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Planning Ahead for Christmas : what should I be buying NOW?

Hello everyone! This is the thread where we get excited planning ahead for Christmas, and in which you make sure I (or you, or anyone else!) don't miss out on anything (especially seasonal items) which I/we really ought to be buying now.

For example, I'm thinking it might be a good time to do a raid on Poundland this weekend to get stocked up on some of their cheap gardening stuff (kneeling mats, hand fork/trowel sets, gloves etc) before it disappears off the shelves, so I can put together an inexpensive gardening themed hamper for grandparents at Christmas.

I'm also thinking of making small Christmas gifts for some of the people I work with, and have just ordered a pack of 10 coffee plant seeds from eBay for less than two quid. I'm hoping that if I plant them now (and IF they grow!) I might be able to wrap a tiny coffee plant in a cellophane bag each for them (possibly bulked out with other coffee-related things such as maybe chocolate-coated coffee beans or chocolate-dipped teaspoons) for something unusual yet inexpensive.

I'm constantly on the look-out all year long for cheap baskets etc to use as hampers ...... what else should I be snapping up now while it's available, and which I'll regret not having done come December?

Ideas warmly welcomed! Let's get organized (yes, yes, I know it's still only June ....)

Thanks!

C J
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Comments

  • sethsgran
    sethsgran Posts: 2,855 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Are you into any crafts like sewing, stitchery, knitting etc? If so you could start to get organised with a plan of projects to do.
    Have you made your christmas list thats a great place to start.
    Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes
  • greenpixey
    greenpixey Posts: 2,806 Forumite
    I'm going to the Poundshop this payday to have a look . Perhaps buying some tools and stuff for my husband/brother. They are forever complaining that their screwdrivers and such are missing so I'm thinking of making them a hamper.
    It's either that or a winter car hamper with emergency stuff that would be good to have handy if the car brakes down Torch, batteries, blanket, something to nibble on like chocolate, first aid kit, hat scarf and gloves etc(might be a bit early for this kind of stuff but I'm having a look anyway)...

    Like your idea for the gardening theme, that's the kind of thinks I'd like to receive myself.
  • rainmac
    rainmac Posts: 7,063 Forumite
    Home Insurance Hacker! Cashback Cashier
    Hi CJ, have you seen this thread? May find some ideas for crafty things to make :D
    :wave: If you want the rainbow, you've got to put up with the rain :wave:
  • rainmac
    rainmac Posts: 7,063 Forumite
    Home Insurance Hacker! Cashback Cashier
    I've started with a list this week of everyone to buy/make for and idea of what that it going to be. Looks manageable to do in 6 months.

    I've just ordered some plain wooden door handle hangers/signs and some papers and bits to decorate them for kiddie presents. This will be my first crafty make for Xmas - hoping it will be quite easy to do so can get them done and put away and move onto the next thing!
    :wave: If you want the rainbow, you've got to put up with the rain :wave:
  • C_J
    C_J Posts: 3,109 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Thanks everyone for your suggestions, and thanks to rainmac for the link to the crafty christmas thread.

    I'm already working on christmas lists, and trying to think up new ideas for gifts i.e. last year I did the wonderful "retro sweetie boxes" for my husband and brother, but this year I saw something on the web which was a set of 'nesting' gift boxes each filled with a different load of sweets/chocolates, and then tied together with ribbons in one enormous stack, like this one :

    http://www.RiverStreetSweets.com/WebData/Product/31409/Images//Medium_RSSTowerConfections_FNL.jpg

    But what I was really asking was what should I be snapping up now, which might have disappeared off the shelves by Christmas time - seasonal summer things which might be difficult to get once the winter stock is on the stores.

    I was thinking I might do a skiing holiday basket for my husband who is off on a boys' ski trip in the new year, so now might be a good time to snap up things like sun lotion from poundland. That sort of thing :)
  • SDH
    SDH Posts: 310 Forumite
    Well I have officially started my christmas shopping .... by ordering 2 movie clapperboards off eBay for some "family movie hampers" I am planning on making my friends & their kids.
    =====================================
    MSE fan ... so that I can afford Sam, my horse :j
    Married - 25th Sept 2010 :D

    Baby girl born July 2011, 9lb10oz, homebirth @ 15days overdue!
    Baby boy due christmas day 2013, born 4 days late (phew), 8lb8oz, another homebirth
  • SugarSpun
    SugarSpun Posts: 8,559 Forumite
    I've done most of my gift shopping - my mother buys most of the food, and I'll organise buying wine at the end of November.

    Sainsburys had DAD socks and cufflinks sets for £1.24 yesterday.
    Organised Birthdays and Christmas: Spend So Far: £193.75; Saved from RRP £963.76
    Three gifts left to buy
  • jamtart6
    jamtart6 Posts: 8,302 Forumite
    I would wait for the sale in Wilkinsons for cheap gardening things.

    I got a trowel, fork thing, watering can for 81p (for all 3!) in wilkinsons 75% off sale, was around end of sept. They are good for cheap gloves etc.

    :ABeing Thrifty Gifty again this year:A

  • How about looking for fathers day gifts that have gone down?
    Our local tesco had heaps yesterday
  • greenpixey wrote: »
    I'm going to the Poundshop this payday to have a look . Perhaps buying some tools and stuff for my husband/brother. They are forever complaining that their screwdrivers and such are missing so I'm thinking of making them a hamper.
    It's either that or a winter car hamper with emergency stuff that would be good to have handy if the car brakes down Torch, batteries, blanket, something to nibble on like chocolate, first aid kit, hat scarf and gloves etc(might be a bit early for this kind of stuff but I'm having a look anyway)...

    Like your idea for the gardening theme, that's the kind of thinks I'd like to receive myself.

    For a tool hamper why not get a tool box instead of a basket then its usable afterwards

    Shaz
    *****
    Shaz
    *****
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