Round up your broom stick, black cat and cauldron and get ready for Halloween, it's the Countdown to Christmas, thread 7!

[NoWordForFluffy]

Here we go again. I think the last thread was the quickest ever, so this one probably won't even get to Halloween, but we shall see!

Mmm premier inn breakfast. I'm very jealous, my dc would be too! They weren't too impressed with the travelodge one and said 'it not as good as the Hilton is it mummy?' 😳 they liked the Hilton heavyset it had a pancake machine and they brought dd a chocolate cake out for her birthday

God, it's like the first time DD travelled standard class. My aunt gets free travel because my uncle worked so long for British Rail and then Network Rail, so she'd take DD first class when she was too little to have to pay, then standard when she was older. The first time, DD said, "These seats are very small!"

We definitely ate all the food, as the kids say! I think we're about to have growth spurts all round as the kids devoured everything put in front of them! 😂

I love first class train travel. I travelled up and down to Glasgow first class for the year I worked there. It's ruined standard class forever! 😂😂

I've never travelled first class.

Me neither. I've been in the cock pit of a jumbo jet though and had a photo with the pilot. These were the days before 9/11 etc

Morning
Another beautiful day just gorgeous
Off up the parents in a bit ,Dad seems to be better from the Dioralyte , thank God , we are hoping to get a lovely walk in again today , l love walking it clears my head and makes me feel so relaxed, gets rid of the stress.
Aldi toy sale is up and running but l am not getting anything bah humbug
Wreck is there any way you can make some money sweetie? I wonder if you can sell stuff on Ebay, do a car boot , any old mobiles to send to Mazuma or something like that? I also recommend MSE site too it is very good for moneysaving .I know it is hard when you want more money and times are hard atm in time Forgive me if l am too intrusive just trying to empathise because l know how it makes one feel and l want you to feel happier about it , hugs galore . Perhaps l am over invested because of my own experiences in life iyswim my bad
When we come back from our honeymoon we didn't have a penny to bless ourselves with and had to use the credit card which we had never ever used before , then we had to find a place that allowed credit card payments for groceries for us to eat until payday this was 36 yrs ago and Barclaycard was in its infancy over here! We were too proud to ask for money but looking back if our parents had known they would have been very upset that we didn't ask for help. Hope it all works out for you sweetheart
70 hope DS is better now and the sick smell has gone
Fluffy sounds like you are having a lovely time enjoy!
PSB love the name change , am thinking of doing the change too but find it such a faff to change my name on MN l really can't be bothered after sorting my new phone out !It took forever to change everything over !
Right better shift , have a lovely day everyone

Afraid not Mrs I have nothing left to sell! We can afford all of our bills etc it's just we've been paying off our overdraft etc this year and so haven't been able to save for Christmas. Plus we need stuff for Lapland 😁 I just have such a massive family and not doing presents simply isn't an option. Plus before Christmas I have niece's, brothers, ds's, nephews and dh's birthday. Gah. Poor dh won't get anything.

Wreck we spent many years doing the same - spending everything we had on family and buying nothing for each other. Have to say, we still don't buy each other presents but spend the money we would use on each other's presents to go away for a weekend for our anniversary which is just before Christmas.
Sorry to be nosy - do you have a plan for your christmas shopping? Would your family appreciate homemade gifts? (Mine are half and half - Dad would, mum - not in a million years)!

MrsMad It is a lovely morning isn't it? Hope your dad is feeling better today.

I've just eaten crumpets for breakfast with a lovely cuppa. Am now doing a little bit more on the blanket for my sister (while watching a Christmas episode of a programme DH and I love about living in Alaska) before going to FILs for lunch.

I must do some housework today not sure how it gets such a mess with only 2 adults and 2 dogs living here.

My dad would say not to worry at all but they do a lot for us.

My mum and step dad would like a photo album so that won't be expensive.

My aunt and uncles are getting a hamper from me and my siblings my sister is sorting it.

Grandparents (two couple and a separate grandad) no idea we've done photos, biscuits. smellies etc

My little brother and sister no idea

My little sister and her boyfriend no idea

My aunt no idea

Niece and nephew should be easy as they're little

I don't think I can do homemade for any of them plus most of the time it ends up costing more than a present!

I have no plan 🤣

Could you do 'cinema hampers' for your siblings? Voucher for tickets, popcorn and sweets? The bargain thread is your friend!

My parents both come from big families - I have 16 aunts and 15 uncles, plus 37 cousins and now their kids. The decision was made long before I can remember that we don't really do presents unless there's a party. Otherwise it just got ridiculous!

Afternoon all! DH has taken the boys to the park whilst I give the house the Sunday scrub!. This time next week I’ll be doing my last one in this house!.

Thankfully the LO settled down last night for bed so I got some sleep!. I’m a lot bigger at this point that I was with my other boys so am finding it uncomfortable to sleep already.

Making gammon hock in cider sauce with mustard mash for lunch. 😋

Wreck, why don't you suggest that the adults do a secret Santa, so people only have to buy one present each? My in laws do this (though we don't join in with it these days, so don't buy any adults anything!).

Don't buy things out of some misguided obligation if you can't afford it, your family should understand.

Fluffy it's impossible with such a big broken family to do that. Plus my grandparents and aunts etc would never have it. Me and my sisters are the only 'children' of the family so have always been a spoilt at Christmas 😳

I sense that you feel obligated. Thankfully my family aren't like that and aren't insistent on presents from us.

Yes I do. And as none of them have ever struggled with money in their lives I don't think they really understand.

What would they do if you stopped buying? I think it's unfair that your family is like that. I feel for you.

I don't think they would say anything but I would be so embarrassed

I really feel for you wreck. If you’re reallt struggling would you feel comfortable telling a family memember this?. I’m sure they wouldn’t want you to get stressed because of this.

I buy for my DC and my mum. We don't have spare cash for anyone else.

Well I've already been told that we're doing a hamper and I have to put money into it. My sister said if I can only do £5 not to worry and she will top up the rest but then I feel bad! If dh gets paid for the big job they're doing at the moment before Christmas we will be ok... also hoping to get lots of work in the toy shop during December 😊

I’m the same Philomena (loving the new name btw!). We have 3 children with one on the way so that’s expensive enough, I have a very big extended family who everyone expects me to buy for. As soon as I turned 18 I made it very clear that I’d buy for my DM, DF, their partners and my two sisters and grandparents and that’s it. It sounds like a lot but if I bought for anyone I’d spend at least a grand. I have at least 100 members of close family and they’re all very snobby so would expect the best!.

I blame my parents for having so many children 😁 and my aunts and uncles for not having any!

Roast for dinner tonight, yum! Have just put the carrots and parsnips in the oven.

We had dinner at Pizza Express which was lovely. And free! We used Meerkat meals and gift vouchers bought with Quidco cashback for the freebie. Bargain!

Wreck, since my late-30s onwards, so the last 5 years or so, I've perfected the not giving a fuck what people think attitude, especially if I think people are taking the piss out of me and expecting presents!

Had sweet and sour chicken for supper. 😋🍜