Christmas 2023 #2

[lookwhatthecatdraggedin1]

Wooo just won a bundle on a Instagram giveaway for Christmas. Two pairs of personalised red pyjamas, two personalised stockings, a personalised plate for Santa’s cookies etc and two personalised baubles so there’s the kids with some new bits

 

[CallMeHollywood]

We do family presents now as it’s much cheaper. Usually something edible.

Do not go bankrupt over Christmas, people. It’s not worth it.

 

[ChubClubThug]

For those of you that loved Paperchase, I read something this morning about Paperchase products being available in Tesco stores soon?
ETA that it will be Christmas products

 

[AuntFanny]

Oh my days, I'm so pleased ive found this thread. I'm a Christmas lover and I'm always the first to have my tree up even though I live with the Grinch and his mini me hubby, oldest lad 16 (never asks for anything)13yr old (she asks for everything!) & our little one is nearly 2 so the fun is about to start all over again
I'm starting my shopping tomorrow

 

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

I just want to let you all know you are ENABLERS! OMG the amount of money I've spent recently on getting Xmas gifts and decs, etc

I need to stop coming on this thread. Just spent the discount on Etsy

 

[Chocolategoggler]

Seeing as how you liked the garden centre "baking" Christmas display I'm posting the tree they did.
Apologies for my mobile phone photography, it was all so much better in real life.

 

[princessmaire80]

Well another Christmas haul has happened. Wasn’t intended (well some of it was to be fair)
Had to pop into town to pick up something so I thought I would get OH’s shower gels while I was there- I usually get him a load of shower gels on offer for Xmas.
Boots had Lynx with 1/3 off and Superdrug had 1/2 price Dove, so I got 6 of each for him. I added my Totum card to my Boots Advantage card so I got an extra 10% off- they also had a fancy Gillette razor, normally £49.99 on 29.99 for Advantage Card members so I got him one of those too. Total saving £35.
Next was a Hugo by Hugo Boss hoodie from JD. Reduced from 95 to 65 saving £30. That’s for OH.
Back then to Boots for gifts for nephews. 2 bottles of Dior Sauvage- 15% off fragrance offer, plus extra 10% with Totum card. Original price £69, I paid £52.20 each. Saving of £30. A bottle of Lady Million for niece- 42.80. Saved £13.16 with discounts, and also got double points and 400 extra points for spending over £20 with Advantage card offers.
Half price Dove in Superdrug- saved £11.40.
Total savings- give or take a few pence- £120. Well happy!!! And I’ve now got £13 worth of Advantage points that I intend to use towards buying gifts for OH’s family.
Also got all my Xmas cards, as well.
This Christmas seems far easier. Last Christmas was horrible because of the postal strikes- I spent most of November and December crying because I didn’t know how on earth I would manage. But we’ve been far more fortunate this year, we’ve both had bonuses and back payments so I’ve managed to get ahead.
I have every sympathy to anyone struggling this Xmas- it’s horrible. I’m going to see if I can give extra to the food bank.

 

[Meg78]

I used to always buy my gift wrap in the sales but I’m now trying to be more eco sustainable with my choices, I’m also trying to support more small businesses where I can, so, *cracks knuckles* I’m going to share my 3 favourite Christmas-adjacent businesses with all of you, which is risky as they haven’t dropped this years stock yet so I might be giving myself competitors when they open (last year the Rudolph set sold out in 6 minutes!)

1) Festive Fingerprints
Cards, gift tags and wrapping paper you personalise with finger prints. Sounds weird but is super cute, great idea for either kids or a more elderly relative where you want to help them make something more meaningful.

2) Organised Chaos with Kids
Natural play dough company but they go all out for Christmas. Last year I got some roleplay sets for feeding Rudolph, building a tiny snowman and some mats where you decorate faces, kept the tiny human busy for days!

3) Planet Wrap It
Gift cards, tags and wrapping paper, I’ve already bought their Nostalgia, Penguin and Christmas Unicorn wrapping paper for this year as well as a huge roll of blank red Kraft paper for £2.80! Love that they give the option for folded or rolls so you can choose your storage options too

I’m in no way affiliated with any of them I just really like finding more unique gift ideas, last year I gave my nephew a play dough set wrapped in paper he could draw on along with a fingerprint reindeer card and he STILL raves about it 9 months on. If you’re looking for something a bit different this year I highly recommend them all

 

[EssieBessie]

Probably a bit late to the party with this but I just saw it advertised on my IG - Fortnum and Mason’s musical advent calendar. A different song every day. Love this idea!

 

[Calmyourtitsdown]

Feeling proper smug… got paid the other day, and for the first time ever, I’ve used some of my September pay check towards Christmas…
I’ve ordered my daughter two sets of Christmas pj’s from M&S (they have a 2 for £16 offer), along with a ‘Christmas telegram’ from Father Christmas and ‘nice list’ rosette from a little company on Instagram called Sugarplum Fable Co. Feeling like a mega organised, grown up person

 

[ChubClubThug]

Not impressed with the M&S Christmas food this year. They've added about a fiver on everything, if not more and the choice is really poor

I have ordered those chocolate pine cones twice and they've gone from being £8.00, to £12.00 and this year they are £15.00! They are delicious and look so cute dressed on the plate, but wow they are deffo not worth £15.00 a box!

 

[honeybunny2012]

Looking for opinions - last November I went through a really tragic bereavement, and i am really dreading November this year but I absolutely love Christmas. I would like to put my Christmas Decorations up early in November to cheer me up and act as a distraction. Do you think this is too early and / or insensitive?

 

[Em_]

I couldn't believe how much chrostmas stock they had in b&m, I've got my eye on a ferris wheel. I couldn't buy anything as had the husband with me and I couldn't deal with the moaning.

 

[Megansnarkle]

My M&S has started to get their Christmas stuff in!

 

[ATV2021]

I have diarised the 25th November as xmas tree day . Unless the coca cola advert comes on prior to that (everyone knows that's the key for xmas )

 

[coconochanel]

Yes this is the Christmas thread where you can discuss all things Christmas . So far we have discussed....

What we put in Christmas eve boxes
Ideas for advent calender gifts
Things to do and see over the Xmas period
What gifts we would like to receive
Our Christmas traditions
if we've started buying anything for Christmas yet *spoiler some tattlers have already finished Christmas shopping and a few have just started.

So make yourself a hot chocolate or mulled wine, (we don't judge here)get comfy and come and join in the festive chat.

 

[Silverback]

I’ve booked for the Ideal Home one today too. Excited!

Went into the Range for some home bits today and got sucked into the Christmas bit! Came away with the following:

baubles are only £1.50 each and the tea light candle house was about a river.

 

[Chocolategoggler]

Went to my local garden centre today looking for Christmas aisles and there wasn’t a single decoration up yet

I went to one last week and they said they would be opening the Christmas bit up on 19th October. They had got one display fully up which looked like the "baking" one and I have fallen in love with a mouse/hamster wearing a Santa hat. He was sat in a separate ceramic egg box without a lid right at the front of picture
View attachment 2473126

 

[knivesnflowers]

noticed these baubles in b&m today - neom do very similar. they’re an unfinished ceramic so you can add a few drops of fragrance oil and it’ll hold the scent for quite a while. maybe fir or pine if you want the smell of a real tree. actually think they'd be nice to add if gifting someone a room diffuser!

also bought my first roll of wrapping paper there so i can make a start on the gifts i already have. went for kraft with little gold stars but they had some really nice designs and matching ribbons

 

[Shesaidwhat?]

Am I going to get chucked off the thread for admitting I don’t like mince pies?