Christmas Shopping Already?

[Julia M]

When my kids were younger, I used to do alot of Xmas shopping ahead of time. Recently, I don't do that as much, as the kids are older, and have more specific requests.

But, I found this year that I have already picked up a few things for Xmas!! Generally, clearance items that are so inexpensive, I just HAD to do it. A sapphire necklace and earrings for dd (originally $80, for $4.24), a jewely box (also for dd) for $2.12 (originally $40) and a hardbound book for ds (Our Country's Founders by William Bennett) for $1.

So, it got me thinking......

Do you buy ahead of time for Xmas? Is it for the cheaper price?

Do you buy used items for Xmas?

When I used to buy ahead more, it WAS for a cheaper price...like getting something at Target for 75% or 90% off. In past years, I paid $6 for Star Wars Pod Race Legos for ds or 50% off for Penny doll and outfits from the Disney store.

I also will buy items used, from our local flea market or EBAY. That's especially for books......my kids love Foxtrot and Calvin and Hobbes comics, as well as fiction books (Jack Higgens, American Girl stories, and so many more) But I've also bought a Power Ranger transformer ($5 at the flea market, $40+ at the store) at the flea market, and ds loved it.

The other thing I've started doing is buying gift cards ahead of time. I buy for my dh's extended family, but just for the siblings without their own spouse, and for a developmentally disabled niece. I also buy for a girlfriend who is a single mom, and her kids, and then all the nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews below high school. That's like 11 gifts, and I like to send $40 or $50 for the adults and $20 for the kids.

I especially need to do it this year, as we have a trip to WDW at Xmas, so my budget will be tighter!

Julia

 

[8 Ears]

Although I have not started purchising yet(DH encourages me to wait until after school is back in session from the summer), we have started "discussing" a few ideas.

I do not buy nearly what I used to. It is also when I see something for a fraction of the price that I pick it up. Depending on what it is I may buy used.

Good to hear someone else starts as early as I do though

 

[CheapMom]

Yes Julia- When I see a bargain I can't pass up I justify it by saying, "I'll put it away for Christmas." The problem is half the time I for get by the time Christmas rolls around.
Hi 8Ears!

 

[Julia M]

Yes Julia- When I see a bargain I can't pass up I justify it by saying, "I'll put it away for Christmas." The problem is half the time I for get by the time Christmas rolls around.
Hi 8Ears!

You know, that used to be a problem for me.

Now, I do two things. I have a specific place where I put things. I also keep a file on the memo pad of my Palm, with all the gifts I have bought, and what I paid for it. That helps me out if i see something, and I take a look at my list, and find I already have a few items. So it keeps me from overbuying.

Julia

 

[powellrj]

I use to buy lots of mark-down items too for the kids when they were younger. Now I just have "extra" gifts bought and put away. Lots of baskets and candles. Things that I can use all year when I need a quick hostess gift.

I will buy gift cards a head and save them, and I have also started saving my flexable spending money until the end of the year and use it for christmas money. DH has used all his flex spending money, so that will be our vacation money, and we will use mine for christmas.

I also use bonus mail gift certificates for christmas. Last year I got gift cards for all the cousins using my points certificates!

 

[ksoehrlein]

We have a gift closet in our guest room that the kids don't know about (yet!). Whenever there is a great sale on something that I know someone would like, I buy it and into the closet it goes.

I'm so thankful that I did this because last holiday season, I had to work many, many hours at my FT job (something like 80/week -- without OT because I'm salaried). If not for the gift closet, which I "shopped" in on Christmas Eve, Santa would not have found his way to our house last year.

I keep the receipts with the items so I can look at them again when I get ready to give each gift. It makes me feel great to see them and remember that I only spent $5 for a $20 item.

 

[FreeTime]

I started Christmas shopping for this year in January! I have a bin that I put all of the stuff in throughout the year. However, this still works for my kids who are young, but not so much for the older teens in the family. I found some great deals at Kohls on clearance and told their mother about them. She said, "yeah well if they like them at Christmas." So I took them back. They will end up getting less since I will have to pay full price for their stuff. I also keep trying to persuade everyone in the family not to shop but to just take a little weekend or night away together with the money that we spend on each other buying more stuff that we don't need. No one else has bought into this idea yet.

 

[pediatric-rnp]

I've done this for many years, also. DSs are in their teens now tho, and never know what they want until around T'giving, but I usually always get them certain GCs each year (gas, dunkin donuts, wendy's, papa ginos, etc.), and I start buying them in Jan - a little bit at a time - it really cuts down on the pain of their total cost! We have several teen kids in the family that we also buy for, so I do the same with them. They love GCs to Circuit City or Best Buy, or clothing stores, so each month I pick up one - altho you are spending the same $$ amount, at least by buying one a a time, you don't have to put out a huge amt of $$ all at once.

Last Christmas I was given a beautiful holiday gift basket that my single- parent cousin put together, and thought this would be a great idea for friends and 2 co-workers I exchange with. So the day after Xmas I went to Kohls, Linens & Things, Target, Walmart and Michaels and bought holiday decorated baskets, holiday napkins to line the baskets with, and some items to put in the baskets - small scented candles, magnetic groc lists, small holiday decorations, etc - everything was 75% off and later when I put the baskets together I will by small boxes of specialty teas & jams at the Christmas Tree Shop (inexpensive) and will have a nice gift to give that didn't cost more than $10.00 each!

I also always buy greeting cards ahead of time whenever I'm in Card Smart - they are 50% off there - so I always have extra cards on hand. Came in handy a few weeks ago when 17 yo DS (who never plans ahead!) called me on the cell phone in a panic, and said he needed to bring a b'day card into work for the party they were giving the manager , and he had forgotten and didn't have time before work to go to the store. I just directed him to the box I keep the cards in and told him to pick one out - this made for one very relieved DS! (Of course if he had planned ahead.........)

We always donate to the local Toys For Tots drive at Christmas - knowing this, I look for significant toy sales and buy ahead. I have a closet in our storage room specifically for all gifts I buy ahead, and these go there. Makes for a huge savings on some very nice toys.

 

[eeyore kelly]

Usually I wait to the start of the school year to buy, but not this year. Now that I work for Children's Place, I find myself picking up items (like winter clearence 3.99 plus 50% off plus my discount on top of that) all my nieces and nephews are getting winter clearence. We are planning our first trip to Disney and I have picked up pants, socks, light jackets, PJs, etc, for christmas to be put up for Disney. I usually buy a lot of christmas right after labor day when it is on sale. Nothing like getting someone a 3.99 gift that retailed for $25.

 

[crisrn2003]

I have been receiving gift cards for various events---I received a gift card from my secret pal at work, and a gc for xmas. I have saved those and figure those are a few gifts right there. Every one I receive will be recycled---money I really didn't have and then don't have to put out. In addition, we travel a long distance at xmas to see family. With all the luggage, and whatnot, there is not a lot of room. This past year, I went out 12/26 and bought several items that were REALLY marked down. I wrapped them with the paper we still had out and that which I was able to find on sale and left them at my inlaws in a special box. I don't have to buy them later, transport them later, or deal with wrapping when I've already had to wrap too much!! (lol) Some of them I did not wrap and brought back for quick little teacher/bus driver/etc gifts. I have also been purchasing a gc here and there for me to actually BUY what the kids want exactly. That way I have already put out the money thru the year and it isn't so difficult to fork it out all at once.

 

[EthansMom]

Yes -- especially when I get a great price. Picked up a sweater for my FIL during winter closeout ($12, orig. $60) and got my daughter's toddler dollhouse buy-one-get-one-free, so put the extra away for her younger cousin. We don't buy much, but I put a $15 limit on what I'll buy for extended family -- buying ahead when I see a good deal means that my gifts look nicer for the same price!

 

[mamalle]

I buy year round when things are on sale. I bought my xmas cards the day after at hallmark also. I keep a list of everything and for who.

 

[MrsPete]

Do you buy ahead of time for Xmas? Is it for the cheaper price?

Do you buy used items for Xmas?

The other thing I've started doing is buying gift cards ahead of time.

Yes, I do buy Christmas presents ahead. I do it for two reasons: 1) I see things on clearance or on sale, I know I'm going to buy the item nearer Christmas anyway, so I pick it up while the price is good. 2) I don't like to feel rushed and pressured as the holidays near. If I can have 80% of the shopping done before December 1st, then the season is much more relaxed.

I also buy generic birthday gifts for girls my daughters' ages. When they're invited to a birthday party, I can reach into the gift closet and find something that looks like a $20 gift, but actually cost 2.25. Saves money and time.

As someone else mentioned, kids' requests become more specific as they get older, and it's harder to buy ahead. I assume that their list is a "wish list" -- not a shopping list. They will receive a few of the things they request, and they'll receive a few things they didn't expect. I always wait until December to buy those last 1-2 items for my daughters so that they're sure to get "that one thing" that they really, really want. But if I choose a book they don't care for, or a sweater in the wrong color, well, they'll get over it -- or the item will go to the birthday closet.

I don't buy used items for Christmas presents, but I do buy new items from ebay or even from yard sales or consignment stores. MANY new things are out there at used prices.

I don't buy cards anymore. The last card I bought was for my niece's first birthday (she'll be 11 soon). It was something like $3, and I realized that I could've bought her another entire outfit at a consignment store with that much money. I make homemade cards sometimes, but I do not buy them at the store.

 

[funnygarcia]

I don't buy cards...
I send email, e-cards, hand written notes and any cards that I get as freebie samples that I have found online.

I have a gift closet.. it's filled very nicely with nice small toys that will be great as small Bday gifts for my 2 DS friends, make cute gag gifts for coworkers (I work in child care.. so I can give toys as gifts , adn I put several small things together in a bag/backpack as gifts for all my nephews. Even teens still like to play with slinkys and silly putty!

For my own boys.. we downplay Christmas gifts as we do buy them games and things they want all year for good behavior/good grades or just "because". They know they must wait until we find a good deal and rarely do we hear the "I wannas" for big ticket items. The only thing they bug me for is Yu-Gi-Oh cards ..not too pricey.. they love me up good when they are rewarded with those! LOL

 

[eeyore kelly]

I make homemade cards sometimes, but I do not buy them at the store.

The computer makes great cards. Word art, free saved clip art, and a piece of card stock.

 

[Julia M]

As someone else mentioned, kids' requests become more specific as they get older, and it's harder to buy ahead. I assume that their list is a "wish list" -- not a shopping list. They will receive a few of the things they request, and they'll receive a few things they didn't expect. I always wait until December to buy those last 1-2 items for my daughters so that they're sure to get "that one thing" that they really, really want. But if I choose a book they don't care for, or a sweater in the wrong color, well, they'll get over it -- or the item will go to the birthday closet.

That's exactly what I do......I choose 1 or 2 things that are more "trendy" and get them before Xmas. Then the kids get a couple of things I think they'll like and then a couple of practical things.

In the past, I've always made things "even" (the same number of gifts). That is now changing, as ds is 13, and wants "bigger" (ie more expensive) items. He's getting an iPod mini for his birthday in May, and my mom, my sister and my brother are chipping in for it. So, he'll only get that, and a gift from my MIL. His little brother just had a birthday, and had gifts from everyone (smaller) So, I'm talking about cost now with my kids, which I never really used to do.

Julia

 

[eeyore kelly]

I go for the same dollar amount, but not the same gift number amount. I have a DS who is 12 and a dd who is 9 So their christmas wants are very different.

 

[casey49781]

i do alot of shopping in the summer when i work ,,,,i have a gram soon 83 i give her money,,,,,i have a aunt/uncle i buy giftcards for and a aunt small gift for,,, my brothers kids,, one has 2 boys and the other a girl and 2 boys all get gift cards ,,,,and my inlaws a giftcard as well,,,,and then my 2 kids (girl 8 and boy 5 )and this year i really cut down on toys ect,,,,i let them give me a list and i pick what they will get,,,,basically i love the gift card idea ,,i hate buying stuff people dont want,,,if i give cards they can pick there own stuff,,,,,this past christmas we were in flordia and the kids love nickelodian so i went to universal and got them slime time live t shirts and they loved them,,,,maybe will try to order from universal again this year as it was a huge hit ,,,,,,,

 

[L107ANGEL]

I too am always looking for a clearance sale. I put away in a closet and when Halloween hits I go through to see what I have picked up, through out the year, and determine what I still need. I do not always know who I am picking these up for. But even if there are things left over, I always try to find a family in need (not very hard to do now a days) and I will give them the additional gifts. I didn't spend a fortue on them and it keeps my in the Christmas spirit while adding a smile to someones elses holiday.
The gift basket is a great idea!! I wish I had thought of that!!

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

Actually, until I started reading these boards I had never managed to start my shopping early although I always said I "should", but this year I started right after Christmas. I was upset, though, I picked up all kinds of little toys on clearance with Easter baskets in mind, but Easter ended up being in the middle of a move and all of my goodies were in transit in a moving truck so I ended up having to buy all new stuff but alot of them will still make great stocking stuffers.

Also I have been picking up common board games and other toys 50 to 75% off at our PX for birthdays and Christmas, I just paid $4 for Monopoly Junior, but my daughter found it before I got it out of the van so it'll be a boy's birthday present.

I've been having a hard time getting my family to decrease the gift-giving at Christmas, like Freetime mentioned, also. I have one girl and four boys, we really, really don't need anymore hot wheels cars! LOL I even asked for McDonalds gift cert. for them this past year (they would love to pay for themselves) but no one would do it, they felt bad not getting them toys. Their hearts are in the right place anyway.