OS Christmas Support thread & timetable

nicki_2

I went to Ethel Austins again today but a bigger store and they had 4 of the cosmetic organisers I bought the other day so I splashed out and bought another 2 - this means that female IL's can have one each to save the fighting. Now I need to put some bits in it for less than £3 each :eek: Freebies board here I come.

Loadsabob

Wow, this thread is really taking shape; I'm delighted with it, and enjoying reading about all your progress.

I have decided to start now on a Christmas 2006 present for my brother and his wife (to go with their main presents). I'm going to do a local calendar with pictures taken each month (so I can include a dated caption with each pic). They live in Norwich now, and very much miss Falmouth. I'd like to capture each month of the year here with something distinctive and "Falmouth". If I start now, I'll have my last shot next June, ready to get printed nicely. Fabulous! Yay for digital cameras that make getting the right shot easy!

Pooky, the wheat bags are a great idea, certainly something I think I'll have a go at. I guess I can find instructions online somewhere, so will have a look.

Jinx - I like your emphasis on Christmas as a time to relax. So few people stop to really enjoy it. Last year I did; for the first time I wasn't flapping around with a few last minute things. We also spent very little on pre-Christmas food and drink. There was only the two of us, and the year before we'd spent £180 on food for the fortnight. It made us feel thoroughly miserable, and we still had choccies left at Easter (I kid you not!). Never again! So, good challenge Pavlovs Dog!

Some lovely ideas on here - I won't comment on them all, else I'll double the size of the thread! I fell VERY calm about Christmas this year - isn't it lovely?!

pol

I've made a start on Christmas booze, got a couple of rumpots on the go. Strawberries, cherries, raspberries and peaches so far with plums soon to go in. Will use the fruit in a trifle and with ice cream, and the liqueur will go down very nicely after dinner.
Going to give homemade wine and port as pressies for the adults and homemade sweets and craft bags for the children. I want to encourage them to learn to knit and crochet early.
Wrap and cards left from last years sales and hyacinths in pots to flower at Christmas, and that's about it!

pol

Trow

This site has some interesting ideas for HM gifts

http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/specialfeature/holiday_gifts_ms/

I like this idea (for a teacher so the site says, but would be great for anyone into writing or art - just modify the notebook accordingly!)

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10001

Trow

Oh, I am enjoying this!

Was thinking of the magnetic poetry idea, and was also thinking of decorating 'granny' and 'grandad' mugs (to be filled with chocolate coated spoons and coffee sachets) when I came across this site.

http://www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk/index2.html

They have magnetic paper (matt or glass) for £5.50 for three A4 sheets (sounds good to me) and also plain white mugs for decorating for £1.65 each (as well as keyrings, snowglobes, wooden chests etc etc etc, all of which can be decorated with decal paper from the same site)

I think it seems like good value - does anyone know better?

squeaky

Gosh, that's quite a site. I must remember to remind myself that I've bookmarked it

mountainofdebt

Martin was on Trevor McDonald tonight and basically what he was saying was in October, Tesco has a habit of putting up its prices on beers/wines. Then in the run up to Christmas they may reduce the price slightly (and advertise it as a price cut) BUT the new price will never be below what it was in October.

So I'm buying mine now and to ensure I'm not tempted I'm giving it to my mum for safe keeping, lol!

soon2bjobless

Great thread!

I always buy my cards, wrap and crackers in the Jan sales - done this for years.....

(tip - buy paper that doubles up as birthday wrapping - ie silver stars etc)

I put away a set amount each month for xmas - that way when bargains come up during the year I have money to buy them.

All my presents are reduced - I make it a game never to buy anything full price!

We also only buy the fancy stuff to eat actually on Xmas day (and left overs for boxing day) so no groaning cupboards.

Gift baskets are my fave way of cutting the pennies - you can use all your free samples etc.

My best gift basket was a "movie night-in" - basket cost 50p from second hand shop, free dvd from internet, cans of coke and popcorn (all BOGOF) for my pal and her kids.

Loadsabob

soon2bjobless wrote:

My best gift basket was a "movie night-in" - basket cost 50p from second hand shop, free dvd from internet, cans of coke and popcorn (all BOGOF) for my pal and her kids.

This is a great idea! It would work well too with the sentimental Christmas movies they often put out for about £2.99 in the run-up to Christmas!

I picked up some gorgeous baskets in a cheap-ish shop the other week. £1.49 each. Not pennies, I know, but they're smallish (small enough), square, very sturdy, not glazed, a bit rustic looking, and I can imagine people re-using them for storage pots. You couldn't get a cardboard giftbox for that in Clintons!

johanne

soon2bjobless wrote:

(tip - buy paper that doubles up as birthday wrapping - ie silver stars etc)

dya know i never ever ever thought about doing that! :rotfl:

Although my dad did wonderfully this year.. mum sent him out last minute on xmas eve for more paper as we "found" a load of presents... he comes back with 2 huge rolls... only when came to use it did we realise.. hed picked up "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" with big cakes all over it :rolleyes: his excuse "wellll it was in the box with the other christmas paper so i just picked up 2 rolls and didnt look" :rolleyes: :rotfl: So we were sorted for birthday paper this year..