Christmas bargain thread one - the one where it officially starts!

[Reastie]

Thanks so much to @Sideorderofchips for keeping things going. I can barely believe it's September and (for me at least!) that only means one thing - Christmas can start!!!!

Hope you've all had a great year and have missed you all. Last couple of years I've had various health things going on so have been a bit distant from the threads. Not quite there yet but feeling stronger than this time last year and I can't wait until I see more festive items in the shops! I've already bought my advent calendar - I've got the taskmaster one (which I'm quite excited about!).

I'll post various links etc in the next thread first post but essentailly you guys know the drill - share and be nice or leave.

<waves to everyone>

Thanks @RainbowZebraWarrior for that link. I actually purchased several packets of those Kew seeds last year after someone had posted about them here, and they have been amazing this summer. My garden has never looked better - until the hosepipe ban! I'd have happily paid full price for them this year rather than wasting money on other brands, and had actually made a diary note to look this week to purchase more.
I've just treated myself to several packs, and will do the same as you, and pop some in a nice tin as several gifts to various people.
Thank you😊

@Flubadubba Thanks, I purchased for my nephew.

hope i do this right! OHS (Online Home Store) has some lovely Christmas decorations reduced now. they have lots of great things like duvet covers, gnome bath mats, tree decs etc. also check out the clearance and rest of the site. they have kids fleeces reduced too.

Thanks @RainbowZebraWarrior for the seeds, that’s a lovely gift idea for several people.

Lloyds have some possible gifts here which are buy one get one free and free delivery using the code (for another 11 hours!)

Free Delivery Weekend | Code: WKNDDEL

Kids gifts
Women’s gifts
Men’s gifts

There’s a real mix of small stocking fillers and bigger gifts. Some elf of the shelf bits and some bath bombs in the kids section. Make up sponges and other stocking fillers, and some perfume / fragrance gift sets. Would definitely be worth splitting up your order to get the best “free” items in each pair, not just the cheapest ones.

Aldi have the 555 Sticker Fun books for £1.29 - they are £5 - £7 on Amazon. They have a huge range of different ones as well.

Sainsbury's have chocolate oranges at £1.80 if you have a Nectar card. I know they went lower last year but not by much and I need a plain chocolate one so I've stocked up now!

Now out of stock in John Lewis, but the Melissa and Doug building set is down from £20 to £15 on Amazon. My three loved it so I’m getting it for my wee niece.
On Amazon too, Gruffalo Granny is half price.

https://amzn.eu/d/09oQFytD

That's the lovely thing about Christmas, everyone does it differently because there's no actual rules. It's a mash of centuries of tradition from different religions and cultures.

We have a trillion of them (mostly charity shop). I just hate them as they are so badly written, and we get through 3 a week. When she started to being them home as her reading books in y1, I wanted to cry 😂

Thankfully she is beginning to read 'in her head' (as she calls it)... Do like a bit of Isadora Moon/Emerald/Mirabelle, though (and they are often on offer for £4ish on Amazon, or in a small set for under £20 in The Works... much cheaper than a comic these days!)

I buy comics. The prices are rediclous. £8 for a Paw Patrol one with a bit of plastic added. At least star wars ones have figures in that are usable.

lego dalmatians
https://amzn.eu/d/01wU982k
under £14, saw it for £20 elsewhere.

Side note: John Lewis annoys me so much - see a great price on something, and then it says you can only buy it on its own, and can't click and collect so forced delivery fees adding £4.50 to the price. Makes what I was after a 50p saving 🙄. I haven't ordered it.

I agree. I do a very “traditional” Christmas, but I still have to prepare through the year or I wouldn’t be able to do it. I also struggle to think of ideas and these threads have given me so many ideas (and bargains!) over the years! Preparing early doesn’t mean everyone’s decorations are already up. But if they were, I wouldn’t know or care! I always struggle to decide exactly when to have my first mince pie of the season. I think anytime after bonfire night is fair game, but have been tempted as early as September. It’s such a short window, sigh…

Popped into my local tkmaxx and they are starting to get their gift sets in. Spotted this sand and fog diffuser oil set which I thought would make a nice gift, £7.99.

Hello, glad to be back, I’ve just caught up with thread.
Any ideas appreciated for my young adult children, one is a girl, but not into make-up or brands/ clothing, very much loves her cars, the other is a boy and no strong interests, does enjoy cooking and cycling. Also have a preteen, not into gaming/ merch, Lego is sorted but any other ideas really appreciated!
it’s getting harder every year to think of new ideas!!!

Thanks for the seeds!! Really lovely gift for dm.

If anyone is planning photo canvas prints I’ve found a decent combination of offers on a company called optimal print . For example a 30 x 40 canvas is down to £9.90 . They have a half price offer on their annual free delivery, so free delivery on all orders for a year is £4.95 ( cheaper than if you paid a one off delivery fee on the canvas ) . Added to this I then got £1.10 in credit to use on my next order and a big discount on a photo book which does need to be ordered by tomorrow, but that was perfect timing for me as I need to order one anyway . Obviously I’ve not had mine delivered yet , but trust pilot reviews look good .
I think this is a time limited offer though .

Thanks so much for this thread and the prequels. I am more of a lurker and buyer as slow to bargains. Just bought this Kanoodle extreme for my Kanoodle loving DD for £13.20 from Amazon (20% off). I find these stressful but she loves them! https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00THLMIHG?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

I have two £5 off £30 Argos codes expiring on 8th..PM me if anyone wants them used.

I also have a yoto referral code if anyone is getting their little one one at Christmas

Worth a look at the Garden Trading sale on their website - quite a lot of nice homewares for those buying for adults. EXTRA10 gets an extra 10% off and when some things are already 60% discounted that is pretty good going.

Aldi has giant Eevee Squishmallows: £16.99.

Btw: All this talk of Xmas prep has reminded me that I need to make my cake next weekend if it is going to be ‘fed’ enough by December!

Sorry one more question about the Bitzee, my son is just turnes 9 and i have been thinking about getting him a tamagotchi/bitzee which one would be better? Or have i missed the boat and hes too old? Its more of a jokey gift than a real one of that makes sense

Yes please to both!

Thank you for the Kew seeds link - that’s DM’s first gift sorted and the packets were so pretty I got some for a friend too!

Very tempted by the Kanoodle for DS, but wondering why the PP finds it stressful? Because it’s addictive?

Free diffuser with code FREEDIFF from Valaette link
they have saving on diffuser bundles.

@Vinvertebrate because it asks too much of my overly stressed brain. My DD loves them and has a number of the kanoodles. I have zero time and it feels like another demand (to me!)