I'm way behind with Christmas planning this year. So far behind that this time last week I hadn't even thought about it. So when TK Maxx asked if I'd like to take part in their Christmas Gifting Challenge I jumped at the chance.
It was just what I needed to get motivated and as I love TK Maxx, I'd have been crazy to turn it down.
It was just what I needed to get motivated and as I love TK Maxx, I'd have been crazy to turn it down.
Our challenge was to shop for the perfect Christmas Gifts for six of our nearest and dearest whilst sticking to our set budget of £200. Simple.
With the whole afternoon set aside for some serious retail therapy, Biba and I hit our local store.
First up, if you're into all things sparkly, the TK Maxx Christmas Pop Up Dept is your one stop shop for decorations, home styling and chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate and at a fraction of regular high street prices too!
So to the challenge...
Both of my girls love Nutcrackers. They've inherited my collecting gene and they've built up quite an army over the last few years. We couldn't resist one for Betty!
Biba has recently turned all bake-a-cake. She insists it's because she's deprived in the home baking department but as I don't like cake and I absolutely never make it.
I sent her off to the shoe department before sneaking this cool giant cupcake set into the bag along with a couple of the maxi sized salon haircare products that she's had her eye on for weeks.
The books and notebooks isle is our pre-arranged meeting point in every TK Maxx store that we visit. It's how we roll...
There's something here for everyone and try as we did, we couldn't resist the cute cat book. Not sure who the lucky recipient will be yet though!
1,000 Collectibles for Ethan and a box set of amazing postcards featuring classic Ladybird front covers for me (from Biba). I have a collection of over 2000 Ladybird books so this really is a perfect gift for me.
Over in the children's book section there are some amazing savings to be had on bumper box sets. 10 Beastly Books for Sonny and some classic tales for the girls.
Then we went a bit crazy over the socks and toiletries...
Socks for Sonny, Ethan, Yan, Betty, Biba and me! Tights for the girls, a pack of obligatory pants for each of the boys and a Men's Wrinkle-Fighting Tool Kit for Yan (lets hope he thanks me).
Back to the notebooks....
For Ethan's girlfriend Kellie, a selection of notebooks. She likes notebooks and especially likes making lists. She now won't have to worry about paper for the next 12 months at least.
We threw in a cute little notebook for Amber next door and a really cool Instagram Photo Journal for my buddie Claire.
Technically this means we are now buying for nine people but we were on a roll!
Back to the toy department to pick up one of these Play Sets for Betty before heading to the checkout.
This is what we bought...
Nutcracker £9.99
Cupcake Set £11.99
Designer Haircare £9
Snowman Biscuits £3.49
Cute Cat Book £4.99
Collectibles Book £12.99
Ladybird Postcards £9.99
Book Box Set £12.99
Beastly Box Set £14.99
X 4 Small Notebooks £1.99 each
Photo Journal £6
Wrinkle Kit £12
X 3 Men's Socks RRP £3.99
X 3 Men's Pants £14.99
Leg Warmers £3.99
Leggings £3.99
X 4 Women's Socks £3.99
Tights £2.40
Tights £3
Play Set £12.99
You should have seen our little faces at the checkout as our spend was clocking up. We had no idea if we'd managed to stay within budget. It was tense... but our TOTAL SPEND came to £199.66!
We couldn't believe it and may have whooped just a bit too loud, but way to go. We'd bought perfect Christmas gifts for nine people and still had enough money left over for some sweets!
We Rock - TK Maxx Rocks.
Disclaimer : If you happen to be one of my nearest and dearest I just ruined your Christmas surprise. Sorry.
TK Maxx supplied us with a £200 gift card in order to complete the challenge. All product choices were our own. Total RRP of the items we bought £588.39. TK Maxx price £199.66
That is a fantastic shopping spree! I always forget about TK Maxx but I can feel a trip there coming in the next couple of weeks, some Christmas bargains to be had!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a lot of fun and I agree: a girl can't ever have too many notebooks ;)
ReplyDeleteI am gagging for those postcards and hunted them down on Amazon but now I know that you can get them at TKMaxx I think I'm off to visit our local store!
ReplyDeleteYay! What a haul...I LOVE tkmaxx and its fatal for me as on has just opened 5 mins from my house :( guess where you can find me when Emmy is in pre-school (I'll be there tomorrow too) not good.
ReplyDeletebargain!!!! Ive been using hotdeals for all my xmas shopping and kept within budget :) Looooove having a moooch around TKMaxx.... soooo many treasres!!
ReplyDeleteY'all got such a huge haul! Gotta love TK Maxx :)
ReplyDeletewow fantastic, wish i could get companys like tkmax to send me £200 to spend on products! :) - www.allthingsemmadunn.com
ReplyDeleteTk maxx is fab, I love it in there :)
ReplyDeleteI do most of my Christmas shopping in TK Maxx. Such a great variety of things!
ReplyDelete9 out of 10 of presents I buy come from TKMaxx and this year I managed to buy 6 really cool kids presents for just £30! How cool :) and I have my eyes on another one one of those nutcrackers and all my kitchen accessories, candles, notepads, cushions, most of the handbags I own and shoes I wear come from TKMaxx! I love this shop
ReplyDeleteI too LOVE the postcards!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE those Ladybird book cover postcards! I have the Puffin and the Penguin ones too and they make great presents - pick three favourite postcards, whack them in a frame and BAM - thoughtful and interesting looking gift.
ReplyDeleteWhat an impressive haul!
ReplyDeleteImpressed!!! My local TK Maxx though is like a jumble sale, so rarely go in which is such a shame! I also have the ladybird postcards, did you see my silent Sunday last week? ;-)
ReplyDeleteWow, I am off to TKMAxx today :-)
ReplyDeleteI do all my Christmas shopping at TX Maxx or Homesense it's sister store - amazing bargains for very little :) Oh and I have the postcards too - they're awesome!
ReplyDeleteThey are awesome aren't they?! We were given some Christmas money for the kids and they bought tons from there! Poor us though as our house is now cluttered with even more toys! Love TK Maxx and Home Sense!
ReplyDelete2,000 Ladybird books? Very jealous!
ReplyDeleteGreat shopping, I love TK Maxx when I can be bothered to wade through all the mess that's always on the floor! x
That reminds me, I should pop in there next week, I am so uninspired for Christmas presents this year. Don't even know what to get my husband as he has already got all the gadgets he wanted this year.
ReplyDeleteSocks and pants. Men always need socks and pants!
ReplyDeleteThat was maybe a conservative estimate to be honest!
ReplyDeleteI've not been to a Home Sense as we don't have one around here. I fear I may break the bank if I did!
ReplyDeleteThose postcards are AMAZING. i'm thinking framed on my office wall. only I don't have any room left on my office wall!
ReplyDeleteHurray! let me know what you get.
ReplyDeleteNo way! No I didn't see it but I know we share a love of them. Piggy Plays Truant!
ReplyDeleteCan you please go and have that baby???
ReplyDeleteJo, that is a great gift idea. They have loads of fab frames in TK Maxx too. I feel another post coming on!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe we both had our eyes on that cupcake set!
ReplyDeleteHow much on Amazon Nickie? I had the last box in our store so I'm going to go and look in Leicester at the weekend. Now that I'm armed with that top tip from Jo middleton i need a spare set in my back up gift box!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like everyone loves the postcards!
ReplyDeleteI actually have a serious notebook problem but I just can't help myself. it's the crisp white pages!
ReplyDeleteNever forget about TK Maxx!
ReplyDeleteThere is a branch in Northampton
ReplyDeleteIIRC they were £9.99 but that wasn't including P&P (if any).
ReplyDeleteThere certainly are!
ReplyDeleteGreat minds think alike!
ReplyDeleteThere is??? How did I not know this?
ReplyDeletewow that's impressive. x
ReplyDeleteLucky you, I love shopping at TKMaxx as I always find some amazing bargains there. Great photos too ;)
ReplyDeleteI'd have to say £40 per person would be way over what I'd pay for family members. Am I being a total skinflint???
ReplyDelete