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

PennysIntoPounds

Our local mini M&S is selling some ranges of bottles of craft beer really cheaply so might be worth having a look if there's one near you

Coxy11

Hi all,

Nephew's 18th is on Saturday so I need to get a voucher/some cash to go with his personalised hip flask. DSis has asked if I can store then cook some frozen finger food. Have said I'm happy to go with her and shop for it on Friday if she likes.

DDad has been in hospital abroad (he lives abroad) since Saturday with suspected pneumonia. I heard from Stepmum today that he is being discharged. Does feel very 'cry wolf' sometimes and not sure what is expected of me and DSis in relation to support. Does she want us to jump on a plane etc.

Went out with some friends on Friday and one said that her DH is godfather to a child but she's the one who has to remind him it's child's birthday and very often organises card and gift. Seems it's endemic!

Next birthday is DSis at start of June then Mum. We don't buy for DSis so just Mum to organise. DH and I will be away for her actual birthday - wasn't planned that way but DS1 needs us to have his dog and we wanted to go away in June, so had to juggle dates. DDad also planning to be over if his health allows. It's all go.

How was your trip @mandco ?

I too got the Gruum set @Spendless - got the one with body wash - really good value for £4.99 delivered. I will probably use the items myself.

mandco

@coxy11. We got back this morning had an absolutely fantastic time though it was ridiculously hot the last week with temps of 36/37 😳 I’ll update properly later when I’m a bit more with it. Ds1 looked after the buns as he decided he didn’t want to come.

mandco

it’s been a long few days between the jet lag and the horrible lurgy I’m pretty sure we picked up on the plane coming home

We had an amazing trip epic definitely lives up to its name particularly in the theming which is incredible but crowds & queue are very long especially during the day and there’s virtually no shade so it was hot - we ended up going over in the evenings when it was a little cooler and wait time were a lot shorter on most rides. We ate at quite a few new to us places and had some great meals. Did quite a bit of shopping stocked up on a few bits we can’t get here a bunch of different flavour Oreo’s for Taz, various red,white & blue sweets/treats and through various offer spent a significant amount in bath & bodyworks -so much so we ended up with 6 free items via their rewards scheme. Prices have certainly jumped significantly particularly on merch type items I picked up a couple of bits for the grandkids but a lot of stuff was crazy expensive like $20-$30 for a kids T-shirt even in Walmart ect. I did find a couple of bargain clearance Nike tops for ds1 and some Mandalorian & grogu bath and bodywork’s for Taz which I’ve put away for their birthdays - the b&bw was released the day before we left so oh & dd went and picked it up while he was still asleep so he never saw it. I also picked up a few sweets we can’t get here for the kids Xmas stockings

Spendless

Glad you enjoyed it mandco. We did a £200 trip to Walmart yesterday for same reason. Picked up 2 ladies t shirts that said $3 eachreduced to clear. Looked at receipt when back at hotel, theyd gone thru at full price $7.98 each. Not worth the uber cost back to rectify but annoying cos Id picked those ones up only cos they were reduced!

Ive been really shocked by the lack of father's day gifts here. Unlike mothering Sunday/Mother's day, Father's day is celebrated on the same day in June both sides of the pond. Over the years we've been in the US on the run up to Xmas, Easter, Valentine's day, Halloween - always loads of merchandise - not for this! DH picked up my Dad something anyway - some jeans he was telling DH about - lets hope theyre the correct size! With that box ticked, its just ours and parents wedding anniversaries to think about, then nothing more till Autumn.

Coxy11

Glad you enjoyed your holiday @mandco I'm yet to understand when isn't a busy time there. We've only ever been in the school holidays which obvs is busier, but seems like it's busy all the time. Sounds like you got some good bargains in B&BW and good to get ahead with stocking fillers.

Odd about FD in the US @Spendless as they are so over the top with everything else. Annoying about the t-shirts going through at full price. Glad you are now event free for a few months!

Nephew's 18th on Saturday went off really well. I cooked some of the food beforehand and we did various trips over with garden chairs and parasols as unfortunately the weather was a bit iffy. DSis said he received almost £800 cash. We gave the personalised hipflask and £25 which was our £50 budget. Felt a bit stingy when DSis told me he'd received £120 from one of her friends! But each to their own I guess.

Next birthday is DSis at start of June - no gift just a card. It's the same day Dad is due over but waiting to hear if he's going to be allowed following a bout of pneumonia. Then it's Mum's whilst we are away on holiday. DSis will take her out for lunch on the day and has suggested I take her to a garden somewhere when I'm back. She is very good at suggesting things for me to do with my time….

ILs came over last week and said they've joined the local theatre as friends, so they get early bird ticket access. This is great, but means that we won't be able to get them event tickets for that venue anymore. They've already booked a Johnny Cash biopic for September which I'd suggested to DH for their joint birthday gifts (birthdays are Aug and Sept). Will need to find something else for them to attend, like afternoon tea etc.

Spendless

Im home. I returned to work yesterday. Mr S unpacked. Ive sorted out the gifts to give out. Had to raid my occassions pot as my food shop for returning was around 50% more than I'd budgeted for, combo of nothing in cos ran it all down before going away, shopping for more cos DD home for a few days and buying more 'picky bits' due to the weather! Tbf I had bought gifts during the Walmart shop so occassions pot did owe us. There's now £100 in there, will be doubled at end of week and just our and parents WA to buy for next month. No idea what to get!

I hit the keys on TK maxx Treasure. Last time I forgot to get something within the time frame and the time before Id gone for a free breakfast roll and drink at Greggs, only to let that expire without using. This was all last year when my head was all over the place with Nan in hospital.and my car crash. So I was looking forward to being back on track, only to find Im.not interested in any of the current rewards! Will have to keep looking.

I collected a heap of free give aways at the conference and have put them into little giftbags for friends and colleagues along with some chocs to share.

I know that feeling coxy when your relatives go and get themselves the same 'bright idea' youve secretly stashed in your head to give them.

We once went to Orlando last week Sept and 1st week of October as thats when me and DH's bdays fall and that was quieter. I have memories of a 5yo DS running round and going on the ride all over again (dont remember which one) one late afternoon as so few on it. Our friend overlapped us with our 2nd week but she said her following one after we'd returned home was loads busier. This is over 20 years ago though, might not be same today! We're away same 2 weeks this year but to a different country and with friends not kids!

PennysIntoPounds

Well done all on your exhausting sounding activities!

I have started the Christmas pot now my mum's birthday has been, Mr PIP's birthday to go but then Christmas is the next Big Spend so worth putting any quid or two in now so it doesn't get scarily close quickly!

mandco

@coxy11 tbh I don’t think there is a quite time in Florida anymore years ago there were definite times when crowds were very low - like Spendless one trip Ds rode the same ride 10 times in a row as a walk on it would never happen now. Even supposed quieter times queue times sit at 45mins plus for even the most basic/kiddie rides and it’s common to see 90 mins - 2 hrs for bigger rides. A few of the epic rides consistently sat at around 3-4 hrs during the day.
no need to feel stingy over your nephews gift value. I know it can be hard not to doubt yourself when others seem to splash the cash but ultimately he got a present and you worked to a budget that’s sustainable for you - too many people spend money they don’t have just to keep up appearances.
Fingers crossed your dad is recovering well and able to visit
Frustrating your ils have scuppered your gifting idea

@spendless it’s frustrating when stuff goes through the till more expensive than advertised especially when it’s something you only brought because you thought it was cheaper. I’m finding that it happening a lot across a lot of stores - I’m sure many people get caught out as they dont actually check prices at the time Asda & sains seem particularly bad for it
It’s lovely of you to make little gift bags for friends/colleagues I’m sure they are much appreciated

@PenniesIntoPounds we’re nearly 1/2 way though the year so Xmas is gonna start feeling like it’s coming round quicker than expected in no time. Any savings you can put away between now and then are a great help with spending the cost.

I do a weekly( you can chose other time scales) direct debit type top at for Asda all year - just a couple of pounds a time but Its such a small amount I don’t miss it and it gives me around £100 towards the xmas shop there.

Picked up the Lego sunflowers bouquet for a bargain £36 in Costco ( rrp £54.99) to put away for DD’s birthday or Xmas. She has her eye on some more Pandora charms so a lot of my budget for her will probably end up going on those going forward.
picked up 2 12 inch Squishmallow reduced to £6 ( around £20 elsewhere)in the Argos clearance sale to go in the Xmas donation box as Squishmallows are always popular

Father’s Day I picked up a gift set in the sales at beginning of the year so that’s mostly sorted and then I don’t have anything till end Aug/sept when all of mine have birthdays just need to work out what I’m getting them.
Sdd is planning on taking the kids on holiday to Spain or greece for dgd1 birthday in Aug so thinking I might just get her a token gift and either give her some money so she can get something or pay towards an activity while they are there? Since we got back sdd has already given her dad a list of clothes the girls need for the summer along with the usual guilt trip which means she expects us to buy it - I’ve told him I’ll pick them up a couple of bits each but I’m not funding their entire wardrobe.

@princesskitty29 hope your doing ok

Spendless

Oh gosh does SDD think she's a nepo baby mandco - lol. My own DD can have 'extra costs' tastes but I hadnt anticipated it continuing if she was married with kids. That's unfair on your household. Youre still housing (so I suspect indirectly subsidising) adult kids plus Taz is still a child.

Is her own Mum on the scene? Does she help out too? Does SDD work? Unsure if grandkids are both schoolage. Or is her DH keeping her short of money. If so as Dave Ramsey would say 'that's not a financial issue you have, it's a relationship one' Urrgghhh, don't envy you with this.

In my own household we were going to pick DD and her laundry up on the way back from Heathrow last Sunday and return both this Sunday. DH having jiggled tomorrow's work around to fit. Instead DD came back by train a day later than her laundry (due to a social, performance networking opportunity) and returned 2 days earlier than the laundry (due to a work shift, need to resubmit some work and a self tape audition). With her clothes newly laundered, DH had a brainwave, to put everything in packing cubes and make it easier on DD to unpack. As we didnt have enough I went to TK Maxx and got a set (3 cubes, 3 bags) for 7.99. Back at home I said I could also spare some of my starting to look the worse for wear ones as I fully intend treating myself to a new set. There were some gorgeous ones in there, priced up to £19.99

Thought Id mention it as an idea for anyone with difficult to buy for relatives who go away.