# Advent calendars  already in boots th chemists



## Donald (Sep 22, 2018)

http://l.email.boots.com/rts/go2.aspx?h=156214&tp=i-H43-Gp-1Sa-8a5DU-1v-Adtzb-1c-8TdqR-zPkmM


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## Robin (Sep 22, 2018)

Shudder! One of our nearby garden centres had Chocolate Santas on display when I went there on Wednesday.


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## Lisa66 (Sep 22, 2018)

A friend and I have a little competition every year, to see who can spot the first festive foods (Easter eggs after Christmas), Tesco and Sainsbury's have had cakes, puddings and mince pies for a couple of weeks. Actually Tesco had cards and gifts in their seasonal aisle even before that....madness.


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## Stitch147 (Sep 22, 2018)

Our local Tesco has had bits creeping in for a few weeks now.


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## Sally71 (Sep 22, 2018)

At our local Tesco the Christmas stuff starts appearing any time after August bank holiday, then Easter eggs any time from New Year's Day onwards, and then garden/barbecue/holiday stuff any time after Easter Monday. Oh and "back to school" stuff (uniforms, stationery etc) usually appears in July before they've even broken up for the summer, and then by the time you've been back just a couple of weeks and are realising that you could do with some extra school shirts etc, it's almost impossible to find them!

Oh and clothing for adults too - we broke up from school on July 20th while the long heatwave was still going on.  At work I have to dress smartly, so no shorts, but as soon as we broke up I was living in shorts and quickly realised that I could do with a couple of extra pairs.  And it was almost impossible to find any, because all the shops were putting summer stuff away and getting their Autumn collections out!  I don't really want to buy summer clothes in January and winter ones in July, thank you very much!


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## mikeyB (Sep 22, 2018)

I once went into Sainsbury’s in October and found mince pies. With a best before date of November 2.

There isn’t room in the freezer for all this tosh, particularly as it’ll be on sale up to Christmas Eve. And it’s all dirt cheap after Christmas.


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## Pumper_Sue (Sep 22, 2018)

I saw stollen cake in Lidl's the other day with a January use by date. It felt as solid as rock. Had the notion t buy some for my Mum as she loves the stuff. Decided to leave it where it was and wait until Morrison's make their own as I know she loves that one best of all.

Easter eggs are in the shops on boxing day around here.


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## Grannylorraine (Oct 2, 2018)

My local Tesco had started selling the big tubs of sweets at the August Bank Holiday.


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## trophywench (Oct 2, 2018)

Lot of Xmas stuff in Tesco's yesterday, our first visit since we returned from our SUMMER holiday last Friday - and a news article about surprise at chocolate Easter bunnies in Asda - well what a surprise, cos Tesco have their Hot X buns now too.

Conversely - ever tried buying a man a pair of swimming trunks or shorts at this time of year?  Am I supposed to know in February that I'm going to want to swim in Australia next January?  Or are British people only allowed to swim anywhere in British summer, despite swimming baths being open all year?  Tough if you happen to do it for exercise isn't it?

Ridiculous.


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## mikeyB (Oct 4, 2018)

Have you tried John Lewis online? Amazon for sure doesn’t run with seasons for clothing.


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## PhoebeC (Oct 4, 2018)

I’ve already bought and started eating mince pies! Yey! Love them.

Aldi is full of stuff already, not even got the Halloween stuff in yet x


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## C&E Guy (Oct 4, 2018)

2 girls from a local hospital were in the work canteen today selling Christmas cards.

Mrs C&E Guy actually buys ours in July as she gets them from the RNLI shop at Scarborough since she knows the guy who works there.


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## PhoebeC (Oct 12, 2018)

I have one mince pie left haha! Think I have done quite well


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## Lisa66 (Oct 12, 2018)

Well I'm guessing that would depend how many you started with and when you started Phoebe!?


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## Hepato-pancreato (Oct 14, 2018)

Why don’t they sell turkeys all year round. Much more healthier than chicken.


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## mikeyB (Oct 15, 2018)

Aye, but it doesn’t taste of anything. And why do you think it’s healthier? Not for the turkey, for sure


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## Amigo (Oct 15, 2018)

They do sell turkeys all year round. Caters for those crazy people who celebrate Christmas Day every day of the year. They walk amongst us and eat a lot of brussels sprouts! 

I buy carved turkey slices for sandwiches...very low carb and tasty (it’s all the added water and additives).


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## mikeyB (Oct 15, 2018)

Aye, the additives contain chemicals to keep all the water in when they reprocess the turkey meat. Don’t know what they do in the human body, though, so do let us know. .”Carved” doesn’t mean anything. You can carve Spam.


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## Amigo (Oct 15, 2018)

mikeyB said:


> Aye, the additives contain chemicals to keep all the water in when they reprocess the turkey meat. Don’t know what they do in the human body, though, so do let us know. .”Carved” doesn’t mean anything. You can carve Spam.



I know that Mike. I buy it sliced/carved off the turkey crown. At least it looks half decent in that form!


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## eggyg (Oct 15, 2018)

We had a discussion about turkey just yesterday. Every year everyone complains that it is dry and tasteless but if I dare mention about maybe having goose or beef I just get looks of horror from the family! I don’t think they would be more horrified if I had pulled the ears off puppies! So dry, tasteless turkey it is again this year!


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## Northerner (Oct 15, 2018)

eggyg said:


> We had a discussion about turkey just yesterday. Every year everyone complains that it is dry and tasteless but if I dare mention about maybe having goose or beef I just get looks of horror from the family! I don’t think they would be more horrified if I had pulled the ears off puppies! So dry, tasteless turkey it is again this year!


You could try boiling it instead of roasting it?


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## mikeyB (Oct 16, 2018)

It doesn’t have to be dry. Just lift the skin and stick under the skin a half pound of butter that has been mixed with sage, salt, pepper and a small squirt of garlic purée. Use the skin to spread it over the bird.

It’s quite hard, lifting the skin, but use the old surgical technique of pushing the blunt end of a table knife between the skin and the flesh. Always wear rubber  gloves doing this, and wash them afterwards without touching anything else in the kitchen.

Still doesn’t taste of much, mind, but you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Or get a more traditional goose, then you have lots of goose fat to roast the potatoes for the next week

And it does taste good.


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## eggyg (Oct 16, 2018)

We love goose but there’s not much meat on them. We once got so much fat off one that we cooked roast potatoes in it for months after Christmas. Only two of us for Christmas dinner this year, ( first time EVER) definitely going to get a goose.


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## robert@fm (Oct 17, 2018)

Or you could have duck.


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## robert@fm (Oct 25, 2018)

`Even websites are getting in on the act!  I have today got an email from Shutterstock, offering me a free festive Facebook cover image; it's not even Hallowe'en yet, and they're already thinking of Christmas.  Plus, I have a far better Christmas cover image anyway.


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