OS Christmas Support thread & timetable

moggins

I'm waiting restlessly until tomorrow when I can empty the cupboards and check out everything I've bought and make lists for what goes to who.

furrypig

Oh yes Moggins, I can't quite decide what my priorities are for tomorrow when the kids go back to school.....
writing lists?
sorting cupboard with pressie?
going shopping on my own?

The latter seems appealing if I can get any more bargains in the sales!

leni

Since everyone raves about Delia's Christmas Cake - why not try her mincemeat?

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/home-made-christmas-mincemeat,1235,RC.html

I'm making all my christmas cakes (20 mini ones) over the next few weeks! Might make some this week!

Cheapskate

DS is back at school tomorrow, so I can start Christmas stuff in earnest! Just given up main job, so have to watch the pennies again. I always make my own Xmas cakes, mice pies & other edible stuff, some of which I give as presents.
Got a nice mug in sale at Whittard & Chelsea that I'm going to fill with h/m chocs for my brother.
Have a new grandson now, so am on the look-out for good quality inexpensive present (he's 6 months at Christmas).
There are millions of blackberries near me, so I'm going to pick & freeze some to make into jam when I have enough empty jars - just need to buy extra sugar so the present will not cost too much, just a bit of nice ribbon to tie round the tops.
Also, for my oldest 2 who don't live at home I'm going to make up address & birthday books with family details in (decorated in a scrapbooking style) to save them trying to remember or losing details when they buy a new phone & don't transfer info!

furrypig

Cheapskate wrote:

DS is back at school tomorrow, so I can start Christmas stuff in earnest! Just given up main job, so have to watch the pennies again. I always make my own Xmas cakes, mice pies & other edible stuff, some of which I give as presents.

I know we are here to moneysave but I think making mice pies might be going a bit too far!!!:rotfl:
Having said that who did you give them too?? Any ideas for cheap christmas presents goes down well and the cat does catch the odd mouse or rat (maybe rat pie is taking it a bit too far!)

Thanks for making me giggle.:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

mrs-moneypenny

oh i want to go out and build a snow man now!! ive been trawling through this thread printing off ideas for pressies and recipies, cant wait to get started. I must get my cake recipie out and buy ingredients asap.
daughter has brought hyacinths bulbs and two lovely rustic pots (just need bulb fibre) to plant up for grandma and nannas pressies. shes already made some candles for other rellies.
I must sort out my squirrel box and see whats lurking, and do card lists.
You have all given me inspiration, thank you:T

Fairy22

Roz_V wrote:

:eek: I need help :eek:

It is my boyfriend's 21st birthday on 8th December, and obviously Xmas is only a few weeks later! But I'm really stuck as to what to get for him!!

We are saving for a trip to NYC next winter (2007) and have agreed that for our respective 21st birthdays and Xmas' we are only going to spend £10 on each other (including card) and put the other £90 or so that we'd usually spend into our savings fund...

But I'm stuck!! He's really difficult to buy for usually without a budget as he doesn't really have a "hobby" as such - he's a techie and loves his computers and gadgets but I never know what to get!!! Last Xmas I bought him a wallet, socks :rolleyes: , and a computer gadget that he'd asked for, and for his birthday I made him a "sexy cheque book" <-- wish I'd saved that for this year though!!

So please, OS'ers - I have £20 and I need 2 presents for a 21yo male!! :eek:

Last year I had the same problem for our anniversary after having our baby, except we were totally broke and said we could only spend £10.
I got a big jar and bought loads of ket type sweets like love hearts and his favorites. Then bought some red card and made some love heart shaped notes with reason's why I love him and little 'favors' cards ha ha, how embarrassing !. Anyway he loved it it it only cost about a fiver, he still dips in to it now to read the little notes when he's feeling peed off. Was better than by prezzie anyway of a bar of dairy milk and a red lacy thong !
Hope this helps, x

Roz_V

Had the present box out yesterday and sorted out exactly who I'm giving to who. I also seperated the stuff that I've allocated from the "spare" things as I found I have duplicated some items :eek:

Then wrote a list of everything else I need to buy to complete various kits etc and went to Asda and Boots on my dinner break All Birthdays for the rest of the year are sorted, as are close family Xmas presents - all I need now is Boots to start their 3 for 2 on gifts so I can buy for my friends (not OS and wouldn't appreciate a homemade gift )!!

Feel very proud and organised now so going to reward myself with a bottle of wine that I found in my box, and for some reason didn't manage to allocate to anybody :rotfl:

Roz_V

Also thanks for the NYC present ideas... Still not 100% sure what I want to get for him but I like Fairy22's idea... I'm originally from the town where they make Love Hearts, Parma Violets, Drumstick lollies etc (all made by Swizzles Matlow in New Mills Derbyshire!) so will get one of my friend's mum who works there to grab me a cheap bag

carriel_2

lillydrip wrote:

A fancied the idea of making my own scarves as xmas pressies so just went into local craft shop and they wanted to charge £4.30 for a ball of wool! :eek: Needless to say I did not buy it because then my scarves would hardly be moneysaving, is this generally the price of wool? (I'm a first time knitter!) and if not can anybody suggest cheaper places to buy wool. My local It's a Gift were charging £1.50 for a tiny ball.

that does seem expensive, I love knitting, & I recommend your local charity shop for cheap yarn, mine sells 100g of acrylic for 50p to £1 a ball, its not lovely & soft, but it does wash well. There are some really nice free scarf patterns online I can direct you too if you'd like, including a nice cable pattern for men (men are hard to knit for!) I'm not sure if you're allowed to post links on here, but if you PM me I can send you some links.

For really cheap yarn, check charity shops for knitted jumpers, they often have upto 1000g wool in them if you dont mind unraveling them.