Thread 26 - the one with the last minute panic buys

[YuleAreBeingUnREASTIEable]

Thanks @GoblinDaughter for the title

It’s nearly December, Father Christmas is busy putting the final touches to his toys on the workshop and we are busy elves preparing for a somewhat different Christmas this year.

please post any bargain info IN BOLD to make it easier to scroll through the thread.

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Here’s Barbarara’s instructions from last year on doing clicky links:

Open double square brackets
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Paste link
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Close double square brackets

Like this
[[www.amazingbargains.com bargain ]] but with no space after/before the brackets.
If I do it again without the extra spaces only the word bargain will appear in blue

For more links etc see message 2

If any link doesn’t work or you want to add something please let me know by @ing me

After thinking I was being strong willed & ignoring all of the Hotel Chocolat deals, I've just had a surprise person to buy for😫 Does anyone have a working code they could send my way? I can't get any of the previously posted ones to work

@lolarabbit

Just thought I'd share a positive Parcel Force experience - daughter sent 3 parcels to us through their collect from door service. Collected yesterday afternoon, arrived here, on other side of the country, this morning. (I used Hermes for my return parcel and that also arrived in less than the advertised time frame) Maybe personal parcels are fairing better than the bulk operations from retailers?

Yes, all of the parcels I've sent via RM have got there in their stated timeframe. And a large letter, second class, went from the NW coast to London overnight. Very speedy!

Has anyone had their hotel chocolat order split?

I ordered the stocking fillers and 2 meltingly good packs.

The stocking fillers arrived on wednesday but still no sign of the meltingly good parcel. Tracking is saying ordered delivered even though despatch slip in stocking parcel states 2 packages. Need them for my hamper for next week.
Thanks.

I am also searching for hotel chocolate codes. Have been trailing through past posts in search of the codes that have been put on here so much and now in need! Many thanks in advance!

Does anyone have any suggestions for how I can get a packet of crumpets to Tipperary? Posting from the UK can take so long, I don't want to be giving Fil mouldy crumpets and it's all he really wants.

Has anyone who has had an issue with matalan actually had a response from customer service? I emailed them 13 days ago about a missing item and still no response. It's too late for it to be posted to me and then posted on to my dad before Christmas now

@Salamander91loads of people having trouble getting through, try Facebook messenger or Twitter DM, people seem to be having more success through those channels than email

Does anyone know of a code for Smyths toys? I've checked TopCashBack and Quidco but they aren't doing anything so I've just gone to bite the bullet and buy anyway and it's come up with a box saying 'add promo code'

I’m sorry @Theimpossiblegirl - I don’t have any good tips, maybe some Irish mumsnetters will, but I’d love to nominate ‘the one where we had to get crumpets to Tipperary’ as next thread title! Good luck, hopefully someone will have an idea!

I know it's popular on here, Molton Brown Eau de Toilette 36% off on Brand Alley.

@Salamander91

Matalan customer service is abysmal. I contacted by email, FB, Twitter, Instagram and by phone and go absolutely nowhere. In the end I claimed with PayPal.

Oh no! I thought I had lots of wrapping paper left over last year but I can't find it!

Any recommendations for where to get cheap but naice & recyclable wrapping paper please..?

Glad I was slack with my annual photo calendar.

70% at Snapfish

Also got 60% off certain sized canvasses

So that's a couple of additional grandparent gifts sorted.

People asking about 221b Baker Street Game. We bought this last Christmas. It's one of the hardest games I've ever played. Basically if you don't like The Times standard cryptic crossword puzzles then this is not the game for you. You need to have extensive general knowledge but also think cryptically to solve riddles to get a clue then collect all the clues to solve the card.

Each card is a whole new game.

Sometimes despite solving all the clues we still had no idea what the clue was!

I think we're fairly well educated, 2 degrees and post-grad ed. But not big crossword fans.

Thought that might help people decide? It doesn't have much to do with Sherlock other than being murder mystery type scenarios.

@TheCrow @Cluckycluck I fb messaged on weds. Hasn't been seen yet but hopefully will be soon. I paid by card annoyingly so can't claim through PayPal. There fb is full of comments about missing parcels it's awful

@Theimpossiblegirl
Somewhere like this company www.britishcornershop.co.uk/shop.asp?action=top#sqr:(q[Crumpets]) the sort ex-pats use when they miss Heinz baked beans,and make a hamper of it?

Does anyone know anything about golf shoes?! My dad has put in a last minute request for new golf shoes. I have no idea where even to begin

I’m so sad I missed the QVC Morton Brown deal, typical mum thinking I can’t afford to spend that on myself, come round to the idea and went to order and it’s back up to £58 😞

I can’t remember who recommended Pink and Greene but my Christmas Cards have arrived and they are really lovely. Not the cheapest cards I’ve ever bought but they came with 6 free first class stamps and were free postage. I’d definitely use them again.

Now to write them!

So thinking I was done i now find i need one of those big hoodie blanket things Budget is £25. Any recommendations on what to get or not get...

Just in case anyone wants a cheap Oodie, they sell them in savers for £14.99, I only saw it in grey.

@IDontDrinkTea, can he give you an idea on what brand he likes for golf shoes? My husband has bought golf shoes from American golf and sports direct in the past but prefers some brands over others, they can be expensive so might be worth asking him for more info

I have some spare codes if anyone can use them
5 off 30, 10 off 50 or 20 off 80 at Hotel Chocolat THGBHCXMAS and GHKHCXMAS
Also 10 off 60 at Lakeland 1277 7536 0708 4401 and 5 off 30 1277 7436 5124 3549

I'm looking for a secret Santa foodie gift, around £20 if possible
Bought my snack surprise box for this but it's still not turned up

@IDontDrinkTea, I think you definitely need a bit of input from him before you buy. Does he want smart/traditional shoes or a more casual trainer type. There are so many to choose from. County golf is a good online store with great deals on all things golf.