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

Coxy11

Sorry to hear about your auntie @Abbafan1972 that's a fair old wait for the funeral

My Mum sounds similar to yours. She always rocks up at Christmas with an iced Christmas Cake, plus loads of other sweet treats that she doesn't eat. Plus usually a load of homemade fudge or biscuits. I usually bin the homemade stuff as her kitchen isn't very hygenic and just this week I've binned the boxed Christmas cake from last Christmas. Nobody likes it and I can't remember how many times I've said don't bring anything! She's been on WW since I was born and still goes aged 81. Is also really competitive over it, asking me every week what I've lost/gained at SW. Drives me nuts!

The dining card sounds a good idea for your DDad.

Belated Birthday wishes to @Spendless and @whitesatin for yesterday 

I've one family birthday left this year - niece is 10 October and will get money. A good friend is 50 in November so I'm going in with 2 other friends to get her something. Hopefully £50 max. Have this morning totted up the birthday gifts spending for the year. Had budgeted £1300 and have come in at £1200. That includes a special gift for BIL who was 50 so I'm happy with that. 

Mrs_Ryan

Afternoon everyone 
These last couple of days I’ve done a huge Christmas haul which I’m really pleased about. I’ve also got three birthdays next month 😫but thankfully mum wanted money and so did nephew, and sister wanted a voucher so that was easy enough. I also bought my mum one of the light up candles from M&S as a little pressie from us for her birthday. 

Aside from all OH’s stuff on Vinted yesterday (jeans, polos and boxers) today I bought him some leather shoes, the oil and coolant he wanted for his car (honestly, does anyone else have an OH like mine?! His main present is a Minky airer!) Paddy McGuinness’ book (a quid in Aldi! Bargain) some Irish whiskey cake to go in his hamper, 6 glass bottles of Coke Zero (I bought those from the Company Shop so they were pretty cheap) this is to add to his pjs, his new wedding ring, the box of beer and the Hollister hoodie I’ve got him. I’m doing him an Irish food hamper and getting him an Ireland rugby top when I’m over there in December and some shower gels from Boots in Liverpool when I’m there Monday but then that’s him sorted. 

I got a big box of Lindt chocolates, two tins of cappuccino and two tins of Coffee Mate for my mum. I’ve also got her some pjs but I’ll pick her up some Jo Malone bits from duty free when I go to Dublin. She also wants a theatre voucher so I need to get that as well. 

I bought my sister a heated throw from Costco. I bought one for my mum last year and she absolutely loves it- my sister has a chronic illness and struggles with the cold so hopefully that will help somewhat. I also bought her some pjs off Vinted so that’s her sorted now. 

When I’m in Liverpool at the weekend I’m buying for my nieces and nephews, my friend, and my BIL and SIL and their two boys. That will be a huge dent made in the list and the rest i’ll get in December on my trip to the Emerald Isle. I also got 9 rolls of wrapping paper from Home Bargains! Granted that still won’t be enough though 😂

mandco

Belated birthday wishes Spendless & whitesatin 

Abbafan sorry to hear about your auntie.  

MrsRyan wow that's some haul sounds like you're doing really well on the xmas front - wish I was that organised feel like I've barely started.

Coxy always a great feeling when you come in under budget 

Got the chocolate oranges from Tesco they had xmas design boxes with different pics on so that will make it easier to know who's is who's 

They had some lovely xmas stuff in costco today - I was really good and didn't actually buy anything but saw a few bits I might pick up next time if they are still available. They had a light up alien head bottle of vodka that dd's bf might like.

Abbafan1972

@Coxy11 lol I did laugh at your post regarding the Christmas cake! 

My Nan used to make Christmas puds and cake for the family, but I never had any as never liked either. 

Peppa537

My eldest saw some Nike Air Force 1 trainers she liked in town last week. They only had them in adults size though and she can fit in the largest junior size which saves her some money. I checked JD Sports online this morning and they had them in a Junior 5.5 size, as my Blue Light discount code actually worked with these ones (it rarely does, there are a lot of exemptions) I've ordered them. I've saved £15 with the discount so I'm really pleased. 

Coxy11

Glad I made you laugh @Abbafan1972 - plenty of room in the cupboard now that cake has gone lol!@Peppa537

I got 4 x large Christmas giftbags in the YMCA today for £2. Two are kiddy theme and two adult. I couldn't remember if I'd bought any in the sales, so got them anyway. I also got a wooden advent calendar (£5) to take to a fundraising bring and buy sale DSis is holding at the end of Oct for our JoGLE fundraising.

Good to get a discount on a big ticket item @Peppa537

Typical that I've let my Costco membership lapse @mandco - I was the partner card holder for a friend and she didn't want to renew. TBF we only went twice in the last year as have to drive through the Dartford tunnel/over the bridge and it's always so busy on a weekend

Coxy11

Ignore the mug! I’m going to Bay of E it for charity! 

Mrs_Ryan

Well 🙈another Christmas haul has happened. Wasn’t intended (well some of it was to be fair)
Had to pop into town to pick up something so I thought I would get OH’s shower gels while I was there- I usually get him a load of shower gels on offer for Xmas. 

Boots had Lynx with 1/3 off and Superdrug had 1/2 price Dove, so I got 6 of each for him. I added my Totum card to my Boots Advantage card so I got an extra 10% off- they also had a fancy Gillette razor, normally £49.99 on 29.99 for Advantage Card members so I got him one of those too. Total saving £35. 

Next was a Hugo by Hugo Boss hoodie from JD. Reduced from 95 to 65 saving £30. That’s for OH. 

Back then to Boots for gifts for nephews. 2 bottles of Dior Sauvage- 15% off fragrance offer, plus extra 10% with Totum card. Original price £69, I paid £52.20 each. Saving of £30. A bottle of Lady Million for niece- 42.80. Saved £13.16 with discounts, and also got double points and 400 extra points for spending over £20 with Advantage card offers. 

Half price Dove in Superdrug- saved £11.40.
Total savings- give or take a few pence- £120. Well happy!!! 

Also got all my Xmas cards, and treated myself to some stuff from the Rita Ora range at Primark- a lovely black jumper dress, some parachute pants and cropped hoodie- all for £54. 

Now on a very crowded bus home! I need to order my other nephew’s beard stuff and I’ll get him a hoodie when I go to Liverpool as there’s more choice there. 

Phew! 

Spendless

@Abbafan1972 - Sorry about your Aunt. That does seem a long wait, I can't remember how long we waited for my Nan's earlier this year but I know some of that was wanting a specific day/time so DD could join us. I briefly re-joined SW earlier this year and what you're describing was one of the class talks - when someone is giving edible treats to another that doesn't want or appreciate them, and the reason behind it, which is the gift giver's 'love language'. We had to give various suggestions in class to people who were struggling with this eg the lady whose husband would go to the shops each night and return with a chocolate bar even if she'd said she didn't want anything found more success with telling him to fetch back a punnet of strawberries or a can of diet pop. He was still 'gift giving' but she'd managed to change it into something suitable. So with that in mind is there anyway you could change rather than stop your Mum with the 4 tins of chocs. If not is there somewhere to donate to instead. Take with a gracious smile, stick in a cupboard and give to a suitable cause with your Mum none the wiser?  

@Mrs_Ryan - My parents went to the very Carvery chain you recommend and came back with menus including their Christmas day one. It looks ideal, we are checking one more place out today then hopefully we can book it. 

Abbafan1972

Afternoon all.

Had an email from Boots to say that my advantage points on my card will be expiring on 31st December.  That's because I don't use my card that often.

I plan on buying some Jimmy Choo perfume on holiday if it's cheaper over there - if not I will buy it in the UK when I get home and use my points to fund it, lol.