The 'twitch'

[OhFuckOff]

Sorry if stepping on toes, but I haven't noticed a twitch thread this year, so thought I would start one
I've just twitched and bought a pair of heelys for ds(9), a ghostbusters proton pack for ds (4) and a candy grabber for dd (6). Tell me what you have all impulse bought.

[Cagliostro]

I mean I had a rest on a bench outside SMIGGLE for heaven's sake. And I still didn't twitch in there. Not gonna lie, I'm smug.

[ToastyFingers]

Ah fuck, I've twitched. Stupid Amazon book deal. Dp is gonna kill me, I've gone overboard already.

[Cagliostro]

What books though? So we can justify them for you.

[Afishcalledchips]

But toasty , the book deal is a good deal though. I have considered buying more and stashing them for birthdays, I think they make quite nice (and bargainious) gifts if you chuck in a pack of felt tips too.

[Afishcalledchips]

Cagliostro Black forest hot chocolate sounds a bit disgusting and a bit delicious. I can't decide.

[OhFuckOff]

I've just ordered a bingo game for Christmas Eve. The idea is we wrap up loads of sweets and chocolates and have a big bingo session I know the children will love it but I really need to be banned from Amazon

[UnicornsShitRainbows]

i havent finished shopping yet so i cant twitch.

[Cagliostro]

I was torn as well re: the black forest, which is why I went for the smallest size :o

I don't think I'll have much opportunity for twitching this year. Which is good as I don't have the money either. We've got a crazily busy few weeks ahead.

Last night I ordered one thing which I discovered a few days ago, but I would call it a twitch as it's not something I'd planned - it's a book of Tim Peake's photos from the ISS! We are all crazy about him so I decided to use some of the money from my grandma on it.

[MiscellaneousAssortment]

Oh Lordy my twitching isn't actually twitching, it's a ruddy landslide!

I've, err, to use DS's schools lingo, I've 'made some poor decisions' (hangs head in shame and slight horror!)...

I'm a victim of circumstances .

I blame bloody nicolodean adverts, and me wanting to continue the Father Christmas believing another year (DS is 6). Oh and my pathetic need to create the 'perfect Christmas' for DS, which might be a good aim in theory but practically is a terrible idea!

I had everything planned and ready very early this year... until:

First twitch: DS falls in love with Hatchimals, I change plans and buy a Hatchimal just before it all went bonkers with no stock...

Second Twitch: DS then changes his mind and falls in love with Zoomer chimp, which (to my shame!) I panicked and bought him as it was on sale, and I thought ah well, I can give the Hatchimal for his birthday instead...

Then the true panic moment: DS reverts to Hatchimal love and I realize the zoomer chimp was a passing advert fueled fancy... but the Hatchimal has not turned up, the evil amazon market place seller has done the dirty on me argghh!

Third twitch: so I convinced myself that Hatchimal desire isn't a big thing and I buy a third big present on Black Friday! A piano keyboard. I know he'll love it and won't be expecting it so all good there... except DS is so convinced Father Christmas will give him a Hatchimal I panic AGAIN and yes,,,, fourth twitch is buying another Hatchimal on eBay.

Now... I feel terrible and have enough 'big presents' for the next 2 years argghh!!! Oh and the ruddy child has gone off everything and now wants some trashy over expensive pottery set, which I will NOT be twitching on!

So, no idea how to work this out and don't want to give him too much as it devalues the whole thing!

Argghhh... so, this is my confession

[Cagliostro]

Oh is that the pottery wheel thing where it's actually just a pot-shaped mould upside down? Yeah that looks shit don't twitch on that.

I hope you've not been out of pocket thanks to the Amazon seller?!

I bet you'd make your money back on the Hatchimal if he doesn't want it,, or the Zoomer thing.

But there's nothing wrong with saying Santa has a cut off date for wishes. If the Hatchimal wish has come back a couple of times it's absolutely fair enough that Santa brings it even if it's not the in thing by December 24th, don't worry! I'm sure he will be over the moon whatever he gets.

[KikisDeliveryService]

I'm feeling bad that I just spent a spare hour not buying t shirts from primark (I considered it but thought 'fuck it, I fancy a sit down at home') but mostly just want to high five Cagliostro and Satsuki for their excellent taste in user names

[Cagliostro]

:o :o 8 days until we see the play, I am SO excited

[SatsukiKusakabe]

I hope you twitched on gin for yourself, miscellaneous you sound like you could use one.

I would give him the Hatchimal, as it's the 'thing' this year and the want he has been most faithful to. He will not be disappointed to get it. (thankfully my ds has no idea about 'in things' yet so I'm out of this one!)

The chimp would make a great birthday present.The keyboard, either one, it's not a toy exactly so you can get away with giving it with a big toy without seeming too overboard.

cagliostro I detest Black Forest gateau, but I'm really pleased for you and Smiggle is such an assault on the senses you did well to resist it. Omg is that the big Japanese market? Lucky you

ohfuckoff I once just deleted my card details from Amazon to make it harder for myself to do anything on impulse. That may have been in December one year

[Aderyn2016]

Oh dear. I bought a pottery wheel toy for dd and some air drying clay. Hope it is okay. It was the thing she really wanted. I do yhink she will play with it cos she loves that sort of thing. Am grateful to have escaped the hatchimal craze.

Avoudong smiggle as I'd quite like to have some money left to pay the mortgage

[Cagliostro]

Apparently our local Smiggle is closing down. TBH if it does and there's a clearance sale then I may pop in. So I'm kind of hoping it doesn't...

Yep it's the Japan convention type thing I suppose, am intrigued to see what it is! She's my anime buddy (I am missing her like CRAZY since she moved away for uni) and she's coming back to London to see the play as well!

Loads of presents arrived today. I've done pretty much everything on Amazon this year - I usually like to have a browse in town by myself (before it gets too busy) and go to a nearby town with independent shops etc but haven't been well enough. So I'm really glad I've done all my shopping already.

I think I'll end up feeling like there aren't enough toys in their present piles but I am determined to remember they WILL love what they've got. Their main present has been sitting in the cupboard since I ordered it on January 1st :o and I know it will be really well received. I suppose I'm a bit worried about it just being us four this year - DD is sad we can't go to Mum's. But the stuff I've already twitched on is really fun things for the day so we have lots to do as a family.

[Guitargirl]

Cagliostro - HyperJapan was the Japanese fair thingie I went to on the weekend. I hadn't been before - it was like a whole other world!

I am not at the twitching stage yet as I haven't come close to finishing shopping. I always go totally overboard on stocking things and I did a present audit the other day which has confirmed that yes, I could probably fill stockings for 3 years but not much yet for under the tree.

[winterisnigh]

I was really tempted by the washi stickers and the animalium activity boo

me too but have resisted.

[OhFuckOff]

Satsuki I'm definitely feeling like a Christmas nut, I may have ordered a flying bird shit thing based on a review of it flying in church

[OhFuckOff]

The washi stickers came today and look pretty good

[SatsukiKusakabe]

I liked the look of Animalium too, but think my ds is a bit young (5 1/2) for it.

What's the flying bird and what was it doing it church?

[SatsukiKusakabe]

I actually took some wobbly clocks back to Smiggle last week I want to feel smug about something too

[Cagliostro]

Hmph my activity books haven't even been dispatched yet :(

:o :o :o at flying bird in church. That's a viral video waiting to happen.

I'd love to go to Hyper Japan one day. Going to a home ed Japan convention next year though, just a local thing. I'm going to have a Japanese-themed board games table (totally outed myself there but oh well) as board games are my other obsession.

[Cagliostro]

I usually end up wrapping some stocking fillers as actual presents as they don't fit!

[OhFuckOff]

Cagliostro we have two stockings! The actual stocking then a small sack, I get far too carried away buying stocking gifts it's my favourite part. I can't admit to anyone what I've spent so far, but I'm excusing it as we have no family so only buy for the children and each other.

[Guitargirl]

That's what we do too - stockings for both the DCs and then gingerbread man sacks as I get ridiculously carried away with stocking fillers .