Already did an X-Mas Lay Away last night.......

[hentob]

I never did a Lay Away until last year. LOVED it! This way, I don't have to worry about hiding the presents for months at a time. Did a $307 toy Lay Away at yesterday @ Wal Mart. Will expire on 9/11 , but I can go in and tell them to extend it as an X-Mas layaway.

I will do another one in October.

Everytime I go into Wal Mart, I will throw $30-$50 on it.


We are going to WDW in for 10 days December and won't return until 12/18. So, I hope to have all of the toys wrapped and ready before we go.

The lady at LayAway was NOT at all phased that this was a Christmas LayAway. Seemed normal to her. I must not be the only nut

Hentob

 

[etwinchester]

then that would be referring to me!

I just did all the xmas shopping for DD except for one big item. I even wrapped it all last week. DH couldn't believe his eyes when he saw me wrapping this stuff in xmas paper. I realized I had so much christmas stuff so I put some back for her birthday. DD's birthday is at the end of January so it worked out well.

The problem is, I keep going to the disney store and finding more. Didn't want to over do it for xmas and birthday, so the 2 items I just got, I'll be putting back for easter...

Yeah, I'm nutz

 

[gopherit]

I usually shop early too -- but lately, I find it is working less and less for me. I have to hold out a certain portion of cash for the last minute "Oooo that's REALLY what I want for Christmas!" decisions of my kids! It was a lot easier when they were smaller, but in today's commercial world, those late xmas ads are real killers! It definitely messes with my planning! I always have wrapped up stuff in the basement -- and like some of you, I find myself re-allocaitng to xmas, or holding some back for b'days, etc. Also, I too have a Jan. birthday kid -- nice thing about that is that if he saw something he wanted (but didn't get at xmas) we have his birthday (and the after-xmas sales!) to get it! But that only works for him -- our other 2 kids are May and July. Oh well!

 

[etwinchester]

Having a January birthday is nice for that reason...but I wish she had a June or July birthday. It's always cold and snowy in January. Can't do the picnics outside, the zoo birthdays, pool parties, etc... I'm always stuck having it at home and it ALWAYS snows on the day I decide to have her birthday party. Go figure, she came in the 2000 snow storm on the 25th (I was even 2 weeks late), guess she really likes snow.

Also, it's so many gifts at once. I'd like to scatter it out a bit. I got a Disney Princess Alarm clock for her for when she starts Kindergarden. Well, that won't be till next September so my only option is to give it to her for Easter. January seems way too soon.

Guess my pregnancy was bad timing...month wise... When we were planning for our child and figuring it all out, I didn't want to be mega pregnant during summer. Also, had to avoid Sept-Dec for hunting...DH is always hunting.

I should have reconsidered so she could have a nice birthday party in warm weather...

 

[swilshire]

gopherit,

There's no rule that says the birthday party has to be on the birthday. My oldest son (#2 child) was born 12/22. Terrible time for parties, so we always had a combined birthday party with his sister, who has a 2/11 birthday. When our two youngest sons were born in January, we always moved their parties to later in the Spring so we could do outside stuff. Even going for March a few years, the weather conspired against us.

This year we just skipped the parties altogether, though I have promised one son a cookout and another a trip to the local theme park with a few friends. We've just been busy!

Sheila

 

[8 Ears]

Hello! Oh, I am not alone! I usually start my X-mas shopping right after school starts. Use to drive my DH nuts! Once he figured out we were not in the stores with everyone else, when there was nothing left AND it was all paid for he was fine with it.

Our oldest son's B-day is Dec. 7! So I have a little get together for his B-day and then when it warms up I have a "who ever he wants over" get together.

Have a WONDERful day

 

[maggiew]

I like to shop early and try to pick up stuff when it is on sale throughout the year. But my problem is that no matter how much stuff I already have, it seems like I get caught up in the lst minute Christmas rush and get more!!!

Maggie

 

[enchantedpixiedust]

I'm envious. I need to put my Christmas list together and start doing this too. (even though I know I'll end up buying more right at the holidays too)

 

[goin2disneyagain]

I have already starting my Christmas shopping as well. I haven't wrapped anything yet but I have been thinking about it. Sometimes I shop so early that I forgot about things I have already bought and end up overbuying.

 

[etwinchester]

You sound like my mom when I was little. After xmas she would find stuff in her car, house, etc..and say "oh, I was looking for this" or "I forgot about this, it was to be your xmas present". I was a little older then.

Try keeping them all together in a big shopping bag so you don't forget about them.

I have one HUGE zip top shopping bag that I use for xmas gifts, which are wrapped. I even bought most of the 1.99 items at DS for stocking stuffers. On xmas day, I put all her gifts in a BIG, BIG Santa sack (which I keep hidden) and tell her that Santa must have forgotten to take his sack back. She LOVED that.

Then, I have two other zip top bags. One for Birthday and one for Easter. Anything else I buy from the DS will have to be put back with the Easter stuff. I've already gotten the disney alarm clock, ballerinia doll, puzzles, and disney stamps. I hate giving so much candy and sugar. She'll have enough of that at halloween.

 

[aunties]

Don't laugh. I started this year's X-mas shopping before 10 am last Christmas morning. My BIL loves loud, fun Christmas decorations. I found a singing, parachuting Santa (he moves along a string across a room) for my niece who had just sky-dived on her 18th birthday. She was all excited about it. Made a comment about putting it up in her dorm. Well, the look on my BIL face was priceless. You would have thought he was the only little kid on the block who didn't get a new bike, or something elde that devastating. So, before 10 am, I was out online ordering one for him!

I do tend to shop all year. I keep a list to help with the over-spending (doesn't work usually). The perfect gift I see in May is usually not available in December.

I have to admit though, I am the one wrapping at 2 am Christmas morning!

 

[tink2dw]

Dd has a July 1 st birthday. What a pain!! Everyone is gone camping or out of town for her Birthday!!

After she started school she wanted her friends at her b-day party. So we have a school friend party first weekend in june[kids are in school until 2 week of June here]. With presents and cake and some party activity,roller skating, bowling, swimming.

And then on her real B-day we have another party with family and friends with presents and cake and an activity but more like going to the mall,or the park.

I always wished she had a B-day during the school year!!!!

Ps. We live in Oregon where it rains EVERYDAY!! So,the weather never stops us from having fun!!

 

[nrsldy]

I start shopping the day after Christmas for the next year. I have most of my shopping finished by summer. I love to shop the discount stores. Hold me back if a good sale comes along.
This year we will be going to WDW the first week of Dec. So I really need to have everything finished here.
Both of my DD's birthdays are in Jan. I would always find great things after Christmas that they wanted. My children are out of the house and they always talk about Christmas and some of the gifts they have recieved from my shopping excursions.
I also have a gift closet. My oldest granddaughter will shop in the closet for gifts for her friends and if she wants to keep something for herself she puts it back for later.
I say if you find something and you have the funds buy it and save it for later. I have gone wrong very few times.
So Happy Christmas Shopping!!!!

 

[mamalle]

I try and shop year round. the clothes and bathing suits I get now I divide for xmas and dd bday which is in Feb. I bought everything way before last year and ran into problems since closer to xmas now that the kids are bigger- they wanted different things. I ended up taking a few things back and bought them their most wanted gifts. I do find it easier to shop thruout the year since ds bday is 11. 27 and xmas than dd bday 2.10. almot of money to shell out for gifts and parties for a few months.
I am running into problems as we purchased a huge hot wheels table for ds bday and have no where to store it.

 

[we3disneygo]

I also start my Christmas shopping the day after Christmas and all thru the year and am always done by Thanksgiving- my daughter has a 12-22 birthday and we have a big family dinner and a party for her friends.

 

[mickeymousefan]

I have already been buying stuff for my DD's off of ebay and hitting the summer clearance sales for x-mas gifts. Of course, no matter how much I buy.... I will still get caught up in the christmas rush and buy more.

 

[momxx5]

You guys amaze me!


My children only recieve 2 things from Santa and since they "ask" for specific things close to Christmas I really cannot shop ahead. I will though buy things ahead for birthday and clothing for next year(on clearance a size larger).

 

[hockey mom]

Welcome to the club. I LOVE to shop ahead and already have started.
My kids start giving me ideas around now because I ask for them. I do save a little for the end to get that frenzied christmas shopping feeling, but my closet will be full by the end of October.

 

[Shelby5514]

Try celebrating 1/2 Birthdays. A friend does this for her July Daughters Birthday. That way in Jan. she can have a party at school and the whole class is there. In the summer it's just too hard to get everyone together. She usually does cupcakes or make your own sundaes!

 

[robsmom]

I have a closet in a extra bedroom that I use as "the gift" closet. I buy things as I see them throughout the year. It saves on cost but also makes less to do at Christmas. 4th of July Weekend I went outlet shopping. A saw the cutest little ralph loren dress on the clearance rack and picked it up for my 4 yr old neice. It is a size bigger than her so I can use it for christmas or her next birthday. I also got some stuff for my son and another neice at oshkosh. Last weekend i went to an arts and crafts show with my mother. One women had these really cute sweaters that were hand sewn with themes on them. I have another niece for whom madeline is the greatest show ever. the madeline sweater was adorable so i picked it up. Her birthday is in November but I am going to give it to her early so that she can wear it in the fall to school.

My favorite early purchasing is whenever toys r us has there buy one get one free sales for games. I pick up age appropriate games that are not the really common ones that everyone has, then i use them for birthday party gifts.