How's everyone doing with holiday shopping?

[Food Lady]

I've only gotten my dad and both stepparents done, but everyone else will be easy: cash or gift cards. I guess it seems impersonal, but Mom specifically requested a manicure, so cash it is. And my nephew wants an Amazon gift card. My bro and I always do cards because helping each other pay bills is the best we can do.

BFF said I can just pay him the money I owe him because my savings is running dry. He's very understanding.

I must admit the 'rents' gift is something I want: Swiss Colony. I'm sending them 2 boxes o' stuff. I'm a vegetarian, but summer sausage and beef logs call my name. I'm sure they'll use it for entertaining as long as Dad doesn't gobble it up for snacks.

Sticking to family this year, mostly. I just don't have the budget for everyone I know.

[Aria]

I'm done. Do you want to know what I got people? Well, why not?

Mom: A zojirushi water heater, it was an early gift because she could really use it.

Dad: A Grr-ripper! He picked this out from Lee Valley tools. XD

Sister 1: She just had a baby so a mommy care pack of various body rubs and products. Also a bunch of onesies in larger sizes since she was complaining about having too many little ones.

Brother-in-law 1: They just lucked into a free barbecue, so a set of barbecue tools. Also two candy bars, the kind he can eat. He has nut allergies.

L'il Baby Girl: A set of pink bowls.

Sister 2: I have a set of cups and saucers that she coveted, so I got her two pairs. They were too expensive to buy more. I also got her an art set and a sketchpad, on request.

Brother-in-law 2: Chocolates. He can also use the cup and saucers. That's why I got two sets.

Niece: An amiguri crocheted dog that looks like her female pup.

Nephew: An amiguri crocheted dog that looks like his male pup.

L'il Baby 2: A monster plate.

Aaand my work is done! Except for wrapping the damned things.

[CoffeeMonkey]

Pretty good, actually. I have a lot of people and a tiny budget for each, but out of 19 gifts, I have 8, with another 6 on their way from amazon. Out of the remaining five, three of them I know exactly what it is and where to get it.

I have a lot of wrapping to do.

I have even more baking to do. Most of my friends get tins instead of gifts.


Oh, and then I have to make a wedding cake for the 27th.

Oh, and then I have to prep for new years eve...

[Food Lady]

Aria, very thoughtful gifts! <3

Coffee, could you afford to have them wrapped at one of those charity kiosks in the mall?

[Android Kaeli]

I think I'm done for the most part, since the majority of the shopping I do is year-round anyways for the little knick-knacks I know that my family will like. I generally get the last of it done sometime between the beginning of October to the end of November.

I really don't see anything "impersonal" about cash, check, or gift cards -- I tell everyone that unless I ask for a specific item, I WANT cash, check, or gift cards. Just wrap them all pretty, and I'll be happy.

[AnaKhouri]

I hardly have to buy anything this year. My dad always just needs money, my teenage niece and nephews want money, my stepdad wants a gift card, and Husband shops for his family. Our Wii is on its last legs so we finally gave in and purchased a WiiU (Gamestop special, WiiU and two games for the price of a regular WiiU), and if we're spending $300+ on any one gift it's going to be for all of us, so we're not getting each other anything either. The WiiU is from Santa though so I got the 6-year-old a set of Minecraft Legos from us and a couple activity books, and the 15-month-old is getting a teddy with buttons and zippers and laces and all that crap babies love. My mom likes when I make personalized calendars with pictures of the boys so that's what she's getting.

[mjr]

Our shopping is done.

[Aria]

I really don't see anything "impersonal" about cash, check, or gift cards -- I tell everyone that unless I ask for a specific item, I WANT cash, check, or gift cards. Just wrap them all pretty, and I'll be happy.

I agree actually. I would LOVE to get gift certificates to The Bay, Starbucks or the organic grocery store. Ah, heaven.

Mind you I'd be pissed if someone gave me a gift card to, oh, Victoria Secret. Given that they don't really carry my size. I wouldn't be thrilled about Montana's either. The Keg, I would take.

[BrenDAnn]

So far, I have Dad covered, and my sister, her hubby, and her eldest daughter partially covered. I spoke to eldest nephew today and he said he really wasn't sure. I might just toss him an XBox card or something. We'll see if he comes up with anything. These days, if there aren't lil ones around, it's easier to do gift cards anyway!

[MoonCat]

haha, what's that?

OK, well, seriously, I have purchased two items. One I have to pick up tomorrow. These are both for the same person, but I only have two people on my list.

I don't have a clue what to get the other person, though. Better think fast I guess! I hate asking because it takes away the element of surprise, but since the first person already knows what she's getting, I suppose I can go ahead and ask second person.

If this all sounds kind of ditzy, I realize that. I just don't much like the holidays anymore.

Except for the Christmas card exchange

[April]

I'm pretty much done. The kids were easy, because they are getting big gifts this year (Cell phones) So all the other presents were small, cheap/and or needed, like Pajamas and the like.

the husband got A Dallas Cowboys hoodie, and a Cowboys robe

The mom, step-dad, both sisters, nephew and grandma are done. All I have left to do is take the kids out to get a gift for their dad, and for each other.

[CoffeeMonkey]

Aria, very thoughtful gifts! <3

Coffee, could you afford to have them wrapped at one of those charity kiosks in the mall?

Nooooo not even remotely. (strange coincidence, I actually worked one of those one season back in high school as a girl scout.)

I don't mind doing it. I have some cheap, pretty paper, tape, and I can scare up a few boxes. Most of it can be done sitting on the floor while watching hockey with my family.

[Food Lady]

I will sometimes get paper on the 26th for cheap and it will last me a few years. I never have many to wrap. This year all I need to do is mail stuff.

[mjr]

This is like the third or fourth year in a row my son has asked for "math stuff" for Christmas.

But in my house we do Christmas and Chanukkah, so we usually get him 1 gift per day for Chanukkah, and for Christmas he gets one gift from Santa, one from us, and stocking stuffers.

You know how hard it is to find "math stuff" (when it's that generic) for a 10 year old who really likes math? It's harder than you'd think...

[Aria]

This is like the third or fourth year in a row my son has asked for "math stuff" for Christmas.

But in my house we do Christmas and Chanukkah, so we usually get him 1 gift per day for Chanukkah, and for Christmas he gets one gift from Santa, one from us, and stocking stuffers.

You know how hard it is to find "math stuff" (when it's that generic) for a 10 year old who really likes math? It's harder than you'd think...

Does he like puzzles? 3-D puzzles are incredibly impressive. I think I bought one for my brother-in-law once.