Anyone else started Christmas shopping ?

[Bama Mom]

I've bought a couple stocking stuffers for my grand daughter. She will be 8 months at Christmas is it's things like snack cups and disposable place mats for when they go out to eat. I have also bought one thing for hubby. For my 19 year old son, my other son (daddy to my grand daughter) and son-in-law we are thinking about paying for them to take a class to make their own knife. Its by a local artisan (someone we know personally) because I think they would all enjoy it. I might add DH to it as well as his big gift. I still need a wish list from everyone though so my daughter is the only one I know what she would like. She wants hiking boots and a pasta maker because she like to make home made pasta and is doing it all but hand cutting it right now. My daughter is the easiest to shop for though so I never have to worry about what I get her, I know she will love whatever she gets. I'm trying to think of an experience I can get my daughter-in-law because those are the type of gifts she enjoys most.

 

[tvguy]

Nope. Just trying to get through summer, prepare for fall, Columbus Day, Halloween, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving first.

 

[Naglejen]

Yes! I started last weekend. We were up by the outlets, and they had the sneakers my girls want, way cheaper than here in NYC. I've learned the hard way that popular sneakers sell out before Christmas - I have two little kid sneaker heads, lol, which i don't mind because they need them anyhow, and they don't go for the crazy expensive ones - so i grabbed them. Now to hide them before they are discovered!

 

[Lvsdisney]

Usually I would have started by now, but we're buying a house this week so all of my focus has been on that. Once we settle in I'll figure out what the kids need/want and go from there. I have a feeling this Christmas will be a lot " we bought you ______ for your room!"

 

[QueenIsabella]

I've bought a couple stocking stuffers for my grand daughter. She will be 8 months at Christmas is it's things like snack cups and disposable place mats for when they go out to eat. I have also bought one thing for hubby. For my 19 year old son, my other son (daddy to my grand daughter) and son-in-law we are thinking about paying for them to take a class to make their own knife. Its by a local artisan (someone we know personally) because I think they would all enjoy it. I might add DH to it as well as his big gift. I still need a wish list from everyone though so my daughter is the only one I know what she would like. She wants hiking boots and a pasta maker because she like to make home made pasta and is doing it all but hand cutting it right now. My daughter is the easiest to shop for though so I never have to worry about what I get her, I know she will love whatever she gets. I'm trying to think of an experience I can get my daughter-in-law because those are the type of gifts she enjoys most.

If she wants a pasta machine, they DO make an attachment to a Kitchenaid, if she has one. However, I have a hand-crank pasta machine--got it from my mom for a bridal shower gift, 30+ years ago. It's not difficult to use at all. I mean, your arm could get tired if you were making batch after batch, but really, it's not bad. I have a Marcato brand, it you can buy an assortment of attachments (it comes with linguine/fettucini). So, that might be nice as follow-on gifts through the years--the ravioli maker, the spaghetti maker, and so on.

 

[RUDisney]

I knocked off 11 gifts for nieces, nephews and other kids for whom we buy gifts last Thursday, plus I bought some things for my kids. I was near the Hershey Outlets and they had AMAZING sales. In fact, I have $100 to use in a Disney Store between 10/4 and 10/18 in addition to the deals I received in that store. Yay me!

 

[karen4546]

I actually never stop shopping for Christmas. We have four adult children and six grandchildren. We don't give big gifts, we give each adult money and we put extra money into our grandchildren's savings accounts that we opened for them at birth. We put money every week in them and extra for birthdays and Christmas. We give the grandchildren some smallish items like cool socks, slippers, new pjs, maybe a lego set etc.

But, I shop year round for items to put in my Christmas games. Our favorite is the one where you wrap stuff in saran wrap and roll dice and take turns unwrapping it and keeping whatever you have unwrapped. I purchase things like lottery scratch offs, good candy, nice perfume/cologne, trinkets like themed bag clips, keychains, flashlights, cute socks, gloves, hats, lotion sets, Burt's beez sets, gag gifts, etc. The ball last year was HUGE ! 28 inches in diameter and weighed over 30 pounds. It was loaded with stuff!! Everyone had so much fun with it. It is actually something everyone is excited to do. I would say I spend several hundred dollars on items that I get throughout the year. The only last minute stuff is the candy and chapstick sets.

 

[Bama Mom]

If she wants a pasta machine, they DO make an attachment to a Kitchenaid, if she has one. However, I have a hand-crank pasta machine--got it from my mom for a bridal shower gift, 30+ years ago. It's not difficult to use at all. I mean, your arm could get tired if you were making batch after batch, but really, it's not bad. I have a Marcato brand, it you can buy an assortment of attachments (it comes with linguine/fettucini). So, that might be nice as follow-on gifts through the years--the ravioli maker, the spaghetti maker, and so on.

She doesn't have a kitchen aid so thank you for the recommendation. I haven't even begun looking yet so that gives me a starting point.

But, I shop year round for items to put in my Christmas games. Our favorite is the one where you wrap stuff in saran wrap and roll dice and take turns unwrapping it and keeping whatever you have unwrapped. I purchase things like lottery scratch offs, good candy, nice perfume/cologne, trinkets like themed bag clips, keychains, flashlights, cute socks, gloves, hats, lotion sets, Burt's beez sets, gag gifts, etc. The ball last year was HUGE ! 28 inches in diameter and weighed over 30 pounds. It was loaded with stuff!! Everyone had so much fun with it. It is actually something everyone is excited to do. I would say I spend several hundred dollars on items that I get throughout the year. The only last minute stuff is the candy and chapstick sets.

We love this game and play it every year. Our center gift is always a really good gift card somewhere.

 

[karen4546]

She doesn't have a kitchen aid so thank you for the recommendation. I haven't even begun looking yet so that gives me a starting point.




We love this game and play it every year. Our center gift is always a really good gift card somewhere.

I put in several $10 Starbucks, Sonic, etc and a couple of Amazaon and Target.

 

[LilyWDW]

I just sent a text to my cousins to have them email me ideas for what the kids like and if they have any specific requests. I usually start shopping about now so once I have those I can work on my list. Really wanting to buy as much as possible as early as possible due to shipping delays and shopping crowds. So if I can get ahead of the game then I want to.

I have 16 people to buy for. 7 adults and 9 kids. Yikes! So my wallet also needs me to start now!

 

[FQLover]

That saran wrap game sounds both crazy and fun! How does the dice come into play? Can you give a few instructions? Thanks.

 

[LeslieLou]

I’m also curious about the dice aspect with the Saran ball @karen4546

We’ve bought my 3 year old nieces gifts for Christmas and her birthday because her mom requested summer clothes. Not much else has happened yet but I know I need to get on it. My boys are 12 and 14 and they are getting difficult to buy for

 

[Happiest mommy]

placed my first order today I also fear shipping will be crazy

 

[Disneyfan754321]

Yes, it's the best time to get new toys...
I put them all in Walmart lay away
And not because I couldnt buy them but because i dont want to store them..lol

 

[colormegreen]

I’ve been wanting too, but I foresee lots of gift cards this year. I will be getting my own kids non gift card items, and my smaller nieces and nephew. But the older ones will be getting gift cards. I always get t sisters either pajamas from Victoria or Lancôme makeup so that will be ordered at the end of October. My brother in laws are hard though.I never buy earlier then when their return policy opens because I know how my family is...

 

[karen4546]

That saran wrap game sounds both crazy and fun! How does the dice come into play? Can you give a few instructions? Thanks.

you will need two packs of plastic wrap. you wrap each "prize" in saran wrap and then you wrap those together wrapping each one a few times before adding another "prize". before long, you will have a large ball. We even wrap each lottery scratcher separately so that the game lasts longer.

To start the game, person A has the "ball" the next person (person B) has the dice or die. Person B rolls the dice (die) until they roll the designated number or double chosen before starting when that person rolls doubles or the number then the ball passes to them and the dice (die) moves to the next person (person C) and then person B unwraps until person C rolls the number or doubles whichever you choose. It keeps going until the whole ball is unwrapped and you get to keep what you unwrap.

Getting the small size perfume sets is great because you wrap them individually. This can be done relatively inexpensive at the dollar stores adding seasonal candy, flashlights, pot holders, kitchen utensils, just about anything. It can be done at birthday parties also. It is really fun. The bigger the ball the better. My goal is at least 6 inches bigger than last year. so roughly 3 feet in diameter !!

Suggestions: perfumes/colognes, shave kits (Harry's starter set $3 and it is great), CC hats and headbands, good pocket knives, good flashlights, themed bottle openers (I got Star Wars and Batman), Chip clips, lottery scratchers (must be scratched before they can continue unwrapping ball and if they don't finish scratching before the next person get ball then the scratcher goes with the ball), small gift cards, bigger gift cards, nice pens, lotion, body wash sets, themed socks, dvds, small snow globes, travel size games, bigger games, small bottles of liquor (adults only), scarves, coasters, manicure sets, bath bombs (Ulta puts a ton of this on sale during the holidays) etc. The sky is the limit!!

 

[QueenIsabella]

The Saran Wrap ball sounds like a ton of fun! Not for us this year, since we hope to go away. But, we do Silly Santa, where there are a bunch of gifts, you pick one, unwrap, then the next person can steal, etc. Some of the items have extras in them, like gift cards (that you aren't required to reveal), and one always has a $100 bill in it. The kids really like it. In my case, I'm dealing with a family of 6 with wildly different personalities, so it's a challenge to pick items--my rule is "something that at least 3 people wouldn't mind getting".

I will be bringing the stuff for this on our trip, but I think I'll forget the elf ears and sweater that I'm forced to wear while directing the game. Oops.

 

[FQLover]

Thanks, Karen! Boy, these games sound fun, for sure. We play the Dirty Santa or Silly Santa (Steal Game) at work with our students at our Christmas party. I doubt we will even be able to have it this year, though. :-(

 

[queenofheartsfan]

I am almost finished. Trying to spread out the purchases so money isn’t as tight

 

[LovesTimone]

I've started. Mostly, I look for stuff throughout the year--you never know when you're going to see something cute. Also, we do a "Silly Santa" on Christmas Eve--I'm always on the look out for fun stuff for that.

BTW, someone mentioned BAM--they're a great source for quirky stocking stuffers. Not cheap, but they have cute stuff I never see elsewhere. My kids place a high premium on stockings--it's their favorite part of Christmas.

Also, we got DS14 a Macbook as an early Christmas present. He really needed it for school--the used, then hand-me-down laptop he had just wasn't cutting it. The bonus included earbuds (which he knew nothing about) will be showing up Christmas morning.

OP here,

Yes I mentioned BAM... I love to browse in here.... they have lots of good stuff, different items that are usable... bookmarks, booklights( which is on my list for my Dad this year) as well Calendars which is a big thing with my family, themed calendars they love 'em... Every year I get a calendar for everyone, and it has become a thing with them, So I start early, Star Wars, Marvel, Elvis, Minions and of course Disney, and - which by the way, I already have my Disney calendar for next year! I love the kids books area, there are alot of good finds in this area... I pick up a new journal for my Dad each year. I have tried shopping on line with them, and I just feel like I am missing so much... I know I spend way more when I am in the store than I would ever on-line... in saying that I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not... LOL...

I totally get it with the stockings.... They enjoy and love what's in the boxes and bags... Yet....I think the stocking invoke childhood memories, even my parents get excited to see what is in their stockings...

Each year everyone gets a new ornament attached to their stocking, I sorta stick to like a theme such as snowmen, first initials, Disney, Star Wars, Minions, Marvel, ... The year my granny passed away, everyone got pickle ornaments for their tree.... My mom gave me the pickle that was on her tree for years, I thought that would be a great way to honor her... Now my Grandson looks for the pickle on the trees, when he find it, I have a little gift for him, from the Granny Angel... keeping her memory with us...