Jingle All The Way - It's the 2023 Christmas Chatter Thread!

Spendless

The meal planner came back as a treasure gift, so I selected it. Was beginning to think I was really going to have to order some hair bobbles! Whilst I waited I also collected another 4 treasures, so only one purchase away from another lot, this one I might risk on an enter a comp especially since the prize is something DD would love! 

I've also seen really nice tins of tea-bags in both TK Maxx and M & S, but I think it can wait till later in the year to get any - the BB date will be better by then too.

mandco - expenses have come to light re the wedding, which mean we've needed to step in. I'm so glad I haven't spent more on my outfit. 

Spendless

I bought some Guess ear-rings that have Swarovski crystals in yesterday in TK Maxx that will mean I'm going to be eligible for another treasure. They were 6.99 I've found them oos on another site for £19. They are to go in DD's stocking.  

With DH currently working away in America I sorted out our bedroom, including the present cupboard where yet again I found stuff I'd forgotten I'd bought! Nothing major though. I always judge how prepp'd I am for Christmas by asking myself this 'if Christmas was brought forward to tomorrow' have you got something/enough for everyone? I allow myself to not include anything easily picked up in a supermarket/grocery store/petrol station if it came to it so things like alcohol, chocolates, biscuits etc. I also don't include anything you can book and print off/email  the voucher for, everything else has to be from the present cupboard. With that in mind I have 

Nan - whisky minis already bought. Can't add anything else at this point as unsure what I'm doing for her mid September birthday and whatever I do for that, I will get different for xmas.

Parents - I've seen a gift voucher for an afternoon tea in a fancy hotel in a city not too far away. Think I'll get this for an occasion or Mum to wear her dress to. No point ordering yet as it'll have a time span to be used in. I also have a radley pen for Mum but need to replace the ballpoint bit. For Dad, he admired the photoframe I bought my Nan last Christmas, so when they cleared her room I told him to keep it, but the photos aren't of great quality - because they were done in a rush. That wasn't important for Nan as it was more so she recognised family members then and now, but for Dad I'll sort him better quality ones.

Dil2b - I suspect will want the phone contract renewed.

DS - No idea till nearer the time. Ditto DD, though as she's planning a girls holiday again next year I think it possible she may want money towards it.

DH - I found another travel item in the present cupboard to go with the bag I already have. 

Which leaves Fil - that I'm passing on to DH to sort.

Which I think for the first time ever at this point in the year, I'm going to have to wait until the Christmas stock comes out for anything else major. 

Coxy11

Sounds like you are well ahead in your Christmas prep @Spendless! I owe you a PM - will do that later today as I'm WFH x

It was DSis birthday at the weekend. I went to the garden centre on Friday and got her a ribbed glass tealight lantern in smokey blue for her patio (chair cushions are blue) and a round metal wall art cut out of a cat and robin (she has 2 cats and robin for late-nephew) https://www.polhill.co.uk/shop/products/outdoor-living/garden-decor/cat-and-robin.html . Total spend £43/Budget was £40. Not too shabby. 

DMum's birthday is on Monday. We will be on holiday so DSis and I have gone halves on a R!ng doorbell, plus I bought her a wind spinner for her pergola from B&M for £6. Total spend £43/Budget was £50.

Next up is niece who lives in Ireland and will be 16 on Sunday. It's BIL's daughter. She won't be over until later this summer so I'll drop a card and some cash round before we head off on holiday as it's difficult because her Mum doesn't permit any contact from us.

I'm hoping when we're away (Suffolk) I'll be able to source some gifts for birthdays and Christmas. Will also hit the charity shops for bargains!

Take care all
Coxy

princesskitty29

Hi all, wow it’s been ages since I’ve been on here again! To be honest, in the last year or so I’ve been finding I’m getting a lot more overwhelmed when I have a lot going on and struggle to focus on things. For example we have loads of PTA events coming up as well as DS2’s birthday and Father’s Day and it’s literally keeping me awake at night. I started thinking about everything that needs doing and laid awake for 2 hours in the night. I never used to be like this and I was even a PA for years.  The PTA is frustrating as there’s only a few of us doing it but we’ve got far too much going on, I have tried to say we shouldn’t do as much but they’re ploughing on anyway. I’ve been doing it for 5 years and I think I need a break from it next year, unfortunately it might mean that there is no PTA next year but there are 250 children in the school so I’m not the only parent responsible for it. Anyway sorry just having a vent, I’m not sure why I’ve started struggling so much to keep on top of things.

It's lovely to have some summer now, although it feels like we’ve gone from 0-100 with the heat! I took the boys to the town’s fun day yesterday which was lovely, albeit very hot! It's going to be a quiet day at home for us today, I think the in laws might pop over for a cuppa at some point.

I bought my MiL a teacup bird feeder during the week, I’m not sure yet whether that will be for Christmas or her birthday as her birthday is in November. I’ve had a few more ideas for presents for people so I’ve added them to my list.

Spendless I am in awe of how organised you are! I tend to find a lot of the things I want to get I can’t purchase until nearer the time for various reasons. Well done for building such a good stash.

Spendless

Father's Day looms. It's also my parents anniversary this weekend. Last year we didn't do anything for it because they both came down with covid one after the other after returning from hol, so we've rolled 2 anniversaries (one a special one) and Father's day all into one and bought 2 tickets for them to attend the races with a live music event afterwards. Mum can wear her dress, they can go as early or as late as they want (to catch the races or just to see the concert). They are away on a cruise, went today, so it's just in cards for them to open this weekend.

It is our wedding anniversary too. We go and have the meal on the train and then are booked into a hotel overnight. I will let you know what I think. 

The meal planner from TK Maxx came for DD. This may now be useful for Autumn because on Saturday afternoon just as she was preparing to do her final shows she received an out of the blue email offering her a place somewhere she'd auditioned for back in April and had been rejected from. They said they had spare places, she'd come close to being offered before and the place was hers if she wanted it. She's been deciding all week  and has today decided she's going to accept it.  I'd built up treasure points again so not fancying anything entered a comp. Don't think I'll bother again, you don't even get an email acknowledging you've entered.,

Coxy11

Hi all,

We are back from a week in Suffolk with wall to wall sunshine and heat. Most unexpected and very welcome!! We visited every market town and village plus Southwold and Aldeburgh. Made a beeline for every charity shop and antiques centre we could find. This netted some gifts for DS1 for Christmas -  a vintage Tissot watch and a wooden bulldog ornament (he has a bulldog). He's notoriously difficult to buy for and the last two Christmas's he's had a few bits and then money for a stair carpet and a new oven!

I also got a couple of mugs - one Cath K and the other Sass and Belle, a BN Elie Saab cosmetics bag, plus two sets of Pyrex cinderella stacking mixing bowls. These are very collectible. Found one in an antiques centre - set of 4 for £50, then another set of 3 in a CS for £8. Should make £100 a set for the charity. Not sure about the mugs and bag, probably a few pounds - it all helps!

Father's Day today. My DDad is with us and we are dropping him to DSis this afternoon. I just got him some beers as he's not normally here and at 83 has everything he needs - or so he keeps telling me! FIL has a book and some fudge from Southwold. We don't go in for big gifts here.

Happy Anniversary @Spendless - hope the train treat and hotel was lovely. Let us know. Big congrats to DD too on her offer. I owe you a PM and will do that tomorrow from the office (I could weep).

Re, the PTA @princesskitty29 - that's just typical imho that a few good people end up organising everything. It's really not on that you're being kept awake at night though. I always found new parents with children starting in Reception were quite keen, so maybe you need a PTA marketing campaign to attract new members. Good luck x
 

Spendless

Yet again I'm envious of Coxy's CS finds - lol. I vowed that all my family would receive one CS gift at Christmas and we're almost half way through the year and I've not even started! 

The train ride, absolutely loved. There's a pub just by the station where you board the train where we had a few drinks first and then you were allowed to take your drink with you onboard (can't remember if this was only certain drinks or only if you had a plastic cup which you had to have if drinking on the platform which also had tables and chairs). The train is an old fashioned pullman  carriage and then they add the engine pulling it  which sometimes is steam but not always - ours wasn't. You're allowed to take wine/champagne/prosecco on but no other alcohol unless from the pub and are charged £8.50 corkage. I had a bottle of prosecco already in my cupboard, which will have been given me as a gift at some point so took that along. DH had beer from the bar and we both had some cocktails. You also get a complimentary glass of fizz each, I had DH's cos he doesn't like wine. The meal is set, different menus run on different dates, ours was prawn cocktail starter, followed by a sweetcorn and kale soup, that I've never tried before and lack of on-line recipes makes me think it's something invented by the catering company, it was thick and tasty similar to how a lentil soup comes out and I'm going to attempt making it, main course was braised steak, mash, veg followed by banoffee pie and cream then tea/coffee/mints. It was a fabulous experience - I felt like I was a character in a train  set Agatha Christie novel  -lol. Loads of people waved as we went past. The view IMO wasn't that spectacular, one side of the train is 2 seater tables (both with window seats) the opposite aisle is for 4. We'd booked early on as a 2 seater. if you're a party of 2 but book a 4 you will be seated with another (unknown) party of 2 and each one of the couple will be allocated a window seat. I think if you're on the 4 seater tables it was a bit better view than the 2 seaters, we went through some industrial sites, the other side  was more rural. 

We got to a part of the track and then it stopped for some time and more of the meal was served before returning. It was only when the waiter came round and took the money for drinks that he apologised to DH for the delay caused by the engine breaking down  and having to send for another. We genuinely hadn't noticed, we thought that was what it did anyway as the meal was served. We should have gone a little bit further on before returning. Would I do it again yes but as a group of 4 to get a slightly different  experience next time. Cost was £77.50 each I think, it required an overnight stop but we got a free night in a hotel due to DH's loyalty points, we don't pay for petrol in DH's company car, I reduced the drinks bill by taking my own prosecco and then there was just the Uber to and from the hotel. 

 https://www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/experiences/dining-experiences/red-rose-diner/

On the way back home we called in at a shopping outlet and I picked up a foldable radley shopper for £6. This with the Radley pen (once a refill is sorted) will be Mum's xmas present along with the voucher for afternoon tea so she's sorted.

I also received a message from my Dad, they're away on a cruise (Mum doesn't do technology not even texts) thanking us for their present of a trip to the races with live music afterwards and saying Mum was excited - so perfect for her to wear the dress again and looking for events for them to attend whilst they're still in good enough health looks to be the way forward.  

sammy_kaye18

Well my husbands birthday is fast approaching (June 21st) which symbolises to me that its the middle of the year so I will soon be fully in Christmas getting mode even though mine and my daughters birthday isnt until July. 

Already starting to look in some of my favourite places that I know do good little deals - both online, avon, and on a few facebook deal sites so I can get some good bits and pieces put aside etc. 

mandco

lately I feel like i'm constantly on the go but not achieving much. it been lovely to have a decent spell of hot weather though its been a bit too hot for us so looking forward to slightly cooler temps this week. Took taz strawberry picking at the weekend I was pretty expensive and incredibly busy but he really enjoyed it. Made a lovely eton mess for dessert

spendless the train dining experience sounds really lovely glad you enjoyed it 

picked up a couple more kindi kids dolls which were heavily reduced in smyths so just need to get a little outfit each and then the grandkids are sorted for both their birthdays & xmas though not made much progress for xmas otherwise. 

finally got round to signing up for tkmaxx rewards just waiting on 1 key for a receipt I added then I'll have enough for my 1st reward

Ordered dd some airtags for her birthday and she's recently got back into lego- the grown up expensive versions  so on the look out for any offers esp on the flowers but at least I'll have some new ideas for xmas rather than the usual 
still need to sort out ds birthday -we usually go for a meal or a day out somewhere for their birthdays instead of parties due to them being summer babies but he doesn't want to do anything or go anywhere. I want to respect his wishes but Its a big birthday so I feel like its important to celebrate in some way just not sure how? 

hope everyone's doing ok
1/2 way to xmas already 

Spendless

And I have found  my very first CS Xmas gift as per my resolution. It is for DH and is  pair of cuff-links. It is still in original box and I'd say either never used or used once. DH does wear cuff-links on various occasions. It was 3.95. Glad I've got my 1st item was beginning to think this was an idea that would never come to frutition.