6th Annual Christmas Thread

[100AcreWood]

I've been MIA for a while as our family had a big dose of reality smack us in the face. My mom was diagnosed with stage 4, terminal cancer in late October, moved in with me to be near her doctors & the hospital and to start chemo (they live about 2 hours south of me the sticks) and about 10 days in she took a turn for the worse, ended up hospitalized and is now back in her home under hospice care. November was a big blur.

Merry Christmas to you and your family! I'm so sorry to hear about your Mom. That sounds overwhelming. So glad you have a wonderful network of friends for support.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

bas~so sorry to hear about your mom…keep us posted if you can!! Have a wonderful Christmas with them!!!!!!

 

[LilyWDW]

I've been MIA for a while as our family had a big dose of reality smack us in the face. My mom was diagnosed with stage 4, terminal cancer in late October, moved in with me to be near her doctors & the hospital and to start chemo (they live about 2 hours south of me the sticks) and about 10 days in she took a turn for the worse, ended up hospitalized and is now back in her home under hospice care. November was a big blur.

This whole ordeal has made me take a step back, realize what's important, realize who my true friends are (and my GOD, they have been my rock. I have the best network of friends who have stepped in and kept us fed, helped with DD, brought me wine ). I don't know where I'd be right now without them.

Anyway, just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas in case I don't get back. I truly love this thread every year!

Merry Christmas to you and your family as well. If you ever need to talk, send me a PM. I dealt with my mom having terminal stage 4 cancer this time last year. I am sure you are a big ol basket of emotions. I know I was. *Hugs*

 

[Graciesmom77]

Bas, I am so sorry to hear about your Momma. Hugs and prayers for you all. Remember to take care of yourself during this crazy time. It's very easy to put everyone and everything else ahead of yourself.

 

[kayrosek]

I have been trying to get my wrapping done and taking stock of what gifts I have. Ive decided to have just 4 wrapped gifts for each of the kids plus pjs wich they open early and some sort of container (wallet, piggy bank,etc.) With cash in it. Doing just 4 packages means I am bundling some things to make theme bundles.
DD17:
Jim Henson bundle (the labyrinth, the dark crystal)
Adam Lambert CD (NEED)
Oversize headphones
Art bundle (High quality and fun art supplies loaded in a pretty memory box)
DD16:
Lettermen style jacket
Music bundle (cute earbuds and MP3 player)
Divergent book (NEED)
Eigther an accessorie bundle or DVD (NEED)
DD14:
Scentsy and wax (NEED WAX)
Minnie Mouse portable speaker
Superman bundle (Superman dartboard and puzzles)
Tim Burton bundle (Coraline, Corpse Bride) (NEED)
DS13:
Sports bundle (tshirts, cards, book)
Bird watching bundle (Zoomies, bird feeder, bird seed) (NEED FEEDER AND SEED)
Sculpting bundle (Clay and tools)
Zombieland DVD

 

[Mamakop]

I have almost all of my Christmas shopping done! Yay! Just waiting on a few gifts through the mail then buying stocking stuffers! I usually wait till I have everything to start wrapping so I know for sure what all I have and if there is anything I forgot to buy.

 

[Agent7]

Question for you all-- I'm buying gift cards to fast food places for my cousins in college. Do you think they would like one larger gift card to one restaurant or several smaller amounts (like $5) to different places? Thanks!

I agree with the several smaller gift cards, but I would make sure that they can cover or just about cover a meal at the place (like off the average by a couple of bucks). Giving $5 at a place where a meal cost on average $15 is nice if you have the $10 to add to it. Sometimes broke college students just don't (until payday).

 

[Deffenm]

I only have 2 more gifts left to buy for the kids, and gift cards for stockings and they are all done. DH is going to buy the gifts this weekend while the kids and I are gone. So kids will be all done this weekend. I have a few more gifts to buy DH and he is done. We still have his parents and his grandmother to buy for. Other then that I am finally all done.

I need to finish up the wrapping, baking, house cleaning, menu planning. I only have one weekend left to do this because this weekend I am traveling with kids to do Christmas with my family and we have will be gone all weekend as it is a 7 hour drive each way.

Where does the time go?

 

[Graciesmom77]

I got a snarky comment about my daughters list on the tween boards, so I won't post my lists, but my girls are all done! Woot! I need to get a little bit of candy for stockings but I will wait until closer to Christmas for that.

DH got a saw, 5 video games, a few movies and his BBOL. That's Beef Basket of Love for all you non weirdos out there! LOL. I buy a few different kinds of beef jerky and meat type stuff everytime I shop in December. Then I add some of his favorite sweet snacks and ta da! A beef basket of love! It's his favorite gift. The one year I was prego and too sick to shop, he was so sad he didn't get. He never asks for anything, but he always says he wants his BBOL!

My one sis and her fiancé got Bop It, Yatzee Flash, Simon Flash, Uno Attack, Scattergories, and some other game. They like staying home and hanging out there, so I thought some games would be fun. I also got them a picture frame, a digital picture ornament, and a gift card to their favorite local restaurant.

My other sis and her hubby are getting a wii fit (used but looks new 15 bucks!), a digital picture frame, a collage pic frame and a waffle maker. I still want to get them a gc to the movies.

I still need to get gift cards for my daughters 2 preschool teachers. I think we are going to buy my middle schoolers main teachers each a small box of candy.

We sponsor a little girl whose parents are having financial trouble this year. She loves Monster High so we got her some cute things from that, and some darling cowboy boots and other odds and ends. I would like to get her a dress and a few shirts and I will be done shopping for her too.

Anyways, very few things left to do. Now to figure out my baking list and Christmas Eve food lists. Good thing I love lists huh! Lol

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

I still have to do Christmas cards, wrap, get stuff for nieces and nephews, stuff for the hubby, my dad, few things for the girls stockings, stuff for the shelter the church sponsors, did I mention I have to wrap everything? Only 2 weeks and I have more to do than I would like. But Jesus is the reason for the season and that is the most important thing to remember!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I got a snarky comment about my daughters list on the tween boards, so I won't post my lists, but my girls are all done!

Sorry someone was rude!!

I still have to do Christmas cards, wrap, get stuff for nieces and nephews, stuff for the hubby, my dad, few things for the girls stockings, stuff for the shelter the church sponsors, did I mention I have to wrap everything? Only 2 weeks and I have more to do than I would like. But Jesus is the reason for the season and that is the most important thing to remember!

yes He is!

 

[Cinderelly5507]

I also agree with smaller cards. Gives them a better variety and more cards just LOOK better.

As for giving them... I am doing a gift basket for my cousin and her husband that includes gift cards. I bought one of those photo "trees" and am sliding the cards onto it. Someone on this thread gave me the idea.

I'm thinking, (that since they are broke/starving college kids lol) I'm going to wrap each gift card separately with a food item-- a bag of Doritos (one cousin is obsessed), a candy bar, a package of Ramen noodles (lol), etc... So a tiny present to open, but also a gift card!

 

[Mamakop]

I'm thinking, (that since they are broke/starving college kids lol) I'm going to wrap each gift card separately with a food item-- a bag of Doritos (one cousin is obsessed), a candy bar, a package of Ramen noodles (lol), etc... So a tiny present to open, but also a gift card!

That's a great idea!

 

[Deffenm]

AGH.. I thought I was all done but now my brother is coming back home to visit the same weekend we are so I want him to actually be able to unwrap a gift as I was going to just send him money. So I need to go out and get him hat & gloves as he needs, cologne he wants, and then I am going to make him up a household basket full of laundry soap, dishwashing soap, paper towels, toliet paper, etc.. He recently moved to a new state and he and his roomates are young and poor. So I thought this might be useful. I will also give him some giftcards to get food like to Mcd's, subway, etc..

I also found out my other brother and his wife with 3 kids and one on the way is living in a house without a kitchen and have only a hot plate to cook on. My brother is remodeling the kitchen but it will take him a while to complete so I am going to get them an electric skillet, crockpot, new towels, and a few throw blankets for their couches.

I am the oldest of 5 kids and I am the first child to graduate from college, so I feel the need to still take care of my family. It was not an expense I was expecting but what can a big sister do?

So I am going to go out tonight and finish up with these last few items and then I will not be stepping into a store until July.

 

[Perditamarie]

bump!

Giving a bump to my favorite Christmas thread...everyone must be fast and furious wrapping (pun intended!!) up Christmas details. Can't wait to hear what everyone's been up to .... I have a few packages to wrap, a few gift cards to buy and some clever Yankee Swap items to figure out.

Merry Christmas!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

yes we needed a bump! I am finished…or thought I was..my husband already got his big gift…but the kids want him to have something to unwrap under the tree,…so I will have to get him something small..got my moms Saturday and the kids stocking stuffers on Wed…so,..practically finished!!!

 

[LilyWDW]

Everything is wrapped and ready to go here except for the 2 gift baskets that I still need a gift card for. For those I will just have to take the paper with me since I can't get the cards until I get to Indiana. It is bugging me to no end, but it is what it is.

I do have to get started on packing here soon though. So much going on.

 

[Priorityonecb]

I thought I was done, but am not second guessing myself. We got Dd16 an ipad (for free) as her big gift. She only asked for one thing, boots, which we also got her. All of a sudden this weekend she is saying she wants a 3DS soooo badly! She has never asked for or mentioned an Ipad...and we are all going to be sad I think on Christmas morning if she's not over the moon for it...when we know she would LOVE to get a 3DS now. Ack!! What to do?

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I thought I was done, but am not second guessing myself. We got Dd16 an ipad (for free) as her big gift. She only asked for one thing, boots, which we also got her. All of a sudden this weekend she is saying she wants a 3DS soooo badly! She has never asked for or mentioned an Ipad...and we are all going to be sad I think on Christmas morning if she's not over the moon for it...when we know she would LOVE to get a 3DS now. Ack!! What to do?

Not sure what advice to give on this one!! Except that when my kids start their Christmas lists, I give them a few days~they usually change their minds about one or two small items..after that I say something to the effect that this is it…after today, no more changes,…if you want something else, or add anything ,you can wait and see what you get. After that you can buy it with your own $$$ or save it for your birthday list.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

DD and I went on a gift card shopping trip this evening and now I am done except I think I need one more gift card for my 12yo and if my budget allows I may pick up a couple more Subway and McD's ones for my teens. No place sells $10 cards so I had to go from store to store to get them. I got Home Depot for DS9's teacher (he's doing some remodeling work on his new home), Subway and Five Guys for DD's boyfriend (poor college kid), and Wizard 101 for my kids.

So I'm almost done! I've wrapped three kids' gifts. Two more to go. The kids will help me wrap their cousin and friends' gifts.