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

mandco

@coxy11 heard good things about the yeti brand though yet to actually try it. Have a great trip fingers crossed the weather is ok and you’re able to do all the activities you’ve planned - at the moment the forecast for Easter weekend is typically looking rather wet.
the boots s2r scheme can be a great way to boost your points I recently spent quite a few of mine on suncream for the holiday but once we’re back I’ll work on building them up for Xmas

@spendless that’s a fantastic price for a spa trip our local one is normally £60-80 each depending on date just for a 4hr spa access slot if you want a mini treatment too prices start at £129pp - occasionally they do other offers but it’s never anywhere as cheap as yours was.

Was Hoping to pick up a piece of the lamb on offer using nectar points for Sunday but sains haven’t had any in stock since the offer started - this seems to be a common occurrence in my local store when there any decent offers on. I do have gammon & beef in the freezer from Xmas so can make do with those if need be but would prefer lamb - might get oh to check in Asda as I know it on offer there too but annoying having to pay cash when I have points.

Coxy11

I asked DH to drop youngest two nephews Easter eggs off to SIL yesterday after work, but he left work late so came straight home. I also wanted him to find out what to get youngest nephew for his upcoming birthday. Told him to call SIL - ideas are Minecraft, Spider-Man, Lego, book. FH then went to his second job (school caretaker) whilst I had a little browse for ideas. Have left the ideas visible on our PC so he can sort later today as we’re both off.

I got some meat in Tesco @mandco using my second purse funds as don’t have enough points yet. Got a lamb shoulder as the legs were still c£19. Also got beef and gammon. All stashed away. Not sure about the lamb shoulder - worried it’ll be really fatty but we’ll see.

Next birthday is a nephews 18th in May. DSis is organising a surprise party. Not sure what to get him yet so will ask for ideas when we’re away.

Spendless

@mandco - I used these to find the spa day. https://www.spabreaks.com/ Loads cheaper than anything else I looked at even when looking at the spa/hotel's own website.

Today I need to find a hamper big enough to put DD's extra bday items in and get the Easter eggs from Mums (left them there so they didn't get eaten here - that includes by me!)

Later I'm on a staff night out (leaving do). and by chance I've been sent a 40% voucher for where we're booked which I'll say we can all use - need to check if there's a maximum person restriction. It's only on main courses, not drinks, starters, sides or desserts but still a saving is a saving.

@Coxy11 - I'm looking forward to what your DH comes up with now he's been given the task of sorting out newphew's birthday gift. Whatever he comes up with I reckon he'll never complain about what you buy again - lol.

Spendless

DD came home yesterday. Id wrapped her presents for her to open and can now say what was in them.

I did a hamper of all little bits mostly aimed at self care/well-being. In it was a set of scrub/body creme, diffuser and oil, little pouch with stickers, emery board and tweezers. All these were bought in the 70% off Boots Clearance. Hello kitty shower puff and bubble bath (which admittedly Id thought was shower gel) was £2 from £4 in B&M due to the cardboard packaging (that I threw away) being ripped. A set of Hello kitty snack boxes were also £2 from £4 in Primark, probs cos they were last ones left. I added the 4 haircare items from Give me cosmetics (shampoo, conditioner, hairmask, brush) where I got 10 items for £25 recently. I put these in cos DD said she was running low on haircare, otherwise they might have been saved for Xmas. A Simple sheet facemask was 25p from the Boots clearance shelf and then DD's fav small gift which she honed in on first was an acrylic bookmark with the name of her fav story (Little Women). This was an offer when I bought an acrylic vase for my Mum's 2026 Xmas present.

In addition I got DD a black gym top and leggings (both in Primark sale) stashed in a The Devil Wears Prada tote bag also from Primark their last one in store and at £3 was the only birthday gift that I paid full price for

A discounted jewellery set as Id spotted watching love island all stars that the girls were wearing a four leaf clover set and it was easy enough to find dupes.

Main gifts were a pre loved apple watch and though she had asked about her old phone having its screen repaired, we were able to rejig a contract to upgrade her phone so it has a better camera as she needed this for her self tapes.

DS got her a charging stand to put her apple watch and phone on.

Due to overwhelming events at the end of last year, I felt I really had to persevere from January with getting on top of buying presents in sales when I saw them and saving money towards other items and initially struggled and almost gave up. So glad I didnt. I could see the rewards of planning in advance yesterday.

Today is spa day (also a good offer) and I have family Easter eggs for Sunday. Then I will be reminding Mr S that its his Dad's birthday next week.

Have a good Easter everyone.

Spendless

Happy Easter everyone

DD went back to her student digs yesterday morning as she was having friends round to celebrate her birthday that wasearlier this week.

During her fleeting visit we went to Nandos, a spa break and called to see DS and the Grandcat. We had send DD a Love2shop voucher for her to open on her bday as we weren't seeing her. Yesterday she messaged me to say she'd used that and some bday money she got to buy herself a jellycat. a painting set and some lego. The last really surprised me she never had lego as she grew up. Her brother had a large generic box as he wasn't interested in the kits and loved k'nex more. Anyway she bought herself 2 sets from Argos 2 for £15 currently running (will edit for a link as laptop not playing nicely!). She said she wanted to buy some things for herself rather than spending on 'maintainance' stuff (like fake tan or nicer M&S food).

The art set is because when it was her birthday she wanted to do something with friends that didn't involve eating out and didn't need pre booking. Her friend told her to leave it with her and suggested a paint and sip evening, here they drank wine and all did a painting on a canvas (supplies bought from somewhere like HB or B&M). I thought it a great idea. I hadn't realised DD had that much creativety in her. Give her a pen and watch her weave magic with words - yes, but not anything that involved practical skills too.

I can see that come Xmas 2026 I will be back down the toy aisles looking for what sets to buy -lol.

Today we are having DS round for lunch. I haven't bought lamb (or a chicken). We are having gammon as I have one that needs using up as does some veg. Dessert will be a banooffee cheesecake bought or Easter eggs!

Oh and the £100s Easter baskets people started doing. I'm still on a SM site for Mums of US College (Uni) kids from the days of DD being an exchange student. They had a show me your Easter basket thread and you know what it is all very simple stuff in them like candy (sweets/chocs), socks, hand lotion, face masks, gift cards or the odd item for them going away/the temp at this time of year eg sunglasses. There was just one I saw with a LV box in it (didn't say what was inside), there was even a joke about whether any of them had put in cleaning supplies but no real difference to the hamper of 'well being' hamper I did for DD's birthday mixed in with some choc. Just tells me that the trend here is definately by influencers (I saw one UK based one who had put expensive perfume/aftershave in her teenage kids though she later did a budget one - backlash maybe!) and is not the reality of most US homes. They do Easter baskets in the States cos they don't have the range of chcocolate easter eggs we get here.

I got sent some pics of Grandcat yesterday. From hiding himself away last week and goin to the Vets twice with concerns, by yesterday afternoon he was stretched out on the bed in DS's spare room lying on his back. Couldn't believe the change in him in such a small space of time. He clearly just wanted a settled home

https://www.argos.co.uk/browse/toys/2-for-15-pounds-on-toys/c:1028073/

PennysIntoPounds

Good on DD for wanting to focus on relax/play @Spendless and great Grandcat is settling in well ❤️

I personally think the £100s Easter baskets are a disgusting concept and hope it doesn't catch on!

mandco

@spendless sounds like dd had a lovely birthday & some great presents. I love the idea of a sip & paint party at home might suggest that to dd

Re the Lego I found the same dd was never really bothered and while the boys had sets when they were little they’d hadn’t been bothered in years but hit the adult years and it becomes popular again - I think the fact they now have a whole range of sets aimed at adults has really increased its popularity. There are some lovely sets but you definitely need look for deals as prices can be steep . Dd loves the botanical range

sdd did seem a little put put I didn’t buy off her ridiculously expensive list but tough luck and the girls were absolutely over the moon with what they did get and the fact I let them play with slime .

popped into town today with dd as she needed to return a few bits & wanted to look for a swimsuit. Boots had a whole section of reduced perfumes/mens fragrances At 75% off and at the till some also still qualified for 20% when you spend £60 on selected fragrances. Stuff was flying off the shelf one guy spent over £600 as he’s a reseller and reckons he’ll at least treble his outlay.

Some of our best bargains were mugler angel refillable 50ml £19.40 rrp £97 Rabanne Million Gold Eau de Parfum Intense 100ml £21.80 rrp £105. Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Giò Eau de Toilette 100ml £19.60 rrp £98 & Marc Jacob’s daisy dream forever £22 rrp £88 though it is currently on offer at £58,70 but still a huge saving. Dd also got a bottle of Eilish No. 2 by Billie Eilish 50ml for her friends birthday £12.20. Did spend a lot between us but totally worth it in the long run - did actually have just enough boots points (7p left) to pay for 2 of the bottles I got which was even better

PennysIntoPounds

Wow amazing perfume bargains @mandco

mandco

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81952196#Comment_81952196

I know not sure why they were so heavily discounted? They are having a bit of a store rejig so wondering if they are going to reduce or remove the perfum section? some were ridiculously cheap especially the ones that double discounted - we had been planning to look in duty free when we go away so luckily did have some holiday spends to play with but at those prices it would have been daft not to get them.

Spendless

Incredible perfume/aftershave bargains mandco.

Glad grandkids loved their things. Maybe SDD will now quietly take on board that you cant give a list of expensive items to someone and expect them to pay for it.

Twice now I have reminded DH it is his Dad,s bday this week. He replied 'oh yes, there's not much anyone can get him (he's in a care home due to physical disabilities), think it'll have to be chocolate'

Bit my lip cos I suggested FIL's fav choc in a boxed set at Xmas and DH said 'we'd bought it before and his Dad didnt like it' Baffled cos I knew we hadnt, I pressed more for info and it related to one particular flavour we'd bought just 1 bar of as it had made a comeback that year. We could have removed offending flavour from the boxed set easily enough, they were plenty of different flavoured bars in it. It also wasnt FIL that said he disliked it, it it was another relative (who likes interfering!) Pointed this out at Xmas and still got 'thats what I was told' So I am not getting involved. He's got till lunchtime to sort something, othewise we/he wont be around for the rest of the week.

Today we are going to watch DD's play. Not one she is performing in but one she has written. Flying visit, there and back in a day. Glad I dont have work tomorrow though.