StrawberryFields Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 Yep, my Christmas tree will go up next week. I have started Christmas Shopping and I do quite a bit online on ebay. Do you shop online? Do you place you best bid and then walk away? Do you watch it until the last possiable second and then go in gor the kill. Do you go out and fight the crowds the day after Thanksgiving? Do you save all of your shopping for the week before Christmas? I shop for at least two months and then the week of Christmas I worry that I don't have enough and that causes me a lot of stress. When my kids were younger they would change their mind of what they wanted the week of Christmas. I have always bought enough for them each year. :) I am not sure hat works the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr T Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 I try to shop early. My wife's gifts have been done for about one month. My children's gifts are already chosen and will be ordered online. Extended family and friends will probably done in the next couple of weeks. I do not like to stand in long lines. Dr. T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnie G Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 Do you shop online? Yes, I do eBay you batch ah! I place my best bid and then walk away. I do not do have much time to keep a watchful eye on something, but I do like finding those deals about to close. The crowds after Thanksgiving do not happen here, since Thanksgiving was two weeks ago, it is more of a religious holiday in Canada. I am a list shopper. I decide what I want then go in a month before Christmas put as much of it away on lay-away and pay it off before Christmas, then bring it home. (No new year’s debt) This worked well for us when our children were younger and at home. They could not peek if it was not home. We use to swap gifts with the neighbor we hide theirs and they would hide ours. We would wrap together as well. My husband is always the last on the list for gift shopping; I never know what to get him. I buy tools of course but the more personal gift is the hardest. He is getting a table saw this year for sure! We bought wooden dollhouses for our granddaughters, just the wooden shell right now. My husband is doing the shingles and I am doing the furniture and painting. They have wheels and will close up with hinges. There big and will stay at Grandmas and Papa’s house for them to play with. I like to give some advice to younger families on the board. Years ago, we had a good duel income; our children were spoiled at Christmas. $$$$$$$$$$$$$ They asked and we came though. Then my husband was posted and we lost my income, -$$$$$$ Christmas came along and things were tight, and we had 500.00 dollars for Christmas that had to cover food and gifts for five children. We had a teenage foster son back then as well as our own. We worried and fretted as to how unhappy our children were going to be. We did not sleep well on Christmas eve knowing they were not going to get what they asked for. However, around five thirty what sleep we did get was broken by our daughter wakening every one up says Santa had come. Our foster son stormed down the stairs stopping dead at the landing yelling “HOLY S*%$” all of us laughed and we scrambled out of bed to see our children watching him. Like a small child, he took down his stocking (his first) and opened each gift with excitement of a small child. None whining or disappointment. Each boy received new skates and RC car, my daughter a new doll and a quilt I made for her. All those years of blowing, money $$$$$$$$$$ was not the source of their joy it was the love that went in to it. We have tried to stay at a fixed amount since then and it was the best gift we could have given them and us. Make a list stick to it and the Joy of love will fill in the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karrie91 Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 You see, mine is a little different. I manage a retail store for a large corporation and each year my family get gifts from my store. I dont have time to leave the store between November 1st and January1st. Plus I see all the sales before anyone else and tend to spend the money before we open the day after ThanksGiving. The other reason, being in retail you see the other side and I dont want to be involved. Kids screaming for what they want, people snatching grabbing and knocking people over. I have even seen people barter with each other so they can get the last one. ITS SCARY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly3278 Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 I have no income so I do not do Christmas shopping. If it wasn't for my Grandparents, I wouldn't have the Internet or anything. I am trying to get disability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrawberryFields Posted October 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 Dr. T, Does your wife give you ideas of what to buy her or are you a husband who is paying attention. :) Winnie, I loved reading your post. :) I think it is a great idea not to build expectations that way there can be no disappointments. Karrie, I also used to work retail I loved being in the center of everything festive. I am considering getting a job just to be around the excitement. I did go out for the day after Thanksgiving sales a time or too and I found it to be very scary. PG2. Sorry to hear of your disability. From what I hear it takes awhile to get on disability because there is a waiting list. Best of Luck to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Soul_Searcher Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 When it comes to gifts of any kind, i tend to be the " money is no object" type. People try to put a spending limit on me, but i tend not to follow them. I would rather gointo the poor house getting someone the one gift that they really want than save a bit of money and get them the second thing on their list. Call me materialistic but when i buy a gift it's a full extension of my feelings for the person. i search high and low for the perfect gift and in the end when i see the look in the persons eyes, then i know it was worth it. I can't really make gifts cause i have no skill with my hands and very lil creativity, so i always buy gifts. And like Winnie I look a long time before the need for the gift arises, though i usually am in heavy debt after my shopping lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr T Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 Hi Berry, I listen throughout the year. I love hearing about things that interest here or go along with her hobbies and then get them. I love seeing her face in surprise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrawberryFields Posted October 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 Hi Berry,I listen throughout the year. I love hearing about things that interest here or go along with her hobbies and then get them. I love seeing her face in surprise!WOW!! That is so cool. Were you born that way or did she initially coach you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr T Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 :) I've always been that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnie G Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 Do any of you have a standard gift that is excepted every year? Ours are socks and underwear.They know they will get socks and underwear every Christmas. Now as grown adults they still except it. One son rated one out once and said Christmas could not come soon enough his brother wears holey underwear.Its like baking, the standard joke is “Who brought the padded chain for mom”? Im to be chaind to the stove.Or when I enter a room they ask “Why are you out of the kitchen”?And heaven forbid I change the menu. I had a boss once who told her family she was not doing it any more and her grown children would have to take some of the responsibility or she check into a hotel for the holidays. They showed up and she checked in.I drove 12 hours and made Thanksgiving dinner two weeks ago but then I offered since they all live far away from me this was my chance to cook again for them.I DON’T DO DISHES! thats the deal he who cooks does not do dishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushka Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 I usually try to start buying Christmas gifts around this time of year, following Halloween and Bonfire Night. I've already got the gift brochures from local shops, and have asked my kids to make 'santa lists'...they laugh at this now, cos they're aged 13 and 17, but they still love the excitement of Xmas morning, getting up really early, seeing which of their chosen gifts I've been able to purchase. I don't build their hopes up too much, but I have said that if I manage to get some money that I'm hoping to get around the end of December this year, I will buy them some little gifts in time for Xmas and a special big gift just in the New Year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blessed Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 I buy gifts usually the end of the first weekend in December. Enough where I tyr and enjoy the Christmas spirit, but earlier enough where I don't have to endure the traffic and mayhem for the rest of the month. I buy what is on sale, but if it isn't and my loved one wants it... I don't worry about cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindy Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 LOL... I had to laugh at Winnie's "standard gifts"...only because I think that is a staple around our family too... socks more than underwear...but socks every year!. When I talked to my youngest boy a couple days ago... I asked him what he would really want for Christmas... and well besides having his jeep magically start working..... he asked for..... socks. lol He know's mom and her need to supply them with things they really need and never buy for themselves My daughter in law loves the really nice shampoo's and hair tihngs.... but with 5 children now... she doesn't have the luxery of ever getting to pick one up.... so guess what some of her things will be..... besides socks...oh yes, she will get some of those too :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebomb7652000 Posted October 27, 2006 Report Share Posted October 27, 2006 I just slowly aquire the gifts during the year then by the time christmas comes i have it all done that makes it stress free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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