So.. anyone started yet?!

[HardRockOwl]

And before anyone has a pop at me - I've posted in the Christmas section!

So, anyone started yet? I go all out at Christmas and my kids will be 24 and 16. They have rather expensive tastes and I like to treat them so I start quite early!

Anyone else admit they've started?

I've only gone in very gently ... one stocking filler for my eldest, it's a high end make up palette that I got for a steal!

I’ve got my eldest some Satin pjs out the sale and a couple of Pandora charms less than half price too. Only spent just over £40 for the lot and full price would be £124!! So couldn’t afford not to - need to cut down this year (like everyone no doubt) and so happy with these little bits.
Ill wait now until much closer to get her main present but I’m happy with this so far.
Youngest is more tricky so will wait until much closer.

Sorry should’ve said Victoria secret pjs (that’s why they were such a bargain!)

Oh yeah and a few Yankee candle Christmas sets for teachers or similar that only a few pounds each instead of a tenner!

I had a long weekend in Paris earlier in the month and bought some bits to send to a friend in Australia today I know she'll love. French speaker. So yes, I guess I have.

Have you checked out the bargain thread on the Christmas board OP? Always worth a visit!

Oh yes! I start straight after Christmas for the next one. 😀i love doing it early leaves December free and fun.

I counted it up yesterday and I have bought 16 items each so far but they are the cheap and small filler items for the santa sack and stocking.

So far I have only bought 2 'wrapped under the tree' presents (a fuggler for younger DS and exploding kittens for older DS).

I love Christmas threads!!

I am generally quite a last minute person but as the DC are getting a little bit older more careful planning and budgeting is required so I am starting earlier and earlier each year in order to better plan and budget.

I will echo another poster though, Christmas is usually a mad rush for disorganised little me but this year I was so on top of everything I didn't have much to do come late December and I actually got some pretty severe holiday blues for the first time ever, once the day had come and gone.

Must find a good balance this year as that was very unexpected!

I have! Rex London has a sale on so I've bought some small stocking items like notebooks and other stationery. Each item was either 50p or £1 each.

Ok so I've bought a little more

A t-shirt for my 15 year old. From Liberty, reduced from £65 to £15 and they'd sent me a £10 voucher so it's a no brainer. It's a high end brand, plain white and therefore feels like a safe bet and also a bargain!

I love Rex London - have bought so much there over the years!

I picked up a lovely Christmas Pandora charm for DD last week for £10 so that’s gone away for Christmas. Also got a couple of Orchard Toys games from the charity shop that she might not be old enough for this month (her birthday) so think they’ll be added to the Christmas pile too.

Not shopping, but knitting - the things I make for Gdcs’ school Christmas fair raffle. Including a Nativity set (the Jean Greenhowe pattern) - always goes down well but very time consuming.

It used to feel very odd to be making Christmassy things in summer, but I’m used to it by now.

My son's 2nd birthday is the end of the month & other son starting school so buying for them first then I'll start Christmas shopping hopefully sometime in August,I've a wishlist on Amazon that I keep when my oldest mentions things,the list is just to refer to,if I can get it cheaper elsewhere I do,the 2 of them are Minion & Sonic obsessed at the moment so I will try pick up a few bits of them & I always get them books so that's easy enough 😄

I've only got a kids smart watch to get for my DD aged 4 and then I've finished for her other than stocking bits, I'm usually organised but never this early! I've not bought for any adults yet but some nieces and nephews have clothes every year (my side) and the older ones (DH's side) have cash so they're easily sorted. As long as the kids have what they'd like that's the most important bit to me.

I haven't done any shopping yet however I have started my spreadsheet with gift ideas. I'll probably start buying in September

Yep! We have bought tickets for a sleepover at the NHM which will be our children's main Christmas present. I have also ordered them each a Dino onesie, which we will hide the tickets in.

I've started, much to DHs disgust. Got some lovely little gifts for DS and unborn DS3 in the Yes Bebe sale which I'm very pleased with as I'm looking to scale down quantity and scale up quality (nice wooden toys rather than plastic shite) but that costs pennies! Also got going with the Christmas outfits and stocking fillers in the JoJos sale and the White Company Sale has come up with the goods for two best friends.
I always like to start early with the nicer brands to take advantage of discounts. If I need to pay full price for a notebook or box of chocolates in November it's not a big deal, I got baby's Christmas outfit for £8 down from £24 so I'm laughing 😂

That’s what I do Youseethethings1 and my DH doesn’t understand why 🤦‍♀️ He leaves everything, as in his family, until the week before Christmas and then complains about pricing and lack of availability.

yes my DH is shite with money, he leaves everything until the 11th hour and then just buys the first one he find at whatever price he sees it (or if they are sold out like they regularly are he will buy whatever he can get usually for stupid money).

He then spends his time constantly moaning about being broke and I have no sympathy.

Also we usually miss out... the amount of time I've heard well I was going to get (insert thoughtful wanted gift) but it had sold out so I got you (insert overprice 'cheap' random useless gift).

by overpriced 'cheap' I mean I genuinely believe he was stupid enough to pay £60 for some tat from a pop up shop even though with 10 minutes research I could find the same thing online for £25.

I will never understand people who think thats a better way of doing it rather than leasurely starting months in advance. They just stress themselve unnessacerily, waste money and get lesser quality stuff (because the good stuff was bought by people who prepared and is now sold out).

This sounds amazing! Just checked it out and mine are too young for it at the moment but definitely going on the list for a couple of years time.

Just ordered first under the tree gift since I had to order something for newphews birthday. I do hate to pay for postage so it needed adding really.😅
For my littlest, she is going to be so excited! (Picture hopefully attached). She always makes a beeline for the black baby dolls at playgroups. She keeps asking for her own! At some point I'll order some extra clothes and a dolls carrier. She'll be soo excited! It'll be a long wait to give it to her since I know she'll love it so much!

I’ve started brought most of the stocking fillers for DC. Some Dragon Ball Z merch, pjs and an advent calendar as DC2 is currently into this. Apple home pod for DC2 and a tracksuit.

Ahh it’s cute! My DS loves his dolls, think I might get him a carrier for his, good idea.

I used to start early when my kids were younger, but now they're at that awkward age where they change what things they like on a weekly basis!

So instead I am saving money up each month and will do a big shop in November.