Gransnet forums

Chat

Have You Treated Yourself Since Christmas?

(134 Posts)
Fairycakes Tue 09-Jan-24 19:17:53

I've treated myself to a couple of little things that were on my Christmas list, but which no one had bought for me.
The first was the Harvest teapot by Mark's and Spencer's, which Musicgirl posted on my thread 'Does anyone else have a passion for Teapots?' I do have a passion for teapots and fell in love with it when I saw it in the photo🤗. And she's right - it does make a super cup of tea!

Then when I put up a thread: 'I'm thinking of buying a yarn bowl', Greyduster mentioned a beehive shaped yarn holder that her mother used to use. Intruiged, I set off on a journey of discovery and found them selling on ebay. They were made of bakelite. I liked the look of it and wondered who might have used it all those years ago 🤔. I showed it to hubby, who likes anything vintage and without my knowing, he bought it for me. What a lovely surprise.

Finally, I treated myself to a tension yarn ring, which I had only just learnt about. So I've been having great fun with the yarn holder and tension ring. The tension ring takes the hard work out of crocheting. No more cramped fingers. And my cat can't tamper with the wool 😄🙀.

So have you, or anyone else, treated you since Christmas?

recklessgran Wed 10-Jan-24 15:47:53

Yes. I've bought myself some more premium bonds and a new tankini in readiness for a forthcoming holiday in The Canaries at the end of next month.

Kim19 Wed 10-Jan-24 15:43:36

I've supplemented a couple of lovely vouchers I received for a splendid lunch and another to come. Oh yessss.......

TillyTrotter Wed 10-Jan-24 15:32:56

The yarn bowl will be so useful 😊 My sister had a collection of M&S Harvest dinnerware - it is a pretty teapot.
I bought myself a Chenille sweater - not in the sale: £26 - but am so glad I did now the weather has turned bitterly cold.

Musicgirl Wed 10-Jan-24 15:18:31

Glad you are pleased with the Harvest teapot, Fairycakes.

Elrel Wed 10-Jan-24 13:41:51

Two years running I have treated myself after Christmas to a hardback A5 diary from the London Review of Books. 2023 had enjoyable excerpts from Alan Bennett’s diaries, 2024 includes ‘52 Ways of thinking about Kafka’. I wasn’t sure about that but it’s good to keep an open mind and last week’s page has an Alan Bennett quote.

Stansgran Wed 10-Jan-24 13:34:49

I treated myself to a visit to the beautician. The foot massage is oooooh. And I also have uhairy legs and tidy eyebrows.

dogsmother Wed 10-Jan-24 13:34:07

Ooh yes I have, a beautiful Barbour gilet it came in at half price it’s got a furry detachable collar and I love it!

Auntieflo Wed 10-Jan-24 13:20:59

Well, succumbing to the lure of a sale of bags at Clarke's, I attempted to buy a brown leather Tote bag.
My card was declined😱, shock horror! Never happened before.
I checked my bank, thinking that someone had managed to run off with all my worldly wealth. Nope.
So I have emailed them a query and will wait to see what they say, and will have to forgo the bag for now.
If still no luck, I will try on Friday when we go into town, and see if I can order one through the shop.

Primrose53 Wed 10-Jan-24 13:09:14

Squiffy

Fairycakes - I never knew about tension rings until I read your post! What a brilliant idea! Thank you! 😊 Off to see what I can find online…

They do take a bit of getting used to. I have a couple but to be honest I have been crocheting so long that my tension is pretty consistent so usually I don’t bother.

Squiffy Wed 10-Jan-24 12:35:10

Fairycakes - I never knew about tension rings until I read your post! What a brilliant idea! Thank you! 😊 Off to see what I can find online…

Fairycakes Wed 10-Jan-24 12:34:19

Primrose, I love your collection of guages - especially the bell one with the pictures of children. I looked up the bell guages and found some selling on ebay, but they are quite dear. It will have to go on next year's Christmas list. Thank you for sharing 😊

annsixty Wed 10-Jan-24 12:21:27

I have been a prudent spender all my life ,first through necessity then because it became a way of life.
Now in the second half of my 80’s I treat myself all the time if I want something.
My family will spend their inheritance as they want so I am getting my fun while I can.

Granny23 Wed 10-Jan-24 12:20:10

When my parents died, I inherited their Wedding China dinner set -Corona Ware pattern Madrid (my sister chose their T set). It lay in a box until last Christmas when I used it for a family get together and since then I have been using it every day. No breakages so far and it is so lovely that every meal is a treat.

I still have all of my own wedding China intact. It was given to me by my sister/bridesmaid and she has an almost identical set which I gave to her when she married. When we together hosted a coffee morning for a Cancer Charity, the lovely matching China was much admired.

What is the point of having lovely things which are kept out of sight in a box?

Maggiemaybe Wed 10-Jan-24 12:13:36

I’ve just succumbed and treated myself to a rather nice leather tote bag, 60% off in the Clarks sale.

Though technically DH treated me. Having insisted for weeks that there’s nothing I need or want for my looming birthday, I’ve now let him know what he’s bought me and where and when he can collect it.

Primrose53 Wed 10-Jan-24 11:45:09

SueDonim

Wow, Fairycakes I’ve been enlightened! I have terrible problems with tension in crochet (but not knitting) so a ring might be just the ticket. Thank you for introducing them to me.

Primrose the gauge on the right, are they Mabel Lucy Atwell children? They’re beautiful.

Yes, Mabel Lucy Attwell children. It is so cute. I had a few but sold some. They now fetch high prices but I used to get them really cheap.

Here are some of my bell shaped gauges and a few odd ones in plastic.

The oldest ones are Victorian and the needles sizes go as far as size 28 which is incredibly fine. So the greater number of needle sizes the older the gauge. These are mostly nickel on brass. As fine work became less popular so the gauges had less holes. They were available (sometimes free) from yarn manufacturers and the later plastic ones were free with knitting magazines or by door to door sellers.

I used to collect the plastic or casein knitting boxes which had holes in the top to check your needle size but I sold them all as they were rather bulky to store.

TwiceAsNice Wed 10-Jan-24 11:42:42

Not for myself but bought two pieces of China that my daughter collects in a really good sale offer. I’ve put them away to give her as presents later in the year.

Philippa111 Wed 10-Jan-24 11:29:12

I've bought an air fryer as over the Christmas period I saw how easy they are. I also found a bread maker in a charity shop for very little. I'll experiment and if it's not for me I'll hand it back. I know two people who use them all the time and the bread is great.
I've also signed up for the gym on a monthly payment.

Are these treats? Well the gym is a good gift to my health and I'm enjoying it.

Spuddy Wed 10-Jan-24 11:21:52

Absolutely beautiful!

Spuddy Wed 10-Jan-24 11:20:04

I bought myself a monthly magazine: History of The Occult by Future Publishing Ltd.

Panic not! I don't practice it but I've got a life-long interest in such things!

Also bought myself thecatgallery.co.uk/cdn/shop/files/38738298-3DF2-462F-AD8B-128CD864B2AC_300x.jpg?v=1698927515 this from The Cat Gallery. £59.00 well spent!

keepcalmandcavachon Wed 10-Jan-24 10:24:02

Only a calendar, as they are cheaper now and it's needed but was pretty enough to be a treat. Win win.

Jaxjacky Wed 10-Jan-24 10:04:55

No, essentials only, I don’t need anything, I’d be buying for the sake of it.

lixy Wed 10-Jan-24 09:10:58

Not a 'thing' but I have finally sorted out my sewing basket and am delighted that it is now neat and tidy. Setting aside the time to do it uninterrupted was a treat!

shysal Wed 10-Jan-24 09:08:58

Yes, I have bought an air fryer. I am enjoying trying all the foods I used to do in my Remoska. The only failure so far is a toad in the hole. The batter was brown and risen on top but like a lump of putty underneath!

Witzend Wed 10-Jan-24 09:05:48

I like the idea of a yarn bowl, but most of my knitting ATM is done with 2 strands of DK. And the Dk is all 100g balls.

Witzend Wed 10-Jan-24 09:03:45

The other day when it was so cold with an arctic wind, I nipped into M&S while waiting to meet a friend, and bought myself a 2-pack of light thermal base layers. Then nipped straight into the fitting room and put one on. 🙂