Christmas

[Ms Thrifty]

Yes, but, only TWO months until the days will be much longer again and we'll have most of January out of the way...

[biggins]

Got most of my Xmas cards written and went to the Post Office to get 50 second class stamps and was shocked when she asked for £25!!!!!
£25 for 50 stamps!! Ye Gods!! and I need another 50 as I have over 100 Xmas cards to send!! Can see why some folks are giving the money to charity instead of the Post Office.

[eumenides]

Got most of my Xmas cards written and went to the Post Office to get 50 second class stamps and was shocked when she asked for £25!!!!!
£25 for 50 stamps!! Ye Gods!! and I need another 50 as I have over 100 Xmas cards to send!! Can see why some folks are giving the money to charity instead of the Post Office.

Bulk b*y your stamps for some money off-

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/ ... _content=1

[McG]

Got most of my Xmas cards written and went to the Post Office to get 50 second class stamps and was shocked when she asked for £25!!!!!
£25 for 50 stamps!! Ye Gods!! and I need another 50 as I have over 100 Xmas cards to send!! Can see why some folks are giving the money to charity instead of the Post Office.

Bulk b*y your stamps for some money off-

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/ ... _content=1

. . . or what I do . . . join the Royal Mail Surveys and get 12 free 1st class stamps per month plus 4 stamps for Large cards.
If you are accepted you get things to post each week for 6 months, usually between 2 and 6 items to be posted on specified days and you record mail that you receive from other testers. I found this on MSE 18 months ago and am now on my 3rd invite so never have to b*y stamps!

[biggins]

Got most of my Xmas cards written and went to the Post Office to get 50 second class stamps and was shocked when she asked for £25!!!!!
£25 for 50 stamps!! Ye Gods!! and I need another 50 as I have over 100 Xmas cards to send!! Can see why some folks are giving the money to charity instead of the Post Office.

Bulk b*y your stamps for some money off-

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/ ... _content=1

. . . or what I do . . . join the Royal Mail Surveys and get 12 free 1st class stamps per month plus 4 stamps for Large cards.
If you are accepted you get things to post each week for 6 months, usually between 2 and 6 items to be posted on specified days and you record mail that you receive from other testers. I found this on MSE 18 months ago and am now on my 3rd invite so never have to b*y stamps!

Good tip McG! Are you in competition with Martin Lewis for giving money saving tips?? LOL!

[baty]

Also seen my first fecorated outside house in Bryncethin on Sunday..... they are usually the first to 'live'. I thought I had lots of time before the panic sets in. Now I will have to do most, if not all shopping on the tinternet this year as me, on crutches, in a queue, is not going to be a pretty sight. Now to get hold of the grand childrens christmas lists.

Oh they just want a sugared mouse each and a clementine.

Unfortunately they have expectations beyond the stocking fillers.

[Beate]

Age UK told me that "In regards to giving gifts, it is our policy not to allow staffs to receive gifts/cash from service users/carers".
Unfortunately, it is my policy to give Christmas presents to whoever I want to so I shall roundly ignore that - I doubt they'll find out if staff don't tell their superiors.

Btw, this is my Christmas wish list this year:
Picturehouse vouchers
Twinings tea
Books
More help with OH

And world peace obviously.

[claire]

Elf yourself is back

They have an app too.

http://www.elfyourself.com

New video this year

[Ms Thrifty]

Was frustrated that, despite having a VERY late matinee today (3.30 pm), I couldn't fit in a film of my choice beforehand. However, I used the opportunity to visit some smaller, short-lived London Xmas markets: firstly the one at the Swedish church near Marylebone. I don't recommend this as it cost £2 to enter and was so cramped and crammed that you could barely creep round, let alone see anything - I was out again in minutes, ruing the expense.

The second was outdoors and more worthwhile: the Scandinavian market in Albion Street (near Canada Water/Rotherhithe stations), which made a refreshing change from the now over-familiar and touristy market on the South Bank. Not a huge market but a good variety of food, handicrafts, etc. The spiced hot chocolate from the Swedish bakery stall was delicious and the adventurous could try reindeer burgers or stew. There was a band playing and it was altogether a very pleasant, small-scale, not-too-commercialised event.

Also fascinating to see another, older, residential side to that area, as I'd previously only seen the new development immediately surrounding Canada Water. A different world lies just a few minutes away so I was glad I'd done something different for once. If anyone local is interested, both markets continue until tomorrow.

[prettyxcool]

I love Christmas!

I went to the Taste of Christmas for the first time this year, held at Tobacco Docks, which is perfect to go from work, 3 stops only for me, so the complimentary tickets I managed to bag came to good use! I hope everyone managed to get some, if they wanted to go http://www.fmuk.org.uk/forum/viewtopic. ... 63#p317063 As £26 for a standard ticket is pretty steep, just to try out stuff!

As typical with Christmas, there is always a lot of alcohol to taste, toffee vodka seems to be a favourite at the show, tasted the most delicious turkey and turkey sausages, loads of chocs, olive oil, bread, cheese and more sausages (mutton, chorizo, pork and apple, and traditional), lots of Christmas present ideas (wine tasting at home, adopt an olive tree), there was a bandstand, whisky and coffee tastings, book signings, Taste, Baking and Mixology Theatre, open flame cooking and Chef's Secrets cookery classes, really wanted to go to the pineapple shrimp and scallop curry one, but as I went after work, it was fully booked by the time I arrived, although I was told the day before, you cannot book in advance on Thursdays and Fridays!

But all in all I had a good time and picked up some bargains along the way too.