The ridiculous things we do in the name of Christmas...

[Trudee]

Today I made a 100+ mile round trip to collect a cushion for ds1
The colour I wanted wasn't available in my local store so I drove for over 3hrs to get the right one as delivery wasn't available.
He hasn't asked for it but I know he'll love it and I couldn't forget about it once I'd seen it.
Ridiculous I know but it is in the name of Christmas. Anyone else as daft as me?

Many years ago my DD wanted a Wii. I couldn’t get one anywhere but there was one available in a shop in Kensington, bearing in mind I live in the NE of Scotland. I booked it anyway not knowing how on earth I could get it. By chance DD phone me and when I asked where she was, said London. I asked if she would go to Kensington, she did and picked it up.

Sure, it's part of Christmas, isn't it? DH and I have usually 'made a day' of our out of the way trips.

We drive 120 miles (round trip) each year to a little shop that makes a special relish that's only available at Xmas. We've driven similar distances to pick up gifts, too, like the OP. Occasionally we've driven into the 'Big City' (just over 200 miles r/t) just to go shopping at the same stores that are in our local mall and see the Xmas windows.

This year will be different though, for so many of us. Although we'll still go to the little shop, we won't be going to any large stores or malls this year. Hopefully next year will be 'back to normal'.

This is outing but when BuZz Lightyear was the ultimate Xmas toy I managed to get one fir my niece from a trip to Canada. I put it in my hand luggage and as I went through passport control we all heard “ To infinity and beyond!”.

Totally the kind of thing I would do. I did a 140 mile round trip once to get a massive cuddly toy for my niece which I couldn't get online. 2 years later it's still her favourite toy and so worth it. You are not alone!

@Catchytune

Very outing!

Every year I drive up to Scotland to stay near my parents for a week. DS comes with me and DH and DIL drive up separately. We live on the South coast.
Last year we went up on the 22nd and I got as far as Carlisle when I realised I had left all DS presents at home.
We did the final 2 hours to the stunning rental house and in the morning I drove back down south to get them. Stayed the night at mine (the peace was fabulous) and drove back up Christmas Eve.
It all felt quite Christmassy in actual fact but the cost of petrol rather offset the stealthy bargains I had managed to get.

My mum when I was a kid did something similar for my birthday went away for my birthday and forgot all the presents. She had to do the round trip again to get them

DH once drove from SE London to near Standstead to collect a rocking horse.

Two years ago we got DD a magazine subscription and paid extra to get the newest issue to have something to wrap. They sent the last month one DD already had. So we drove to a huge superstore 30 minutes away to get the December issue as it wasn't a magazine you get everywhere on the 23rd December. The queues were crazy and we only had one item to pay.

Forgot to say, the rocking horse was an Ebay bid, costing £3.

I would 100% do this!

I’m driving about an hour each way tomorrow to collect a £20 toy. It’s been discontinued and that’s the nearest available but it’s something my DD will adore, so it’s worth it.

Have just paid £5 .50 for a Macdonald's happy meal toy on e bay. Cause the magic of santa. Ds lost his blue tiger last summer and has decided to ask Santa for a replacement!

I am always this person!!!

I did queue outside Woolworths at 7am once for a tellytubbie, about 3 people got one then they'd gone 🤷‍♀️ got one eventually from a friend of a friend who worked there!

One year I drive 2 hours away for a roboraptor when they were the rage... none on the shelf and the system said they only had 1 left and the boy looked so sad when I said I'd wait while he found it 😂

Long gone are those days now I have trouble getting them out of bed Christmas Day...

I drove 90 mile round trip two Xmas ago to get the last Lego set in existence (it seemed) because it was all he wanted. He loves that I did that for him xx

I spent hours this evening trying to sort out a Lego set into 24 packs so that my son can have it as an advent calendar. I kept calculating it wrong and having to start again! Must be mad.

I remember searching loads of London shops for a DSi game ( Raddits something) couldn't find it , ordered online and cheered when it arrived on Christmas Eve !

This year I want something from Ikea . I am too mean to pay delivery but I don't know if I want to risk going in there (it'll be busy) . I can get similar in TKMaxx so I'm talking myself out of an Ikea trip

I have plenty of family members who would do the exact same as you 😂 I wouldn't personally but I get the dedication. I set my alarm at 6am when asda released their christmas slots for delivery pass members and stayed at the pc for over 3 hours waiting to get one, they wouldn't load for ages but got one the slot I wanted in the end 😂

If anybody knows of any x box series x in stock I'd happily drive that and more. It's all DS has asked for.

I bought the most disgusting, hideous t shirt for DD2 because she had her eye on it. A mix of purple, leopard print and a mirror image of some animal on it too. I told her she wasn't having it as it was horrible.

Then, I decided to get it for her in the sale and put it away for Christmas. The next time we went shopping she looked for it and found it out of stock and cried loudly around the store about how we were terrible parents for not buying it for her and now she could never have it.

Luckily it was Christmas 2 days later and she was overjoyed to get it on Christmas day.

I hated that blasted thing, every time she wore it.

@DrMadelineMaxwell i love that story!!

My Grandma brought the Lego Hogwarts castle back from France for my sister when they first came out, so I'm going back 18? or so years. There wasn't a single one left in the Uk, my Grandma was on holiday booze and cig run and spotted one. Christmas achieved ⛄🎅🎄🦌

My dad drove from Doncaster to to Exeter to buy a Ghostbusters HQ from Argos, and my DH drove for 2 hours to buy me a breast pump, not exactly a present, but the same sentiment

I think lockdown has got to me this year, and working from home.
So far I've decided that DD would like a sylvanian family set that's no longer on sale and spent hours on ebay, gumtree etc. to get one. But there's no figures. So I did an impulse bid on an expensive "vintage figure" who is lovely but naked. Next I found someone who makes sylvanian family clothes and ordered him an outfit. Which I bet will be lost by new year.

I also decided on my day off to enjoy having time to myself and do a little painting following a tutorial to make my parents a Christmas card. Ended up taking pretty much the whole school day. For one card. Better not get ruined in the post!

I love these stories of people going the extra mile to get a special gift.

I wouldnt do a long round trip like that but would spend hours and hours on the internet finding the perfect gifts for people (and then having them delivered to my door ).

There was a tracksuit (for our team) that I wanted for 1yo for xmas and the day before payday could see there were only 4 left in stock (in the whole country) so woke on payday at 5am to buy it.

Remembered a nice one done for me, although not Christmas. I had a crush on a film star as a teen. They had a big cardboard cut out of him in Woolworths as part of a video promotion and my gran asked if she could have it when they were throwing it out. Left her number and sure enough they phoned her up and she went and fetched it as a suprise for me. He was in my bedroom for years and I still chuckle at the thought of her walking down the street with him.

My ds7 rarely asks for any toys though and one year he wanted something for his birthday that only seemed to be in stock 200 miles away. Luckily dp was working there and picked it up for him.