OS Christmas Support thread & timetable

CAFCGirl

just a thought

ebay number : 160037819916

might help someone somewhere

kiwi88_2

Hi Everyone

I have just read this whole thread over the weekend and yes it took ages :eek: I have saved and linked everything I thought was a good idea (at least half this thread ) and I will use some of them this year but mostly it will get me prepared for next year :rotfl:

However guess who baked some mince pies and froze them today with her leftover pastry all because of this thread? Yep ME :T :T

Thanks to all of you for the well aimed kick :xmastree: just had to use the tree it's sooo pretty :snow_laug

Rachel021967

Roz I loved your hampers. I think I will get my daughters a hot water bottle each.

Roz_V

Thanks for the comments - I needed to make the hampers look quite posh and shop-bought as some of my friends are quite materialistic and wouldn't appreciate a homemade gift!!! :rotfl:

Prices are fairly cheap: the winter warmer one is the most expensive because the scarf & gloves came to £9 :eek: but the total cost (inc hamper) is £17.50. The lavendar pamper hamper comes to about £6, and the same(ish) for the purple hamper and the foot hamper. However I have made similar gifts for several people (ie both my sister and my SIL are getting warmer hampers as they don't know each other to compare gifts :rotfl: ) so I have been able to split up gifts that come in pairs or sets of 2 (ie the socks) and make the most of BOGOF's

All my baskets are from Wilkinsons. I have used oval and rectangular fabric lined ones (about 20cmx15cm but I'm rubbish with dimensions!!) which are £1.49 each. They also do some oval non-lined washable baskets which I have used for the Lavendar hamper - £3.99 for a set of 2; and there are similar ones that are about 15cm round ones for about the same price for a pack of 3 (as seen in the foot care hamper). They also do other shapes and sizes but as I've not bought them I don't know the price!!

Hope this helps!

helenhugs

some absolutely fantastic ideas. You are all an inspiration. I'm going to make up some of the dustpan cookies & post them off to friends. Won't need to crush them either i'm sure the postal service will do that better than i ever could lol.
Thanks for so many wonderful ideas.
hugs
Helen

MrsTinks

Right... Tonight I am going to try and tear myself away from MSE long enough to make a start on my own hampers It MUST be possible to live and breathe for an evening without checking MSE every 5 secs... or is it...

Roz_V

tine wrote:

Right... Tonight I am going to try and tear myself away from MSE long enough to make a start on my own hampers It MUST be possible to live and breathe for an evening without checking MSE every 5 secs... or is it...

If you manage it let me know how!! This place is too addictive!!!!!

Queen.Bess

Rachie_B wrote:

im 27 and i like it :rotfl: :T

I'm 29 and I started subscribing a year ago! I used to get a fashion mag but found that I couldn't really relate to any of the articles or fashion, and so wanted to find a new magazine to try! I bought a few but found that Prima was by far and away the best of them all!

Found some more things around the house to 'recycle' this Christmas. Am just 50 points away from getting my 2 Boots vouchers on pigsback and have redeemed 1500 points on lightspeed hoping for a £15 voucher for a decent high street shop - Does anyone know what shops you can have vouchers for from Lightspeed?

Also, did my Samaritan's Purse shoebox yesterday and it only cost me £1.75 to buy some new stuff, plus a few bits from home to bulk it up. So am pleased with that too!

Purpleprincess; COuld we have a countdown update please?!

Herbaholic

pug_in_a_bed wrote:

Does anyone have a good (easyish) recipe for egg nog or kow where you can buy the mix?

The christmas before last my sister bought a box of the powdered mix from Holland and it was gorgeous, cuoldn't fing the mix anywhere so treid to make it but all the recipies I came across were different and I did not do a good job!

Hi Pug

Sorry if you've already had a reply to the above, I've just started reading the thread from the beginning and only got up to page 10 so far! This recipe was given to by a friend an is not only moreish but very delish alsoit makes 4 servings ideally lol!

(4) eggs - yolks & whites separated
1/2 cup / 170g caster sugar
1 1/2 cups / 510ml full cream milk
1/2 cup / 170ml rum
1/2 cup / 170ml whisky
1 cup / 340ml double or whipping cream (NOT single - it won't thicken enough)
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Method

Separate your egg whites & yolks and set whites aside. Whisk together egg yolks and half the sugar until pale and fluffy. Gently heat the milk until warm ( not hot, or you will scramble your egg yolks) and add to the egg mixture, whisking as you go.
Add the rum and the whisky and mix in completely.
Whisk the egg whites to the soft peak stage and add the remaining sugar. Now whisk the cream until trails from the whisk can just be seen, but still remains loose. Gently fold these into the main mixture.
Grate nutmeg on top to taste.

*** Although this is delicious drunk straight away at room temperature, I have found that if you make it a few hours, or even the day before the alcohol loses it's harshness and blends better with the creaminess of this drink. Just keep refrigerated until needed and then warm gently on a hob top (microwaves will cook out the alcohol!). Stir just before serving , in case the egg whites are floating on top like islands.
*** Oh, and take care with the amount of nutmeg you add. Although I've never experienced it myself I have a friend who 'tripped' for several days after consuming the dregs of his wife's eggnog, where the nutmeg had all drained to the base of the bowl.

Egg Nog Variations

Traditional - eggs, sugar, double cream, milk, whisky & white rum

Low Fat - eggs, sugar, Elmlea Half Fat cream, skimmed milk, whisky & white rum

Sugar Free - eggs, Splenda, double cream, milk, whisky & white rum

No Alcohol - eggs, sugar, double cream, milk & vanilla extract

Non Dairy - eggs, sugar, soya milk, whisky & white rum

Caribbean - eggs, sugar, double cream, coconut milk, whisky & malibu

Chocolate - eggs, sugar, double cream, milk, cocoa powder, chocolate essence, brandy & dark rum

Seasonal Pink - eggs, sugar, double cream, milk, cranberry juice & port

Spiced - eggs, sugar, double cream, milk, cloves, cinammon, whisky & white rum

Nutty - eggs, sugar, double cream, milk, almond extract & amaretto

broomstick27

Queen.Bess wrote:

Found some more things around the house to 'recycle' this Christmas. Am just 50 points away from getting my 2 Boots vouchers on pigsback and have redeemed 1500 points on lightspeed hoping for a £15 voucher for a decent high street shop - Does anyone know what shops you can have vouchers for from Lightspeed?

Lightspeed vouchers are from very similar shops to pigsback ones ie Boots, Arcadia and Leisure. Do take ageees to come though but if you're lucky they should arrive by christmas!