I've decided to just give money to both of my sons for Christmas. I will buy a couple of presents for the grandkids but we are cutting out buying gifts for all the nieces and nephews and their kids...there's just too many of them now. For my mom, all my siblings and I go together and pay her property taxes for her. Since we don't have anything to do with my husband's family, we don't have to worry about getting them anything for Christmas. Sure makes shopping lots easier and less expensive that way.
No saying the C-word until after Turkey day. If it were up to me, I'd not even bother shopping, but unfortunately everyone else likes to get things they have to return. I'd rather buy my own stuff. "Scrooge"
I paid two van payments, bought gas and groceries this month til I'm broke.. have to make two big bills next month which will leave me with about $100 - not much for Christmas shopping. Bah humbug, anyways!
I find it easier to do a little at a time so I started a few weeks ago with the youngest grandson here. I am done with him and almost done with my granddaughter. Now on to the rest of them. This year I have to cut down so will be shopping less I hope.
If it isn't difficult enough to try to do Christmas Shopping I also have 2 birthdays to buy for too. My oldest son was a Christmas morning baby, and my grandson's b-day is 2 days after Christmas.
This year between my husband and I we only have to shop for 4 people. Still debating on if we are shopping for each other or buying something together instead. I vote for the second choice since I don't want to shop for another person and then I won't have to wrap something else.
So far my brother and his wife haven't given us a Christmas list of what they want or like. They do this every year. Kind of gets me mad that they wait until 2 or 3 weeks before Christmas when everyone else has theirs by Thanksgiving. I don't care how busy they are, we've been busy plenty of times, but always manage to have a list together on time.
I'm having the hardest time finding something for hubby's family's gift exchange. It's very hard to find a gift that fits everyone. Gift certs don't seem very personal to me either and try to find a business that is within driving distance of everyone's house if you go the gift cert route. Not easy!
Just 2 more reasons for me to hate gift giving at Christmas.
We did spend about $80 last week on some things, mostly for one of the girls.. will try to grab a few things online and the rest in the next couple weeks..
We'd be able to buy more if a certain girlfriend didn't spend money like she was printing it at home..
Or is it that you are just now finding out how much it cost to have kids? Always something seems like they need. Money, Money, Money! lol They say it helps to think of them as an investment with the hopes they will grow up and get great jobs and can afford to help you in your old age. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
Think I am going to go out and tackle some more stores tomorrow and try to put a big dent in what I need. It would be great to be done ahead of Christmas for once and not wrapping on Christmas Eve day. lol
I think it would even more wonderful if someone else did the shopping for me. We all know that's not going to happen either.
Actually there are people that hire out to do your shopping for you. Maybe as much as you hate to do it you should think about that sometime. lol I would love to shop for other people for once and not have to spend my own money.
I have no idea what your limit is but there must be something your relatives like to do or have an interest in.
Do they like family photos? Gift certificate at a local photography for them to get their pictures done. Or if you are buying for a woman, do up a glamour shot certificate for fun. lol Let her have fun with it.
Or do they like movies? Hint around and see what ones they haven't seen, pick up a few DVD's and add some movie popcorn, popcorn bowls, etc and wrap it all up in a basket with a big bow.
Books? Books on the go where they can listen in the car while driving?
Dinner out? Certificates are so good.
Gas card with a couple bottles of the spray stuff you put on windshields to keep the ice off is great for a guy.
Do they cook out? New tools and a apron with a few good frozen steaks wrapped up and give right away when you get there.
Actually there are people that hire out to do your shopping for you. Maybe as much as you hate to do it you should think about that sometime. lol I would love to shop for other people for once and not have to spend my own money.
Of course you can hire people to shop for you, but that costs money which we don't have much of. Unemployment kind of cures you of having extra money laying around. Not that I'd pay someone even if I had money because I don't like to be wasteful. I can pick out useless gifts as good as they can.
Or if you are buying for a woman, do up a glamour shot certificate for fun. lol Let her have fun with it.
lol lol if you saw my SIL you would get why I'm laughing at that. Let's just say she's a very large woman.
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Do they cook out? New tools and a apron with a few good frozen steaks wrapped up and give right away when you get there.
Believe me, my SIL has every kitchen gadget known to mankind. She owns about 7 or 8 sets of dishes. She used to sell Pampered Chef and has lots of nice stuff. She must have about a couple hundred cookbooks and I don't think she needs more. I'm not adding to her kitchen unless she asks for something.
My SIL has very expensive taste when it comes to decorating her house or buying anything for herself. It's hard to find something that fits her standards. I feel like whatever I buy isn't going to measure up.
You forgot the easiest gift of all. A trip to the liquor store. Something for everyone. Wine for her, beer for him, or vodka or rum for them. haha, you get the idea. One stop shopping.
Well just trying to suggest things that could help you out since you seem to be very frustrated over this.
If it was me and I really didn't enjoy shopping I would just entice someone else to do it by offering to do something for them that they don't like to do. Kinda like an exchange. I could easily see me telling my daughter I would do all her dishes after she baked all day if she went and picked up some gifts for me and I would even throw in picking up around her house and cook a dinner if she wrapped them too. She loves to wrap and is totally creative with it. Me? I just manage to get the paper on.
Actually I think that sounds like a great plan..hummm....I may have to do something for her so she will wrap my presents. I like to shop but I don't care to wrap at all.
You forgot the easiest gift of all. A trip to the liquor store. Something for everyone. Wine for her, beer for him, or vodka or rum for them. haha, you get the idea. One stop shopping.
They don't sound like very fun people to shop for do they? Well then head for your local liquor store, stock up on a bottle each of what they like, put them in each in a basket with a bow and tell them Merry Christmas, then hope they pop it open and get drunk enough not to remember that is all you got them for Christmas.
Another thought..while at the store pick up some lotto tickets and tape them to each of the bottles and tell them if they win they can pick out their own dang presents. lol
Oh, make sure you tell them anything over 100 bucks they have to share with you!
I'm just starting to run of of ideas after all these years. I can't use the same ideas over and over and have used some of the ideas you gave. Homemade craft items are out of the question since my mother owns a craft store. I don't have her name, but you know the rest of the family has seen enough crafts to last a lifetime.
I don't see my brother and his wife that often that I can keep up on their latest interests. My SIL changes hers a lot. She used to collect pandas, but yet I've never seen one in her house. Then it was Winnie the pooh stuff, expensive Longeberger baskets (spelling?) and some angel hangings she collected from a certain artist. Now she sold all the baskets on ebay and no longer wants Pooh. Then there's my brother. I have no idea what he does for fun except watch tv or read books. No hobbies that I know of. Doesn't collect anything.
I can get the wrapping paper on just fine, but not one much to fuss over lots of ribbon and other fancy packaging because no one notices. They just rip right into it. I think they barely noticed the homemade gift tags I made last year. Not getting any this year because I'm not digging out watercolors and I lost my free printing service when I got laid off.
They don't sound like very fun people to shop for do they?
Hmm, does that mean I'm not fun because I always ask for some kind of liquor on my Xmas list? There's lots of nice finds at Discount Liquor in Waukesha. It's on Barstow street which I like to call Barstool street lol.
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then hope they pop it open and get drunk enough not to remember that is all you got them for Christmas.
So one drink for each then? lol my SIL is a light weight drinker. She only can handle one and she falls asleep while the rest of us are laughing and talking with each other.
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Started Christmas Shopping Yet?
There's lots of nice finds at Discount Liquor in Waukesha. It's on Barstow street which I like to call Barstool street lol.
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