Anyone else started Christmas shopping ?

[LovesTimone]

The Saran Wrap ball sounds like a ton of fun! Not for us this year, since we hope to go away. But, we do Silly Santa, where there are a bunch of gifts, you pick one, unwrap, then the next person can steal, etc. Some of the items have extras in them, like gift cards (that you aren't required to reveal), and one always has a $100 bill in it. The kids really like it. In my case, I'm dealing with a family of 6 with wildly different personalities, so it's a challenge to pick items--my rule is "something that at least 3 people wouldn't mind getting".

I will be bringing the stuff for this on our trip, but I think I'll forget the elf ears and sweater that I'm forced to wear while directing the game. Oops.

I think that you should treat yourself to new mouse ears instead of the elf ears... LOL... and you can say Santa told you to wear them... LOL

 

[hamnajain]

Technically I started in August. My brother was visiting and found something he wanted for Christmas. I just bought it right there.

 

[LovesTimone]

Op here,

I am going out today to run errands and might find my way into a store or two and tomorrow with my friend to do some shopping... I have asked everyone for a list of couple of things that they would like, and sizes, colors...

I want to get a toaster oven for my parents... I want a something that is easy ( simple) for them to use, well made and you can control the temp, like they can put in on 300, 325, 350 ...as well I want a larger size one.. any suggestions... and I'm not looking for the most expensive one... I make meals for them, and warming up casseroles, and meat, and other dishes are better warmed up in the oven.. plus this would open up more things for them to cook... They are not really able to use the oven, the bending over is really not something that either one of them can do... I really could use some suggestions...

I need to hit up Lowes or Home Depot... there are lots of good stocking stuffers for my guys in both these spots...

I'll post later with how things went...

 

[LynnTH]

you will need two packs of plastic wrap. you wrap each "prize" in saran wrap and then you wrap those together wrapping each one a few times before adding another "prize". before long, you will have a large ball. We even wrap each lottery scratcher separately so that the game lasts longer.

To start the game, person A has the "ball" the next person (person B) has the dice or die. Person B rolls the dice (die) until they roll the designated number or double chosen before starting when that person rolls doubles or the number then the ball passes to them and the dice (die) moves to the next person (person C) and then person B unwraps until person C rolls the number or doubles whichever you choose. It keeps going until the whole ball is unwrapped and you get to keep what you unwrap.

Getting the small size perfume sets is great because you wrap them individually. This can be done relatively inexpensive at the dollar stores adding seasonal candy, flashlights, pot holders, kitchen utensils, just about anything. It can be done at birthday parties also. It is really fun. The bigger the ball the better. My goal is at least 6 inches bigger than last year. so roughly 3 feet in diameter !!

Suggestions: perfumes/colognes, shave kits (Harry's starter set $3 and it is great), CC hats and headbands, good pocket knives, good flashlights, themed bottle openers (I got Star Wars and Batman), Chip clips, lottery scratchers (must be scratched before they can continue unwrapping ball and if they don't finish scratching before the next person get ball then the scratcher goes with the ball), small gift cards, bigger gift cards, nice pens, lotion, body wash sets, themed socks, dvds, small snow globes, travel size games, bigger games, small bottles of liquor (adults only), scarves, coasters, manicure sets, bath bombs (Ulta puts a ton of this on sale during the holidays) etc. The sky is the limit!!

We do this game too - but the person unwrapping the ball has to wear oven mitts while unwrapping...

 

[dreamer17555]

Gaining on it. My 13-year-old son is easy. He loves Star Wars and Legos. Done and Done. Things are bought or on a list about to order.

It's my 18-year-old daughter who is harder. She is living in a dorm (which I outfitted really well for her). She asked for socks and cheap hoop earrings (she keeps losing them) and nothing else. I don't do gift cards or cash so this one will be tricky.

 

[yeahdisney]

I’m in.
DD got pj shorts and printed yoga pants last week.
DH -I found a flannel shirt this week.
DS scored a Xbox yesterday before sold out, he will get 1 game too- he is mostly done.
MOM made a planter with catnip and cat grass in it. She will get cert to get her hair done.
Got discounted Wendy’s gift cards for the kids - both college students and 1 for DDBF.
DDBF will get LEGO set and maybe a pricey sleeping bag.

 

[FQLover]

Oven mitts, haha. Omg.

I take it that playing with a pair of scissors is out, right?

 

[2TxAgs]

Oven mitts, haha. Omg.

I take it that playing with a pair of scissors is out, right?

We play with oven mitts as well, but we don't use saran wrap, we use Christmas wrapping paper.

 

[LovesTimone]

I knocked off 11 gifts for nieces, nephews and other kids for whom we buy gifts last Thursday, plus I bought some things for my kids. I was near the Hershey Outlets and they had AMAZING sales. In fact, I have $100 to use in a Disney Store between 10/4 and 10/18 in addition to the deals I received in that store. Yay me!

Great job, 11 gifts... Wow your marching right along... I have yet to hit the outlets here in Orlando... Maybe next week, it is looking pretty good for a trip over there... I am still waiting a list to make sure that I have the right sizes still...LOL

 

[LovesTimone]

I’m in.
DD got pj shorts and printed yoga pants last week.
DH -I found a flannel shirt this week.
DS scored a Xbox yesterday before sold out, he will get 1 game too- he is mostly done.
MOM made a planter with catnip and cat grass in it. She will get cert to get her hair done.
Got discounted Wendy’s gift cards for the kids - both college students and 1 for DDBF.
DDBF will get LEGO set and maybe a pricey sleeping bag.

With the Gift cards, I haven't really seen anything that I would consider discounted... Where did you find the GC at?

 

[LovesTimone]

Usually I would have started by now, but we're buying a house this week so all of my focus has been on that. Once we settle in I'll figure out what the kids need/want and go from there. I have a feeling this Christmas will be a lot " we bought you ______ for your room!"

Congratulations on the new home... So much Fun...

 

[LovesTimone]

Gaining on it. My 13-year-old son is easy. He loves Star Wars and Legos. Done and Done. Things are bought or on a list about to order.

It's my 18-year-old daughter who is harder. She is living in a dorm (which I outfitted really well for her). She asked for socks and cheap hoop earrings (she keeps losing them) and nothing else. I don't do gift cards or cash so this one will be tricky.

While I don't have any kid in college anymore...

Dorm living is hard for some kids, even though most will not admit it, they kinda all get home sick at some point.
I took a picture frame and put silly pictures of all of us, sorta a collage...she kept it on her desk.

DD loved different size cute zippered bags for her stuff.

I made her a Disney Princess Pillowcase with Belle, which is her princess... I ended up making another one, as "Mom I have 2 pillows" I ended up making a few more for her friends... one year I she got Disney princess sheets...

A first aid kit - check out the travel sections like at Wal-mart, Target, Grocery Store... Dollar tree is another good spot for this kinda stuff. I found a cute decor' box about the size of a shoe box, maybe a bit bigger, at either Hobby Lobby or Micheal's in the clearance area for like 3 bucks... I put everything I could think of in it, Thermometer, band-aids, neo to go, a small tube of neo, hydrogen peroxide/alcohol, Vitamins, cough drops, tissue packages, Robitussin/Thera-flu, Tylenol/ Ibuprofen, Pepto or Imodium, Tums, Midol.. College kids need this kinda stuff and there is nothing worse than your kid calling in the middle of the night and saying I'm sick mom, what do I do..

Bathrobe with pockets which was very hard to find at the time... which is something that she asked for... I ended up finding one a Macy's ...50.00 dollars and that was after the sale price and other coupons and I still paid 50.00... After that Christmas I found 2 at TJ Maxx, for 14.99 each which I did buy.. and she did use over the next couple of years...

Water proof phone case, the style on a lanyard... another request. I got hers at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Heating pad... another request -

A basic Desk Set...and bookends.. a lap desk, which was basically like a desk top and under it was a what I would call a bean bag... I don't even know if that make these any more... and a fold-able TV Tray.

 

[Happiest mommy]

Just got an email my 1st order is delayed happy I placed it early

 

[LovesTimone]

Just got an email my 1st order is delayed happy I placed it early

So my friend is in the same boat... She ordered 2 Frozen dolls sets ( Elsa and Anna) and 2 Barbies, for her great nieces for Christmas... they were back ordered twice now since July... the thing is, I was at Wal-mart... and I thought I saw the dolls that she was talking about, so I took a picture of them with a ? , and sent them to her, my phone started ringing within a second... She was like buy them for me... Please... I was like okay... she then sent me a picture of the barbies which Wal-mart had as well... so I got those for her too... She has already paid me and picked them up... she was on her way to Wal-mart and Target to see what else that they had, that was on her list... then home to cancel the order...

I only order on line if its something that I can't get, or something from Etsy, Ebay... I hate..... hate to order from Amazon.... I guess I am unlucky every time we have ordered from Amazon, there have been issue... wrong color, wrong size, or both... not even close to what we ordered, back ordered, broken, opened packages... I just don't see what the big deal is with them...and the customer service sucks... If I break down and order on-line, I order from the store directly...

I just bought a new sewing machine from JoAnn's... It was sold out in stores... It said 6 to 10 days for delivery... I ordered in on Monday 9/7 and got it on Wednesday 9/9 of the same week so 2 days and it was free shipping... Yay .... Same when DH order from Bass Pro Shop... Order on a Sunday, and by Wednesday we had what he ordered...

 

[mommy2twingles]

Dh just placed a big order last night from Target. He had not yet signed up for a circle account so with that discount this week, our red card, a coupon left over from a registry and this weeks circle offers we got a great discount on some items from the kids lists.

 

[LovesTimone]

OP here...

I thought I would share how things went on my last 2 shopping days...

I hit Wal-mart for my monthly trip...on Wednesday...
I did score a Treasure X Shark for my grandson (he's 5)... 19.99 these are hard to find... so I even though it wasn't on sale I did pick up something that I knew he wanted.

Thursday shopping trip was much more productive.. Shop till you drop!!! Woo Hoo... I guess the shopping gods were smiling down on us...

Kohls... So I did pretty dang good... I picked up a pair of earring for my grandson to give to his mom( my Daughter) for Christmas... they are Dino's... she is going to love them... 7.00... I found a really beautiful blanket scarf for my cousin wife they live in NC, up in the mountains, it so soft like angora.. 7.20 it was on clearance.. so she will get it for her Birthday or Christmas... I picked up 2 belts in the clearance section both 8.00 one for my DD and one for me.. I found a sleeveless nice shirt for myself, which was 7.04.. living in Florida I am always on the look out for nice sleeveless shirts, to wear with shorts..

My friend picked up a green army style jacket for 4.80... it is soooo cute, and fit her just perfect... she got a belt 8.00... and a black cami for like 4.00... so she did well.

Ross ( 1) - I have been wanting to decorate my downstairs guest bathroom for fall... But I never have been able to find just the right stuff to get the look I wanted... and I did not want to break the bank...... I found a long rug , and 2 bath towels, and one hand towel, and all under 25.00 dollars... I was so excited... everything flows together, and blends so well so I can say I was super happy...

My Friend, pick up the cutest throw pillow for her guest room, in the clearance area for like 8.00.. and a pair of black jeans for like 6.00 dollars so she did really good...

Home Goods (1) - I have been looking for fall napkins for 3 years to go with my table, and decor'... I did not want the typical bright oranges and reds.. these are more muted and soft... and I love pumpkins and fall leaves and for a seating of 12... I found them yesterday.. 16.99 for 12.. They are exactly what I have been looking for... they are Perfect ... as well I needed some 8x8 glass baking dishes (2), and they had them 3.99 for Pyrex, and a deep dish 8 x 8 glass baking dish for 4.99... they were individuals not in a set... so I another purchase that I needed and a super good price..

My friend bought a picture for her guest bathroom, which is an ongoing joke, with us... she has bought at least 10 maybe more, and taken them all back... so I am curious to see if this one makes the cut.. and she bought a new cutting board... and something else... not sure on the price point.

Ross (2) - I picked up some lotions, for 3.99 and 2.99... and the cutest pair of fall green shoes, for 14.99... Blowfish is the name brand I think..

My friend... hit the clearance jackpot... she got 3 shirts for 4.00 each.. pair of capris for 6.00, and a really nice long sleeve, heavy weight shirt for 4.00...she will need it when she goes to Chicago to see her mom.

Home Good/ Marshall (2) - I have been wanting to change up my make-up holder, that sits on my bathroom counter for a while now, it's just to big, and I wanted something smaller, and alot nicer.. and I found what I was looking for yesterday.. all 3 pieces were under 35.00.. not a bargain... it just perfect in our master bathroom...so worth it to get what I wanted. The make-up holder is going to be repurposed into my sewing room...

This is the only place my friend did not find anything...

I did knock off a few things from my list, and some things from my Christmas list...so overall a really fun and productive shopping day..

 

[mommy2twingles]

A suggestion is to use the Amazon wish lists and allow notifications on your device. Just knocked another gift off the list that dd wanted because I got the notification of a lightening deal starting for it.

 

[yeahdisney]

Lovestimone. Dollar general puts out 15% deals off some dd gift cards ever so often. They do subway too.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I need to make a list of who I need to buy for and then get started. I am planning to order most everything online this year.

 

[Eeyore daily]

I just ran out of a brand new roll of Christmas wrapping paper so yes lol.