Canadian Ladies: Chrisco or Santas Choice

**mizniteowl** · 01-15-2006, 10:46 PM

Have you heard about these companies before?  Would you ever consider trying them?  I was going to (impulse thing) but I'm not sure now.  It's a cool idea but seems to be a lot of money in the end.  I guess you'd have to figure out the cost of each product at the store, time spent at the grocery store, driving yada, yada, yada.  Not sure if it's worth it.  What do you think?  Santa's Choice seems to be a lot cheaper than Chrisco. 

http://www.chriscohampers.ca/index-new.html

http://www.santaschoice.ca/index.html

**homesteadmamma** · 01-15-2006, 10:55 PM

Not something I'd be interested in.

**peanut** · 01-18-2006, 12:59 PM

No, it looks like brand name junk food to me. I couldn't eat most of it on a low cholesterol diet.

Jean

**canadian gardener** · 01-18-2006, 01:40 PM

not for me either. I went on line after the ads last Christmas and found out it was mostly packaged stuff I don't get and the cost was quite high for what you get.

They always talk like it's your whole Christmas in a box to your door, but there is so much more to Christmas costs from presents, to decorations to homemade cookies.

Their idea of a great Christmas pantry isn't mine so nope, not doing it.

Besides I can out perform their price by simply adding to my pantry and freezer on sales year round.

**santoria** · 02-14-2006, 05:15 PM

I had a friend order it and they were MAJORLY disappointed. it was mostly packaged stuff that will just sit in the pantry until you need to donate something for school to the food bank. lol

We priced it out and at most of the grocery stores we could get more for the price they list.

**WhirlwindMom** · 11-06-2006, 10:38 PM

Actually - I went with Santas Choice, not Chrisco. Their prices were better, and I liked that they were Canadian. It worked for us, and my hampers are arriving next week! All paid off, all budgeted, and no driving around!

**babetteq** · 11-06-2006, 10:58 PM

I was looking at them a couple of years ago, but very little of it is stuff I'd buy... lots of processed junk food which is expensive, and if you're going to buy tht stuff, it's cheaper to buy it on sale over the year.

**northernmom2boys** · 11-07-2006, 10:10 AM

72 dollars for three tupperwear containers?holy smokes
I have heard of people having trouble getting the hampers once they are purchased and even one that was delivered and had frozen food in it that was left on fornt porch in the warm weather

**babetteq** · 11-07-2006, 10:57 AM

I went back just to make sure I wasn't talking through my hat.... One of the only ones I would buy, because it has the least garbage in it is the 'italian cuisine' basket.... It would cost me 121$ one the payment plan. I estimated that to buy it at store prices without getting too much of a deal on anything it would cost me to buy about $81. Lots of the hampers are 40$ a month!!! I don't know about you, but that's a big chunk out of my disposable money.

It is hard to save up over the year which is why they're in business. But, what if you had a rubbermaid tub with a list on the lid that every week you made a deposit into and crossed something off the list? That way you could take advantage of loss leaders, sales, no-name etc... I'm sure it would be much cheaper and you'd get the stuff that you actually use, or you could purposely choose healthier stuff than most of their packages (whole wheat pastas, extra lean cuts of meat, fruit instead of candy).

**danni** · 11-07-2006, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by babetteq

It is hard to save up over the year which is why they're in business. But, what if you had a rubbermaid tub with a list on the lid that every week you made a deposit into and crossed something off the list? That way you could take advantage of loss leaders, sales, no-name etc... I'm sure it would be much cheaper and you'd get the stuff that you actually use, or you could purposely choose healthier stuff than most of their packages (whole wheat pastas, extra lean cuts of meat, fruit instead of candy).

This is what I do! I have a shelf in my pantry and a place in my freezer that is labelled holidays. If something goes on sale that I need for christmas, birthdays, canning, whatever, I write on the package what it is for and put on the holiday shelf. Dh and kids know that shelf is off limits, but if something gets moved by accident, it's written on too.

**sal34** · 12-10-2006, 11:47 PM

I'm a big fan of Santas Choice. We had ours delivered today and by one of the owners of the company. What graet service. What other company sends their President over! We're definitely ordering again next year. I know it is more expensive than the grocery store but it is easy at a really stressful time of the year. If I don't use all the items in the hamper we just give it to the food bank or to friends.

**Nada.Leona** · 12-11-2006, 09:55 PM

I don't think I'd be into it either. I eat a lot of fresh foods, fruits, veggies, whole grains, etc. I wouldn't eat a lot of that packaged junk (Minute Rice, blech!).

**watchingpennies** · 12-16-2006, 11:34 AM

I saw the commercials at Christmas last year and wondered about them...then I saw a catalogue at a friend's house who was also curious....They seemed expensive for what you get.

**mom of two** · 11-18-2008, 02:48 PM

Has anyone heard anything about Santas Choice and Chrisco joining together? A friend said that they were now one company. Has anyone else heard anything?

**Grayce** · 11-18-2008, 05:26 PM

I looked at Crisco last year and when I figured out the value of the food in the hamper it was way more than I could buy it for in the store. Plus every hamper I looked at had things in it that I would not use.