Already thinking about Christmas next year.

**kabin63** · 12-24-2006, 10:12 PM

We exchanged most of gifts today with family. I got to thinking about which things I most appreciated from outside immediate family. Guess which ones? I liked the food gifts best. Why? They are mostly frugal, tasty and it's nice to be remembered.
So, now I am thinking about what I want to do for next year. I know, it's only christmas eve, but I want to plan for next year. It was hard to come up with the money to get a few things this year. I don't want to be in that place again.
Now, I like to knit, so making a scarf is no big deal, nor a hat for that matter. But, with 8 grandkids and and so many family members to think about I want to start now. I know, I could hit the after christmas sales, but no money at this point.
Anyway, this is my mind and I just needed to talk about it.
Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

**marei** · 12-25-2006, 02:24 PM

I think we should start a Christmas thread right after the New Year and keep each other on our toes and be really organized next year instead of leaving it until December to worry about it.

**redmaples** · 12-25-2006, 02:45 PM

Great Idea for the Christmas thread,
I'll be watching out for it..
Even though you don't have extra $ now to spend, you can start saving.
I started a Christmas Club account at my bank a few weeks ago with just $10..
even a specially designated change jar would do for now.
throughout the yard sale season last year i collected up a bunch of nice baskets for gift baskets...though I'd planned on baking goodies, they turned into breakfast & fruit gift baskets instead.
One very nice gift I received was a basket of goodies from the health food store..teas, pancake mix, noodles, crackers, soy milk,juice with some pretty towels & a colorful pot holder.

Lots of good ideas we can share..especially the favorite gifts

**oct2667us** · 12-25-2006, 08:48 PM

I think that is a great Idea too . I have been thinking what I need to do to stay ready for next christmas.

**danni** · 12-25-2006, 09:30 PM

Me too!! I've started my lists and have a few stocking stuffers(found them dirt cheap last week).

**AmyBoz** · 12-25-2006, 09:56 PM

I've definitely been thinking about how to pare down and simplify Christmas next year. The two biggest things I want to do for sure is to pay cash for Christmas next year...all cash, and to not go crazy at the last minute, which is what I tend to do.

**auntie2many** · 12-25-2006, 10:20 PM

Earlier in December, I bought four books that were on special for $6.00 each to give to friends next year for Christmas.

All of the gifts were appreciated, but some highlights were a gift card to Olive Garden, so now dh and I can go there for New Year's Eve. We always go to dinner out on New Year's Eve, but this year finances were really slim, so we appreciated that gift. Another appreciated gift was a box of greeting cards. I send alot of cards. Also cash was appreciated because we just got a used (but new to us) car last week. It is a late 1980's model, so it does need a few things and that money will help us do the necessary things. Also a friend knew that I was going to be getting bed sheets in January, so she sent me some money towards the sheets as a gift. I also love to read, so I got a few books.

It seems this year that everyone put thought into what was most useful or liked instead of just getting any old gift because they drew our names.

I would like to mail all gifts by the beginning of November like I did this year. That took so much stress off of me. Especially because I came down sick a few weeks this month and last month and to know that anything that needed to be mailed had already gone out was such a relief.

**autumnlynn** · 12-25-2006, 10:29 PM

I like the idea of a Christmas thread for next year. I don't know about you, but I am totally exhausted. It hit me today like a ton of bricks. I had a stomach bug about a week ago and both of my kids got it, but thankfully they were over it by Christmas Eve.

I would really like to get things done throughout the year so I'm not so frazzled by the time Christmas gets here.

**bumplett** · 12-25-2006, 10:31 PM

I like the idea of collecting baskets throughout the year to use as christmas baskets - I'll try that!

my only problem w/ buying gifts too early, how do you buy for the kids ? Their tastes change so quickly!
DH has ten children in his family tree (under the age of 18) not counting OUR kids ! ~~ wow, that sounds bad ~~ meaning dh has siblings, who have kids.... combined total is ten!

This was the first year that I didn't buy one gift for each child! ((because I wasn't home)) I have tried for 3 years in a row to talk the inlaw siblings into drawing names out of a hat or SOMETHING --- but noone wants to change anything ..... ugg.....

**Mom23boys** · 12-25-2006, 10:52 PM

I am already thinking about Christmas next year too. It seems to come around before we expect it. I try to keep a gift closet stocked throughout the year. I keep a Christmas list of who I want to buy for and then fill it in with what I purchased through the year and add it to the gift closet, which consist of totes in my closet. By October, I am usually finished and I am not paying out huge amounts of money all at once because I spread it out during the year.

**slowtypinwoman** · 12-26-2006, 10:22 AM

Like Amy, my goal for next year is an all cash Christmas. The problem with that is we do a lot of internet shopping. I really like the ease of doing that.

**grneyegrl** · 12-26-2006, 10:56 AM

i also plan to start my christmas shopping early,today as a matter of fact..i plan to go to wally's world and get kiddie bathe stuff. my niece and little boy i babysit will love getting this stuff..its bath cranons, foam, ect. i can get a lot of it for 50 cent or so and the bath sets for adult ladies..i get these to give out though out the year,

**Buckeye5** · 12-26-2006, 11:07 AM

I like that idea too. I also, did a good bit of shopping at amazon. It is so convenient. I will be thinking about frugal gifts too.

**suzysaver** · 12-26-2006, 11:58 AM

Great idea. My mom always gives a large gift bag full of little items (it's like a stocking) through out the year she picks up little things: candles, dish towels, pot holders, lotions, bubble bath, ect. she just keeps adding things to the bag .....I just love all those little things and it's so much fun. She only does this for the girls and I am thinking about starting one for my husband for next year. It seems like it would be easier to do an item a month for the next year ...then trying to figure something out in the last month and coming up with the money. My father makes gift giving easy and has for the last 10 or so years...Cash !!! I only shop for my 2 nieces and 1/2 their gift was a $10 gift card. For my parents we give pictures (mom says, "there is no better gift").