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

PennysIntoPounds

The cheeky doggo so-and-so @Spendless! 😂

Nice bedding is such a joy 

Spendless

Yes, I really don't know where it gets it's obsession and entitledness to presents from. He was one of a litter of 8 and there were also  his parents and 1 other dog in his birth home (accident between family pets) so it's not like his early life was him being brought up by the likes of Paris Hilton!

I have now received my staff dsicount card as I've clocked up 3 months employment. This gives me 25% off full priced stock. Depending on what happens with Nan, now considering a shawl for her from my workplace and some PJs for DD's Xmas Eve box though I can only see 1 design I think she'll like and it still works out quite expensive after discount , so will also check out Primarini prices. 

I have next weekend earmarked as the time I want all the shopping finishing with the exception of looking for a flat cap for Dad which we will do when we go away o/night early December.

Today and tomorrow we are starting to put our bedroom back together again. About time, even the dog has got sick of sleeping in what I've dubbed 'The Squat'. Looking forward to normality returning.  

mandco

@spendless now nan has a social worker hopefully if she goes home they’ll make sure any care plan stays in place instead of letting it slide as seems to have have happened previously - shocking how quickly they let things slide before when they assumed she was coping and let your parents ect do all the work they should have been.  With everything she has going on it does sound like she’s going to need more care than just intermittent home help and your parents definitely aren’t going to be able to cope with the additional support she’s needing alone. hopefully you’ll get an update soon so they at least have an idea of what’s likely to happen.

lol at the cheeky dog it’s always makes me laugh when they try and hide what they’re doing as you know it means they know they’re doing something wrong - do you get the cow eyes when you catch him?  our boy is not too bothered about gifts unless they are food - he can sniff those out at 1000 paces but he does have an absolutely psychotic need to destroy any post/parcel that Comes through the door if he can get hold of it yet if you put on the side for 10mins before showing it to him he loses all interest.

@PenniesIntoPounds  my boys are gamers  mostly PlayStation though have gotten more into to pc gaming this year. ds1 is the hardest as he doesn’t really have anything else he’s into like sports or a theme/character that I can base gifts on at least taz has some general Likes currently grogu, stitch & capybaras which gives me a starting point. There are always games they’d like that’s but it’s digital content brought online so not something I can wrap - I mean I could give them the money in a card but they’d end up giving it back to me so I can transfer the amount to their bank account anyway. 

managed to get 1/3rd off ds1 main present in the Amazon Black Friday deals so very happy with that 

Tesco had the red velvet yule log instore yesterday ( it originally said it was a Xmas food to order only item online) so picked up 2 and will freeze one to keep for Xmas so I might cancel my Xmas food delivery slot and save the delivery charge as The Yule log was really the only thing I ordered I actually wanted that I can’t get elsewhere and I had to take a Sunday slot as that as that was the latest date had available which isn’t ideal anyway.

Finally got a decision for dd’s bf - I’m going to split the cost with dd & his mum on a more expensive item he wants which I’m happy to do so just need a token gift so he something to open here when they come over for dinner. still need some padding presents & stocking fillers for the boys but have all the main gifts sorted now.

Aldi have the build a gingerbread house/trains in today £5.99  - taz wanted to try the train version as it’s different - previous years they’ve had a pre built house which I prefer but the train looks fun and hopefully wont be too difficult to keep together.

PennysIntoPounds

Hmm @mandco, I know nothing of gaming (or what's in with the young 'uns, especially lads!) but maybe a hoodie for a bulky main present, sliders for a main or stocking present, socks in a favourite brand and hair gel or equivalent for stockings?

Mrs_Ryan

Hiya all! 

This is my yearly contribution to the forum haha. 

Hope everyone is doing okay. Never in my life have I been this disorganised for Christmas. I literally have done nothing. I’m so so busy- I started a nursing degree in September which is very full on- some days I’m in uni 9-5, then I’ve joined the uni ladies rugby team- practice on a Monday night, matches Wednesday afternoon and a weekly social Wednesday evening, plus strength and conditioning Friday morning (although tomorrow is my first training session since breaking a rib in training 6 weeks ago) on top of that I’m still following the rugby team I support on Fridays (or for away games it’s Fridays/Saturdays/Sundays) and I’ve just been looking after my friend for a week today (I help care for her when I have time) 

We went into Birmingham together last week when I got my grant payment and I did a little bit of shopping, but it was mainly the stuff for my nieces and nephews which I had to take with me when I spent the weekend with my sister this weekend. Aside from a few other bits and pieces, the rest of it is literally not going to get done until December 20 and heaven only knows when it’s going to be wrapped. Yes it really is that bad! I put the tree up today however. I’ve said this year that only a couple of presents each, but my main 3 (mum, husband and bestie) get a couple more. 

So far I have bought:
Mum: pyjamas and an M&S candle (I’m hoping to get her a really nice warm cardie, some kind of smellies- probably Rituals- and some of her fave Lindt chocolates) 
OH- so far only has a Leicester Tigers hoodie that I bought in the BF sales. I’ll get him his usual shower gels and calendar, and he wants a lawnmower as his main present 
Bestie- Lego Tuxedo Cat kit, Care Bears Oodie, and a Harry Potter snow globe 
Niece- I got her some Marc Jacobs Daisy perfume, and a bottle of Chardonnay from Tesco 
Nephew 1- A bottle of Dior Sauvage EDT and a bottle of Disaronno 
Nephew 2- An All Saints hoodie and 4 cans of Guinness
Nephew 3- I just did a bank transfer as he lives elsewhere and it’s difficult to send stuff to him 
Sister: Sanctuary set and some cute hand warmers 
BIL- hot toddy whisky set 
MIL- M&S candle
FIL- Amazon voucher 
Friend 1- 2 Snow Fairy bath bombs and a bottle of Snow Fairy shower gel (I got quite cross with her as I told her not to go overboard, I already gave her £30 to pay for something she wanted and she’s gone overboard so I felt I ought to buy her something)
Friend 2- a bottle of Sol De Janeiro spray (I got a cracking deal on this- 20% off Premium Beauty at Boots and I get a further 10% off student discount so I got it for 23 quid!) and a jar of Ringtons Coffee (I haven’t seen her properly for nearly two years and we’re having a trip to London next Sunday together! I know she likes her sprays so I thought that would be a nice idea) 
The guy I sponsor at my rugby club: An Abercrombie and Fitch hoodie (bought in the sale) and some Ringtons coffee beans (I always get him nice coffee, he’s coffee obsessed)
Another guy at the rugby who I am friendly with: a personalised AirPods case from Etsy, a L’Oreal Men’s Sport shower gel set (Clubcard pricing- £4) and some really insane beer from a local North East brewery (he went to Durham Uni so I wanted to get him something to remind him of that) 

I’ve done my Christmas cards as well but that’s me done for now. Next year I’m on placement until 21st December so that will be interesting to say the least! 

Ps has anyone found the Pingu pj bottoms in Primark at all? I have the rest of the range- the nightie, the slipper socks, the makeup bag, the sports socks, and the pj top but I just bought some plain bottoms to go with. I’ve so far tried Birmingham (this was disappointing as it’s supposed to be their flagship!) and Newcastle- I’m trying the Metrocentre on Thursday and then I’m going to try Oxford Street on Sunday next week. I just wondered if anyone had any hot tips?! 

Take care all xx

mandco

@MrsRyan wow sounds like you’re incredibly busy congrats on starting your nursing degree it’s hard work but it’ll be worth it. I think you’ve done amazing so far with the Xmas shopping considering everything you have going on.

re the pingu bottoms have you checked stock online? It’s not 100% i have had times where it’s said something it in stock but not available when I got there but at least it will give you an idea if any of your local stores might have them. Out of my nearest 15 stores only 1 is showing them available depending size the rest are either oos or not sold at that branch And oos for click & collect so guessing they are gonna be hard to find in primark - probably be on eBay ect for double the price though.

forgot to say last time Asda have Black Forest & gingerbread flavoured hot chocolate tubs they also have some Xmas baking kits including a s’mores ones 

Sainsbury’s currently have 1/2 price on beef joints so picked a smallish one up to freeze as a back up it’ll do nicely for a regular Sunday roast if it’s not needed. they also had offers on a gammon joint @ £10 & 1/2 price salmon - the half prices offers seem really early this year so wondering if they’ll still do similar offers closer to Xmas? 

Need to sort out some freezer space so I can pick up a couple more and freezer but my American style fridge freezer decided to pack up this weekend   so had to try and salvage what I could by playing Tetris with my smaller overflow fridge freezer & chest freezer but it means I have don’t really have any space for any more Xmas buys at the moment. Been Looking at options online for a new one but most are 2-3 weeks for delivery 

Spendless

Wow -look at you Mrs Ryan. That's fantastic that you're now doing a nursing degree. Your gift list is full of the most gorgeous thoughtful items as usual so don't worry if you've had to cut down. You're still way ahead than me who has had a bedroom out of action since early October so nowhere to store anything. I have another 3 day weekend off coming up this week - woohoo so intend using then for nailing the Xmas shopping! 

That's a good price for beef mandco. I might look myself to freeze a joint. We have a turkey crown that Mr S goes and buys from our meat market on Xmas Eve. This year he has comiited to taking 2 diff people at 2 diff times to 2 differnt airports that day! I'm even less thrilled that he has comitted to 2 pick ups both on NYD. Pointed out I work in retail, may have to work that day (my shifts aren't  out yet!) and exactly how am I meant to get to work with public transport not running and no car of my own at the minute! 

mandco

@spendless did he even consult you before agreeing? If not I’d be absolutely fuming.  Obviously its nice to help people out if your not doing anything else but it should be a decision you both made & agreed to especially if it potentially puts you out to accommodate it. new years he definitely shouldn’t have agreed to until you know what shifts your working- they are both days where travel is likely to be horrendous so realistically he’s written off most of the day too. Fingers crossed it’ll work out ok with your shifts.

dd isn’t too happy as they’ve just been told they have to work all day Xmas eve this year finishing at 5pm- they usually only do a 1/2 day.

Spendless

mandco - Christmas Eve I was aware of (and arranged before my car was in the crash) that is 1 airport run in the morning - early-ish and another later on - after everything will be closed as the people aren't flying until 25th. I wasn't bothered about lifts for me that day if working cos I can get there via public transport easily enough if working early and if on a later shift and for pick ups he'd be home. My query there was exactly how did he intend picking up a turkey early from the market like he's done for the past 20 odd years if he was drving to/from an airport and I was at work! He didn't seem to have thought of that until he said - think I need to pick up 23rd instead - you don't say!

NYD is a different matter. He announced to me for the first time this weekend that he'd be doing 2 pick ups that day. 1 is an airport pick up (other party return a different day), the other one, is one  of our offspring. That's when I got annoyed and said exactly how was I meant to get to work if scheduled in when there's no public transport running and I have no car. Have now said to him that going forward I do not want him committing to being away on Sundays or BHs before my work schedule comes out until I have another car. Got an underbreath sighing huff 'ok'.

mandco

@spendless I get agreeing to pick one of the kids up but it should have come with a It’ll have to work around mums work schedule the other definitely shouldn’t have been agreed too without consulting you first - really not much of an ask to say no committing to anything until your shifts are confirmed or you have your own car going foward - I’d have been annoyed by his huffy response but( ok I know it’s a generalisation ) its a typical male thing mine does similar  - why can’t they ever just admit they didn't think it through?

Dds been having a bit of a wobble today as they’re off to Stockholm tomorrow and it’s the first time either of them have travelled abroad without an “adult” let alone to somewhere they’ve never been. 

We’ve finally booked a table for our festive meal out mid December but still need to book glow event tickets as despite having load of availability last week the date I was planning on and most of the other earlier dates have since sold out which means we have to go Xmas week which is more expensive or after Xmas instead - might go with taz’s suggestion of after as it’ll be something to look forward too just need to confirm everyone’s availability.