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

Beshki

Started over the last couple of weeks to think about Christmas. We have managed to cut down by quite a few people this year, which is great. We do have some babies replacing those, but gifts are much cheaper & easier to choose for children so I’m pleased. 

Leaning more towards experiences not things for gifts this year which will require preparation & budgeting (budgeting being harder than ever this year - we are financially very strapped!). In place of a physical gift for my elderly grandparent, I am going to plan a day out - an activity, then a walk perhaps and a nice lunch out. I’ll print out an itinerary and dress it up nicely. Will still look out for some cheaper wrap ups, sweets, slippers maybe, socks etc to give him something to open. 

We have another elderly relative that we find very difficult to buy for. She loves maps, and also reading - so I’ve just done some googling and found a couple of map related books she might like. I’ll team those with a treat/‘nice essentials’ hamper as usual and a gift voucher for a nice tea and cake shop local to her. 

My Dad I saw a print that he’d like a few months ago and have put the money aside.

My Mum I will ask if there’s anything she would like, and add a few little treat bits to that. Candle, nice artisan soaps etc. Her Partner is more difficult, need to have a think on him. 

There’s another elderly relative I’m struggling with. She doesn’t like Christmas and has a house full of ‘stuff’. I don’t see her as much as I would like so I think a day out like the others would be a good way to go, but she’s quite nervous and doesn’t like grand gestures so would need to have a good plan of this one. Definitely will do a small ‘treat hamper’ alongside and usually a book. 

Feel a bit better just for jotting those down, at least I’ve got some ideas going - which I find the hardest part!

mandco

Beshki  coming up with ideas for hard to buy relatives is half the battle once you have an idea its far easier to find ways to add or or adapt as needed. With your last one would she maybe enjoy a national history type day out - visit to a stately home where you can take a gentle stroll around the grounds and there would be minimal crowds type deal?
I think a lot of people are leaning towards experiences and spending quality time together since covid 

Popped into asda while I was waiting for ds and found some nivea gift sets reduce to clear £2 so picked a couple up for the donations box. 

Spendless

Beshki - Would the last relative like a simpler experience - afternoon tea somewhere local perhaps? I understand about the elderly relatives, not counting my 'immediate' (DH, kids and Dil) the rest are pensioners (4 of them  was 5 but one of my Grandmothers died earlier this year) and of them the most 'active' are my parents.  The others I find I'm getting them the same things year on year.

2 birthdays come up next week. One is Nan and she's been unwell recently so have dithered with the idea to give her the whisky I already have, but it'd just keep me scratching my head for what to get at Xmas, so I think it'll just be flowers and chocs and save the other stuff for December. The other is  DIL and she will be away on honeymoon and I meant to get her Euros and haven't so far and I'm at work. That leaves me either having to find an out of office hours service (I think one of the supermarkets has a booth)   or its possibly my parents have some left I can buy from them. They forgot to take their money with them and had to buy it all again on the cruise - goodness knows what they were charged! - add in my Dad forgetting his suit for DS wedding and that's why this years present to them is full of travel organiser related stuff. Maybe an experience too will see nearer the time, how finances lie. Fortunately we are able to live on DH's wages. We also have savings but we were dipping into them a lot, especially since we've been supporting a student with rent since 2018 and had an overlapping year of them both, so if I can save from wages instead it's a huge bonus as we're also paying CC debt back which will hopefully be completely gone in around a year's time.

I'm due to receive an inheritance of a few thousand £s from my Grandmother  shortly which will replace my car as and when necessary. I had a clothes sort out some time ago and don't really need anything else and I've been using up my stash of toiletries/cosmetics since Christmas without buying new and am yet to run out. What I do need is a new phone as mine died recently, I'm currently borrowing an old one of DH. It's my birthday at the end of the month so contemplating putting any money I receive for that if I don't get one sooner. 

Abbafan1972

Hi there. I have been lurking around, but my head hasn’t been in a good place for the last few days, as I had to take my cat Jasper to the vets on Friday morning to have him pts. I was in bits over it and still am really upset. 

@Spendless oh no about your parents forgetting the euros. My Mom & Dad did the same thing a few years ago. I got a phone call from my Mom after they had gone, for us to go to their house to check the euros were there as she couldn’t find them. They were on the side in an envelope. So I put them somewhere out of view. They keep their money separate and Mom had to borrow from my Dad and pay him back when they got home. 😳 

I hope everyone is ok. And will post back soon. xx

Peppa537

@Abbafan1972 I'm so sorry to hear your sad news. I'm a cat owner and it's heartbreaking when they pass away. 

Spendless

Sorry about your cat - they become family members and it's heart-breaking when they go.

DiL and Nan's birthday next week. Put Dil a E50 note in her card. Decided to buy Nan chocolates and flowers, dropped them down at hers only to find it's the 4th bouquet she's received! Never mind -lol. It does mean her Xmas present is def the whisky I already have along with tea and a tin of biscuits. I saw a nice tin in B&M when I popped in but no price on it yet. 

Despite the media stories of Xmas stock being out too early I find it's exactly the same as previous years as I always struggle with what to get Nan for her mid Sept birthday as there's not a great deal out at this point. I even had to go to Sainsbury's for her lindor chocs, I couldn't find them anywhere else.

This is pretty much it now for birthdays, as it's mine next, followed by DH who will be receiving the travel items I already have and then the next is just a birthday card. Then no more birthdays till Jan. 

Mrs_Ryan

Hiya  
I’ve been away in London and Norfolk this last week. 

I bought a load of pressies for OH as I felt so terribly guilty about abandoning him for the week- but I decided to keep some of them for Xmas. 

I fell in love with the most gorgeous soft red hoodie in Hollister in Norwich- so I’ve bought it for OH (but I think I’ll be ‘borrowing’ it 😂) I bought him a new wedding ring too. I’m on my 4th wedding ring in 3.5 years (one broke, then I lost loads of weight, then gained weight, then I bought a beautiful simulated diamond ring on Vinted so I bought a titanium ring with sparkles on Amazon. I like the fact that we both have the same metal in rings now) I’ve been promising him a new ring for ages and I finally managed to get one when I was in Norwich. I’ve bought him a River Island shirt, new with tags, on Vinted as well. 

Had a look to see if Boots had their Xmas stuff in stock yet in store but they didn’t seem to have. Just as well I think- I’m trying to save it for when I go to Glasgow in November. It was exciting looking at the website though and picking out gifts! 

Beshki

Well I’ve made a start, some slippers from shoe zone (always find them great - quality, price and free delivery!), a couple of books on offer from 4mazon for the babies. Mums partner going with a beer gift set nearer the time, will put the money away for that when I get paid. Can’t believe it’s time to be starting to think about this again so soon!

Coxy11

Hi all,

I've been away this past week on my charity hike.....in the heatwave.... Flipping exhausting but we met some lovely folk along the way and added to the fundraising pot plus raised awareness of our good causes.

I managed to visit a few charity shops and got a few items to upsell on Bay of E. Carried these in my rucksack: a Radley handbag, a Cath Kidston teapot and a T2 mug and coaster   While I was away it was MIL and BIL birthdays. Apparently the family-sized lasagne dish was well received. MIL texted me a thank you for her gifts too.

My birthday was Sunday. Got some lovely bits from my DH and children (I'd made a small list with some ideas). BIL got me a voucher for a local beauty salon so I'm planning to get my nails done - never have them done, so this is a real treat. SIL forgot - no text until Monday afternoon when she apologised and said something would arrive today. Postman knocked at 7am with flowers - they are lovely. Was feeling a bit fed up that she'd forgotten. I've said many times that I'd rather just stop buying and then not get disappointed (they are a family of 7 and we buy for them all still).

I bought something in B00ts yesterday. My points balance is the lowest ever for this time of year at 823. I've just tipped over the threshold for a £10 voucher from the Shoppix app. Will try to get this to £20 before Christmas. I have a £20 Amazon giftcard already stored on my account from this app. Sainsburys is currently £6.32 and have £13.50 of Tesco vouchers in my purse. DH shopped there twice whilst I was away so this will be more but I don't have the receipts.

The next birthday is DNephew who will be 16 next week. We will transfer some cash. Then it's DD and DIL2B on the same day in October. DD is starting to look for work now she has graduated, has a trial day today at a school and realised last night that she doesn't have smart shoes so has gone in wearing Vans! Not sure they will be all that bothered but smart workwear may be the way to go for her birthday gift. I might also get tickets to see the Jamie musical as it's touring in our town. I need to ask DS1 for ideas for DIL2B as have no clue! Then it's DNiece who will also receive cash. That's the last birthday for the year.

My plan is to get the majority of gifts for Christmas before I finish work on 24 November. I have a few bits but need to get myself organised. 

You all seem so much more organised than me 

Spendless

The ring sounds nice Mrs Ryan. I want a new (or rather additional) wedding ring next year for our silver WA. Not that I have much jewellery but when I do wear it  I like it to be all gold or all silver, so my gold engagement & wedding ring doesn't look right when the rest is silver. So I'd like a ring which is silver (ish) in colour. Not sure about the metal either actually silver or maybe white gold, I'd not considered titanium,   think I'll have to rule platinum out - lol  and want it to be  ornate because it would only be the one ring I'd be wearing on my wedding finger - DD says I'm being a spoilt brat (hmmmm wonder how she can tell!)

Yeah Boots never has the Christmas stock out this early in stores , I hope every year when searching for  Nan's present but it never is, but by the time it's DH's 3 weeks later in early Oct it all this, though the pandemic through a curveball at stock availability for a couple of years. As I already have DH's present I don't think I need to buy any more just cards, then can concentrate on Christmas.

Can't believe you carried all that in your rucksack Coxy!