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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Nov 15, 2021 11:23:02 GMT
I just realized how close it is to Thanksgiving, and even Christmas, and I've done nearly nothing yet. This year, I have to carry the holiday for everyone.
Thanksgiving I'm not too worried about because it's just food. What I don't want to cook, I will buy.
Christmas however... Yikes, I need to start buying gifts.
So, how are you doing with it so far?
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muggins
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,861
Jul 30, 2017 3:38:57 GMT
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Post by muggins on Nov 15, 2021 11:27:35 GMT
I haven’t done anything. Not a one gift. I have a very small family and no one wants or needs anything. So that makes it easier for me.
We’ve been invited to a friends house for thanksgiving so I have to make two side dishes. I’ll decide next week what I want to make.
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sueg
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,407
Location: Munich
Apr 12, 2016 12:51:01 GMT
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Post by sueg on Nov 15, 2021 11:31:12 GMT
I have just packed a box of Christmas presents which is going to be mailed to Australia later today or tomorrow. I haven't thought about what I am getting DH, who near impossible to buy for. I will start on Christmas baking soon - my Christmas cake and pudding need to be made at least a month in advance, to allow it to mature properly.
I don't have to worry about Thanksgiving, as we don't celebrate it.
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Post by mikklynn on Nov 15, 2021 11:39:52 GMT
I have a few small items, plus DH's gift purchased. I'll need to get lists from people pretty soon.
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Post by oliquig on Nov 15, 2021 12:06:54 GMT
I’m done except a bottle of gin for my dad and a gc for my sister. And a couple of small stocking stuffers.
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Post by sawwhet on Nov 15, 2021 12:10:47 GMT
I have most of it done but I keep getting off track with the sales arriving into my email each day. So many sales. I must stop buying stuff for me
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momto4kiddos
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,153
Jun 26, 2014 11:45:15 GMT
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Post by momto4kiddos on Nov 15, 2021 12:32:26 GMT
Ugh, I got off to a good start and pretty much made a plan for gifts (ie, what type/how many gifts for adult kids type of thing.) I have it mostly under control except I want to give each kid a "fun" type gift...and I need ideas for that. Ideas always slow me WAY down.
I just realized that Thanksgiving is next week not two weeks from now, ugh! My kids were just yesterday trying to make a plan to do Thanksgiving on a day other than Thanksgiving since almost none of them can do it on Thanksgiving. I need to get my act together in a big way!!
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maryannscraps
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,790
Aug 28, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
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Post by maryannscraps on Nov 15, 2021 12:37:41 GMT
I've bought a couple Christmas gifts, and made dinner reservations for Thanksgiving. We're starting a kitchen and bath renovation next Monday. It should be complete on 12/17, which is when both my kids and the SOs are arriving for Christmas week.
Hahahahahaha -- we all may be staying in a hotel, although our contractor is fantastic, and all supplies have arrived. At the very least, I'll have help decorating and putting back my kitchen stuff.
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Post by dewryce on Nov 15, 2021 13:24:32 GMT
I have a detailed Thanksgiving schedule of what needs to be done daily starting the weekend prior, as well as a few items that can be done before then, so no planning to be done. All the food is purchased except what need to be fresh. So my plan is to start getting the house deep cleaning done thIs week.
As for Christmas, we just met up with the in-laws for a picnic for DH’s 50th yesterday and sent all of their gifts with them just in case things with COVID take a bad turn after Thanksgiving and we decide not to attend. Most other gifts are stocking stuffers are purchased and wrapped, we just have 3 more to get I think. Our Christmas cards are made, we just need to write a quick note and address them. I’m also hoping to get that completed this week to mail out the day after Thanksgiving, we send out less than 20 so I’m hopeful.
We are in the middle of having some issues with the house taken care of, and repainting quite a bit of it so are trying very hard to get everything taken care of ahead of time, especially as we may be moving out for a short while.
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Post by worldwanderer75 on Nov 15, 2021 13:44:44 GMT
We are hosting a large group of DHs family for thanksgiving. 33 people, most which live out of state. Luckily, it is a family of awesome cooks so I only have to do a few items for dinner. We just moved into our house so we are trying to get a few small house projects done before everyone comes which we will continue to work on until the Wednesday before thanksgiving when everyone shows up.
I'm almost completely done shopping for my 4 kids. I still need a few things for stockings. DH and I aren't really doing gifts this year due to all the moving related expenses. Not sure what we're doing for our moms. I usually give my MIL play tickets but we spent Christmas with her last year and she totally ignored the expensive play tickets we got her and she oohed and ahhed over the mugs/mousepad/calendars with fam pictures on it that others gave her. So she'll be getting something like that this year. Still need to order our Christmas cards.
Good thread, I have more to do than I thought!
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twinsmomfla99
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,078
Jun 26, 2014 13:42:47 GMT
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Post by twinsmomfla99 on Nov 15, 2021 13:58:11 GMT
One DD is very easy to buy for--she has a lot of interests for me to pull ideas from. For example, her love of the Golden Girls has led to this gift under the tree this year. She also has an apartment and generally has something on her list for her kitchen each year. This year it is a new set of knives. I plan to have all of her gifts wrapped by Thanksgiving because she won't be home for Christmas. I will send those home with her, and we will Zoom on Christmas morning. Twin A has an apartment this year as well, and she has asked for "adulting things." One thing on her list is a tire inflator/battery charger--LOL she is so practical. So basically, she is easy to shop for this year because she needs a lot of things, and she is certainly not against getting appliances. Twin B still lives at home. She is really into Orange Theory Fitness and has been losing a lot of weight, and while my go-to for her is usually clothing, I am hesitant to buy it while she is still losing so much weight. She has requested a fleece sweatshirt with the name of the hospital where she works because it gets pretty chilly at times, so I will pick up one of those. I think she also wants some new workout shoes, so I will give her a gift-card to her preferred shoe store. I'm not really sure what else to get her (besides Christmas pajamas LOL), so she may get the one-size-fits-all gift of cash. I have asked her for a wish list, and I will shop from that to the extent I can find what she wants. I did get all three girls a copy of a book written by a family friend whom they all adore. He was in town last weekend and signed a copy for each. I know they will enjoy that! DH will give me a list of tools he wants, and I will share that with the girls as well. I've already purchased most of what they are getting for their stockings. I need to wrap those as well so DD1 can take hers home with her.
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Post by jeremysgirl on Nov 15, 2021 13:58:49 GMT
I read this thread early this morning and I figured I needed to get my gifts from Etsy ordered this morning before I run out of time for handcrafted gifts. Other than that, I've done nothing. Hahaha. I ordered two necklaces for my girls and then a gift for a pea friend.
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,801
Jun 26, 2014 1:20:09 GMT
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Post by Just T on Nov 15, 2021 14:50:20 GMT
One DD is very easy to buy for--she has a lot of interests for me to pull ideas from. For example, her love of the Golden Girls has led to this gift under the tree this year. I do NOT need anymore wine glasses, but I must have those!!
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Post by Linda on Nov 15, 2021 14:58:28 GMT
I have a detailed list of everything that I need to accomplish (gifts, cleaning, baking, mailing etc...) from now until the end of the year. It's broken down by week except for the end of December which is broken down into smaller chunks. I crossed off everything on last week's list so I'm right on schedule.
I have everything for Thanksgiving except perishables. I'm cooking but it's just the 4 of us.
I'm almost done with the two packages I need to mail - plan to get those out right after Thanksgiving along with my cards
I'm making good progress on sewing projects - aiming to get done by 1st of December
We're behind on shopping but that's typical - we'll probably take a day and knock it out. I do need to order DH's present though
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iluvpink
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,370
Location: Michigan
Jul 13, 2014 12:40:31 GMT
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Post by iluvpink on Nov 15, 2021 15:03:07 GMT
Not much.
The Thanksgiving turkey is purchased and I'm making my plan on how to get everything done. Oh and I ordered the HoneyBaked Ham yesterday.
I have started putting my shopping/idea list together. I've purchased one gift for dd and one stocking stuffer. I will be hosting Christmas for my side for the first time as it's just getting to be too much for my parents. Though mom isn't wild about it I don't think, but their house is tiny, our still small group has grown and all the hectic activity stresses my dad out. So it will be here. I'd kind of like to switch it to a Christmas brunch instead of dinner (esp because we always have the same meal as Thanksgiving a month earlier) but people are already freaking out about CHANGE. So we'll see.
We'll give the house a good cleaning this weekend (I mean it's clean but we like to wash and polish the cabinets and counters, clean the trim etc), chop some veggies for the stuffing, dry my bread etc.
We'll decorate for Christmas over Thanksgiving weekend.
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amom23
Drama Llama
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Member is Online
Jun 27, 2014 12:39:18 GMT
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Post by amom23 on Nov 15, 2021 15:17:27 GMT
I am going out of town this coming Saturday for a long weekend and won't get home until late Tuesday night, but I basically have our Thanksgiving meal planned and bought. Christmas is a whole other story. I haven't bought a single gift and am just now starting to make my list. I'll get there though.
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Post by mnmloveli on Nov 15, 2021 15:21:02 GMT
I’m completely done shopping and wrapping! I hope to get my Christmas cards done this week. Tomorrow I will be shopping for the remaining items for Thanksgiving except the Turkey which we will get on Friday.
I’m really going to try and enjoy and take it easy this week since next week will be crazy with baking and cooking for Thanksgiving.
I can’t wait to decorate for Christmas on Black Friday! No shopping here!
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Post by PolarGreen12 on Nov 15, 2021 15:37:29 GMT
I'm halfway done on gift buying. I really like to be done with that by Thanksgiving, so I can just enjoy the season and not be stressed. But time got away from me this year. I have one friend, one parent and 2 nieces left to shop for and the stocking exchange we do at work and then I'll be done.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Nov 15, 2021 15:38:06 GMT
I haven’t really done or bought anything. I did get DD a fleece lined sweatshirt she said she wanted. I told her I was putting it away for Christmas and she was okay with that. I also bought her a few long sleeved t-shirts but I’m thinking I’m not going to wait to give her those until Christmas because she needs them now. Other than that, she hasn’t really mentioned anything she wants other than the Animal Crossing DLC that was just released and the only other thing I can think of that she actually needs is her own cell phone now that she is in some after school activities. She’s not really into toys anymore but also isn’t really into clothes, nails or makeup. I need to find another good book series for her since she does like to read.
DH is always hard to buy for. Anything that would be a reasonably priced gift he just buys for himself, and anything more expensive I’m not really comfortable buying because I wouldn’t have a clue what the right thing would be (accessories for his side-by-side, snowmobile, etc.) so he’s better off buying that stuff himself if he wants it.
In a normal year, DH and I would probably discuss planning a trip in lieu of a bunch of gifts. But since we went way over budget when we rebuilt our lake home in 2019, that pretty much ate up our travel slush fund for quite some time. So even without Covid being an issue, that’s off the table for now since it would be a big expense.
I really don’t know what to do. Normally at this point I at least have something of a plan, and this year—nada.
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Post by littlemama on Nov 15, 2021 15:39:27 GMT
Terribly! I am always done before Thanksgiving, but I have no ideas, no spirit, and no gifts! To top it off, ds graduates in December and our 3 remaining parents all have birthdays in Dec and Jan (and my mom is turning 75, so kind of a big deal)
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Sept 28, 2024 15:27:53 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2021 15:43:15 GMT
Need 3 gifts (for my nieces), 4 stocking staffers for ds, and 2 for dh. Everything else is bought. Did the majority of shopping in October. Two of the three niece gifts are gift cards so getting those in December. The other I am waiting for Cyber Monday sales.
Thanksgiving food was bought in October as well when Albertson's has the buy 1 get 1 turkey breast sale. I just need to buy russet potatoes, yams, asparagus, and fresh green beans week of. Stocked my freezer with fresh cranberries.
Oh and bought the paper plates and napkins last month too. Yes we use paper plates. 🤷♀️
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Sept 28, 2024 15:27:53 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2021 15:44:26 GMT
I’m completely done shopping and wrapping! I hope to get my Christmas cards done this week. Tomorrow I will be shopping for the remaining items for Thanksgiving except the Turkey which we will get on Friday. I’m really going to try and enjoy and take it easy this week since next week will be crazy with baking and cooking for Thanksgiving. I can’t wait to decorate for Christmas on Black Friday! No shopping here! We take the whole week as we are all off from school/work to decorate. Then we can take our time and enjoy it.
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Post by Zee on Nov 15, 2021 15:48:07 GMT
I got my mom a cheese and wine of the month club from Harry & David, because it's her favorite gift I've ever gotten her. I got my dad's wife a large gift basket from there and I got my dad a cigar of the month club gift.
And that's all I've managed! My nieces are getting older and hard to buy for.
My kids only need money but I'd like to get them gifts. My son is impossible to buy for but I love shopping for DD, she's easy.
DH has everything he needs and he's not into hobbies or "things", not sure what to do for him.
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tracylynn
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,899
Jun 26, 2014 22:49:09 GMT
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Post by tracylynn on Nov 15, 2021 15:53:57 GMT
I'm pretty well done.
Not doing Thanksgiving with family this year as I'll be spending the middle 2 weeks in December with my parents at a time share. We had 2 weeks booked in Grand Cayman earlier this year that didn't happen and those weeks were use it or lose it for this year. So here we are.
We already bought and gave Christmas gifts to my brother and SIL. They live on a sailboat and started doing open ocean sailing so we bought them safety gear and go-bags that they would need. They loved that.
And beyond them, I only buy for my parents and BFF. All done. Just need get my BFF gifts shipped to her. But waiting to see my mother so we can put all the gifts together and send at once.
This Holiday season will be quiet.
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Post by scrapmaven on Nov 15, 2021 16:11:45 GMT
I have done absolutely nothing to prepare for the holidays. I want to upgrade my decor this year. Luckily, I don't have much to wrap except dh's gifts and I don't have his list, anyway. I should start picking up decorations, though.
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Post by tyra on Nov 15, 2021 16:14:50 GMT
I actually have a good chunk of gifts purchased already. I am so proud of myself! Usually the month of Dec is a mad rush. We need to pick up some things on Black Friday, and we should be good!
I purchased more gift wrap, tags, ribbon, etc last week to restock my stash. I didn't buy any last year so I was running low.
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luckyjune
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,687
Location: In the rainy, rainy WA
Jul 22, 2017 4:59:41 GMT
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Post by luckyjune on Nov 15, 2021 16:22:00 GMT
Life is a whirlwind right now. We are doing Thanksgiving at DD's house. Youngest DS is joining us (Oldest DS is going to his girlfriend's mom's house). Dungeness crab won out over turkey, so I hope we can find some.
The house we sold closes on Dec. 8. Then, we fly out to Orlando for a Disney World Christmas with the whole fam damly. When we travel over Christmas, the trip is the gift so no gifts to purchase!!! Although I did get all the girls Loungefly Disney mini backpacks and the boys got a couple of Star Wars tshirts. So, I guess I'm officially done! Easiest Christmas ever!
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Nov 15, 2021 16:22:24 GMT
I haven’t started buying gifts at all.
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Post by greendragonlady on Nov 15, 2021 16:24:09 GMT
I have quite a few small things bought. This Christmas is going to be light compared to others because I'm making about half what I was before.
This year DH and I are getting one thing for the house for us together, then just stocking stuffers. No larger gifts for each other.
For Thanksgiving we're going to my brother's house. They just bought a big house this year and are hosting everyone.
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Post by jenna on Nov 15, 2021 16:28:28 GMT
I've still only bought pjs for Christmas 😩 but I was looking at stocking stuffers yesterday so that kind of counts.
I only buy for 2 people but the difficult part this year is what I want to get are 2 expensive things -- a Le Creuset dutch oven and improv classes at the comedy club in the city. One I really want to only buy at the outlets a few hours away, and the other isn't something tangible so I need to create a gift certificate or something for it.
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