Struggling to afford Christmas

[Lonelymum]

I know a few other MNers must be in the same situation as I am in so I wondered if we could pool ideas to help each other out.
The struggle for me is that dh and I have four children all of whom (with the exception of the youngest) believe in Father Christmas, but the cost of filling four stockings is really daunting. I know some paretns explain to their kids that money is tight and hence presents will be limited, but how can you do that when the presents are supposed to come from FC?
Has anyone any good ideas for filling a stocking on a budget without making it look like FC has forgotton their children or given them a load of sub standard toys?

no, not that!! sorry!! try this proper link for Hawkin's Bazaar - doh!

Deer! sorry!

my parents always used to fill our stockings up with things like satsumas and other seasonal fruit. That may not be such a novelty now - but them satsumas were a real treat and are still the taste of Christmas to me.

Thanks for the ideas, all good except for the fruit one (nice though it sounds) as my kids aren't too keen on fruit. I guess I just need to shop around a bit. I always buy lots of paper and colouring pens, etc, and I have seen lots of nice things in Baker Ross but I think they are rather expensive. When everything has to be multipied by 4...... Just bought a couple of books in a charity shop but I also did that last year and was really ashamed as I felt the books were obviously second hand and thought my kids would see through the FC story.

One year I got all my kids stocking fillers from charity shops (although I didn't get anything that looked manky or obviously second hand) - really cheap and better than buying new shoddy quality toys imo. This year I'm really, really skint - am taking the kids to italy for a week in december to see my mum and that's gonna be their christmas pressie. Bah humbug.

frogs, I also use my boots advantage points for Christmas - rather than using supermarkets on the lead up to xmas, I buy nappies, wipes, toothpaste, etc from boots to top up my advantage points, and then use those to buy pressies.

Do you have shops locally such as Home Bargains? They do lots of brand named toys at really reduced prices.

Ooh, mummytummy - you've just reminded me! I've got almost £30 on my boots card!

Can't wait for all my Tesco clubcard vouchers either! We do all our shopping at Tesco and on a Tesco CC so we get huge amounts of points and huge amounts of vouchers! Hurrah!

Lonelymum - how about making up loads of Play dough in festive colours and then divide it up between them? Mine also love bottles of bubbles (v. cheap and cheerful!). Balloons (especially the noisy ones)?

I always put in some socks and a toothbrush too (buy in multipacks) and this year I'm hoping to do some gingerbread stars which I'll ice and put those silver balls on.

Stickers, rubbers, little tins with lids (my girls love them). I'm also going to do some compilation tapes for them with their favourite music.

compilation tapes or cds is a brilliant idea yoyo, i like that!

Lonelymum here are my suggestions, may have been mentioned on here so sorry if I'm reapeating other posts.
Use any advange card points if you ahve any from Boots, tesco, Sainsbury's cards to buy either small, inexpensive gifts (little toys, nice kiddies bubblebath, novelty shape soaps, chocolate bars or even small items of clothing like a top, socks, nice slippers etc). also, some supermarkets have a change machine where you can put all your loose change in (if you have lots lying around teh house) and out of it you get a receipt for the amount of money you put in minus some percentage that goes to some charity. the receipt can be used to pay towards purchases made in taht shop. Or, if you do have lots of change, you can put it all in individual small change bags (you'd get those from your bank), make sure you put the right amount in each of them, take them to your own bank and get the money in bigger coins or even notes, depending on how much you have. I always put small change (1p, 2p &5p coins) in a draw in the kitchen and once a year take it to the bank and it adds up to about £15-£20 a year. i know it's not much for a year but it's extra money especially when you run out of cash.
Set yourself a limit and STICK TO IT!!!! Say £20 for all the presents, then make 4 trips to the shops with only £5 in your pocket (leave your purse at home) and have a look in charity shops for good, clean toys or books, or even something like a nice little wooden chair (I saw one once for £1.50, it was adorable, rocking tiny little chair, I would ahve painted it, I just didn't buy it when I saw it and next time I went past It was sold)or a little child desk (again saw one for £3.50 once and lost it). look in shops like Woolworth or Wilkinson for paints, brushes, sticker books, little toys (for ex. Wilkinson sell a little battery operated car for £1.90 ish teh type taht turns over when it reaches an obstacle), play food sets, magnet sets etc etc.
make something yourself if you feel brave enough: a painting apron or a cooking apron that sort of thing, or nice cookies.
have a look around car boot sale, church sales, garage sales and bartgain with the seller you might end up with very good buys.
Above all keep it small, stick to the budget and think what you could make yourself.
HTH and enjoy your Christmas!

Keep meaning to say, I also have to budget for ds2 whose birthday is just before Christmas, and the horrendous cost of his party. I loathe party bags. Ds2 went to a party on Saturday and hasn't yet looked at one thing that was in his bag. I am sure my child is not alone (or particularly spoilt in case that is what it looks like) as the same children are there at every party and there is sometimes a party a week/fortnight. The same things appear in the bags and ds2 just isn't interested anymore. I know I have to provide a party bag, and try to make mine different, but, as his birthday is just before Christmas, and the children are all about to receive so many presents, I do wonder why I bother, especially as it is such an expensive time of year anyway.
Do I sound like Scrooge? Bah humbug!
At the same time though, I feel desperately sorry for my littlest boy who is going to receive a whole load of toys that used to belong to his brothers and are at the moment hidden from him in the loft. I feel sorry that he can't have something bright and shiny and new from the packet. I know he won't care, but...

also see if you local nct is having a toy sale- got my ds xmas stuff for about £15 included a lot of good condition toys!!

check out their website as they list nearly new sales on there..it's a £1 to get in.

Lonelymum, I have some toys I wanted to sell on ebay, which didn't sell, if you want me I can CAT you with the link and if you think there's anything suitable I'm more than happy to give them to you for free if you wouldn't mind paying the postge (I would get whatever you choose weighed at the post office and let you know how much that would be before you commit to anything). And if they're not what you're after I don't mind if you don't want them.

Branster, I thought you were mum to a dd? I have three ds's (and a dd but she is nearly 5). Correct me if I am wrong. Just don't want to CAT straightaway.

I've had a go at the NCT sales too, but I find the toys are for babies and little ones rather than older children. In fact, I sell at the NCT sales and would dearly love my local branch to hurry up and send me my latest cheque as the money I made at the last sale will go quite a long way to filling my children's stockings....Grrrr..... Sorry, not feeling the best today and just want to moan about everything.

I have CAT'd you lonelymum.

re party bags - got some face paints cheap at pound store and put a couple of colors in each... or depending on how old kids are - why not make somethin at the party for them to take home... have painted little flower pots before - prime the little terracotta ones with white emulsion (one side only) then give thema pens, glittler glue etc like you have lying around the house - uses up party time, and then pop a few penny sweets and their cake in for them to take home?

re actual party bags - i always hit green =grocer for some brown paper bags and decorate them

Subs - I once filled my party bags with glitter glue and coloured pencils and a rather forthright little boy complained in front of me that there were no toys in the bag!

Oh, sorry I didn't think of that aspect. No problem. The offer still stands when /if you want it. Come to think of it , i just looked at Your kids'ages and out of the toys probably only a couple would be suitable for your youngest.
I wanted to add though, that you musn't beat yourself up about all this second hand and hand-me down toys thing. It's far more important, as you know, that your children have a warm house to live in, have food and love, that's what they'll remember in 20 years time, not necessarly what they got for Christmas. Please don't overspend on all these presents as you'll ahve to struggle so much afterwards and it's so not worth it. they'll be happy no matter what.
As for teh party bag, well I can't stand it myself, it's all a lot of junk at the end of the day, isn't it? Why not try and organise some sort of games instead (skittles, hoops, mini golf, guess what's in the box etc) and esch child wins a prize after taking part. have a bag filled with some sweets, cheap small cars you buy in set (about £2 from wilkinson for 10 or something like that), crayons, felt tip pens, home made biscuits, stickers, colouring pages printed out off the internet etc and each child chooses or is given a prize from the bag when they win the game. Just give each child a big enevelope with their name on it when they arrive and they can collect their prizes in there. I can guarrantee you they'll enjoy it much more and actually look at the prizes. I know it takes more effort on your part in terms of organizing teh gaes and you'll probably need some adults to help you during the party but you'd be saving money and have a really nice party for the kids.

excellent idea subs. a craft activity taking place during the party: make a butterfly or simmilar.

what a little toerag he was, lonelymum!

clackers!

Also ELC do a pack of 2 foam flying things for £2 - my 8 yo boy loves them. In fact he had one 2 years ago as a stocking filler from National Trust but after I had broken it they stopped doing them. They are each about 6-8 inches in length and about 1.5inches wide

just had a genius idea - what if everyone swapped skills - eg i sew so i make dolls clothes and quilts, cushion covers and things like that - i bet there are other people who make things that make good presents... so why doesnt everyine swap gifts like that?

Clackers yourself Jampot! Seriously, thanks for the link. My dad always says that when we were kids, he and my mum filled our pillow cases (instead of stockings ) with small toys just like the clackers you recommend which were designed to keep us quiet until everyone was ready to get up. Mostly, things broke or were discarded after a few weeks but they served their purpose on the day. Not sure how quiet the clackers are, but YKWIM.
Subs - I thought he was a toerag too, if I am honest, but it just goes to show how hard it is to please the little blighters these days. I like your swaps idea, but not sure I have anything to contribute. I do like cooking, but it would cost a bomb to send my truffles etc through the post.