Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - it's the 2024 Christmas chatter thread!

Spendless

Train strikes have been called off - yay - means DD will be able to attend Nan's birthday, just need her timetable to know which trains to book.

Seen B&M and Tesco with their seasonal confectionary  out, spent time browsing their selection. DS once told me that I was a 'marketing manager's dream' as I can be swayed by a chocolate with a reindeer wrapper - guilty as charged - lol. Haven't seen anything else yet.  

mandco

Spendless great news about the trains. 

Boots Christmas section online is live  3 for 2 on selected gifts (not the biggest selection at the moment). 1/2 price on faves including fcuk, lynx & dove. & 
star gifts 1/2 price or better.
ordered a few of the fcuk sets as they are always well received and are actually worth it at that price as its a big saving on regular full price items plus I had a 10% off £25 spend & a bonus points offer too.

ordered taz some grogu slippers from Asda bit more expensive than I’d usually pay at £12 but he’ll love them - not sure whether they will be for Xmas or his birthday yet. 

Ds loved the crazy expensive drink he asked for for his birthday(typical I was hoping it wouldn’t live up to the hype) so I’ll get him another for Xmas though hopefully there will be a discount at some point before the end of October as it takes about 4-6 weeks for delivery. even free shipping would be a bonus as it’s normally around £20 (comes from the USA)

Found out today Sains was doing 1/2 price on Heinz products this weekend not a lot of the best offers left in my local loads of empty spaces but did manage to pick up some mayo for the Xmas food box - its a buffet essential.

Spendless

DH is working in France this week. As the airport is near to DD he is dropping her in a parcel of various things she has either forgotten or realised she could do  now with. I have also added a few items as a bit of a care package from her fav pasta sauce to a hair mist that she wanted but was OOS at Boots before she went back. It's £4 though I was charged £3.60 so guessing there's currently an offer on if you have a loyalty card, I can't even find it on their website, but it's been going viral on SM as it's reckoned to be a dupe of a bigger brand,  Checked my loyalty points and there's £6.91 on there so likely to be in excess of £7 by the time I'm buying  gifts. I saw that their Christmas stock had been uploaded to their website yesterday. I hope they never stop doing the catalogue because I don't find their website the best to scroll through.

During our Aldi grocery shop I picked up some lynx s/gel for DS toiletry hamper thinking it was a good buy at £1.25. I've since discovered that it's that price at plenty of places, which is just as well since DH later asked if he could have it when he jumped in the shower!  I will return to looking at the Boots section instead for best toiletry sets . 

Treasurequeen

Popped into B&m today Halloween items not out yet though but managed to pick up some great Christmas gifts. In there I got some cute Christmas tins filled with hot chocolate, mini mallows and crushed candy canes. It’s a hinged caddy and they did it in milk or white versions. £3.00 they were, so picked up a few to go in stockings. I picked up a facial sunscreen set for my Nan in there as it was reduced and she loves using it but can’t get to the shop to buy some. I’ve bought some nice soap from a local independent shop to go with it, so I’ve got another £10 to spend and she’s finished. 

Popped into my local garden centre and they are doing vouchers that can be used in the garden centre and in the cafe. They are also doing guided tour tickets around the nursery with cream tea to end and 10% off bulb purchases for £10 per person. Something I might get for my parents. 

I can’t find chocolate orange snowball sweets this year has anyone seen them about? 

I hope everyone is ok. 

cbsexec

Don’t know if you have a Home Bargains near you Spendless but the had a lot of lynx (and others ) toiletry sets for under half price today 

Coxy11

Hi all,

I’ve just returned from the latest leg of my JoGLE hike – Gloucester to Tiverton. It was exhausting but we were blessed with good weather apart from one rainy morning. Back at work for a week then DH and I are off to Crete for my birthday yay.

I feel quite behind with buying anything for Christmas. I’m usually starting to buy around now given it’s the start of September and like a lot of you with children, it meant having more time to shop! Not so much for me now that the children are grown up and I’m working full time!! We are progressing with the house move. Mortgage is sorted (just porting the same amount) and we are arranging a housebuyer survey. Our buyer is having his survey on 17 September due to us being away next week.

I ordered some trainers from TKM for click and collect. Had seen a similar pair in store but one was damaged. Also saw some balloon dog ornaments, so ordered one for DD for Christmas or possibly her birthday in October  THIS  Meant I got free click and collect from the local store.

It’s MIL’s birthday today. DH ordered a Piggie’s Pantry afternoon tea that I suggested DH but it isn’t possible to deliver on Tuesdays(?) so MIL will get it tomorrow. DH has popped down to see her for coffee and cake today. BIL’s birthday is Thursday as DH will pick up some garden vouchers as not sure what else to get him. DH also asked if he should buy cards – err yes, because a) I’ve been away, b) I’m now at work all week and c) they are your Mum/Brother!!

A good friend is 50 next week. We don’t buy gifts usually but given it’s a special one and he lost his Mum last year and has one sister who isn’t close, I’ve got him a token gift. I saw a glass Habitat wide jar in Sainsbobs at lunchtime THIS It was reduced to £3.86 so I grabbed one and have filled it with Freddos and Twirl snack size bars. This plus a card has come to £11 odd. There were Cadbury gift hampers online to order but cheapest was £15.99 plus P&P, then I’d need to get a card, so would be c.£20. The jar is nice and he can keep it to use for biccies or dog treats!!

Next birthday is nephew, 17, towards the end of the month. He will get cash. Then DD and DIL on the same day. Have already got DIL her favourite perfume, so will get something else to go with. As a psychology graduate, DD is big on true crime documentaries and there’s an exhibition on in London which I might get her tickets for THIS

Sainsbobs have lots of Christmas chocolate in plus DD spotted cheeselets Christmas Tree tubs in Ts last night. I would ordinarily buy ambient stuff from now to stick away but given we are moving…… I suppose one more box wouldn’t hurt lol. Would love to get to a HB or B&M for a browse but we fly at 7.30am on Saturday so won’t have a chance for at least 10 days!!

sammy_kaye18

Hello All
Just checking in. Its was July 15th the last time I popped my head in the forums! I know this because it was my DD Bday the day before! 
Its been an eventful few months here and I am drained so my crafting mojo has been at an all time low. 
FIL was hospitalized on my birthday again back in July with pneumonia and a chest infection, then as he was clearing them, was moved to his cancer ward where the whole ward contracted Covid. In the process he was given a chest scan and told that his chemo hasn't worked and they cannot do any more for him. 
Middle of August we were given two days to rearrange the house because they were going to release him from hospital to come home for palliative care. So that was like a whirlwind of moving furniture, and they threw so much information at my MIL I think it fried her brain a bit. We managed to get him home, my MIL living room is now his bedroom, he has breathing apparatus, ventilators and a hospital bed in there and because he requires oxygen 24/7 - hes almost bed bound now and Marie Curie came this week about his care and offering help to my MIL. 
Doctors have told us there is a likeliness that he wont see this Christmas. 

But I am trying my best to stay focused and take each day as it comes, I am trying to get into my head that this Christmas may be a hard one, but it may also be the most important one yet. 
Oh I forgot in the midst of that my 18yo niece announced her pregnancy. She is due in January, 

So I have started my christmas food cupboard - after last years cancelled food shop fiasco that many seem to encounter - I am not being that unprepared again so have been picking up and putting a few little bits aside. 

Gift wise - I found large glass candles that were on offer in christmas scents from last year for £3 each in Asda so I have brought 3 of those and plan to put them into nice gift bags and make more a cosy bag. I do want to try and give gifts this year that are more focused on helping the person out for the coming year rather than just more stuff to clutter up their house. 

My husband and son are away in October to go riding in spain on their mountain bikes so I'm going to use the opportunity to get my daughters bedroom painted and the living room because it needs a freshen up which then leads to both kids asking for new beds for their rooms. My son is now 20 and in a large single bed, and daughter is 14 in a single but they have both asked for small doubles for their rooms so this may be an early Christmas present for them both. Other than that they havent really asked for anything but they are getting older now so I can see gift cards and money becoming more a thing. 

Hope you all well and I am going to have lunch, make a coffee and catch up on what I have missed! 

princesskitty29

Hi all, I can breathe again after the whirlwind summer holidays! They felt very busy this year and have absolutely flown by for me. When they were younger and needed more hands on care it was always a bit of a relief to get to the end of the holidays, but now they’re getting older I really savour having them at home. Don’t get me wrong, not every minute as there’s a lot of moaning and arguing, but I’m very aware that one day they’ll want to do their own thing in the holidays.

I’ve added a few things to my Christmas stash, I found an Anton du Beke book in my local charity shop that was in excellent condition, my MiL loves Strictly Come Dancing so I thought she might like this and I’ve got a cross stitch bookmark (free with a magazine) that I’m going to make to go with it. I got the boys a Lite Popz toy each, it’s a poppit game where they have to press the poppit that lights up and see how fast they can do it etc, they both like them and they were only £5 each in Tesco. I also got DH a new dressing gown as he needs one, it was in the Next sale and was £13 reduced from £26.

I did pop into Home Bargains in the holidays to look at the Christmas stuff but I had the boys in tow and they wanted to buy pretty much every single thing so I had to make a swift exit! I’ll try again now they’re back at school.

Opee good to see you again! I remember you of old, don’t be a stranger, pull up a chair in front of the fire and join us with a cup of hot chocolate!

Skye thanks for the heads up about B&M, I will try to pop there as soon as I can.

mandco locked suitcases are a great idea! It’s so difficult for young people with education vs working as many of them don’t really know what they want to do, I remember being the same! I’m sure your DS is doing what he feels is right for him and with your support he will be ok and figure things out. Anxiety is hard, we have it with DS1 and you really feel for them.

theoldmrandmrs your DH’s reply to the Christmas jumper comment made me laugh!      

lazysheep that little jewellery box is adorable.

Spendless are Boots actually still doing the catalogue? My local store didn’t have them at all last year so I assumed they stopped them, but I’m not really sure. The Boots website drives me mad as a lot of the stock is either ‘Coming Soon’ or OOS. I just wish they wouldn’t put it on there if it’s not available. I feel for your poor DS and I know what you mean, sometimes you want to say something but it doesn’t feel appropriate, then it’s a relief when somebody else does.

Sammy_kaye oh I am so sorry to hear about your FiL, how heartbreaking for you all. I am sure it is a struggle for you all, you are doing the right thing taking one day at a time. Sending lots of love.

princesskitty29

Coxy I hope you have a lovely time in Crete!

mandco

Coxy wow that’s some hike I 
enjoy your trip to Crete  - happy birthday

sammy so sorry to hear about your fil - palliative care at home is incredibly hard so make sure they take up all offers of support. 
congrats to your niece 
if your swapping to bigger beds for the kids now’s a good time to look at bedding with the back to uni offers. I would suggest if you have the space in their rooms get full size doubles rather than the small.

princesskitty. The summer holidays can be very full on and the bickering some days drives you nuts but like you say the time goes way too fast and before you know it they’re off doing their own thing. 

Not sure they ever outgrow the wanting things when you take them shopping -while she doesn’t tend to ask outright anymore dd is very good at dropping hints whenever she sees something she like. Hopefully you’ll time to browse in peace now their back at school.
i do hate the boots website on top of the oos & coming soon the whole defaulting back to start everytime you view an item drives me mad - I much prefer a catalogue to browse or to look in person though in store stock selection seems to get more limited each year.

I did pick up a bar of the cadburys mint crisp for the Xmas box as it was really hard to find last year but someone ate it - my fault for not putting it straight in the Xmas stash box.

Off to Butlin’s for taz’s birthday Monday then I can start concentrating fully on Xmas.

anyone else signed up to the boots recycle scheme? Going to do my first drop off tomorrow but seems fairly straightforward so far. I know You do need to spend £10 to get the bonus points but that’s easy enough with picking up basics I’d buy anyway & Xmas bits so hopefully I’ll be able earn a nice amount of points to put towards Xmas.