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Where is the Christmas Countdown?


mommyoffive
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Well, I’ve purchased a few gifts and thought about some others. It’s still a bit early for me.

Will likely take Dd and my mom to see the Nutcracker. 

Not sure what else. We’ve done the lights at out local botanical garden two years in a row and need to choose something different this year.  

 

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I have done very little shopping.  Our budget is tighter this year with helping DD through her last year of college and saving to (hopefully) get plane tickets for our middle if he can get leave to come home for Christmas.  Oldest and youngest agreed that having a Christmas leaner on gifts was fine as long as they get to see their brother.  It's not like we are destitute or anything, just they had gotten used to us having a bit more money for gifts than we had when they were little.

I need to get working on the recipe book I am making for DD and figure out what I am getting for other people. 

The rule in our house is no holiday music until after DH has had his pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving.  We'll probably do some of our decorating for Christmas Thanksgiving weekend while DD is home, except for the tree which we get closer to Christmas since it is real.

We are trying to keep our schedule open as possible because we don't know middle's schedule yet, but I did get tickets to drive-thru zoolights.  I was happy to see they are still doing some sessions that are drive-thru this year, though it is more limited nights.  It is in the same city where DD is going to college so we can pick her up on the way.

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1 hour ago, City Mouse said:

We are going on a big trip this year and not doing any gifts, so no shopping to do here. Since we will be gone, I will probably only do our small 3-ft tree instead of the full size one. I don’t do much other decorating. 

Love this idea!!!  I am trying to convince dh of this for this year since it is the first that we don't have Nutcracker performances on Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas.  Where are you  headed?

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32 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Love this idea!!!  I am trying to convince dh of this for this year since it is the first that we don't have Nutcracker performances on Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas.  Where are you  headed?

We are going to Disney World. This trip is to replace the graduation trip my DS didn’t get when Covid first hit. 

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4 minutes ago, Kareni said:

I thought about starting it again in February but wimped out!

No holiday music here until December.

Regards,

Kareni

I miss it. I love all your gift links.  You find cool things.  I would welcome it in Feb.  It seems crazy, but before you know it, Christmas is here again.

Last year my kids started Holiday music all the time Nov 1st.  By December 1st I was over it!  This year I think they started in May or June.  

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7 minutes ago, happi duck said:

@Kareni

Am I remembering correctly that the countdown and gift threads are two different threads?  Will you have your famous gift thread again?  It's my favorite!

You have an excellent memory, @happi duck, as they were indeed different threads. 

I plan to start the unique gifts thread sometime in November.

Regards,

Kareni

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I usually love buying presents for people and Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. With COL increases, I wish I could skip this year. Totally not in the mood. Everything I buy will be out of my savings account. My employer has a COL pay increase coming, but it will be the New Year. Not soon enough to help with Christmas.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 10/26/2022 at 11:34 PM, Kareni said:

You have an excellent memory, @happi duck, as they were indeed different threads. 

I plan to start the unique gifts thread sometime in November.

Regards,

Kareni

I haven't logged in for quite some time, but I came here today looking for your annual thread!

 

Kareni, you rock!

Edited by Angie in VA
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I am planning to get rid of some things from my dad and step-mom’s house that I am currently displaying….. I am planning to get rid of about half when I change things out for Christmas, and then not have it be as obvious when I put away Christmas things.

I am very aware of what the things are that I like less and would really be fine to get rid of, but it’s still hard to actually do it.

My twins’ birthdays are coming up and I have to figure out something for them without running out of stuff for Christmas!  We are thinking pajamas and a package of mini Bueno bars (little chocolate bars) because they like those.  

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On 11/4/2022 at 2:52 PM, Angie in VA said:

haven't logged in for quite some time,

I was just thinking about your signature yesterday, trying to figure out how to get my books out of my sauna and back into my house - insufficient shelving is my problem, and I had forgotten whose signature that is.  So funny that you popped up on the very day!

Related: this might be the year we do "Icelandic Christmas" - give each other books and chocolate and stay up all night reading.  But maybe we should give each other 1 book and 1 bookshelf and that might solve multiple problems.  I have a feeling no one else in my family  is going to go for this idea, but I will pitch it nonetheless.   Antique or modern, painted, wooden, carved...we just need bookshelves.

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Must be something in the air, I haven't seen too many posts on Facebook, either. 

I'm ready for them now, but pretty glad I got the year off from the anxiety induced by Christmas is 6 months away! 5 months! 4 months! 😄🎅

I do like to buy and plan ahead when I can, I just don't like the countdown. Especially when it starts in July, lol. 

We start our holiday season the day after Thanksgiving, kicking it off by watching Elf. 

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12 hours ago, ScoutTN said:

Bought two stocking stuffers today and one gift for Ds earlier this week. 
 

Goal: gifts done by TG, so more time to relax, read, enjoy fun stuff with friends, etc. I DETEST last minute shopping. 

OK, this is now my goal too!

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Because I am insane, certifiably ready for the bin, I have decided to give lap quilts for Christmas to four people, draft dogs (rice filled fabric tubes to lay against exterior doors), and home canned food as well as frozen meals for Christmas, I now get to embark upon a frenzied season of sewing and cooking. 😱💀

It might be good if someone sent authorities to do a well check around Dec. 18 just to see if I am still kicking! 😁

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I’m getting there. This week is make my list and check it twice. We’ve bought DH’s parents’ gifts already because they go to Florida right after Thanksgiving so we have a combo holiday with them. 
 

I’ve bought pajamas for the three youngest (tradition) and got a great deal on Isle of Cats for DD. Snagged electric toothbrushes for the youngest for on sale for stockings. Already made my Etsy orders for the three teen girls who have favorites some shops/stuff. 
Our oldest three (with spouses) get stockings (restaurant gift cards, nice socks, cash) so they’re easy. DD sent me ideas for the grandkids. I usually haven’t shopped by October so I’m pretty far ahead. 😉 

 

We’re going to the Nutcracker on December 5th. Other than that, I’m craving home time!

Edited by BlsdMama
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Bought my first gifts today--the legos (I'm always worried they'll go out of stock) and gift certificates to a local fancy restaurant for my dad and his wife and also for my aunt. And jammies and sweat pants for disabled dd. Much to go, but I'll need the girls' wish lists first. Before Thanksgiving please!

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15 minutes ago, Ali in OR said:

Bought my first gifts today--the legos (I'm always worried they'll go out of stock) and gift certificates to a local fancy restaurant for my dad and his wife and also for my aunt. And jammies and sweat pants for disabled dd. Much to go, but I'll need the girls' wish lists first. Before Thanksgiving please!

Do your girls still get Legos?  What sets did you get?

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On 11/5/2022 at 6:37 PM, katilac said:

Must be something in the air, I haven't seen too many posts on Facebook, either. 

I'm ready for them now, but pretty glad I got the year off from the anxiety induced by Christmas is 6 months away! 5 months! 4 months! 😄🎅

I do like to buy and plan ahead when I can, I just don't like the countdown. Especially when it starts in July, lol. 

We start our holiday season the day after Thanksgiving, kicking it off by watching Elf. 

I wonder if any of it is because of inflation?  Just everyone feeling stressed about rising prices?

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I'm basically done in terms of buying immediate family gifts, although there'll be a few other people I'll need to buy for. I feel like I get alerted about Christmas really early because of work (we were advised to put up stuff in October - I held out till November). 

We don't go to carols or anything, and the whole 'baking cookies' thing isn't really done over in Australia so much (thank goodness). So I feel like we don't have as much pressure as some people on here. We are going to head to the beach by ourselves for the Christmas weekend, so not even having to cook things to bring to a family feast. We will all get lots of books and spend the time reading.

17 minutes ago, Ali in OR said:

Bought my first gifts today--the legos

I just saw the Encanto house one and am so tempted to get it, it looks so good. 

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The gift tag on the legos will say to both the girls and me. So yes, they still do legos at 22 and almost 20 and I still enjoy legos at 56! We have a nice Harry Potter collection built over the years. I thought Grimmauld Place and The Shrieking Shack were worth adding. I opted for those over the Winter Village Main Street for me--we have several of those sets as Christmas decorations. But I think I'm out of room on top of the piano where they get displayed and the main street buildings (what I would be most interested in) looked like too small a scale compared to what we already have.

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18 minutes ago, Ali in OR said:

The gift tag on the legos will say to both the girls and me. So yes, they still do legos at 22 and almost 20 and I still enjoy legos at 56! We have a nice Harry Potter collection built over the years. I thought Grimmauld Place and The Shrieking Shack were worth adding. I opted for those over the Winter Village Main Street for me--we have several of those sets as Christmas decorations. But I think I'm out of room on top of the piano where they get displayed and the main street buildings (what I would be most interested in) looked like too small a scale compared to what we already have.

I think it is great! Mark bought me the Dickens Christmas Carol set. I am camping at the bit to put it together, and have been waiting for the day after Thanksgiving to do ir, but feel my resolve waning. 😁

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