Wow! Nice to be so far along at this point.

Of course, where to store all these presents for a month was something I probably should have considered beforehand

I’m not really doing as bad on this goal as I thought I would be at this point. I did some power shopping over the weekend and yesterday. I have the teachers done and I have the kids done. I have Nick partially done and I still have 2 people on Nick’s side to buy for.

My side of the family does Christmas in January, so I’m going to wait until after Christmas to buy their gifts. Maybe I’ll get some good deals.

is nearing.

ARE YOU PREPARED!!

Oh my… how many days are lest in November? Yikes! I have a lot of shopping to get done!

Done (or will be once things arrive):
Brother
Both Grandmas
Mom’s S.O.
Bumble’s Fiance
Uli
Mil
Fil
Nephew

Partially done with:
The chum
Mom
Brenda’s tots
The husband

Still up in the air:
Bumble
Sil
Grandpa
Dad
Stepmom

Done (or will be once things arrive):
Brother
Both Grandmas
Mom’s S.O.
Bumble’s Fiance

Partially done with:
The chum
Uli
Mom
Mil
Fil
Nephew
Brenda’s tots
The husband

Still up in the air:
Bumble
Sil
Grandpa
Dad
Stepmom

I hate having to rob peter to pay paul (even more than usual) in the month of December. So, I try to start as early as September, just to take some of the heat off of finances as the holiday draws near.

I have 3/4 of the children’s Christmas purchased. I picked a dollar amt. this year and am swearing I’ll stick to it. The thing that always gets to me is that the older 2 want these small gadgets that are rather expensive…the boy still enjoys the large toys. So what we end up with is a large pile for the boy and a much smaller pile for the girls. I can rationalize this with the eldest, but the middle child, she’s still unsure of the whole size and dollar amount don’t match thing.

Anyways. The kids are my biggest hurdles. Then, I have cut the list down to bare minimums. I don’t buy for everyone and their brother anymore. I just can’t and I hate buying some piece of shit that they won’t like anyway. I don’t buy for any friends (except one). I only send out cards with pictures of the kids to close family members.

At some point in time it had to stop being about the money and start being about the spirit of the season. I am FLAKY about money and just wasn’t enjoying the holiday. SO, I changed my attitude and gift giving practices and VOILA, a transformed ME!

now….what to get Driver for Christmas this year? A new toolbox? A gift certificate to his favorite boating store? an elf dressed in skimpy filmy holiday wear? Decisions, Decisions, Decisions.

Probably could have saved more by going to big box stores or scowering the ads and hitting Thanksgiving sales….. but I prefer to shop with local retailers when possible.

Anyway, everyone who needs toys is now done.

The chum’s Santa gift and a few stocking stuffers are done. I’m not sure about whether I also got him a “from mommy and daddy” gift – or whether we’re even doing that this year (not like he’ll notice).

Uli and cousin N and the tiny Tobii all have their toys. Uli probably also needs a clothing gift. And everyone else needs one good book. But yay! I’ve never even thought of buying toys this early but the sale motivated me.

Now to start moving on the grownups.

I have a zillion neices and nephews on both sides of the family. We usually draw names and exchange gifts that way, but we don’t typically draw names until Thanksgiving. I just sent an e-mail to my siblings requesting to draw names now as to help complete this goal. Hopefully they’ll all be OK with that!

It’s time to start thinking about it.
Some of these people take a lot of forethought.
Curse you, rich relations!