5th Annual Christmas Shopping Thread

[Disney Mommy 3]

Originally Posted by ama223

Great idea for a thread!

DH & I don't usually exchange gifts - we do small stocking stuff.

DS1 will be 6 and DS2 will be almost 4 - they each get 3 gifts from Santa and 1-2 gifts from us. And small stocking stuff. They have a new idea of what they want each day, depending on what commercial they've seen recently! Should be interesting.

I need to try and get all my shopping done EARLY this year since this baby is due 12/1 (will have a repeat C-section the week after Thanksgiving). Amazon Prime is also my best friend at holiday time! So if I need to, I can do most of my shopping online.

So excited that Christmas is around the corner, partially because that means baby #3 will be here :D

Originally Posted by tzeitel

I already know what the grandparents are getting - I got a coupon for a free photobook from Shutterfly and will be making one full of DD's art. I'll have some photos of her "creating" and on the opposite page the finished project.

Still have to think what to get all my nieces - 6 girls ages 9 months - 12 years
The 9 month old is pretty easy, I have a cute pink Snoopy I got her last month and a couple of cute outfits I found on clearance.
For the 4 year old I am thinking a Lalaloopsy - I have been watching them on Ebay and Amazon to find the best deal.

DD is getting the Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure game. She loooves her Kinect and Pixar movies so it is perfect. Now I am saving my Swagbuck points for Amazon gift cards Other than that I am drawing a blank. Her Bday is in August and I got her a some presents I know she will love - a big pizza pillow (), a Perplexus and a Just Dance Kids Kinect game.

Does anyone know when Brave is coming out on DVD? I know it is still in theaters but Amazon has it on pre-order already so I was wondering if it will be out for Christmas

Again, a great big to all the new ladies from today!!
ama,...I had c-sections too..they can be pretty rough recovering sometimes, so a plan is good!! LOL!! Especially when you already have other kiddos rolling around and you don't have the luxury of just laying in bed with the newborn all day! Congrats! Do you know what your baby's gender is? Just curious! I have 2 boys and a girl!
tzeitel~ not sure about Brave, man!! That was a great show!!!

[ama223]

Originally Posted by Disney Mommy 3

Again, a great big to all the new ladies from today!!
ama,...I had c-sections too..they can be pretty rough recovering sometimes, so a plan is good!! LOL!! Especially when you already have other kiddos rolling around and you don't have the luxury of just laying in bed with the newborn all day! Congrats! Do you know what your baby's gender is? Just curious! I have 2 boys and a girl!
tzeitel~ not sure about Brave, man!! That was a great show!!!

Thanks for the welcome! No, we didn't find out the gender, we like to keep it a surprise until birth.

[starsweeper]

Originally Posted by aliceg

Hats off to you, early shoppers! I admire your organizational skills!

May I ask a question? For those of you with children to shop for, how do you know what they'll be into months before the holidays? My boys are 2 and 3 (2.5 and 3.5 at Christmas) and I am having trouble thinking of what they'd like 6 months from now. As an example, my oldest was VERY into Thomas around his birthday. He has now somewhat moved passed trains and is into pirates. Who knows if he will continue to like pirates around Christmas. I would love to be able to buy something for them now - hopefully while it's on clearance - but I'm worried that I'll get something and they'll be over it by the time Christmas comes around.

I can shop early for YDS and YDD, but ODS and ODD have been known to change their minds. If I buy ahead for them I end up with too much, or have to do lots of returns/exchanges. I do serious toy buying closer to November for them. However, I did get great deals on books for the kids last Aug from Amazon. I have created a spreadsheet for all family members and our immediate family with categories (mom/dad, stocking, santa, elves) and budget amounts for the last 3 years. As I buy, I enter it on the spreadsheet and have an image folder for pics of the item by recipient.

[starsweeper]

Originally Posted by ama223

Great idea for a thread!

DH & I don't usually exchange gifts - we do small stocking stuff.

DS1 will be 6 and DS2 will be almost 4 - they each get 3 gifts from Santa and 1-2 gifts from us. And small stocking stuff. They have a new idea of what they want each day, depending on what commercial they've seen recently! Should be interesting.

I need to try and get all my shopping done EARLY this year since this baby is due 12/1 (will have a repeat C-section the week after Thanksgiving). Amazon Prime is also my best friend at holiday time! So if I need to, I can do most of my shopping online.

So excited that Christmas is around the corner, partially because that means baby #3 will be here :D

Congratulations!!! Definitely try to get as much shopping done as you can. I had two c-section births in Dec 2010 and Dec 2011. I was glad I had put up my tree by early Nov and ordered most things online by Thanksgiving, or it wouldn't have gotten done.

[Disney Mommy 3]

Originally Posted by ama223

Thanks for the welcome! No, we didn't find out the gender, we like to keep it a surprise until birth.

My first 2 were surprises..but #3 I knew from day one that it was a girl!! I went ahead and got an ultrasound because I had NOTHING for a girl...alllll boys!! I thought it would be weird knowing..but my first 2 baby boys were emergency C's and everyone in our families knew the gender and had seen them in the nursery before I did! So,..in case #3 didn't make it to the scheduled day, I wanted to know!!!! I do not regret it at all--had they all been normal births I would not have wanted to know. Baby #1 I did go through all the labor and was pushing when they decided emergency C...so that was a TOTAL bummer!!!!

Originally Posted by starsweeper

I can shop early for YDS and YDD, but ODS and ODD have been known to change their minds. If I buy ahead for them I end up with too much, or have to do lots of returns/exchanges. I do serious toy buying closer to November for them. However, I did get great deals on books for the kids last Aug from Amazon. I have created a spreadsheet for all family members and our immediate family with categories (mom/dad, stocking, santa, elves) and budget amounts for the last 3 years. As I buy, I enter it on the spreadsheet and have an image folder for pics of the item by recipient.

AAAhhhh...I love your organization!! Want to be BFFs?!!!

[ah1126]

Originally Posted by ama223

Thanks for the welcome! No, we didn't find out the gender, we like to keep it a surprise until birth.

Congrats! We also like to keep it a surprise! We didn't know with DD and aren't finding out with this one either.

My c-section is scheduled for 11/21, so I too am trying to have as much done as I can before the baby comes.

Good luck to you!

[Lil'Mermaid75]

I am seriously behind this year. Normally I have a decent start by now, but have not started at ALL! Actually, I blame it on the fact that I took the summer off work to stay home with DS9, and shopping hasn't been a priority (what is wrong with me? LOL). I go back to work in August, so I'll probably get started then.

Originally Posted by starsweeper

I have created a spreadsheet for all family members and our immediate family with categories (mom/dad, stocking, santa, elves) and budget amounts for the last 3 years. As I buy, I enter it on the spreadsheet and have an image folder for pics of the item by recipient.

I have been doing this for a few years now. Really makes it handy when I go to wrap presents - less chance of forgetting something since it all tends to get shoved into a closet. It also helps keep track of budgets! I love lists.

[Ksweets656]

Hi Everybody!! My boys will be 1 & 3 this year so they are pretty great ages to shop for. We try to keep it simple stockings with fruit and a couple of small items new toothbrushes and socks. A big gift from santa and a few gifts from Mom and Dad. Their aunts overwhelm them with gifts no matter what we ask, so we really keep it simple. I work nights so I do a lot of my shopping online and I check out the stores first thing in the morning on my way home and find a lot of clearance deals that way. I hate shopping when the stores are mobbed.

[Eoywin]

I'm joining though I won't be shopping for a while.

My DD turns four in October - so I won't be shopping for Christmas until her birthday is done.

[Rayvnn]

I want something like this for my 4.5yo son -


I am also looking into


His birthday is Sept. 28th.

Leslie

[Disney Mommy 3]

Originally Posted by Lil'Mermaid75

I am seriously behind this year. Normally I have a decent start by now, but have not started at ALL! Actually, I blame it on the fact that I took the summer off work to stay home with DS9, and shopping hasn't been a priority (what is wrong with me? LOL). I go back to work in August, so I'll probably get started then.




I have been doing this for a few years now. Really makes it handy when I go to wrap presents - less chance of forgetting something since it all tends to get shoved into a closet. It also helps keep track of budgets! I love lists.

Hey girlie! Glad to see you over here!! You have plenty of time yet!!

Originally Posted by Ksweets656

Hi Everybody!! My boys will be 1 & 3 this year so they are pretty great ages to shop for. We try to keep it simple stockings with fruit and a couple of small items new toothbrushes and socks. A big gift from santa and a few gifts from Mom and Dad. Their aunts overwhelm them with gifts no matter what we ask, so we really keep it simple. I work nights so I do a lot of my shopping online and I check out the stores first thing in the morning on my way home and find a lot of clearance deals that way. I hate shopping when the stores are mobbed.

I don't like shopping with the crowds either...I hate feeling pressured also...let me have open aisles and time to calculate! LOL!!!

Originally Posted by Eoywin

I'm joining though I won't be shopping for a while.

My DD turns four in October - so I won't be shopping for Christmas until her birthday is done.

I loooove October birthdays! My grandmother had an Oct birthday!!

Leslie~that looks like cool puzzles, but I am clueless where you should look! And I noticed the allergy to ragweed in your siggie...Lord that stuff kills me too!! And we are not too far-away-neighbors!!

[Rayvnn]

Originally Posted by aliceg

May I ask a question? For those of you with children to shop for, how do you know what they'll be into months before the holidays? My boys are 2 and 3 (2.5 and 3.5 at Christmas) and I am having trouble thinking of what they'd like 6 months from now. As an example, my oldest was VERY into Thomas around his birthday. He has now somewhat moved passed trains and is into pirates. Who knows if he will continue to like pirates around Christmas. I would love to be able to buy something for them now - hopefully while it's on clearance - but I'm worried that I'll get something and they'll be over it by the time Christmas comes around.

I have the same problem with my 2 boys. When I buy early, I stick with basic stuff like crayons, coloring books, puzzles, and ed. stuff.

My boys love to color and draw, so back to school time is good for me to get art supplies and such. My eldest son loves numbers, letter, shapes, and colors, so that is good for this time period also. My boys like music and sing a longs, so I will buy them some DVDs. I will get character specific as Yule gets closer.

Leslie

[aliceg]

Originally Posted by Rayvnn

I have the same problem with my 2 boys. When I buy early, I stick with basic stuff like crayons, coloring books, puzzles, and ed. stuff.

My boys love to color and draw, so back to school time is good for me to get art supplies and such. My eldest son loves numbers, letter, shapes, and colors, so that is good for this time period also. My boys like music and sing a longs, so I will buy them some DVDs. I will get character specific as Yule gets closer.

Leslie

Oh, thank you! I didn't think about books and puzzles. I could definitely get that stuff now!

[SCHBR'smom]

Glad I found this year's thread!

I've already started shopping. We will have 7 kids of our own to shop for this year because our newest baby is due in less than 9 weeks. I also have extra shopping to do because 3 of our kids have Dec birthdays. I haven't bought much yet, but I've started making a list. Hopefully, that will help.

DH wants to make a big pirate ship playscape in the backyard for all the kids. (He found plans online.) In addition to that, he made wooden pirate swords and is planning on getting each child their own treasure box filled with gems. He made 4 extra swords for our niece and 3 nephews and he'll get them treasure boxes, too. I'll probably put some cash in their boxes. I have a great start on gems. I just need to find some nice treasure boxes.

[Pesky]

Originally Posted by SCHBR'smom

Glad I found this year's thread!

I'll probably put some cash in their boxes. I have a great start on gems. I just need to find some nice treasure boxes.

I don't know if you have Hobby Lobby down there but some place like that or a discount furniture place might have some decorative boxes meant for home decoration that could work great as a treasure box. You could also get plain wood ones and let the kids stain and decorate them themselves with strips of brass or stickers, etc.