‘I start shopping for Christmas on Boxing Day!’
Her mum made the festive season magical for her – and now, Stacey Rosewarne is determined to do the same for her children
Sticking on a final gold bow, I smiled in satisfaction at the pile of perfectly wrapped presents. ‘The kids will love this,’ I thought excitedly. ‘I can’t wait to see their faces when they see them all.’
Then a wave of disappointment hit me. It was going to be almost a full year until I’d get to witness that joy. Because it was Boxing Day – we’d just celebrated Christmas the day before. Yet, I’d already bought – and wrapped – a large selection of gifts for Amber, 13, Jacob, seven, and Eboney, six.
While most people might think I’m mad, for me, it’s never too early to start getting prepared for the most magical time of the year.
When I was growing up, my mum had always made Christmas extra-special for me and my sister, Jade. As a single mother, she had often worked two jobs to make ends meet. Even then, she never had enough to buy us treats throughout the year.
She certainly made up for that on 25 December, though. Back then, Jade, now 35, and I would tear down the stairs, throw open the living room door and gasp with amazement. You couldn’t even see the carpet, there were so many presents.
And as I became an adult (I’m now 38) that seasonal spirit never left me. I trained to be an end-of-life nurse, so death, loss and grief became part of my everyday life. However, Christmas gave me a chance to escape all that.
I’d go home every Christmas Eve and Mum would still give me a stocking, complete with a satsuma and chocolate coins, and I could allow myself to forget reality and get swept up in the celebrations, spend time with my loved ones and hand over the presents I’d lovingly bought – as well as open my own!
I loved the traditions, the songs, the films… everything.
In fact, as the day came to a close,
I’d always feel sad that the merriment was over for another year.
So, when I fell pregnant and gave birth to Amber, then Jacob and Eboney, I was determined to pass those experiences on to them. However, as a nurse and,
before long, a single mum, I couldn’t afford to wait until the run-up to Christmas to start splurging. No, I had to make the most of my money and grab bargains whenever I could.
And when I started looking into it, it turned out the best ones – for toys at least – were to be had on Boxing Day. So that was when I started buying them.
Yes, it was hard to anticipate what the kids might want a whole year in the future, but when I got £200 worth of toys for £60, it was hard to argue with the logic. Plus, by starting so soon, I’d found a way to extend my world into a winter wonderland that lasted for 365 days!
Because that first day of spending was only the start. Every month on pay day, I’d sit down and work out what I needed for our mortgage, bills and food. Anything left over, I’d put away for Christmas.
And over the years, I discovered other good sales and months when supermarkets slashed their
‘When I got £200 worth of toys for £60, it was hard to argue with the logic’
prices. I got such a reputation that my children’s friends called me, ‘the woman who loves Christmas’ and my sister-in-law handed me over her savings to do her shopping for her!
As they built up, I’d stash my sacks of goodies in the spare room of my home in Taunton, Somerset, ready for the big day. It was only when Eboney came out one day, holding a doll, asking who it was for, that I realised I couldn’t just buy them early – I had to wrap them early too!
‘ You must be mad,’ Jade would say, shaking her head at my prettily packaged parcels. Because, unlike me, she thought we’d been given too much as children, so was more restrained with her little ones.
Yet, I didn’t understand people like her, who left it all until the last minute. The thought of not having a treasure trove of treats left me feeling panicky. Plus, seeing my trio trip over themselves to wrestle open the wrapping paper was priceless.
After all, they knew new things didn’t grow on trees. When they saw me going out to 12-hour shifts or heading out to work as they went to bed, they knew the graft behind their gifts.
Plus, it wasn’t just about presents. I’d take the kids to meet Santa, treat them to hot chocolate and visit department stores with their huge displays, to ensure that by the day itself, we were firmly in the mood for the festivities.
Of course, my early-bird tendencies can also have their drawbacks. I’ve been known to lose whole stockpiles of stocking fillers, only to find them in January or December. And of course, it’s hard to remember exactly what I’ve bought for who. Sometimes it’s as much as a surprise for me as the kids when they hold up a new game or DVD!
This year, I’ve already spent more than £700 on presents. I’d never have been able to afford that if I hadn’t saved – and spent – for a full year.
And I’ve already started budgeting for next year, for a very special reason. My boyfriend, Darren, 40, and I are getting married next December – in a Christmasthemed service, of course.
It’ll be hard work to save so much, but I already know my two big days will be worth it!