108 Days until Xmas! How is shopping going?

[SandraC]

Hi! With only 108 days until Xmas ~ where are you in your Xmas plans! S

 

[Scratch42]

Hey!

I come from a small family therefore don't have to buy much. There are friends' kids that I purchase for and one is a girl of six. Last week when DD and I went to the Disney Store they had Cinderella Gym Bags on wheels on sale at 75% off! So I bought one for her and also got the 10% discount for being a Disney Club Member!

One more off the list!

Scratch

 

[TimNDansMom]

Absolutely NOWHERE, Sandra!! LOL!! But thanks for the reminder, maybe I should try something new and start now? I always end up so frazzled around Christmas-time.

 

[lfw]

I am a pretty good bargain hunter ( o.k, my friends say I'm cheap, but I'm really just thrifty!) I have several gifts purchased already, some I picked up on Dec 27th, with boxing day sales. I have pj's for 2 neices, a glove and hat set ( pink and silver chenille) for another, and one of the girls ( 3.5) also has a dress up set with shoes, purse, gaudy necklace, sparkly skirt that doubles as a cape, etc. For both my parents and my in laws I got a plug in carbon monoxide detector, regular $40 and I got them on sale for $10., ( they are from the kids), also on Friday Walmart had a Monsters inc version of Milton-Bradley's Life game, as well as another Monsters Inc game for $9.81 each so I got both to put away for either my kids or for the emergency birthday party gifts, you know, when it's 2 hours before the party you forgot about?

I still have a lot of shopping to do, but I noticed the Decor Store near me is having a huge sale this week ( closing for renovations) so I will probably get something collectible for my mil to put in her curio cabinet. They had a Bradford Exchange ornament showing a black lab with angel wings I'm going to get for the tree, we put our 12 year old labx down this spring and the kids still have some rough times.She was very sick and we really prepared them for almost a year that soon the time would come, but children can never really understand something like that. Hopefully with the ornament we will be able to show them that we miss her too, and that it is ok to remember and be sad sometimes. (Now I've made myself sad)

 

[E.Jane]

there's still 107 days to Xmas Eve - after all, isn't "Last minute shopping" the reason why they invented Xmas Eve?!

 

[TimNDansMom]

Wow, lfw! Sounds like you're way ahead of the game. Wish I could be so motivated! I guess I equate Xmas shopping with snow, which I don't look forward to. I think I've got to find a way to change my thinking! By Christmas Day, dh says I'm wound tighter than a spring!

 

[SandraC]

I got motivated for Xmas this year by a wonderful lady in my yoga class, Elise. Elise and I were chatting about Xmas and she said she just LOVES Xmas. I remembers she gave my card and even a gift last Xmas, so she really most enjoy the 'giving' part of Xmas a lot. She got me all excited! With this possibly being the last year dd will "believe" (she'll be 9 years old on Dec.5 ~ Walt Disney's Bday!) I am excited to still pull off the Jolly Old Elf visit on more year! ds is 2, he'll be 3 in January, so this will be a good Xmas for him. He already recognizes Santa in pictures. Last year I was way too stressed at Xmas, this year, I'm chilling out and enjoying the season! I wish you all the SAME! S

 

[cdnmickeylover]

I'm with you SandraC. This is the year that I'm not going to stress about Xmas. Every year it seems to get worse and I end up so stressed that I don't enjoy it as much as I could. For me, it's not actually the gifts that are stressful but the wrapping, cooking, cleaning and grocery shopping that gets to me. We have a large dinner at our house Xmas eve for around 12 or so. I enjoy doing the cooking etc for it but boy does it ever tire me out -- guess I'm getting old. I'm hoping this year to get organized early and do some things that I've always wanted to do but never seem to have time. One thing is visiting Black Creek Pioneer Village all dressed up for Xmas. So that's my goal this year is to see the village at Christmas!
Gifts are going well -- I'm doing cross stitch something for everyone and have all requirements purchased and 3 done so far.

cdnmickeylover

 

[SandraC]

We went to Black Creek Pioneer Village last Dec (I think the 18th) with dd's grade 3 class ~ that's the year they study pioneers. This year, in grade 4, the study medieval times ~ hhhhhmmmmm ~ wonderful what the field trip will be this year! LOL! S

 

[TimNDansMom]

I'd say that sounds like a perfect excuse to go to Medieval Times Dinner Show, Sandra. Has anyone ever been, it's something on my list of "things to do one day". Black Creek at Christmas time sounds interesting, were there lots of xmas things? We went to an historical homestead in Kitchener/Waterloo years ago (I think it's called Woodside or something similar) and I remember it was very nice, serving hot apple cider and homemade cookies from an old recipe, at the end of the tour. I wouldn't mind doing something like that again.

cdnmickeylover, I've decided "less is more". I was doing everything too, so last year, I bought a 4ft xmas tree, decorated it, then made a bag to cover it and except for my "good" ornaments, all I have to do is bring it upstairs and voila! one less thing to do! I got tired of decorating and taking down the big tree every year, as no one else wanted to do it. I'm going to sell it at my next garage sale, I think, along with all my indoor and outdoor garlands, which I didn't put up last year either. I also precooked most of the meal the day before and had my family bring everything they were going to contribute, either pre-prepared or precooked too. It made things go a lot smoother on Christmas day, with less dishes and pots and pans to wash later and I didn't have to spend the whole day in the kitchen!

 

[Scratch42]

Sandra, they usually have the class reps put together a "Medieval" type lunch. The kids dress up in period costumes and have fun!

As far as Medeival Times Dinner, it's a must to do it once. We had a server who was very funny and got us laughing so hard, that we could not but have a great time!

Scratch

 

[cdnmickeylover]

SandraC - in grade 4 my son actually had lunch at Medieval Times for a field trip. That was a while ago though as he's now in grade 11 so I don't know if they still do this or not. I've never been though.

TimNDans Mom -- I like your tree idea. Have to admit the last few years the tree has been the biggest hassle. We get a real tree and by the time we get around to it they all look like Charlie Brown trees and then it's the hassle of decorating it etc. I was tempted last year to skip it but my son still wanted a tree. It's actually become a joke of sorts with my son saying at the beginning of December that the 23rd is good for getting a tree. We actually have a meat fondue Xmas eve so most of it is done the day before although this year it will not be great with Xmas falling in the middle of the week.

Our big deal is the fact that we bring out the Xmas dishes -- I have a complete set of Xmas china that is boxed and in the basement for the rest of the year! Oh, the things we do to ourselves to add to the stress.

Cdnmickeylover

 

[SandraC]

I precooked most of last years Xmas dinner too. SIL brought turnip casserole, it's great! BIL brought wine, MIL brought a dessert. The rest was up to me! 16 people for Xmas dinner. I was totally stressed over one of my SIL (a Jehovah's Witness ~ who really takes offence to Xmas) who always comes in and says, "Your house is so small, I could never live in a small house, how do you live here." I just shut up, but it hurts like heck. I let enough people know about that last year and I think it got back to SIL, she was very quiet at dinner. I had a beautiful dress all ready to wear, but I was running around so much, I didn't have time to dress and greeted my guests in barefeet and overalls. I stayed that way all day. Good news is, I don't have to bother with a new dress this year, I can wear the old one LOL. I was really frantic about gifts too. My SIL lives in a 450,000 USF house in NJ and her kids have EVERYTHING. They rip thru gifts with no appreciation. This year I asked everyone to consider a gift exchange. My other SIL hated the idea, but everyone else went with it, so it's a done deal! When Xmas starts to be about the gifts, it's time to revisit the meaning of the season. I won't stress this year. In fact, I have a wonderful feeling that the world is entering a very PEACEFUL time. S

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Have to laugh at the barefoot and overalls. I'm usually in shorts and a t-shirt and bare feet -- the kitchen gets warm when things are cooking even in the winter. Everyone else is dressed up and I always seem to be in shorts and a t-shirt til it's time to go to church.
Looking forward to a peaceful year too.

 

[TimNDansMom]

I have to admit that when I first started doing the family dinner (on my side) at my house, I tried to be the perfect hostess with the perfect hostess outfit. But the novelty soon wears off when you are so stressed from all the work involved and you still have to get all gussied up before the guests arrive. But you know, I just might try greeting everyone in my usual sweats and hair in a pony tail this year! Should look good in the photos! LOL!