Ît's 7 mónths until Christmas ... started to shop?

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

A friend of mine on Facebook mentioned that it's exactly seven months until Christmas, and that her shopping was nearly halfway completed. (She's also making some quilts, too, it seems.)

This had me wondering ... has anyone else started preparing for holiday gift giving? Or are you at least putting money into a Christmas Club or something similar? Will you can homemade jams this summer for holiday gifts in December?

Or are you Bah Humbuggy about the whole thing?

[cronewitch]

Bah Humbug, I don't do gifts unless ideas appear magically.

[qofcc]

I don't start actively working on a plan until early fall, but if I run across appropriate stocking stuffers on clearance sale or a yard sale or something, I'll pick them up. DG is the only child under 18 I need to buy for.

[daisylu]

When the kids were small it was easy to shop year round, but as they start getting into the teenage years it gets harder. Last year, my kids hit me hard with electronics so i waited until very late to make sure that nothing "better" came along.

I will buy stocking stuffers throughout the year. We also do a lot of gift cards.

[Savoir Faire-Demogague in NJ]

What? I have not even gather ingredients to make home made baked beans this summer. LOL

[TD2K]

Christmas shopping? Ack

[cme1201]

Someone need to set this thread on fire. I have 3 kids and 4 b-day's before christmas, I'll start thinking about christmas shopping on or about December 20th.

Think that's waiting too long?

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

You've gotta be kidding me!

I'm not anywhere near this organized!

[happyscooter]

yes on the shopping, yes on the cc account (opened at a credit union) and yes on the cc money stuck in a little bank. (that will be used for stocking stuffers).

Go ahead. Flame away.

[swamp]

You're kidding me, right? There is no way in hell I'm spendign time Christmas shopping when I can be outside enjoying the spring and summer weather.

[Deleted]

If I see something I pick it up and put it on my gift shelf.

[ohmomto2boys]

Christmas crossed my mind, but no- I have not started shopping. My boys b-day's are 5/30 & 6/9 - I haven't even done the shopping for those yet.

[Gardening Grandma]

Christmas shopping? Gag me. I'd rather have a root canal without novocain.

Saving for Christmas? Sure. My cc rewards go into my Christmas fund and I add $35 each month as well.

I don't have many to shop for anyway. Trimmed the list down a number of years sgo. G'kids are teenagers and will probably want electronics which I can order online in Nov. I haven't done stocking stuffers since my own kids grew up.

I DO keep my eye open during the year for something special for DH....

[ontrack]

OT, but does anyone know why proboards sometimes puts weird accents on the titles (e.g. the carrot over the I and accent on o on this post). I noticed it earlier as well. Or it might just be my computer.

[973beachbum]

Just a few things that will be stocking stuffers that were a screaming deal. Sure beats going shopping at 3AM on Black Friday.

[Deleted]

ontrack - I think it is just your computer.

I'm just trying to stay on top of graduation and wedding season, so no Christmas shopping for me. Homemade jam is my go to hostess gift though, and it is almost time to get cracking on that. But I still have a little time before fruit is in season in my neck of the woods.

[giramomma]

Yup, I've been working on Christmas. I pretty much have a list down of who is getting what. One of my kid's was born close to Christmas, so I have double duty in planning. And, yes, I start this early to look for good deals. Buying throughout the year helps ease the end of the year bill paying crunch.

I like to have the shopping done by Thanksgiving. That gives me enough time to do all the rest of the family Christmas stuff: baking/decorating cookies, decorating the house, seeing lights, the school christmas concerts, pictures (we do them once a year), cards, adopting a needy family, family visits, making christmas dinner, attending religious services, etc.

If I don't start early, it doesn't get done.

[Deleted]

December is a really busy time for us as well. I prefer to have my shopping done by then.

[Deleted]

I can't buy gifts early. I always end up giving them early and then having to buy more gifts.

[Anne_in_VA]

I have a few things bought but I'll do the bulk of my shopping by the beginning of December. I used to have everything done by Thanksgiving, but with the kids out of their teens, it's harder to buy for them ahead of time.

[mawmawandlovingit]

May 25, 2011 9:50:50 GMT -5 @justaposter said:

I can't buy gifts early. I always end up giving them early and then having to buy more gifts.

Oh my, this is me as well......I always buy early then end up giving it ALL to my kids before Christmas and then I have to start over!!

[Deleted]

May 25, 2011 7:58:08 GMT -5 swamp said:

You're kidding me, right? There is no way in hell I'm spendign time Christmas shopping when I can be outside enjoying the spring and summer weather.

iphone or laptop and wireless and you can do both! although I will say that I start my shopping around december 1st and do it online so I don't exactly follow my own advice.

[dancinmama]

May 25, 2011 8:25:05 GMT -5 Gardening Grandma said:

Christmas shopping? Gag me. I'd rather have a root canal without novocain.

gardeninggrandma: Now, there's something we can agree on.

Two years ago, some of the younger family members could not afford all the gifts for everyone so we decided to draw names. So DH and I buy (1) $50 gift each for whoever we draw. We also buy for my mom and DS. That's about it.

DH and I usually don't exchange formal gifts, but we do make a list of things that we need to replace around the house (electronics, small appliances, large appliances, clothes, etc.) and look for killer Xmas sales on those things and pick them up if/when we find them at the right price.

[midjd]

I have a few "all-purpose" gifts (nice candles or reed diffusers) but I haven't really started thinking about it yet. December - April is birthday season in our families, so I'm about gifted out at this point!

We just moved to a new city and there are a couple of great microbreweries and a gourmet marshmallow shop here, so I think a lot of the people on my list are going to end up with marshmallows and beer ;D It is hard to go wrong with food and/or booze in either family!

[Martivir]

Just started myself. Found an old apron and a estate sale for my dad and am slowly gathering materials for stuff I want to make. Plus I have a little niece or nephew due around then so I need to get cracking on those projects as well.

[thyme4change]

Christmas shopping? Is it December 21st already?

[thyme4change]

No - actually, what we do is the second Wednesday of December my husband and I both take a vacation day. We spend all day at the mall, we do a little shopping in the morning, and then we stop for lunch and drink a whole bunch, and then finishing up is really easy. Things always look better, and money flows so much easier when you've had a few. When we sober up, we go home.

[rmtvbrooks]

I have my two kids (ages 12 and 13) and a niece (12) and two nephews (8 and 10) to buy for. The adults stopped swapping gifts a long time ago (kind of dumb to exchange restaurant gift certificates!). I found a Wii on sale the other day, so I went ahead and got it. The kids were with me, so they saw it. I told them "Merry Christmas early!". They'll probably get a couple of new games for it for Christmas. I also have DS's birthday a month before Christmas and DD's 10 days after! So I do have to plan ahead. I do already have a music box with horses on it that I bought for DD; I was out of town and spotted it, so I bought it while I had the chance. I was planning on doing a Wii for us for Christmas anyway, so they just got it early. I do set some aside in a special savings account throughout the year. I do alot of my Christmas shopping online...saves me fighting the crowds! I sometimes get much better deals, too.

[philly1]

How long does it take to put cash in an envelope? ;D

[illinicheme]

I'm at a stage of life where my gift-giving obligations are minimal, so I don't start thinking about Christmas shopping until much much much later in the year. (November at least. I've got to get through DH's birthday in October first.)