Anybody getting excited about Christmas already?

[skater]

Just tell 'em. There's nothing shameful about saying "we just don't have extra money to buy gifts this year." We have had a few hard candy Christmases ourselves. What we did (and still do!) is find alternatives to the expensive stuff.

*Turn on the radio and ride around the biggest subdivision you can find, enjoy their decorations.

*Make your own ornaments--collect dry pinecones, "paint" them with glue, roll in glitter, hang with a string.

*Make outdoor treats for the birds--dab suet or peanut butter on pine cones, roll in bird seed.

*Cut oranges in slices, hang them by a string in a nearby tree.

*Make birdhouses out of milk jugs, fill with seed & suet.

* Collect sweet gum balls. Spray paint them gold or white. dab with a little glue and roll in iridescent glitter. Tie 2-3 together with string to hang on the tree.

*Take the kids for a walk around the neighborhood. Stop at a few houses and sing them a Christmas Carol. Finish up with hot cocoa and a cookie.

There are plenty of other things you can do together to celebrate the Christmas season, like baking together or watching Christmas movies. Just be upfront with the kids. They'll probably take it better than you will. ( I will never forget the Christmas my kids each got a pair of shoes, a bear, and a pillowcase that I had decorated with fabric paints. That was the sum total of our gifts to them. I was pretty upset, but you know? the kids didn't seem to care. Not one complaint.)

Thank you . This is actually the kind of Christmas I want this year. Its become way too commercial in my family and I'm the only one to blame.

 

[kimmar067]

OT- are you using Live365? I have had problems with it since they "improved and upgraded".

...sometimes I do and other times, I can connect right away... it's very temperamental...

 

[kimmar067]

I'm beside myself waiting for Christmas!!

...come away from the mirror.

 

[AndreaDM]

We prefer to celebrate the days leading UP to the holiday, not celebrating it after it's over.

O, I enjoy those too, just not months leading up to the holiday! I guess I'm still old school, we celebrate the 12 days of Christmas too, which are actually Dec. 25 - Jan. 6 (epiphany).

 

[ugadog99]

Just wondering what you mean. I'm struggling with Christmas this year. We don't have the usual amount of money to spend on it, yet we've foolishly built up expectations over the years. I want a simpler Christmas - less commercial but I'm not sure how to go about it. How to tell the kids and still build good memories and how to please extended family members who go all out. Anybody got ideas?

I know people see the holidays as a time to see family you don't get to see the rest of the year. Not me, though. My thoughts are that if I'm not important enough for you to see, talk to, email during the rest of the year(besides the times you want something) then you aren't important for me to see on the holidays. My brother and sister in law make such a big deal of seeing each other (at THEIR convenience) over the holidays. Yet, I'm the one spending money I don't have and preparing meals I don't want to so I can keep the peace. I am DETERMINED not to do that this year. I will do for my girls and they can do for their family. I don't want to get together or anything. I want my family here (that's me and my two girls and the animals) and that is all. Now, let's see if I can stick with that.

 

[Robinrs]

...come away from the mirror.

Nope, can't do it!! [/CENTER]

 

[mrsltg]

I LOVE Christmas! I have been listening to carols here and there as I make my lists and I started shopping months ago (I do a little at a time for the kids so there is no big budget hit). I will be getting serious in the next few weeks. I like all of my shopping to be done well in advance. I already have my tree decorating day and wrapping days planned on my calendar. I like to be done early so I can just enjoy the kids, the hubby, and the season !

 

[rie'smom]

Some years I begin decorating for Christmas on Nov 1st. My decorations are always up at least 2 weeks before Thanksgiving. 2 reasons:
1. We always go to WDW for Thanksgiving and I want to come home to Christmas decorations.
2. I decorate my MIL's house and tree for her. She likes for me to do it when I get back from WDW.

 

[kimmar067]

Nope, can't do it!! [/CENTER]

...you velly funny rady...

 

[pigletgirl]

I bought a faux christmas tree today at Hobby Lobby! Even though that store has had christmas stuff out for a long time, just today I started feeling the 'spirit' of the season. It makes my heart warm.

 

[klacey1]

We have also made plans to go to NYC for a day to do holiday stuff!!!! We were in Macys in NYC a couple weeks ago and went to the top floor to see all the Christmas trees and bought a couple items. Seeing Rockefeller and Macys just put me in the mood for the parade and the tree lighting.

I completely agree! It's not Christmastime unless we go down to the city to see the tree! I've never missed the lighting on TV!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Just wondering what you mean. I'm struggling with Christmas this year. We don't have the usual amount of money to spend on it, yet we've foolishly built up expectations over the years. I want a simpler Christmas - less commercial but I'm not sure how to go about it. How to tell the kids and still build good memories and how to please extended family members who go all out. Anybody got ideas?

I have already informed family to NOT BUY gifts for us and that we ARE NOT buying gifts for them. This yr I am sticking to it. We just don't have the money.

 

[crazyme5kids]

I have mixed feelings about Christmas this year. My older daughter won't be here (third year in a row). She will be traveling the country for a few months with her boyfriend. My oldest son will be in Florida. My second son leaves 15 days after Christmas for boot camp.

My kids are growing up. I guess it was bound to happen someday.

The upside of it is.... I have less shopping top do. My daughter already got her Christmas gift, camping gear. The two older sons got part of their gifts, a plane ticket to Florida for the oldest, and for the future Soldier a train ticket to go the Washington DC this weekend.

 

[EllenFrasier]

I have already informed family to NOT BUY gifts for us and that we ARE NOT buying gifts for them. This yr I am sticking to it. We just don't have the money.

You remind me of my sister! She sent me an email about two weeks ago saying that they do not have money for gifts this year, so to please not buy them anything. She would try to get my younger kids something, but not the older ones. Mind you, she usually pleads poverty every year about this time - but this is the first year when she said do not buy them gifts and they will not buy us gifts.
I emailed her back and told her that it is the thought that counts with gifts, not how much you spend. I'd rather receive a pot holder from her that she picked out thinking of me then some $20 sweater that I probably will never wear.

 

[Robinrs]

I have already informed family to NOT BUY gifts for us and that we ARE NOT buying gifts for them. This yr I am sticking to it. We just don't have the money.

I've had many no money Christmases. That's why God gave me hands. I would make gifts and to this day these are the gifts everyone remembers.

People are not as concerned about the price of the gift as the thought and love behind it.

You can make a basket out of things you find in the dollar store mixed with things you your home.

You can bake, cook or can homemade goodies.

Vistaprint offers low to free items you can personalize from pens to calendars.

Christmas is not about money. It's about giving. I know what you're going through but don't make others not give the gift of love they planned for you, too.

 

[OK!]

I always get excited when I see the first Christmas decorations appear in stores. This year's gonna be a little different, as I moved from St. Louis to FL in August and it's still in the low 90s here (UGH), so it doesn't even feel like Halloween time yet, let alone Christmas. And I'll miss going to my parents' house every Sunday and seeing the house gradually change over to Christmas mode. I am, however, super-psyched to see how the people in my neighborhood decorate for Christmas. Some of them have already gone all out for Halloween...I can only imagine Christmas will be that much bigger. There's a house a few blocks away that's Disneyfied year round (I actually get to go to their Halloween party on Friday! Very excited!), and they've got maybe 15-20 inflatables around the yard and on the roof and down by the lake...it's awesome. But probably half the houses in the subdivision have some kind of Halloween decoration up, so Christmas should be a lot of fun.

 

[louey]

I am going to try to be in the spirit more this year. The past couple I just wasn't that into it. My kids are older now but I have started early with my shopping and have it all wrapped so far. I'm hoping that by doing this I will be more in the mood to decorate, bake and enjoy the Holidays more

 

[ugadog99]

I have already informed family to NOT BUY gifts for us and that we ARE NOT buying gifts for them. This yr I am sticking to it. We just don't have the money.

This is what I have to do. My younger daughter is planning on a theatre arts/graphic design/music editing, etc. major. I have GOT to get her a Mac. That's where my money has to go this year....period. There will not be anything left for gifts for others and preparing big meals for those who don't return the favor. I just can't do it.

 

[threecrazykids]

I've had many no money Christmases. That's why God gave me hands. I would make gifts and to this day these are the gifts everyone remembers.

People are not as concerned about the price of the gift as the thought and love behind it.

You can make a basket out of things you find in the dollar store mixed with things you your home.

You can bake, cook or can homemade goodies.

Vistaprint offers low to free items you can personalize from pens to calendars.

Christmas is not about money. It's about giving. I know what you're going through but don't make others not give the gift of love they planned for you, too.

I agree with you on this 100%. I told my family this year that I'm not completely cutting out buying entirely, but will be cutting down on the amount I spend significantly. For example...I typically would buy my brother and SIL each something for around $20 each (because I've always planned around how much I feel "obligated" to spend on them), but this year I am getting them a combined gift and not considering the cost at all.

When I told them they were THRILLED, they said the same thing I did..."we enjoy buying for the kids but if we can cut down the dollar amount on our adult gifts that would be great!".

I'm actually making some gifts this year, which I've never done in the past. I found a black candle holder at Goodwill and I am going to get an Iowa Hawkeye decal to put on it. My SIL will love it because it's for her house and my brother will love it because it's got a Hawkeye on it! Cost? $6.50.

I'm trying to get out the "commercial" part of Christmas as much as I can.

 

[kimmar067]

I've had many no money Christmases. That's why God gave me hands. I would make gifts and to this day these are the gifts everyone remembers.

People are not as concerned about the price of the gift as the thought and love behind it.

You can make a basket out of things you find in the dollar store mixed with things you your home.

You can bake, cook or can homemade goodies.

Vistaprint offers low to free items you can personalize from pens to calendars.

Christmas is not about money. It's about giving. I know what you're going through but don't make others not give the gift of love they planned for you, too.

....eight-by-ten glossies of DC DON'T count as Christmas gifts, m'dear...