Christmas!

It's right around the corner! So I've been trying to shop now while I'm not dead broke, LOL. What kinds of stuff are you guys getting your families? Are you putting it off til the last minute? Or have you got it all done and wrapped and are basking in the glow?

Good heaven's .......... I never start to think about it until the end of November which is when I have to get my overseas cards ready for mailing!

Other than 1 great-niece and 1 great-nephew there are no youngsters in our family now. So, we've cut way, way back on spending for pressies and concentrate more on the food and decorations. This year have talked about not bothering with any pressies at all and making some nice donations to a few charities instead.

Ahhh! See I have a husband and four kids, so if I wait until the end of November I'd be desparate. I try not to spend a fortune on them, usually around $50 each including all the stocking stuffers, etc. But when you multiply that times 6 you end up with a chunk of change! I get a lot at yard sales in the summer, too.

Well..I think we are going to kind of wait and see how much expense this hospital trip will be. But I have managed to squirrel away a few small things for their stockings since the beginning of this year. If we are able to after everything than we will try to get the kids something more than that, or we may ask family members to just all pitch in and we can get them one bigger thing each. We'll see, either way I am just glad that we are able to spend the holidays with our family.

I usually try to start getting the boys' Santa gifts a little after Labour Day. That way Santa's spending is spread out a little more and I don't have that lump sum crunch just before Christmas. They each get 3 toys and we do socks, underwear, and electric toothbrushes in their stockings, but it does add up if I try to do it all at once! This year there's a new toy store on the Six Nations Indian Reserve which is probably about an hour and a half away from me. It's supposed to be pretty cheap plus there's no tax since it's on the reserve so I'm putting aside money every pay and am hoping to get there around the beginning of November for a bigger shopping trip.

I am trying not to think about that it is right around the corner. The ecconomy is effecting my husband's business big time. With 6 people to feed now, it is really tough just getting from one to the next next right now.

Yes, I too am thinking about christmas. One of the gifts I make is to purchase a calendar from Costco. I add to the calendar, birthdays, anniversary, special days, etc. I use stickers, leaves for fall months, christmas decorations for December. Easter, well you get the picture. The family members love it and I have done this for years.

This is also a great gift for parents and grandparents. Children can help do the grandparents one, make it even more special.

thebigscott wrote:

It's right around the corner! So I've been trying to shop now while I'm not dead broke, LOL. What kinds of stuff are you guys getting your families? Are you putting it off til the last minute? Or have you got it all done and wrapped and are basking in the glow?

hmmm no idea yet, I usually hit the "all done and wrapped and are basking in the glow" point about 11:58pm on Dec 24th

I aint thinkin about christmas yet. I have 3 birthdays to go before then. LOL
and an anniversary.

Hubby told me tonight that he wants to do something like a BBQ on the 18th for his birthday, his cousins BD (the 18th), and our anniversary and his brothers birthday (the 22nd) and his sisters BD (the 24).

Its not going to have lots of presents or anything, but there will be lots of food, and cakes. I might get internet lessons from kelly and try to do a cook cake for the goofballs.

I am thinking a coffin for my anniversary, and the fat guy on family guy for BR. Luke...(the brother..) I dont know.. maybe a jackass.

Then I have Bow's in November, and Bretts is the 16th of December.

But I do socks and underwear for stockings and one present per kid for santa. I already know what it will be. Sorta. Its a toss up between Bretts birthday and Christmas what they actually get. But for one or the other they will get Bows. (as in Bow and Arrows, they got Bow the kid last year)

And we are supposed to be doing calenders through the photo place for the parents and grandparents. easy as pie. I just have to find pictures.

I have all ready bought my kids a Wii -- I have to say there is no much that they don't have.... I just have to pick up another controller and the Mario kart for the wii and the sterring wheel and a couple of other games. I ordered them each a snowman webkin that should be in by thanksgiving--there is a store near my home that tells you what webkins are coming out and you can pre order. I have to do my shopping early and get it done and wrapped

since I have had my own charity for 12 years and that consumes my holiday season to tell you the truth.

For the past 12 years in the month of Dec I collect new P J 's and bring them to homeless shelters through out M.A. I collect any size from infant to adult and then the week of Xmas i deliver them. There are drop off boxes at the schools here in town and in local business and change jars everywhere in town and in my Salon. Every year it gets bigger and bigger and it can be over whelming. BUT SO WORTH IT!! Now that I am a den leader for cubscouts they have jumped on board with me .last year I delivered for 3 days straight no stop to shelters and churches that were in need. Now that the word is out with cubscouts -cubscouts parents are helping and have donated there trucks to help. They are helping me and Family and my friends sort pj's so this will take some pressure off(lol)I do have to say I have never in my life have I ever meet such a nice group of people. So if your son is at the age for scouts sign him up it's the best thing I have done for my son!!

Yes I know I am gabbing way too much SORRY --but working 2 jobs one being my own business and I work here in the High school being on the PTO and cub scouts I don't have much me time( so bzz agent and this site is my me time (LOL) and I really like this site and I think you guys are wonderful to talk to with so take care and for all of us the hoildays can be stressful!!

trax wrote:Yes, I too am thinking about christmas. One of the gifts I make is to purchase a calendar from Costco. I add to the calendar, birthdays, anniversary, special days, etc. I use stickers, leaves for fall months, christmas decorations for December. Easter, well you get the picture. The family members love it and I have done this for years.

This is also a great gift for parents and grandparents. Children can help do the grandparents one, make it even more special.

Trax, the calendars with dates already marked on them are a great idea. I think doing one for each of my forgetful male children would be a great help. No more calling a week before a birthday to remind someone. Thanks!

Sharon wrote:I have all ready bought my kids a Wii -- I have to say there is no much that they don't have.... I just have to pick up another controller and the Mario kart for the wii and the sterring wheel and a couple of other games. I ordered them each a snowman webkin that should be in by thanksgiving--there is a store near my home that tells you what webkins are coming out and you can pre order. I have to do my shopping early and get it done and wrapped

since I have had my own charity for 12 years and that consumes my holiday season to tell you the truth.

For the past 12 years in the month of Dec I collect new P J 's and bring them to homeless shelters through out M.A. I collect any size from infant to adult and then the week of Xmas i deliver them. There are drop off boxes at the schools here in town and in local business and change jars everywhere in town and in my Salon. Every year it gets bigger and bigger and it can be over whelming. BUT SO WORTH IT!! Now that I am a den leader for cubscouts they have jumped on board with me .last year I delivered for 3 days straight no stop to shelters and churches that were in need. Now that the word is out with cubscouts -cubscouts parents are helping and have donated there trucks to help. They are helping me and Family and my friends sort pj's so this will take some pressure off(lol)I do have to say I have never in my life have I ever meet such a nice group of people. So if your son is at the age for scouts sign him up it's the best thing I have done for my son!!

Yes I know I am gabbing way too much SORRY --but working 2 jobs one being my own business and I work here in the High school being on the PTO and cub scouts I don't have much me time( so bzz agent and this site is my me time (LOL) and I really like this site and I think you guys are wonderful to talk to with so take care and for all of us the hoildays can be stressful!!

That is awesome Sharon, rather unique too, at least from my perspective. My hubby was a boyscout and my MIL was their scout leader both are eagerly anticipating Rylan's turn.... he has a ways to go though, he's only 15 months.

Dh and I usually do most of our shopping the weekend before, it's a tradition with us.
Since we will be living in a travel trailer, I am not gonna have alot of room for storage, so we will store alot in our garage......besides, Bayley is gonna be getting all new stuff, all at once, so it'll be like Xmas then

sharon, thats wonderful!!

Lori, for your kids have you looked into getting them 'personal' calenders? Shutterfly and a few other places make them. you get to put your own pictures, and fill in the dates. Its really neat. Its what i plan to do for the parents and grandparents. find pics of my kids that coorespond with the months. You could do old pics of your boys. when they were younger.

I've started Christmas shopping for my DD, and I've already gotten quite a few things for her. I've just recently started using Amazon because I get GC's from a couple of survey groups I'm a member of and I'm totally addicted to shopping on there now..lol. Everyday I'm on there looking for stuff that's on her list (which is a mile long), and if I find something that's an awesome deal then I go ahead a buy it.

She loves littlest pet shop VIP's and I found 3 different ones the other day for around $6 each (reg. 14.99) so I got them. I've also gotten really good deals on Wii and DS games, cd's and movies that are on her list for prices I'd never find in a store. Only thing I don't like about Amazon is that the prices change so fast.

Chelle, I love Shutterfly's calenders! I made one for my mom and sister last year and they were their favorite gifts.

I do not think about Christmas shopping until the weekend of my birthday. It is after the mad rush day after Thanksgiving, but before Christmas Eve.

I hate the mall during the holiday season. I really, truly do. People get so rude, it disgusts me. I used to work retail, and dreaded the holiday season. People expect things to be handed to them and if you wrap it nicely, they don;'t thank you, just grab and run. At least say thank you as you run! lol

Last year, money was tight, so Tim and I were supposed to only get Timmy something. But of course, I didn't listen. But I did not go all out like I had the year before. Since Tim will be getting a decent size bonus this year, he and I will most likely pick up a few video games for Timmy and then a couple of cars.

I work in retail, one would think that I would get to my shopping early. Noooooooooo ...... and between Halloween and Christmas, I'm lucky to get one day of a week!

It isn't that I wouldn't shop early, it's that I have NO idea what anyone wants!

One year, I knew my mom wanted a certain indoor grill and my son wanted something impossible. I shopped early for mom and got the grill, my son's present had to be handmade and bought from ebay, and was huge!

Mostly, I think it's the 'hiding' the presents issue that keeps me from shopping early!

[quote="chelle"]

Its not going to have lots of presents or anything, but there will be lots of food, and cakes. I might get internet lessons from kelly and try to do a cook cake for the goofballs.

I am thinking a coffin for my anniversary, and the fat guy on family guy for BR. Luke...(the brother..) I dont know.. maybe a jackass.

Internet lessons? lol I love the coffin idea, mind if I steal that for my anniversary it's coming up soon (Oct 21st) and that is an awesome idea A coffin would be pretty simple. Peter Griffin from Family Guy, hmm the best thing to do would be to find a pic of him on the internet, print it, get it blown up at a copy shop or something. If you are going to do a full body cake you will need to make a big a$$ cake lol, I have done big ones like this before. It just requires a lot of cake mixes and frosting and frost between layers and freeze them in the freezer until the cake feels really stiff (easier to carve) cut out your pic, lay it on the cake and then cut around the outline. This will give your cake the correct shape. After that it's all decorating, and that is what takes the biggest amount of time, getting the eyes the right shape, facial expressions etc. A jacka$$ , well you'll have to figure that one out on your own