Christmas – Cocktails & Memories

12 Days of Christmas – Day 1 {Gifts}

Posted on December 2, 2014May 27, 2015 by Chantelle

Gifts

Christmas – My favourite holiday of the year.

Why? Because the family all get together & spend some quality time with each other. Everyone is relaxed because most of them are on holiday.
The gifts are an added bonus & with the economy being what it is – each gift bought is very much appreciated.

If you are a regular reader, you will know our family system of buying 1 big gift for a family member & R50 gifts for everybody else. If not, read all about it over here

There is no need for the Christmas season to bankrupt us all now is there?

If you have been anywhere near a shop since September, you would have seen the gifts & decorations temptingly laid out in pretty displays.
Once again this year, I have promised myself I will go shopping early to to avoid the last minute rush. I say it every year & somehow time flies by quicker than you could say Jingle Bells.

I am being proactive & have already placed a few online orders for gifts – Yay Me!

Online shopping has been my friend this season & I am impressed at the speed with which my parcels have been delivered.
@Home & Takealot.com have been super-efficient.

Still at a loss for gift ideas? Here are some suggestions:

Mixed Diamante Bobby Pins R39.95 (Woolworths)
Design your own tent calendar filled with happy memories & special occasions – personalised gifts like this always mean so much more. R99.00 (Photo2Print)
Coasters in White or Back with Sparkle (Pack of 4) R40.00 (@Home)
Moroccan Basics Spice Set R99.95 (Woolworths)
Geometric African Map Christmas Decoration R9.99 (Mr Price Home)
Mini Heart Pegs R29.99 (Mr Price Home)

Cozy Remote Tidy R190.00 (Big Blue)
Vanilla Brulee Shimmer Lotion R110.00 (The Body Shop) Check out their Buy 2, get 1 Free deal
Beautiful hand-crafted bracelets From R170.00 & up (Trinket Trove) You can purchase them from Sherbet Angel in 4th Avenue Parkhurst or any Crafters Market stores
Ceramic Reindeer Cookie Jar R199.95 (Woolworths)
The Owl Dippy Bamboo Board R190.00 (The Block Shop) excludes custom engraving
Faceblocks R180 for 3 blocks (Printwild)

What is on your wishlist this year?

Christmas Greetings

Posted on December 23, 2013December 23, 2013 by Chantelle

Christmas is almost upon us!

Despite not getting a bonus, I am quite pleased with myself this year. Christmas on a budget has made me think a bit differently. Just because money is not in abundance, does not mean that you cannot make it fun with a little bit of thought and effort.

You will remember my post HERE where I mentioned the gifts wrapped in brown paper and my post HERE where I mentioned the DIY crackers.
Well… I am all done!

Here are the gifts before being prettied up:

Here are some of them after:

These are the Crackers:

The hardest part of making these crackers was trying not to get glue all over my fingers from sticking ribbons and tags on. I failed miserably, but I am happy with the result. I am pleased that I have finally completed a project the family has been wanting to do ever since I was a little girl. Now we get quality presents instead of the usual junk found in crackers.

I wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas filled with love and laughter.

I will be taking a break from blogging – I sure it will only be for the holiday season, but I am not too sure. I am sure I will be back soon.

I will however, still post a weekly round up of my Project 365 – so that I am accountable and cannot give up!

See you all on the other side!

Tick Tick Tick… Ho Ho Ho

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Chantelle

How cute is the gift tag in the above photo?

My Christmas Clock is ticking.
There is so much to get done before the jolly fat man rewards us for being good little boys & girls.

As I posted about my Christmas on a Budget, I start seeing posts everywhere on gift wrapping ideas. This has made me even more excited to get creative on budget.
I found some really cute gift wrap ideas and posted them to a Pinterest board here

I will be wrapping my gifts in brown paper and brightly coloured ribbon (R10 a roll at the chinese mall) with pretty printed gift tags off the computer.

I will take photos once I have wrapped gifts – let’s hope it turns out well.

I have helped the whole family choose Christmas gifts for each other & even bought on their behalf. Now I have to give serious attention to the gifts I have to buy and make some time to go shopping!

I have to buy a gift for my dad, aka the most difficult man to buy for because he is not phased about getting gifts. We used to be able to make him happy with chocolates, but since being diagnosed as a diabetic, it’s thrown a spanner in the works.

Dad spends most of his spare time working. He travels for work alot. He doesn’t really read. Except the newspaper. He doesn’t need to wear a suit & tie. He likes being in the garden. Walking the dogs. He has a wallet. He has a hat for outside. He has new shoes. He doesn’t feel the cold, so doesn’t need a jersey, scarf or socks.

Previous gifts that we have tried:

MP3 player and speaker – he doesn’t have a car radio. He forgets to charge the speaker
A man-bag to keep all his crap together. He forgets to use it
Vouchers for clothes. He hates shopping so forgets to use the voucher.

See my dilemma? It’s like Mission Impossible!

I thought I would try my hand at online shopping, but after a while I gave up – I can’t see the products properly on a computer screen, I need to touch the product and make sure it’s right.

What is on your Christmas shopping list this year?

Christmas on a Budget

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Chantelle

December already? Where has the time gone!?
The age old question now gets asked; What do you want for Christmas?
I’ve said it countless times before – Christmas is my favourite time of the year.

However, Christmas is going to be on a tight budget this year.

No bonuses and an overseas trip pending, I am pre-planning this year’s bash in advance and not leaving it until the last minute, which I did last year!

Once again we are continuing the tradition where all the the adults buy a nice gift for 1 person – max R300 and the rest get a stocking filler gift – limit R50.

With just the immediate family, we are potentially only looking at R500ea spend on gifts (excluding my 2.5 year old nephew who gets a nice present from all of us) Not bad at all.

In the spirit of keeping within the R300 limit, these are on my Christmas wishlist.

Thanks to Tee, I have my DIY Cracker Kits on their way.
It has been tradition that I always buy the Crackers.

To get anything that doesn’t contain cheap plastic bits of uselessness, I usually spend around R300 for 6 crackers. The contents are better – but still not worth the money.

This year I am determined to make my own.

6 x DIY Crackers with snap: R25

Contents:

Candy Cane Sweet: R30
Corny Jokes: Free

Gifts:

Dad: R20
Mom: R40
Nephew: R27.50
Brother: R27.50
Sister-in-law: R25
Myself: R25

Total for 6 quality crackers: R220 SCORE!

What are you doing to save money over Christmas?

Christmas on a Budget

Posted on December 1, 2013May 27, 2015 by Chantelle

December already? Where has the time gone!?

The age old question now gets asked; What do you want for Christmas?

I’ve said it countless times before – Christmas is my favourite time of the year.

However, Christmas is going to be on a tight budget this year.
No bonuses and an overseas trip pending, I am pre-planning this year’s bash in advance and not leaving it until the last minute, which I did last year!

Once again we are continuing the tradition where all the the adults buy a nice gift for 1 person – max R300 and the rest get a stocking filler gift – limit R50.
With just the immediate family, we are potentially only looking at R500ea spend on gifts (excluding my 2.5 year old nephew who gets a nice present from all of us)

In the spirit of keeping within the R300 limit, these are on my Christmas wishlist.

For my home

For Me

>> The Docking Station was a “wishful thinking” which seems impossible to find anywhere!

When you have the less fortunate asking for Deodorant and school supplies, it kind of puts things into perspective a little bit, doesn’t it?

Thanks to Tee, I have my DIY Cracker Kits on their way.

It has been tradition that I always buy the Crackers.
To get anything that doesn’t contain cheap plastic bits of uselessness, I usually spend around R300 for 6 crackers. The contents are better – but still not worth the money.
This year I am determined to make my own.

6 x DIY Crackers with snap: R25
Contents:

Candy Cane Sweet: R30
Corny Jokes: Free

Gifts:

Dad: Magnifying Card (when he can’t find glasses in a restaurant) R20
Mom: Lip Balm R40
Nephew: Spiderman facecloth R27.50
Brother: Also a Spiderman facecloth (he is the worst to decide on something for) R27.50
Sister-in-law: 30 x Hair bands R25
Myself: 30 x Hairbands R25

Total for 6 quality crackers: R220 SCORE!

What are you doing to save money over Christmas?

Christmas 2012 recap

Posted on January 13, 2013January 13, 2013 by Chantelle

I realise that you are all most probably in the full swing of 2013, so please forgive me for my veeeeerrrryyyy late Christmas holiday recap post!

My December holidays weren’t exactly as I had planned them, but I had the 2 weeks off from work, which was the most important for me.

I worked until 21 December and had the weekend to put up my Christmas tree & inject some Christmas spirit into my house.

I did some shopping for Christmas presents and ended up spoiling myself – thank goodness for Edgars accounts – and bought myself a new Gemini nomination link (more to follow on my Nomination bracelet soon) and a lovely across-shoulder bag to go out with when I don’t need my 10kg artillary regular handbag.

Christmas was really enjoyable for us because my nephew is almost 2 years old and now able to enjoy the Christmas presents so much more.

He is a very well-behaved child and has a very sweet nature – I am so proud of my brother and sister in law, they are doing a great job with him.

Mom says that when he visits them, Noah sees my photo in a frame and carries it around with him – BLESS!

I surprised myself when I actively sought him out to play with him and I enjoy the time with him because he appeals to my inner-child. I still do not feel the need to become a mother just yet – at 34, I have been told I will feel my biological clock ticking… perhaps the batteries are dead.

After Christmas I was stung by a bee & turned into Princess Fiona/Shrek. It was not pretty and I was princess-down for almost a week. The swelling went past my wrist and I was literally stung in passing, the stinger had not even gone past the top layer of skin in my little finger. Talk about bad luck…..

After I recovered from the sting, I contracted a stomach virus which had me unable to even hold a glass of water down.

To live up to it’s reputation of happening in threes, a close friendship of mine came to an end.

Despite all this, I am feeling quite positive for the new year.

I have my Twenty Wishes list and my new home to look forward to this year. It cannot possibly be a dull year!

Christmas 2012 recap

Posted on January 13, 2013May 27, 2015 by Chantelle