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

DaffyDaisies

Coxy11 said:

Hello all,

I’ve been busy with work plus had a cheeky long weekend away with DH, my BFF and her DH. Ever the bargain hunter I managed to snaffle some Christmas bits in the local town in Majorca! I got DIL2B a Daffy Duck keyring (she loves Daffy apparently), got BIL a hand-painted ceramic garlic grater from a studio in a nice box and for DD I got an MK coin purse and a LV small handbag – hooky obviously but she won’t care! Total spent Euro 25!!

Sorry to hear about your uncle @princesskitty29 ☹ My DDad is currently in hospital again, this time, pneumonia! Poor guy is playing bingo with all the ailments. On a serious note, it’s looking increasingly likely he won’t make DS1s wedding next year as won’t be able to fly….. ☹

DH and I went into London on Saturday for a meal that BIL got DH for his 50th earlier this year. We took the opportunity to visit Fortnum’s and picked up two tins of biscuits for the ILs. £21 total which is ridiculous, but they will appreciate them I’m sure.

The meal was an 8 course taster menu with accompanying wines. We had a GnT before the meal, a mint tea and a coffee afterwards, plus DH chose to have the cheese course (3 mini cheeses smaller than a dairylea triangle) and a port to go with it. The bill was £468 of which we had to pay £123, which was the above extras plus a £60 service charge! Really made me think of the times I’ve gifted vouchers/experiences and what’s included/what the recipient might have to pay.

I really need to get to Home Bargains to take a look at Christmas stuff @mandco. The last few years I’ve been so time poor that everything seems to be such a scramble.

Some good items there @Beshki

Welcome @SkyeD! I too love a spreadsheet and great bargain for your DGD!

Welcome @DaffyDaisies! The book collection sounds lovely. When we had babies in the family I would give something small and some cash for their ‘college fund’.

Hi @irishninja! Congrats on your wedding and all the best to you in your pregnancy journey xx

Thank you!! I've managed to get a gorgeous set of all the Winnie the Pooh stories with the original artwork from someone on Facebook Marketplace for my niece for Xmas - nearly new condition, and just £10! Yay! Just picked up a similar set of the Beatrix Potter tales today, but my sister asked me to collect them for her as she doesn't live locally and they were listed here. Don't really count. But still! Amazing books!

Peppa537

The chocolate tubs are on a clubcard deal in Tesco for £4. They may still have a 2 for £7 offer nearer Christmas but this isn't guaranteed, also the current offer is handy if you just need 1 or an odd number of tubs. 

Abbafan1972

Sorry I have been absent for a while. Was on holiday the other week and unfortunately come back down with a bump to reality. Holiday (Benidorm) was fabulous. 

That’s good about the tubs of chocolates, as I think they were still priced at £5 when we were in Tescos on Saturday morning. 

I must say I am shocked at the price of boxes of mince pies this year. We have bought some of Tescos own and they are £1.25 and the size of them has got smaller. Asda always did theirs for less than £1 a box, have seen some boxes in excess of £2.50! No-one will pay that surely! We will try and go to Aldi to see what they have to offer. The price of the Asda Christmas puds have gone up drastically as well. 

Speak soon. Xx

Spendless

Hadn't got any further on with buying because for several relatives things are 'up in the air'. Ironic that the only present I've completely sorted is for my 98yo Nan! FIL health is getting worse and he's lost a lot of mobility. There's talk of if he'll need to go into care. DH has bought him a T-shirt but until nearer the time we won't know what else might be suitable.

With my parents there's the issue with their dog. They said again today that they're not booking a hol because of it, that also leaves me stuck on giving them a day experience too as they'll not want to go somewhere for a long time. Possibly returning to giving them the holiday stuff for them to use at a later date.

DS & DiL  have both said they would like their phones paying for for the next year as their Christmas present. DH asked them to also come up with something to wrap up  and they've mentioned wanting a blender. I already have a waffle/doughnut/brownie maker in the present cupboard, so will get them the blender too. Then just as a little something thinking of making them up a chocolate hamper each. Mint chocolate for DiL then DS won't eat hers! Peanut butter for DS. Smellies for DS was also mentioned as him needing but when I spoke to my Mum, she just intends giving money now they're married. Understandable, my grandparents cut back on what they gave me, once they were also buying for my DH. So, though I'll be funding it anyway as DD is a skint student, I might suggest she gives her brother and sis-in-law either smellies (sure I'll find something suitable at a reasonable price on Boots 3for2)  or I give her the choc hamper idea to do. I don't mind which she chooses. 

DH needs to give me some ideas! DD has so far suggested a coat (I'm sure she already owns a million!) and a polaroid camera - she had one before but didn't take care of it and it broke. I'm giving her the deadline date of black Friday to completely make her mind up, but I am considering do the senses thing with her gifts, so something to hear, see, smell, taste and touch. 

Beshki

@Spendless , re your parents not wanting to leave their dog to go for afternoon tea, there are some companies (usually small local businesses) that do a sort of afternoon tea delivered to their house. Might be worth an ask on a local fb group perhaps?

Spendless

Thanks @Beshki - I might explore that. At the minute I'm just posting the issue into next month.

DD messaged me last night with a couple of Christmas present ideas. One of which was a Dyson AirWrap. I'd not heard of it but knew the word Dyson meant it would be expensive, so looked it up - not far off £500, which I said on my reply text and then received one back saying 'So, is that a No?'  Hmmm let me think really hard about that one!! 

Still think the jumbo pack of  football cards are pricey?  @princesskitty29

Her other suggestion was a brand name coat which I've asked for a link to. As prev said she has numerous coats so I suspect this is just because it's currently popular on Instagram or something and DD is so disorganised I wouldn't trust her to not to lose it!

mandco

Spendless  sorry to hear your FIL is getting worse
dd also mentioned a dyson airwrap  - I said I'm willing to give her some money towards it so waiting for her to decide if that's what she wants to do or if she comes up with something else.

Found a couple of escape room puzzle books in TKmaxx for £2.99 each so picked those up as padding presents for Taz. Also preordered a set of the next loranca cards from game as its the only place that you can currently do so. that way I know I have at least 1 set as we are away when they get released meaning by time we get back I might not be able to source any before xmas if stock is anything like the last time. 

Ds says he doesn't need a new tv now as he's happy to continue using his pc monitor instead so looks like it will be a new headset or gaming chair for his main gift instead which will be cheaper too just need him to decide on which ones he likes. 

Asda are apparently doing 3 for 2 on xmas gifts again this year they had the signs up instore yesterday advertising it but hadn't actually put any stock out yet though the shelves were all set up ready.

Mrs_Ryan

Hello all 

Hope everyone is well. Welcome back IrishNinja! 
Haven’t been around here for a few weeks but still plugging away at Christmas! 

StepMIL asked for some M&S earrings for Christmas, and she likes small drop earrings. I found some Autograph ones on Vinted, brand new in original box, little Swarovski teardrop earrings. Still with original price of £39.50 on- I paid £8.50! Absolutely bargainous. And they tick all the boxes as well. I’m going to get her a Jo Malone candle from duty free when I go for my Irish jaunt next month and that’s her sorted. 

I also bought my Xmas pressie from OH to me (I buy them and he pays) My darling husband has paid for me to go front row Meet and Greet to see Blue in Liverpool next year. It’s especially special as Liverpool was where it started for me with Blue- I was at university there in 2001 when Blue first came onto the scene and I became a fan. I had meet and greet for their show at Liverpool last year, but I was paying in instalments and when the postal strike hit I couldn’t afford to pay the bulk of it and I lost it all. I was heartbroken, as was he because he felt he had let me down. He promised that if they toured again he would get me meet and greet and he indeed came up trumps. It’s paid for in full (and has insurance!) so no one can take it away. He’s also told me to get something to open so I’ve chosen some D&G Q perfume. 

I had a nightmare with the stuff I bought OH on Vinted though- the inpost locker in the village was hit by a vehicle and became unusable. So none of my parcels could be delivered there 😭fortunately they all found their way back to the seller, I got refunded and I managed to rebuy the jeans. I didn’t manage to get the boxers or polo but I’m off to London this weekend, so I’m going to Hollister and I’ll get him a polo and some undies from there as he likes them.

I bought mum an Oodie on the website today as they were half price. It matches the pjs I got her. She’s recently discovered Rituals and loves it and we both love the same fragrance. So when I go to Westfield this weekend I’m going to get her some home bits- a diffuser, room spray (I have this and it’s divine) a scented candle and some shower gel in our favourite fragrance.

My brother is saving for a holiday so he’s not buying for anyone and told me I don’t need to buy him anything. I’ve spotted some little bits of half price Nivea sets in Boots for a few pounds so I’ll get one each for him and his girlfriend. It’s nothing much but I would feel bad about not getting anything.

I’m also going to need to start wrapping soon- I’m going home in a few weeks to see Tired and Tested with my sister and I need to hand over her and her family’s gifts then. I’ll do it after I get back from London I think. 

mandco

MrsRyan - you always seem to do so well with your xmas shopping the earrings were a great bargain. Shame about the vinted stuff getting lost due to the locker damaged fingers crossed you'll be able to find suitable replacement.

Primark have all the xmas gifts out - picked up a set of fleecy xmas pj-s for Taz,and a candy cane filled with gummy sweets. They also had kids snuggies (hooded blankets) reduced to bargain £5 each so picked up once each for the grandkids and a couple for the donations pile.

Popped back to the range they have some lovely xmas stuff but like most places prices are quite a bit higher that last year for the same/similar items. They did have 1/2 price on all halloween though some of it was even cheaper- picked up a candy skull paint your own canvas & pyo ceramic candy skull for just 99p each and some halloween coloured arts & crafts bits all under 50p. 

Off to the dentist this afternoon - the repair to my chipped tooth has come off again its not really painful more super sensitive hoping they'll just do a quick fix again as they've been reluctant to do a more substantial fix as it would mean drilling out a lot more of the tooth to secure it which would cause unnecessary damage to the tooth as there is no decay ect but last time they did say if it happened again they may have to    

Happy Halloween 

princesskitty29

Hi all, my time seems to have been sucked into a vacuum again, or perhaps it’s called half term?! We had a busy half term last week that ended in a weekend at Butlins, always great fun but non-stop! I also came down with a heavy cold whilst I was there so it was a bit of a struggle then we came home and had to do all of the Halloween shenanigans yesterday, I’m trying my best to get some rest today as this cold isn’t shifting and it feels like it’s on my chest now. I have a million things to do though.

I popped into a charity shop this morning and picked up a brand new Blue Harbour fleece with tags for my dad for £8, but I’ve since come home and worried that he might not like the colour, it’s brown. I’m in two minds whether to keep it or not, I think I’ll have a chat with my mum. I’ve also taken a risk in getting DS2’s main present from Father Christmas. He has been saying for the past month that he is going to ask for a Minecraft lego set, well this particular set he wants is no longer produced so I took to Amazon and ebay to find that most of them were selling for well over £100 unless it was second hand. I found a brand new set in an auction sale on ebay and managed to get it for £75. Looking at the size of it I wouldn’t have thought it sold for much less than that when it was in the shops anyway. I’m just praying he doesn’t change his mind, although he is actually pretty good and most of the time when he sets his mind on something he doesn’t change it.

DigSunPap hello! Yes I find chipping away at Christmas less stressful.

Coxy I do hope your dad is doing better now? I’m sorry to hear he may not make your DS’s wedding, that’s very sad as I’m sure he’d love to be there.

Spendless I was still smarting at the price of the football cards but what the heck, after your post perhaps I’ll buy him two! 

mandco good luck at the dentist, I hope they can fix it for you without too much damage!