Hello Dear Reader,
My son is twenty five and I rarely get an opportunity to do anything for him any more. In fact, it’s the other way round and he does a lot for us. Today, I got to do mum stuff. He needed a wisdom tooth taking out and the dental surgery sent him to the hospital for this. Thank you to the staff at the surgical dental clinic at the hospital for doing this and for the NHS for not charging us! His wisdom tooth looked like a comedy tooth in a cartoon as it was so large and came home, rather gruesomely in his pocket! He’s taken a couple of days off and I get the rare opportunity to play mum for a couple of days.
I came home and got busy and made another stocking. A bit smaller, to put some gifts in for my son. I know he’s twenty five and I’ve made this for him. I know what he likes and it won’t cost much and it won’t take much packing and this means I don’t have to wrap anything and his gifts can go in here. Now, would you believe, DB wants one!
A very Dear Reader, sent me a quilt in progress, all made by hand in the tiniest stitches which I’m afraid, I won’t be doing. I’ll be finishing this by machine. It’s so cold here, that we’ll need all the quilts we can cover ourselves with. All my gifts will be small this year, home made and certainly more thought than value.
I remember my children being small and letting them have a budget and letting them choose, they would get some of the things on their lists and they knew they couldn’t have everything. My dad let slip that the cost of chocolate and nuts and snacks means he doesn’t buy much anymore…..so I know what I can buy him! Mum is sewing again, so I know what I can buy her! My grown up kids like useful things such as tea bags and socks as well as a few beer tokens. Over to you Dear Reader, how are you going to keep the costs of Christmas to a budget?
Until tomorrow,
Love Froogs xxx
All three of my boys have stockings and so do their partners and wives and they love it! Yesterday and today you said you were handmaking all your presents which gave me a wonderful idea for my family - I shall knit dish-cloths, but also I would like to add to one of the stockings - do you have recipe for one of those “cookies in a jar” you put all the dry ingredients into a kilner/jam jar (and yes I will re-use mine for jam making too!)
Julie xxxxxxxx
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We are having B's wisdom teeth out the day before Thanksgiving and after insurance it will cost us about $800 for 2 love American health care.
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its good to be Mum to grown-up kids! love your Xmas stockings and your comment on the kits on TV yesterday!
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its good to be Mum to grown up kids! Love your Xmas stockings, and your comment on the TV prog and the pricy kits yesterday!
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Sometimes it's not just about the cash. Some presents although well received are not needed, get left on a shelf or stuffed in a cupboard. Practical for me is always best, something edible with always get eaten. Sarah
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Money off offers, My DS wanted a skateboard deck and the store he shops at has 20% off, so it was too good to miss. And decks are expensive, that doesnt even include wheels and grip tape. Sale offers as well. My parents are off to Italy nxt yr so money. I have bought items out the thrift store, which are new. I am going to make some things. And ohh the stockings must not forget the Stockings, even I love them.
I hope your son is doing well. I love playing mum to sick kids no matter how old they are!!!
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I'll be making all my pressies. I have an embroidery machine and I'll be taking time out from my business to sew handbags and clutch bags for all my girly family and friends, making each one personal with the choice of design to suit their hobbies/interests. Boy family and friends will get personalised Kindle covers, t shirts etc.
I've done the same sort of thing for birthdays and it is a joy to see their reactions to a personal handmade gift. You must see it to when you give someone one of your lovely quilts. It's a warm fuzzy feeling!!
Linda xx
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I'm aiming for a combo of pre-loved items - especially books it seems to be, and hand made things. Did love the jar idea you posted about a week or so back. 🙂 x
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I dont do stockings or stocking-stuffers - way too expensive if you are going to fill them with reasonable stuff. We only give to the children not adults in our family and always take home-made chocolates and cookies etc. when visiting. Spouses can exchange gifts if they want. Everyone is relieved and it really keeps the cost down and it lessens the ridiculous financial pressure we put ourselves under at this time year. I spend about 150 pounds at Christmas including Christmas lunch and presents for eight grandchildren ranging in age from birth to 8 years old.
When searching for gifts I spend time comparison shopping and usually start in about September
I usually spend more on the olders ones than on the babies but nobody is the wiser !
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Can't wait to get settled where I can get out my sewing machine and start working on my fabric stash. I'm hoping to start learning to quilt so I've been reading about your quilts with interest! I made presents last year and I think a homemade gift with thought and love put into it is much for valuable than something picked up in a store.
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I'm making homemade hampers again this year with jams chutneys and pickles, sweets and i've been knitting dishcloths to go into them as well.
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We don't 'do' Christmas - cards only and we say don't buy for us. We have no kids and all nieces and nephews are grown up with their own now. Entertaining on a budget home made snacks etc. good to use the festive season for get togethers. Will give small home made gifts to girlfriends marmalade, chutneys and this year home made pin cushions made with thrifted items and buckets of love xx
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i love giving and receiving handmade gifts, it just shows how much work someone has put into them..this year i am making chutneys, chilli jam,and handmade soap…x
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Great post, FQ!
I am already thinking of the upcoming Christmas season:
-decorations: will use what is on hand, have budgeted for a tree, will have to get purple and pink tapers from the dollar store for the advent wreath
-music: I have a few CD's, the radio station will have to do otherwise. Luckily, one channel plays only holiday music starting right after Thanksgiving. I can also play music off the computer
-Christmas Eve dinner: I made tourtiere (French Canadian meat pies) and budget for the cost of the beef and pork to do so. I have wine on hand, bought on sale plus rebate. I do need some cornichons, that's all besides salad ingredients.
-Christmas day dinner: I already have a ham, bought on sale at 99/lb, canned pineapple to top it, and will make a sauce of good Dijon, brown sugar and pineapple juice, after studding the meat with whole cloves. Sides are the usual: mashed potatoes, veggies (plenty stored in the freezer from this years' CSA). I will splurge on fzn shrimp for shrimp cocktails. Dessert is usually homemade cookies.
-Christmas cards: I need to see if I have any cards. I normally buy them a year ahead, at the discount store. If I recall correctly, I couldn't find any I liked this past year.School photos are sent as “gifts” to extended family.
-Christmas gifts: my list has dwindled to just the children and Mom. Last year,I mailed Mom a package filled with jars of foods I had put up. She was thrilled. I will have what we call stocking bags (reused yearly if possible)that I fill with small items bought inexpensively such as lotion, chocolates, lip balm, socks, etc. Kids are older and like cash, gift cards etc. I do ask for lists which helps. I am on a strict budget as a newly single Mom, we will have a lovely meal, and gifts will be exchanged. What else can one ask for?
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When asked “What do you want for Christmas Mum?” I have a ready made answer…. DS1 A Chocolate Cake and DS2 a Banana Cake. I will not let them buy anything from shops…Although they do get an iTunes voucher and a few small items that are truely needed rather than wanted.
Kiwi Fi
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It is nice to be a Mum once in a while. I will soon be a Grandma for the first time. Think that might be nice too. Christmas stocking for 2013 but quilted chicken for Easter 2013. Great blog as usual.
Dianne - Hereford
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Keeping Christmas festive while not breaking the bank…hmm. I make things from my fabric and yarn stash and budget for investing in any additional materials I may need for special projects carefully. Homemade cookies in pretty jars saved during the year and decorated with a bit of ribbon and a handmade tag go well as do small bottles of homemade sloe gin. You need to invest in a bottle of gin and a bag of sugar but the sloes can be picked for free from the wild and it can be packaged up in little bottles saved from culinary ingredients during the year. One batch goes a long way - you only need give a small bottle of something like this to make a special present. I budget carefully for food and other stuff and eliminate what no one is actually going to miss, like a starter for Christmas lunch. I've cut back my Christmas card list hugely and save all wrapping paper / ribbon etc from previous years, salvaging the good bits. Planning ahead and budgeting rather than saying I am not going to spend at all works for me. Glad you are still filling a stocking for your 25 year old son - no one is ever too old for a Christmas stocking in my book and it doesn't have to be filled with expensive stuff.
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I hope your son recovers quickly and well. Getting those wisdom teeth removed can be difficult.
I have four kids, so they and they wives draw names so they only buy one gift. We all buy for the two little ones (our grandkids). We give our grown children money and they will buy what they want on sale after Christmas. My husband and I don't exchange gifts, we have all we need and I also tell the kids not to get us anything as there is nothing we need. My sisters and I exchange a plate of cookies or a homemade craft. I love the holidays and will watch holiday movies and listen to all my Christmas CD's. My guilds will have potluck luncheons. So I get to see my family for dinner on Christmas Eve and some always stay over to have brunch on Christmas Day. And will see my friends at luncheons. Not many gifts exchanged and it doesn't matter at all! Just seeing everyone is important.
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I have a long list of people to whom I give a very small token of appreciation for things they have done for us all year. This year I have purchased some bars of fancy chocolate from Lidl [they were packs of 5 for £1.20] and printed special personalised wrappers on the PC - that makes an attractive and acceptable gift for less than the money others might spend on a greetings card.
family members are getting personalised padded coathangers [women] and woolly hats [men] I have also picked up a few really good books in charity shops all year, for pennies, which I know they will enjoy. Oh and I have made bouquets garni with herbs from my garden.
They know we dont have much spare cash - but it is the timeand thought that counts.
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These days I find Christmas tough. This is mainly because of unrealistic expectations. I am thinking of making my eldest son a man sized quilt now that he is 21. My middle child is spending two months in Europe and she has had an early gift of a leather computer bag. She is training to be a language teacher so the bag should get a lot of use and will double as a brief case. Miss 16 is not easy. I am planning on a few pop star gifts and some experiences over when long summer holiday. Family gifts are always small tokens. This year I have lavendar bags and mugs so far. Nothing special but useful. I have told most that I intend to make a gift of money to a third world charity instead.
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I like making gifts. I made tote bags for the boyfriends four young nieces, which we will put Christmas puzzle books and pens into. I want to try my hand at making jam or marmalade.
I do try and set myself a spending limit too. My sister is the easiest person in the world to buy for. I have completed her gift from me already, but still have to stop myself from getting more little bits to add to it!
One top tip I would say is to start planning early. You can take advantage of deals that aren't available closer to Christmas!
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I'm making pajamas for kids, grandkids and closest friends. I knitted a shawl for my mother and a sweater (jumper) for each grandchild. A few friends are getting homemade honey mustard dressing in recycled jars, along with croutons made from homemade bread. I purchased a gift for hubbie, I had budgeted $50 but found it on clearance for $15 so I was pretty pleased with that. My dad is getting a gift card to Amazon.com. We also have a new grandchild due around Christmas so I'm sewing/knitting for him as well.
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I'll be making stout and tarragon mustard for some of the older people in the family, and I've just learned how to make hand-raised pies. I know my parents will love an old fashioned chicken, bacon and apricot pie. I cut the meat off the bone to save money and make the chicken jelly to go inside using stock boiled from the bones.
I've got a bottle of gin I don't care for, so I'm sourcing fruit to make blueberry gin, which is far more palatable and lovely for hot toddies. The bottles are 1.88 each, and the blueberries £2 for the batch because I forgot to but them in season.
I recently learned to make lace underwear. Sourcing from my lovely local fabric market they will cost about £2 a pair to make. I'm sure my female siblings will love them:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Lacy-Un-Mentionables
Their partners are looking at compilation CDs of cool music I've put together (with home designed covered of course!). One of them is requesting a jar of my homemade jerk chicken seasoning (ingredients sourced from a local market for about £2!)
I make hair accessories, flowers on slides, and I know some of my relatives will love them. They cost under a pound to make, just a slide, a flower and ribbon, but they're so pretty I'm always proud to give them.
The children get cookie kits - plastic jars (two for £1.40) filled with flour, sugar, spices and sweets and instructions on how to add sunflower oil and an egg to make their own cookies.
I've spent some time making pretty designs for packaging on the computer, it was much easier once I found that microsoft have templates for jams and oils as gifts.
I'm going to dress everything with ribbons and fabric from my trusty local shops, it will probably come in at two or three pounds.
In all, I have 24 gifts to sort out if I just buy for close family. Not easy on benefits. But I think that the arts and crafts will keep the costs down and are so therapeutic that maybe in the New Year I'll be well enough to work again. A dual reason for putting my heart and soul into handmade gifts this year.
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Those are lovely ideas! How do you make the coathangers?
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