Anyone started prep for 2018?

[cheesemumma]

I know I must be crazy but bought matching Xmas jumpers for the family in the next sale last week and booked our panto tickets.

Got to admit a little excited already.

What does anyone else do throughout the year?

[NoWordForFluffy]

We don't have a pudding as we aren't that keen on it. I did loads of homemade cheesecake, cookies, mince pies and savoury stuff last year though.

[Roystonv]

There is a countdown to Christmas 2018 thread that has been running since Christmas if anyone is interested. I have quite a few things bought in the sales; tend to leave bigger presents till nearer the time. Best present this year for us will be our first grandchild; soon to be mum having a rough time health wise so a safe and healthy delivery will be the most important gift ever.

[cheesemumma]

@roystonv I saw the countdown. It looks like a great group of friends so may pop in!! I was looking for more specific Christmas talk for a bit. Congratulations on your grandchild what a special Xmas 2018 will be for you all. I hope he/she arrives safely.

I'm hoping to start gift shopping in summer sales.

[FollowYourOwnNorthStar]

cheesemumma yes, I do make my own pudding, but to be honest, I havent been very pleased with it for the last few years. I found a thread on Mumsnet where people put their pudding recipes, so I’m going to see if I can find a better one......failing that I may have to buy it! And a new recipe is a good excuse for nice new charms 😉

[ilovetea14]

I've got a good few presents for Christmas have most of my nieces and nephews done. Got my dd a wooden train table it was €53 down to €20. Have a list of other bits I can get for my dd also have a hatchimal for my Ds hes mad into minecraft so going to start getting a few bits for him have my list done for him too. Also bought a few bits in the boots sale so have a few family off my list too. I love getting stuff ticked off my list for Xmas. My Dh thinks I'm mad.

[NoWordForFluffy]

I don't buy children's presents this early. I'm putting money aside for those. They're only little (they'll be 4 and 5) and tastes change quickly. Plus I don't want to run out of money before they write their lists!

I'll buy for adults if I see stuff I like though. Not that we buy for many adults really, however.

[LadyMonicaBaddingham]

No. Because it's the 4th of March. Surely if Christian holidays are so important to you you'd be mired in Easter preparations...?

[NoWordForFluffy]

There's always one person jumping onto the Christmas board and being snidey about others' choices!

[ShowOfHands]

I'm an atheist and prepping for Christmas here and there. "Christmas" btw is shorthand for "midwinter Yule inspired festival which is not remotely Christian in this household but I still call it Christmas as metonymically, it means you know approximately to what I refer".

I've paid the butcher for the meat hamper already, and the bakery for their hamper. I'm making quilts as gifts and am on my second. I've also bought a few gifts and stashed them in a hidey hole. Oh and I've been drying out fir cones and I've planted a new holly bush

[cheesemumma]

Already paying for you hampers is very organised!

I don't really understand why you are on the Christmas board. I assume you came on here with the purpose of saying something snidey, so now you have I hope you feel better and the rest of us can go about our christmassy business

[NoWordForFluffy]

Yeah, I'm impressed with the hamper payment too! I'll have to get DH to ask our local butcher about such things.

[ShowOfHands]

Our butcher does a scheme you can pay into as and when you like. We primarily use it for our Christmas hamper (turkey, chipolatas, bacon, sausagemeat, beef top side, pork pie, cranberry sauce) but carry on paying in so that we can have a few paid for BBQs over the summer as well.

[NoWordForFluffy]

That's a great scheme. Must investigate to see if there's similar here.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Only organisation (so far ) is my £2 jar - which is , in fact a tin opened only with a can opener , and I put £2/10/5p/2p/1p in.

I nearly bought a winter scene jumper from H&M yesterday.
My No Spend 2018 side wrestled with my Fail to Prepare= Prepare to Fail side.
I didn't buy it , though if it had been a really nice jumper I would have .

I have 2 small puddings left over
We're a 75% vegetarian house so no butcher schemes needed

I still have a wedge of cake left so I won't do one this year

[cheesemumma]

70isalimitnitatarget I saw a good recipe that I may try to the vegetarians in my family. It was a spinach and tofu wreath. It looked festive. Though I may add a little cheese as no vegans present. Goat cheest may be good. It was on the BBC good food website.

[SideOrderofSprouts]

I’ll
Starting buying soon for the eldest stocking fillers and youngest. Middle one will be 7 so she’s harder

[ShowOfHands]

I'm vegan!

But I have my parents, Grandma, Aunt, my brother, two nieces, a family friend and DH to cater for on NonChristianChristmas Day (DC are veggie).

[Ski40]

Very excited, I have received the materials to make a new batch of Christmas fridge magnets. I buy jumbo blank photo magnets and glitter card, I find and print Christmas pictures (Pinterest, or family Xmas photos, or I cut up a nice Xmas card) and insert them in the blanket, framed by the glitter card. I make about 20 a year so I can rotate them. It's nice to update them as the children grow up and one day I will give them to them if they want them.

I also make card holders with traditional wooden pegs. I frost them with very fine iridiscent glitter and stick magnetic tape at the back, and use to them to hold cards, menus, kids'drawings, the usual fridge stuff.

And last but not least, I make tags for the baskets I use to organize the fridge (dairy, salad, treats...). Last year they were snowmen attached with red ribbon. This year I'm doing gingerbread men with a copper ribbon.AND I'm toying with the idea of adding tiny copper jingle bells, so I can hear them when I 'm rummaging around for the butter, lol. Or maybe I'll just do that in the treats basket so I can hear little hands stealing all the chocolates...

My husband has no idea that the REAL reason I insisted in upgrading our normal fridge to a big American last year was so that I could cover it in MORE Christmas cr*p....😂😂😂 I think I need help!! 😁 x

[cheesemumma]

Ooo @ski40 that sounds lovely. Are you starting to.make them all now?

[Ski40]

@cheesemumma thank you! yes, I always have some or other Christmas craft on the go, it is my main hobby and it always gets me through stressful times. Then when Christmas comes I have a whole new box of ornaments for almost no money- and that mean something, as they are made at home, often with my children's help.
Last year it was Xmas characters wooden spoons and the year before I had a Xmas in July day with the kids, where we baked salt dough decorations that looked like gingerbread hearts and stars, with our initials on. And some copper glitter reindeer.
I'm looking for ideas with coloured buttons now.
I love Christmas decorations so much but often they are out of my budget. DIY keeps the cost down - and at times keeps me sane! 😁😁

[cheesemumma]

That sounds bloody lovely. I love the salt dough and wooden spoons idea. Do you have any pics. I am going to do an Xmas craft day with my daughter and nephews nearer the time when I've set up my house.

[NoWordForFluffy]

That sounds great, Ski. I'm impressed (and envious of your abilities!).

[SleepFreeZone]

I have a big drawer full of gifts and wrapping, teachers presents, kids stuff all bought in the January sales ready for Christmas 2018. I’m aleeady excited about it 😛

[MrsCrimbo74]

For the last couple of years I have done 24 little presents for my sons advent calendar so I have just spent £24 on toys for a pound, plus a couple of little extras like star wars umbrellas for £1 each as little gifts for parties. It's nice to have that done and dusted

[Ski40]

@NoWordForFluffy thank you! though I said I liked making stuff, not that I'm any good at it haha... my 10 year old daughter kicks my butt at crafts, to be fair! she can knit and all! (not me...)

@cheesemumma I'm going to try and upload a few pics, bear with me as not tried to do it in MN yet. .. x