Christmas Gifts

**vicky** · 10-11-2008, 08:17 AM

Amazon.co.uk: Present Time Photo Family Time Frame Clock, Coloured: Kitchen & Home

I've found this fab clock, also in silver or black. Will take photos of the children holding the numbers to put in the photo frames.

**jackie j** · 10-11-2008, 08:26 AM

Prezzies for you or for you to give !!!

**MaureenHall** · 10-11-2008, 08:34 AM

Having a large family and living on a basic state pension, I must admit that I was getting more than a bit worried about being able to buy presents for everyone. However, my sisters have come up with a brilliant idea! Last year we all decided that we'd stop buying for neices and nephews as they'd all grown up now and they would understand. This year, we've decided that we're not buying for brothers-in-law and each of us sisters will buy for each other. The budget is �5 each and we have to get as many daft/silly presents as possible within that budget. We can make things from stuff we already have and that doesn't count in the expenditure. So far I've thought about home made cushion covers, pillow cases, aprons, marshmallows, dried apple rings, dried bananas, jam, marmalade, pickles, seeds, plant pots, plant labels. I've also got things that I bought ages ago as "emergency presents". Daft things I've bought so far are lollipops (will get other things as I think about them). I also used to be an Ann Summers agent so there's some "naughties" left over

. Freebies in the cupboard from McDonalds and out of packets of tea. I also thought about making each of them a cd of music from when they were 15 - the year they were born wouldn't work as they wouldn't remember them!!
It's going to be such a giggle when we start opening our sacks of prezzies, and we think it'll start to put Christmas spending into some sort of perspective.

**jackie j** · 10-11-2008, 09:25 AM

How about a scrapbook with photo's of you all growing up. My four sons have decided that this year with 3 of them having girlfriends they will do a secret santa spending about �20 per couple.

**lainey lou** · 10-11-2008, 10:34 AM

As there are a lot of us in my family, all the grown ups (!) put our name s in a hat and we each pick out one and buy for then, sort of secret santa but not secret. We have a budget of �30 so everyone gets one decent pressie but no one is skintified.
OH and I don't tend to buy for each other ( all you need is love!) we would rather make it special for the kids.

**Nicos** · 10-11-2008, 10:47 AM

My family is spread out a bit theses days - and a webcam has been a wonderful thing to use....do you have one????

**Polly Fouracre** · 10-11-2008, 12:54 PM

Do you mean bought presents or home-mades?

**ailsasyl** · 10-11-2008, 03:15 PM

as Happybunny is at school, I'll fill you in, we are on a really tight budget this year, as I was made redundant a couple of years ago and then unable to work for 6 months due to op on my ankle, although I am working again, earning a lot less and paying off debts incurred whilst unable to work.
HB is planning to make some cross stitch bookmarks etc for folk, she loves Christmas and gets really excited about deciding what to get people as much as the day itself. we will no doubt make a stop at our charity book shop, most of the books are like new.
The trickiest people we have to get for this year is my aunt, uncle and 17 year old male cousin as they are moving to Greece, in January, initially going for a year to see how things work out, but only taking a van load of stuff and living in rental so its hard to find things for them.

di · 10-11-2008, 03:22 PM

I was gonna tell you off for looking Ailsasyl

I think the idea of a scrapbook of photos & family memories would be especially apt for your Aunt & family.Also I agree with getting "silly" cheap pressies....much more fun & don't break the bank.Too often we've exceeded our limit on something we've got someone just for the sake of it.....only for the reciever to pop it in a drawer & maybe never look at!!

**jackie j** · 10-11-2008, 03:40 PM

My niece and her rowing crew have to find something silly for �1 for secret santa so look out pound shop.

**Marthaclematis** · 10-11-2008, 04:11 PM

I have calmed in my old age but I used to get really irritated with dh's family who, every year buy us around �20 each worth of.. well... 'tat' is all I can say - heaps of stuff like jumpers which don't fit and run in the wash and turn everything grey, candles that burn thick black smoke when lit, cheap and cheap looking, 'trinkets' ; knickers where the elastic came undone after wearing them twice.. It's like everything they buy is from Trotter's Traders, Peckham. And there's BAGS of it !! If only I had the courage to say 'look, just buy me three pairs of knickers from M&S - they'll cost the same but will last - and I'll wear them, and I'll have the courage to put them in the washing machine'.
But you can't can you... you have to be gratefull and 'ooooh and aaahhhh'. We've stopped buying them vouchers now and actually go to pound shops and the like and buy them sacks of stuff too - its quite good fun even though I know its all rubbish.

**lainey lou** · 10-11-2008, 04:24 PM

Originally posted by jackie j View Post

My niece and her rowing crew have to find something silly for �1 for secret santa so look out pound shop.

Hawkins bazaar do some great cheep fun things.

**Polly Fouracre** · 10-11-2008, 04:56 PM

I have a load of home-made ideas that I will send tomorrow(no, Wednesday!) when I have a couple of hours to sit here.

**happybunny** · 10-11-2008, 05:39 PM

Thanks for all the ideas
Please don't put ideas for my mum on here cos she is a member if you want to send me ideas for my mum please pm me cos I wouldn't want to ruin christmas for her. Please keep the ideas coming cos a lot of people to buy for, we went to Morrisons today and got my uncle a little toffee hammer kit - cool huh!

Please keep the ideas coming my way
Thanks you guys
Awwwwww i love yas

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