The Bag Lady

Don't leave everything to the last minute or else you'll feel frazzled and rushed.

November 27, 2016

Julie Maule 2 minutes read

Three weeks to Christmas…and counting! We had our office Christmas lunch last week at the Kraal Restaurant, Thaba Eco Hotel, and it was absolutely wonderful. The food was delicious, the décor gorgeous and the staff fabulous.

It was my task to buy gifts for everyone for no more than R50 and guess what? I did it! If you check out all the inserts in our newspapers you can find great specials. Woolworths also has special prices if you buy two or more items (different items every week) and if you have a Woolies card you get an extra five per cent off for a certain time. Be shop savvy and save money where you can.

Crackers

Need to buy crackers for that family Christmas dinner? Ilda is a pensioner and makes Christmas crackers. Please phone her on 011 680 6973 or 082 736 9050.

A must visit factory shop

I recently went to Macs Wholesalers and their prices are fantastic. It’s situated at 81 Planet Avenue, Crown Extension Seven, Crown Mines and you’ll find a large variety of Christmas wrapping paper, Christmas card packs, Christmas crackers, ribbons, gift bags, gift boxes, Christmas trees, Christmas stockings, soft toys, books and lots more at hugely discounted prices. Phone 011 839 1972/3/4 for opening hours and other information.

Buy now

Now’s the time to stock up on wrapping paper, gift tags, sticky tape, ribbons and buy your Christmas cards so it gives you time to write them all and get them posted off. I don’t send Christmas cards overseas anymore, the postal service is just too risky but you could use Post Net, which is much more reliable, although it does cost more. Maybe cut your card list and just send to those who are nearest and dearest.

Christmas menu

Will you be entertaining this festive season or having the whole family over for Christmas dinner? Start to think now about your menu and buy now what you can, such as tinned and non-perishable food items, as well as savoury cheese biscuits, crisps, frozen vegetables and even buy some of your festive meat now if you have room in your freezer.

Once you’ve decided on a menu it will be much easier to buy what you need and you won’t waste money on items you don’t need.

If you have already made a Christmas cake it should be maturing nicely now and it will be ready to marzipan and ice in the next two weeks or so. One year I made my marzipan but it works out very expensive as ground almonds are fairly costly. Last year, I bought the ready-made marzipan and it was fine, especially as I rolled it out quite thinly. I like to ice my cake and keep it plain and then I tie a wide silk ribbon around it, in gold, silver, red or green.

Home-baked gifts

Nearly everyone enjoys biscuits and cakes. Bake a few batches of cookies or shortbread, distribute them between wicker baskets lined with kitchen roll and wrap them in coloured cellophane, scrunch up at the top and tie with ribbon. These baskets will make delicious gifts for families, granny and grandpa or friends.

That’s it for this week. Shop till you drop!

Julie