DP thinks I'm mental!

[lucysmam]

Started this years Christmas shopping last Saturday (few reduced decs to replace broken/6 rolls wrapping paper for a quid/cards for school and us/couple of stocking fillers/new snow blanket to replace tatty old one) spent about 4 quid on the lot

So on Saturdays list for this week I have more stocking fillers & am going to mooch around & see what else is on offer cheap.

Plus I was going to get started on the odd little bits of crafty/making I do do for Christmas.....

Please tell me I'm NOT mental & I'm NOT alone in having started already.........................................

I used to but have been so skint in the months following christmas I have done the sales for next years presents. Ive really felt the pinch this year and wont be buying as many presents next year. If I can it will be just for our children (4) and close family and fewer friends.

I don't think i'm capable of getting anywhere near organised enough to do this!

Plus, I'm not a fan of Christmas shopping (I hate it in fact!) so the idea of finishing Christmas and starting again... I need at least 11 months off!!

Sorry, I think, looking back on Martin money saving site, that its the 3rd ish weds in jan.
18th jan 2012

Thanks QOD can't wait. Like a good Boots scuffle

it all goes in the blanket box that serves as my debside table here, noone thinks to look there for anything!

i tend to find if i stock up on xmas bits through the year, when we actually get there there's only dp and the food/booze to get and fhats pricey enough as it is.

sorry about dodgy post, never mn'd on mobile before and none oc my letters seem to be doing what i wsnt

I've stopped buying presents in the sales in advance because they always look a bit second rate when a year has passed and I come to wrap them up. There are always so many bargains around in the run up to Christmas, it's not worth the hassle of storing them for a year and realising they are not quite right.
My weakness is 70%, 90% bargains towards the end of January - anything Christmassy and generally stuff I wouldn't dream of paying full price for.

I always used to do this to save money/time so I always had enough presents for birthdays/Christmas by picking things up in sales throughout the year. I used to love the Boots sale! But I've stopped now, as storage is more of an issue, finances are less of a problem, and I like getting people more personal gifts rather than whatever happens to be on sale.

I picked up some gifts for my nieces earlier in the year but ended up giving them other things for Christmas because they seemed to be interested in certain characters so I bought them something related to that instead. I still have a box full of random 'gifts' that I picked up in sales in the past few years that I've never quite found a suitable home for!

I always used to get cards/paper in the sales, but now have a bit of a backlog as I've almost stopped doing cards (use email/FB instead) and probably won't need to buy any for a few years at least

Dont worry not just you
just been shopping and bought
xmas lights
xmas cards
christmas tree baubles
new santa stop here sign
ribbon

broblem is i alway forget that ive bought them lol

I bought some wrapping paper from sainsburys at 70% off as it is really good quality and some of it was plain so I can use for birthday presents instead.

Also bought dc some make own fart putty for £2 each before xmas for socking as I saw it but wasn't looking for it.

I always buy through out the year.

I live in awe of you, ladies.

Every year I vow to get organised but still ended up doing the lot in the week before Christmas

Have got a few bits from Lakeland and dotcomgiftshop but haven't actually made it to the shops yet!

I love the fact I'm recognising some of you from the pre christmas bargain thread we must all be tight wads . I got some wrapping paper 70% off yesterday and also a few bits from dotcomgiftshop I think thanks to pies links a few days ago.

I have a book I write everyone I buy for birthday and xmas and then as I buy stuff I write it by their name with the cost. DH and I do online surveys etc to earn vouchers that pays for a good chunk of stuff nearer to xmas.

Picked up a few 75% of Xmas decs today plus 2 rolls of silver wrap which I can use generically. Rude not to at 60p! Also 1/2 price Prestat boxes of choc for Easter/Mother's Day. Just remember to check the BBE dates.

right 18th January (is that a Friday?)

I will sharpen my elbows in preparation.

Think it was 18th Jan last year so should be Wed 16th this year.

I'm thinking ankle ramming with the pushchair

I can see the point of buying cards/paper/christmas decorations - but have never got round to actually doing it myself ! However I could not begin to even think about Christmas presents as a previous poster has said my kids change their mind weeks before Christmas having done their lists in October /early November so goodness knows what I would buy them a year in advance.
Also we have 3 DC's and 3 Birthdays all in Jan and Feb too much for my mind and money to figure out birthday presents let alone christmas !

Presents is a bit much, but decorations, paper and cards is perfectly sensible.

If you buy them before twelfth night they get put away in the right places.

I keep a spreadsheet. A new one for every year. There are tabs for birthday, Christmas, miscellaneous, what I need to make and when, etc. All bought presents go into "the presents box." MrScout's immediate family (parents, sisters, their husbands, kids, etc) is quite large and we do get something for all of them (I'd love to do kids only but it seems a bit mean when only one sister has them). And for my side of the family we have to be ready by November 1st so I can load all of the gifts into the suitcases, ready to take home for Thanksgiving (to be left for Christmas).

This year I bought a present for my Mom for 2013 even before we had Christmas 2012. But that's because I delivered her presents in November and won't see her again until this coming November. It wasn't much but a Christmas CD I know she will like and that they won't have at home.

I have also bought all of my wrapping paper for 2013, most of the cards, and loads of Christmas crafts for SmallBoy and I do/make as his presents (he only gives a token gift to both sets of Grandparents and his Godparents).

I have got some things too OP! I bought some lovely books from The Book People sale, books I was actually thinking of buying for my dc's anyway so have put them away. Each one was only £2 such a bargain. I also got some Xmas lights I had my eye on in John Lewis but they were too expensive and actually look generic enough to use all year round, so pretty. I usually get all my gift wrap, cards and little xmassy things such as stocking gifts, small decs and father Xmas letter kits in the Paperchase sale. I even bought some sweet bunny slippers for the baby for next year in the right size from the debenhams sale. All unintentional shopping I was just browsing online.

I haven't bought any presents but have bought wrapping paper, cards, a couple of decorative things and some bee-yoooo-tiful posh crackers that I'm actually itching to open now .

You're not mental imo I do this every year, mainly to spread the cost. Have managed to get DD and DN a scooter for £2.99 each from sports direct (think these have sold out now) socks, knickers and a few other bits from the Disney store that she would normally have in a stocking but has cost me half the price!. Have also bought some hello kitty wrapping paper from Asda for 38p

I bought Xmas cards today, naice ones, for 50p