early Christmas

[granma2aj]

Saw my first Christmas cards & and; calendars last week then a Cristmas tree yesterday at Hawick dd4 has started her xmas shopping has anyone else started I have not thought about it yet

[Oma]

We have had Christmas cards and 2017 calendars in our local card shop for about 4 weeks now , also loads of restaurants advertising Christmas lunch bookings , we have started shopping for the adults but the children change their minds all the time so will wait a while to get their gifts , I do save money on a Asda savings card all year round and have a tin I save in for other stuff we might need in other shops , I have done this all my married life , when my children were small and we had real butchers and green grocers I used to save in there saving clubs , so come Christmas I had no worry about having the money to pay for stuff , something I never got out of the habit of doing even though I don't need to these days

[Nanto2girls]

I bought some Yankee candles a couple of weeks ago for Christmas presents. It's a start.
I don't mind Christmas shopping, if I know what I am going to buy.

[Gemini]

I bought a calender and pack of Christmas cards in the Cats Protection shop the other day.

Two of my grandchildren have October birthdays, so I tend to be focusing on them at this time. Then Christmas

[Daisy]

granma2aj - I'm one of those people who start thinking about Christmas shopping sometime in December! I do try and remember to get a diary before then but that's about all.

My OH's birthday is October, too, and November is such a dark, dreary month I feel more like hibernating than shopping.

[Pearl5]

I can't believe we getting close to another "christmas" is it me or are they coming around quicker....

i started January, got a few lovely stuff, pj's and stuff for DD's from Debenhams, lovely quality and so fluffy, i usually get them something they would like, then fill up on, smellies, etc, when the boots christmas sale was on with 75% off i got a load of stuff, then have Theatre royal tickets for my girls to see Mamma Mia, they were saying they would love to go see it, so OH got me one too....doing them a reindeer themed hamper but will put a few make up bits in like nail varnishes, lip glosses etc, i always go on Hotukdeals, around this time of year, they find some brilliant deals.............DS i got him some Coca Cola pj's with the santa truck, and some bits and pieces with that, do a daft hamper for him, oh yes and money, that is all he ever wants...

I must admit Matalan had there new Christmas Dept open so had a look around....

[ZIZI]

I bought loads of Christmas cards in January and I still have lots of wrapping paper. I am buying the grown up kids a case of wine each this year and one individual gift instead of the loads of things I usually buy. The grandchildren will get their Christmas Eve boxes as usual: pyjamas, DVD, popcorn, Christmas tree decoration, pen and notebook, treat for Santa including a little bottle of something, and reindeer food (oats and sparkles in a little organza bag). Sometimes I see other bits to go in as well.

This year I have to be more careful with Christmas because Joe has grown up so much and also has so much whereas the other two are still very much children. I am going to start looking soon. I bought hessian sacks for them last year at a great expense and asked parents to return them for this year but they have t and now they don't know where they are so I won't do that this year. They were fifteen quid each!! I will look for large boxes, preferably pretty but if not I can cover them myself.

No idea what to get for husband, problem with us is that because we don't have a lot of expenses and we have two good wages coming in if we fancy something we just buy it!! Our Christmas Day will be quiet. Husband working so I will go and see Ben and take a picture of him waving to granddad, the others will be in Portugal with dils parents, they live there, and sister and family. We will have a Family Christmas Day when they get back.

[Pearl5]

Zizi, we learn the hard way, it was a few years back when i got the 3 older GC, there was only them then, personalised santa sacks to come back to me for the following year, they were expensive with matching stockings, never to be seen again, i now just go to our local £1 shop or wilkinsons and get them there, i do like wilkinsons reasonably priced and have all matching stuff even down to christmas decorations...there fine for what they are, they looked good once i filled them and stuck huge christmas gift tags and ribbon on, lets face it i dont think the kids even notice....i dont do christmas eve boxes but there the sort of boxes i do for the GC at our house,

[Plantaholic]

I don't fill stockings, their parents do, I made them all one when they were born. My DD has a problem filling them now as they are adults now.

[ZIZI]

Pearl problem if I have is that where we live we are not close to anything like Wilkinsons and it is such a faff to go to the nearest big towns, park, wander around etc. Or I have to go on the bus or train which is not ideal, bus is OK as a short walk but train is a bus ride away and only one bus goes there. We have a little high street ten minutes drive away and I must admit there have been a lot of pound land type shops open there recently. Might have a mooch around them when I have time.