Christmas presents

Has anyone started yet?

Sainsburys had a half price toy sale so I made a start.

I bought a book box set for my nephew, you open it and its a book at one end then it has a playmat and farm animals so its quite practical for taking out visiting people etc.

Im going back tomorrow for dolls for my nieces. £6 half price and its a doll and a bath so thought it was something diffrent, they can splash about with the water then the doll has a housecoat etc so that should be fun.

Probarly vouchers for the in laws

No idea about my mum or hubby yet. Im going to the metrocentre for xmas shopping so hopefully get things here

Nail polish for sister in law and beer for my brother


Not sure what to ask for. Im really want a tablet and possibly hair extensions. My mum and hubby didnt want to get me extensions last year as would mean having my present before xmas but my hair is still a mess this year so might hint again. Was going to get sensationail but think im just going to stick to regular polish.

We're just working out what we're doing. We haven't had much idea yet

Nix wrote:We're just working out what we're doing. We haven't had much idea yet

I take that back! Last night we sat and talked about what we're going to do for people, and because of money (you have to ignore all the kitchen stuff, as my nan is paying for it not us) we had decided that we're only buying for the children this year, my sister and one of my brother's has already echoed this.

Feeling a little downhearted, I raided my nectar account and found that I had enough points to order £24 worth of credit for photobox, and as they have a special offer on, I was able to order 4 personalised calendars for £30, so I only had to spend £6 (well, until I had to pay another £6 in p&p). I'm pretty impressed, that's my mum, my nan, Dom's mum and Dom's grandparents that are getting calendars with photos of Sophie on for £3 each!! I feel alot better now.

Now, to work out what to get Sophie, as neither of us have any idea!

Yep, I've made a start, I buy stuff throughout the year, when I see bargains, but finances have been tight due to being on maternity leave this year, so I haven't done as much as I would have liked.

The children's stockings are done and I have a couple of others done, but I am behind schedule.

Channie I keep saying that im going to buy throughout the year, it makes more sense financially and you get better choice of stuff but then I always think I will wait a few more months then before you know it its christmas again.

Nix The calenders are a great idea, I usually get my mum one made up if we have had a holiday together that year. Not this year though and no ideas at all for her. We usually get each other good presents but this year we have no ideas.

I got the dolls, as they are originally £12 reduced to £6 I dont feel as guilty if I dont add anything else in. I will see how it goes and depends if i see any other good deals but probarly make a start on other people now.

Nix my nieces and nephews are Sophies age. One is getting a trike and a trampoline. Another is getting a kitchen set, iron, hoover, toaster, kettle, fake fruit etc and one of those toy tills then they can kid on they have a cafe or whatever. Those were the days lol.

We were thinking a kitchen for Christmas, although I might get someone else to get it and buy lots of little things since she loves to open presents.

We think that we might get some canvas' and paint a picture on them for Dom's brother. He's really into Disney's Cars and I'm pretty good at copying. I'm just doing Sophie a painting of Minnie Mouse and Dom is impressed enough he's happy for me to do them for his brother

I have found it works well buying throughout the year.  I got some great bargains.  The supermarkets often have toys on offer, I pick up the items with the weekly shop, so I don't notice the cost

I find theres more choice throughout the year, pyjamas etc are nicer. I found lots of great deals just before the school holidays up here, kind of when the schools were finishing and everyone was going on holiday so hopefully be a bit better of financially next year to pick up bits and bobs

We managed to get Sophie Ice Age and Ice Age 2 on dvd in Tesco today for £5 for the pair. We will get some clothes for Sophie, but we can never buy early because it's impossible to predict what size she will be. She's between 9-12mths and 12-18mths even though she's over 2

Thats so weird how they work the sizing. My niece is slim and petite and 2 next month yet we got her a coat last week age 3-4 years, her usual size fitted her and no more. It made me feel better as im always depressed if I try things on and they dont fit so if a not even 2 year old is having problems then its just dodgy sizing.

Sophie is titchy, she was nearly 2 before she was heavy enough to have a forward facing car seat, which they estimate at being around 9 months. I bought her 0-3mth clothing before she was born, and thought she wouldn't get to wear it as it was summery stuff.. she fitted into it on her 1st birthday, when it was summer again lol

I've bought my son a bike for Christmas, but not feeling any excitement yet so I won't bother with any more until December.

We've almost finished our Christmas shopping. We went out and took advantage of Boot's 3 for 2 Christmas and Argos' toy exchange. Just got a few bits left to buy, but I'm feeling very impatient and want to give the presents now

I have just got the nieces and nephew toys so far but nowere to store them so they are cluttering up the dining room table. Im just going to get alcohol for my brother and sister in law. Me and hubby will do christmas presents for ourselves but my mum is talking of just giving us money towards ivf but still undecided wether to do that or xmas presents so think we will just stick to a budget this year

I got a great bargain this weekend.

The Body Shop had a sale on and were selling some of the body butters (the moisturising body creams) for £5 - they are normally £13.

I then got an email offering another 40% off, so they were £3 each and I got 4 for £12.

I have a few people that I wanted to buy presents for - people that I wanted to acknowledge and say thank you to (e.g the childrens nursery teachers). We don't have much spare cash at the moment, so these are perfect, as they are quite expensive full price.

Groupon have an offer at the moment. I think you pay £15 and get a £30 body shop voucher

Its worth checking out Hot Deals this time of year. Soap and glory etc usually go for half price if your fast. I am still using up last years gift sets and will probarly end up with another load this year lol. Still no idea what to get hubby & my mum yet. The rest im going to just pick up things when I see them

We keep saying we are going to cut down this year and I thought my uncle (dad's brother) and auntie weren't going to get presents this year yet she rang up this morning wanting to know if my sister had anything from cath kidston and what bra size she was! - Just makes no sense sometimes.

We went christmas shopping yesterday and got most things. I've still got my mum and sister to buy for. The upside to being single is I don't have an other halves family to buy for. We have very few children in our family and even then we only spend about a fiver on them.

I really can't be bothered with christmas this year! I just want 2013 to be over with so we can move on with 2014!

You are so organised. Think im going to go to the metrocentre and blast my mum and hubby's although still dont have any ideas.

There is only 3 kids in my family but theres likely to be more in the next few years so im keeping it small this year. Usually spend £20 but feeling mean this year as the boy's present was £4 and £6 for the girls. They were in the half price sale so they are still getting a decent present and as they are still infants then they dont know the value of money anyway.

I usually go £20 each on my brother and sister in law but thinking of saying only £10 this year and just buy them alcohol or whatever. Im quite skint as im still forking out on driving lessons, hopefully a car and I have ivf early in the year so I shouldnt be spending much, not that I even have spare cash upfront anyway.

Will have a nice xmas and me and hubby will get nice gifts for each other and I like to do a santa selection for my mum but going to tell her upfront I cant spend as much as usual

I've bought all my sons Christmas presents (also got his birthday presents as his bday is 25th Nov), got my hubby a Rotary watch, got my dad a couple of presents, so just leaves my niece (was hers and my hubbys bdays yesterday so thankfully got most bdays out of the way), brother, sister, sister in law and sisters bf...no idea what Im getting any of them. My son is almost 3 and I've found it much easier to buy for him, he loves cars and lorries, is toy story mad and can play with a lot more now he's bigger. Easy to go overboard infact. x

I'm finding it easy to go overboard too, there is just so much that I see that I want to get her. I'm already over budget for her although I'm under for everyone else.

Is a rotary watch one of those ones that charges whilst it's on your wrist?

I don't know...I just went for Rotary because they do good watches and my hubby wanted a skeleton watch and found a nice one by them.

Its hard not to go overboard, my hubby says I've spent more than enough but I keep seeing stuff I want to buy him. I really need to stop though, with his birthday being only a month before Christmas I know he's going to get loads of presents and after Christmas we just wont have room for all of them.

I'm finding it quite hard to shop for the children.  We were going to get Ethan a children's tablet, but they have got quite bad reviews.  He has got loads of toys he's has barely played with and I don't want to buy things for the sake of it.

Lee and I tend to get stocking fillers for each other.  We have so many people to buy for that we concentrate on them.  I really enjoy doing the stocking fillers for each other, as it means lots of smaller treats.

Lee's birthday is on 26th Nov.  He wants a PlayStation 4, he's asked for money for his birthday and Xmas to put to it.  Its really expensive, but then he doesn't spend much money otherwise and we rarely go out.

Totally thought that Rotary was a type rather than a brand lol

We did stockings for each other last year but this year we don't have the money. I am making a Christmas cracker type box and I'll be putting in some perfume oils inside as they're about 2 quid each. We have a budget of £25 each, so I've taken full advantage of Boots' 3 for 2 to get the most out of it

I think if you can afford to go overboard then go for it. Its magical at that age although storage is also an issue even though its only the 2 of us the house is always jam packed with stuff. I like everything to have a place but I have so much junk and nowere to put it the place is really messy looking.

I like Channies idea of the stockings and for years have been meaning to get round to it but as I cant think what to get hubby this year then im thinking of either getting stockings or I seen nice sacks today in the shopping centre which I thought might be a bit more roomy as was just going to put all his gifts in it so would have room for clothes or whatever.

I was pleased to see the toys I bought for half price are now back up to full price. I have also bought Britney Spears Radiance for £10 half price for a friend. I also got 2 Leighton Denny nail polish sets from TK Maxx so one for my mum and the other was for my xmas but hubby said just to have it now as it wasnt a surprise as I had picked them up so im thinking I will put in in my sack/stocking.