolous/luxurious items to things like snuggly fleeces (with cute dogs on - what’s not to like!), hot water bottles, warm hats etc. I’m also going to so some basic ‘treat’ hampers for our elderly relatives. I’m thinking biscuits, nice tee bags, fudge, jam, perhaps some crackers…not entirely sure what else. I want to make it more of a ‘nice’ every day hamper than the more fancy ones I’ve done in the past. 

chanie

@Beshki your thinking is sensible. Whilst I like a bit of luxury, it’s a bit pointless when you are too cold and hungry to enjoy it.

ltbaker1986

I do know of a wonderful lady, Jenny - who runs a special Christmas gift guide each year for the best small business gift ideas, she is wonderful and never asks a single penny for her services. Very supportive, so would love to support her and share her link to her guides..

Her business is called Merryn - simply search and click Christmas

sammy_kaye18

Beshki said:

Noticing my gift ideas shifting the more depressing the news gets. Not only am I going much more minimal, but my choices are moving towards less frivolous/luxurious items to things like snuggly fleeces (with cute dogs on - what’s not to like!), hot water bottles, warm hats etc. I’m also going to so some basic ‘treat’ hampers for our elderly relatives. I’m thinking biscuits, nice tee bags, fudge, jam, perhaps some crackers…not entirely sure what else. I want to make it more of a ‘nice’ every day hamper than the more fancy ones I’ve done in the past. 

I think this is sensible and still a lovely gift. I have been having the same thoughts though and Im going to be giving similar gifts to my family so not only are they a nice gift but they are practical as well. 
Im going to be making up bags with a nice fleece, fluffy socks, hot water bottle, nice mug, drink of choice for that person, sweet treat, candle etc so I know I have given them the means to stay warm this winter. Especially when it is people like my grandmother who lives by herself, or my mother who is on her own too. 

Im also looking to give my sister a practical gift as this year she has gotten into growing her own and started off with little things like chillis, and I gave her tomato and pepper plants. So Im thinking for Christmas I will decorate some pots for her and have brought a few cheap seeds so she can grow herself some herbs/small tomatos and peas to keep in her garden plus her children can enjoy it too. She can then have my extra plants again and hopefully be able to grow some bits to help her food bill since there's her and 4 girls (and she occassionally feeds our mum too)