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

Spendless

Also a further idea for hampers if you've cellophaned it but prefer the recipient not to see the contents instead of putting in wrapping paper you can put in a suitably sized supermarket reusable Xmas themed  bag instead of a gift bag. Usually bigger and often cheaper than a gift bag just get them early.

Spendless

I popped in TK Maxx and saw they had a couple of build your own hamper kids complete with tissue paper and cellaphane for £2.99. Might need to search though, these were on a shelf in a homewares aisle! I nipped in the charity shop and looked to see if the F & M hamper was still there, it wasn't but there were 2 wicker oblong baskets £2 each, one was plain so left that but the other had a fabric poinsettia on thought that ideal for putting Xmas bits in.  

I forgot to say in Poundstretcher I found the Lynx soaps again. A bit more expensive than I was paying at Savers, now £1.25 for the 2 pack but have both fragrances in. Thought I'd mention it as some of you couldn't find them in your Savers shops. 

Coxy11

Thanks @Spendless I like the Asda box, that's just what I'm after. I saw some hamper kits in TK's - they were a light wooden crate, shoebox size and £8!  I'm mean they're lovely, and if I received it I'd definitely reuse but know SIL wouldn't. Thanks also for the Lynx soap tip. Our Poundstretcher closed down, but I might get off the train in Bromley tomorrow after work and check out that one plus the mahoosive £land.

FIL's book arrived today courtesy of Amazon - I dislike using Amazon but I had a voucher from the Shoppix app, so it was free(!).

Have been looking at dinosaur PJs for youngest nephew (3) who is getting a new bedroom. Am also looking for the Orchard Toys dino dominoes and that'll be him boxed off. Other nephew (5) has the baby yoda light, egg cup and toast cutter, so I'll look for a sticker book to go with it. I have a £50 for the local mall (can use it in any shop) so will use that to pay.

One of my neighbours has their Christmas lights up already - that's a bit early even for me!

Coxy11

Morning!

I got off the train early last night and went to TKMaxx in Bromley. Managed to get youngest DNephew a 3-part clothing set - joggers, long sleeved t-shirt and hoodie with dinosaur on it for £17. Also got the dinosaur dominoes in Waterstones at lunchtime so that's him now done. Older DNephew can have the Lego Shark I'd put away for his birthday in February. This will go with his Star Wars baby yoda light and egg cup/toast cutter. They are now crossed off the list.

Also got the chilli growing kit for adult DNephew and his GF. It's a red metal fire bucket - really cute. They also have a 1m long box of jaffa cakes(!). Now looking for something to go with - matching PJs might prove too expensive. 

My DNiece looks to be separating from her BF, so maybe one less person to buy for. I currently have the M&S London candle plus some reuseable bamboo face wipes in a tin for her. So will hold off until I hear more.

Forgot to say that some of the Christmas chocolate is on Clubcard price in Ts if that applies to anyone.

Spendless

DD bought DS a chilli plant last year for Xmas and it has now grown a  pepper.

I'm also holding off on a present. I haven't said because I don't know how much I should be saying online, but my Nan is in hospital after being attacked by a fellow resident in her care home. From the story we've been told Nan was wandering at night and went into another bedroom and the occupant attacked her. The staff on were attending another incident on another level  at the time.    She's been in for the past week badly bruised - nothing broken, but at 98, nearly 99, she's very shaken.  It's subject to a safe guarding investigation which is why I've been quiet.

It seems a bit 'off' to talk about this in terms of not getting a present yet. That's the least of my concerns, but I know if something happens as a consequence it'll serve as an unpleasant reminder as I intend to get a 3 photo frame for her this year and have DS in his graduation gown one side, DD in her pageant dress the other and Nan with both kids when younger in the middle. 

I refrained from telling DD because we didn't know what was happening, the outcome etc and didn't want to worry her. Waited till her classes were over for the week and we had a bit more info before ringing her. However this has sent her into a tiswas and she wants to come home. That's impractical both in terms of train cost and the time taken due to railworks. So we've just decided to do a flying o/night visit to her today. We've booked a hotel where we can take the dog using loyalty points and we don't pay for petrol in DH's company car, so it's just meals and drinks whilst we're there. Going to pack a picnic to take with us to reduce those costs. 

C_J

@Spendless So sorry to hear about your Nan, that’s really awful.

Gettingtherequickly

Spendless, that is horrendous for you all to be going through. Hope that all goes positively for everyone and that it is dealt with correctly, for your Nan, you as a family and for the care system as a whole.

princesskitty29

Spendless I’m so sorry to hear about your Nan, what an awful and scary thing to happen to her, I hope it is all dealt with correctly once the safeguarding investigation has been done.

princesskitty29

I haven't bought anything else yet but I am getting some stuff together that I need to sell. I bought some Ted Baker boot slippers in the Next sale in the summer, £25 reduced from £65 which was a fab bargain, but I now can't wear boot slippers due to a problem with my foot! They came in a beautiful box so i'm hoping I can sell them and get what I paid for them. I also have the Emma Bridgewater Chili's bottle that I mentioned before and some toys the boys no longer play with, so hopefully I can make a bit of cash to put towards some other Christmas presents.

Coxy11

So sorry to hear about your DNan @Spendless, absolutely awful situation. Can understand why DD was so distressed and good idea to make a flying visit. I'm planning to go to Essex today so will wave from a distance  I hope that your DNan makes a full recovery xx When my nephew died in the November I'd already bought his gift and kept seeing it in the presents box for months. I eventually offered it to a friend's son who was starting uni the following Autumn in the end (it was a cast iron skillet and meat rub set from Boots).

I got some bargains yesterday in Sains. They had bulb planters at 1/3 off so got DMum an oblong zinc metal planter with 3 different types of pink bulb for £6.66 and DNiece a ceramic white owl planter with grape hyacinth bulbs for £3.33. Also got a Robin bag for life in Cancer Research which will serve as the gift bag for SIL and her DH's food goodies if I can't find a suitable gift box. Going to try The Range today and also Asda.

Good idea to sell those bits @princesskitty29 - hope it nets you some cash x