M&S Christmas Food Ordering Thread 2014

[mumtoone1]

For those of you not aware, the christmas food catalogue from M&S comes out next Thursday 9th October 2014 and also goes live on their website then too.

They are doing an early bird again whereby if you place your order before 10th November and if it exceeds 70 (gone up quite a bit this year) then you can choose between Gold Label Chardonnay (75cl) or Gold Label Cabernet Sauvignon (75cl) - While stocks last; substitute available. Wine will be received.

I'm assuming the substitute will be a box of chocolates.

Dates for last orders:

• Christmas - 15th December 2014

• New Year 20th December 2014

I can't wait to get my order in.

I got the white chocolate bombe a couple of years ago as my 'wow' piece. I was thinking about it for weeks beforehand and made a special trip to collect it It wasn't that great TBH, very dry. I'm tempted by the passionfruit mousse this year.

The Sainsburys book is out.

I showed DP and his face was at the prices. There's only me, him and DS. Most of it seems to feed 8+ people. Worth the money if you have a lot of people to feed. Not so much when it's just 3 of you! I really want it all though!

I love cooking but every year I hate spending hours in the kitchen and missing out DS playing with his new toys with DP.

After reading this I've done an order for the first time. Cant wait to try it all!

Oh my god! I think you ladies might just have changed my life. I was reading this thread yesterday and decided to pop out and get a copy in my lunch hour just to see.

Normally I love cooking and for the last three years I've hosted 10+ for lunch and cooked everything from scratch.

I love:

Making the Christmas pudding
Making and icing the Christmas cake
Making mince pies
Making the sauces and stuffings in advance and popping them in the freezer.
Choosing (and eating!) a cheeseboard and making a chutney to go with it.
Wine!

I hate:
Battling through the supermarket to get the last minute ingredients
Prepping the veg on Christmas Eve - I was up to midnight peeling spuds last year.
Stuffing and prepping the turkey
Rushing through stockings and church so that we can get back in time to put the turkey on
Co-ordinating all the timings and having to hang around in the kitchen instead of playing with the children.
Clearing away and washing up (not that I do that bit, but it's still a faff).
Having to cook meals on all the other days over Christmas.

I've realised that if I order the Seasonal Savers menu, I can do away with all the bits I hate at a stroke!! The food will be waiting for me to collect; no prepping or faffing about in the kitchen required; the turkey crown should be much quicker to cook than a full turkey and we can just chuck the foil trays in the bin at the end and be done with it. I'll pop the cauliflower cheese straight in the freezer and use for another meal instead of serving with the turkey and there should be plenty of turkey leftovers for sandwiches and quick meals.

I can still do all the bits I enjoy, and if I chuck in some of those chocolate Christmas trees for the children to have instead of Christmas pudding, I'll qualify for the free bottle of wine! And all for less than I'd normally spend on the turkey!!!

It's like being one of the shepherds on the fields outside Bethlehem - but with the MN M&S ordering thread bringing me the good news instead of the Angel of the Lord. I've totally seen the light.

Thank you ladies. You've made my Christmas

We are going to the in-laws for Christmas and New year (2 weeks ) and I really want to pay our way but MIL will never accept anything! Do you think I could ask her to have a look at the brochure and let me know what we can contribute?
We live around 500 miles away so I cant really take anything homemade.

Check your inboxes... I just got an email from quidco offering £15 cash back with £70 Christmas food spend online + your free wine! It says by invite only so only those quidco members who get the email.

Thankfully I've not ordered yet but will now with that discount