6th Annual Christmas Thread

[Disney Mommy 3]

Subbing!

DD will be 3 this year so I am expecting it to be a lot of fun! She will really understand the Elf this year and I want to get an Advent calendar. Anybody know of a cute one that we can re-use over the years?

I have to confess I bought her big gift about a year ago when I got a good deal on it. It's the Loving Family Holiday dollhouse:

http://www.amazon.com/Exclusive-Hol...6418715&sr=8-1&keywords=loving+family+holiday

It's been hiding in my mom's furnace room ever since. lol

I also hit the Hallmark ornament premier and got ornaments for my DD and goddaughters as I always do.

Love the Loving Family Dollhouses!!!!!

 

[luvmy3]

I just bought my first official under the tree Christmas gifts for my dd. I was planning on getting her a set of Alex and Ani Disney bracelets while on our trip but there were a few threads just started that said they are hard to find because they sell out so fast. I resorted to ebay for 2 of them so hopefully I can find the 3rd one when we are there.
Of course when we get there there will be tons of them and she'll want to buy them herself and I'll have to fess up.

 

[pigletto]

I can't believe I've never seen this thread before!! I love it!!
I am a Christmas nut! And this year, my dream is coming true. I have always wanted to go to Disney during the Holidays. So we've planned a surprise Disney trip from December 13th to the 23rd!!!

So that will be the major gift for the kids (who are 9 and 16). They will be thrilled. However, I'll still be getting them presents to open Christmas day. The trip was already budgeted for. It will just be much less than I normally spend on Christmas.

I have my two kids and husband to buy for, Inlaws (5 people), one of my siblings (we draw names), my parents, and something for each of the kids I do daycare for (6). So I need to start looking and shopping sales now so that it doesn't all hit me at once. I want to have all my shopping done well before our trip, and it would be nice to spread the spending out over the next 4 months.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I can't believe I've never seen this thread before!! I love it!!
I am a Christmas nut! And this year, my dream is coming true. I have always wanted to go to Disney during the Holidays. So we've planned a surprise Disney trip from December 13th to the 23rd!!!

So that will be the major gift for the kids (who are 9 and 16). They will be thrilled. However, I'll still be getting them presents to open Christmas day. The trip was already budgeted for. It will just be much less than I normally spend on Christmas.

I have my two kids and husband to buy for, Inlaws (5 people), one of my siblings (we draw names), my parents, and something for each of the kids I do daycare for (6). So I need to start looking and shopping sales now so that it doesn't all hit me at once. I want to have all my shopping done well before our trip, and it would be nice to spread the spending out over the next 4 months.

We are glad you found us!!!!! How fun for you to do a Christmas trip!!! And I am sure with Disney for the motivation, you will have it all bought and wrapped in plenty of time to enjoy the season!!!!

 

[Monny2AE]

CANNOT believe it is time for the Christmas thread already!!!!! Count me in!

 

[ktrask]

Wahoo! I was just thinking how I need to start my Christmas gift spreadsheet. Starting early is just a huge help to our budget.

I got 3 gifts for DD (4) this weekend at Target. 70% off and tax free weekend!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

CANNOT believe it is time for the Christmas thread already!!!!! Count me in!

Wahoo! I was just thinking how I need to start my Christmas gift spreadsheet. Starting early is just a huge help to our budget.

I got 3 gifts for DD (4) this weekend at Target. 70% off and tax free weekend!

yes..early is the key to keeping your budget working! Wait to go on the deals!!!

 

[pigletto]

We are glad you found us!!!!! How fun for you to do a Christmas trip!!! And I am sure with Disney for the motivation, you will have it all bought and wrapped in plenty of time to enjoy the season!!!!

Thank you for the warm welcome!!

I started thinking about gift ideas for various people today. Ideally I'd like to be totally done with everything wrapped and ready by December 1st. So that will be my goal. Really that's only 3.5 months to browse and buy!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Thank you for the warm welcome!!

I started thinking about gift ideas for various people today. Ideally I'd like to be totally done with everything wrapped and ready by December 1st. So that will be my goal. Really that's only 3.5 months to browse and buy!

It really isn't that long is it?!! My best tip for shopping is to start a detailed list now...
Also, I make the list to include families/friends/teachers who will receive a tin/basket of baked goodies & treats from our family...as soon as the tins go out at WalMart or Target I start buying those...but, I like to have that list made and an idea of what we are baking so I can start purchasing baking goods before they go up in price for the holidays... of course, I always forget something! LOL and end up going back for Marshmellows (which do NOT stay fresh for some reason) or one more jar of peanut butter...but the majority of it is bought and ready...

 

[bas71873]

CRUISERS, I need your help. My inlaws are going on a cruise in March on Royal Caribbean. They have cruised before several times. For Cmas, I am thinking of putting together a basket of things they can take and/or use on their cruise, but I need ideas. I am going to get them an RCCL gift card to use on a spa service, for drinks onboard or an excursion, but I need some other ideas that will be easy to pack and take with them.

*I do know that they will have to call BEFORE the cruise and apply the gift card amount to their onboard "account". I've hammered out that detail with RCCL already

 

[kt_mom]

I started my shopping/lists a couple weeks ago. We have our family of four and then I also buy for 7 nieces/nephews, our 3 siblings, 2 cousins, 2 aunts, and both sets of our parents. Oh and DD will have 5 teachers this year and DS will have 2. And our kids usually exchange gifts with our friends kids but they moved away last year and I'm not sure if we'll see over the holidays this year.

I usually try to keep the gifts for my nieces and nephews around $20 each. A couple weeks ago I got all my but older niece done for about $50 with clearance stuff at Target so I was pretty happy about that. I also picked up a couple things on sale for DS. I'm not sure about his big gift yet and I have no ideas for DD or my older niece yet.

I usually do bath and body works stuff for our sisters and aunts but I'm not sure this year. Last year instead of lotion or just soap I did one bottle of soap and a wallflower set for them. I don't want to be so predictable that I give them the same thing every year. But I don't want to waste money either and I know that they use and enjoy the nice handsoaps from there. I can get a good deal too with sales and coupons. But I'm trying to think of other ideas too.

I've started just giving the teachers target gift cards and I think I'm going to start picking them up one by one when I go to spread the cost out.

Our parents are the hardest to buy for. Last year for DH parents we went with his sisters and took all the grandkids and had pictures done and they turned out great. His parents loved them. I have no idea for this year. But we are headed to the beach for the weekend with them and his one sister will be there too so I'm going to see if I can get her started thinking of something. I have no idea for my parents.

For DH I usually get clothes because he is so hard to shop for. Last year he had mentioned he'd like to find a nice wool coat so I got him a nice Ralph Lauren one on sale at Macys and there was a specific type of gloves he had been looking for that DD thought of. She also wanted to get him a new hammer becuase the handle on his old one was breaking. He seemed to really like the thought behind that one which made DD very happy. She loves to give gifts. I have no idea for this year, he doesn't really have any hobbies or anything. Its so hard to be creative for him. At least I know that he wears and likes getting new Polo shirts.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I started my shopping/lists a couple weeks ago. We have our family of four and then I also buy for 7 nieces/nephews, our 3 siblings, 2 cousins, 2 aunts, and both sets of our parents. Oh and DD will have 5 teachers this year and DS will have 2. And our kids usually exchange gifts with our friends kids but they moved away last year and I'm not sure if we'll see over the holidays this year.

I usually try to keep the gifts for my nieces and nephews around $20 each. A couple weeks ago I got all my but older niece done for about $50 with clearance stuff at Target so I was pretty happy about that. I also picked up a couple things on sale for DS. I'm not sure about his big gift yet and I have no ideas for DD or my older niece yet.

I usually do bath and body works stuff for our sisters and aunts but I'm not sure this year. Last year instead of lotion or just soap I did one bottle of soap and a wallflower set for them. I don't want to be so predictable that I give them the same thing every year. But I don't want to waste money either and I know that they use and enjoy the nice handsoaps from there. I can get a good deal too with sales and coupons. But I'm trying to think of other ideas too.

I've started just giving the teachers target gift cards and I think I'm going to start picking them up one by one when I go to spread the cost out.

Our parents are the hardest to buy for. Last year for DH parents we went with his sisters and took all the grandkids and had pictures done and they turned out great. His parents loved them. I have no idea for this year. But we are headed to the beach for the weekend with them and his one sister will be there too so I'm going to see if I can get her started thinking of something. I have no idea for my parents.

For DH I usually get clothes because he is so hard to shop for. Last year he had mentioned he'd like to find a nice wool coat so I got him a nice Ralph Lauren one on sale at Macys and there was a specific type of gloves he had been looking for that DD thought of. She also wanted to get him a new hammer becuase the handle on his old one was breaking. He seemed to really like the thought behind that one which made DD very happy. She loves to give gifts. I have no idea for this year, he doesn't really have any hobbies or anything. Its so hard to be creative for him. At least I know that he wears and likes getting new Polo shirts.

Welcome aboard!!!! Well..for those you are not sure about~are there any places in your area you could do season passes for? Like for plays or concerts? do they like old classic movies? Maybe do a GC for Turner Classic Movies ...or if they read, a GC to Barnes and Noble~~they also carry a lot of old movies...
for a couple of Christmases in a row we gave our Grandparents a fruit basket from harry and David...but the last one was a disappointment~so maybe if anyone had a good review from last year?? Thats always a good gift! And they wrap it, card it and deliver!!!!!

 

[TwinkleKS]

I LOVE Christmas! We tend to go way overboard with gifts for the holidays. We are getting ready for a garage sale this weekend and I found toys still in boxes because we bought too much stuff for our kiddos and they never played with it all

Also, while I love Christmas it is also a time of year when I get pretty down in the dumps. I never really have felt in the Christmas spirit in the town we live in.

Soooo ... this year, to help keep the overboard shopping down to a minimum and inject some more Christmas spirit into the holiday week, we are going to WDW

Which I think is totally crazy

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I LOVE Christmas! We tend to go way overboard with gifts for the holidays. We are getting ready for a garage sale this weekend and I found toys still in boxes because we bought too much stuff for our kiddos and they never played with it all

Also, while I love Christmas it is also a time of year when I get pretty down in the dumps. I never really have felt in the Christmas spirit in the town we live in.

Soooo ... this year, to help keep the overboard shopping down to a minimum and inject some more Christmas spirit into the holiday week, we are going to WDW

Which I think is totally crazy

hahaha!! That last line was hilarious!!! I agree..sometimes the 'going-overboard' is just nuts! But..now you know and I bet you never do it again!
Yes..Disney will probably be crazy,but how fun is that going to be!!!!!

 

[ah1126]

I LOVE Christmas!

Also, while I love Christmas it is also a time of year when I get pretty down in the dumps. I never really have felt in the Christmas spirit in the town we live in.

I know this feeling. I grew up in WV close to all my family. I now live in Florida. It is SO HARD to get into the Christmas spirit when it is 70+ degrees outside. My brother lives close to me, and my parents come for Christmas, but it just isn't the same.

 

[blfbrat]

CRUISERS, I need your help. My inlaws are going on a cruise in March on Royal Caribbean. They have cruised before several times. For Cmas, I am thinking of putting together a basket of things they can take and/or use on their cruise, but I need ideas. I am going to get them an RCCL gift card to use on a spa service, for drinks onboard or an excursion, but I need some other ideas that will be easy to pack and take with them.

*I do know that they will have to call BEFORE the cruise and apply the gift card amount to their onboard "account". I've hammered out that detail with RCCL already

RCCL have baskets and treats you can have delivered to the cabin and decorations. I had the room decorated and chocolate covered strawberries and cookies delivered to the room and a bottle of wine for an anniversary.

 

[Mommy Poppins]

I'm in! We are leaving for WDW three weeks from tomorrow so right now focusing on that but Christmas is definitely in the back of my mind. My DH is deploying 3 days after we return from Disney so he will be gone for Christmas--always makes me want to get the kids a little extra to make up for Dad being gone--although they really don't NEED anything! LOL

DD-17 (high school senior this year)
DS-14 (high school freshman this year)
DS-11 (a middle schooler this year!)

Usually they each get one big gift and then some smaller stuff. DD always gets some clothes/shoes that she picks out before Christmas. The boys get video games. DS14 has a birthday two weeks before Christmas so I always end up giving him some of his Christmas stuff early and then needing to fill in! DD's birthday is in January so she may be getting college dorm themed items. Not sure about DS11 as he is usually my difficult one to buy for!

 

[Deffenm]

I love this thread! I actually picked a few things up last weekend for my nephews and one gift for DD.

We buy for our kids DS14, DS12, DD9. Our 5 nephews and 1 niece. I buy for my younger 2 brothers and 1 sister because they are not married, once they get married we won't buy for them. My mom, stepmom, dad, DH's parents, and our grandparents. I also buy for my best friend.

DD9 has a birthday on Dec. 24, and DS12 has a birthday on Dec. 30th so my goal is to be done Christmas shopping on black friday so I can begin birthday shopping.

My kids are at that age where they don't really play with toys anymore. I think DD will get a new bike, DS14 wants Xbox 360, DH wants new phone, DS12 will probably get either an iTouch or Kindle. I am thinking Kindle as it is bigger so hopefully he won't lose it. They will get some movies, clothes, and stocking stuff and that will be about it.

I can't wait to read the ideas from everyone else.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I'm in! We are leaving for WDW three weeks from tomorrow so right now focusing on that but Christmas is definitely in the back of my mind. My DH is deploying 3 days after we return from Disney so he will be gone for Christmas--always makes me want to get the kids a little extra to make up for Dad being gone--although they really don't NEED anything! LOL

DD-17 (high school senior this year)
DS-14 (high school freshman this year)
DS-11 (a middle schooler this year!)

Usually they each get one big gift and then some smaller stuff. DD always gets some clothes/shoes that she picks out before Christmas. The boys get video games. DS14 has a birthday two weeks before Christmas so I always end up giving him some of his Christmas stuff early and then needing to fill in! DD's birthday is in January so she may be getting college dorm themed items. Not sure about DS11 as he is usually my difficult one to buy for!

Our kids almost exactly the same age!! DS17~senior, DS14 Freshman, and DD10 5th grade!! Enjoy your WDW vacation and that special time with your husband...and thank him for our family!!! We so appreciate all our military!!!!!

I love this thread! I actually picked a few things up last weekend for my nephews and one gift for DD.

We buy for our kids DS14, DS12, DD9. Our 5 nephews and 1 niece. I buy for my younger 2 brothers and 1 sister because they are not married, once they get married we won't buy for them. My mom, stepmom, dad, DH's parents, and our grandparents. I also buy for my best friend.

DD9 has a birthday on Dec. 24, and DS12 has a birthday on Dec. 30th so my goal is to be done Christmas shopping on black friday so I can begin birthday shopping.

My kids are at that age where they don't really play with toys anymore. I think DD will get a new bike, DS14 wants Xbox 360, DH wants new phone, DS12 will probably get either an iTouch or Kindle. I am thinking Kindle as it is bigger so hopefully he won't lose it. They will get some movies, clothes, and stocking stuff and that will be about it.

I can't wait to read the ideas from everyone else.

Hi!!! I love love love your screen name!! Welcome to the thread...wow...you have lots going on in December!!!! you better start early! LOL!!

 

[4 Ears]

This will be our second Christmas living in our RV in Florida as empty nesters.
We will be buying for each other, DS 22 at Christmas and DS 19 AND DGS 2!! Also a little something for my Mom and SF.

First year I am going to try to fully do the something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read.

Here is my list so far....

DH: wants- rolling 4 wheeled luggage, needs- earbuds for when we fly back North (Maine), wear- a thinner hoodie, the one he has is from when we lived in Maine. He needs a little something for the cool mornings down here, read- an Army do dad I am looking at. Don't want to say more incase he catches me typing

DS 21: wants- a new winter jacket, needs- a beard shaver but just tonight he shaved it off and said he is not sure he is going to grow it back , wear- he has asked for new slippers with a sole; thinking ones he can step outside in to get pellets for the stove, read- a Bonsi book with tree

DS 19: wants- cooler/lunch bag to take to work, needs- beard shaver and he will use this, wear- found a Tshirt in Epcot's Canada that is just perfect for him, read- a book on coffee with some to go with it

DGS 2: wants- rug town for his match box cars, needs- not sure as the 2 things I had in mind an Etch a sketch and or a doodle pro I have already bought and given him lol, wear- character slippers, read- a recordable book

My Mom and SF-thinking something Floridian to eat. Oranges, orange jam...