Frugxmas 16

[Toberich]

Anyone care to swap ideas on frugal xmas 16 ? I love xmas but not the expense - all ideas welcome !

Found it.

Is there anything you've found that works well (or indeed Not well) in your own household, Tobe?

Oh, great thread idea.

My ideas:

Including some things that DC need in stockings / present pile, e.g. socks, pants, pyjamas. I think of these as the modern day satsuma .

Agreeing in advance not to swap presents with some people, e.g. Adult siblings, cousins etc.

Not going overboard on food shopping.

Asking for particular presents for yourself that you would have bought anyway.

You found me ! Well planning ahead is so important so I usually start asking the kids what Santa is bringing around June 😂

Not going overboard on food shopping is a real crunch I think. People seem to go quite daft at the festive season. (And I include myself there.) It really adds up when you keep thinking 'Just in case' thoughts.

Some early planning can help - I've bought a few bits in the sales and have a budget in mind. Going to try to really cut back this year!

I try to buy tinned stuff, essentials like tin foil, serviettes, toilet roll etc and put them away during the autumn.

Stocking fillers like pyjamas, socks, comics, popcorn, sweets etc are always popular and don't break the bank.

I just bought my first KK present which will go towards one of the adults we get (50% chance to be female) - a Yankee candle reduced to half price - delighted - now to make sure I don't forget I have it as usual

I buy stuff throughout the year if it will keep - especially if I can get it reduced - and put it on a special wardrobe shelf. I sometimes forget I've bought something and receive a pleasant surprise.

The family kids all get pjs and a book and usually some sort of sweet/choc gift.
I always buy the pjs in the sales and get one large present for the adults (parents/grandparents) from August to spread the cost.

What sort of gifts do people feel that the recipients really enjoy or use? (As opposed to polite 'Thank You's.)

Personally I like books, cookbooks, candles, scarves, chocolate and vouchers.
I'm not so keen on very scented bath stuff (sensitive skin), jewellery (ditto), ornaments or foodie 'sets' .

Although as I get older I'm just grateful anyone buys me anything lol!

Kk?

I assumed it was Xmas/Santa - as in Kris Kringle.

Books
Amazon Vouchers
Candles
Earrings
Lush stuff
Quality Chocolate

Yankee candles
Gloves (esp good quality)
Purse
I used to love cookbooks but now think they cause too much clutter plus can't afford exotic /expensive ingredients anymore !
Love books (decent fiction)
Would love love love something towards going for din/theatre tickets/offer of babysitting but that never happens
Would be thrilled with Tesco/lidl vouchers 😃
Bottle of decent white wine - amazing (avg price)
Incense
Genuinely useful /good value
Nice sets of greeting c

Butter fingers - nice sets of greeting cards
Magazines I can never afford anymore - such luxury 😀
Nice notebooks
I'm so easily pleased 😀
Scarves
Do not like - obviously recycled presents - battered boxes of cheap toiletry sets / cheap smelly candles/ cheap boxes chocolates / bad cheap generic cookbooks of everything I can already cook / mindless chick lit / bags of sweets for kids annoys me a lot as it's hard enough to keep them off too much sugar
I love getting well thought out & proper sized clothes for kids (ie usually an age or 2 up) - hate when clothes are obv going to be too small (ie last years age) - thoughtless cheap relations (ie ones who have cash !)

Pottery / vintage plates
New bridge jewellery
I think I'll stop now 😬

Some of the better presents for the kids they have received are sensible vouchers ie sports shops (they always need something for sports) & even (judge me now) McDonald's vouchers 😬A neighbour gives us those ev year & tbh it's great gives them a treat !! We have a once a month McDs rule (sometimes longer !) so that does 1.5 trips 👍🏻

I often buy small, inexpensive, antiques (of all sorts) as presents - I find them online. The youngsters especially seem to like something which has been tailored to them and which they can keep for the future. Much more so than I would have expected. (I get the cod-stare immediately when they've unwrapped them but I hear about the event later on.)

I'm cutting down on cards this year
I get fewer and fewer each year
I'm going to buy wrap from aldi and co op (had some great Star Wars wrap last year)
I'm going to try and convince in laws to only buy for kids this year (my family already do this)...wish me luck!

Good luck on that one because it's a hard line to hold, like maximum gift amounts. It tends to work for one year and then to slip badly in my experience - if not reinforced regularly.

I'll never forget the year my sister s d I agreed no gifts
We both had new babies who were both quite poorly and we were both stressed to the hilt...
As agreed I turned up empty handed and she handed me a designer fragrance gift set
I was mortified

Just so. Regular reinforcement is needed - lots of reminders before Xmas, I guess. (Although those circumstances were perhaps a little unusual/difficult.)

I've honestly no idea what got into her!
She hasn't given me such a generous gift before or since! 😲