General Christmas chat thread!

[c1403]

I was thinking thr same thing the other day! Our school has recently sent home smarties tubes for a coin collection, I was thinking of putting in the money I'd usually spend on Christmas show tickets and at the various fares, I know their funds are really low right now.

We've just done the smartie tubes too. Luckily my nan collects 20p's so we've filled two tubes

 

[SmartieMeUp]

It's really sad, so much is being missed out on and the kids just have to be dragged through it not really understanding. To think it's been a year since everything hit the media too.

On the upside, Lakeland's in Lincoln (not sure if anybody else has one) is doing Santa from the North Pole on a TV instead of a grotto.

 

[AngelUK]

You are all so organised!
I have the pig piggy bank for Sebastian and a Black Panther one for Dominic and I ordered personalised water bottles but I have no "real" presents for them yet!
As their main presents we are thinking of chromebooks, as that is what they are using in school and can then most easily practice their rockstar timetables games on and do other homework too. But we are hoping to get those on Black Friday as they are expensive, even if less so than a "proper" laptop. But as for other presents I only have a vague notion. Both want DanTDM merchandise but I really dislike them wearing merchandise of any kind (minecraft slippers and socks are pretty much how far I will go). It just always strikes me as if we are paying for the privilige to advertise lol
And as for food, well I have NO idea what will happen at Christmas. Will we be able to go visit my SIL or will MIL and SIL come to us? Sigh

 

[Rags]

You are all so organised!
I have the pig piggy bank for Sebastian and a Black Panther one for Dominic and I ordered personalised water bottles but I have no "real" presents for them yet!
As their main presents we are thinking of chromebooks, as that is what they are using in school and can then most easily practice their rockstar timetables games on and do other homework too. But we are hoping to get those on Black Friday as they are expensive, even if less so than a "proper" laptop. But as for other presents I only have a vague notion. Both want DanTDM merchandise but I really dislike them wearing merchandise of any kind (minecraft slippers and socks are pretty much how far I will go). It just always strikes me as if we are paying for the privilige to advertise lol
And as for food, well I have NO idea what will happen at Christmas. Will we be able to go visit my SIL or will MIL and SIL come to us? Sigh

I'm so with you about merchandised clothing, I really dislike the whole paying them for the privilege of advertising for them! I'm lucky so far as my Ds (10) will turn his nose up at anything with labels- I'm making the most of this while he's at primary school, he's a very independent, quirky boy but I think even he may get sucked down the branding rabbit hole when he gets to secondary school!

 

[motherofboys]

I'm so with you about merchandised clothing, I really dislike the whole paying them for the privilege of advertising for them! I'm lucky so far as my Ds (10) will turn his nose up at anything with labels- I'm making the most of this while he's at primary school, he's a very independent, quirky boy but I think even he may get sucked down the branding rabbit hole when he gets to secondary school!

Fingers crossed he won't. Mine haven't so far. Ds1 is almost 15 and in year 10 and he'd honestly dress in a bin liner as long as it kept him warm. He couldn't give a damn. Ds2 just turned 13 and is in year 8 and he cares about how he looks but isn't bothered by labels. If he likes it then he'll wear it. Lots of the boys in his football team have got to have the latest boots that the football players are wearing. He doesn't, as long as he likes the look of them and they are comfortable he's happy.
The only one who has really asked for merchandise is my 4th, and he wanted slap bands with unspeakable on them, which don't appear to be available in the UK. We've ended up with pj's instead.

 

[motherofboys]

You are all so organised!
I have the pig piggy bank for Sebastian and a Black Panther one for Dominic and I ordered personalised water bottles but I have no "real" presents for them yet!
As their main presents we are thinking of chromebooks, as that is what they are using in school and can then most easily practice their rockstar timetables games on and do other homework too. But we are hoping to get those on Black Friday as they are expensive, even if less so than a "proper" laptop. But as for other presents I only have a vague notion. Both want DanTDM merchandise but I really dislike them wearing merchandise of any kind (minecraft slippers and socks are pretty much how far I will go). It just always strikes me as if we are paying for the privilige to advertise lol
And as for food, well I have NO idea what will happen at Christmas. Will we be able to go visit my SIL or will MIL and SIL come to us? Sigh

I keep going back and forth on whether to get chromebooks for my big 2. They have little notebook laptops but I'm not sure how much longer they will last

 

[AngelUK]

Do yours need them for homework or just for play? Mine have Kindle fire kids editions for just playing and they were perfect for them (and us as the parental locks are super easy to use and adapt). Downside is that you can only download stuff via amazon and cannot do any homework etc . I am thinking they will still want to have the kindles for some of the games.

 

[Rags]

Lol, I don't even know what slap bands are!!!

 

[SmartieMeUp]

Lol, I don't even know what slap bands are!!!

Do you not even know them from your childhood?! They're bracelets which straighten out like a ruler then you slap them on your wrist and it wraps around you. Fairly certain it's a metal tape measure inside.

 

[Rags]

Do you not even know them from your childhood?! They're bracelets which straighten out like a ruler then you slap them on your wrist and it wraps around you. Fairly certain it's a metal tape measure inside.

Lol!! I know exactly what you mean, no idea what we called them, but we did get a couple of watches on those bands a few years ago.

 

[motherofboys]

Do yours need them for homework or just for play? Mine have Kindle fire kids editions for just playing and they were perfect for them (and us as the parental locks are super easy to use and adapt). Downside is that you can only download stuff via amazon and cannot do any homework etc . I am thinking they will still want to have the kindles for some of the games.

Homework unfortunately. I did look at getting tablets with the keyboards you can attach but apparently its better to have a laptop if its for work things. They need several apps that the work is set on, word, power point, that sort of thing.

 

[motherofboys]

Lol!! I know exactly what you mean, no idea what we called them, but we did get a couple of watches on those bands a few years ago.

I don't know what we called them when I was a kid but he's seen them on YouTube and thats apparently what they are called hahaha

 

[monkee12]

Has anyone heard of an online shop called Pound Toy?

 

[motherofboys]

I've seen a few people mention it recently. Seems above board from what I've heard

 

[monkee12]

Fab thanks, there is some things on there I want for the stockings but wasn’t sure how legit they were lol x

 

[Babybump87]

It's really sad, so much is being missed out on and the kids just have to be dragged through it not really understanding. To think it's been a year since everything hit the media too.

On the upside, Lakeland's in Lincoln (not sure if anybody else has one) is doing Santa from the North Pole on a TV instead of a grotto.

Ohh thanks for this we have a Lakeland in our city centre will have a look !!

I’m praying our local animal petting farm will do their Christmas grotto . It’s all outside

 

[Babybump87]

Has anyone heard of an online shop called Pound Toy?

I was wondering about this site too

 

[Bevziibubble]

I've never heard of that shop either.

 

[kirstybumx3]

Ive seen people post about that pound toy place on an sen group im in. They do cheap sensory bits and pieces apparently. Ive not looked on there myself (off to look now though).

We booked Webbs Garden Centre santa visit for this year however I didnt read the small (very very small) print til after we booked and realised they dont actually get to see santa its a virtual sleigh ride with a pre recorded message from santa then they just go into a workshop and choose their own gift. Still sounds nice, but for a cost of £50 im tempted to cancel and book our other local garden centre who are doing a social distanced breakfast with real santa that would cost us £12. Undecided!

 

[Babybump87]

Oh gosh ! I’d be cancelling and having the breakfast with a real Santa !

I am yet to find anywhere for mine ! So many places around where I live have cancelled events