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

fionaandphil

Gutted that I was working yesterday and missed the Boots sale, I used to get loads of bargains. I agree about repackaging, I've often found it can be a bit bashed up after the sales and it can look much nicer in a little bag.

Coxy11

I’m off to our High Street later - we have a titchy Boots. I need to do a scan to recycle anyway as DH needs deodorant, so will see if there’s anything left. Good idea @Spendless about repackaging. I did go on their website yesterday. Is it just me that gets irked that they display all stock, whether sold out or not. Would be much better to just show stock that’s available. Their website staff really need to get a grip as I spent ages scrolling and refreshing the page without finding anything available!

teabody

Hi all,

@mandco thanks for the tips x

@princesskitty29 wow, I am impressed by your shopping!

Had a really busy January with lots of birthdays and party's already.

Have managed to get a couple of small items for my Uncle who I struggle to buy for every year so that's an improvement. It'll really help if I keep up the momentum.

I usually get a few things from Argos and Next but I have found their sales not to be as good this year.

mandco

@princesskitty29 good to see you back sorry things have been tough but sounds like you still managed to have a good Xmas.

You’re Doing well on on the shopping front I’ve really struggled to find anything this year though I’ve not really got out to the shops much which hasn’t helped - online offers it seem to be hard to find anything actually in stock.

@coxy11 expensive car repairs sucks especially if they are unexpected. Sounds like you’ve been really busy lately

@spendless I’d have been annoyed about the parking fine too though it’s easily done dd got Caught put at Xmas after all the palaver they had with their return flights beingto the wrong airport by time they finally got back to Stansted it was really dark so they followed the signs/sat nav and unknowingly ended up going through the drop off zone - she got a fine in the post just before Xmas conveniently after the cut off for the cheaper charge - It said she was in the zone for 37 seconds - so clearly not stopping to drop off or collect anyone. As she’d have had to pay the increased fee she appealed it and they did cancel the charge.

@teabody. Finding gifts for those hard to buy for family members is always a win no matter how small. Online offers have been pretty rubbish the last year it’s seems to a lot of the same items rotating through promotional offers.

sorry I’ve been mia January is never a good month for me and it’s hard to get out of the spiral once I’m in it but I’ve been working hard to get back on track. We’ve booked a holiday for april so have that to focus on though currently struggling to find the enthusiasm.
Started getting some of the birthday offers from various places -I did notice last month oh didn’t get a few of the birthday offers despite being signed up so will see which ones I actually get this year. I noticed Kriispy kreme have cut their freebie from any donut to a glazed only one - it’s still a free donut so can’t complain but yet another sign of the ever decreasing value of things.
M&S have given me a free bottle processco which is actually pretty decent compared to last year when it was a free pack of blueberries but I don’t drink it so it can go in the present stash

Coxy11

Back from the town and really fed up as I forgot my recyclables for Boots!! Will try to pop there again on Thursday morning as I also need a birthday card for my nephew.

Good to see you @mandco and sorry January has been rubbish. I'm pleased that you've booked a holiday - where are you off to? Annoying about DD's airport fine and really pleased they cancelled it.

Wonderful to find some gifts for your hard to buy for relative @teabody - that's great x

Spendless

@mandco - I queried in bodyshop why I never had a bday voucher last year when Id previously had 1 for years. They said 2 things had happened as a company theyd had a 'sweep' and got rid of old email accounts. Im assumming that meant anyone who hadnt had an email receipt sent across to them (or ordered online) and then they also asked how long since Id last shopped there (hadnt a clue) so I suspect retailers are looking for returning customers and online evidence.

fionaandphil

Thanks for the Boots tip off, I was in today and spotted the sale section. Five gift sets picked up for this year, coming in at £14 for them all; now firmly stashed in the gift cupboard.

Coxy11

Still haven’t been to Boots and not holding out any hope of a bargain ☹️ Did place an online order for collection which had DH’s deodorant on online only price, so have stocked up with my second purse. I have some recyclables to take to store and a few things to buy to make up the £10 when I do eventually get there order is due to be there on Saturday.

I have however ordered our nephew’s gift for his birthday on 25th Feb. He is a Millwa11 Fan (don’t judge!) and they have a sale on their kit so he has a current season top for HP. Came in slightly over budget as postage was £4.95 but at least it’s sorted and on its way. I need a card for him plus one for my adult nephew who has a birthday on 15th Feb.

DS1’s birthday today. DH took his gift and card to work yesterday but apparently he and DDIL are popping round today. We are all in London later for the theatre and pre-dinner but it’s a surprise, so we will need to be canny when we see him.

Spendless

Does that mean your 2 sons bdays are only a week apart coxy? Bet that was lively and expensive when they were little.

My 2 were born in the same month but 1 at the beginning and one at the end. I still found March very expensive as my neice and nephew (twins) bdays are also then, along with one of my Nans and its when mother's day falls so that was an additional 3 gifts (for me, mum, mil) and all coming out of 1 pay packet when I didnt work. No time to catch up from Xmas either as we'd already had 3 birthdays before getting to March.

Even now with a far reduced list, I struggle with the 'cluster bdays/occassions'. I started an occassion pot in my monzo account from the end of Dec but it owes me due to sales items bought and currently not enough in there to stretch to all imminent birthdays. I keep telling myself to persevere and it'll work out later this year rather than give it up.

Re boots stock. Take a look thru the kids/tweens stuff as I think its more likely they'll still be some left. I was in desperate need of a lip scrub and found 1 in a set of 3 thats clearly meant to be a version of an expensive bath bomb shops seasonal fragrance in the tween section. It was £3 so £1 each. Ive used the scrub, the balm and lip mask will become DD's stocking fillers.

Oh my gruuum item turned up yesterday so that didnt take long.

Coxy11

That's correct @Spendless - my DS1 was a month early - due 4 March, born 5 Feb, and DS2 was also a month early, due 29 Feb(!) and born 29 Jan. So for a week I had three under 5's……Just glad DS2 got a proper birthday and not just one every 4 years like my late Nan!

My Boots order is in for collection, but DS1 is here having a coffee so depending when he goes, I might be able to pop and collect/recycle/sale shop, we will see. We are on a train from the town at 3pm so might work to go a little early and shop beforehand.

My Gruum item arrived yesterday too. I went for the lip product and have popped it away for now. I did an inventory of my beauty products at the start of the year as have lots of minis and bits and bobs from different giftsets. It's been great as I've realised I have about 6 hand creams to use up (always have one on the go so these will be used this year) but very little body lotion which I use every day.