Christmas Shopping....anyone else?

[BTS1022]

Well every year in October I start my christmas shopping. Hubby and I always have to take a loan out for x-mas shopping, but we generally do okay with 1k, so that it isn't so much to pay back. That and so we don't have to use our bill or grocery money on stuff. My father gives us $400 every October for christmas shopping aswell. $100 bucks each. And hubby's mom gives us $800, thats $200 for each child $100 for DH and $100 for me, and $100 for decorations and $100 towards x-mas dinner....she is picky about where the money is spent, so we have to give her our recipts lol.

So I was wondering if anyone has started their x-mas shopping yet? Hubby and I went to ToysRus and got a few toys for the kids already. I got some christmas decorations too. I'm having DH write up a xmas wish list as we speak lol he needs to modify it slightly because I dont think I can buy a Cadillac Escalade on $200 bucks lol.

I was also looking for ideas on family gifts...like for my parents and DH's parents. Last year we got DH's dad a gulley suit for hunting, we got my dad a few *mormon* stuff since he is very religious. We got his mom a new coach purse...I was able to buy 2 purses for $200 at the army PX, but we dont have them to rely on anymore lol.

Anyways Im clueless as to what to get them. I usually do their shopping first since, they are nice enough to send money so my babies can have a good xmas.

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

am done with my shopping

[baby_edgar]

I live in australia so i started shopping in the July sales. I brought my daughter her presents before she was even born lol. i just got things that weren't gender sparcific(spelling?). Next week i'm going to a toy warehouse where i will get her some girly things. but i dont know what i am going to get DH family they are so hard to buy for and he never knows what to get them ether.

[rachie204]

i planned on starting a couple of weeks ago, but money was shorter than expected.  Looks like it's going to be some time in November before I can start...dern it.   Hubby usually gets a nice bonus but they hand them out at the Christmas party which is about 2 weeks before Christmas.  I am ready to get started though, baby Emma is due Jan 5th, just days after Christmas and I really need to be prepared.  Just a thought some of you may want to look at www.gifts.com  they have a personality profile that helps you pick gifts for your loved ones.  Happy Shopping!!!

[BTS1022]

I was just telling hubby the same thing, how x-mas just sneaks up on you all of a sudden lol. It's like OMG it's almost December already lol. My boys have their birthdays in Feb...one is Feb 16th and Feb 19th so we do their b-day shopping at the same time. I just take a few thngs that Would have been for x-mas and give it to them on their birthdays that way Im not out anymore money. I always do a special cake for them, but thats only an extra 30 bucks at walmart(whom I hate)lol.

It's always to cold to have an outdoor b-day party, and chuckie cheeses is WAY to expensive, so we just have a small party here at the house. I thought about just making their birthday celebrations in the summer.....but then I feel bad when their birthdays actually come around lol. But Next year hubby said we can do a birthday party for friends in the summer so we can do it outside, and then on their actual b-day we can do an indoor party with family.

Sometimes I wish Conner was due in Feb aswell, so that I could get all 3 done at the same time lol.

I think I will get hubby some video game stuff, a new winter jacket and boots, but other than that I have no clue. He always puts unrealistic stuff on his x-mas wish list because he doesn't really know what he wants. So far on his list is a Cadillac Escalade, A new house, a 72 inch flat screen tv, and a rolex lol. None of which I can buy for $200...unless I get an immitation rolex lmao.

I think this year for family Im going to get gift cards and let them pick out their own stuff. I usually take my $200 and use that for extra money on the kids, but hubby actually wants to get me something for x-mas. But im going to use some of it for Conner and get him some baby's first x-mas stuff since he will be to young to even know what x-mas is.

I got my kids so far those new Tag pens by leapfrog, you run the pen over the special books and it reads off the words, my oldest can read pretty well, so I got him the harder books, and my youngest got the easy ones. I usually get bilingual stuff, but I can't find any for the tag pens. My oldest is almost fluent in spanish, my youngest is having a harder time learning it, so im desperatly(sp) seeking stuff that is bilingual.

[Gina209]

OMG props to you ladies who have started Christmas shopping! Or finished for that matter!! Sounds like my Mom..she seriously starts her shopping the day after Christmas (for the following X-mas) she is too freakin organized. Back in the day before I had responsibilities I used to start early..like now or a bit before November and I had everything done and wrapped way before the Holiday season. But as the years went on..with crazy work schedules and just plain ole life I became such a last minute shopper! Now this year is going to be just as tough...not only do we have our son coming a month after Christmas but we are moving and prolly wont be all settled until Mid November! That doesn't leave much time to get Holiday stuff done! I mean we always make it work but its gonna be tough I'm sure. Usually we go all out too with gifts but were going to "try" and make a budget this year with the crappy economy, baby on the way and I prolly wont be able to work much after November. Keyword is "try". But I may pick up a few things here and there when out, that always seems to help!

I just can't believe the Holidays are right around the corner!! Crazy how fast time passes!

[K1990]

I was just talking to my fiance about this and he thought I was crazy to want to start christmas shopping already.  Nop, I just want to get it over and done with.  This year with my fiances side of the family we are going to draw names.  His parents will buy for all 4 of their boys as they should and probably me, although she gives junk as well so I would rather her save her money.  Then everyone else will draw names.  So we will have 2 of his siblings to buy for (we already got 1 done) and then we will have his parents to buy for.  So 4 gifts on that side and then on my side we will give my parents something altought that is very hard since whenever they want or need something they just go buy it and so they have everything they need or want plus some so we always get them random things.  I don't buy for my brother or his fiance since one we hate them and two they don't give decent things anyway and so I find it very pointless!  So we have 6 gifts plus what we are giving eachother.  I think we will try and stick to my fiances brothers at $25 each and then probably that on his and my parents as well actually so 25x6=$150... that isn't too bad!

[CYW]

i have been x-mas shopping too... i only have 2 people left.. 2 gifts my mom and dad and i need to wait until november when i bring cameron in for xmas photos...i just took him in yesterday for 1 year old pictures.. he is soo sweet... i am of course i am going to buy MORE xmas gifts for cameron.. mind you i have already spent 160$ on him.. I budgeted.. there's my mom and my dad with 50$ each.. i bought my dad cologne that i bought him last year he must have really liked it because he wore it all the time...well this time around i paid 29.99 instead of the 55$ i paid last time...THANKS!! YAY and i bought mom a nice candle thing its a calming thing and i will be buying them magic mugs.. there will be a photo of cameron but when you put hot liquid into the mug the photo will appear.. talk about cool huh? anyways i budgeted 600$ for xmas shopping on its own...it's all good i dont think i will go much over 400$ mind you i'm already at 260  with the mugs paid in.. so it's all good.. anyways i hate xmas shopping.. camerons birthday looked like xmas.. i cant imagine what xmas will look like! lol

[lilpixie]

I am due a less then 2 weeks after christmas so hopefullky my family will understand that dh and i just dont have the extra money this year to give great gifts.  I want to still get everyone something small, but with trying to save up for baby and the economy the way it is its going to be very tight this year.  To me the most important part of christmas is spending time with my family, i would rather put the money towards somthing we can all do together ( a board game, movie we can watch, yummy food)

[sweetangel7]

We'll start the first week of November...but like others said, it will be scaled down because of economy (heat, gas, bills) and the fact that we are trying to save for our baby's arrival in April.  Last year, dh and I didn't give each other gifts because we were pregnant and we thought that was the best gift of all, but the week before Christmas I started to have a miscarriage.  We are going to do small gifts this year...it is tough because we are at the point where we don't need anything and usually we have what we want.

[LauraB78]

OMG!!

I hadn't even THOUGHT about it yet. I am due about 2 weeks after the holidays, and I just cannot afford it this year. Last year was tight too, so I just did gift cards for my nieces. I am pregnant w/ my first and single so I am hoping my family understands!!

Half my family (Dad's side) doesnt celebrate Xmas anyway as I am Jewish..  Uggh, Someone above mentioned how commercialized the holidays are getting and I tend to agree,,

I think I will try and set aside some cash the next couple of weeks to do gift cards for my 5 nieces..They like to pick out their own stuff,, The youngest 2 nieces are 10 and 11, one is almost 15, and the twins are 20, so it's not like they are "little" kids anyway.. Other than that, the holidays will be "scaled" down this year due to the economy and the fact that I am pregnant..

[LACh1]

i just finished all mine last week and am feeling very calm about it all this year.  I am normally quite bad at being organised with xmas shopping and am the person you see running around at the last minute bying anything that looks good and is usually way over priced.  But as this year i will only be 3 weeks out of hospital after a c-section i couldn't see myself walking around the shops with 2 kids.  So my mum came down and looked after my toddler for the morning and after many lists and santa request lists from family i was able to get most of it done in one day.  I have decided that this year all the kids in the family plus family friends are getting books (only one shop to visit) and all the families we are close too will recieve a nice box of cookies.  Once the baby is born i am getting a picture taken with santa of both the kids and my husband is getting his marketing department at work to make up cards for everyone.  We went to a toy sale back in June and got a trampoline for my toddler which is on layby for xmas, plus she is getting a toddler wading pool and some new togs.  I know she will get heaps from family and friends, plus she just had a birthday and was inundated with toys.  I also know people are planning on giving her things when the baby comes so she doesn't feel left out, so after all that she does not need much more.  As for the new baby - he will only be 4 weeks old and have already recieved so much at birth and really not have a clue what is happening that we are only getting him some togs and a baby book.  Xmas this year is at my parents house so we are only really putting up a small tree here and a few decorations on the doors.  I am getting my mum to help my toddler make painted xmas paper for wrapping while i am in hospital (keeps toddler busy and mum gets to deal with the messy paint ha ha) so i am not even buying wrapping paper, just butchers paper and i already have paint.  Hope everyone is well and their xmas shoppping goes smoothly.

[JoyRenee]

I started in June, after my daughter's birthday. So far I've got my youngest covered (thanks, Amazon . com) and some stocking stuffers for the kids. Walmart has these really cool toys that you put in water and they fizzle and inside is a plastic mermaid (or a dinosaur if you buy the dinosaur egg). It's not the cheap foamy stuff, but an actual little toy.

I got puzzles and quite a bit of tops for around $2 apiece at Walmart for the girls too.

We're going to get our oldest (she's 3) one of those kid cameras and probably some princess toy.

NO CLUE what to get DH!

[BTS1022]

I know the feeling. I usually get the boys 1 big toy each as well and 1 big toy they can share. This year hubby and I are getting them each a power wheel truck, the ones they can drive. And their shared gift will be a new swingset/playyard the wooden looking ones. Im hoping we can gind it under 1k, we use that money for the big gifts for them. Then the money from inlaws goes towards small stuff. Then his family is only allowed to buy them clothes lol, me and daddy take care of the toys.

We're doing an outdoor theme, and getting mainly outdoor toys for next year as they don't have any.

[kikicoates78]

Of course I start this early!, Matter of fact I already bought MIL and BIL somthing from the boys, bought it a couple months back! I try to buy somthing small from the kids the DH will buy his family somthing nice, I buy mine, although "our" money is "our" money, he still seems to always have alot more than me :)  Well I might have to pick it up, but I make him pick it out! Christmas is not as fun for me right now because my boys are much older and WAY more expensive, I have spoiled them so it is my fault, but now buying their gifts seems more like a chore. I am glad to see their faces when they open the gifts, I just wish they had $20.00 items not just $400.00 ones! I did explain this year won't be like the years past, I cut my hours at work already so moms play money is restricted. I'm sure they will understand. I will try to do one "big" gift a peice but the list will not be completely checked off this year thats for sure!

[kazwel]

I started my christmas shopping a few weeks ago.  Toys r us was having a really good sale so i picked a few things up.  Because my family is so big we only buy for the kids. in total i have 2 neices and 4 nephews plus my own!!
I usually start early for my son and by the time i'm done shopping i've gone a little overboard.  So this year i have set a present limit.  hopefully i will stick to it

[Cheesecake7]

I have been thinking about it.  For us, money has been a little tight recently, and our baby will be coming within 2 weeks of Christmas. I think that we are not doing gifts for each other, andfor family we are going with gift cards, just because I am never good at picking gifts for people, my fmaily is the type that has everything they want. I don't know exactly, but Christmas is on my mind.... Isn't it just crazy how it sneaks up on us!!!!

[evthing4reason]

we're not giving chritmas gifts this year. we just can't afford it. withthe renos to the hous, baby on the way, me not working very mcuh this summer and i expect to go on sick leave around 20 weeks. I am not putting gifts on credit cards, especially since his family gives us horrible gifts (read junk) that sits in the back of a closet till yard sale time. Now if they were to get us stuff we actually needed it would be different. let's just say i found getting 3 wine glasses and dacanter while i was 4 months pregnant pretty insulting, infact...3 wine glasses is insultinh without being pregnant.
I usually start shopping in july so i can get people stuff that they need, something really suited to them. I think Christmas has gone too commercial. I would much rahter just spend the time with my family and maybe a bit of extra $$$ on some good food for a gathering. I think even if cicumstances weren't as they are right now i would've made a donation to the food bank or some other charity instead of buying his family gifts anyways