ohhh i dont no ?

[hazzabeanie]

ok so basically we bought a flat in dec last year and we were told that we had to pay maintenancen ground rent up front well i got a letter last week saying i had to pay £800 by 9th dec so thats all our xmas money gone.... so basically im looking for cheap but nice ideas for pressies please. and were i can look to get them. would be greatful if you coul perhaps put next to the names what u think?

Mum

Dad

Big Sis 24Yrs old

Big Sis OH 23Yrs old

Lil Sis 19Yrs old

Nan

My LO Harry 11months at xmas

My OH 25Yrs old

Oh stepmum

Oh dad

Oh nan and grandads x 2

Oh step grandparents

Oh Brothers one 22 one 23

Oh sister and partner 28yrs old

Oh sister 13

oh cousins 4 of them 3, 12, 8, 16

Oh sister and partner 25

Oh neice 2

And oh auntie

any herlp would be great getting myself all worked up getting tesco vouchers for the xmas food etc so just pressie really thanks in advance.

 

[Lilicat]

Maybe explain the situation to the adults and say you cannot get them gifts this year and ask them not to get you any in return.

For the children car boot sales, NCT sales and eBay are all worth trying. Amazon do lots of cheap items as well so is always worth a try.

 

[MummyJo]

I'd probably do what the above poster says and explain the situation and focus on the children or just your own little family (OH, LO and you.) They'd understand, wouldn't you if someone else was in that situation?
But if you really feel you have to get something for everyone...

Start buying a little each week - If you're strict with yourself you can probably put aside 5-10 pound a week and buy something with that each week.

For the grandparents or even your parents/your OH parents (or for all of them!) you could pick up a few cheap photo frames (poundland ones are nice and some of them really honestly don't look like like they were only 1) and put a nice photo of your LO in it.

OH niece 2 and OH cousin 3 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Peppa-Mini...sr_1_15?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1287408964&sr=1-15
Peppa pig felt story board. My eldest daughter got an in the night garden one for xmas last year (she was two then) and LOVED it. She still plays with it now and it looks like it's worth so much more than it is.

Alternatively for the 3yo an 8 year old girl would also love this (no idea if the 8yo cousin if male or female) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Make-a-Fai...sr_1_73?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1287409232&sr=1-73

Any of the female adults (or teenagers/older children)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sketchbook...sr_1_24?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1287409466&sr=1-24
They do a lot of other diaries with different designs and some like the old 'dear diary' type and some like the adult 'appointment' style diaries.

Name a star? It's free.
If you're crafty or your family are quite 'fun' there are a lot of nice ideas linked here:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/festive-fivers
It also explains there how/where to go to name a star for free and why it's possible.

I'll look more later! Hope any of that has been helpful. xx

 

[hazzabeanie]

i'd probably do what the above poster says and explain the situation and focus on the children or just your own little family (oh, lo and you.) they'd understand, wouldn't you if someone else was in that situation?
But if you really feel you have to get something for everyone...

Start buying a little each week - if you're strict with yourself you can probably put aside 5-10 pound a week and buy something with that each week.

For the grandparents or even your parents/your oh parents (or for all of them!) you could pick up a few cheap photo frames (poundland ones are nice and some of them really honestly don't look like like they were only 1) and put a nice photo of your lo in it.

Oh niece 2 and oh cousin 3 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/peppa-mini...sr_1_15?s=kids&ie=utf8&qid=1287408964&sr=1-15
peppa pig felt story board. My eldest daughter got an in the night garden one for xmas last year (she was two then) and loved it. She still plays with it now and it looks like it's worth so much more than it is.

Alternatively for the 3yo an 8 year old girl would also love this (no idea if the 8yo cousin if male or female) https://www.amazon.co.uk/make-a-fai...sr_1_73?s=kids&ie=utf8&qid=1287409232&sr=1-73

any of the female adults (or teenagers/older children)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/sketchbook...sr_1_24?s=kids&ie=utf8&qid=1287409466&sr=1-24
they do a lot of other diaries with different designs and some like the old 'dear diary' type and some like the adult 'appointment' style diaries.

Name a star? It's free.
If you're crafty or your family are quite 'fun' there are a lot of nice ideas linked here:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/festive-fivers
it also explains there how/where to go to name a star for free and why it's possible.

I'll look more later! Hope any of that has been helpful. Xx

thankyou so much for these ideas they are fab i really appreciate it xx

 

[Mizzy]

wilkos do a blank canvas for about £1.40 you could let LO loose on them with some paints thats what im planning on for the grand parents

 

[snowy-willow]

rather than individual presents for some could you do a family present such as a movie night hamper or games night hamper?

What about for older girls (and your sisters) you could do pamper hampers - nice candle, bubble bath, face mask, nice mug with hot choc and some marshmallows, small box of chocs (you could even make some with cheap chocolate) etc. Poundland do little gift sets which when repackaged with a few other pamper bits look fab.

For the younger kids how about craft hampers - the works are good for bits and you can always buy larger packs of things and split them. Or you could put together little baking hampers.

For OH's brothers how about some beers and pot of gold in a pint glass pot of gold is chocs with gold wrappers such as chocolate coins and then a scratch card on top wrapped nicely in celophane. You could always add a little sweetie box if they like sweets (a cheap compartment box filled with different sweets) or a small retro sweet box both look fab if wrapped with celophane and ribbon.

Grandparents and parents etc something made by LO - calendars, canvas, etc or a nice frame with some photos in. You could always bulk these up with a few small bits like pots of gold, winter warmer mugs (mug with hot choc, marshmallows etc), chocs or something alcoholic.

 

[Mizzy]

ohhh anyone know where that thread is with the hot chocolate in a bag?

 

[Laura2919]

You could make stuff like cakes, biscuits, chocolates and do hampers of food. You can get some nice bits in the pound shop..

 

[hazzabeanie]

thanks guys these ideas are fab xx

 

[Mizzy]

https://www.uramoo.co.uk/Christmas.html the hotchocolate in a bag is on here

 

[buttons1]

We are trying to have a fairly cheap christmas this year so here are a few of the ideas we are using.

Making food hampers for couples ~ it is working out cheaper than buying a bigger gift, looks quite substantial and can buy lots of cheaper bits on special offer.

Using offers like boots 3 for 2

Making some gifts ~ snowman soup If you google it there are pictures, looks really nice and is sooo cheap to make, Pot of gold, adding a scratch card and a lottery ticket to some gold sweets only costing about £3 each.

I tend to buy books from amazon as they are much cheaper than the high street. also this website is really good for deals of the week www.booksdirectbargains.co.uk

For grandparents we are giving a framed photo of LO ~ works out really cheap and still personal and nice gift. You could also do LO's hand and foot prints using paint or plaster.

hope some of that helps

 

[jenny873]

how about for the adults a card with a lottory ticket in? I used to do it for the girls in work, rather than buying them the crap gift sets that most people wont use anyway lol x

 

[hazzabeanie]

these are great keep the ideas coming xx