Christmas preparations.

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barbarp

Facilitator
Aug 20, 2008
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Dorset
Yep it's coming up to that time of year that we all dread again so heres a few ideas for you.

1. Crafts , there are a huge amount of craft tutorials on the web so its well worth looking at sites such as Craft magazine which do a round up of some of the best. If you have kids, get them involved and grandparents will love a gift thats got their little thumb prints all over it!

2. Online, If you have friends who like unusual gifts then I would shop around online because if you start now you won't get stuck with postage problems.
Baby girl boutique are very good and they give a 10 % discount. I think if it shows that you've put some thought in and looked for something special rather than just gone out and got the latest craze people will appreciate.

3. Voucher books.
We always did this as kids, made up a book of IOUs such as '1 breakfast in bed' , 'trip to the sea side' that could be used through out the year...but you gotta honour them :eek: I'm hoping to get some of these this year for help with decorating and sorting out the garden in the new house..
 
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scotchlass

Facilitator
Sep 5, 2008
111
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Great ideas!!! I am going to get christmassy craft ideas for the kids to do decorations for the tree- our decorations are looking a bit tired and will save a bit as well as keeping the kids amused!

I would suggest getting xmas gifts from your kid's school. Mine has just had a Xmas fair - the kids had made Xmas cards, calendars and canvas bags. Not only do they make great Xmas gifts but it helps the schools fundraising too!
 
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Jorumian

Facilitator
Sep 1, 2008
347
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Birkenhead
One idea we use is to give the children a medium sized Christmas stocking each year which they put at the end of their beds and each year it is filled with toys, games, sweets, fruit, books etc etc...

And the cheapest way to fill the stocking on the cheap is to head to shops like Poundland or their equivalent. I know a lot of the stuff is not top quality, but the children still play with them and enjoy them and things like pencils, crayons, notepads, rulers, rubbers, pencil cases, calculators, chocolates or sweets, balloons, fruit as well as the books and toys they have for sale there can see you easily fill up a stocking for around £10 -£20 per child.

Obviously it isn't really for older kids or the very young, but primary school age kids love it... they've no idea what the items cost! It's only when they start to realise you have to be careful!

Incidentally, I don't advocate wrapping up a single rubber or pencil sharpener! I would put them inside a new pencil case and wrap that! I am not completely Mr Scrooge...
 
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scotchlass

Facilitator
Sep 5, 2008
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JUst to let you know that I got most of the kids stocking fillers from Poundland (never been in before and just love it-I swear I was in there and hour at least! lol).

My boy who is 2 has played with a motorbike toy that makes an engine noise the most- and it was a £1!!

Thanks for pointing out this shop to me- it will be of great benefit in the future.:)
 
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Jorumian

Facilitator
Sep 1, 2008
347
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Birkenhead
Hi Scotchlass,

I'm glad you found it useful, and that your kids also enjoyed the presents. We did exactly the same and true to form, my daughter was as excited about the £1 tub of felt tip pens as she was about her Wii Fit board and games! We also bought a lot of stuff for my daughters birthday in there to go inside the party bags that you give to children. It's so much cheaper. They also do a decent price on biscuits and cleaning stuff and while there is not a huge choice, what is there is usually markedly cheaper than the supermarkets.

I have made a total idiot of myself in the shop one time however, when I went in with my wife for the first time and complained loudly that it was so stupid that they didn't put the prices on any of the merchandise in the shop... No wonder she gives me those looks of disdain sometimes!
 
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Witch consumer

Moderator
Sep 8, 2008
1,593
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Debtors retreat
My son and I have invented a little game where we take my husband to Poundland and see how much stuff we can get him to buy by telling him how useful it will come in round the house.

He has bought a weather vane which he has put on the top of the pergola, a snowman, santa and rudolf for the dashboard of his van, flashing lights for round the dogs necks when he takes them for a walk at night oh and a duck keyring that quacks and lights up so he can see his keyhole in the dark!!!!

I must admit sometimes my son and I have to hide behind displays we're laughing so much.
 
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KimDo

New Member
Dec 15, 2008
10
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0
I'm so sad that this awesome christmas time is already over!
It is so good to see everyone caring about everyone - everybody is so nice and happy ... it should be christmas more than once a year :)
 
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