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

mandco

@Coxy11 generally there are offers on at least some of the ninja air fryer products during Black Friday though wether a specific modal Will go on offer only time will tell - there are a few pre black Friday offers on various ninja air fryers at the moment - dd was looking the other day as their current one packed up and they wanted a new 2 draw one so debated a ninja but opted for another cheap version instead. so might be worth a google to see which versions are currently getting discounted.

PennysIntoPounds

@Coxy11 if he sent you a link for an eighty quid one get that instead of spending best part of £300! They might have liked that one for a particular reason that makes more sense for their home or plans.

I've not used it so can't recommend but apple also do refurbished stock so maybe worth looking at that to see if a decent saving can be made for the fitness tracker watch

Spendless

Apple do do refurbushed ones and some sites will describe the condition too eg excellent, very good etc. We did this for DD's bday for exactly the same reason. Shes really happy with it and hasnt lost it!

Id buy the AF from the link too or wait to see what BF deals they have on a more expensive model. Does the dearer one have better features?

Spendless

Spoke to parents last night (well Mum she does the gift buying). They are going to give foreign currency to both my kids as their Xmas presents. DS is accompanying Mr S on a works trip to the US so will get dollars from them. DD is going with friends to Amsterdam so will get Euros. Parents normally give everyone cash, said cos both DS and DD live on limited incomes away from us when they do get extra dosh DD spends it on nicer food or catching an Uber instead of public transport, DS also spends on food or buying another toy for his cat. Far more beneficial for them to have some holiday spending money. Both trips take place before Dec 25th so they will receive early. We have booked DS flight and needed to pay an upgrade on the room that DH is in otherwise they would have been sharing a bed. The overall cost of that is more expensive than DD's trip. She is going with 2 friends, but a day later than they are due to work commitments. The other 2 are sharing a room. DD needed a single, but then DH discovered hed accumulated some loyalty points from prev work trips which knocked around £50 off the price. Still have Eurostar to book her. As these have both been 'big ticket' gifts, I wont be buying them anything else. The discrepency in price is addressed by me already having several items in the gift cupboard for DD and very little for DS. So he still has something to unwrap, Ill buy for Grandcat.

I need to find time in my schedule to go thru the gift cupboard and sort, especially since its up in the air if DD is going to be at her friend's for Xmas day. FIL isnt very well and she's torn that something might happen when shes at the opposite side of the country. I understand this she arrived 50 mins too late when her 1st G Gran died having travelled from the SE coast. Last year when my other Nan died she was studying abroad and when MIL she was only 17 and it was during the pandemic so she feels she hasnt been around family at these times.

clyndu

Spendless, I don't know if you are aware but topcashback does Eurostar giftcards. The cashback is payable instantly as well.

amber03

Well mr T has closed this years clubcard vouchers for Xmas. I pay in every month whilst it’s open and keep all my clubcard vouchers for Xmas . Between what I pay in and have earned through shopping comes to just over £150. That will pay for my food shop for Xmas week and a few treats.

mandco

@Coxy11 re the Apple Watch the biggest question is what does she want to use it for? The newer read more expensive models track extra things but if she’s only really after something that does the basics save and go with the base model -as mentioned you can sometimes get a decent deal on refurbished ones - dd had one to see if she liked it enough to warrant the cost compared to other fitness trackers she’s had - she did prefer it and has recently upgraded to a new one though she went with the bells & whistles version for all the extras. One thing I would recommend is swapping out the strap. dd got some cheap fabric ones off Amazon & oh upgraded to the metal one when he brought his as they both found the one that it comes )with irritated the skin and apparently it’s quite common..

@spendiess cash in currency is definitely the better option as they are going away if they’re likely to spend the money on a small upgrade of the basics instead of a proper gift otherwise - I often do the same when I get cash so I get why they do it but as the gift giver it doesn’t really feel like you’ve given them a actual gift. Decent saving on DD’s room with dh points too.

Hows dd? I was getting better then today woke up feeling like I did when I first got it last week and all the symptoms are back with vengeance I’ve spoken to several others who’ve said the same

DD’s bf gift came as did the coverless duvets I ordered for the kids & My shein order- Taz is going to love the capybara Xmas wrap
Dd said really needed some new pjs as hers are all shorts & vest type and its been so cold lately so rather than her spend the money I gave the ones I’d brought her for Xmas as they’re not Xmas themed.
The item I ordered for ds has finally shipped which took quite a bit longer than usual and 2 other orders I’ve placed have both been delayed so with Black Friday ect coming up experience says deliveries are going to get messed up even more which is another reason I’m trying to get things sorted sooner rather than later particularly online orders.
boots had a fragrance oh likes on offer @ £64,00 down from £107 checking my account I saw I had a £9 off £60 & £10 off £80 spend vouchers to use and realised if I used the 2nd one I had just enough points to add a Fenty gift set for dd too - checked out and it deducted both vouchers saving £19 off the total meaning I still have some points left to spend.

I think I have most of the presents sorted/ordered - it’s mostly stocking fillers & padding presents (ds mainly) left. Going to try and get my act together this year and get the wrapping started once The Xmas appeal drop off of the charity i donate too opens mid nov and I free up some storage space with doesn’t require playing Tetris.

Need to replace 2 fence panels we lost due to the stormy weather so that an extra expensive I hadn’t budgeted for and the dog is currently not impressed being confined to a small area of garden but it could have been a lot worse. hope everyone stayed safe over the weekend with minimal disruption

Spendless

DD is feeling better now thanks mandco but (IMO) she returned sooner than she should have due to external pressure. One was from her job who had told her 'if she felt well enough and didnt let the kids near her she could work'. Not entirely sure how you keep 3 - 7 yo kids away from you during an interactive after school club, shes also aware that some of the kids live with family who are elderly or have compromised immune systems due to severe illness.

The other was because she had been invited as a guest to a spa by a friend whose parents have a membership. Again I thought to try and head there after work to an evening session wasnt ideal and could have been planned in for a more suitable time (like this week when its half term and shes not working in schools). However I bit my tongue. Wednesday she took another test, positive line was still there but feint, so she returned. Found the kids too much to deal with (cos energy levels not restored) and following day trains stopped running for several hours so she couldnt get to her spa destination. Put herself out to please others and ended up pleasing no one. Shed have been better off staying with us till the end of the week. This week though shes been better.

My parents gave me and DH foreign currency for our birthdays that were whilst we were away (they fall a week apart) and it was the best thing ever. We had money wed saved for 2 years with the couple we went with that paid for excursions and joint meals. Anything personal, like buying a clothing item we used our wages, but anything like lunch or coffees just for the 2 of us we used money from parents. I think it has to be 1 of my favourite gifts. Mum is also pleased Ive given her a very easy to get idea for them both.

mandco

oh no poor dd - theres often so much pressure to return to work before your actually ready which ultimately serves no one properly. Glad she’s starting to feel better now though.

Boots have 4 for 2 on Xmas gifts - online only today only

PennysIntoPounds

From the MSE page about 1L bottles of Baileys, so some last day tomorrow (for now), but new Sainsburys offer for a month

• Amazon* - £9.97 online, with no set end date
• Morrisons - £9.97 in-store and online in England (£11.05 in Scotland & Wales) until Sunday 1 November
• Asda - £10 in-store and online until Sunday 1 November
• Tesco* - £10 in-store and online with a Clubcard until Sunday 1 November
• Sainsbury's - £10 in-store and online in England (£11.05 in Scotland & Wales) with a Nectar card until Wednesday 2 December