OS Christmas Support thread & timetable

katieowl_2

OK so I am stuck with the stockings for a bit - I might well use one of the gag gifts for DD Queenie, but I probably should have told you DS's nickname is Victor Meldrew!!! (LOL)

We used to use Pillowcases....but I am pretty sure this year I will stick with the smaller stockings.

The American sites have great stuff...one of the other boards I go on (Frugal Living on About) are full of great food gifts to make.
Regards

Kate

Moll

Desperate of Sydenham

Well my "Kids" are DD age 25 and DS age 22 , and they still have a stocking ,
Usually stuff it with big stuff that doesnt cost a lot , like a magazine i know they would like, scarf. cheap choccies, maybe even a bottle of wine/ booze,
Its all part of our christmas, .,they always open thier stockings upstairs,( DD still opens hers on our bed !!) and then they open anything else downstairs, bearing in mind thier ages, if DS has been out the night before celebrating he might not surface till Christmas day is nearly over :beer:
I look on the stockings as one of thier presents, but i know they enjoy them or i would just stop doing it

Love
Moll x

pink_fairy_7

Hi

I did an inventory of all the gifts etc hidden up stairs, listed them all on an excel spreadsheet, password protected it (so the kids didn't see it on the computer). My DD got ill and 8 weeks later I can't remember the password!!

Oh well. I know what I'm doing this Sunday

pink fairy x

lilmisskitkat

Can't wait for Xmas!

I bought all my cards and wrap in the jan sales so thats done with. I've been buying presents throughout the year and have managed to get some good bargains.

I got DD's main pressie from Bargain crazy months ago, its an M&P pilko dolls pram - £14.99 instead of £29.99, then i was really lucky as i came across a M&P dolls bouncy chair in the same fabric for £3 in a charity shop - good as new! And i've just bought the matching changing bag for £2.90 inc p&p on Ebay Tiny Tears will be the poshest dolly around lol. Then i've got her some jammies, dvd and some playmobil and i just need to get stocking fillers.

Everyone else i leave until Dec, they all chop and change their minds about what they're into. I only buy for my mam, dad and sis though, no other adults. We have an agreement to only buy for little ones in the family so i've got my 2 nephews and niece to buy for too.

Loving this thread!

Kate xxx

lilmisskitkat

Moll wrote:

Desperate of Sydenham

Well my "Kids" are DD age 25 and DS age 22 , and they still have a stocking ,
Usually stuff it with big stuff that doesnt cost a lot , like a magazine i know they would like, scarf. cheap choccies, maybe even a bottle of wine/ booze,
Its all part of our christmas, .,they always open thier stockings upstairs,( DD still opens hers on our bed !!) and then they open anything else downstairs, bearing in mind thier ages, if DS has been out the night before celebrating he might not surface till Christmas day is nearly over :beer:
I look on the stockings as one of thier presents, but i know they enjoy them or i would just stop doing it

Love
Moll x

Lol, i'm 20 and my mam still does me a stocking! I get nail varnish, eyeshadow, socks, chocolate, lil bottle of Baileys, body spray, notebook and pen etc

I'm such a big kid when it comes to Xmas, even though i'm a mummy now, i get as excited as Leah

Kate xxx

lilmisskitkat

Lillibet wrote:

I had the idea of putting my sons handprints onto some white mugs for pressies but am stumped on what paint to use? Most paint would eventually wash off, any one got any bright ideas?

Thanks

When Leah (now 4) was little i made Xmas cards with reindeers on, using her handprints as antlers and stuck on some googly eyes It looked so sweet and is nice for people to keep as a memento of when they're tiny (as they're not tiny long enough!). I also included a photo of her with the card.

Kate xxx

pavlovs_dog

thats a really nice idea lilmisskitkat

pavlovs_dog

another charity shop site to look at is SAVE THE CHILDREN for those interested in this sort of thing


EDIT:

better still, i've just found THIS

PaleScene

I left the halcyon land of a Father Christmas stocking when I got married. I did get an extra year though after leaving home as I lived with a friend for a year and we agreed to do stockings for each other.

It's a real culture shock going into Christmas with someone other than your family - my flatmate (and best friend) talked me into a very expensive present for her, and though mine was similarly lavish in return it felt all wrong to be pushing the boat way out on one person (I have a large family so money always has to go round). She also wanted to do handovers at quite the wrong time of day :rolleyes:

Now it is me and my husband, things are nicely settled. As we don't have children of our own, we spend generously on each other (around a hundred, which covers all those box sets we couldn't afford other times of the year) and I've kept a limit of c.£20 on everyone else in the family (which runs to 20+ people, plus a couple of little things for friends). I like the fact that we don't distinguish between the kids (nieces and nephews) and adults because as an adult with a very healthy inner-child I wouldn't like one of those 'lets just buy for the kids' arrangements, and I also think it's quite balanced to treat everyone the same. The only bias I have to fight is that as I do all the shopping it is much easier with my family, knowing better what they'll like.

My OH used to do a Christmas Club through work, but it tended to get to Christmas and I'd find that somehow only 7 or 8 months worth had been collected. When the ladies running it retired it turned out to be a blessing as I just opened an account for it and set up a dd. Now I try to combine leaving the money to sit tight with a 0% card that can be paid off once it's all over.

This year I'm making my own cards - and looking forward to it. I've got the card blanks, and am going to treat myself to a wander round the big crafty place in Gloucester for foils and ribbons and so on to go on top :j This isn't the first year I've done some homemade cards, but it is the first I intend to roll out to all the recipients, so I hope they are received as lovingly made and not 'saving the price of buying'!

8pnoodles

Just wanted to post if this helps anyone out. I'm making a christmas hamper for my bloke.

And it's not going to cost a thing. I'm making it out of a cardboard box I'll find from somewhere and cover it with leftover christmas paper. I'm filling it with as many freebies as possible off the internet.

I've ordered a TON but none have arrived yet. It's really exciting and fun to do! Getting him the original source shower gel mini bottle, about ten billion samples of tea, shaving gel sample, some snack bars and an energy gel sachet(!?). He's just got a PSP so I've applied for the free Spiderman 2 UMD movie for him. And registered with screenselect through a link that'll fingers crossed give me a free copy of shaun of the dead on DVD! And I get the month free trial!

I did cave at one point, they were giving away free games for the pc, fairly good ones, but you had to pay £2.99 packaging. Got him a starsky and hutch driving game.

Anyway thought I'd post now, because it'll probably take til christmas for all these things to arrive!

Been spending all my coffee breaks at work scanning through all the freebie sites for this stuff. It's been really good fun. And if it wasn't for this site I never would have thought of the idea in the first place.