These are some good ideas! Thanks!
I already have most of my holiday shopping done. When I see something for DH or our kids, I just buy it and stash it away (and hope I donât forget!). We donât do a huge pilled of gifts, so itâs not hard to shop in advance.
Plus, when I see something that I think someone will really enjoy and use, why wait?
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You could do fanny packs like these for the girls.
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My 2 FL granddaughters have October birthdays and Iâm struggling with what to get them for birthday gifts. I have to get past that before I can think about Christmas gifts. I feel a little bah-humbug about buying stuff this year after getting rid of so much stuff in my summer move. I hope both kids will suggest some family experiences that I can buy for Christmas gifts.
Iâve learned the hard way if you want a specific advent theme/calendar⊠donât wait to order as they do sell out!
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Luluemon makes an Everywhere Belt Bag that is very popular. There are lots of knock offs as well.
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The one present Iâve bought so far is the Revlon dryer brush thing from Costco that everyone raved about last year! That one will be for my sister, and there are a few odds and ends Iâve picked up (books, sketchbook). But I need to come up with a plan, because I actually want more of the purchases to be conscious, thoughtful decisions rather than just so-and-so would like this, and that, and this other thing, and then just end up with a random assortment of gifts (which is what normally ends up happening).
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I actually am getting rid of things - her old hockey jerseys. Iâm saved them since she was 10, so thatâs one box of things out the door (and sheâll take the quilt âelsewhereâ (sheâs still at college).
I might get my other daughter a violin. She gave hers away when she left junior high but has been talking about wanting to play. I believe her boyfriend will KILL me and the dogs wonât be so happy either.
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omg @twoinanddone thank you! I have 2 boxes of tshirts that have been sitting in the attic waiting to be made into a quilt- when I get to it- now it looks as though it might actually happen!
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lol saw your post went to Amazon, typed bonn⊠and up popped âbonne maman advent calendar 2022â!
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Have to say that I was going to do it myself but Project Repat had a 50% off sale on labor day and it seemed so much easier to have them do it! I could have done it, put stablizer on each shirt (jersey), probably would have to piece the back (fleece) and then all that fuzz! They seem to have sales quite regularly. I got several coupons (FB, email) that were 15%, then 25%, then 40% and finally 50%. Because jerseys are bigger, I had to order the 14" block size. I just think theyâll do a better job than I would. I just have to cut the front from the back and cut off the sleeves, and send them in.
Sadly, I have plenty of fleece so it would have been nice to get some of that out the door too.
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Too early for me!
Iâm very conflicted about Christmas shopping this year. We are planning an international move in early 2023, so right now all my mental energy is focused on getting rid of stuff, not adding more. But Christmas is important in our family, and this will be the last Christmas in the home the kids grew up in, so . . . . I need to find the right balance. We live in Tokyo. Usually, many things are cheaper in the US and I can justify the shipping costs that way, but recently that doesnât work so well with shipping costs going through the roof. So when Macyâs posted an offer for $20 flat-rate shipping to Japan on top of some very nice sale prices, I pounced. I was able to get a beautiful new carry-on for my husband, lots of clothes I know people will actually wear and a few other things. I had earlier ordered a bunch of socks and underwear (my motherâs rule was that everyone gets underwear for Christmas and I havenât been able to break the habit). My kids like expensive socks and underwear, so it actually works out OK. We discovered Bombas last year thanks to CC, and my daughter loves them; my son wears mostly Balega running socks and Stance boxers (which are a hoot if you are not familiar with them). Husband gets Hanes, poor soul. Iâve also been stocking up on dog toys, as the dog is as close to a child as we have these days. I think the hardest thing for us - well, at least for me - will be the Christmas tree. Weâve had it for years, and it wonât be coming with us. It started out as one of those sad live Christmas trees with a tiny root ball, but somehow it has survived and prospered on our terrace. It actually may be too tall to fit into the living room this year, not sure how weâre going to deal with that. If itâs actually reached the end of its days, maybe itâs OK to lop off the top?
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I order some seasonal decor in USA for delivery to DD her new address there and from here busy with a care package which has some holiday things in it and kitchen things.
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I started as well â try to get done by Thanksgiving, so we can enjoy December doing fun things and eating too much.
Got an article of clothing for every kid at the back to school sales. Newly relocated couple will likely get membership to a local zoo, there. DiL is getting something from the Kitchen Arts& Letters bookstore (she is a foodie).
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Lop that tree! I think that is a wonderful tradition you have had to have/keep that tree and if this your last Christmas in this home, that tree should be part of it!
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We are gifting the kids cash so it will be small stocking stuffers for them. But for once I have some ideas for H. We are going on a cruise âdown underâ at the end of January so I plan to replace some of the worn, stretched out, stained, frayed polos he wears (not that he will get rid of the nasty onesâŠsigh) and buy him some decent shorts. We need coasters for our new house so I will get those too.
The only other people I buy for are 2 nieces (money), and now my new granddaughter. Of course I seem to be buying something for GD every week!
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I officially started Christmas âshoppingâ yesterday. I booked a condo for 4 days of skiing the week before Christmas at Mammoth for our family. We normally pay for a condo the week before Christmas somewhere and then again in March for some spring skiing for everyone. All of us have Ikon passes so we donât have to pay for any lift tickets. We have gone to Utah the last couple of years, but we all decided we wanted to go somewhere closer (6 hour drive versus 12 hours to Utah) this year. I booked early since we need a place that allows pets for D1 and her fianceâs husky. Now itâs time to start doing a snow dance for the Eastern Sierra here in the west!
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Gift giving stresses me out.
To make things easier, for my mom, in-laws, sister, brother-in-law, etc⊠(10 or so people) I like to give the same thing. Last year I got them all Yeti tumblers with their names on them. I havenât gotten an inspiration yet for this year. Hmmmm.
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I shop throughout the year whenever I find something that seems âperfectâ. I hate shopping during the holiday season. I usually put up my tree(s) over Thanksgiving weekend and have most of the gifts wrapped within the week or so following. Then I just enjoy it all.
A few years ago our extended family decided gift-giving was getting out of hand because none of us really âneedâ anything. So now we only do gifts for the kids and my parents. For everyone else we do stocking stuffers, most of which are along the lines of gag gifts. This has been a huge hit and so much fun.
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