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

Abbafan1972

@Spendless

I need cellophone to finish them. Unsure where to look?  I remembered yesterday that for the previous 2 years I've struggled with either finding gift tags or wrapping paper that wasn't either foil or felt like craft paper. With Wilkos gone and our Poundstretcher  recently closed (I've seen nothing about them going into admin so guessing they've just shut branches?) I nipped to poundland to get some bits needed and then went to Tesco for my usual Christmas shopping bags. The lad on the till asked me if I was stocking up so explained I used them instead of gift bags, because they are stronger, larger, cheaper and reusable more times. He thought it a good idea. He's a young chatty lad so I suspect he'll tell every customer the same story and by next week they'll have sold out -lol. They didn't have any really big ones last night so I may need to get another for DS and DIL but some of the designs are lovely including Disney, Father Christmas drinking a Cocoa Cola  and a Cath Kitson one. 

Sorry, what is it that you use instead of gift tags please?

mandco

Spendless we've never been this time of year so I'm really excited to finally see all the xmas stuff in person though I am little stressed about trying to get everything sorted in time for xmas when we get back. Sounds like your xmas shopping is coming together.
My dd sounds very similar she's pretty easy to buy for but has expensive tastes and wants to hold on to all the xmas traditions even though she's getting older and half the time she isn't even around - I did a xmas eve box for her & her bf last year. 

Peppa  you've made great progress this week. Its frustrating paying extra for faster delivery but this time of year its often worth is as parcels have a habit of going missing - last year there were so many reports of missing or delayed items and its not always easy to get it replaced.  

MrsRyan its hard when you have a parent that complains either way. I think getting the dryer is worth it despite her protests as its something she needs/can use and shopping direct will save a lot of hassle.

none of the xmas gin my my local aldi this weekend though tbh they have very little xmas stock in yet 
The headset ds is after went on offer for blackfriday - £50 off very happy with that as been looking for weeks and its not been on offer at all which is why i was going to use my nectar points towards it. I did have to pay postage as it was online and not instore but its still a big saving. opted for priority shipping (within 48hrs) as it was only £2 more and means it should be here before we leave.
Their playstation online annual subscriptions have also gone on offer this weekend for blackfriday - so can get those sorted this week. I'm getting there slowly 

sheramber

Abbafan1972 said:

@Spendless

I need cellophone to finish them. Unsure where to look?  I remembered yesterday that for the previous 2 years I've struggled with either finding gift tags or wrapping paper that wasn't either foil or felt like craft paper. With Wilkos gone and our Poundstretcher  recently closed (I've seen nothing about them going into admin so guessing they've just shut branches?) I nipped to poundland to get some bits needed and then went to Tesco for my usual Christmas shopping bags. The lad on the till asked me if I was stocking up so explained I used them instead of gift bags, because they are stronger, larger, cheaper and reusable more times. He thought it a good idea. He's a young chatty lad so I suspect he'll tell every customer the same story and by next week they'll have sold out -lol. They didn't have any really big ones last night so I may need to get another for DS and DIL but some of the designs are lovely including Disney, Father Christmas drinking a Cocoa Cola  and a Cath Kitson one. 

Sorry, what is it that you use instead of gift tags please?

I think you misread - gift bags not gift tags.

I think she is referring to the plastic bags with Christmas designs.

lazysheep

princesskitty29 said:

I also popped into Aldi yesterday and picked up a Hey Duggee Christmas book for DS2 for 99p (another thing I’m clinging on to – he still enjoys Duggee) 

@princesskitty29 thank you for this! My 2year old is loving Duggee at the moment so popped into the local Aldi (which I have not been into before) at 9.30pm on Sat night (yes I know how to live!) and managed to find 3 Christmas themed Duggee books

Spendless

sheramber said:

Abbafan1972 said:

@Spendless

I need cellophone to finish them. Unsure where to look?  I remembered yesterday that for the previous 2 years I've struggled with either finding gift tags or wrapping paper that wasn't either foil or felt like craft paper. With Wilkos gone and our Poundstretcher  recently closed (I've seen nothing about them going into admin so guessing they've just shut branches?) I nipped to poundland to get some bits needed and then went to Tesco for my usual Christmas shopping bags. The lad on the till asked me if I was stocking up so explained I used them instead of gift bags, because they are stronger, larger, cheaper and reusable more times. He thought it a good idea. He's a young chatty lad so I suspect he'll tell every customer the same story and by next week they'll have sold out -lol. They didn't have any really big ones last night so I may need to get another for DS and DIL but some of the designs are lovely including Disney, Father Christmas drinking a Cocoa Cola  and a Cath Kitson one. 

Sorry, what is it that you use instead of gift tags please?

I think you misread - gift bags not gift tags.

I think she is referring to the plastic bags with Christmas designs.

Yes that's correct.

 @Abbafan1972   Each year instead of buying the usual paper/card gift bags, instead I go to Tesco and buy their re-usable shopping bags that are usually situated next to or near the tills. I choose the ones with Christmas designs on. This years selection have cost me between 75p-£1.75 each.

Abbafan1972

Spendless said:

sheramber said:

Abbafan1972 said:

@Spendless

I need cellophone to finish them. Unsure where to look?  I remembered yesterday that for the previous 2 years I've struggled with either finding gift tags or wrapping paper that wasn't either foil or felt like craft paper. With Wilkos gone and our Poundstretcher  recently closed (I've seen nothing about them going into admin so guessing they've just shut branches?) I nipped to poundland to get some bits needed and then went to Tesco for my usual Christmas shopping bags. The lad on the till asked me if I was stocking up so explained I used them instead of gift bags, because they are stronger, larger, cheaper and reusable more times. He thought it a good idea. He's a young chatty lad so I suspect he'll tell every customer the same story and by next week they'll have sold out -lol. They didn't have any really big ones last night so I may need to get another for DS and DIL but some of the designs are lovely including Disney, Father Christmas drinking a Cocoa Cola  and a Cath Kitson one. 

Sorry, what is it that you use instead of gift tags please?

I think you misread - gift bags not gift tags.

I think she is referring to the plastic bags with Christmas designs.

Yes that's correct.

 @Abbafan1972   Each year instead of buying the usual paper/card gift bags, instead I go to Tesco and buy their re-usable shopping bags that are usually situated next to or near the tills. I choose the ones with Christmas designs on. This years selection have cost me between 75p-£1.75 each.

Apologies, yes I did misread it as gift tags! Thanks. It was early in the morning. lol. 

Spendless

Abbafan1972 said:

Spendless said:

sheramber said:

Abbafan1972 said:

@Spendless

I need cellophone to finish them. Unsure where to look?  I remembered yesterday that for the previous 2 years I've struggled with either finding gift tags or wrapping paper that wasn't either foil or felt like craft paper. With Wilkos gone and our Poundstretcher  recently closed (I've seen nothing about them going into admin so guessing they've just shut branches?) I nipped to poundland to get some bits needed and then went to Tesco for my usual Christmas shopping bags. The lad on the till asked me if I was stocking up so explained I used them instead of gift bags, because they are stronger, larger, cheaper and reusable more times. He thought it a good idea. He's a young chatty lad so I suspect he'll tell every customer the same story and by next week they'll have sold out -lol. They didn't have any really big ones last night so I may need to get another for DS and DIL but some of the designs are lovely including Disney, Father Christmas drinking a Cocoa Cola  and a Cath Kitson one. 

Sorry, what is it that you use instead of gift tags please?

I think you misread - gift bags not gift tags.

I think she is referring to the plastic bags with Christmas designs.

Yes that's correct.

 @Abbafan1972   Each year instead of buying the usual paper/card gift bags, instead I go to Tesco and buy their re-usable shopping bags that are usually situated next to or near the tills. I choose the ones with Christmas designs on. This years selection have cost me between 75p-£1.75 each.

Apologies, yes I did misread it as gift tags! Thanks. It was early in the morning. lol. 

But if you're wanting to cut down on gift tag use, I use different coloured papers/themes for the presents I gave within our own household. I started doing this some years ago sick of writing tags out. For example one year I might have wrapped DS in marvel/comic type paper, DD I get her either pink or something relating to performing arts such as Nutcracker paper. DH gets wrapping paper with reindeers/stags on. DiL ones with holly on.  These are just for the people who live here or would be with us for most of Xmas Day.  Family who don't live here/don't join us I use gift tags

This year cos DS is going to his ILs I bought some labels as I was running low and wrote them out only for them to tell us that they don't intend taking our gifts with them and will have them on their return instead.

Crazycatlady2

For our kids I've always allocated each person a special bag so I don't have to label each gift.only exception has been when younger and a present was too big. Teens now so I buy less and it's all smaller 

SkyeD

I've also bought reusable Christmassy shopping bags from Tesc0 - better quality and much cheaper than the paper/foil bags (in my opinion).  Plus, this year I've also used different coloured wrapping paper for different people just so that I don't have to write out gift tags
Last year I started to make my own Christmas (and birthday) cards.  They initially worked out costing similar to shop bought ones, but at least they're unique and fitting for the people that they're intended for.  Besides, I've had hours of fun being creative.  Now that I have a small stash of decorative bits, this year (and probably for the next few years!) they'll be cost-free

mandco

I reuse gift bags each year for my lot and I have wooden tags with their names on that I'll put on whichever bag I'm using each year. I do wrap a few bits and I simply pop a sticker on(each person has a different one) so I can tell who its for rather than adding tags. 

Argh I hate online shopping the headset I ordered for ds on 48 hr delivery 5 days ago still hasn't even been dispatched yet - the well you'll get it within 48 hrs after we ship reply they gave me isn't really cutting it. then got an email this afternoon to say ds displate has been delayed as there was a missing invoice so it couldn't clear customs and now isn't due till next week either   

picked up a couple of gift sets on 3 for 2 in asda today as oh needed a new razor for the holiday and it was cheaper to buy a razor gift set than buy the same razor on its own so figured as I was buying that anyway I might as well pick up a couple of other sets and save a bit extra too.