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Original poster

Has anyone else been buying stuff for Christmas yet????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

100 replies

oliveoil · 17/08/2006 10:16

Because I have

I have been getting little bits and bobs for stocking fillers as I see them, and cheapo books.

Can I also recommend one of these £500 bank things , I realise it is better to save in a bank as you get interest, HOWEVER, dh and I have been shoving the odd £1 in every now and then and our Christmas fund can is now neary half full.

Am I:
a) a complete anal saddo or
b) vvvvvv organised and to be admired?

OP posts:

Tortington · 19/08/2006 00:32

i have bought rhubarbs present and her two children and some of dh's seond cousins and my cousins children the rest get chocolate 3 for a fiver nearer the time

all i have to buy in PIL and my nan

everyone else can go swivel

nappyaddict · 19/08/2006 01:20

what are dcs?

eidsvold · 19/08/2006 02:17

always buy cards at sales post christmas for the next year.

Have dds big toys on layby - fab system here in Aus - can layby in July and pick up from Nov to Christmas Eve - pay off over that period of time.

Saw a fab thing today for one of dd1's teachers ( our school year is calendar - Jan - Dec) so got it today.

eidsvold · 19/08/2006 02:19

local variety stores have huge toy sales mid year and it is great.

WideWebWitch · 19/08/2006 08:07

Well, I wasn't going to but actually, reading this thread has made me think if we start getting stuff over the internet now then it won't take long to have it all done so there's no panic later. Ds has a birthday in Oct and dd in November so there's that to think about too.

Frizbe · 19/08/2006 08:10

Great sale in Debenhams at M'Hall if anyone interested, the ELC there has some great bargins!

notasheep · 19/08/2006 09:01

it was my birthday recently-so now i have a load of stuff i dont want to give as christmas presents

Dottydot · 19/08/2006 09:38

Last year we were broke so I knitted presents for all the relatives - scarves for the women and hats for the men - unfortunately I only had this brain wave at the beginning of December so had to knit like fury for 3 weeks..!

This year we're still broke but I'm thinking ahead and have chosen fab little glamorous purses to knit for the women - and am starting next week! (the men may have to have hats again...)

saltire · 19/08/2006 10:24

I have started. I got Harry potter scene it from Amazon for 14.99, i think they made a mistake in the price, as its now advertised at £34.00, but it was too good to miss. DS1 wanted it last year but i wasn't going to pay that for it. I also have some Horrid henry books, the Chicken Little DVD, 2 PS2 games that were on offer and a book! Not doing too badly i think

orangegiraffe · 19/08/2006 10:29

I usually start when kids go back to school, abit of free time to myself ifyswim

BudaBabe · 19/08/2006 10:34

Have booked flights home and that is about as far as I have got! As we are going home to Dublin for Xmas I will do Amazon orders and get delivered to my Mum's. Also will be home in Oct for half-term and will try to do some then.

Will leave some stuff for last min as I love the atmosphere of shopping in Dublin at Xmas. Usually DH and I have a boozy lunch in a nice restaurant while my parents or sisters have DS. Then DH is MUCH more fun to shop with!

Looking for suggestions for a 5 yr old boy though. DS has a PS2 and a Leapster so am not buying a Gameboy for a couple of years yet I hope.

Littlemissbusy · 19/08/2006 11:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

weirdbird · 19/08/2006 14:45

I usually am very organised in advance, because if nothing else it splits the cost over many months and I get stuff when I see it in the sale etc.

This year I am due on Boxing Day and am already planning ahead.

Have most of my husbands and daughters presents already, and they are wrapped . Also have my parents, but unfortunately however early I start I still never know what to get for my husbands family...

I do find that buying people things I know they would like when I see them means that they tend to end up with less token presents cause I don't know what to buy!

noseymum · 19/08/2006 16:34

OMG I can't start thinking about christmas yet. It's still summer!! Still got to get the rest of DS's school uniform for School. And as a previous poster said, my ds's birthday is in November, so will have that to think about b4 then as well.

I think I've still got some xmas cards left from last year as we over bought. Definately got some wrapping paper left too.

sparklemagic · 19/08/2006 17:52

I always start thinking about christmas in August though I have never been organised enough to actually BUY anything - it's just that when we get the rainy days that are chillier it makes me look forward to the change of seasons, and I look forward to it all, Halloween, Guy Fawkes Night etc; there's so much I love leading up to December...

I have been saving for xms though and so far have about £200, would end up with around £450 in Dec. I guess I am better advised to use it 'as and when' and shop from now rather than waiting till Dec and doing it in one go, what do you reckon?

juicychops · 19/08/2006 18:00

Im on a very tight xmas budget this year so i have done half my xmas shopping in the sales already. Boots had a brilliant sale last week getting rid of all their xmas stuff from last year. they had picture frames from £15 down to £1.50 so i got 3 il stick a photo of ds in them and thats 3 (less important family members and ex's parents) xmas presents done!!

giggly · 19/08/2006 22:54

my friends all think I am mad as I start to pick things up from about June. I use my boots card all year and use the points for cosmetics and perfume, for all the female presents, not very original but no one complains.

Peridot30 · 19/08/2006 23:25

my god how organised r u all! dont even think about christmas till at least november-at the earliest. does it not take away from the christmas buzz shopping so early?

sleepysooz · 20/08/2006 00:26

I've nearly finished mine. I am new to the internet, so am hooked on e-bay auctions and have had a whale of a time, have to start on 2007 xmas pressies.

mytwopenceworth · 20/08/2006 00:29

you must be mad! i usually start at the beginning of december, leaving the bulk of it until the week before christmas. - one year i did it all on christmas eve!!!! i think it makes it more fun!

sleepysooz · 20/08/2006 00:31

I am mad, but having 2.10 twins makes me that way, its my outlet, but I'm knackered now so I'm going to bed, or I'll be good for nothing tomorrow, not even shopping!

mytwopenceworth · 20/08/2006 00:58

that wasnt aimed at you in particular! just at the general notion of folks starting christmas shopping as soon as they're back from their summer holiday!

eidsvold · 20/08/2006 01:21

when you ahev a toddler and a 4yo with sn - you gotta do your christmas shopping as and when you can - dragging them around in the busy pre christmas period is a nightmare.

And too hot to be thinking about Christmas - not here Although dh can't get used to a hot christmas rather than cold and being rugged up with rich roast dinners.

hovely · 21/08/2006 11:46

warning warning
if you are planning a big Amazon shop for books
don't do as I did and think 'it's only the end of October, that's plenty of time'
they seemed to have real problems with delivery and despatch, and three or four of my books didn't arrive until January
they were all supposed to be 24 hour despatch

this year I will do my Amazon order by the second week of September.

magicmummy · 21/08/2006 23:29

DS birthday in Dec along with about 4 other family members, so always start buying early.
Love e-bay auctions for bargains that are delivered to your door...don't end up with arms that are 3" longer from carrying everything round town !!!!
Have been selling all my unwanted items on e-bay and at car boot sales.....you'd be surprised what some people will buy...!!!!
Can easily make £100+ on a sunday morning car boot sale.
Got a nice budget now for buying prezzies.

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