Christmas bargains prequel 2023 thread 🎄 - the final prequel before the main event

[InDreamland]

Last bargains prequel thread before @Reastie takes over for the main event.

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Can anyone remember the name of the shop that sells fossil advent calendars please? I know you've got to get in early but I have a child now showing LOADs of interest in fossils!

Is it Jerassic Jim on Facebook?@lotsofthingstolearn

Yes, that's the one, thank you!

@Ehunt1 Thanks! Seems pricey now given you have to fill it yourself, madness!

Okey dokey, folks. The official Turtle Doves factory seconds cashmere fingerless gloves have again been listed on Ebay via their Ebay shop.

They are £12.99 per pair this year, which is a few quid more than last years (ludicrously cheap) deal. They are also stating that they cannot give a choice of colour and it's lucky dip only.

Anyway, here is the link.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/364448229625?hash=item54dacea8f9:g:j6IAAOSwNopk7e~O

Meant to add that it's still a good deal as full price gloves are £35.

We could always set up a new swaps thread.

The Lego Bonsai tree is £29.99 on amazon at the moment.

I remember on here last year a fee of you buying a train to go around the base of the Christmas tree. Was it a particular one? Ds is fascinated with trains (asd) so thought this would be a nice addition.

Nice set of 3 LSA small vases down to £10 on amazon.

vases

We have this (not a bargain 😂): https://www.johnlewis.com/brio-world-battery-operated-steaming-train/p5535713?s_ppc=2dx92700070985443033_mixed_fashion_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=CjwKCAjwrranBhAEEiwAzbhNtdVLnXrRLGxHO7bNMSYnRPbdMUKBK0wEmm5-lfTUMuwc0bSE5uSQ6BoCYcQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

And then use tracks from Tesco/Ikea to actually make the set.

Bigjigs have a Christmas station and a sleigh if you wanted to make it even more Christmassy: https://www.bigjigsrail.com/collections/christmas
And Brio do a Christmas themed advent calendar so he could add to it every day (if you can find some of the older ones then they’re cheaper and the bits can be reused every year- we have a reusable advent calendar so the decorations just go back in and I add a chocolate coin for each day).

Thank you @Soscrewed !
Will divide them up ...3 more ticked off ♨️😂!

Thank you for this! Got one for teenage ds so he doesn't just have books and records! Also got the wildflower set that dd was admiring in store as that seemed a good price too

@Monkeymonkeymoo I'd not even thought of using his current track! Thank you for this idea! He loves Thomas the tank (and friends as its now known) so I'm going to see if I can find a Christmassy Thomas and carriages.
Thank you again!

Anyone know where the cheapest place to buy Elemis is just now? Even with a code? Not sure which product yet but need a last minute gift and it's so pricey!

I dont know how cheap the trains are, but could you decorate a second hand Thomas one, maybe glittery paint or some tinsel. Possibly tiny wrapped boxes as presents hot glued onto the carriages? (I now kind of want to do this for our tree! I loved Thomas but my 2 now 15 & 11 were never into trains!)

Anyone heard of a Thomas tank/ any other thing that plays the original Thomas theme tune?? (In the same way that in the night garden toys play the theme tune when you squidge them in the tummy!) ds is OBSESSED

@NoWordForFluffy i don’t suppose you’ve had any other thoughts about the track? Absolutely no worries if not; I will carry on my charity shop trawl!

DS has a Thomas teddy that plays the original tune when you squeeze the funnel. I'm away until Saturday afternoon but when I get back I'll check to see if the label shows the manufacturer.

My son is also train obsessed. We had one of the trains that goes round the tree but it was pretty flimsy, I think most of the couplings are now broken although he still plays with it. DP has since found a tutorial online to modify one of the Lego trains into a Christmas themed train which we now use.

If you have brio you could use glue dots to glue some tinsel and small presents/decs on to some brio trains.

Other train related Christmas hits include Thomas minis in his advent calendar, the colour in cardboard train which I believe is half price in Hobbycraft at the moment and Aldi did a polar express version last year for about £10. And I also made a train out of IKEA wooden crates which I used spray paint and twinkly lights to jazz up. It sits in the living room from when we put the decs up and DS plays in it and then Santa delivers some of his presents into it.

£10 BOOTS MIRROR IS BACK!

£10 Boots mirror

Thanks. Just got two.

looks like my son waking me up at 5am came in handy after all😂

Got the gloves for myself - thank you! Will report what they're like but will be using them to work from home so don't mind about the colour or marks on them. I remember last year some people received seconds that were too small though so hope that isn't the case!

@WhyDoesItAlways I love the crate train, that's so creative!! Good idea to you and also @SootspriteSearcher to decorate a second hand Thomas, I think I'll go down that route as I've had a look on ebay for Christmas thomas and they're mega expensive!!

So glad I asked on this thread now, thank you!

Thanks @Ehunt1 , Got the four I was after.
Now I'm thinking I would like one for myself 😁