Christmas?

**MrsB** · 08-09-2006, 01:17 PM

Hi guys! I was wondering how do you handle Christmas shopping? Do you make most of your gifts, buy early on sale, etc?

Could we start a Christmas challenge? (or do you guys already do one closer to Christmas?) Something along the lines of only spending x amount on gifts, or something?

I already have all of the females we have to buy for done (Thanks to BBW's big Semi-Annual sale) but still have an extensive list to get for.

My whole is 10 brothers and sisters plus 4 parents, plus dh's 3 siblings, 3 parents, our best friends, and a couple of new babies.

**Buckeye5** · 08-09-2006, 01:23 PM

I am absolutely terrible at Christmas, but hoping to do much better this year.
We will be on a tight budget, so it will be challenging for me. DH and I haven't bought each other gifts for years, saves $$ and would rather buy things for others.

**Mom23boys** · 08-09-2006, 01:29 PM

I start buying presents right after Christmas. I find that is cheaper to purchase gifts right after Christmas when items are marked 75%-90% off!

I also look for sales throughout the year and keep a list of who I need to buy for and what I purchase. I have a gift closet where I keep all the items I purchase.

I am already finished with my list, except for my DH and my boys.

**MrsB** · 08-09-2006, 01:35 PM

Wow! Way to go Michelle!!!! I'm so jealous!

**AmyMCGS** · 08-09-2006, 01:46 PM

I save money on gifts by stocking my gift closet all year long, keeping running idea lists, etc. DH and I set $$ amounts for each person, and I try to get as much as I can for each person within that budget.

I have made gifts in the past-- mostly kitchen items, such as jar mixes, or themed baskets (Chinese cooking for my sister & her BF, Mexican night for my SIL & her BF). Those were very inexpensive using coupons for the grocery items.

In my family, we have name exchanges with my dad's side of the family, my mom's side, and, now, with my sisters/BIL. That saves a ton of $$- we buy four gifts per party, rather than 20+ per party!

A little offtopic, but... if you want to find some good Christmas challenges, go to the Organized Christmas website. You might want to join the free "Rudolph Club" http://organizedchristmas.com/article94.html-- you'll get an assignment year-round on the 25th of each month to keep you on track for Christmas. July's assignment was to pick a plan that you'll follow to get organized for Christmas (they list options). Another reminder was to check your craft supplies for gifts you plan to make and get busy on them.

**Cricket1** · 08-09-2006, 04:12 PM

I'm going to try to keep it under $200 this year. That should be difficult considering last year I spent approx. $1200. Here's what I'm changing--for my kids, I'll buy maybe three gifts each. My MIL is quite the shopper and gets each of my kids approx. 30 gifts each year. No lie--we've talked to her over and over again about it b/c most of the gifts go into the regift bin or the rainy day closet and we don't pull them out until May. I've used so many of their Christmas gifts as birthday gifts for classmates.

This year, I'm making my sister a yo-yo quilt that she's absolutely going to love. My other sisters are so easy to please that they will be grateful for anything I make them.

For my mom, I'll probably give her "gift certificates" for pedicures (done by me). I did that one year for her birthday and she loved them.

My husband is pretty simple and never even wants gifts. I might give him a few books or something like that.

I'm determined to stick w/ the $200., though. I hate credit card bills in January--that's no way to start the new year.

Probably too much info., but that's my Christmas in a nutshell.

**QuilterMom** · 08-09-2006, 04:25 PM

Here's an ongoing list that was started at the beginning of this year that you might want to join in - http://frugalvillage.com/forums/show...ight=Christmas

**Michelle68** · 08-09-2006, 04:30 PM

I'm bad about buying throughout the year for Christmas. I always plan to do it, but it never works out. That being said, we do well at saving for Christmas and we never put anything on credit, pay for it all with cash. I just keep kicking myself every year when Christmas comes around because I think of all the cash I could've saved if I'd been a smarter shopper.

--Michelle

**miss_thrifty** · 08-09-2006, 06:06 PM

i usually have somethings on layaway by now, but Im slow this year.
I only have MIL gift hurricane lamp. Ill put away in Septemberfor kids layaways at walamrt and zellers. Hubby is hard to get for, so maybe Ill just give him a basket full of stuff. razors , cologn, shaving cream , socks, etc.

**halloweenfreak** · 08-09-2006, 08:02 PM

ugh, i thought i was doing good. ive been hording stuff all year for coopers christmas and his bday (since its just a month later) and thought i was all but done. (have 1 present in layaway that only likes 30 being paid off) but the only thing hes asked santa for is an xbox video game. that ALL he wants santa to bring, this 60 dollar video game. only thing is, we dont own an xbox. and of course the system it takes to play this game is like 300 bucks! santa is a little worried over christmas this year.

**tervsforme** · 08-09-2006, 08:17 PM

Well, I'm certainly going to be on a tight budget this year. I'm going to be making table runners for gifts this year. I found a great book at a Thrift Sale and I had purchased some Christmas fabric after Christmas last year, so that's my plan. Joann's is having a big sale this weekend on Christmas fabric, so I think I'm going to go and get a little bit more to make sure I have enough and don't have to pay full price. I also do have a gift closet where I put stuff I find throughout the year.

Sounds like everyone is getting a head start! Great job!

**YankeeMom** · 08-09-2006, 08:19 PM

I'm not looking forward to Christmas. Just because we are soo soo soo broke it's not even funny. We only buy for our kids and our parents. But I think this year we aren't even buying for our parents, or each other. Just the kiddos.

Maybe I'll make something for our parents. If I have the time, between the kids' activities, school, and working.

Not to mention I have two kids' birthdays between now & Christmas. As well as dh's birthday and our 6th wedding anniversary

**peanut** · 08-09-2006, 09:37 PM

I try to keep within a $500 budget for everyone, our immediate family and extended family. That's 15 adults, 4 teens (that's 4 families, Mom, Dad and us).

I redeem Air Miles to spend on stocking stuffers purchased at Staples or Chapters. I pick things up at an annual craft sale done by local ladies. I make things for Christmas usually, or send family gifts. I've sewn, knit, cooked, baked, etc. for Christmas.

Jean

**Goodwin17** · 08-09-2006, 10:46 PM

I've been terrible at Christmas in the past. I hope I'm not too bad this year. I'm going to try to make a few items. Haven't started on anything yet though.

**ewokgirl** · 08-10-2006, 12:21 AM

I buy throughout the year. This works well for gifts for my sister's kids since they're all still pretty young. My sister has 4 girls, and I've already bought 3 out of 4 Christmas gifts. Two of their birthdays are in October, and I've bought a little bit for one of them. One birthday is in December, and her gift is already taken care of. The other birthday was in June, so obviously I've already bought and given that one.

I try to make stuff for the adults when I can. I made rice bags one year, which were not very pretty (my sewing skills are seriously lacking), but they were perfectly functional, and everyone liked them. Last year I made pretty notecards for the moms. Also made them for my sisters birthday.

Oh yeah. I already bought my sister's birthday gift (October). I found the absolute cutest pajamas at Target on super sale for only $6.48. Picked up a pair for me (I'm a jammie freak!), then went back realizing that my sister would like them, too. Easy peasy.

DH's niece is much harder (she'll be 15 this year). Birthday is around Christmas, and I'm usually buying last minute for her. I don't typically even know what she wants until I ask her at Thanksgiving. She's also very punk/emo, and I've always been totally preppy, so I have difficulty in understanding what it is that she likes. She's way into music, but I disapprove of much of what she listens to (I don't tell her this, though, since it's her parents' decision to let her listen to it, but I don't think that music that comes with parental advisory warnings is healthy for a young teen), so I don't feel right in giving her music gift cards when I know it will be used for stuff I don't approve of. *sigh* That makes things difficult. She loves Hot Topic, so I've given her a gift card for that before. No saving money with a gift card, though.

You know, I would totally welcome any suggestions for the niece above. LOL.
I love her to pieces, but I have no prayer of advance shopping for her at this point.