Losing the Christmas Spirit trying to get deals

[EllenFrasier]

I started out okay, for me around the end of October. Playing Christmas music and thinking about what to get people for gifts. Started shopping before Thanksgiving and on Black Friday (a tradition). Lately though it has felt like I am looking for the deals and thinking less about what Christmas is really all about. Amazon and I are friends. The UPS guy comes every day with another box of "stuff". I am wrapping gifts and feel like I am running out of time. Of course, I do have two whole weeks left - but time seems to escape me this time of year.
Does anyone else feel like they are lost in finding the good deals on gifts? Is it just me? Have I fallen prey to the commercialism? Is it too late?

 

[disneyofcourse]

I've been on the hunt for great deals since before black Friday. However I have saved so much money on things I was going to buy anyway that its making so much sense. I'm placing multiple orders to each place just to use different coupon codes, I'm running a math spreadsheet. By chasing the "good deals" I'm very on budget and have saved about $940 so far on things I already had planned to buy. I've only impulse bought a robe just because it was $10 on sale at Target. LOL I did have severe regret since BF because all I'm thinking now is who can I give this to?on a 10 buck robe. Everything else was on the "Yes" list or the "Probably get" list

 

[usnuzuloose]

I did not have a whole lot to buy. But I have been saving on the items with out even trying. My husband wanted a new driver and I looked and said I will not pay 300 but I won a brand new one off ebay and saved 100 so I am so grateful. Same thing with a new popcorn machine saved 20. So I am not doing to bad.

 

[MagiKitty]

Try not to let the gifting get you down. When it comes to the wrapping, set up a wrapping station with a good movie or music. Or wrap with a friend. Think about what fun and joy each gift will give, and be thankful that you will have a good holiday. Its easy to get caught up in the commercialism, but don't take it too badly. Take a step back and really think about the holidays and rather than beat yourself up about it, be thankful and reflective. Think about spreading some more joy elsewhere, perhaps volunteering. Or take a day to clean and purge before the gifts are opened, and donate them to others.

I'm mostly done with my gifts and wrapping. I enjoyed the hunt for the perfect gift at a great price. The decorations are all out. I love the holiday specials and movies. I'm planning my holiday goodies and meals. I'm enjoying this time of year immensely, despite the frigid temperatures!

There's magic in the air everyday, not just around this time of year. You just have to open your mind and your heart to it! Give yourself a hug!

 

[EllenFrasier]

Try not to let the gifting get you down. When it comes to the wrapping, set up a wrapping station with a good movie or music. Or wrap with a friend. Think about what fun and joy each gift will give, and be thankful that you will have a good holiday. Its easy to get caught up in the commercialism, but don't take it too badly. Take a step back and really think about the holidays and rather than beat yourself up about it, be thankful and reflective. Think about spreading some more joy elsewhere, perhaps volunteering. Or take a day to clean and purge before the gifts are opened, and donate them to others.

I'm mostly done with my gifts and wrapping. I enjoyed the hunt for the perfect gift at a great price. The decorations are all out. I love the holiday specials and movies. I'm planning my holiday goodies and meals. I'm enjoying this time of year immensely, despite the frigid temperatures!

There's magic in the air everyday, not just around this time of year. You just have to open your mind and your heart to it! Give yourself a hug!

Great advice! Just what I needed to hear. Thanks!

 

[dreamin_disney]

for some reson I'm not in the mood this year. I told dh that we will skip gift exchange between the two of us. He is buying for his side of the family. My family usually doesn name gift exchange but this year everyon will buy for their own families. I saved money in a x-mas acct. for dd but only saved up $183. Her B-day party was lastweek so we got her an ipod that was on her b-day /x-mas list, light color zip up sweatshirt with ipod earphones built in.

Well for x-mas I got her...
itune card
dark color zip up sweatshirt with ipod earphones built in
pink and black convers
small wallet
sqinkies holiday gift set
$5 necklace

I still have $87 left. We went to toys r us for the sqinkies and the lines were insane. I dont know how people deal with black friday crowds.

I'm happy with decent prices but can't deal with what goes along with getting great deals-lol!

$25 ITUNE card i saved $5 @ michaels
zip sweatshirt Abbey Dawnn brand $42 on sale for $24 khols plus 15%off
convers $20 @ Marshals
wallet $5 @walmart
50 squinkies holiday pack@toys r us $40 with coupon $19.99
necklace @khols was $10 got it for $5.99

If dh puts up the tree then dd and I will decorated it. I've never been so blue or behind in decorating.


and I also feel x-mas is more about $$$ and gifts then what it use to be about friends, family, food and Jesus

 

[dreamin_disney]

Try not to let the gifting get you down. When it comes to the wrapping, set up a wrapping station with a good movie or music. Or wrap with a friend. Think about what fun and joy each gift will give, and be thankful that you will have a good holiday. Its easy to get caught up in the commercialism, but don't take it too badly. Take a step back and really think about the holidays and rather than beat yourself up about it, be thankful and reflective. Think about spreading some more joy elsewhere, perhaps volunteering. Or take a day to clean and purge before the gifts are opened, and donate them to others.

I'm mostly done with my gifts and wrapping. I enjoyed the hunt for the perfect gift at a great price. The decorations are all out. I love the holiday specials and movies. I'm planning my holiday goodies and meals. I'm enjoying this time of year immensely, despite the frigid temperatures!

There's magic in the air everyday, not just around this time of year. You just have to open your mind and your heart to it! Give yourself a hug!

I really like your idea on making a wrapping station and playing x-mas music. Wrapping the gifts all in one shot sounds good especially with music. We just put up our tree so one step down-lol!

We have a few more gifts to buy. Then the wrapping will begin

 

[MagiKitty]

I find the wrapping station time really soothing. No one else wants to wrap, so it really is some valuable ME time. I get to assess what gift I have, what I forgot, what accessories (batteries!) I should look for. I also take notes of what I got for whom, what size and color, etc. Its handy for next holidays, so I know what I gave the year before.

Finally, choose wisely. Snacks and a cuppa. Movie or music? Or get on the headset and chat up a friend while you're getting your wrapping done. Its very satisfying to see the fruits of your shopping labor! Too often, I find that I'm more than prepared for the holidays and gift giving, and now I can concentrate on enjoying more.

 

[Cindy B]

I wrap as I go, so after I come home from the store, the presents get wrapped. That way, I am not overwhelmed on one day and it gets done quicker.

Its easier for me to do it that way then one marathon day... it just gets ovewwhelming then .

 

[Fyrefly]

I like the wrapping station idea.
Also if you can find your local 24-hour Christmas music station that might help.

I'm a college student and a lot of us are starving for Christmas spirit this time of year, since all of December is basically prepare for finals, then we're given almost no recovery time because its Christmas. I always like the anticipation and the feeling as the season builds up, and lately I've just been robbed of that. The fact that I'm extremely ill right now is housebounding me and making it even worse - my shopping should have been done by now.

I try to listen to the music whenever I can. The movies help. When I can catch a Charlie Brown Christmas or Rudolph or some of the others I watched as a kid, that makes me happy. I also have some DVDs I brought with me to watch if I get a study break.

I find it helps to just walk somewhere where there is decorations. It's my first year as a grad student in State College and I found out by surprise walking down there for dinner last week that they have lights and wreaths everywhere and a giant tree. That really put me in a good mood. I wouldn't suggest going to the mall because that is busy and stressful, but maybe you can find a nice decorated place to just take a little break for yourself and feel Christmas-y.

 

[disneymom3]

I think you should take a few minutes...probably more to think about what gifts you got for each person. Take some joy in how much you have saved. Think about how the people will feel when they open their gifts.

Often, I find that when I am shop shop shopping and getting those good prices on things, I don't even realize how many gifts my kids are getting. I need to step back, take stock and think "Hey, look at what I haev done here."

Take a night out to drive around and look at Christmas lights with some Christmas music on the radio. Sit and read a book and drink some hot chocolate.

I think that sometimes we just have to force ourselves to slllloooooowwww down and allow the spirit of the season to reach us.

I hope you find that! I am pretty sure it's not too late.

 

[Halbleib1]

I am with you it seems like every year things get busier and busier. Of course this year has for me with a new baby and cyberschooling my son. He just started K in October so we are still learning the ropes. I have two trees up with everything on them except the ornaments which I will finish up tomorrow. Hopefully by the end of the week I will have the rest of the decorating done. I still have all of my wrapping to do as well OP. Luckily almost all of my gifts are bought though as I buy throughout the year. But that hasn't stopped me from shopping the deals as well. Although I find myself checking out the web for great deals far more frequent than I should be. Even though I feel overwhelmed with everything left to do I have chosen to take some time out just for me to watch some Christmas tv. It is not too late OP. Try to get the rush rush rushing over with this week and take some time out for yourself to enjoy the season after that. This is what I plan on doing. I want to get it all done this week so that next week I can relax and enjoy the decorations, do some of the fun holiday stuff such as baking cookies with my son, driving around to see the lights and watching some more Christmas tv.

Merry Christmas!

 

[wtrmlnlabs]

I was good, everything bought, just keeping an eye out for better deals to return stuff if I found them. But then MIL wants a list, give her a very detailed one. Then SIL calls, "mom got this here, now it's cheaper here, she sent us to get them..." blah blah. Okay, but what she's getting isn't right. She didn't listen at all!!! UGH, same thing every year. So now WE are running around trying to fix it for her. No she won't just let me shop for her and she won't get ready ahead of time so now she's mad that things I bought 2 months ago for cousins were $10 cheaper than the same thing she's trying to get for my boys... I was getting so frustrated, so upset....

But then a bright spot. DH and I have a "date", movie and dinner, Burger King but that's fine with me. And as I order the lovely cashier suddenly says "would you like the free sandwich with that?" I stopped and just looked at her, deer in the head lights, "what?" Here they have a promotion for buy one sandwich get one free. I didn't see it, had no idea. I was so impressed, so taken aback that she brought it up... and was so cheery and sweet. Brought my holiday spirit back!

Just had to share, hopefully anyone in the "grumpy" position will run across something like this and get the spirit back!!!