Wednesday 3 December 2014

Are you ready to fill your trolley for Christmas?

 Hello All me again. It has been a fortnight  since my last post..where did the time go?!

Welcome to a new follower on bloglovin, I'm afraid I can't tell who it is as everything has disappeared apart from the numbers tally at the top of the page! I do know that a new follower on the side bar is Irene. so a warm welcome to you too from a cold frosty and sunny Derbyshire.

Many thanks to all you good people who have commented on my last post with your interesting views.
Sol and Pam were commenting about full trolleys. The trolleys they were talking about were full of "coupon shopping."  Will someone do a post about that or at least tell me all about it ?

Coincidentally I've been thinking about full trolleys and had just started to think  about this post.
 The full trolleys I've been thinking about are not the full trolleys of mums with children, who shop for the whole week,(with luck without their help because you know how that adds to your trolley!) No the picture in my mind is the supermarket "Christmas Trolley"

 YD and I went present shopping last Friday. We have been saving up all year. We put £5.00 aside each week, which our friend C.  looks after for us. YGD and GD and C. are also in the scheme which we call "The Christmas Club" Last week she took the money out the the building society account and we were presented with our envelopes of cash. This means we can shop anywhere we like.. markets, street traders, farm shops as well as conventional shops.  Some crafting and a spot of ebay/ amazon shopping should see the many presents we give sorted. And I am sure that all the items combined would fill a trolley. However, this isn't the full Christmas trolley I am picturing.
No, firstly, it is the FOOD trolley
Firstly, let me say that I know that if you are working full time it can be difficult to spread your shopping out over a period of time and that Christmas can suddenly be there biting you on the bum.
 Until I retired five years ago I worked full time, ran a smallholding, supported D. with the B&B and our shared lives guys and my daughter with her children. So I do know what it is like to fit shopping in around earning a living!!
The Christmas trolley is quite another animal! it is piled high with foodstuffs (some couples even have a trolley each) Crisps and stollen, Christmas cake and mince pies and Christmas pudding and brandy butter, several alternative puddings for those that don't like Christmas pudding. - ice cream and cheesecake, trifle and chocolate torte, chocolates and tins of biscuits and sweets, pickles, nuts and several types of savory crackers, dried fruits and we haven't seen any real food yet - maybe that's in the second trolley. When you engage these shoppers in conversation (which I can't resist!) it usually transpires that there are eight of them for Christmas dinner at theirs' and that's it! Just how much food can eight people eat in one day? If they have folk staying over they have often planned for a smoked salmon and scrambled eggs breakfast with bucks fizz, followed by a four course lunch/tea and then there is supper and the nibbles. It's like an "All you can eat of the most expensive food" marathon. With the associated stress of the juggling act that is cooking an elaborate meal.
Which brings us to another trolley....
 The Christmas STUFF Trolley
If you are reading a blog with Frugal in the title it is probable that you will be using the Christmas decorations that you used last year (and many years before that) with the addition of some made by the grandchildren or that you have crafted from material from your stash. You will also have bought out the "Christmas tablecloth and napkins" You may have gone for a walk with the dogs and bought back some holly and yew and fir cones to "Deck the Halls" In will come the fir tree you keep in a pot outside and that gets bigger each year until it has to be planted in the garden, or the artificial tree from the loft, or maybe you paint branches to hang  your decorations on.
Mmmm.... not the full trolley brigade. They have to change the colour scheme each year, from tree to decorations to the colour-schemed "Christmas table" This may include a whole new set of cutlery and crockery, napkins and rings, centre pieces and candles, all must match in this years' latest colour that the shops have brain-washed the Christmas Stuff shopper into needing. (I noticed a lot of pale aqua this year, I wonder if that is the latest Christmas colour?)
 I have just touched on the contents of these trolleys  and I do hope you can add to these.
Or shoot me down in flames!
 I'm sounding like I don't like Christmas or that we are going to sit in our cold house with a blanket around our knees eating stew and dumplings on our own because we are too tight to spend anything. Not so!
This is the picture I posted last year of Christmas lunch at our house.....
It will be the same this year.
In  the early evening we will push one of the tables back (return the other to another room) and put a  buffet out that will stay there all evening as my sister and nephews and their families and random friends arrive. (open house.. pop in if you are passing, but if you want to stay over you may need to share a bed or sleep on a sofa!)
All for now.
Gillx


29 comments:

  1. As far as the 'stuff' is concerned, the thing I enjoy most is taking that battered old box down and re-using decorations that I've used for decades. Even my parents (who both died over 30 years ago) would have recognised them. I like that.

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    1. Amen to that. some of our tree decorations were made by our daughters in their first year at school, one has her name written "by myself mummy" and some of the baubles were my mums'. Mind you they are made of the most fragile glass and have to be hung at the top.

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  2. What a brilliant post! I have just come back from a very quick trip to Asda....never again! And its only the 3rd day of December. We only needed a couple of things and it took ages, I lost count of how many times I was rammed with a trolley or the instore shoppers wagon. I felt like screaming..for goodness sake, let me get my bits and get out of your way!!!
    I think its absolutely ridiculous how much some folks buy and the cost is just crazy, I bet at least a third of food bought is thrown away,If its been paid for on a credit card it will have been thrown away before its paid for! these shoppers are supermarkets dream customers. Not for me... I will probably be doing the same as you and enjoyIng myself with my family knowing the dreaded credit card wont be landing on my door mat in the new year :-) My decorations are years old....buy traditional and they last years, no fancy colour schemes here. Cheers To you and your family Gill. Xx

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    1. I don't think they even start to plan the food shopping, just buy things because they are Christmassy. We do eclectic colour too!
      Thanks for the good wishes
      Gillx

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  3. We shop once a month. We have decided on a salmon for Christmas lunch. No starters for us, but I have bought a 2 person Christmas pudding from the farmers market 3 weeks ago. I bought some beads off of a friend and am going to sew them on to a dress from my mending pile. Thats it.

    What is crazy though is the amount you see in trolleys at any time of the year. I do wonder who they are feeding. Maybe it is because we are mostly people who cook from scratch that it seems other peoples shopping is excessive. We dont have children so maybe a lot of it is for packed lunches?

    we have a fake tree. hopefully it will last at least another 20 years

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  4. I'm disappointed to hear that you are not going for the aqua, purple and silver that are THE colours this year. And you MUST surely be getting one of those new twig trees with the lights built in ?!!

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    1. I deffo noticed the aqua and thought to myself "I must have that"! I have all sorts of colours, but I guess they are mostly warm colours and I really don't want blues of any hue. (Being a domestic design goddess I have my sensibilities)

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    2. Oh heck more Jones to keep up with! ;) will a branch from the garden be ok?

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  5. This looks a bit like our farmhouse over the Christmas period - buffets which keep getting re-stocked are the easiest of things to keep going and most of the stuff for them is already in my freezer. I made my cakes and puds weeks ago (3 of each made as presents). The same old lights and ornaments come out year after year and the holly and ivy come from our fields. Presents bought from S eptember onwards so that now there is no rush. Cards bought very early and addressed a few each day in odd minutes. Stamps bought a book a week from October. No big deal - then i can enjoy the run up to Christmas..

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    1. I made the stuffing (lots) a few weeks ago and the cheese sauce yesterday. Tomorrow YD will make the pigs in blankets. The brussels and parsnips are in the garden, all the better for any frosts we may have. This weekend I shall make a raised pie with all the pigeon and pheasant breasts and rabbit that I have collected in the freezer over the last few weeks I just need to buy some belly pork go with them.
      I must confess to having not even thought about cards yet though!

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    2. could you do a recipe for this raised pie please? Im very interested

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  6. Replies
    1. Than you for that. My grandson sat in the sink to take it!

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    2. Haha ... now I can't stop imagining your grandson in the sink :-)

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    3. Oh what a lovely picture, but more importantly you have lifted my day as I now can't stop chuckling at the image of your grandson in the sink. Thank you thank you

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  7. I agree what a lovely photo.
    We have 6 for Christmas dinner this year, my in laws are buying a turkey and some wine, my lovely Mum contributes some other bits. I have made a Christmas cake and chutney, Mr Twigs will make one of his legendary pork pies. Twiglet and I will make some mince pies, we're having a 99p paper tablecloth from Home Bargains and borrowing chairs and crockery as we don't have enough for 6 people. Do you know what, I don't give a fig, we count ourselves lucky that our elderly parents are still able to join us for Christmas and our lovely boy is always grateful for anything he receives. Our day is about having a giggle and being with our loved ones. My one wish is that my Dad was still with us. Christmas is not about money, but we know that don't we ?
    Twiggy

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    1. Same here. a friend brings the turkey, out youngest daughter provides the pigs in blankets, while the eldest brings the crackers (for pulling) and a piece of beef for the evening buffet, another friend brings several bottles of shloer while everyone brings wine or Cava. We have benches either side of the big kitchen table and sundry chairs and stools packed around the other table. it's a bit of a squash, but hey, what a wonderful "problem"!

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  8. I dont see the point of shopping for food to throw it in the bin, if you can afford to do it thats fine your money, but they take out loans use credit cards who are they trying to impress, I would be more impressed if they thought things through planned it out and not wasted anything, I know one couple who every year buy an 8lb turkey have it christmas day then throw out what is left they cook a big joint of beef for boxing day and again throw away what is left, they never eat left over food, I asked once why they didnt just buy a small turkey crown she was shocked and said she couldnt do that because people would think they were poor, I will never understand people

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    1. I know people like this too. How sad! if you need to impress or lie to friends they aren't friends and as for needing to impress family.. what kind of family is that?!
      I think there is every chance that that couple could end up poor

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  9. Great post Gill! We're buying a ham from a friend who raises pigs. Mum's making the a Christmas pudding. I'm going to start cooking various dishes soon and I'll freeze them. That way we will have a range of food on the day without me knocking myself out cooking in the last couple of days. Homemade ginger beer will be served for the kids. We'll do it on the smell of an oily rag but will feast like kings.

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    1. I am sure you WILL eat like kings. Good wholesome simple food and plenty of it. It think it is important that the "hostess" is not frazzled all day. Mind you as I have two grown up daughters that know their way around our kitchen I never have to do it all myself anyway!

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  10. The mind boggles at the debt, waste and sheer stupidity some folks exhibit over the whole Christmas thing. Each to their own I suppose, but I can't get my head round it at all. I'll be using decorations I've had for years, including some that Mum found in her attic that must be 50 years old or more. The only new one is the one Small's nana buys each year to add to his collection. Must say though Sue (frugalinsuffolk) you almost had me rushing to the shop when you said purple was THE in colour this year ;)

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    1. So long as you leave all the aqua for me it's SO this year!
      What I struggle with is how people can being debt and STILL waste and throw stuff away. You would think they would at least try to pull some of the money back by eating left overs! Too simple I guess.

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  11. Sorry if this appears twice, first one disappeared, but on the news the other morning I nearly choked on my porridge! when I heard the average family will spend £745 on food in the next few weeks, I thought I must have misheard so I rewound just to make sure, yep heard it right the first time, that's only the food so you were right about trolleys!

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  12. What?!! Goodness. as you can see in my post we have many for Christmas day and "entertain" ( have people round for lunch, supper or just drinks) on may occasions throughout the so-called festive season and spend nothing nearing that amount. That's obscene!
    Nice to hear from you Rosie
    Gill

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  13. Aqua for Christmas ..... oooh I must dash out and buy some new aqua baubles ..... not on your nellie!! My good old baubles are shades of red and gold and no matter how 'unfashionable' a Christmas that may give us it's the kind of Christmas we love.

    And yes our tiny little tree is a few inches bigger than it was last year, which reminds me I must go and sit in in it's plant pot from the side of the house into the shed for a few days to allow the bugs to move house and it to acclimatise a little bit to being indoors. We only make it suffer for a week at the most then it's back outside to grow a few more inches for next year. Who knows one year it may be big enough to have a full sized star on the top :-)

    I love your family photo ..... now THAT is what Christmas should be about.

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  14. We will bring our tree, which is about four four and a half feet tall now, in the week before Christmas after watering it well throughout this month (we have had little rain). On new years day we put it outside again. This is its fourth year, it was positively bonsai when we bought it ! Our last tree outgrew being in the house, but didn't survive transplanting into the garden.
    I hope you enjoy your unfashionable Christmas !
    Gill

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  15. The lights on my fake tree have just about given out and seemingly cant be replaced so I m buying a few strings of new lights (50% off) as I nearly fainted when I saw the exact same tree new at the nursery centre for $500 ! I paid about $60 for mine in an after-Christmas sale fifteen years ago.
    After spending most of the year with family we are opting to be by ourselves this Christmas, just cookie decorating on Christmas Eve with some of the grandchildren.
    Always fun and costs nothing but some butter, flour, sugar and a bit of food coloring.
    I wish I could have a living tree but it would freeze out in the winter here.
    Aqua and silver seem to be the tree colors here, also pink and silver - I love to look at them but have no interest in buying one.
    Have a great Christmas, Gill !

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