Titus 2 Homemakers
The Craft Room => Christmas Club => : Cathie October 06, 2014, 06:37:06 AM
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:o :o :o :o
yup 79 days till Christmas 2014
I'll be laying on the floor trying to get over that shock
someone come and get me when they get up
:o :o :o :o :o :o
ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh some girl needs a plan like NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Question ~
How do you all plan on dealing with the high costs for baking?
I went to buy butter it's $5 a pound here --- no not organic, just regular old butter!?!?!?!
I am thinking I may need a new plan for my treats this year, although I will probably try and just figure out a way to deal with it. I only do certain ones at the holidays and I think we would all be pretty said if I didn't
Just wondering if anyone else has though of this
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Let's just say I'm not prepared in any way, shape, or form! :P :D
I have 2 gifts for Emily, but she already knows about them. I know what I'm getting the grandbabies and that's about it.
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Lions and tigers and bears, OH MY!! 79 days.......that is frightening right now. :o Cathie, why did ya have to go and put the number out there for all to see ;D? I used to be done with Christmas by Thanksgiving. As of today, not one thing bought. :P Hadn't even given it a thought.........until now. Thanks for the wake up call. ;)
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Lions and tigers and bears, OH MY!! 79 days.......that is frightening right now. :o Cathie, why did ya have to go and put the number out there for all to see ;D? I used to be done with Christmas by Thanksgiving. As of today, not one thing bought. :P Hadn't even given it a thought.........until now. Thanks for the wake up call. ;)
;D ;D that's what I a here for ;) :-* :-*
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I think I may have a plan, but not quite sure about that. :o
My plan is to go as cheap as possible. ;D
I am trying to get over my hang-ups on giving used items for gifts. I will be buying the kids new gifts but they will also be getting nice used things.
For example, a friend of Sam's has a table top drill press that he is giving away. We are going to get that from Brian and it will be part of Aaron's Christmas. Our plans for the rest of Aaron's gifts is to watch Harbor Freight for sales and coupons and get him a nice tool box. Sam will put tools in it that we find at yardsales. If he gets his house, I will probably get him a Netflix subscription/gift card too.
I haven't really thought about Caylon. She's the easiest of my kids to buy for so I'm not stressing about her.
Lainey is getting a pair of Childrens Place pajamas that have sock monkey on them. They are brand new, still with the tags on them $15.00 pj's that I got at Once Upon a Child for $3.00. She will also get a set of books (probably Trixie Belden) and something else..... ::)
The boys....I have no idea. They should be easy though.
I am beginning to pick up baking supplies when I do my grocery shopping and putting them away for Christmas goodies. That's about the only way I know to have what I need and not have to take out a second mortgage to get them.
79 days, huh?? That's exciting, scary, depressing and nerve wracking all rolled up together.
Beth
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Beth ~
you seem like you have a good plan together. I hope Aaron's gets his house -- I think that is an awesome gift for him
I think you are right I need to just budget some "baking" money into my already existing grocery budget and put it away. I need to start making things accordingly - people keep using my stuff for other things ..... it's getting a wee bit frustrating!
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I think I may have a plan, but not quite sure about that. :o
My plan is to go as cheap as possible. ;D
I am trying to get over my hang-ups on giving used items for gifts. I will be buying the kids new gifts but they will also be getting nice used things.
For example, a friend of Sam's has a table top drill press that he is giving away. We are going to get that from Brian and it will be part of Aaron's Christmas. Our plans for the rest of Aaron's gifts is to watch Harbor Freight for sales and coupons and get him a nice tool box. Sam will put tools in it that we find at yardsales. If he gets his house, I will probably get him a Netflix subscription/gift card too.
I haven't really thought about Caylon. She's the easiest of my kids to buy for so I'm not stressing about her.
Lainey is getting a pair of Childrens Place pajamas that have sock monkey on them. They are brand new, still with the tags on them $15.00 pj's that I got at Once Upon a Child for $3.00. She will also get a set of books (probably Trixie Belden) and something else..... ::)
The boys....I have no idea. They should be easy though.
I am beginning to pick up baking supplies when I do my grocery shopping and putting them away for Christmas goodies. That's about the only way I know to have what I need and not have to take out a second mortgage to get them.
79 days, huh?? That's exciting, scary, depressing and nerve wracking all rolled up together.
Beth
Beth, do they still have those or did you find them used somewhere? I was given a whole set of those that my cousin had out grown. That was probably 25 years ago. :o Some of the few books I enjoyed. If Lainey likes those, she might like some of the Ramona Quimby books too.
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Rooney,
I have about a dozen Trixie Belden books packed up from my own childhood collection. I was hoping to find a few more in good condition from thrift stores or online used book sites. Our small thrift store on Main Street has a huge book room with floor to ceiling shelves filled with books. Right now they have a "fill a bag for $4" sale going on. I hope to be able to get over there and find some good books for her. She is in 1st grade but reading on a 3rd grade level and she loves mysteries.
Beth
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You're trying to add to my anxiety by posting this, aren't you :P
No plan.. gotta get through "birthday season" for us first. ;)
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You're trying to add to my anxiety by posting this, aren't you :P
No plan.. gotta get through "birthday season" for us first. ;)
Erica ~
I'm just sharing the joy ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
I need to plan for 3 birthdays as well :o :o :o :o :o
I'm going back to sucking my thumb in the corner
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I have 11 birthdays between the 23rd of this month and the beginning of December... eeeeekkkkk!
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I have 11 birthdays between the 23rd of this month and the beginning of December... eeeeekkkkk!
oh I wasn't counting others --- 3 in this house, out of 5 :P ;)
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Beth I had the whole set of Trixie books and loved them. Had them stored in a large green bag when we moved as kids and my gramma threw them out thinking it was garbage :'(
What #'s do you have.... I could always check out up here and see if I could find any?
Cathie I do the same for my Xmas baking. I make a list of what I need and start picking up 1 or 2 items with my normal groceries. Once Xmas hits I usually have most of it here waiting.
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I have 11 birthdays between the 23rd of this month and the beginning of December... eeeeekkkkk!
oh I wasn't counting others --- 3 in this house, out of 5 :P ;)
that includes 3 of the 4 of us here.. its madness
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I am almost done with all of my Christmas shopping! I started realllllly early! And I've been creative with making some gifts as well! I need to purchase 1 or 2 more for Chad then some stocking stuffers for him and that is it. As for the goodies, I am watching ads and picking up what I can afford when i find a rock bottom price! To be honest, though, now that I pretty much have the gifts out of the way, it will be easier to focus on the baking and dinners, etc. I will have more wiggle room with the gifts done. I like to make fudge, cookies, pumpkin rolls, hard tack candy and chocolate covered pretzels for Christmas goodie tins. I'm finding pumpkin for .89 a 15 oz. can. Thats a good deal here, so I am trying to stock up on that.
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I have 11 birthdays between the 23rd of this month and the beginning of December... eeeeekkkkk!
oh I wasn't counting others --- 3 in this house, out of 5 :P ;)
that includes 3 of the 4 of us here.. its madness
hahahahahhaha glad to know it's not just my house ;)
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I ignored this post yesterday. 😄
Being laid up in bed for so long has given me the opportunity to do some online shopping. I have at least one gift for each child as well as a few for Doug and his aunt, nieces and a close friend. Finances are tight so there won't be a whole lot of gifts this year. I have gotten some good deals and hope to continue to do so.
Denise
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Being in decluttering/minimizing mode, Earl and I were discussing this the other night when we walked alone. We're planning to do an experience gift for the kids but are not sure yet what that will be. And whether it will be one trip/experience for the whole family or individual ones. I have asked my mom various times for no more toys ( I always get lectured after she visits about my kids having too much stuff and they really don't have all that much) but she says that kids should get toys. So, if she won't stop giving them, I will. :) I find with them being in school, they need even less because they have less time to play with them and get bored.
For my parents, unless they ask for something specific, I will probably do gift cards as well. They travel a lot and always can use restaurant cards. My dad might want some hiking gear so we'll see.
Still have some teacher gifts to finish up but have a start on those, at least.
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Catherine, my parents do the same......toys, toys and more toys. The thought is nice, but the littler ones get overwhelmed and don't take care of them (they get broken or pieces missing). The toys aren't made that well nowadays anyway and don't hold up. Example, year before last they bought an air hockey table (a so called "good" one) and 6 months afterwards the motor went bad. Motor cost as much as a new table. Last year they got indoor basketball (like in arcades) and same thing happened, the electronics went out. Not to mention all the toys that have lots of pieces. They get mixed up......and who knows after that. :P I think they should get a few things they want and will take care of instead, but mark my words, Christmas Eve will roll around and they will back up the toy truck. ;D I really don't mind, if that is what they want to do, but I do mind when they are upset when the toys break or get lost. :P
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I agree with yall. I had kind of gotten out of the "toy thing" since my kids are grown but then the grandkids started appearing and up until July, they all lived here and the toys were out of control. I much prefer "experience gifts" over toys.
Last year Sam and I got the grandkids a trampoline for Christmas. It is a gift that they all share and it is NOT IN MY HOUSE. 😃
My sister got my three little ones a membership to a science center that Caylon and Lainey have used many, many times. Holden and Evan have gone also but with Lainey being older and able to read there is more there for her to enjoy. Matter of fact Lainey is having her birthday party there on Saturday and Caylon got a significant discount on the party because of the membership.
Sam and I have discussed a swing set or fort type jungle gym for Lainey and Evan at their new house. I saw one in someone's front yard for sale the other day but by the time Sam and I could get back by the house it was gone. 😩. We will just have to see how it all plays out at yard sales or people's front yards. 😀
Beth
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We're going to do what we have done in the past couple of years and give nothing to our kids. They are all college kids yet so by helping them pay for that is a huge gift. They understand that.
We have never had extended family gift giving Christmases except for the pass-around gift game. My kids buy their own pass-around gift and that pretty much is it for us.
Kind of sad in a way but with no extra money this has to be the way it is. Even hubby and I don't give each other gifts anymore.
When the kids are done with college and find their mates and have kids, I think that will change but for now we don't have that so we just get through the season with music, lights, and just being together.
Alice
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Alice, we pretty much do the same as you. We buy for Emily (she's 10) and for the grandchildren. That's about it. My husband and I don't exchange gifts but will sometimes buy something we need for the house. Besides, the being together is the best part of Christmas to me.
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Beth (and anyone with boys in their families) - Have you seen the JM Cremps Adventure Catalog for Boys?
http://www.jmcremps.com/
They have very cool things. There may be some fun things for your grandsons. :D