Gets earlier every year?

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Anne Henriette
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Re: Gets earlier every year?

Post by Anne Henriette »

@Julie: You are so right! :D

@Courtenay: Yes, that's right! My mother used to have one full weekend reserved for baking Christmas cakes. And we would have so many of them that we could always give our friends some. And even by having tea time every day, we would not be able to eat them all up until New Year's Eve ;)
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floragord
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Re: Gets earlier every year?

Post by floragord »

The first Christmas catalogue came through the door on Saturday, from Owl Barn Gifts based in Suffolk - who knows how they got my contact details!! There are some amusing gift ideas for all, including "paws for thought" for the four legged friends! Pleasant to leaf through over a coffee whilst watching the rain slosh down the windows!
"Its a magic wood!" said Fanny suddenly.
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floragord
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Re: Gets earlier every year?

Post by floragord »

floragord wrote:
Katharine wrote: I shall start a thread in February next year when the shops are selling off all their old stock. :lol:
Good timing to pick up 2016's Christmas presents :D
On the topic of Christmas I was fascinated with a news item today of a lady who buys each of her 3 children 100 gifts each, the top of the tree is barely visible with the stacks of gifts piled high, sadly it didn't say if they start opening on Christmas Eve and go steadily through to Boxing Day or if its a free for all on the 25th :o
"Its a magic wood!" said Fanny suddenly.
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Re: Gets earlier every year?

Post by Courtenay »

floragord wrote: On the topic of Christmas I was fascinated with a news item today of a lady who buys each of her 3 children 100 gifts each, the top of the tree is barely visible with the stacks of gifts piled high, sadly it didn't say if they start opening on Christmas Eve and go steadily through to Boxing Day or if its a free for all on the 25th :o
:shock: :shock: :shock:
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Re: Gets earlier every year?

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

That lady must be a millionaire then! Her children will never know the true meaning of Christmas. They'll always think that it means heaps of gifts and they'll expect it every year! She's made a rod for her own back it would seem! :|

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Re: Gets earlier every year?

Post by Fiona1986 »

I saw that and my thought was 'never mind the buying off 300 presents, just think about WRAPPING them all!!!!!'
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Katharine
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Re: Gets earlier every year?

Post by Katharine »

I don't know about getting earlier, I seem to get less organised each year. I've only written about a quarter of my cards so far, although I did manage to be organised to send local ones via the Scout Post again this year - their last posting date was Wednesday. As for presents, well apart from a couple of stocking fillers, I haven't done much.

I do have the excuse of concentrating on organising my son's 18th birthday party the other week, then trying to get outfits organised for my sister's wedding which was the following weekend. Now I'm sorting out photos of my uncle for his funeral on Monday. After that, I can turn my full attention to Christmas.

I did hope to do some shopping in Cambridge yesterday, but despite trailing round for nearly 7 hours, all I came home with (apart from sore feet) was a card for my parents!!!! :roll:
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Re: Gets earlier every year?

Post by Wolfgang »

Fiona1986 wrote:I saw that and my thought was 'never mind the buying off 300 presents, just think about WRAPPING them all!!!!!'
The shops here offer a service called "wrapped as present"...
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Re: Gets earlier every year?

Post by Courtenay »

I bought gifts for all my family a couple of months ago — not specifically for Christmas, just as a general present from Cornwall, where I was holidaying — and got my parents to take them back to Australia after their trip to Britain, so that lets me at least partly off the hook. :wink: For Christmas I've just bought charity gifts, where you make a donation to a specific good cause on behalf of a family member or friend and they get a card with details of what their gift is supporting. It's not always easy for me to find and buy "material" gifts that are really suitable for each family member AND can be easily posted to Australia, so everyone understands if I can't always give them something major for Christmas and birthdays. We're not that big on gift-giving, anyway... certainly not 100 presents per person, thank goodness!!
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Re: Gets earlier every year?

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Fiona1986 wrote:...my thought was 'never mind the buying off 300 presents, just think about WRAPPING them all!!!!!'
My thought was that all that stuff will clutter up the house! Some items will probably be things like chocolate, bubble bath and notelets, which don't last too long, but some toys and games take up a lot of space.
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Katharine
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Re: Gets earlier every year?

Post by Katharine »

I expect many of those presents will end up in a charity shop or school fete etc. within a year or two. I know someone who spends large sums of money on their children each year. One year it was about £1,000 each, although that did include new bedroom furniture. They also buy their children a gift every time they participate in an activity, so a toy for a rehearsal, another for the actual exam. Not just a small gift like a bar of chocolate, but a DS game, or a Barbie doll, which to me would be a main present.

I try not to judge, but I do find myself rather bewildered sometimes, firstly that they have that much disposable income, I couldn't spend £2,000 on my children at Christmas even if I wanted to, as I just don't have it, well I could, but we wouldn't have a holiday or days out during the year. Secondly, my children just simply couldn't play with that many toys/games, and so most of them would only be touched once, and to me that seems such a waste. Although I suppose at least charities benefit eventually as they must get lots of virtually brand new things donated.

This year I have bought charity vouchers for a couple of people. I'm hoping they won't be offended, but they really don't 'need' anything themselves, and I thought it would be a change from the usual cheque in their Christmas cards. Hopefully it's a cause they will approve of.
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Re: Gets earlier every year?

Post by floragord »

I learnt the hard way to stagger gift buying, wrapping and tagging - the very first year I was expected to "do my own" I ended up on 18/12 with 40 presents strewn over my drawing room floor with reams of wrapping paper tangled about... subsequently started as I go on, buying, wrapping and labelling a few each week from Sept onwards and beam :D in the empty PO in late November as they're mailed out and away!! In more recent years the invaluable Coles Myer gift-cards are heaven-sent for relations in Australia, now the kids are older and toys from overseas are no longer a huge thrill!

"If conspicuous consumption makes you feel queasy, look away now".....
On the lavish giving front must say we rocked with laughter to hear today of a child's five £600 prams dotted around the globe, and every room she stays in decorated to an exact replica of her own all-white nursery including her £2,700 cot, another "must" a £9000 Swarovski crystal studded high chair and a further £5000 worth of presents including personalised Christian Dior baby booties, and never worn designer gear, including a £250 Oscar de la Renta dress topped by a £40,000 diamond tiara - all this for a child who wouldn't know the difference between high end and high street best....
"Its a magic wood!" said Fanny suddenly.
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Re: Gets earlier every year?

Post by Stephen »

I was playing The Very Best of Slade compilation album yesterday - and you'll never guess what one of the songs on it was...
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floragord
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Re: Gets earlier every year?

Post by floragord »

Christmas has arrived early in Pembrokeshire! We were amazed to pop into our local garden centre for a coffee and find all the decs up, carols on the go and mince pies doing the rounds :shock: . In the spirit of the occasion we recently bought some (well, 200) rather lovely tiny white lights which we've draped over a little pine tree outside the drawing room window, they look lovely in the early dark evenings, our start to the festivities :wink:
"Its a magic wood!" said Fanny suddenly.
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Re: Gets earlier every year?

Post by pete9012S »

Wow!
May I be the first to wish you and your family a very happy Christmas and peaceful New Year floragord.
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