With all of the supply issues because of Covid, has anyone started to do their Christmas/Hanukkah shopping? I have gotten each of my 3 DD’s a Thermoworks instant read thermometer, Christmas ornaments for 3 of my grandsons and the Lenox Christmas ornaments for DD1. If people don’t give me a list soon, I will probably end up giving everyone money, although I don’t really like doing it.
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This year, like last, will be a year of donations in the recipient’s name, to a worthy charity of their choice. No one I know or love needs/wants anything and there are far too many struggling and suffering - most of last year’s went to animal rescues that seem to be bursting with Covid pet returns (people that adopted pets during the height of Covid-days, and are now turning them in). Heartbreaking. (edited to add) There were a few for social-rights groups as well. Really good causes.
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We’ve definitely started. I think supply line issue will only grow. Better get started!
Yep, I’ve started too.
I shop all along. I need to actually get into it all and sort it out.
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Not yet but planning to start soon. Not buying much this year as we’re doing a big vacation to Hawaii and my DD is studying overseas so won’t be home for the holidays.
Amazon already has some teaser sales…
I have started. I have a few things for DD and her husband, and some things for our son.
DH is getting coal in his stocking until I get my Hawaiian vacation tickets!
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Not yet; but we are starting to pick and choose photographs for our Christmas card.
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I’ve been thinking about the supply chain issues and holiday gifts. I have one kid who will give me a detailed list. She actually is already sending me ideas. My other two are not great at giving me ideas early and I usually scramble last minute.
We are all lucky that we don’t want or need much aside from the horse 
owner. Her list is always long and $.
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I’ve offered to upgrade both kids’ iphones, and maybe H’s as well. That will be the majority of their Xmas, and we will purchase those around Thanksgiving. H bought a couple of little things, and I bought them some sharpie pens for their stockings. We will probably shift our focus to Xmas pretty soon. Older S is hard because his (and GF) apartment is tiny and full. They don’t have room for anything!
@mom60 D2 is leasing a horse and back into riding over the past year. I think most of her list will be new things for riding as well as helping her buy new downhill skis. All of her stuff for Christmas will be $$!
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I’ve begun buying some bits and bobs. Last year we all got new phones and just some little items to open on Christmas day and it was perfect and easy. Thinking about buying the teens a few shares in companies they frequent this year. They have everything they need (not necessarily want but that’s another story).
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When we saw the news about supply chain issues H and I looked at each other and remarked about how it’s a good thing that we’ve never been big Christmas “gift” people. Our kids can use money and will get money along with plane tickets and “free” lodging with us in Feb if they want to join us in the USVI for a time period. With one set moving to Puerto Rico in Jan, the last thing they need is more stuff.
Even when our kids were very young they only got one gift from mom & dad (joint gift) and one from Santa. Despite this they still grew into fine young adults. We never bought into the Christmas boatload of gift giving idea that evolved somewhere along the line in the relatively recent past.
As long as there’s candy to fill stockings, we’re set.
The rest of y’all can keep the economy trucking along. 
(aka, not a condemnation on my part because I firmly believe in live and let live when what one is doing doesn’t affect another)
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We are very low key on Christmas gifts. We usually gift our kids (age 25 and 30) and SIL with cash or one large item and then stocking stuffers. That’s all. I opted out of the family gift buying (H’s family) decades ago and there are only 2 nieces on my side who are sill in school (college). I send them money and everyone is happy.
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Supply chain issues for gifts (holiday or otherwise) are a even greater reason to shop local.
Yesterday I was out of town and stopped at an amazing pottery store. I bought D1 a beautiful bowl for her bday. She is the one who recommended I stop at this store and says she loves everything in it. Well, I hope she loves this bowl! (for her November day)
Point being, I never shop early but will largely order online or buy local gearing purchases both on our kids “wishlists” and things/places I know they love that are local shops. Even gift cards will be local and places they can splurge their own choice - like for my daughters, local to their town plant shops.
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Also Christmas trees, both real and artificial, are projected to be in shorter supply and more expensive this year.
Balsam Hill trees are on sale at Nordstrom. Just saying. 
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I just received a huge box of gifts that I shipped from the US to Japan. It’s kind of crazy as half of them will end up being carried back to the US, but I do it every year. My family didn’t have a lot of money when I was growing up, but Christmas was the big holiday and there were always lots of presents - not necessarily, actually definitely not, expensive presents, but lots of them, to be opened on Christmas Eve, German style. When my Japanese (now) husband visited my family at Christmas for the first time, he was amazed - even the dog got probably ten presents - but he loved it, and we have just kept on doing the same thing. This will probably be our last Christmas in the house (apartment) the kids have grown up in, so it will be bittersweet. Our tree is now more than five years old. We bought it at the supermarket with one of those tiny rootballs, and it somehow survived and prospered - it barely fits into the living room now. I will be very sorry to leave that tree behind.
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I got some presents at the Nordstrom anniversary sale in July. I have told the kids they better send lists soon, but so far nothing. My son said it may be a “cash only” season for him (meaning he can’t think of anything he wants), and my step-daughter always manages to come up with quite a list. Last year we convinced extended family to do donations instead of gifts. One part of family has agreed to do that again this year.
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