I've actually been thinking of Christmas for a couple of weeks. i know what the majority of the gifts I'll be giving are, handmade fleece blankets and scarves. I made the blankets for 4 of my grandchildren last year, and everyone loved them and have asked for them, since they're easy to make i'm fine with it! And I found an easy 3 piece scarf to make, so some of the girls and women will be getting those, the guys the simpler cut and fringe ones. Joann's has the fleece 50% off every couple of weeks so I'll probably start buying it next month and save myself the hassle of dealing with holiday shoppers like last year.
As I was perusing the aisles at Target a few days ago I found one of the major gifts for my grandson whom I'm raising, a Lightening McQueen bicycle with training wheels, it will match the scooter he has : ) Of course I'm going to check the price out elsewhere and wait until it goes on sale in the fall, but at least I know I've found it. To top it off I purchased my first stocking stuffer, a 2-pack of die-cast Cars 2 cars that were clearanced at 1/2 price. And, I am constantly requesting samples of items I can use as stocking stuffers so already have a few of those stashed.
And a bonus is that thinking of Christmas actually cools me off, in my mind at least, lol!
So, anyone else out there thinking about or planning for Christmas 2012 yet?
What an excellent idea, Kami C, I love it! I've never thought of buying the gift cards and using them later for Christmas though I love using them, as a matter of fact i usually buy Amazon ones while in the supermarket since I buy something there at least every couple of months for me or my grandkids. I will definitely do this, I'm sure it will make everything easier ã‹¡
I'm with you, Sharon Z, I can't imagine trying to do this all in 4 weeks, either, too stressful for me!
Heidi W - I make lists instead of spreadsheets and cross off as I buy things and revise, but I like to keep my original list to see how it takes shape.
Jaycee - enjoy decorating your new home, I know how fun that is the first time!
Grandma T - what a "cool" idea, I like the way your father thinks!
Thank you ALL for sharing. I'm so glad to hear that I'm not the only one thinking of Christmas in July. I'm a planner by nature and it just makes sense to me.
But I can certainly understand those who don't...I saw my first "Back to School" commercial the day before the 4th of July, and I thought, wait, I don't want to think of back-to-school until the smoke from the fireworks clear! ã‹¡
I think we'll be watching some "Home Alone" and other Christmas movies before the end of the month, so maybe I'll bake a batch of a new Christmas cookie recipe I just came across (Chewy Rum Sugar Cookies) to snack on when we do!
My back to school shopping is done. Has been done since the week after school got out.
I shop for Christmas and birthday's throughout the year! you are NOT alone!! i seriously do NOT like the 'mad dash' to buy/spend in November. It drives me INSANE when I see a Christmas tree up in August. Come one- REALLY??? Let us get through Halloween FIRST!!!
YOU GO GIRL!!!
Oh dear no, I'm enjoying summer. Maybe it's a climate difference, but summer here is so short one doesn't want to waste a minute of warm weather thinking about winter holidays. I'd rather pretend that the cold weather will never come back and putting off holiday thoughts until things cool off in the fall helps keep that dream alive.
not christmas but i have been bugging my son about his halloween costume already - and my mom and i have been talking halloween party already! loooove halloween! :)
Always!
More typically in the form of singing Christmas Carols, however. A habit I picked up from my grandfather.
I kind of am too b/c I just saw THE COOLEST toys I want to get my boys for Christmas! I originally saw an add on TV for them but I just saw them at Target yesterday. They are called 'Trciky Stix' or something like that...basically they are BIG snap together building blocks only they are soft and flexible! My boys are going to have a blast building forts and rocket ships and space crafts and helicopters and robots and who knows what else. They are $60 each (ouch! but I think it will be worth it)...I think I will get each boy their own set so they will have plenty to build anything their lil' imaginations can come up with.
I am SO excited. I can not wait. Seriously....they are going to LOVE them!!!
~Just went and Googled them: They are made by Little Tikes and they are called TikeStixs...so cool!
Yep, starting to think about it. I have a few gifts already...Once I finish all of my back to school clothing and supplies obligations, I will start buying stuff...
Since the world is ending 12/21 (?) I'm not going to worry about it . . .
:P
We have been watching the Home Alone movies for the last 3 days.
Yep, most of my Christmas shopping is done, AND wrapped! I did it in the after Christmas sales to save money.
This is a great idea. I always start collecting gifts as I see them during the year (usually on sale) so by the time December rolls around I don't have to do much shopping!
With the heat the way it is now, I wish it was Christmas!
I'm not but my dad is, he sent me a pic of his house covered in snow from this last winter. He thought it would help me COOL down :)
My boy is 5 and I found that he changed his mind on some of the things I got early last year in August/September school sales. I decided to watch for stocking stuffers early, but big presents will be bought in Novemeber. I do get paid 3 checks in June or August, depending on the year. So this year, I put money for Christmas on a Walmart gift card, Target gift card, and Visa gift card. This way I'll have it and once the cards are out when we shop in November, that is our budget and the money is already set aside. We'll see how it works.
I'm usually at least halfway done by now. I cannot imagine the expense and hassle of only thinking about, and shopping for, Christmas for four weeks a year!!! I'm actually behind this year - as I was last year - and have hardly anything ready. I'm trying not to freak out about that.
in my big family we draw names. we usually do it in the summer so that everyone has a good opportunity to buy gifts for others and watch out for those sales. usually we do names in July. Sometimes as early as may. I love having names early because I do get most of my shopping done early. Ever since I was preggo and due in Nov. I have wanted to be done shopping by Thanksgiving. I usually wrap as I buy if the gift is complete too. My husband's family used to draw names at Thanksgiving. That year I was preggo I requested to his Aunt that we do it early. And they have ever since!
In my car my USB drive has all of my music so when it is on random Christmas songs do come on but I always skip them. My kids like watching hoilday movies anytime of year. I am always like, "But its not Christmas." I do not decorate until a week before Thanksgiving at the earliest. And we take it down on New Years. I will probably start planning my decorations this year though. This is our first year in our new (to us) house that we bought and closed on 12/30 last year! Last year I didnt get to decorate for Christmas so I really am looking forward to it this year.
You are not the only one! I've already made my spreadsheet (I'm a bit OCD and have a color coded spreadsheet for Christmas shopping) And I've already started to cross things off the list! Every year I start my shopping between July and August so that I am a little more than half way done on Black Friday and then I finish on Black Friday and I save a ton of money this way. I've already got the big gift coming from the big man for my 7 year old son. The smaller gifts will wait until after his birthday in October- it always sucks to buy something now and then he gets it for his birthday LOL. Good luck with your shopping and Happy Holidays! =D
Heck no!! One thing at a time!! Christmas shouldn't be made into a multi-month long irritation/stress attack. Not until after Thanksgiving and the trees and lights and the evidence must be gone by New Year's Eve (or the 26th for me). Christmas is obviously not my whole year.
I'm starting to pick things up here and there. I returned some of my son's unused party favors and in late May and picked up a couple of xmas gifts instead. I just ordered a couple of new Discovery Toys to have as samples for my business, since we have a sale going on, but I will keep them wrapped for now so my son can open them new in December. I always keep my eyes open for good deals and fun stuff.
We celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah every year, so I need a lot of gifts for my two kids! Many are small, but still.... it's a lot!!
