Santa Baby - it's the 2026 Christmas Chatter Thread!!

PennysIntoPounds

Thanks so much for getting us started @Coxy11

Sending good wishes to @princesskitty29 and hopefully we'll see her here soon when she feels up to it

I don't have to buy for many but my budget is very limited so I really appreciate being part of this thread to get ideas and heads up on bargains throughout the year, and of course look forward to the magic of Christmas! 

Coxy11

Well I didn’t get any bargains yesterday. I decided that as the rest of the house were back at work, and I had no plans, I would walk to nearest town and back. It’s 3.5 miles each way. 

I took soft plastics to recycle and £80 cash from a FBMP sale to pay in. Machine rejected all four £20 notes so I paid them in at the counter. Hoping they are not fake as this money has already been transferred to DS1. He won a shark steam mop in a raffle but it too scared to use it on his laminate floor. 

I just got some toothpaste/floss and some iron tablets but nothing else - trying to have a low spend January. 

TBF the only shops of note in our town are a tiny Boots, The Works and Card Factory. I’ve already got special cards and have enough stationery to sink a battleship. Obviously I would have had to carry anything else home so I avoided Boots.  

Still have a cheese mountain but all in date. Most of the biscuits and chocs have gone though courtesy of DH - yay!

teabody

Hi all,

Starting as I mean to go on by trying to plan for this year, although the sales don't seem to be what they used to.
Nevertheless i got myself a new diary/planner and I hope it will help my goal of slowly getting xmas done throughout the year. @Spendless your list has got me thinking so will do myself one and work from that.

Speak soon

Coxy11

Hi all,

I ordered replacement PJ’s for DDIL from M&S and collected them today from our local food hall. Popped into The Range as there’s 50% off all Christmas stock. 

I got a cute mug for £1.50 plus a Santa loo seat and mat for £5.50 which I’ll put away for our friendship group secret Santa - bad taste gift giving. Really pleased with those. 

Can’t find a link for the mug but here’s the loo seat cover:

https://www.therange.co.uk/christmas/christmas-home-and-accessories/christmas-bathroom/santa-toilet-seat-cover-and-mat#466322

Spendless

Yesterday and today went shopping with DD. It's  Mum's bday at the weekend. Got her a disney ornament (she loves both). Reduced to £14.95  in a jewelllers and some ear rings from Lovisa which once boxed will look far more expensive than they were. These are from DS and DD whilst I will put some money in her card.

We then travelled to a larger shopping store and bought DD some clothing and skincare she lacked (usually would have been covered in xmas gifts but wasnt possible with everything that was happening) and today some shoes (reduced in Primark) and  a bag to organise her items. My primark has quite a bit of toiletry bags and jewellery organisers with initials on all reduced. I bought a disney related  3 bag set with my initial on the largest  for £6, so £2 each. Ideal for splitting down. I wont be able to cos both Mum and DD has already seen them. 

DD also had her nails done as a return to Uni treat. A new place has opened up, and they gave her 10% student discount, a can of coke to drink, a coffee for me when I came to meet her, a free mini cutical oil and hand cream (gutted she wanted to keep them herself - lol) and a £5 off voucher for her next visit if she introduces a friend. 

mandco

@Spendless sounds like a great deal on the nails - there’s a couple of places here dd has used previously and they don’t offer any discounts not even for students let alone freebies or a drink 

@Coxy11 fingers crossed the notes were genuine. I hate using the machines to pay in as there always problems but after last week when oh got short changed by the coin counter machine by over £50 and they claimed the machine is accurate so there’s nothing they can do I’m refusing to use them at all. 

@teabody  making a list of who you really need to buy for and what kind of things they like is a great starting point and really handy for checking when you see any potential deals throughout the year - easy to pick up things because they seem like a great deal in the moment but then they never get used because they don’t suit any of your recipients wasting money in the long run.
I put aside some money each month for the Xmas shop -Iast year I saved with Asda as I can top up by direct debit so don’t have think about it and  Iceland as it’s good for buffet bits & drinks ect I find this works well for me as I’m less tempted to dip into the savings than I would be with it sat in a savings accounts. Even just £5 a month is £60 towards the xmas shop.

Popped into town today as needed to go to the bank to make a payment that wouldn’t go through on the app and Looks like most of the Xmas stock is gone already most places there was no sign of anything Xmassy at all a few random bits left in the card factory & boots still have some gifts mostly stuff no- one really wants but the looks of it but otherwise it’s all Easter/valentines stock out already. yes there are sales still on but it’s mostly the same old year round type offers left.
dropped off some recycling at boots to start boosting my points again.

cbsexec

I refuse to use cashpoints since one gave me less money!  It was in a strange town just as we were going to board the ferry so it was lucky the branch was open and I went straight in and demanded my money 🤣.  We were also on a very very tight budget so every penny counted.  

Spendless

That is rubbsh being short changed by machines! 

mandco - Nail place was cheaper too than the place round the corner that she used to go to, which has closed down. New place seems to be either brother/sister or husband/wife team. The man especially was very knowledgeable and I told him about my recent experience of getting a manicure at the local beauty college and how the polish had smudged before I left the place - accepting that it was students doing it so I wasn't expecting perfection and he told me why that had happened and what they needed to have done instead. 

If anyone has a B*n March* they are going past, some may have personalised phone bags reduced. These were £5.99 before Xmas - they are £1.75 now. There are some names, some initials (if your name isnt there), some saying 'friend. daughter, sister, etc' and some just with a slogan. I can't find a link from the store so it might be that's because they are merchanidisers stock rather than the stores stock, but this is an example of what I mean. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/267266548901

Come in a few diff prints. I got an inital one  in denim colour as though they had my name I didn't like the print. It's got a pocket at the back too, so you could fit both a small purse and keys into zipped bit and phone on back pocket if you wished. I spoke to a lady buying 2 for her and her friend and she said they went walking so was ideal for keeping essentials safe and hands free. I got mine because though I love my squashy bag I can fit into a work locker, because it's not sectioned (and was bought abroad so the phone holder bit doesn't fit my phone - they must be smaller there) everything disappears into a black hole. Having this makes it easy to find.

There was also personalised little teddies, think they are Xmas tree ornaments and dog toy bones (both soft). Can't remember prices as wasn't interested in either. 

Coxy11

Morning all,

Well the cash I paid in is still in, so I’m guessing the machine was having a hissy fit that day. I usually only use the machine inside a branch now as don’t like using street ones if alone. 

Thanks for the heads up on the phone bags @Spendless. That’s a good price!! 

We have invited ILs and DS1/DDIL for lunch tomorrow and will use the second turkey boneless joint we got bogof before Christmas. I’m off to Sainsbobs shortly and will get sausagemeat for stuffing as have a box of stuffing mix left too. 

Have managed to up my work hours this week to a giddy 10 hours(!) plus new boss says she’d like me to do at least 10 hours next week too. All WFH as well which has meant no dodgy driving in the lanes where I live (which aren’t gritted). We had a long chat on Wednesday and got to know each other better, so I’m hoping things will get better from now on 🤞🏻 and I won’t have to look for something else to supplement my income. 

Ex-neighbours x2 were meant to be coming here today for the first time since we moved a year ago, but have cried off due to the weather. DH and I have a meeting late morning at the community allotment after which the day is now free, so I might suggest more research/scoping of bathroom ideas for our en suite. Did go to two places on Thursday but just want to make sure it’s what we want. Depending where we go, it might involve some ‘sale’ shopping and possible Christmas/Birthday ideas. 

PennysIntoPounds

Fancy them having 'Spendless' on one of the bags @Spendless 😁

My Christmas contribution is drinking chocolate stout to help clear space for next year's 🍻

Got a lot of stuff from olio to list on vinted so hoping I can get the mothers day/birthdays pots looking a bit healthier then I can start saving for Christmas (ignoring the fact that we'll be moving house this year and will have a ton of debt!)