Christmas Spending

[patandchickens]

We never spend more than $200 or so total, including extended family. Partly because some gifts are homemade or free or thrift-store; but largely because we just don't do the "giant potlatch extravaganza" type thing. I don't expect it'll be any different this year.

Pat

 

[big brown horse]

Same here Pat. Around here, presents are not the focus of any celebration including birthdays.

 

[me&thegals]

Same here Pat. Around here, presents are not the focus of any celebration including birthdays.

I feel more and more this way the older I get. I must be getting old! No matter the occasion, what I always want most is just time with the people I love doing the things we love and eating the things we enjoy. I'm fortunate enough and have simple enough tastes that I get myself the things I want (awesome hoe or soap-making supplies, for example) when the occasion arises anyway.

Really neat ideas here! I LOVE the idea of a home-made board game, ldychef2k!

 

[Farmfresh]

I like to concentrate more on the gift of Christ to the world, good foods and smells in the house, pretty homespun decorations consisting of warm colors and soft textures and just being together and having a good time. Games and good conversation are a must.

I've always liked starting my own traditions for holidays and such, so we like to think of Christmas as a time of warmth, love and thankfulness instead of a time to scurry around and spend money....it all seems so weird to us when we watch others do this.

Total Christmas expenditures will probably be in the $100 range, including snack foods, some new lights and ribbons for wreaths and swags, a few gifts for my boys and gas for traveling to visit relatives.

Probably another $100 for a needy family....there always seems to be an opportunity to give to others at this time of year.

I agree totally. I found I even have a hard time with the needy now days. In the last few years we have checked out the "needy" kids cards in different stores and donation places and found things like games for their video games, new CD players, new cell phones (!!) My kids never had any of those things and I never found them to be needy.

We had a opportunity several years back to pick a Christmas family with our 4-H group. The family we got were 3 Muslim teenage girls that came with a bunch of Somalian refugees. They had wishes like a chair for their new apartment and blankets and a coat. Our 4-H group provided for their wishes and we had their extended family to supper several times over the next year and watched while they got jobs and on their feet. That was a good experience! I want people to have a good Christmas, but all of this materialism has got to go!

spelling

 

[Beekissed]

Yep! I will pay for rent, utilities, food, clothing and even basic toys....but high priced gadgets? Probably not. I don't even have those!

 

[sufficientforme]

Great thread!!

I always hit up the Black Friday sales. I know it's craziness, but I LOVE it!!!! This is the type of hunt that I live for I don't particularly care much for the people that get rude and pushy and crazy, but I go into any store with an attitude of love, and have come out okay every time so far

I'm going to get the kids a few things this year, that they want, and then hit up the Black Friday sales for things that we think would be good for the kids to have ie educational, things that get them outside etc.

We have already saved up some money for Christmas, but we are spending much less than we have in years past due to just simply not having the money.

Since we are doing the responsible thing and paying off our debt aggressively and living on a zero budget, we have a lot less money for Christmas this year. The bigger picture is more important kind of thing.

Consequently I have endeavored to try and make more things for the kid's gifts. That is proving easier said than done, and if I'm lucky, I will give the afghan to my DD for Christmas, siiiiiiince I wasn't able to get it done in time for her birthday!!

What I hope to make:
**Lots of baked goodies in pretty packaging(all homemade)

-haystacks
-chocolate covered cherries
-chocolate covered pretzels
-no bake cookies
-7 layer cookie bars
-easy fudge
-lemon bars
-ornament shaped rice crispie treats

I know there are more, but I can't remember all of them lol

** Afghan for DD

** Custom made shirts for DD and DS using drawings that they have drawn.

** Shadow boxes for all of the kids artwork to display in the living room for all to admire

** Stocking for DD because for some reason her Christmas stocking is 5 times smaller than the rest of her sibs

** amirigumi(not sure how to spell that) chickens in eggs for the kids stocking stuffers....thaaaaaaaaaaat were intended to be Easter basket stuffers.........

For my husband: a Pizza Stone and a Steelers shirt

The rest of the fam will probably do the drawing numbers gift exchange except for my nephews.

I don't have clue what to get my teenage nephews. Last year my parents got my kids a whole bunch of stuff, and got my sisters boys last minute gift cards because they all of a sudden realized they had better get them something.

Anybody know what to get two teenage boys?

If they have Apple Ipods, nano's, shuffles get them ITUNES GIFT CARDS they start at 10.00 and up. Last year they were a big hit for us with the teen crowd and our kids have been begging for them for Christmas this year. I have even bought them for my husbands stocking, since its so nice to be able to pick out your favorite song, download for a dollar or so per song and not waste your money on songs on the album you don't like, or if they love the whole album they can down load for approx. 10.00

 

[lupinfarm]

Well my Christmas shopping is sad, I'm jobless and thus poor LOL but I can do what I can do! I probably won't get my dad anything or I'll pool with my mum and brother. My dad is hard to shop for.

Kevin:

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series including the new book (By Eoin C)

Mum:

Building her a new cedar dutch door for the barn and might also get her the new Ontario House Styles book from Chapters, it is filled with century home styles from the decades.

And for the record, I always get my horses something (LOL) infact, when I boarded out all of our horses had stockings

Luna and Mylie will both have stockings this year and will have in them...

Marezy Doats (If I can find them again...? Pat, do you know if they still sell them?)
Various Treats (usually maple treats, apple treats, very expensive treats lol)


and I think this year I'll get them both a new leadrope, or maybe get Luna some pretty bellboots or a halter to match her new winter rug I'm getting her.

Luna is also getting a big horsey blow up ball (I have one in the house we don't use).

What I want?

Bighorn 1/2 Synthetic Western Saddle (depending, with Haflinger Bars or Draft Bars... not sure yet), 17" seat, Chocolate in colour

Bridle, not sure on style, chocolate in colour

Gift certificate for Wilton Tack and/or Bridle Path Tack

Giftcard for Chapters (more than likely)

And what I'd love over all else?


A month or 2 of training for Mylie

 

[Okiemommy]

If they have Apple Ipods, nano's, shuffles get them ITUNES GIFT CARDS they start at 10.00 and up. Last year they were a big hit for us with the teen crowd and our kids have been begging for them for Christmas this year. I have even bought them for my husbands stocking, since its so nice to be able to pick out your favorite song, download for a dollar or so per song and not waste your money on songs on the album you don't like, or if they love the whole album they can down load for approx. 10.00

I have thought about that, but I don't think they have Ipods. This is something that I should find out. I thought about getting them a 6 pack of soda from Pops up here on Rt 66. They have over 300 different varieties, including pure cane soda...I can't drink another soda anymore unless it's from there, or is made with real sugar like the soda from Jones Soda company. The stuff that is out there now and mass marketed is just nasty and tastes like chemicals. Pops also has grass fed beef hamburgers

So does the pop idea sound lame? Their mom thinks it would be a good idea. I could make them a bunch of baked goodies and gift them with "real" soda and put it in a basket....two things teens like junk food and soda What do ya'll think? If they had iPODs I can add an itunes card...

I just feel bad for them b/c they have been through a whole lot. I'm not going to get into what their dad was like, and their grandparents just totally snubbed them.

I realize Christmas isn't really about presents, but we love to give gifts. Many people love to receive gifts(I would venture to say as long as they're from the heart)

 

[Ldychef2k]

I experimented today with some mixes in a jar. The chocolate chip brownie mix was my favorite, mostly because I just bought bulk broniw mix at Winco and added chips. But I also made chocolate mint coffee creamer powder, chocolate toffee hot chocolate mix, and a layered lentil, split pea and pasta soup. The latter was my least favorite, so I went looking for something better. In the process, i found this site: http://www.recipe-recipes.net/beverages/beverage-mix-recipes.htm

There are more "in a jar" recipes there than I have seen before, so thought maybe you all would enjoy browsing as well.

I actually have cellophane bags to use instead of jars. Cost is a big deal...I got the bags last year in a post-Christmas sale, 8 of them in a package for a quarter. Compared to the cost of a jar, I think I will go with the bags, and then put them in a small apple basket (I got a few dozen some years ago from Texas Basket Company, less than $2 each.) I am thinking of not only giving them as gifts but maybe selling them to former catering clients.

 

[Blackbird]

Our family ends up drawing names, since there are 11 of us. Everyone makes a list and it needs to be something from the list. We are expected to spend $75 on the person who's name we drew. Do I have $75 to spare on presents? NO! lol.

The worse part is, I got my sister-in-law's name. If you get her what she wants but it is the wrong brand she asks for the receipt so she can return everything. She even returned undershirts that my mom got for her 2 y/o son because they were the wrong brand. UNDERSHIRTS!

I could give her $75 in soap but she doesn't even use the bar I gave her. She insists on using 'anti-bacterial soap' even after I showed her the studies saying that most bar soaps are better that anti-bacterial.

I'll quit ranting.