Anyone started Christmas shopping yet? What, Where and for who?

[TwoMisfits]

Thanks for the ideas @brennicksmom @TwoMisfits @QueenIsabella

They like Minecraft and Team Fortress 2 . They both like space and dinosaurs, science. We have some gaming chairs and headsets. We don't have the PS4, so that might be an option. Ugh. I'm not sure about the RPGs yet. I really hate all the shooter games too, but sadly they are playing. I've done a few gift searches for teen boys and keep coming up with pellet/air guns. I really don't want to go there. I'm fine with all the Nerf stuff.

I did see some nice dinosaur bone prints at World Market that my son may like in his room. I know it's probably not a fun play gift to open, but still. They were on sale, but not now. I should have bought them.
http://www.worldmarket.com/product/"t-rex+sketch"+by+the+studio.do?&from=fn

Husband will be hard to shop for as well.

If they like the 1st person shooters (but you wanna avoid the pellet/air guns), you could buy them passes to the local laser tag place or (especially if they have phones) a laser tag set like this...https://www.amazon.com/Nerf-A0419-Lazer-Twin-Pack/dp/B008CNRIWA

If they like space, science, and dinosaurs, I'd also look at buying them a science museum membership, or if you wanna spring bigger, there are space camps (including the official one) that might be an amazing "big gift"...

 

[kristie73]

laser tag set like this...https://www.amazon.com/Nerf-A0419-Lazer-Twin-Pack/dp/B008CNRIWA

That's a great idea! Thanks.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Have you seen the ones from Walmart? The 30 ounce are $9.74 and are the same as Yeti, just less expensive. You could add a decal from Etsy on it and still save $ if you get those.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll have to check those out.

 

[Hikergirl]

Have you seen the ones from Walmart? The 30 ounce are $9.74 and are the same as Yeti, just less expensive. You could add a decal from Etsy on it and still save $ if you get those.

Check out youtube, there are review and comparison videos. The ones from Walmart perform in pretty much the same as the Yeti ones without the huge pricetag. If you don't care about the Yeti name on the cup the Walmart ones are identical.

I want to thank you MomToOne for mentioning hollar.com I found some some stocking stuffers, add ons to gifts I'm giving and finished a little girl I buy for and spent around $22.

 

[brnrss34]

I haven't started yet but my money is all lined up to spend.

 

[Jake&IzzyLand]

For those of you with teens that need ideas, try to thing of experiences that they could do with their friends such as paint ball, kayaking, an overnight at an indoor water park, skiing and snowboardibg, professional sports or college game tickets, concerts or spa day at a salon. Some are more budget than others and depending on your area, you could have many more options. I think an experience or two, a gift card or two, an outfit, or new fleece or new boots would be great! I'm not there yet, but I will be soon and I've been filing ideas.

 

[MomToOne]

I want to thank you MomToOne for mentioning hollar.com I found some some stocking stuffers, add ons to gifts I'm giving and finished a little girl I buy for and spent around $22.

Glad to hear! I've received my first two orders, and am happy with them. I had a small problem with one item not being as described (the acne medicine turned out to be Salicyclic Acid, not Benzoyl Peroxide as the description stated) but I'm very happy with the response I received from their Customer Service department on it! They addressed the problem swiftly and more than adequately.

My third order is taking longer to ship than the first two, so be prepared for that. I placed it on Friday and it still hasn't shipped. That's OK by me since I'm in no rush but just be aware that if you need something quickly, they may not be the best sight to order from.

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

For those with the teen/tween boys, I know it can tough. There is always Thinkgeek for those into stare wars, star trek, Dr who....Jinx has had a lot of cool t's, hats,posters...related to specific games they love, (talking PC, xbox...) For my DS17 bday next week I just got a T off amazon that says Eat, Play, Sleep. I am also getting him a new gaming mouse and gaming mouse pad-yes, there is a difference. Also gaming keyboards- same thing. Steam $ Gift cards or Microsoft GC's. Maybe A roku?

How about the small speakers, we have one that sounds good,$50, that is constantly getting used by both boys(17 and 20)

If they drive, new car mats, car wax/care kit, jump box, bike rack for car. I have gotten them both good bike lights.

They have gotten bb guns, airsoft guns , pellet guns, then on up to real guns and bows. And they LOVED the nerf for much longer than you would think. Rubber band guns were a hit as well!

For the bedrooms they both asked for new pillows(they like MY Pillow that I have) and a large super soft-the ones that are like silky buttery soft for their beds. I have gotten them prints that are of their interest and had them framed for their bedrooms and they both liked that. Cool lights-neon, blk light...think how many of us liked lava lamps when we were young!

I have gotten new desk chairs for them-cheap on Blk Friday-their fav was a $40 one from walmart. A dehydrater one year is still in use-I think it is a bit of a pain but they like making jerky and dried out stuff-even turkey jerky.

There is always electric razors, groomers,cologne...Watches, sunglasses, wallets from like Oakley, Hurley, whatever designer they like.

While tweens they had gaming stiff but still had larger lego kits, RC anything, erector sets, Pi computer, snap circuits,bikes, anything that rolled really, sports gear, favorite jerseys, model trains, ...

That is not evem the stocking stuff. Just some of the things I remember. Hope it helps some of you.

 

[adisneyaunt]

Haven't started nor have I even thought about it. It's Summer to me
...

 

[MomToOne]

Former Macy's executive here... If you're christmas shopping at Macy's DO NOT go on black friday. The specials arent any more "special" than a normal one day sale. Wait until either Shop for a Cause/Friends and Family (25% off almost entire store) or Lowest Prices of the Season Sale. I don't work there anymore so I don't know the dates but S4AC is usually in August and F&F I believe was November

The Shop for a Cause sale is this weekend! $5 gets you a 25% discount, on top of a 15-20% discount on many things with coupon code SUPER. I find this sale makes for some killer deals on clearance designer purses. Last year, I got DD16 a Michael Kors bag she had been drooling over, for about 70% off the regular price. I wasn't expecting to get it for her since the normal price was NOT something I would spend on a purse for a teenager, but with all the discounts it came into an acceptable price range and I caved and got it for her. This year I picked her up a Dooney & Bourke crossbody. Not as flashy as Michael Kors, but I know she'll love it.

The discount doesn't work on all brands - I know Coach is excluded - but it does work on many where you don't normally find big discounts.

Clothing can also be a good deal with the discount combinations. Unfortunately shoes aren't quite as great a deal - the 25% Shop for a Cause discount applies, but not the SUPER coupon code. If shoes were included I probably wouldn't sleep at all this weekend and spend 48 hours solid scouring the site for deals LOL

I really need to stop shopping now for DD. I have an appropriate amount for her and any more will just be excessive and unnecessary. I think I need to start a "I need to STOP Christmas Shopping" support thread!

 

[knkmom]

I have a little bit done! A good friend and I try to take a day every week or every other week once school starts again and we shop and have lunch. I'm hoping to be done shopping by late November so I can enjoy the holidays without stressing out about everything!

 

[ski_mom]

The Shop for a Cause sale is this weekend! $5 gets you a 25% discount, on top of a 15-20% discount on many things with coupon code SUPER. I find this sale makes for some killer deals on clearance designer purses. Last year, I got DD16 a Michael Kors bag she had been drooling over, for about 70% off the regular price. I wasn't expecting to get it for her since the normal price was NOT something I would spend on a purse for a teenager, but with all the discounts it came into an acceptable price range and I caved and got it for her. This year I picked her up a Dooney & Bourke crossbody. Not as flashy as Michael Kors, but I know she'll love it.

The discount doesn't work on all brands - I know Coach is excluded - but it does work on many where you don't normally find big discounts.

Clothing can also be a good deal with the discount combinations. Unfortunately shoes aren't quite as great a deal - the 25% Shop for a Cause discount applies, but not the SUPER coupon code. If shoes were included I probably wouldn't sleep at all this weekend and spend 48 hours solid scouring the site for deals LOL

I really need to stop shopping now for DD. I have an appropriate amount for her and any more will just be excessive and unnecessary. I think I need to start a "I need to STOP Christmas Shopping" support thread!

So, if you "buy" the 25% discount, you get to use that plus the discount for the code SUPER? It sounds like you get either or on their site, but I don't shop much at Macy's online, so just wanted to check before I put too much time into shopping lol!

 

[MomToOne]

So, if you "buy" the 25% discount, you get to use that plus the discount for the code SUPER? It sounds like you get either or on their site, but I don't shop much at Macy's online, so just wanted to check before I put too much time into shopping lol!

Yup, they stack - I know it doesn't read that way, but they do! Add the saving pass to your cart, and it will take 25% off the price of most items. It will show that discount right on each item in your cart. Then add the SUPER coupon code, and it will take the appropriate amount off the remaining total. It shows that discount as an amount underneath all the items in your cart.

Here are the rules for the SUPER coupon: EXTRA 20% OFF sale & clearance-priced clothing & handbags, including select women’s Impulse clothing and fine & fashion jewelry, with exclusions listed. EXTRA 15% OFF sale & clearance-priced women’s swimwear, coats, suits, dresses, lingerie, men’s suit separates & sport coats, select shoes & home items, with exclusions listed. So i guess technically it only works on sale items, but almost everything seems to be on some sort of sale so it ends up applying! I definitely got both on the purse I bought, and I was playing around with possibly purchasing some clothing, and both were applying on those items too.

One thing to watch for is if you do this online, you only get one purchase with the savings pass. There's no way to apply it to multiple orders - so make sure you buy everything you want in the one order you add the pass to. Multiple orders means you have to buy multiple savings passes.

 

[ski_mom]

Yup, they stack - I know it doesn't read that way, but they do! Add the saving pass to your cart, and it will take 25% off the price of most items. It will show that discount right on each item in your cart. Then add the SUPER coupon code, and it will take the appropriate amount off the remaining total.

Here are the rules for the SUPER coupon: EXTRA 20% OFF sale & clearance-priced clothing & handbags, including select women’s Impulse clothing and fine & fashion jewelry, with exclusions listed. EXTRA 15% OFF sale & clearance-priced women’s swimwear, coats, suits, dresses, lingerie, men’s suit separates & sport coats, select shoes & home items, with exclusions listed. So i guess technically it only works on sale items, but almost everything seems to be on some sort of sale so it ends up applying! I definitely got both on the purse I bought, and I was playing around with possibly purchasing some clothing, and both were applying on those items too.

One thing to watch for is if you do this online, you only get one purchase with the savings pass. There's no way to apply it to multiple orders - so make sure you buy everything you want in the one order you add the pass to. Multiple orders means you have to buy multiple savings passes.

Thanks so much and for the tip on only one order. I know what I'll be doing tomorrow!

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

The Shop for a Cause sale is this weekend! $5 gets you a 25% discount, on top of a 15-20% discount on many things with coupon code SUPER. I find this sale makes for some killer deals on clearance designer purses. Last year, I got DD16 a Michael Kors bag she had been drooling over, for about 70% off the regular price. I wasn't expecting to get it for her since the normal price was NOT something I would spend on a purse for a teenager, but with all the discounts it came into an acceptable price range and I caved and got it for her. This year I picked her up a Dooney & Bourke crossbody. Not as flashy as Michael Kors, but I know she'll love it.

The discount doesn't work on all brands - I know Coach is excluded - but it does work on many where you don't normally find big discounts.

Clothing can also be a good deal with the discount combinations. Unfortunately shoes aren't quite as great a deal - the 25% Shop for a Cause discount applies, but not the SUPER coupon code. If shoes were included I probably wouldn't sleep at all this weekend and spend 48 hours solid scouring the site for deals LOL

I really need to stop shopping now for DD. I have an appropriate amount for her and any more will just be excessive and unnecessary. I think I need to start a "I need to STOP Christmas Shopping" support thread!

You can still shop ......for birthdays LOL. Sometimes with things that never go out of style I shop for the following year if the deal is good enough like 21 per pair at Coach outlet.

 

[MomToOne]

You can still shop ......for birthdays LOL. Sometimes with things that never go out of style I shop for the following year if the deal is good enough like 21 per pair at Coach outlet.

Well, you're no help!! LOL

I actually decided to turn my shopping powers to good last night, and bought some baseball bats for a group starting a little league in Zambia. Random, I know, but their story moved me: http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/26/world/chilundu-leopards-baseball-beginnings-trnd/index.html. I have no clue if the group is legit, they don't look like a registered charity or anything, but something inside me told me to go for it - so I did! And I found a pretty good deal on bats in the process We really are very blessed in life, and I need to share that more.

 

[Moomduck1]

Thanks for the tip on the Macys shopping pass. Macy's is triple discount at ebates today so it's a 9% rebate.

 

[bitty246]

Thanks for the ideas @brennicksmom @TwoMisfits @QueenIsabella

They like Minecraft and Team Fortress 2 . They both like space and dinosaurs, science. We have some gaming chairs and headsets. We don't have the PS4, so that might be an option. Ugh. I'm not sure about the RPGs yet. I really hate all the shooter games too, but sadly they are playing. I've done a few gift searches for teen boys and keep coming up with pellet/air guns. I really don't want to go there. I'm fine with all the Nerf stuff.

I did see some nice dinosaur bone prints at World Market that my son may like in his room. I know it's probably not a fun play gift to open, but still. They were on sale, but not now. I should have bought them.
http://www.worldmarket.com/product/"t-rex+sketch"+by+the+studio.do?&from=fn

Husband will be hard to shop for as well.

 

[bitty246]

For the tween/teen boys, something I got for my DS 10 was the Minecraft Stop Motion Movie Maker. If your boys are anything like mine, he's always talking about You Tube and making up different scenarios with his figures. He's also going to get a larger tv for his room and anything Storm Trooper related.

I picked up a Kindle Fire HD on Prime Day for one of the kids.. not sure who will get it yet
since both of our older kiddos have old Nooks that need replacing. I may pick up another on Black Friday and give one to both.

Also scored Just Dance Disney 2 for $13.00 on clearance at Target yesterday! My DD7 is all about dance, so this is sure to be a big hit. Her list will be filled out with American Girl (Our Generation most likely!) doll accessories, arts and craft supplies and cd's from her favorite artists.

I haven't found one single thing for the youngest child yet. He's just 4, so he will be super easy to please.

That's my progress so far.

 

[MapleGirl]

I've started and I have my list going. I like to get things early, especially if I'm ordering things from overseas from eBay or amazon.

From eBay:

· Dragonfly necklace, turtle necklace and a dachshund necklace for various co-workers. $1 each

· Cup holders that clip onto tables for my best friend’s husband. $2.50 each

· Scarves with cats printed on them for my brother’s girlfriend and my step-mother. $2 each

· A cute ring with a cat on it for my brother’s girlfriend. $1

I also got a few packs of colored pencils at Walmart in the back-to-school area for $0.50 and some adult coloring books at the dollar store. I got my 2-year-old nephew and my best friend’s 3-year-old daughter boxes of crayons for $0.25. (I’ll pair these with stickers and coloring books.) In the Walmart clearance section I found some freezer pop makers for my BF/her daughter ($0.75), some work gloves for my brother ($0.75), and a butterfly habitat (you send away for the caterpillars then watch them turn into monarch butterflies) for my 9-year-old nephew ($2.50).

Most of my family is pretty easy because we all have amazon wishlists. I’ll get gifts from their lists in December and have them shipped for free directly to my family.

I’ve started a secret amazon wishlist called “Christmas 2016” where I put things that I want to get for people along with a note of who it should be for. Then I imported that list into camelcamelcamel.com and set it up so I get notifications of when the prices drop. This way I’m able to save cool things as I see them. (Like the bag of just the marshmallows from Lucky Charms for my boss and the Klutz book on juggling for my niece.)

I still don’t know what to get for my office-mates. Last year I got everyone a scented candle in a jar from Christmas Tree Shoppes for $1. I have 15 people in my office. We do a Secret Santa but I like to do a little thing like the candle as well. Anyone have any ideas? I would do candy but our office already gets so much candy and baked goods around the holidays. Maybe a little box of cut carrots and nuts! Lol.

I’m happy to post links to any of the things I’ve gotten so far if anyone wants them. I’d love to see some links of <$10 gifts that people have gotten. I love getting stocking stuffers!