lailasmum Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 My dd doesn't want anything so will be getting some useful stuff for next year. A new drinks bottle, books, a couple of new audiobooks (already got in the sales), an educational type magazine subscription and a watch. ds is probably getting a wooden castle and some little figures, a Thomas the Tank Engine Wii game, a new drinks bottle and automoblox. His Birthday is in February so I struggle thinking up things so close together. I think we will get a couple of family gifts to share but finances will dictate that. I am hoping to get a car in the next couple of months and that might mean I have less to spend on presents, finding it so hard to find a decent car in my very low budget so might have to direct funds from presents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 I don't know why I am so near to tears tonight about everything. This Christmas thread...It's so hard for me to think happy about Christmas gift giving when I see what the having, keeping, caring for, picking up of stuff does to us. Deep breath. We will begin purging now so that there is room for the kids to get something new. But I just feel so irritated about getting them anything that is a thing. They don't need ANYTHING (except the kids who just grew out of pants and shoes.) I guess I can talk about what I do know we will do--what we do LOVE to do for the kids. We do wacky stocking gifts. The kids get their favorite foods in their stocking. OK, so it's the usual 1970s holiday tradition treats of fruit and nuts, but also: Ds13 always wants instant cheese grits and cans of mandarin oranges. DD10 wants vienna sausages and cans of corn DD8 likes lemons. yeah, no kidding. DS6, DS4, DD3 will be happy with most anything. They also like boxes of bandaids (which are gone by New Year's. :001_smile:, and, of course, tape, tape, and tape. What kid doesn't love tape. ) If we could give them what I just really WANT to give them, this year it would be: DS13: a class on small engine repair or welding DD10: art classes on drawing, oil painting, and watercoloring DD8: piano lesson on playing chords and playing by ear DS6 and DS4: a trip somewhere with just them and their Dad DD3: an afternoon with just Mom at the Wonderplace or something like that. Merry Christmas. Please forgive my momentary Bah Humbug. You don't have to get them stuff :) Give them the classes, activities, tickets, etc. This is the biggest reason why we are toning down materialism here. Seriously, I felt really sad about it at first and thought DS would be upset.... but when I explained it to him, HE DIDN'T CARE!!! I showed him all the stuff that was all over his room, not getting taken care of, before we purged and donated it or threw it away. I told him that if he can't take care of so much stuff, then he wouldn't be getting so much "stuff" anymore. I made sure to tell him that just b/c he'll be getting less "stuff" doesn't mean we LOVE him any less.... Plus, I sat and remembered while I threw stuff out.... I remember buying all that stuff, wrapping all that stuff, him opening all that stuff.... and all year he played with, maybe, his 5 favorite things and the rest just clutters up his room. Other kids play with it when they come over..... He also (now) just gets one birthday present from us, just ONE. He didn't even care. :001_huh: We got him some $75 remote control car that we never would have gotten him before and he was thrilled, still plays with it. There really is NO reason why kids should HAVE to get tons of "stuff". Try explaining it before hand. When the time comes, if they complain about getting "stuff to do" instead of "stuff". Then you can teach them a lesson about how ungrateful they are. Seriously. Kids need to learn this stuff. (Mine does anyways ;)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 a very good friend of mine loves Christmas so much that she dedicated one room in her home to it. She has a Christmas tree up year round, complete with all the decorations all around it. She will decorate the rest of the house in December. The room has a door on it, and she only shares what's behind that door with her closest of friends, fearing people would view her as weird. Maybe you could do that. :001_smile: I would LOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEE to do that!! I would put a little reading couch in that room :) But now, I live in a 3 BR townhouse, so I don't have the room :( But in the next house........................ BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Wow. I have a friend who puts up her tree in September - she first decorates it for Halloween, the autumn, then Thanksgiving, then finally Christmas. If she had an extra room, I suspect she would have a secret Christmas room all year, too. Now THAT is an awesome idea!!! Now, I just have to figure out how to keep DH liquored up from October to January and that plan is a GO!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 :svengo: I can't believe they're already decorating for Christmas in the stores. :leaving: I know! They skipped Halloween and Thanksgiving!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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