Oh come all ye frugalers, joyful in December, oh come ye, oh come yea and chat

[babsmam]

New Fred, hope I've done it right I've never done one before.

Dishwasher is coming on Friday! Yay!

Oh my goodness... DS cries at classical music which made watching The Snowman very tricky. I wonder why classical music makes him cry. He really really enjoys it even though it makes him weepy. He's only 2! He cried at Holy and the Ivy yesterday too.

My ds had very striking reactions to music at 2 as well, but it went away at 4 when he became totally absorbed instead by a love of fighting. (Hormones!)

Arrrgghh! Spent £93 in Asda - how??? That was weekly shop, 2 sheets £6 each, cat food 3 for a tenner, wrapping paper £1 for 10m x2 rolls, blu tack, conditioner and chocolate tree decorations. I can't believe that just a few extra things added so much to the bill. I didn't even buy any alcohol!

Ds1 can get quite upset by music too, it's very odd! I think he struggles to process it and he gets confused. We are enjoying a bit of Nick Cope, I recommend looking him up for fun music for the small's.

DD is the same Collie she always has been very emotionally affected by music. She loves classical but won't listen to classic fm at bedtime anymore 'in case they play something sad' (have switched to audiobooks - but has to be a book we've already read so no nasty surprises). I play the piano a lot but there are some pieces she cries at so I only play them when she's not here.

Back again after few busy days
Welcome all the newbies
collie really like your new bucket list - Eden has free entry days in January - check if your postcode is included
Finished the advent calendar yesterday, it's not perfect but luckily dc really like it it
Should be LSD today, just need to pay for dd Christmas meal at school (£5.20) and trip to the cinema (£3)
It's Christmas fair at school tomorrow so going to make some cakes after school with dc, plus need to make the Christmas cakes for hampers I am doing for family
We usually make edible gifts for teachers, do you think they would like these
www.thepinkwhisk.co.uk/2015/12/1-lebkuchen-pud-lollies.html

Oh thank goodness. It's more common than I first thought. Such a relief! I was hoping to buy a clavinova piano soon (as soon as I had a job). But now I'm worried he'll just sob.

Anyway, I'm writing a list of things to get in town. Because I've found myself absolutely bamboozled by the amount of christmas stuff for sale in shops. I find that it's overwhelming and I can't actually remember what I needed.Boots is so cramped with crap that I can't manoeuvre a buggy. So I'll be taking g advantage of DS being at nursery.

Would anyone post their Christmas foodie shopping list? I think I've missed of loads of obvious stuff. I won't be doing a Christmas food shop for a while but I want to prepare.

I'm getting my main Christmas meal from m&s very unfrugal but my food list would go like this

Meat (gammon turkey and pheasant here)
Potatoes
Parsnips
Sprouts ( yuck)
Gravy
Red cabbage
Carrots
Pigs in blankets
Ingredients for nice stuffing
Dessert of some kind x2

Crackers and cheese plus chutney
Tub of quality street
Twiglets

Soft drinks
Wine
Beer

Some packs of frozen party food
Part baked bread

That's about it I think. I hate to go overboard there's really no point. Would be easier if my sister wasn't vegan. Will buy extra carrots

£10 off a £50 spend in Lidl in todays Daily Mail

It's in the money section.

Phew it's only 11 am and I've driven 15 miles to toys r us for an order they cancelled but didn't tell me. After a bit of a kick off (only a bit the girl was lovely and doing her best) at the process I got sorted. £28.
Sprint round sainsburys £40
Busy day with emergency dental treatment and dance exams.

I did mine last night in Sainsburys, as I booked my delivery for the 22nd.

Quorn roast
Parsnips ×2
Organic carrots (bunch)
Broccoli
Prepared red cabbage
Stuffing (cranberry, orange and chestnut mix)
Cranberry sauce
Ready made onion gravy
Classic cheese board
Savoury biscuits for cheese
Celery sticks
Red grapes
Green grapes
Rocket leaves
Sherry trifle
Prosecco
Chablis
Lemonade
Orange juice
Croissants
Pain-au-chocolates
Roses
Ferrero Rocher
Sainsburys own brand mint thins
Danish butter biscuits and cookies
Mushroom quiche
Quorn scotch eggs
Quorn cocktail sausages
Frozen party food (3 for £5. Cheese things, veggie spring rolls and veggie parcels)
Tiger bread
Pannetone
Mini stollen bites
Clementines

I think that's it. Comes to about £72.

And olives with feta cubes.
Kettle chips.
£75.64, not £72.

Once again realising why Christmas is so much more expensive for some people than it is for me.

My Christmas shopping list =

normal shopping list + 1 duck (£16.50) + elderflower cordial(£2.50) + crackers (£4).

and relax...

DH has already bought his ham, it's in the freezer, and he's ordered a turkey, sausages and bacon from the butcher.
I've already made a Xmas cake and pudding, DH will make some sort of boozy whipped cream extravaganza for his pudding.
My mum will make and bring a veggie main course for me, red cabbage, cranberry sauce and bread sauce (yuck!).
My dad usually sends us some nice beers and chocolates for our Xmas present.
That leaves us still to buy:
Potatoes
Parsnips
Sprouts
Swede
Wine/fizz
Cream
Cheese and crackers.
Salad.
Herbs and a lemon to make stuffing.
DH will insist we need pickled onions, mayo and a pork pie that won't get eaten until January. I have already banned crisps as they never get eaten and I bought a tin of Quality Street in Sept when they were on offer but I'm not convinced they will last until Xmas.
That doesn't seem like a very long list, I must have forgotten something!

Thanks Creme - I forgot I needed to book my delivery with sainsvury. Currently £90! I'll edit it over time though. I've gone for 8am on 23rd.

Just been to Sainsbo's, my local one has the Christmas things on offer, mix of 25% off and 3 for 2. I spent £50 on Christmas food, some offers there too - smoked salmon at £5 instead of £7.50, Carte D'or ice cream at £2 instead of £3.25, not the fancy desert type ones and one of my favourite wines at £6 instead of £8 plus a few other items.

Will catch up later, lunch is calling me

thanks for the reminder, sainsburys order done and thanks for the list collie

Just starting shepherds pie for dinner. Have bulked out mince with onion, celery, carrot, parsnip and lentils. Have used 250g of mince so will see if there's any left over! I find the lentils really absorb the flavour of the stock etc so make it really tasty.

Thanks from me too, done my Sainsbo's order now. I may revise it but the time slot is booked.

I don't even know what we're doing for Xmas yet so can't really plan food!

DH is definitely working Boxing Day (retail) and shouldn't be working Xmas Eve because Thursday is normally his day off, but in reality that doesn't seem to matter to the company he works for

He had two interviews today but doesn't think either went well. Fingers crossed though eh! Something has to come along eventually right?!

I also love lentils in mince Spotty - I put loads in my spag bol.

fuzz The interviews may have gone better than your DH thinks. Hopefully, anyway.

lila Sorry about bumping the car, it's very easy to do. The TNT lorry smashed DH's on Monday, looks a right old mess.

I will catch up properly later, it's been a NSD and I have either walked dogs or worked all day, then did school pick up in order that DD can ride and I need to cook tea, which is thai chicken curry. It's quick and easy.

I've booked a delivery slot for Christmas week with Morrisons, but have only added my favourites so far, I will adjust as required.

Hope the dentist goes ok babs

spotty I get my Christmas stuff from M&S too, but have really managed to stay out of their food hall for a good few months, bar the occasional few loaves of bread. Christmas is for treats and why not eh?!

ipsos Good news on the dishwasher. I agree, Aldi dishwasher tablets are really good value and quality.

Feeling pretty frazzled today, working days feel like moving from one chore to the next.

Thanks for posting the foodie lists everyone. I feel so inspired! although buying extra food for Christmas is expensive. I love how all the family get together and friends pop over for a cuppa tea and chit chat etc.

My new eye test was only £10! Really really chuffed and my new glasses will be £190 for two pairs. Sucks but eyes are important. I kept getting told I look like Zooey Dechanel

I got caught up in late night shopping chaos and traffic. It's raining and all the lights were on. And there was an 80+ year old busker singing Carols and he was wonderful!

I also popped into M&S to spend the vouchers on prezzies and there was an extra 50% selected gifts. I saved £35 (I stuck to my list too!) !! I'm very very very pleased . I bought so much from M&S that my arms ache from carrying all the bags of shopping. I haven't shopped like that for years!

Now listening the rain waiting for my DH and DS to get home.

Hi all I love that you still call me Girlie as well!

Lsd £5 to dd for 2 school dinners, asked the childminder to pick up tickets for the nativity and she has reported back that they are £1 each since when did they start charging you for the school nativity!

Dd been complaining of a bad headache since picking her up, she has had calpol and ibrufen and seems to be feeling a bit better, meant be swimming tonight but will see how she goes.

You lot are panicking me slightly with all this talk of Christmas food, I can't think that far ahead!

Dd is sensitive to music as well, she used to sob through Puff the Magic Dragon and that Lily Allen John Lewis advert song Somewhere only we know...

Need I agree. I love cooking but I do it every other day of the year! Have you seen this?! It looks amazing! Wonder if m&s will have any in stock when I go in?

Well there was enough shepherds pie to save a portion for lunch could have managed too but I was hungry

Have given ds some medicine as his temp is up to 39 and he's shivering. Poor monkey.