OS Christmas Support thread & timetable

fedupfreda

wannabe_sybil wrote: »

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Planning for Christmas :eek::eek::eek:

I so agree, doesn't anyone realise Xmas is a 4 letter word.......:rolleyes:

I get really depressed this time of year, once my birthday has been and gone (1st August) I then think 'ok, downhill all the way now'. It wouldn't be so bad if ds1, nephew and MIL didn't also have their birthdays in December - I know too many saggitarians! Consequently I come to the end of the year totally skint despite my best efforts :mad: (really must try harder this year....:o ) Still I shall be reading this thread from the beginning to get some good ideas, then hopefully I will end the year in the black for once.....:j

boddy

Oooh a Christmas thread. Up till this year Ive always been a last minute person. Running around like mad. I love Christmas.

But this year I have started early. I did quite a bit of overtime at the beginning of the year so put that away. Have got DDs main present as I know its something she really wants. I have 2 GSs and they have got beating jobs so they got theirs early as they wanted walking boots. I have two young GGDs. I got one a Dora The Explorer space hopper she wanted from the local cheap supermarket By the time Christmas comes she will have forgot she wanted it and it will be a surprise.

Im going to do decorated shoe boxes with bits and pieces for everyone. Already have lots of toiletries I saw on bogof offers.

My DD loves Christmas too and cant wait to get everything out.

One Christmas mum was ill in hospital and I had bought DD a large reindeer. We took it to the hospital with us and it really uplifted everyone and there was lots of laughter.

Im looking forward to getting some great ideas.

mary43

Real panic on this morning when I couldn't find some things I'd 'put by' for Christmas in my 'santas grotto' bedroom..............lol discovered them eventually then realised I couldn't find all the gift baskets and other stuff !!:eek: Thats what happens when you have a tidy up.............!! Found them tucked in a space underneath the wardrobe thats normally stuffed with spare bedding.....................lol So, now I've located everything, another day, when the kids are out for the day, I just might get stuck into sorting it all out, who's having what etc.
Could do with a timetable for that................:j

queenb1981

same here i got all my gifts in a room, its all packed in so tight that i forget what i got, even though i try to put it all down in a book,i am prone to forget if i buy new things. Need kids to go back to school so i can decide who is having what and i might even start thinking about wrapping some coz i got so many.

SuziQ

I hve had a much erlier start this year,having caught on to a load of bargain toys from argos from the rgo thread. I hve got 11 toys for my youngest,total cost £46 but the non sale price was £139! I will have to battle with myself now,to stop myself buying him a lod more as I have my 2 eldest children to buy for-and being 18 and 12,their gifts always seem so pricey.
I spent a lovely evening last Tuesday,with a small glass of baileys left over from last Christmas,wrapping the all and they are all safely hidden now. As I m likely to be having a major op simetime before Christmas I will feel lot happier if I have the bulk of the presents sorted really early (then even if I popped my clogs the kids would get their presents-sorry,bit of a sick bit of humour!)
I have saved all my Tesco vouchers as I do every year. However since being on the grocery challenge I spend much less now and the last 2 have been half what I would have got last year-I do have some coins saved up in a tin where I put some away each time I do a really bargain shop.
Will be reading this thread from the start and following it keenly!

DdraigGoch

Only just found this thread - THANK YOU!!

I'm an odd combination of "start shopping in the Christmas Sales" and "last minute panic". I somehow manage to get all the cards written, then forget to post them, get the presents early and either discover they're "wrong" or forget to wrap them until Christmas Eve, etc Is there anyone else like this out there, or is it just me?!

So far I have all the wrappings, cards, stamps, addresses [must check them in November to ensure no-one's got hatched, matched or despatched before I send the cards out] all my OH's presents and decided what to do for everyone else. This year I've actually done a spreadsheet with it all on - I'm even contemplating putting the Christmas Food list on there. It just might stop me over buying as usual - or it might just tell me where to find the chocolates ..... and I really shouldn't do that - again *oops*

DG

zarazara

I'd like to join in please

mhe

OHHH - Christmas - I love it!! I have 12 of my 30 gifts bought already. I stocked up on paper in Tescos in the sale last year and Im putting thigs away in the freezer for Christmas as well. Also buying wine/drink and storing it in the garage when I see a good offer. I will be making my own cards and cake and mince pies. I cant wait for September cos all the stuff will come in the shops.
Dashing thru the snow, in a one horse open sleigh......

SuziQ

I was cleaning out a drawer earlier,and found my Christmaas planning book from last year (had forgotten all about it aas I had never done anything in one book before-hadn't discovered MSE then!)


Now last year,I was still with my ex,we were both employed (although our business was failing and I am still owed wages).
I cannot believe how much I spent on the children,food etc.
The list of gifts for the kids borders on the ridiculous- lots of it they have never even looked at since Christmas day!

I don't have the money this year and have told them so-although they did say to me 'oh you always say that!'
However this year it really is true,and I am going to be very firm. I have almost all my youngests presents-I am just waiting as you know how kids always have 1 or 2 things they desperately want and we do that as their 'main' present.
My daughter has already said she really would prefer to have money as she is off to Uni and will want to treat herself in the sales (this I dread,as giving money means you can't bargain hunt and make it go further!)
My oldest boy will mainly want Wii and psp games-v v v expensive and I would think little chance of a bargain there!


Still, I am going to do the same as last year and buy a cheaper real tree-we normally spend around £40,but last year went for a £20 one,it was beautiful and hardly shed at all so will do that again. Plus I have given up alcohol almost completely since splitting with my ex (Never drank much before I met him but he LOVED a drink-and his drink was Jack Daniels-very expensive!)

So will just get a couple of nice bottles of wine for Christmas dinner,some cheap Bucks Fizz for the kids and bottle of m&s cava for new year-I reckon on the alcohol bill alone I will save £100!

I make all my own cards and went mad last year-still have 52 left so that will help this year too!

So that's my thinking and by writing it here I can keep track-sorry to bore everyone else with my ramblings!

La-Cara

I've been feeling really Christmassy this week so I'm glad I've found this thread! I've been planning what to get everyone, and got a few presents in the sales recently. Started the christmas cakes today, and I need to learn to make shortbread this year- I meant to last year and forgot!