ShortStuff
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2012
Seconded. I'm probably going to make my daughters a pile of homemade playdough for Christmas (probably with washable, non-toxic tempera paints for the dye, but maybe food coloring), and I know I'm going to need the jars already.
Cash is a fantastic gift.
TBH, those are my favorite kinds of Christmases, and - thanks to the economy - those are the only kinds of Christmases I've had with my daughters. We make a lot of nice things for our loved ones, mostly consumable, and the focus is on making origami ornaments for our potted tree (which has so far survived since last year!!), we do the carols around the piano at least once, and all that sort of thing. I'm not sure yet if there will be any money for my husband and I to have gifts for each other that are in any way material, but we'll have something. I agree that we have our health and we have each other, and after the long Christmas fast (kind of like Lent in winter and, for me, so much harder), anything special is good enough.
I agree with you 100% that those are the best memories of Christmas!! Making cookies, candy, tea and candy canes as gifts is great fun!! Growing up my family was stable, but had 'enough', just not much extra. I was blessed the past 20 years to be in a career field that has made many things possible.
I am thankful for that and know that we are ok. It's just that I like to be more than ok. Guess it goes back to my childhood and some of the experiences our family had. I have been able to pick up an extra shift here or there, and that has helped!! Thank you for your kind word!!
Best ever homemade playdough:
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Salt
1T Oil
1 Pkg Unsweetened Kool Aid
Bring water to a boil, add flour, salt, oil and kool aid. Stir until thickens. Turn out on floured surface and knead until smooth! Cheap, colorful, non-toxic and smells good too.
(I taught Kindergarten and have made 100's of batches of this over the years!)
Woo hoo!! Long ago I taught pre school and we used to make this! It's great and easier for small hands to mold than regular play doh!! Thank you! You can also get some awesome colors with koolaid!!
I'm sure it will be a nice Christmas. Now that we dont go overboard dd actually apprciate what she gets. and we try getting her one main item she really wants and several smaller items she wants. When she was lil we would go overboard and she would play with toys once or not at all and she never touched it again.
Have experienced that!! I agree and cutting down will not be all bad!
You sound very sweet! Just so you know, Target also has a toy markdown clearance usually in July. I went today to get an idea of what they will have Started marking down and some is decent. I've hit the KMart one, too, but Target usually has different stuff. Also, if your grandkids like Hexbugs, you can buy a $5 gift card at Target right now with one attached--just use the gift card on your own shopping and enjoy a free toy. They do this with Legos closer to Christmas as well.
Our Target never marks things down much. Their clearance consists of 30% off, which is good, but not as good as K Marts 50% off clearance prices. I love the tip about the HEX bugs, as my young grandson LOVES them!! I will check that out tomorrow!! Thank you so much!
I must say that you were all so wonderful to cheer me up!! I have been talking to my daughter and she said, "Mom, you always go way over the top overboard and the kids don't need that. They should only get one nice gift and stocking stuffers.....
Well, I am picking up overtime at work..... and if it continues, instead of large gifts, we may be able to take a budget trip to WDW for Christmas!! The boys have been having a very hard time missing Daddy and every other day or so, my grandson says, "Gramma, when can we go to WDW again?" He then tells me that, "I think it would help me miss my Daddy less."
Is he good at pulling Grandma's heart strings, or what!? So, we may be able to pull it off, but if not, we are scaling Christmas WAY down anyway!! We will look at all the fun ways to celebrate, that don't require money, or at least not much of it!!
Thank you for the wonderful suggestions! I appreciate you all!!