I’ve done it again...

I'm renowned for this. Two weeks ago I found last year's Christmas crackers ??

Found a "hidden" box of chcolates, in the summer, use by date well past.

Last year I hid all the toys id bought for the grandchildren. On the day we were visiting I gathered them up for my 4 and 6 year old grandchildren. As the 6 year old was opening his, all was well. Then I realised the 4 year old had hardly anything to open. I realised some of her gifts were still hidden at home. I was mortified but she took it so well when I told her what happened. The next day she got her gifts!

Held a surprise birthday party for ex-h. Took several years to ‘find’ certain dried food.

I may well be accused of "teaching Granny to suck eggs" but here goes.

I have a box file called A SAFE PLACE which sits on the shelf with the others. This is where I put small things e.g. passport, keys, spare glasses, Christmas Card address list, etc. which must not be lost. The box also contains a note book, wherein I list where I have put/hidden larger items, eg Back Bedroom, big or wee shed, under bed drawers. This works most of the time for me.

try again

This past week I have lost 2 x birthday cards for DGS birthdays during December and have had to buy more [tchumm]
I have never gotten over buying a one off angel for my Christmas Tree at a specialist Christmas shop in Albert Dock Liverpool I bought it in September and left it under the stairs on a hook never to be seen again.

l've done the same. Birthday cards, birthday presents as well as Christmas presents

What a bummer! I feel your pain.

The only way to find something is to buy another. Immediately the original will turn up and you’ll have two!

Actually, a not in the calendar for next year either in November or December is a really good idea.

I did so last year and it saved me buying duplicates.

Well, if you have tried the usual hiding places, better try the unusual ones.

Or, think back to when you came home with the shopping the day you bought them. What else did you buy that day, and where did you put it all?

If you had them sent, what else came that day? Or what where you doing when the parcel arrived?

This usually works for me, so I hope you find them.

Next year have only two places where you put Christmas presents and food bought in advance and make sure you put things in one of the two places.

Funny, that, @Ashcombe !?

It was for a pub chain not I let!

Last year I bought a £50 gift card and out it somewhere 'safe'. I couldn't find it anywhere. I had the buy another one. Then, when I was wrapping a book for someone, out fell the gift card. Oh well, we spent it ourselves. I let was a pub chain card so we had a treat

I was going to suggest that you make space for a special Christmas cupboard but the disadvantage is that if everybody knows about it it's bound to be disturbed by the impatient.

Once BIL overheard his youngest son, "I've searched high and low for ... (insert long awaited gift) but can't find it anywhere." Luckily he'd got a neighbour to put it in his garage.

I forgot I had a chocolate Advent calendar until I found it by accident this morning. Three chocolates for me today then!!

Thank you so much, I am so glad it is not just me! Still haven't found the present that DDiL bought for her niece, DD's daughter. It was given to us for safe keeping to give to her on Christmas Day last year when they were visiting, I put it under the tree and it never appeared. Hugely embarrassing, it was a specially made pendant! Still suffering the shame of losing it.....

It’s a family joke that I will find gifts that I have hidden at various times during the year. The AC now look forward to receiving gifts at odd times, it’s not unusual to receive a Christmas gift in July here?? or part of their birthday surprise on a day/month other than their birthday ???

Marydoll Oh well it will do her birthday next year!

If you remember where you put it!

My mum always hid our presents in the back of her very large wardrobe. Here favourite story was of the year she heard me crying in the early hours of Christmas morning, I had secretly checked my pile of presents at the end of my bed, then crept along the landing to check each of my brothers, they all had a chocolate Father Christmas on their piles, I crept back and checked mine, not there ? hence the tears. She convinced me that I must have disturbed Father Christmas and sure enough in the morning it was on the top of my pile ?

My problem is that I seem to have Christmas cards for the next couple of years! I bought quite a few from Woodland Trust and then bought some more from Morrisons. I've just unearthed all the presents that I've bought over the year and there are loads of Christmas cards left over from last year! My sister says I should put a note on next year's calendar in November to remind me not to buy any.

I have just found something I bought in the sales last year for DIL's birthday. I had to buy something else instead. I thought I might find it in time for her Christmas, but I gave up and bought something else.
Oh well it will do her birthday next year! .

If you don't find them in time, Witzend, tell your OH it's a treasure hunt, that you've hidden them and he has to find them ?

I do that all the time too. I put things away safely including the gifts that I need to justify having bought only to not be able to find them again. What it means, is that the cupboards get tidied!