Frosty the Snowman - it's the 2025 Christmas thread!

princesskitty29

Gosh it’s so grey and miserable outside today, but I believe this is the last day of bad weather then we’re going to have a week of nice weather, that’s something to look forward to!

My other son is off school today as well, he hasn’t been sick but he is unusually tired and keeps saying his tummy is hurting/making funny noises so I’m erring on the side of caution.

@PenniesIntoPounds that’s a great idea with the wine, thank you. How funny you ate the last mince pie yesterday, perhaps it sent a subliminal message to me to start the new thread!

@Auti good to hear from you! Your cross stitch sounds lovely. I really enjoy cross stitching, I actually finished stitching a Christmas cottage some time ago, I just haven’t got around to doing the backstitch outlines and I need to get on with it so I can get it framed. I have been naughty and started a new one in the meantime, it’s ‘Christmas Scarves’ by Wrendale designs, I love it and couldn’t wait to start it!

@mandco thank you for your lovely message on the last thread, I appreciate it. We’re going to have to gee each other on with our wrapping this year!

@Spendless I am also bad with cards too, I like the idea of taking my time and writing a nice message so I need to be better with that as well. Your dog makes me smile with his love of presents, I could leave presents all over the house and my dog wouldn’t be interested at all! They are all so different.

Coxy11

Hi all and thanks so very much to @princesskitty29 for starting us off with a shiny new thread and for posting all the many many links - this is a lot of work and I'm very grateful xx I hope your boys are better soon, nowt worse than poorly children x Hope you too are doing okay xx

I only bought special cards in the sales which came in at £10.47 for all the rellies. They don't say Mum and Dad etc though but are nicer than a 'packet' card (which is what we receive from ILs but heyho, I do not want to drop to their standards!).

We've had a few birthdays already and as you know we were going to stop buying for adults but the conversation didn't happen.... Nephew was 9 yesterday so we popped over to SIL's to drop his gift whilst he was at school. Got him an Amaz0n giftcard and some choc/jellies to open. He's into Star Wars Lego which is out of our budget and besides, I have no idea which sets he already has. DH said to SIL that he doesn't want anything for his birthday at the end of March, so I'm hoping to reiterate this again in a couple of weeks' time. This will hopefully save us a bit.

I had a Sparks offer of £5 off the 2025 Wellness box (worth over £100) so got it for £25. I'm keeping this to gift to DSis in June, but will try for a conversation about gifts before then and may end up keeping it for me!

Mother's Day next month, so I will get each Mum a bunch of flowers I think as neither want for anything. Might try cross stitching a card for each (thanks for the prompt @Auti) as I have everything in to do that and it won't take me long.

esmf73

Yey a Christmas thread!!!  Have started crafting - keeps me busy and stops me eating!! Cut up our old (broken) fake Xmas tree to use the branches as the base for wreaths. Someone local to me is selling a lot of embroidery hoops so I’ll pick them up and use them as the circle.

Supporting my 79yr old mum as she wants to use up her fabric stash and makes things things to sell at Christmas so I’m making gonks and Christmas trees to compliment. Got a couple of things for my boys in the sales and planning on sending family photos as cards to family members as it helps with keeping in touch. 

Regards food - I reduce what we buy each year as we never seem to eat it all. Similarly drinks - we’ve got lots left (unstarted) from last year so should be ok there. Just soft drinks to get as we seem to drink less and less. Hoping to grow a lot of the veg - so putting greenhouse up this weekend (last yrs Christmas present) and will be planting seeds soon. 

Still lots to do though but fewer people to buy for each year sadly. 

Spendless

This week my parents got to use the Nandos gift card I'd given Dad for his bday. Dad ordered 1/4 chicken as he'd found 1/2 too much last time, but he found 1/4 not enough, so I think as and when we next  go with them I'll suggest Dad tries another dish. Mum decided to go for medium spice having previously stuck to plain and enjoyed it. They ended up with £4ish left on the card. We'd put £35 on it as we'd worked it out anticipating Dad ordering a more expensive item. They decided to order dessert each and add to it, in order to use it up. I think that was sensible considering that this week they got a rare moment to do something like this  with Nan occupied and no dog sitting as he was at the groomers.

I do find my Dad difficult to buy for, even my Mum struggles  to know what to get him. With the current situation they have  I think I'm going to lean towards buying something like this for him for the foreseeable future.  

Next up is my eldest's bday next week. He will be 25. It falls on Shrove Tuesday, so have arranged we go to my Mums for pancakes after work. The presents we've ordered haven't turned up and says order cancelled??!! We are getting a refund plus an extra £5  as apology and we've re-ordered, fingers crossed it turns up in time. 

After that it is mother's day and then DD's bday the day after. Earlier this month we went to watch Ballet Shoes at the National Theatre I'd bought the tickets for Mum's 80th. I also included a copy of the book so she knew the story in advance of watching the play. She enjoyed it so I'm pretty certain she'll enjoy another of the author's books that is loosely based on their childhood. I intend putting it in a hamper with some caramel treats (mum's fav). For anyone interested this play (Ballet Shoes from the book by Noel Stretfeild) will be returning Winter 2025. Though it has been dramatised before, it has only been done on TV (a series in the 1970s and as a film a few years ago). This was the first time it has been done as a play. The day we watched it was a sell out, with the audience ranging from people who'd most likely enjoyed the book years ago to a younger audience full of budding dancers. 

Re hamper baskets - I know prev it's been a struggle for some of you to find anything towards the end of the year. Currently I'm seeing quite a few in charity shops. I don't need any because I have some left/returned from last Christmas but if I did I'd have a look now. 

princesskitty29

My youngest is better and went back to school today, my eldest also went back but I’ve just had to go and pick him up as he was complaining of dizziness so perhaps he’s not quite over this bug yet. It’s cold but a beautiful day outside, I actually did some tidying up in the garden yesterday which was nice and I used the washing line for the first time this year!

My mission this year is to keep decluttering my house, I feel like I’ve been doing it for years but I’ve found a way that works for me now so I’m being more productive. I also need to make sure I find time to do little things to de-stress and look after myself after what happened at Christmas. I’ve got a real urge to watch some Christmas films at the moment as I feel like I missed out!

DS1 received a book when we went to a Christmas event last year but he says he’s not going to read it so I’ve put it away to give to my friends daughter at Christmas as she is the same age and loves reading. It a really nice book and looks like a good story. I’ll put some Christmas chocs with it at the time.

@Coxy11  fingers crossed the not buying for adults infiltrates your family soon! Good start with DH saying he doesn’t want anything for his birthday. The Wellness box sounds like a good bargain!

@esmf73  hello and welcome! We’re always happy to have fellow Christmas lovers join us. 😊 Your crafting sounds great, I do love gonks. I think you’ve given a whole new meaning to ‘trimming the Christmas tree’! Great use for it though, I would never have thought of doing that.

@Spendless I'm with your dad, 1/4 chicken isn't enough for me at Nando's but 1/2 is too much!

mandco

Princesskitty hope ds is feeling better soon 
the brighter days are definitely a mood lifter still pretty cool here temp wise but nice to finally see the sun
ill join you in the decluttering this year - we have too much stuff and not enough space so definitely needs reducing- did finally get round to putting a few bits on vinted this week.

coxy fingers crossed you can get the others on board with the no adult buys this year - its a lot cheaper and less stress too 

spendless a voucher/money for a meal/activity can be a great idea for those harder to buy for/don’t need stuff family/friends and I’m definitely leaning more towards the activities/making memories vs physical gift type presents this year.
 I’ll agree with your dad and princesskitty 1/4 isn’t enough but 1/2 can be too much good luck with getting your dad to try something new next time - we often get set in our ways when it c8mes to eating out 

esmf73. Welcome some great crafting ideas - I really want to try and do more this year I always have lots of ideas but very few ever actually materialise 
good luck with the growing veg - we’ve done so the last couple of years with varying success though last year was a wash out thanks to the weather & slugs  - a green house is a great investment (we dont have space for 1) and makes a big difference so fingers crossed for a bumper crop.

Did pick up a couple of jars of mincemeat reduced to clear 9p in Sainsbury’s today - dated march 2026 - only me that eats it but grabbed a couple extra for the food bank in December 

mummytummy

Auti said:

Hello, I don’t say much but enjoy reading. At the moment I am doing a christmas card cross stitch of a little owl (and a lot of unpicking when I go wrong - just started cross stitch).

Thank you for this thread  

Me too, bit I will try 🎄

Auti

@mummytummy - it is frustrating when I have to unpick but it makes me smile when I get it right and the picture starts to come to life and look cute 😊 it is nice to know others are starting too - everyone is very kind on here.

princesskitty29

What a beautiful day, it really is like a spring day which is very apt for the 1st March. I packed up our hot chocolate station this morning, it comes out on Bonfire Night then I keep it out for the winter, the boys always enjoy a hot chocolate when we come home from football training or a dog walk on a cold day. But it’s packed away now for the spring and summer months.

Even though we packed away our Christmas decorations at the beginning of January I now have a box on the go for bits and pieces I’ve found around the house and in the cupboards. There’s always something hiding somewhere! I also have a pile of Christmas cards waiting to be cut up into tags so I must get on with that.

I’ve been to DS2’s football match this morning and have just been out to walk the dog so I’m now sitting down with a cuppa and some spiced biscuits we were given for Christmas. 😊

@mandco good luck with the veg this year, I don’t always do terribly well and I haven’t got a greenhouse either, I’m just mulling over what I might do this year. Fab bargain with the mincemeat and a good date too.

@mummytummy hello and welcome!

@Auti I love it too when a cross stitch picture starts to come together, at the end when you see the finished picture you feel it is worth the effort. Keep up the good work!

Debtfree2026

Oh wow, just came across this thread - I love it! Thanks so much for all the ideas so far!  I have two girls, 9 and 4 and two cats!  Also both female, my poor husband is well and truly outnumbered!

I discovered MSE due to having a lightbulb moment re my debt - so I spend most of my time over on the DFW board, but as a result this is the first year that I have started to save into a pot in readiness for Christmas - so every month I put some money away.  We are going to Lapland this year and a friend has given me a ski outfit that her daughter has outgrown for my 4 year old and she has some other bits we can borrow nearer the time.    

Will follow this thread with interest!