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

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  • princesskitty29
    princesskitty29 Posts: 1,290 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Xmas Saver!

    I’ve had two shopping trips since my last post and managed to get some more presents on my list. I found DS1 the Match annual, Flump cereal, voice changer megaphone and treats for his treat box, and for DS2 Marvel cereal, a hatching dino egg, a Transfromers police car, a Recycle Me vehicle kit, a dinosaur game, treats for his treat box and a rocket launcher pen for his stocking. I also got my mum two tubes of her favourite moisturiser using my Boots points and two lovely pairs of cashmere and Merino wool mix socks to go with two of my friends foot hot water bottles that I bought previously.

    My shopping might slow down a bit now as I’m having an operation on my foot next Wednesday so I won’t be out and about for a while. I will have a little look online but I’m really not great at online shopping. I’m thinking I might spend some of my resting time getting ahead by writing my cards and perhaps wrapping some presents. I shall see how I am! It’s my first time under GA so I’m a little nervous, but I know it’s very routine so it should all be fine.

    As a side note I was searching digital radio for some music the other day and Heart Christmas popped up! Now, I am a hardcore Christmas fan but that is even too early for me! I tend to tune into Christmas radio on the 1st November after Halloween.

    mandco those scratchcards sound interesting, I usually buy one for DH’s stocking so will have to keep my eye out.

    Hello sashybo! Thanks for the heads up about the Bluey annual, my youngest still really enjoys watching it even at 7, but I wonder if the annual might be too young for him?

    Coxy ahh that’s sweet your DS cooking a three course meal for your DiL, my DH stress levels only really stretch to one course! :D I’m glad to hear the buyer was ok with the survey.

    Spendless glad you had a good time in Texas, that’s annoying about the electrical items!
  • Coxy11
    Coxy11 Posts: 5,087 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Homepage Hero
    Spotted in Lidl £1.35 😊


    Cross-stitch WIP: HSC Winter Panel 365 1p challenge member No.6 Read 24 books in 2024 - currently reading Small Island by Andrea Levy 28/24
  • Tink_04
    Tink_04 Posts: 1,206 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    I use make you own Xmas crackers and put a small gift inside. One year was a toy car, a lip oil etc other times I have done a scratch card or miniature perfume or alcohol for the adults. You can add your own chocolates (2 quality street or mini lindor etc)

    I get the kids to google funny jokes and write them for us and we give them as gifts or now that they are older we make them for each other, you can use them with your Xmas dinner and it’s a nice small gift (or silly ones) for the day. 

    Places like BNM do the crackers too.

     
    Living the simple life
  • Beshki
    Beshki Posts: 241 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I’ve made a start 🙂 Tesco had a toy sale on so I got a half price gift for my niece. It definitely isn’t worth the RRP but is fine for what it was & apparently will be something she’ll like. Also made a start on ordering a product each week with the shopping for 2 x hampers we make each year. That’ll really help spread the cost as it soon mounts up when you buy them all in one go.
  • mandco
    mandco Posts: 1,050 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Coxy good news re the survey fingers crossed your moving date suits though staying at the premier in while dh deals with the moves sounds like a win to me  ;)

    spendless hope you had a lovely time in Texas bet your missing the sun now your back home in the wet & windy uk. frustrating forgetting the electricals you’d planned on getting while away but easily done hopefully dh will be able to pick them up when he goes. Shame the Xmas stock was limited at Walmart great deal on the pjs though. 
    Your holiday themed Xmas gifts are definitely apt now they’ve decided to go away for your mums birthday.

    princesskitty sounds like you had a productive shopping trip
    goodluck with the surgery on weds it's always daunting - I’ve had a few ga but the first is always kinda scary as you don’t really know what to expect or how you’ll feel - I would say make sure you rest properly at home afterwards as while you’ll probably feel ok it can take a few days to fully clear your system and if you do too much you might end up feeling pretty rough later. Using the time to get ahead on Xmas prep/card writing ect is a great idea

    we had an absolutely fantastic break the new play experience is amazing and we really enjoyed everything we did though there is very limited availability for some activities. The escape rooms were taz’s favourite - they are incredibly well themed and challenging enough to be interesting for adults but with enough tasks that younger kids can help figure out too so very family friendly.

    they didn’t haven’t any but boots had the Xmas brochure stands in store so hopefully those will be available soon.
    argos have 10%/20%/30% off with code offers on - a few decent deals picked up monopoly knock out for £12.60 for taz cheapest I’ve ever seen it. - they had Xmas gift guides instore.
    while we were away popped into Tesco and they had a few free from Xmas items I’ve not seen in my local so picked those up.

    Doing better than I expected with reward points towards Xmas 
    I have £90ish on nectar so far and they are doing count up to Xmas on the app - I got earn 2000 bonus point when you earn 3000 point broken down as 400 extra on 600 earnt x 5 
    my boots point are building up nicely thanks to the recycling scheme £38 ish already - hoping to get enough before Xmas to pay for a bottle of fragrance oh likes.
    Iceland/food warehouse I have £22 - could do with topping it up a bit more but usually only go once a month for a bulk shop and tend to forget 
    Only £3 ish on Asda rewards but I have offer of earn £5 reward when you spend £40 so will do that this week -it’s the first decent offer I’ve had in months I don’t particularly rate their scheme but every little extra helps.
    thanks to the Tesco bonus point events earlier this year I should have about £100 in vouchers by Xmas so that’s a nice chunk off the Xmas shop 

    this year do something that scares you for courage is not the absence of fear just the knowledge that some things are worth the risk
  • sashybo
    sashybo Posts: 4,547 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic


    Hello sashybo! Thanks for the heads up about the Bluey annual, my youngest still really enjoys watching it even at 7, but I wonder if the annual might be too young for him?

    Hi princesskitty29 👋 The annual has some games, quizzes, drawing and colouring in to do plus some stories, I suppose it depends how "young" a 7 he is. My DD has just turned 5 and she mostly enjoyed last year's one for the stories and the pictures tbh, my DS is 7 and he also enjoys looking through it but he is quite "young" for his age/still can't read very well etc.
    Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. Car loan 1 £12,849, Car loan 2 £8,705 . Debt Free Diary to try & keep spending in check.
  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,343 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I'm nowhere near as much as you on the points rewards mandco. You've got some good totals there.

    Just dropping in to say I picked up a Boots gift guide today. I am now heading to bed for an early night to browse through it. 
  • mandco
    mandco Posts: 1,050 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
     Spendless thanks for heads up hopefully they’ll have them in my local store at the weekend 

    Im doing way better than I expected thanks to bonus points events/offers - Tesco I earnt an extra £60 worth so have more than double what I would of  & boots I get £5 back on a £10 + spend with the recycling scheme so it’s adding up quickly - I should hopefully be able to add at least another £30 worth by Xmas without spending any more than I would normally I just have to split it over more smaller shops instore.

    dunelm are doing the Xmas tree donation tags again this year so will try and pop in at the weekend to pick up a couple - my local Xmas donation charity have announced their drop off points will be opening mid November.
    this year do something that scares you for courage is not the absence of fear just the knowledge that some things are worth the risk
  • princesskitty29
    princesskitty29 Posts: 1,290 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Xmas Saver!

    Hi all, I’m a week on from my surgery and finally starting to feel better, I think the GA really upset my system and I felt nauseous for a good five days afterwards. I have to keep my foot elevated so I’m starting to feel a bit like I’m welded to the sofa at the moment!

    I’ve had a little look online for presents but I really do struggle if I’m not looking for something specific, my brain really doesn’t like all of the scrolling. I’m much better out and about spotting things in the shops. I think perhaps I need to have a good think about what I can buy for people and look specifically for those things. I’m not having my stitches out until next Thursday which is when I will first walk on my foot post surgery, so I don’t know how long it will be until I can get out shopping again.

    My mum and friend gave me some bits and bobs to keep me occupied whilst I recover including a Christmas food magazine and a Christmas book – they know me so well!

    Tink_04 I had a make-your-own cracker set last year and enjoyed doing them, I put a little chocolate and a scratchcard in there for the adults and little toys for the children.

    mandco you are doing really well with your reward points schemes.

    sashybo My 7 year old is quite young really and enjoys doing most things so I might get the Bluey annual next time I’m out.
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