Shopping Season

[BostonCook]

Has anybody started their christmas shopping yet? I got an email about the Kohls and Target ad that was leaked out and it got me thinking that I should start planning and start shopping for christmas. The Kohls had some good deals on clothing which I might have to pick up for myself! haha Not really Impressed with the Target ad though, no real big deals, nothing for me to get up at 5 AM for.

 

[Linda123]

We start the day after Christmas....I have 3 grown sons, 2 d-i-l's, a future d-i-l, two grandsons and another on the way...for some forgotten reason, hubby and I give each one 10 presents each, so that's a LOT of shopping. Many of the gifts are small - a box of Little Debbie Cakes or a pair of funny socks or a little candle....but since we shop throughout the year, it really isn't as overwhelming as you would think. The kids just like the fun of unwrapping a lot of gifts. Quantity over quality! haha

 

[Linda123]

Here is a picture of my "North Pole" (at least I hope it comes through)

 

[BostonCook]

Wow! Thats quite the stash! I only have about 5 people that I have to shop for which is nice and easy but they all seem to have everything they need, so Im always at a loss at what to get them. It seems like every year I end up making their favorite cookies and then getting them their favorite DVD or another sweater.

 

[babetoo]

have eight out of oops nine out of: twelve people. have an idea about the ones remaining. i do most all of my holiday shopping on line. hate all the hustle and bustle of the stores. lots at walmart on line. they never fail me.

 

[luvs]

yepper~ got a few gifts. geez, i luv giving gifts

 

[roadfix]

I'm cheap so I don't do gifts. I just give cash to the younger members of the family for X'mas. It's easy and hassle free. Wife likes cash too, and nothing else. I like to keep my life simple.

 

[buckytom]

i've been getting a lot of coupons and catalogues in the mail that dw is sure to leave out for me to notice, dog-earing certain pages. lol.

i had no idea i was on so many mailing lists. nordstrom, macy's, kohl's, coach, tiffany, louis vuitton, gucci, walmart, kmart, nine west, ph8, toys-r-us, home decorators, etc..

it's like my mailman is working for the malls these days.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

i've been getting a lot of coupons and catalogues in the mail that dw is sure to leave out for me to notice, dog-earing certain pages. lol.

i had no idea i was on so many mailing lists. nordstrom, macy's, kohl's, coach, tiffany, louis vuitton, gucci, walmart, kmart, nine west, ph8, toys-r-us, home decorators, etc..

it's like my mailman is working for the malls these days.

I'm getting catalogs from places that sell clothes to real skinny and tall people. I just look at them and laugh!

 

[buckytom]

i shamingly laugh at the ads for charities in ethiopia asking for my old clothing for starving people.

i'm a fat guy, my clothes would never fit starving people...

 

[snickerdoodle]

Holiday shopping will start this weekend for us since I got a bonus at work But I don't really have a plan I think I'm experiencing retail/consumer overload. I have a feeling if I actually go into the stores it will only get worse so I may just do most of my shopping on Amazon. Although, I was looking at Wal Mart's Black Friday ad and there were some super crazy deals on stuff, I might get in on that. Those with small children/grandkids... what are you getting them? My daughters are 5, 2 and 18 months old and I'm looking for ideas I guess. The youngest is easy, it's the other 2 I'm not sure of.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Not having children, I tend to go overboard for the babies I know. I got "Pillow Pets" for the new 6 babies at work.

Family, we all only do Birthdays. We also donate for "Santa" presents for any children at Grandma and Grandpa's house on Christmas Morning.

Shrek and I have been getting each other the odd thing here and there.

I just have one more present to get together for a coworker. I'm getting her all the whole spices to make her own Chai Tea and a spice grinder.

My Supervisor and co-office mate are getting desk calendars and a Tea Sampler, i have made up.

 

[Andy M.]

i shamingly laugh at the ads for charities in ethiopia asking for my old clothing for starving people.

i'm a fat guy, my clothes would never fit starving people...

Send them anyway. Some of those people live in tents...

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Send them anyway. Some of those people live in tents...

Sorry Andy, that came out of context...it was a joke! BuckyTom and I were goofing!

 

[Andy M.]

Me too!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Me too!

Oh good...I didn't want you to think I was a heartless beast...brainless, maybe, but not heartless.

 

[Andy M.]

Oh good...I didn't want you to think I was a heartless beast...brainless, maybe, but not heartless.

There is absolutely nothing I have seen here at DC that would even hint at your being a heartless beast. I'll get back to you on the rest.

I was suggesting BT's clothing could be used for tents.

 

[joesfolk]

We are very limited on space so I have actually converted a 1/2 bath into a closet that we call the "present closet". This year it is only about half full because I have made a concerted effort to not go overboard. Most years I shop all year long (like many of you.) but this year only the daughter still at home and the Grand children under 18 are getting purchased gifts. The rest are getting home baked goods. I have tried for years to get dh"s kids to do a gift exchange where each person buys only one gift but they just won't go for it so they get what they get. I , too, love giving gifts. i love to find just the right thing for someone I have been thinking about for months. But with dozens of grand kids and blended families all meeting together to celebrate the holidays, well, it's just too much. I hope they all learn that it is the tought that counts.

 

[Andy M.]

SO and I and our siblings are all seniors or very close. We agreed a few years ago not to exchange gifts among sibs. We never know what to get each other anyway.

We have agreed with our children to limit gifts to stocking stuffers and have agreed to a dollar limit. Our kids can't really afford a lot of stuff and we don't need anything.

The grandchildren get all our attention and gifts. This is their holiday. I'm guilty of letting SO do most of the shopping as she loves it and I hate it. My job is to shop for her and buy a big toy for my grandson and act pleased with what she buys for the others.

I know this sound all "Bah! Humbug" but it's not. We love the Christmas season and decorate our home and spoil the little ones. We're just trying to de-stress the season a little.

PS: She's all done shopping and I'll be starting up sometime the middle of next month.

 

[joesfolk]

Andy, you sound like my dh. Before I came along he only bought gifts for the kids who lived in the house at the time. All of the other kids got large navel oranges, one each. When we were going together each year I got a box of chocolate covered cherries. Which would have been lovely except for one thing....I hate chocolate covered cherries!. There are times when I would love to get back to the navel orange thing but then December rolls around and I am antsy to wrap gifts. But as I said before we are scaling this thing back.