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Post by beanbuddymom on Dec 6, 2015 15:07:57 GMT
So I am done with shopping for Christmas until we get paid again on the 18th - had a ton of bills that we were able to pay this week and get caught up and THAT is a great feeling! The waiting until the 18th, not so much though. I managed to get DS (11) one of his Santa gifts and found a bunch more in the basement that will come from us, just in case the kids DID snoop and see them, I don't want this to be the Christmas that makes it the obvious one (DD and I think DS is still on the fence about Santa and not wanting to blow it just yet). So DS is pretty set, who was the first person I wanted to get set with, everyone else will have to wait and I'm okay with that.
Going to make a few things for the some family that would appreciate such things with all of the craft supplies that I have around here - fleece for blankets, pillows and I have cardstock (stacks) and stamps (hundreds), a Cricut and a lot of frames so thinking I may attempt some things with that, either framed scrapbook pages or some adorable sampler type pictures. I used to stamp with SU so hoping the list of ideas for things to make I have saved and on Pinterest will carry me through! I always said I have enough craft supplies to make things until the end of time, maybe I will be able to test that idea, ha ha!
Anyone else shop as late as the week before for Christmas - I am talking 80% of Christmas items? I feel like I should be in a panic but I'm really not, as there's nothing to do but wait until we get another paycheck to shop with. It's kind of amazing when i look at how much time I have spent in the past weeks and weeks and $$$$ over the years on Christmas, and this year I am kind of just going to wing it - go shopping on the 18th and get what I can get. I remember in the past being amazed that even days before Christmas the stores still had things in them, so I am trying not to panic.
What's the latest you ever did the majority of your shopping? I feel like this is what the men of the world must feel like, you know since most of the ones I know (DH included) go shopping if not Christmas eve, then 2 or 3 days before. DH said to me if we have some sort of storm or sickness that overcomes me or the household we are screwed but I told him you know what? Too bad! I am just going to pray about that then and if family doesn't understand it - mostly HIS family as I know my family would completely understand - then I don't know what to tell him and that should tell him more about his family if they don't. His family was the ones that when DD and I were in bed with bronchitis their idea of delaying Christmas celebration was to come over at 11:00 am (instead of 9 am). Really!!! DD and I were on the couch with blankets on and looking at each other like we wanted to die and they were still like, yep we celebrate Christmas regardless whoo hoo.
So I would love to hear, how late has anyone else done the majority of their shopping? How was it? Would you do it again or was it one of those never again experiences?
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Deleted
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May 16, 2024 3:53:19 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2015 15:14:02 GMT
I haven't even started my Christmas shopping....
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MsKnit
Pearl Clutcher
RefuPea #1406
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Jun 26, 2014 19:06:42 GMT
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Post by MsKnit on Dec 6, 2015 15:16:18 GMT
Nothing is getting done until after finals, the 14th.
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Post by Belia on Dec 6, 2015 15:19:05 GMT
I don't think the 18th is that late. Especially if you're not going online. I wouldn't want to shop online that late, even with Amazon Prime or whatever.
Now the 23rd, 24th.... THAT'S late. (helloooooo DH!!!)
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Post by scrapsotime on Dec 6, 2015 15:19:09 GMT
I haven't even started my Christmas shopping....  |
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Post by genny on Dec 6, 2015 15:30:06 GMT
I usually start on black friday and pick up things along the way until the 24th. We LOVE going out shopping on the 24th, and I can't really explain that because it's usually crazy and everthing is picked over. It's just something DH and I have always done and enjoy - it's usually stocking stuffers for the kids and gift cards for the people we found out last minute are supposed to be showing up to this event or that.
But I didn't shop on BF this year and feel a little out of sorts bc I didn't get my 'head start' day. We went last night and I'll run to the mall on my lunch a few times in the next couple of weeks as sale emails from the kids favorite stores come in or coupons. I have several things in my Amazon cart I will purchase next week (DD's laptop and a couple of games and a puzzle recommended here for the family).
So you are not alone. It will get done, it always does, right? I remember one year when the kids were really young and business was bad (the year the recession hit) we were waiting on a customer who owed us a large amount of money to pay and they were very late with their payment. We had been hounding them, literally Christmas and December's bills hinged on this payment coming in. It was pretty damn stressful. We got the check on the 20th. I paid all the bills and then shopped with what was leftover. The ticking clock before that deposit was bearing down on me, but we actually had fun trying to be creative with little time left and a small budget.
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Post by maryland on Dec 6, 2015 15:36:12 GMT
I am waiting until the 12th (due to credit cards and already reaching our budget for this cycle). I hate that we can't get our act together enough to save money so we are always waiting until late to shop. But we do have a good reason this year, husband got new job and gets no bonuses for a year. So we are really on a tight budget this year. But he is so much happier, and that comes first! I come to dread the holidays because we never have enough money to buy everyone what they want. I wish we just had to buy for our kids and no one else. I would enjoy Christmas more if it wasn't so much about gifts. Sorry, just stressed about the money situation and need to vent!  Please excuse my complaining! I know if we had more money, it would be fun picking out gift cards for love ones (I am crappy gift giver, so my loved ones always ask for a gift card!) So this is just a vent because I would never want to vent about this to my husband and make him feel bad. |
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Post by beanbuddymom on Dec 6, 2015 15:46:47 GMT
I am waiting until the 12th (due to credit cards and already reaching our budget for this cycle). I hate that we can't get our act together enough to save money so we are always waiting until late to shop. But we do have a good reason this year, husband got new job and gets no bonuses for a year. So we are really on a tight budget this year. But he is so much happier, and that comes first! I come to dread the holidays because we never have enough money to buy everyone what they want. I wish we just had to buy for our kids and no one else. I would enjoy Christmas more if it wasn't so much about gifts. Sorry, just stressed about the money situation and need to vent! Please excuse my complaining! I know if we had more money, it would be fun picking out gift cards for love ones (I am crappy gift giver, so my loved ones always ask for a gift card!) So this is just a vent because I would never want to vent about this to my husband and make him feel bad. Don't apologize, we are in the same boat, totally hear you!! Yes I do wish also I could just buy for my kids - having to buy for DH family drives me insane - I spent a lot of time putting gift baskets together for them last year and they didn't even open them to look inside! Yes they were inside basket bags, but totally something that can be re-twist tied together so it's not all over the place so no excuse for not opening and seeing what was tucked in here and there! We also never end up being able to save like you for the holidays - something always comes up - one year the furlow for DH, another year I lost work, another year it was just more bills or the stupid school deciding that now is a great time to have us pay $300 toward a trip to DC in March! This year they did the same thing for their Boston triip, again in March, needing $100 - I'm like?? Really?? So that really sucks and is money I would have spent on gifts but oh well! Yes I hate that it's become all about presents - DH family was all up in DH mom with lists of stuff they wanted. What are you 5? These are grown a$$ adults. She's retired it's just ridiculous, I wish she would put her foot down and call an end to it all - and we can't do anything until she does because Christmas is her way or the highway in DH family - so we just suffer until, well, we just do is all for now while she is still with us, which is true but awful to say. |
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Post by beanbuddymom on Dec 6, 2015 15:49:43 GMT
I usually start on black friday and pick up things along the way until the 24th. We LOVE going out shopping on the 24th, and I can't really explain that because it's usually crazy and everthing is picked over. It's just something DH and I have always done and enjoy - it's usually stocking stuffers for the kids and gift cards for the people we found out last minute are supposed to be showing up to this event or that. But I didn't shop on BF this year and feel a little out of sorts bc I didn't get my 'head start' day. We went last night and I'll run to the mall on my lunch a few times in the next couple of weeks as sale emails from the kids favorite stores come in or coupons. I have several things in my Amazon cart I will purchase next week (DD's laptop and a couple of games and a puzzle recommended here for the family). So you are not alone. It will get done, it always does, right? I remember one year when the kids were really young and business was bad (the year the recession hit) we were waiting on a customer who owed us a large amount of money to pay and they were very late with their payment. We had been hounding them, literally Christmas and December's bills hinged on this payment coming in. It was pretty damn stressful. We got the check on the 20th. I paid all the bills and then shopped with what was leftover. The ticking clock before that deposit was bearing down on me, but we actually had fun trying to be creative with little time left and a small budget. This year was the first year ever I haven't done Black Friday - we are talking since I was 18, 19 living on my own, back then I'd meet my sister at the mall and have coffee and croissants and attack and it was a blast - so for the last 30 years - even the year there was an ice storm I did it all online that year - which was awesome and yet sucked at the same time - there's something you miss not being in the midst of it all - so yeah, not having that jump start on BF really has thrown me as well. |
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SweetieBsMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,611 
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Post by SweetieBsMom on Dec 6, 2015 15:51:33 GMT
I'm usually done by Thanksgiving. That being said, money has been too tight this year to do much shopping in advance. I have to wait until I get my bonus to see what I can allocate to Christmas. I do have some things but DH's car needs to be fixed and I have the uneasy feeling that's gonna take most, if not, all of my bonus.  |
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Post by jojam on Dec 6, 2015 15:52:48 GMT
I don't start early. If I do, I just continue to buy and buy and buy up until the end, anyway.
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Post by maryland on Dec 6, 2015 16:05:53 GMT
I am waiting until the 12th (due to credit cards and already reaching our budget for this cycle). I hate that we can't get our act together enough to save money so we are always waiting until late to shop. But we do have a good reason this year, husband got new job and gets no bonuses for a year. So we are really on a tight budget this year. But he is so much happier, and that comes first! I come to dread the holidays because we never have enough money to buy everyone what they want. I wish we just had to buy for our kids and no one else. I would enjoy Christmas more if it wasn't so much about gifts. Sorry, just stressed about the money situation and need to vent! Please excuse my complaining! I know if we had more money, it would be fun picking out gift cards for love ones (I am crappy gift giver, so my loved ones always ask for a gift card!) So this is just a vent because I would never want to vent about this to my husband and make him feel bad. Don't apologize, we are in the same boat, totally hear you!! Yes I do wish also I could just buy for my kids - having to buy for DH family drives me insane - I spent a lot of time putting gift baskets together for them last year and they didn't even open them to look inside! Yes they were inside basket bags, but totally something that can be re-twist tied together so it's not all over the place so no excuse for not opening and seeing what was tucked in here and there! We also never end up being able to save like you for the holidays - something always comes up - one year the furlow for DH, another year I lost work, another year it was just more bills or the stupid school deciding that now is a great time to have us pay $300 toward a trip to DC in March! This year they did the same thing for their Boston triip, again in March, needing $100 - I'm like?? Really?? So that really sucks and is money I would have spent on gifts but oh well! Yes I hate that it's become all about presents - DH family was all up in DH mom with lists of stuff they wanted. What are you 5? These are grown a$$ adults. She's retired it's just ridiculous, I wish she would put her foot down and call an end to it all - and we can't do anything until she does because Christmas is her way or the highway in DH family - so we just suffer until, well, we just do is all for now while she is still with us, which is true but awful to say. Thank you! I always feel like I am alone when it comes to holiday spending. Like I am being selfish. But really, if you look in my closet, you will see that I never buy new clothes/shoes for myself.  And something always comes up for us too. My husbands car just needed a $1,000 repair on Friday and my car is getting new brakes and something else ($800) next Sat.! Our cars are our biggest downfall it seems. And I feel the same way about family expecting gifts! Why not have fun spending time together and instead of buying others gifts, save your money. But I know we are in the minority! So nice to "vent" with you! I feel much better knowing I am not alone. |
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Post by padresfan619 on Dec 6, 2015 16:11:11 GMT
I am not an early shopper. I include gift receipts with all of my gifts, I'm not offended if someone wants to return my gift for something different. I would hate to give someone a gift that I bought months earlier and have it be out of the return/exchange window. I will be buying stuff after the 18th.
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Post by Daikon on Dec 6, 2015 16:17:37 GMT
I get paid twice a month. I have the bulk of shopping done for my youngest. I get paid on the 11th and the 24th, so ya. I will be up early on the 24th getting dinner items and the final gifts.
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Post by pierkiss on Dec 6, 2015 16:17:27 GMT
Not late. I'm usually still shopping until the 23rd!  |
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Post by freecharlie on Dec 6, 2015 16:27:30 GMT
I'm getting closer to done, but I may still be shopping that late.
We have a savings account set up for Christmas and birthdays. 35 per kid goes in each of dh's paychecks. Then I buy the majority of the presents out of that
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YooHoot
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,417
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Post by YooHoot on Dec 6, 2015 16:32:11 GMT
Besides cash and gift cards...I'm done. Finished this morning. Now to stay out of the damn stores and off this site so you don't convince me to shop more.
Thanks to all the refupeas for deals that were posted and shared!
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moodyblue
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,178
Location: Western Illinois
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Jun 26, 2014 21:07:23 GMT
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Post by moodyblue on Dec 6, 2015 16:34:15 GMT
Some of my shopping gets done early and some late. I get what I can when I know what someone wants and I don't always find that out early.
The year we moved into our house (on Dec. 22nd) we did a lot of shopping and strictly gift bag wrapping in the last day or two.
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iluvpink
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,288
Location: Michigan
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Post by iluvpink on Dec 6, 2015 16:36:14 GMT
Not this year but I have in the past. Years ago when dh and I were newlyweds I was in college full time and working part time while he worked full time. I never did much shopping or baking until after my finals were over which was usually the day or two before Christmas Eve. Once I graduated I still didn't start until about two weeks before. After dd was born I may have started a little earlier but not much. It was only until about ten years ago that I got it together and started shopping around Thanksgiving. But even that has depended on the budget sometimes. Dh is a contractor and the recession really hit us hard. There were a couple of years where I just didn't have the money to shop until the week before Christmas. One year it was just a couple of days and I wasn't even sure that was going to happen as he had a client that owed a lot and was slow to pay. Thankfully things have gotten a lot better the last couple of years but with his field you never know. My job mostly just provides health insurance and covers the mortgage and a few other bills.
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Post by Ellie on Dec 6, 2015 17:46:35 GMT
I am in the same boat. My kids are mostly done except for stocking stuffers, but haven't done anybody else. And after all the bills and expenses can't buy anything else until the 18th! Not a comfortable feeling, but should be OK. Maybe I'll spend less this way, right?!?!
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Post by crazy4scraps on Dec 6, 2015 17:53:23 GMT
I'm pretty much done with DD, but we might still buy her a pair of ice skates. DH and I aren't really exchanging gifts but I bought some video game stuff that I'll put both of our names on. Still need to get a couple of gift cards for our local niece and nephew and order a game online for the out of town ones.
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suzastampin
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by suzastampin on Dec 6, 2015 18:58:51 GMT
I haven't even started my Christmas shopping.... Me neither. |
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Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Dec 6, 2015 19:08:13 GMT
Haven't read most of the replies, so forgive me if I am repeating, but I don't think the 18th is late as long as you're not out there searching for this year's Cabbage Patch Kid or Furby. I don't know where you live, but I live where it snows, so the biggest danger in waiting that long is that you're going to get pre-empted by a snowstorm that sets you back a few days further. Otherwise, it's really the same level of crazy between now and new year's, regardless of the weekend you pick.
I personally semi-shop throughout the year, but that's just because the person I buy the most tangible goods for is my sister, and cool random things for her show up throughout the year. Like the makeup brush set I bought for her a couple of months ago when it showed up as an Ipsy deal for $20 instead of $78.
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Post by beanbuddymom on Dec 6, 2015 20:39:31 GMT
Haven't read most of the replies, so forgive me if I am repeating, but I don't think the 18th is late as long as you're not out there searching for this year's Cabbage Patch Kid or Furby. I don't know where you live, but I live where it snows, so the biggest danger in waiting that long is that you're going to get pre-empted by a snowstorm that sets you back a few days further. Otherwise, it's really the same level of crazy between now and new year's, regardless of the weekend you pick. I personally semi-shop throughout the year, but that's just because the person I buy the most tangible goods for is my sister, and cool random things for her show up throughout the year. Like the makeup brush set I bought for her a couple of months ago when it showed up as an Ipsy deal for $20 instead of $78. Yeah I already got the "must have" xbox game DS wanted so now that I got that everything else is just basic stuff. DD needs a lot of different items for sports/clothes so will be happy with what she gets - she gets gift cards from family so whatever I don't get she can get for herself - so I am not worried one iota about specific things - thank goodness!! |
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Post by mymindseyedpea on Dec 6, 2015 20:53:58 GMT
I don't think the 18th is that late. Especially if you're not going online. I wouldn't want to shop online that late, even with Amazon Prime or whatever. Now the 23rd, 24th.... THAT'S late. (helloooooo DH!!!) SO likes to shop on the 23rd and 24th too. He likes to know how much money will be available to spend on gifts. We haven't spent it with his family though for the past couple of years so the only presents we will have are for the 3 of us. I'm making something for him and his mom. And I don't see my mom till after Christmas so I wait till I buy her gift till after the holidays and get her something that's clearanced out. So I even do my shopping after Christmas |
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Post by melanell on Dec 7, 2015 2:07:04 GMT
I have shopped late in the past for various reasons. I now much prefer to be done early. But that's just my current preference due to other things I do during December. My grandfather used to purposely shop on Dec. 24th each year. That was his thing. He'd go by himself, enjoy the decorations and music, and buy whatever he found that seemed nice to him. |
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bethany102399
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by bethany102399 on Dec 7, 2015 17:03:49 GMT
You guys are making me feel better about not being able to finish shopping until the 15th/18th. Everyone is done EXCEPT for my DD. It's driving me nuts. I stalk deals starting in September to be able to afford everything and at first she didn't want anything, and now that she's figured out what she wants it's either not on sale or we don't have the funds. It seems like everything else went on super sale so I picked it up, and pushed back her stuff. I even have DS's birthday gift (February 2nd) as it went so cheap I didn't think I'd see it again at that price, so I picked it up.
I don't go into debt for Christmas, we're a cash only family. But man it's hard to wait and hope the weather doesn't turn nasty so I can get what I need to on time. My recurring nightmare is I can't get out and get what I need to and I'm running around on the 24th trying to get it all done. OTOH, my bills are paid, and while it's no fun to "adult" and get it done I keep telling myself to be proud the cars are in good shape, because some of those funds went into regular maintenance, and the lights/heat/food are all dealt with. There have been times when just getting that done was next to impossible.
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Please excuse my complaining! 
And something always comes up for us too. My husbands car just needed a $1,000 repair on Friday and my car is getting new brakes and something else ($800) next Sat.! Our cars are our biggest downfall it seems.
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