Christmas 2017

[DisneyHardin]

I bought a couple more things over the weekend. I had some reward dollars and a coupon at Hallmark so I got a pretty wooden sign for my assistant at work. I had $20 in Kohl's cash and used that for a sweater for my MIL.

We've been working on getting out of some debt and it should be paid off in December, so I told DH we were going to be very careful Christmas shoppers this year and not put any of Christmas on cc's since we have worked so hard to get out of debt. Hopefully he will stick to that. Last year we agreed to just spend $100 apiece on each other. I happened to look at the cc statement online about 4 days before Christmas and saw that he had spend WAY more than $100 on me. I was mad that he did it, but then also felt guilty because I had stuck to the budget, so I ended up going on a couple days before Christmas and buying him a bunch more stuff.

 

[Ava]

We've been working on getting out of some debt and it should be paid off in December, so I told DH we were going to be very careful Christmas shoppers this year and not put any of Christmas on cc's since we have worked so hard to get out of debt. Hopefully he will stick to that. Last year we agreed to just spend $100 apiece on each other. I happened to look at the cc statement online about 4 days before Christmas and saw that he had spend WAY more than $100 on me. I was mad that he did it, but then also felt guilty because I had stuck to the budget, so I ended up going on a couple days before Christmas and buying him a bunch more stuff.

The first year DW & I agreed not to buy each other gifts for Christmas, she went ahead and bought me a gift anyway. I didn't know about it until she gave it to me on Christmas. I was super annoyed that she'd gone against our agreement and also felt bad that I didn't get her anything, but was pleased with the gift itself (a pair of boots I'd been eyeing). She hasn't done it since and we still don't buy each other gifts, but now we agree to get tickets to a concert or show, or just go out for a nice dinner & a movie over the holidays as our gift to ourselves. Maybe you & your DH could agree on an experience to do together, instead of buying gifts this year? That way no one feels bad because the other went over the $ limit, or feels like they can't get a good enough gift within the limit.

 

[Graciesmom77]

Can anyone enlighten me on the VTech Kidizoom watch? DD6 saw it on TV the other day. Currently we only allow her to borrow our phones or tablet on a very limited basis a few times a week (I know we are horrible parents, we actually make her interact with us). She does like taking pictures and videos of herself. She pretends she has her own youtube channel. Does this thing actually work? Anyone have experience with it?

We've had it for my then 5 and 7 year olds and they loved them. They made little videos and took lots of pics. There are games they can play too. My girls loved them.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

I know "this" isn't what "this" thread is about. But if you are Christmas shopping and you have the means, and if you are interested in doing so, please consider buying a package of new children's underwear to donate. When we did the "adopt a family" a few Christmases ago, the lady in charge said there are ways for kids to get coats and other winter clothes but they NEVER get new underwear. Always used. I won't dwell on it more than that but if you are shopping, please consider one package of new underwear.

 

[grumpy28]

While I posted earlier I will not be buying anything until closer to the holidays, I have been thinking about some ideas. We are big on "experiences" more than "stuff", so I especially love reading ideas others have on those. My kids are 16, 5 and 3, so a big age gap I know. We've done museum memberships, zoo, Great Wolf Lodge weekends, circus tix. I need some fresh ideas!

 

[Lvsdisney]

I also started shopping! Target had an awesome toy clearance in July/August so I got a bunch of stuff already.

DD 4:
Ariel Play Doh Set $7.03
Shimmer & Shine accessory set $4.51
Shimmer & Shine Megablocks $6.02

DS 7:
Coding Mouse game: $15.08

I also purchased a Little People Pirate Ship for $13 for my best friend's son's bday in November.

Adding to my list...

DS 7's Teacher: Nice throw blanket from Kohl's (I do these every year as teacher gifts) $0.00 thanks to Kohl's Cash! I usually buy them during their Black Friday sale but it was only $9.99 and I had $10 that was going to expire the next day.

Best Friend's son: Bday gift bought (see above) and I realized I have a Little People Helicopter I got a year ago at Target when they have had BOGO Little People sale and I also have a Dr. Seusscollection book that I am regifting since the kids already have a copy....Total: $0.00

I have to be frugal this time of year since we have 10 nieces and nephew (6 of which are teens) plus the 2 kids. Not to mention my other BFF's 2 kids and our parents. We don't do sibling gifts (except my sister and I sometimes buy little "I HAD to get you this" gifts).

 

[neatokimmo]

I know "this" isn't what "this" thread is about. But if you are Christmas shopping and you have the means, and if you are interested in doing so, please consider buying a package of new children's underwear to donate. When we did the "adopt a family" a few Christmases ago, the lady in charge said there are ways for kids to get coats and other winter clothes but they NEVER get new underwear. Always used. I won't dwell on it more than that but if you are shopping, please consider one package of new underwear.

I didn’t know that, we will be sure to donate some.

 

[TwoMisfits]

While I posted earlier I will not be buying anything until closer to the holidays, I have been thinking about some ideas. We are big on "experiences" more than "stuff", so I especially love reading ideas others have on those. My kids are 16, 5 and 3, so a big age gap I know. We've done museum memberships, zoo, Great Wolf Lodge weekends, circus tix. I need some fresh ideas!

You're on a Disney board, so Disney on Ice tickets? Trampoline park gift certs? Aquarium membership? Escape Room game for oldest and play area membership for 2 youngest? Theme park memberships? State fair tickets? Gaylord Ice weekend (not sure where you are) or other Christmas lights show tickets?

 

[melanielll]

While I posted earlier I will not be buying anything until closer to the holidays, I have been thinking about some ideas. We are big on "experiences" more than "stuff", so I especially love reading ideas others have on those. My kids are 16, 5 and 3, so a big age gap I know. We've done museum memberships, zoo, Great Wolf Lodge weekends, circus tix. I need some fresh ideas!

Do you live near an iFly? I have given those gift certificates. Everyone has loved them.

Also - Top Golf can be fun.

 

[seb65]

While I posted earlier I will not be buying anything until closer to the holidays, I have been thinking about some ideas. We are big on "experiences" more than "stuff", so I especially love reading ideas others have on those. My kids are 16, 5 and 3, so a big age gap I know. We've done museum memberships, zoo, Great Wolf Lodge weekends, circus tix. I need some fresh ideas!

We live close enough to NYC, so I got Frozen on Broadway tickets for my daughter. Perhaps a show somewhere close?

 

[grumpy28]

You're on a Disney board, so Disney on Ice tickets? Trampoline park gift certs? Aquarium membership? Escape Room game for oldest and play area membership for 2 youngest? Theme park memberships? State fair tickets? Gaylord Ice weekend (not sure where you are) or other Christmas lights show tickets?

Do you live near an iFly? I have given those gift certificates. Everyone has loved them.

Also - Top Golf can be fun.

We live close enough to NYC, so I got Frozen on Broadway tickets for my daughter. Perhaps a show somewhere close?

Thank you all for the ideas! We live in NC, so too far for broadway unfortunately. We did see the NC theater Beauty and the Beast show this summer, and it was amazing! I don't know what an iFly is, so I guess we don't have one nearby? I love all the suggestions! Thank you! Please keep them coming!

 

[tcufrog]

What about a trampoline park?

 

[richmond282]

So here's what I have purchased so far:

DH:
Tennis shoes for the gym (got on sale)
Smoker (on sale AND had a coupon, was almost half off)
Bourne trilogy (amazon deal + used SBs gift cards so free )
Fit bit charge 2 (deal of the day)
Tickets to GOT concert (not on sale, but he'll love it, but will use $ in paypal earned from SBs)
Marine Corp tshirts (honestly, don't remember where I got them)

Still to buy:
Stocking stuffers
GOT season 7
??

DD13:
Kavu (bought on clearance at a local store)
Brown ankle boots (sale & kohl's 40% off code)
Think Geek mystery box (not on sale, but fun)
silver necklace (sale & kohls 40% off code)
wireless earbuds (amazon deal + used SBs gift card so free)
tickets to heroes & villians fanfest & tikect for autograph from felicity smoak actress (she will DIE. my little geeky superhero fan)

Still to buy:
wonder woman bluray (hoping for a black friday sale)
the flash lounge pants/ hoodie
phone case
cds or gift card for downloads
??

Nephew12:
R2D2 robot (clearance at Walmart like 75% off)

Neighbor's children 12, 10, 6:
vera bradley blankets (zulily special + visa checkout discount)
Build a bear bears (super hero bear sale)

*Nephew11:
minecraft sword (amazon, used SBs gift cards so free)

*Nephew9:
marble track (amazon, used SBs gift cards so free)

*Niece3:
Bitty twins (purchased on fb yard sale site)

*(these 3 nieces and nephews live overseas so have to buy early to ship)

Still to shop for:
Mom & dad- probably some movies on black friday
DSis & her hubby- NO IDEA
Niece14- no idea, may see if she has a list
Neighbors- gift card to restaurant probably
co-workers (4)- not sure, I only spend about $10 on each of them but like to give personal gifts instead of gift cards

I have been purchasing some $10 gift cards when I grocery shop so I have a stack of those to give as gifts to teachers or those random gift exchanges that always sneak up on us.

 

[dalmatian7]

I know "this" isn't what "this" thread is about. But if you are Christmas shopping and you have the means, and if you are interested in doing so, please consider buying a package of new children's underwear to donate. When we did the "adopt a family" a few Christmases ago, the lady in charge said there are ways for kids to get coats and other winter clothes but they NEVER get new underwear. Always used. I won't dwell on it more than that but if you are shopping, please consider one package of new underwear.

Thanks for this! I am hoping to grab a name from the giving tree at our church this year and I will keep this in mind when purchasing.

 

[pigletto]

I bought a couple more things over the weekend. I had some reward dollars and a coupon at Hallmark so I got a pretty wooden sign for my assistant at work. I had $20 in Kohl's cash and used that for a sweater for my MIL.

We've been working on getting out of some debt and it should be paid off in December, so I told DH we were going to be very careful Christmas shoppers this year and not put any of Christmas on cc's since we have worked so hard to get out of debt. Hopefully he will stick to that. Last year we agreed to just spend $100 apiece on each other. I happened to look at the cc statement online about 4 days before Christmas and saw that he had spend WAY more than $100 on me. I was mad that he did it, but then also felt guilty because I had stuck to the budget, so I ended up going on a couple days before Christmas and buying him a bunch more stuff.

Sounds familiar. DH and I agreed to just do stockings for each other last year. We have so many people to buy for and we were going on a trip.. we needed to budget. Christmas morning... we opened our stockings, and then he gave me my Ipad.
Don't get me wrong.. I love it. But it made me feel bad. This year we will include each other in the budget.. because he will just go get gifts anyway. It's important to him.

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

I haven't bought much of anything yet, just a couple of stocking stuffer things. I've usually at least got a plan but we just moved and I am so disgusted with the amount of stuff my kids have, most of which has never been touched. Same for my husband. Where did all this stuff come from?

I'm hoping ancestry.com will run another black friday special on their DNA kits. My mother and oldest son have both expressed an interest in doing those. May get one for my brother as well since my father is gone and it would be nice to have some idea about his side also. My husband and his sister did theirs last year.

I'm toying with the idea of tearing down the old shanty shed in the backyard and replacing it with something nicer that we can make a home gym out of. Then running an American ninja/crossfit style play structure around the outside. It wouldn't be that much more $ wise than we normally spend if we do the building ourselves and I think both kids would actually use it. I just can't figure out how to spin it as a Santa gift for the youngest since he still believes. He'd obviously notice us building it ourselves.

On the bright side, my Mother is the hardest person to buy for and I have her taken care of already. We took a family trip this year and for her birthday I paid for a photographer to do a family portrait of her and all the grandchildren. I bought her the actual photos for Christmas.

 

[melanielll]

I have thought about the ancestry DNA thing....but I see that opening a large can of ugly when people look around and realize they are not as related as they thought they were. I have actually thought about sending it to some relatives that I am not fond of and watching the news to see the fallout. Not very Christmas spirity.

The ninja thing sounds fun. Could you have Santa bring the supplies and plans? And Santa hats and decked out tool belts for those doing the construction? If it were me, I would even get a friend of mine who does calligraphy to write up some elaborate scroll proclaiming the workers to be his honorary elves.

 

[MomToOne]

I have thought about the ancestry DNA thing....but I see that opening a large can of ugly when people look around and realize they are not as related as they thought they were.

Honestly, that's part of the reason I haven't done one. I've done extensive research on my mother's family tree so it would be interesting to see what popped up that seems outside that research. But there are whispered rumors in the family that my grandfather might have some other children by one or more women. He was not exactly an upright sort of fella, needless to say. So while anyone in my mother's generation is still alive, I have no intention of potentially opening that can of worms. Their father is such a sore subject with the ones that are left that there is no need to reopen the wound.

 

[Graciesmom77]

I'm hoping ancestry.com will run another black friday special on their DNA kits. My mother and oldest son have both expressed an interest in doing those. May get one for my brother as well since my father is gone and it would be nice to have some idea about his side also. My husband and his sister did theirs last year.

Do you by chance remember how much the Black Friday deal was for the ancestry DNA kits? I've wanted to do this for awhile now.

 

[scottmel]

You're welcome! I didn't order anything extra either, just the main tickets. I wasn't really sure exactly what the extra stuff was.

After buying the original set of tickets, I went back in and bought the experience part as well. cheap enough....and DH loves that kind of stuff like show props, the throne, etc. I personally have never seen the show ever so I am just going along for the ride as he has no friends close by that watch the show ....