Someone Check My Forehead!
Bought my 1st Xmas present on JULY 29th, I blamed it on Blondie's Daily! It was a fluke that I saw something for a Georgia relative so I picked it up.
Today we were in Aiea at the Mall, rare event, but I wanted to redeem our free Farrell's icecream soda floats. :) Went into a new department store that just anchored there just to see what they had. Low and behold, something jumped out for a friend! Xmas gift number 2 on AUGUST 1st!
Please someone check my forehead 'cause I have to be sick! Running a fever! Now of course these items get a complementing homemade item to go with it, such as a mugrug, iPad holder, whatever. But to find items this far ahead, it too, too weird and not like me.
Is there a Xmas Fairy hovering the MSQC Forum? Blondie, are you working on your Primitives 2013 and you're letting me know to get my (_|_) in gear? What's up???
Anyone else have this disease? It's actually good, yet Don is looking at me funny at the stores though when I mention "Xmas" right now...
Re: Someone Check My Forehead!
WTG Ruby :) Don't ya just love those jump out at ya gifts that are so appropriate. Wish they would all do that. My biggest problem with Christmas is I have to wrap everything, including DD's things for the kids from Santa. She has no place to hide anything, and they are still at that age. DH is wanting me to get a jump on Christmas this year too. Haven't started yet but plan on getting the ball rolling this month.
Re: Someone Check My Forehead!
Congrats on finding a few gifts early. If I can finish Christmas shopping before Black Friday I am a happy camper!! But that doesn't happen often.
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Good for you. I'm not going in a store this year except to get DJ's gifts. All others will be from online. I refuse to walk and wait in lines.
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Congratulations on a nice early start. It's time to play some Christmas music. :)
Ginny B
Re: Someone Check My Forehead!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ginny B
Congratulations on a nice early start. It's time to play some Christmas music. :)
Ginny B
ROFLOL...Ok Ginny...Now if I start doing that Don's taking me to the ER for sure! Hehe
Re: Someone Check My Forehead!
I don't even want to think about Christmas yet!
Re: Someone Check My Forehead!
I have not shopped or made anything yet but plan on having my 65 Christmas cards and envelopes made by the end of the month and also plan on having the little things made for friends by the end of the month also. We'll see how it goes. I'm also making a quilt for my nephews wedding in September. I'm not working right now so I can't use work as an excuse for not getting things done anymore.....UGH!
Re: Someone Check My Forehead!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Madeforyouinma11
I have not shopped or made anything yet but plan on having my 65 Christmas cards and envelopes made by the end of the month and also plan on having the little things made for friends by the end of the month also. We'll see how it goes. I'm also making a quilt for my nephews wedding in September. I'm not working right now so I can't use work as an excuse for not getting things done anymore.....UGH!
Good planning! Yea, not working does leave one big major time blocker out as an excuse. I know but my family does accept my charity quilt making as my replacement time hogger. :) It's all for the hospital or shelter kids, a girl has to do something to fill her time. lol
Re: Someone Check My Forehead!
I picked up my first gift on the 29th too! I found a best of Petticoat Junction (anyone remember that show?) for my Dad, he LOVED watching that show! It was $5 at Walmart, so it'll be a great stocking stuffer :) Well, I guess it wasn't technically my first, I did order a jelly roll back last month to make a table runner for MIL, but I haven't even unrolled it yet so it doesn't count lol I love Christmas, and the sooner I can get all of my gifts purchased, THE BETTER! But in front of hubs, right now it's the "C" word, I can't say the full word until Tipsy Eve (December 23rd) lol He's a bit of a Grinch, but I'm slowly converting him to the "Dark Side" :V
Re: Someone Check My Forehead!
I always buy early. I can't handle the holiday crowds. If you've got a fever I'm in the next bed over!
Re: Someone Check My Forehead!
When I was living closer to my family, and my oldest daughter was little, I always started looking for the next years presents in January. But we also had birthdays and anniversary gifts to get in January, February, and March.. :P So as soon as the sales started, I started.
Good idea to have a couple of totes labeled for gifts and what months you need them for. ;-)
Re: Someone Check My Forehead!
I forgot to add this, my grandmother used to have a "tickle trunk" at the foot of her bed, and in January she'd start going to sales and flea markets and pick up random stuff (cup towels, candle holders, soaps, socks, gloves, etc) and start filling her tickle trunk. Then when December came she'd start dividing it all up between the children and grandchildren. Sometimes she'd have a specific gift for someone, but usually it was just everyday items that she'd picked up along the way. Boys got boy stuff, girls got girl stuff, and adults got adult stuff. So every year she'd fill and them empty her "tickle trunk", and it was always so fun to get her gifts because you never knew what you could end up with! lol
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Dee, I like the way your Grandmother thinks! One year, just for the heck of it, I gave toys to the adults and adult things to the kids. I expected everyone to swap gifts. Did not happen! My Gramie held her doll the whole time she was here and carried it proudly out the door when she went home. LOL She said that was the best Christmas ever. God Bless her, I miss her so much.
Ruby, I also bought the girls their first gifts on Aug. 1. That is so not me! I wait till Dec. and then go to the stores that are open all night. It's fun to shop when hardly anyone is there. And no long lines! Joe complains about Christmas until the 24th and then goes crazy. He has a ball and spends too much. Oh well, he pays the bills and earns the money, so I guess he deserves to go hog wild once a year. And I must say, I am one of the recipients and have gotten some amazing gifts!!! It won't be happening like that this year tho. Too much Senior and not enough income. Just like everyone else. Business has been non-existent! Our CPA couldn't believe how little our books were this last year. He said we weren't alone. Oh well, some years the basket is full to overflowing, and sometimes you can see the bottom of the basket. But ya know, there is always enough and that is what counts. Hugs, Jan L.
Re: Someone Check My Forehead!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
janluna
Dee, I like the way your Grandmother thinks! One year, just for the heck of it, I gave toys to the adults and adult things to the kids. I expected everyone to swap gifts. Did not happen! My Gramie held her doll the whole time she was here and carried it proudly out the door when she went home. LOL She said that was the best Christmas ever. God Bless her, I miss her so much.
Ruby, I also bought the girls their first gifts on Aug. 1. That is so not me! I wait till Dec. and then go to the stores that are open all night. It's fun to shop when hardly anyone is there. And no long lines! Joe complains about Christmas until the 24th and then goes crazy. He has a ball and spends too much. Oh well, he pays the bills and earns the money, so I guess he deserves to go hog wild once a year. And I must say, I am one of the recipients and have gotten some amazing gifts!!! It won't be happening like that this year tho. Too much Senior and not enough income. Just like everyone else. Business has been non-existent! Our CPA couldn't believe how little our books were this last year. He said we weren't alone. Oh well, some years the basket is full to overflowing, and sometimes you can see the bottom of the basket. But ya know, there is always enough and that is what counts. Hugs, Jan L.
My grandmother probably would have kept the doll too! lol On a serious note though, it seems like Christmas gets worse and worse every year. People expect more and more and are spending a mint on stuff that gets tossed aside and barely thought about after boxing day (or returned!). The past few years funds have been tight for DH and I and we've been giving homemade gifts wherever possible and whenever possible. For birthdays and such I'd probably spend $20 on something that the person didn't really need but looked nice, and I'd get a thank you and never hear about it again. This year for my mom on her birthday and for Mother's day I made gifts that cost around what I would normally spend anyway and she hasn't stopped talking about them :) For one gift I bought a pack of pens at Walmart, a roll of ribbon, and some fake flowers. Then I used a terra cotta pot I had laying around, painted it pink and white, and decorated the pens like flowers (using the pen as the stem and wrapped in ribbon with the flower on top) and my mom LOVES it! Keeps it in her office at work and loves that nobody can steal her pens anymore lol So for the sake of $5 I gave her something she appreciates more than a $20 something that may never be used. I also made her a "Mom's bracelet" using different coloured pearls and wrote a poem about what each coloured pearl stood for (like pink was for all the love she gives, blue for tolerance, etc) and she wears it every day :) So when times get tough and money gets tight, get crafty! You might just make something 100x better than you could ever buy :D I'm only giving homemade gifts from now on because they get a much better reception and at least I know they'll be used and appreciated!
Re: Someone Check My Forehead!
Dee, I agree, the meaning of gift giving and receiving during Christmas has gotten out of control. With multiple grandparents plus aunts/uncles trying to out do each other it gets crazy with how many gifts kids get under the tree.
With things getter tighter each year, we really pay close attention to the person's hobbies as those are the things that the families have been cutting out on or out of their budget as well. For the tween and teen boys is Georgia it will be Bass Pro Shop Gift Cards, they are into paint ball, hunting and fishing. I'll make a gear bag for each to put the card in.
My SIL's Step Mother paints, I've been picking up quality brushes and I already found fabric with Hummingbirds (that she loves) to make a Paint Brush Roll to hold them.
Others will get pillows, small wall hangings, lap quilts that I haven't had time to make for them in the past that they have asked for.
I would say 60% will be homemade this year - a labor of love. lol
Re: Someone Check My Forehead!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
HandsOffItsMine
Good planning! Yea, not working does leave one big major time blocker out as an excuse. I know but my family does accept my charity quilt making as my replacement time hogger. :) It's all for the hospital or shelter kids, a girl has to do something to fill her time. lol
I'm hoping that next year, after I get some long awaited projects around the house completed, that I can start making blankets and hats for the Children's Hospital in Boston. I think what you're doing is great and it must really make you feel good to do it.
Re: Someone Check My Forehead!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Madeforyouinma11
I'm hoping that next year, after I get some long awaited projects around the house completed, that I can start making blankets and hats for the Children's Hospital in Boston. I think what you're doing is great and it must really make you feel good to do it.
It does feel good Cil and I'm sure that you'll enjoy it as well when you have to do do some. :) We've always own our home 'till the last two years, we know how projects and Honey Do's grow to bigger projects. lol
Just enjoy your time around the house! Time will fly by before you know it. I'm already amazed that it's the middle of August! LOL or should I be crying?
Re: Someone Check My Forehead!
A good 50% of my gifts are going to be hand made this year too. Things just have a way of getting out of hand, and the true meaning of Christmas gets lost at the mall. I for one will be putting an end to that this year.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
HandsOffItsMine
Dee, I agree, the meaning of gift giving and receiving during Christmas has gotten out of control. With multiple grandparents plus aunts/uncles trying to out do each other it gets crazy with how many gifts kids get under the tree.
With things getter tighter each year, we really pay close attention to the person's hobbies as those are the things that the families have been cutting out on or out of their budget as well. For the tween and teen boys is Georgia it will be Bass Pro Shop Gift Cards, they are into paint ball, hunting and fishing. I'll make a gear bag for each to put the card in.
My SIL's Step Mother paints, I've been picking up quality brushes and I already found fabric with Hummingbirds (that she loves) to make a Paint Brush Roll to hold them.
Others will get pillows, small wall hangings, lap quilts that I haven't had time to make for them in the past that they have asked for.
I would say 60% will be homemade this year - a labor of love. lol
