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

Coxy11

That RL bag sounds like a bargain @Spendless. 

I'm going to try sowing some basil and chive seeds this weekend. Some for us but if they germinate in time I might gift these for Mother's day. MIL already has a initial mug and soaps that I got in a CS. My Mum currently has nothing but I might look for suitable indoor plants pots to put these in. I really loathe Mother's Day - just such consumerism and the cards are too vomit-inducing. I really struggle getting something suitable for both of them! Anyone else or just me??!!

DNephew loved his Star Wars light and SIL messaged to say he can't sleep without the light on so this is perfect as battery-operated  and USB (he's 7). Youngest Dnephew's personalised dino lamp arrived yesterday. This is for his April birthday when he'll be 4.

Next up is BIL (my DSis husband) which is on Mother's Day and DH's 50th. We are off for a long weekend in Marrakech (during Ramandan!) but I've not sorted a gift yet!

Coxy11

Hi all,

Had a CS mooch today which netted:

'A' flower initial mug (looked unused) for Niece for Christmas £1.99 Oxfam
BNWT Mia & Tui large coin purse in purple for Niece for Christmas £2.99 PDSA
Handmade pottery tea light holder of Bakery Shop - so cute - £4 YMCA - for DMum for Mother's Day
Ceramic plant pot - £2 YMCA - for MIL for Mother's day basil plant (I've yet to sow...)

I also got:
Cream metal planter in Wilko, RTC, £2 for DMum for Mother's Day for chive plants (I've yet to sow...)

Need to get some tealights in vanilla fragrance to go with DMum's tea light holder. We are in Brighton tomorrow visiting DD so will check out TKMaxx. 

Just off to the greenhouse to sow basil and chives for Mother's Day gifts - will grow them on the windowsill indoors to hopefully germinate as only 2 weeks away!! If they fail, I'll get some from the SM!

So that's Mother's Day almost done. 

Spendless

Growing seeds sound like a great idea. I dislike most versus in greetings cards and look for the plainest ones I can. March was always our worst for buying gifts, my  2 kids, sister's twins, my Nan's birthdays  and 3 mother's day presents including mine (on behalf of kids) to come out of one wages, in addition to already having 3 birthdays in Jan & Feb and another  birthday beginning of April. Nowadays it's only cards for my Niece and Nephew and I think that is unlikely to continue for longer as sis has fallen out with me and  seemingly extended this to my kids. I'm currently giving her the benefit of the doubt though. Nan has sadly gone as has my MIL, and my kids have their own money if they wish to buy me a mother's day card/gift. So only leaves my Mum and my 2 kids birthdays, today being son's. 

We have bought him a new coat. He is the fortunate position of being able to walk to his workplace, but that does mean he needs suitable clothing for outdoors and he ripped his last coat recently plus some money in his card. I also bought on behalf of DD as she'll be skint. I wanted some reeces chocolate. Was hoping to get a selection pack but they'd run out in Tesco so bought various different Reeces chcos put them in a gauze bag I had and added a shower jelly from Lush out of the  lot I bought on Boxing day. Still don't think I've got over the expense of that -lol

princesskitty29

I’m hoping for a quiet day today to get over my first ever trip to see Luton Town FC yesterday, DH is an avid supporter and I have managed to avoid it for 14 years but now my son is obsessed with football he got me to go yesterday! I say this tongue in cheek as whilst going to see Luton has never been a high priority for me I do always enjoy the live sporting events I go to and we went as a family yesterday which was nice. I think it helped that Luton won!

I bought some Peter Rabbit Christmas cards in the Next sale, I wouldn’t call them a mega bargain and they weren’t even half price but I do love them. I’m just gearing up to my mum’s 70th now which is on the 16th, I must also not forget Mother’s Day! At my children’s school those of us on the PTA run a Mother’s Day shop, we buy lots of gifts and then during school hours the children can come and buy a gift for a special adult in their life. We also do this for Father’s Day and Christmas. It’s nice as the children can do something independent in a safe space and then it’s something they’ve chosen themselves. I’m looking forward to seeing what mine choose!

I’m making a minced beef plate pie with roast potatoes for lunch today followed by warm brownies and ice cream. I do love Sunday’s when I can just potter at home.

Coxy the seeds sound like a great idea for Mothers Day. My mum’s birthday is always days away from Mother’s Day and this year she’s 70 a few days before so Mother’s Day is a bit of an afterthought this year! I’ve done things in the past like make homemade scones and jam and made a little ‘cream tea’ hamper. I need to get my skates on with Mother’s Day now! Fab finds in the CS, you are Queen of the Charity Shops!

Spendless that handbag sounds like a great find. Getting over the expense of something can take a long time – I think afternoon tea at Claridges still stings for me!

Spendless

Popped into Boots and the 70% sale is on. No idea when it started. Only DD is home for Nan's funeral tomorrow and hadn't fetched her bank card (how convenient - told her I'd forgotten how expensive she is!). Anyway I got her a couple of Misguided items, that I will put away for Christmas which included a set that had a PJ sleep T shirt. Someone had conveniently opened one of the boxes, so I could see how big the T was, I'd say medium size 14-16. DD 'bought ' (well I paid!) a necklace plus some items for her boyfriend. She says when he visits he raids her products especially her face packs, so buying him his own was more cost effective (agreed, cos I normally send her them so they'll last longer if he has his own). She says she's going to make a  'boyfriend box'that says 'keep off my stuff' and put items for him in there. 

DD also insisted that the dog receive presents for his birthday which is on Tuesday - another £20 lighter! 

I have watched live football once @princesskitty29 . Me and DH were dating, I was over at his. It was a BH Monday he was going to watch a game, I had nothing to do. So I asked to accompany him. I got there and asked 'where are our seats? ' got the reply there aren't any, you stand.
Me - 'No, they stopped that after the Hillsborough disaster, they all have seats'
DH - 'That doesn't apply it's a non league team we're watching'

and that was the first and last ever game I went to. 

Coxy11

Some good buys in Boots @Spendless. We popped into the Brighton store - no 70% signage but tbh not a lot left unless you wanted kiddy toiletries or Totes slippers. 

Not a single tealight in Homesense so ended up getting a pack of 12 coconut and jasmine ones in £land (for £1!) as the other options were pink gin or mint 🤮

IOU a PM @Spendless - will do that tomorrow from the office 😉

Oldstyler

Hello there everyone! I've just rediscovered MSE after many years away. There must have been a move at some point as all my old posts disappeared.  I'm an Aussie from Brisbane Queensland and I always loved reading the forums here.
Getting a headstart on saving and planning for Christmas is one of my favourite things to do. 

Started yesterday by buying a couple of pop and slot Roger la Borde advents for the grandkids for $7.95 each (about 4.50 pounds) I'd been keeping an eye out for the past few years as they're fairly expensive here, around $30+ So am rather excited about that!

I look forward to reading and contributing again, and getting to know you all. 

Spendless

Hadn't spotted your CS bargain post Coxy - you get some good bargains hunting. That Mia Tui coin purse was a very good buy, they sell for a lot more than that on the dedicated Mia Tui pre-loved site. That's where I've been buying from. It's likely that a bag from there that is liked brand new will be a Mother's day present for my Mum - unless we find a re-fill in time to give her the Radley pen instead. 

Welcome Oldstyler. There's been several site changes over the years and yes posts disappeared with each move.

Later today is Nan's funeral and I think this only hit me last night.  

Nelliegrace

I really must put the Christmas card box back in the attic. It is rather cold up there.
I stocked up on pretty cards in the sales, and we bought pretty, non-foil Christmas wrap for 15p a roll at Asda. I use the layers of thick brown paper from the chicken feed sacks for strong wrapping paper. I have made an updated Christmas card list in the back of my journal, adding the children’s names because we had trouble remembering them.
We don’t buy presents for many people, my family all agreed to stop buying presents for adults some years ago. We send £5 in the card to the family for our Great Nieces and Nephews remembering how much we appreciated a little bit of pocket money from our aged relatives. 

I don’t do Secret Santa, though I used to enjoy buying something Christmassy in the sales so my set amount of money bought the best possible gift. I used to receive something from the pound-shop in return which was disappointing, and I couldn’t wait to put it in the C.S. and forget it. It is more blessed to give than to receive. 

I used to give the neighbours a jar of honey when we kept bees, useful for the post Christmas colds and sore throats. It was a pot hyacinths from the local plant nursery this year and some fresh eggs from our hens. Delivery drivers got eggs. 

When MIL got too old to shop she gave DD money for shoes for the Great Grandchildren for Christmas. We organise that still. So much more useful than more plastic tat. They have lots of relatives who buy toys and games. 
I know it is rather boring but because of the fuel crisis, we bought them warm clothes, pyjamas, socks, hoodies, etc. having checked with DD if they liked them. DD and SIL had warm socks too. I tell them it is obligatory for Grannies to give nice socks. 
I have been checking the sales for next Christmas, M&S had boys padded gilets for £8. 

Coxy11

Some great gifting ideas there @Nelliegrace - my MIL gave us all woolly fleece lined socks for Christmas too. Very handy for DS1 and DIL2B who have wooden floors and are worried about having the heating on due to cost. Plus the two students for padding around their digs.

It's BIL's birthday on 19 March and he asked for slippers. We had a £50 giftcard from M&S due to the sofagate debacle, so I've ordered slippers to be delivered to our local store today and used the giftcard. Giftcard still has £20 left on it. Will get him some sweets or similar too. Budget was £40 but hoping to come in under that.