OS Christmas Support thread & timetable

kethry

samsampotts wrote:

My boyfriends dad is Dutch so I am looking for Dutch inspiration for his parents hamper - any ideas?

my OH is dutch as well (living in the UK with me of course though!). I have to say i know my OH's parents prefer to sample english food (think cheese and port)... but if you wanted to do some dutch food then i would look out for european markets that i know are prevalent in many cities. Manchester usually has one in the run up to christmas if that's any good, and i know there are stalls there that sell dutch cheeses and dutch ... they're kinda like cookies, but very popular around the time of Sinterklaas (Pepernoten i think they're called).

This site might help, and this message board is very good for lots of dutch ex-pats, otherwise the only other thing i can suggest is online dutch food companies - this is a good example (although the site is temporarily down) or this one.

Hope those help! Good luck with your search...

keth
xx

samsampotts

Thanks for all the suggestions - you've all been a great help! I went into a shop called Au Natrel yesterday - they have a lot of BOGOF's on gift boxes, nice mugs, candles etc. Loads of stuff actually, I bought two gift boxes, one is going to be a winter warmer box and the other a chocolate lovers box. I got a nice mug for each box and some chocolate scented candles too - the whole lot came to just over a fiver! For the wnter warmer box I found a lovely item in Dunelm, its like a lavender wheat bag which you can heat in the microwave, except its a cuddly pig! They do other animals as well at £4.99 each. I expect each box to toal about £9 each when finished which is better than the usual £30 each I would be spending on my sisters!

Roz_V

Page 5????? Shame on you.... Especially because:

:xmastree: 70 days to Christmas :xmastree:

nicki_2

I got a relation sorted out at the weekend. I sent off for the " Free Anything Under £5 On mandmdirect! wallets,t-shirts, Hats, Belts Anything U Want!" and got a Ben Sherman baseball cap :j I'm a very happy bunny as that has saved me £5

Will need to sit down this week and finalise ideas for people. Then DD and I can start on the crafty things next week during half-term

Queenie

tiff wrote:

If anyone is looking for small baskets, Lidl will have some in on Mon 16th

http://www.lidl.co.uk/uk/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20061016.p.Wicker_Basket.ar6

Knowing our local Lidl, these will run out PDQ! So, if you're planning on getting some ... go!

Queenie

Ruby_Pudding wrote:

Will this thread be moving to the new board now?

It hasn't yet and as our 3 BG's are very much on the ball in these matters, methinks our OS thread will stay here - but don't quote me on it :laugh:

full-time-mum

Queenie wrote:

It hasn't yet and as our 3 BG's are very much on the ball in these matters, methinks our OS thread will stay here - but don't quote me on it :laugh:

I did post a link to this thread in there so at least people will be able to find us!

Blairweech

Roz_V wrote:

Page 5????? Shame on you.... Especially because:

:xmastree: 70 days to Christmas :xmastree:

Or to put it another way...

THAT'S ONLY TEN WEEKS PEOPLE!!!!! 10 WEEKS!!! AAAAAAAAARRRRGH!

mirakl

I made my very first Christmas cake last night! Woo hoo! I'm on my way to an organised Christmas!

shetitasatic

Sorry if anyone has already posted this!
If you're like me and save all the tissue paper from purchases (shoes, china etc.) and then find it's too creased to re-use - put it through the shredder and you have tissue paper 'straw' - it's great when making up baskets/hampers to nestle things in and fill gaps. It looks very professional, especially if coloured. HTH!