Have you finished your christmas/holiday shopping?

[PrincessFiona]

I just finished up yesterday and all I can say is holy cow. The stores are PACKED! It actually took me longer to find a parking space out at the mall than it did for me to go into the store I wanted to to make my purchase.

kris

[Vanquisher]

Annie, you can still do it! I did my Christmas cards with pictures included of my kids, start to finish in less than 3 hours! You don't have to do that, and can just skip the Christmas Cards, but you can get a picture! Put her in whatever outfit you want, stick her in front of the Christmas tree and click away! I know you can do it!

As for me, I haven't made my cookies yet. I am soooo ashamed! I am making them this morning though, and I am going to the post office today.

Christmas shopping is almost done! We didn't get much for anyone, so that cut it down a ton. A few stocking stuffers left.

I wrote a check at Wal-Mart for the last of the stuff for my daughter yesterday in hopes that it would take longer to clear my account.

[Rapunzel]

I didn't mean to do this purposely but I got my Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving! It's the first time this has ever happened! I found that we had the funds for some Christmas presents so I took advantage of the moment, and before I knew it I had all of the kids presents - without realizing it because I'm a complete airhead sometimes . So, last week I began looking at what I had bought and came to this realization and - I must admit I was a little disappointed. I like to search for perfect gifts and it's kind of a downer that I'm already done. I even have my husband's gifts - and I can also say that Santa is finished with his shopping for my house as well.

Oh well, maybe I'll just go shopping for me....

Jennifer

[Sheherezade]

Well....I got all the shopping for my distant family and my husband's distant family purchased and shipped. Of course, I have yet to buy *anything* for my own children. Does that make me a bad mommy? I was hoping to get all that done this week. We had the huge office Christmas party here yesterday, so the house is decorated and clean. I've got a ton of Christmas cookies (also shipping today ). Just no presents under the tree. DH is off on Th and F, so I can use that time for "sneaky shopping". I'm sure it will get done. Still......I feel squeamish whenever the kids leap around squealing about Christmas morning and how they can't wait to open there presents. Presents? Oh yeah! I was supposed to get you presents!

Dh is done. A robe and jammies from JCP, both 50% off, with a $10 off coupon each...so like $11 for $60 worth of flannel.

Part way therewith the ILs who get Med school clothes, plus I am making peppermint bark and peppermint mocha for them.

Mom gets some gluten free cookies and peppermint mocha.

Boys are getting 2 take along Thomas vehicles each, which I already got. All that is for the boys is a little people something for Henry and big boy legos for Tim. We will go shopping in a rush on Christmas eve, the next time we have someone who can watch the boys while we leave together.

Everyone else gets a card, and that's only siblings and one set of DH's cousins that we are close to. I am not willing to go into bankruptsy just to get everyone. I mean, my side alone is over 100, just siblings and 3 gens of neices and nephews.

Yeah - must know about Angie's party.

We're pretty much done - I think, though NOTHING has been shipped. I'm not good about shipping. It's really a downfall of mine.

[Meenah]

I've done nothing!!! Yesterday we got a tree and today I will start shopping. It will be very frugal this year.
Luanne

[SueC]

For some bizarre reason, I'm a little more on top of things this year than in previous years. I'm notorious for doing most of my shopping the day before, and have been known to ship packages by Valentine's. I shipped everything that needed to be shipped on Saturday (except for my in-laws since my dh has been unable to give me input on their gift ), have all the kids' presents, and all the other gifts except for a present for my dad.

Assembling the toys before Christmas? Brilliant!!

I am cautiously saying...I think I am done. We tempted fate and the Gods of Call and went shopping this weekend.

One more package to ship! Yeah!

My future SIL's family never wrapped any of the Santa gifts - they were all just sitting around the tree waiting to be played with. I just can't quite give up the paper and bows yet.

Last night, while wrapping everything else, I decided that Santa would be going with a bow-only look this year. And the presents from Santa are the over-sized, oddly-shaped and difficult to wrap items.

[DCJenn]

Done. But only because its an extra frugal year. I belong to a book club and I used all of my free points to buy everyone a book or two. Rick got two sweaters that were on sale plus we had a "friends and family" coupon. Nikolai is going to be inundated at his grandparents, so he's going to get an extra 25 bucks to the 529.

Jenn

[Rapunzel]

OK, rereading this thread I now know why I got my shopping done so quickly - we only buy gifts for our kids and each other. We don't do inlaws, my family, various friends and acquaintances or co-workers.

Good grief! If we did give gifts to all those people we'd be talking literally hundreds of gifts and thousands of dollars!

How do you people do it?!?

Jennifer

[mommax3]

Well, we are flat broke so I must be done! We set a budget and really worked hard and stuck to it, but in the future, it would sure be helpful if we didn't expect the money for Christmas to *magically* appear in December! We didn't have to use credit cards, so I guess that's a plus.

I got my last few things (present for an aunt and a gift card for DS #1's teacher) this morning. I am still working on my Christmas cards. I have baked eight mini-loaves of strawberry bread that I am giving to teachers. DS #2's class had a room mom that collected money for that teacher. All told, my kids have seven teachers, so each one is getting a mini-loaf of bread and either some Burt's Bees lip stuff (the young ones) or a little tube of hand lotion. Additionally, my oldest's homeroom teacher is also getting a $5 gift card from Barnes & Noble.

We buy for my mom, dad, stepmom, my grandma, my aunt, my 2 sisters, 1 half-sister, 1 half-sister's fiance, and 1 half-brother on my side. On DH's side, we buy for his mom and dad, and two other adults from that side (we draw names) plus my two nieces and one nephew. DH is getting two dvds and a gift certificate for a massage. Each of our children is getting three gifts and a few stocking stuffers. They will get plenty from other relatives, as well.

Christmas totally wears me out. More than anything else, it seems to totally fall to me.....I think because DH and I have different ideas of what constitutes an "ideal" Christmas in the first place, and also because he is on call during Christmas week about half of the time! DH did help me wrap a bunch of gifts last week, after telling his parents on the phone that "we" were wrapping presents and getting a dirty look since he hadn't done one thing. I still have a little more to do, but the worst of it is done.
The boys' last day of school is tomorrow, so I am hoping to have accomplished the rest of the wrapping, baking, and Christmas card assembling/mailing by the time they get out.

Sally

[Meenah]

I only buy for the kids and my Mom. My husband and I don't do anything really, just pay the bils together.
Luanne