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If you’ve been to Target or Michael’s or one of those stores, you know that they think it’s Christmas already. But really, it’s not that far away. Not shopping wise anyway. I’ve mentioned it a few times on here, but I am SO trying to be smarter about my shopping this year and NOT leave everything until the last minute like I always do. I swear, I always think I have so much time and then I end up running around at the last minute because yeah, I wait way too long!
This year is going to be different though. I am starting early and plan to sit back and enjoy the holiday season. No seriously, I am. That’s the plan anyway. If I go to the mall over the holidays I want it to be so we can get some hot chocolate and look at the pretty decorations! It’s all easy to say now because I have time and things haven’t gotten nuts yet.
So what about you? Have you started shopping or do you like to wait till the last minute? Do you have any extra fun gifts you are planning this year? B does’t know it yet and I have no clue how it’s going to go down, but I want to surprise L and have him wake up in bund beds on Christmas morning! He sleeps like a rock so I he would have no clue when we moved him, but the rest of the logistics is something I need to work on!!!
That sounds like an awesome surprise. N sleeps like a rock too but C not so much. N hasn’t asked for bunk beds yet so he will not be getting those anytime soon. LOL But to answer yes I’ve started shopping already. Nothing big yet but lots of deals on the small add on goodies. I just sent my mom a list for my boys and me. She wants it at the beginning of Oct each year. I’m really thinking that we will give the boys our Disney trip in Jan as their big gift so I’m going to get things they can use for that for most of there stuff. 😉 I keep telling N that I’m not sure we are going so he’ll still be surprised.
Holiday shopping…gotta be all over that stuff EARLY. I have gifts stashed away for my daughter that I’ve been purchasing for months already. It is usually things that I know she may want and I’ve found them on sale/clearance. The problem with that is then finding a balance between sale stuff I thought she would like and the stuff she actually wants/asks for. I’m already having to think about saving some things for next year. My other dilemma is that my daughter’s birthday is in December. Also, I have trouble figuring out gifts for everyone else that needs to be getting holiday gifts…so that ends up being a “what am I am going to do” type of situation for everyone who is not my daughter.
I use to start my shopping in July (back in the day) and had it finished by November. Then just get the hot new items close to Christmas. I did this because I was a single parent and need to pinch the pennies where I could. Plus back then every place had lay-a-way. That is how my daughter got her Christmas and school clothes. Now that she is an adult I get a few items to wrap and then money…which is a win win….plus we shop throughout the year so we don’t have super big Christmas. Plus I am one of those secret Santa people where I go and stock the lay-a-way area for much needed families and I then go and pay off their lay-a-way once they are gone. I started doing this about 4 years ago- with $100. I now crave out at least $500 per year to do this with. We remember the struggles- so my daughter and I love doing this.
What an amazing act of kindness to pay off someone’s layaway. I love it!
Lisa D,
That is one of the most amazing and coolest things I have heard. Never thought about doing that, but I might just have to try that out.
My Christmas shopping is pretty much completely done! Since I’ll be in that marvelous postpartum haze during the holidays, I wanted to get as much of it done as possible before the little guy makes his appearance. 🙂 I just have two more presents to buy, and I’m DONE! 😀 I’m usually the “wait until the last minute” shopper, and while I don’t typically mind being that way, that wasn’t going to work this year, lol.
I’ve already started and so far I’ve finished shopping for 3 of the 5 people I have to shop for now just my brother and best friend Sarah although I have a birthday present for her which she’ll get at the same time as her Christmas present since they are so close together. I haven’t gotten anything for my brother cause he’s one of the hardest people to buy for.
Maybe for the bunk bed idea move L to your bed soon after he’s fast asleep so it gives you guys a chance to move the old bed out and put the bunk beds in. Or maybe just have him fall asleep in your bed since its a special night and move him once the bunk beds are up
That would be such a great surprise! I haven’t started christmas shopping yet but I really want to! The only thing thats bugging me is I have no clue where to actually put everything so that the SO doesn’t find them :(.
I love love love the bunk beds idea you have. Can you be my mom!? I’ve been pretend online Christmas shopping… since September. Ya know where you put the items in the cart but never check out. I’ve been bookmarking links to things I think I want to get. We pick names on both sides, and I only know one side so far…. the other side I have to wait until THANKSGIVING! which is so far away… I want to know by Labor day. That should be the name picking holiday.
No Christmas shopping for us this year, our gift to each other is the baby! Though Tim is getting me a push gift, an orange Peyton Manning jersey, lol! Other than that we plan to give the parents an 8×10 framed wedding photo for a Christmas gift and thats it. I think Tim might be putting up his Christmas tree this year but I decided since I will be due the day I usually put up all the Christmas decorations that I’m going to sit out decorating this year and go all out next year when Delaney will be 1 and old enough, maybe, to appreciate Christmas!
I am sure I end up overpaying because I start so early thus constantly pick stuff up, but it’s nice to grab what you know they will like when it pops up rather than rush last minute to find something suitable.
I have done a little shopping. We always do stockings and we like to make sure they are awesome. So if I see some stocking stuffer stuff I’ll buy it through out the year. I have also done some kickstarter shopping for christmas. 🙂 I also will buy done Black Friday or cyber Monday if I see something That makes me think of someone. I don’t really go to the mall with intent to do Christmas shopping until December though. The bunk bed plan would be awesome!
I placed a BIG order with Birchbox to get the Head of the Class boxes for my pre-teen nieces. Plus my work gives us a very generous gift card for attending the health fair so I did some serious damage on Amazon this morning with that. And I’ve been hoarding some of our subscription box items for Christmas. It sounds like I’ve been doing a lot, but I really haven’t. And, like you, I’m saying that this year will be different and I won’t be last minute.
I’m starting my shopping this weekend and I can’t wait to be done. I have my list ready and it should be pretty easy.
I have started my Christmas shopping! I tend to pick up things all year around because I use to find I could never find anything close to Christmas, I love seeing something and thinking that is perfect for… This year I’m doing pamper gift baskets for my girl friends and my sister’s whole present is Paris themed. I also did picked a few Christmas decor things in TK Maxx recently!
xoxo
Stacey
Five Minute Style?
I already started my planning list, writing down price points and ideas. I order a lot online but usually wait til after black Friday just in case of deals. I’ve already picked up a few things for my older son that are hidden in the trunk of my car. I always liked starting in October, I’m always the most prepared in my family.
I have completed most of the xmas shopping for my nieces/nephews since it was agreed by my family to leave it simple and not spend a lot on the kids. Financially my family isn’t interested/capable of spending lots of money on everyone so the adults aren’t buying for each other. On my in laws we are doing a re-gifting thing for the adults so I am using items from my pop sugar boxes that didn’t suit me. And we are doing secret santa for the kids (because apparently everyone thinks their kids have too many toys. I was a little disappointed because I love buying toys for the kids). I haven’t however bought the big expensive presents for my husband or my daughter (I’m waiting for a black friday/cyber monday deal). Problem is I have 1 bday at the end of November and then 5 birthdays in December to buy for (4 of which I haven’t gotten presents for).
I am a single gal with 5 (count them 5!) nieces and a god daughter so I have no choice but to start early or risk A) going broke trying to please them or B) being the aunt that gets them lame presents. I belong to a website that gives me points for surveys, searches etc and I can cash them in for amazon credit so I’ve been banking that since September and using it solely on gifts for the kiddos. Thus far I’ve gotten 2 Monster High dolls , and some stuffed animals for the littler ones for $0 out of pocket. I also thrift shop for clothes because they grow like weeds and right now they are too young to tell ! I don’t go too crazy for the adults. The boyfriend and I have a strict limit that we stick to. All in all I’m about 1/4 done. Next week I’ll hopefully be halfway there. I hear ya on kicking back and enjoying the holidays. My goal this year is not to set foot in a mall come November. I mostly shop online, wait for coupon codes , thrift store, buy handmade goods or make some things myself. It’s not always easy but it’s a lot less stressful and expensive and makes for really unique gifts!
I have to admit that one of the nicest things about celebrating the Solstice instead of Christmas is not having to do the gift thing. Our friends and family know my beliefs so don’t expect some huge haul from us. I will usually make some homemade food gifts, but that is it.
R and I sometimes exchange Solstice gifts, but not always. Although this year I’m thinking about plane tix as phase 1 of his 40th bday celebration. We’ll see.
Cheers,
Shauna
Just wanted to add that I am actually planning on gifts for my girlfriends this year, an will be making sugar scrub cubes and pedicures in a jar for my little group. It’s a really cute and inexpensive gift, and I’m actually making several to sell at a craft fair in November.
~S
Every year I say that I am going to start early and something always comes up. But I actually started already. I knocked off a couple of gifts and started picking up little things for the boys since their christmas lists aren’t completed yet! I hate feeling overwhelmed during the holiday season.
Love the bunk bed idea! I know we will be headed that direction In a few years with my 3.5 year old so I will have for keep that idea in mind. As for shopping my boys are completely done thanks to some great target clearance shopping 😉 I just have everyone else to do yet and will hopefully finish my shopping before December rolls around. That’s the plan, lol.
i’m done via clearance shopping & last year’s black friday deals. usually my thanksgiving shopping is for the next year! my inlaws are away to the UK during xmas and it’ll just be our family. HOORAY!
Costco thought it was Christmas back in September! Do you know when the Halloween Target items usually go on sale? Does it start the day after Halloween?