Right. I want to be all done by December 1st....

[admiralclingus]

I work in retail. The last 2 years have involved mad dashes round town after working all day with some horrible people taking out their Christmas woes on you and spending 73 billion hours waiting in queues and trying to avoid the crowds!

So I want to be organised by the first, nothing left to buy and only wrapping and decorating to worry about.

Anyone else up for the challenge?

Seems like everyone is getting on well I've never been this organised although I'm a bit worried I might burnout as we get closer to December! Ds2 is finished apart from his stocking but not thinking about that yet as I have a tin full of 1s, 2s and 5p coins that I've been saving all year- dcs stocking fund. Made a start on ds1 but yet to buy anything for dd.

I have a folder full of lists including one of things others can buy for dcs. That way if people ask what they would like it make things much easier- pil are terrible for buying things that aren't age appropriate ect.

Seems like everyone is on track!

Johnny - agree men are so much harder to buy for. DH has his birthday in October and it takes me most of the year to think of a present for that let alone Christmas.

Well have got the nieces and nephew presents. Also done my GP's so that's all done. My amazon wish list is bulging with other gifts but am sticking to buying one thing every week or so.

So far I've done DD twitch notwithstanding, DNephews, friends' kids, DM, MIL, BILx3, DSis and have made a start on DH. Just DF, DGF, SMIL, FIL, two more BILs and a SIL to go! And 3 paydays to do it in! faints

Quite a few years ago, my siblings and I decided not to buy for each other, or spouses or kids. Oh, the relief! no more crap you don't want, so much less hassle in the run up, and we can all concentrate time and resources on our own kids. I now just buy for my DCs, DH (not much, we theoretically limit to £20) and a little something for my Mum (only parent we have between us). It is soo relaxed and easy. Don't do friends or friends kids either, always tried to avoid that.

Maybe if you brought up the suggestion to rein in the pressie buying... they might be relieved and jump at it? If you can't go cold turkey you could give each family a big tin of posh biscuits or something...?

Sorry Don, I may have given the impression I don't enjoy the gift buying process - I do, in fact I much prefer giving to receiving. Except that buying for DF is no fun because he is a pain to buy for, but such is life! I don't spend what I can't afford (often ). I can afford less per-payday this year but that's why I started in June .

We have the kids-only rule with the only BIL and SIL who have kids, but we buy for all DH's university-aged-and-younger-siblings. Graduation is the cut-off I guess - had never realised that before!

The list just looks really extreme because DH is the eldest of... many. Now there's only DH and DF to finish, and SIL, FIL and SMIL to do so looks much more 'normal'.

Cann I join in? so Dr I've got a bargainous barbies house from Gumtree and a pair of dress up shoes for dd, no ideas for dh. my parents normally get somehing handmade this year I'm thinking chutney and never-ending vanilla essence. mil probably a Pandora charm in the sale, her husband not a clue and I'm not buying for fil and partner as they never gave dd Xmas pressure last year and jar made zero effort to visit us this year!

Good to see we're all plodding along nicely!

Been away for a week but came back to a parcel of bath bombs (2 friends done, even though one bath bomb was broken ) another book people parcel (dd and her little friend) and my uncles watch.

Dd is almost done, just an aquadoodle and her Christmas chocs to do, as is her best friend (the only other children I buy for) just looking for a reasonably priced snow white dress to finish her off, but no idea for the baby (will be 9 months at Christmas)

Fil is done, but might buy him some walking socks to go with his other bits as he goes off on his rambles

I'm buying my aunt a kindle with my tesco vouchers for her birthday (end of Nov) and Christmas combined but have bought her a little something for Christmas day and will make her a calendar of dd as they've gone down well the last 2 years.

No idea what to buy his mother...usually buy her some tat she doesn't use or want, but he doesn't bother so why should I make the effort (we're not even together ffs!!)

Thinking of doing his brother and gf a basket of fancy goodies as they are minted well off and have everything, but will buynchutnerys/cheese/wine closer to Christmas, so for now, it looks like I'm done!

Just my sisters youngest to sort but usually ask what he wants later in the year and her grown up kids get money (scares me that my oldest nephew is almost not a teenager anymore )

Also.

I WILL NOIT TWITCH!!! (Might ave to hide the bargains thread!!!!)

I WILL NOT TWITCH

You will y'know. If you think you're finished by December 1st, the Lure of The Twitch will kick in about the 13th.

"Oh, I don't want to be shopping on the last Saturday but it's still a couple of weeks to go. Maybe I'll just pop out in my lunch break....."

Lethal, I tell you, lethal.

I'm twitching now! I can't stop looking at things for DD. I've already bought her about 10 presents (not done stocking yet) and can't stop looking. Bargains are my weakness! I keep writing down ideas to hand out to the family (they all ask for a list to work from) and resist the temptation to buy it myself. Unless it's on offer. The only solution is to gave another baby I think

Took dds shopping today and got lots of present ideas. Might have to ask dh for an extension for Xmas to fit them all in . I'm very good at buying toys but not so good at getting rid of them. I definitely need to add a toy declutter to the list of things to do before 1st December.

I spotted a nice shawl in m and a that I thought dm would like. I almost bought it but the lady at the checkout told me if I bought it online I could get 20% discount today. I was asking when gift receipts expire and the lady told me that from yesterday anything bought from marks has an expiry date of 17th January on the gift receipt so if I buy early from them unwanted gifts can be returned. of course I have such impeccable taste none of my gifts ever get returned

The shawl will come from dh because for some historical reason can't remember why dh and I individually buy people presents meaning that I have to buy twice as many presents!

70 I work in the city centre. I'm lucky if I manage to get food in my lunch break during december, let alone Christmas shopping!!! I give you permission to boot me up the bum if I twitch okay?!

Right I need some help deciding what to get friends 9mo (at Christmas) and his mother --who I dislike immensely but have to buy something nice for fromhim) !!! Everyone else is sorted!

Can I join too please.
I really want to have everything bought and cards all posted by 1st December this year as don't think I can cope with December shopping again.
I've got lists made but still need to start buying.
Can anyone tell me where I can get Christmas cards from just now?

I got some Christmas cards in Cancer Research and Card Factory.

Thank you xalyssx I will have a look

I have bought:
some bath mitts for the DC
Some gorgeous earrings for DD
Some toilettries for DD
A book for DS

That's all for now ....but I'm on a roll ....

I'm still waiting on a load of bits from Amazon that still haven't arrived .... Looking forward to payday!

I need to get started on my DH. DD is very almost done. Just got to get her a couple of stocking bits. Not started on parents, my brothers or the in laws yet. For some reason none of them have written their lists yet because it is apparently 'too early to think about Christmas.' Wtf?

I'm trying to hold off, I save with Park and get my vouchers mid November, I'm writing lists and trawling websites for inspiration but trying not to buy much yet.

So far I've got DDs Birthday presents as Argos had what she wanted in clearance (December birthday), her Christmas eve PJs and a couple of stocking fillers.

I'll be putting in a big Amazon order as soon as my vouchers arrive and then DH and myself will have the annual trip to our local big shopping centre late November, so once I start it's usually all over and done with quite quickly. Just need to start putting some cash aside for Christmas trips extra food etc.

Mrs do you find you can buy everything you need/want with the vouchers?

I've been tempted to do that the last 2 years but am a bit worried on how restricted I would be to buy from certain shops? And do you get everything from Amazon in time?
(Sorry for 20 qs!)

I'd be worried stuff wouldn't come....ive been waiting 3 weeks for some stuff now, so can't imagine how busy it must get round Christmas!!!

I went into the Disney store near work yesterday. Wow, their sale actually had some nice stuff at decent prices. My haul included 2 Foxzie Bear mugs for DSis and her fiancé, a rattle, 2 bibs and 2 pairs of socks with Simba (Lion King) on them for newborn DNiece, 2 sets of Sophie stickers in nice tin boxes for 2 older DNieces, 2 pens for DDs stocking, and a Planes plane for DNephew (special offer price when bought with anything else). Only realised when I got home I should have split the haul and got a 2nd plane for the other DNephew. Oops.

But slowly, my list is greeting filled and there are fewer spaces left blank.

I also decided to get a bottle of bubbles 2 weeks ago as I had a voucher for money off supmarket shopping (threshold spend) so it worked out being free. And I bought a bottle of nice dessert wine last week. This week, I am buying 2 bottles of nice wine for Turkey, and then I am putting all 4 down in storage unit to keep safe. But it means I can spend a little more to get nice ones as it is just DH and I who will drink them. ANd he will be happy to get regular wine for other days and entertaining people.

Just been shopping to the range and accessorize for my dds stockings and got some lovely bits for each of them:-

Scented tattoos
Glitter gel pens
Fancy highlighters
Mood bracelets (change colour type)
Novelty erasers

Just a start but I'm made up as it's easy once you've started!

Um, I've just realized that bottle of bubbles could be taken either as sparkly wine or bubble bath or bubbles to blow outdoors for DCs.

I meant the first of those.

admiralclingus You can get vouchers for lots of individual shops as well as the love2shop vouchers, I order the value I want in love2shop vouchers and then amend the order when I've made my Christmas shopping list, to match the vouchers to the presents ifswim.

The love2shop vouchers can be spent in lots of the big shops like Boots, argos, Debenhams, toysRus and early learning centre.

I've never had a problem with Amazon delivery, you get a gift card, put the number into your Amazon account and it's credited.

I might consider it for next year then! Sounds like a less stressful way to do things!

Anyone still with me?!

I aim to have the bulk of it done by the 1st (DH and I take a day out , last Friday in November to do Christmas Shopping)

I do the main food shop in the week before (probably the Friday before Christmas) then any last minute things on the 23rd.

I may do a 'No Spending on Clothes' month in December.

Now, admiral about these hellish customers you're going to tell us about,,,,,,sits down and gets out large bar of Galaxy......