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?

Lonelymum, where abouts are you? I know Xmas is tough for some people, 'cos kids see adverts all the time on TV and just want want want... Try not to worry about what they will think, just do your best. The fact that they have people that love them is important, even if they as kids would supposedly swap all that love for the latest doll or gameboy etc. You sound like a great mum. Try the car boots etc, we have picked up loads of stuff far cheaper than normal and I know you're worried about stocking fillers. Buy largepacks of sweets and split them. I know junk sweets aren't brilliant but we've just done a Halloween party with really cheap sweets and sent kids home loaded with , ahem, higher sugar levels than I would normally anticipate. Just keep in touch and have a lovely Xmas!

Thanks Jollymum. I am in West Sussex.

Message withdrawn

Thanks Yurtgirl, I will look it up.
BTW Aero, I haven't received your CAT yet.

Message withdrawn

The website is www.hawkin.com for anyone else who wants to look it up. I found Clackers there too! Are they the must have stocking filler of this year?

hawkins

A bit late now but we started Christmas shopping for ds twins during the summer sales. Simply because we are on a budget. ASDA are always quite good for toys and bargains.

Also charity shops for books. Pound shops for little stocking fillers. IKEA is quite inexpensive for art supplies and little toys, especially cuddly toys.

Personally, even when I am back at work and there is more money in the pot I don't want to be getting them tons and tons of stuff they probably won't play with or appreciate. I'm with the one-big present and little-stocking-fillers crowd! Their birthdays are four days after Christmas so we have that to buy for also.

DH wants to buy them Playmobil next year(for them or him!) So I'll start buying little bits through the year. I got caught out the first two years so was well planned out for this year.

If you are on benefits, does your council run a toy scheme? Where local businesses donate toys and gifts and they make up little goodie bags. Unfortunately we are just low income so can't get it but they are supposed to be really good.

is there anything that the kids need and that you will have to get anyway that can be a present? My two both needed new pyjamas last year so I thought I might as well wrap them up and say they were from FC - although pretty practical they were both suprisingly pleased. In fact I pretty much wrapped up all their winter clothes and they so didn't see through it!

Hawkin open temporary shops on the run up to Xmas. They have a list on their web site. They say they have one in Horsham (West Sussex), I bumped into one there last year and they had lots of the catalogue bits there. The cheap and the expensive bits. Lonelymum,I don't know how close you are to Horsham, but when I go I am always pleased at how much better the shops are than whare I live.

Will try again lonelymum.

Have CAT'd you again lonelymum. Hope you get this one!

Lonelymum, I got a pack of ten children books in perfect condition for 1 pound at an school activity sale (and one of the books is such favorite that he has spend 6 months having a good 20 min look at it EVERY DAY ) So it's just a matter of spending some time looking around at charity shops, school sales etc. I have got a Little tikes rocking horse and a slide for 2 pounds, and as you may imagine that plastic is eternal and they look new, though I don't think it really matters as DS would love them anyway. Of course, many times I'm around I can't find anything but just keep trying, it is also good fun. I have several new stuffed toys (with labels included), I can post them to you if you wish, CAT me if you want them.

by the way, have you checked ASDA toy section? their toys are unbelievable cheap but very good, got a toy microwave oven for a party for only 4 punds. Worth a look

This has probably been mentioned already - NCT nearly new sales around this time of year usually include toys and they are in mint condition (NCT won't allow items of 'jumble quality' to be sold).

You can get some lovely books very cheaply from "the book people online" (www.thebookpeople.co.uk)-it is NOT a book club and there is no ongoing commitment.
If you are brave enough to wait until the last week or so before Christmas, most of the shops seem to start their sales then and you can pick things up for a fraction of the normal price.(including ELC)
Also, dont forget the "3for 2" offers that a lot of the stores seem to run these days in the run up to Christmas (Woollies and Boots both do it). HTH.

Aero - have recieved your CAT and replied. Hope you get it as I have deleted the answer from my computer as I am a bit embarrassed about it.
Weatherwax - yes I shop in Horsham. I thought I recognised the name Hawkins when I saw it! I shopped in their temporary shop last year and will definitely go again this year. TBH though, I didn't think they were particularly cheap, just that they had loads of novel ideas.

lonelymum, I made playdough and gave that out as party favours for dd's 3rd party a few months ago, i did several different colours and they all got a few each. Let me know if you want a recipe

I always find that the earlier I start xmas shopping, the more i spend

so leave it all until xmas eve!