Are you done with your Christmas shopping? [Archive] - Baby Bargains & Baby 411 Community

SnuggleBuggles

11-19-2009, 02:37 PM

All done? Mostly done? Part done? Not even started?

I'm in the not even started category. Thanksgiving is sneaking up on me! I would love to be done by then. It didn't dawn on me that the stores will be obnoxiously crowded soon. I'd love to skip the crowds, even if I have to pay a bit more. (I know, I hardly fit in on a bargain board with an attitude like that!). I thought I had ideas for people but turns out I have a long ways to go!

How about you? How are you doing with it?

If you are done- do you ask other people what they want or do you just buy what you feel like? We are big wish list people in my family (and we are all ok with it!) but the problem is no one except me gives the holidays any thought till after Thanksgiving so I have to decide where to pick my own things or wait for their input.

Beth

LarsMal

11-19-2009, 02:40 PM

Christmas shopping?!??! What's that? :dizzy:

My answer would be not even started...haven't really even thought about it yet. I still have a little over a month, right?!

infomama

11-19-2009, 02:41 PM

I have a really solid list so I suppose I would say I am mostly done. Ordering is the easy part thanks to the interweb ;)

srhs

11-19-2009, 02:41 PM

We don't even draw names until Thanksgiving in my extended families.

Melaine

11-19-2009, 02:42 PM

I am about half done I would say. I still need gifts for some tricky people though. The weeks are just flying by, aren't they!

egoldber

11-19-2009, 02:43 PM

Well we typically do the gift exchange with DH's family at Thanksgiving, so yes on that side.

I have a "solid list" (love that term) for my kids, and we only buy for kids on my side, so that's easy. :)

Moneypenny

11-19-2009, 02:46 PM

I am mostly done (or will be after my day off work tomorrow to finish shopping). I'll only have my dad and his wife left and they are impossible to shop for. I always leave them until the last minute hoping I'll be struck with some amazing inspiration.

TwinFoxes

11-19-2009, 02:46 PM

I could be done... But I actually like going to the mall during Christmas season. Crazy right??? I love the bustle. I have done a lot already though, since I know I won't be able to get much done with the girls in tow.

Tondi G

11-19-2009, 02:50 PM

LOL... DONE?! NOPE! We haven't even started! I know pretty much what we will be buying the boys. I have a general idea for my hubby. Not a clue for my sister and her boyfriend. My mom is fairly easy, I'd love to go in on a couch with my sister for her (she needs one BAD)

WatchingThemGrow

11-19-2009, 02:52 PM

I'm anxious about it b/c "going" shopping is no fun for me w/3 LOs, and I can't stir up one (slightly passive agressive) SIL to send a list for her 3 DC. The annoying thing about it is that she shops in Sept. and just buys everyone else's gifts which are often duplicates of what we already have, without asking or looking at our wishlists. Then, she replies last week, "Oh, we haven't even thought about Christmas yet. We're in full-fall mode here." We know it isn't true.

My plan is to ask about what they want, then use the Amazon Prime free trial to get as much as possible - or gift cards that can be ordered online.

billysmommy

11-19-2009, 02:54 PM

I'm pretty much done with the buying for everyone. I do still have 3 things left to get but I really like going to the mall at Christmas time and seeing all the decorations, etc. It doesn't stress me out at all unless I have no clue what to buy or what stores to go to.

DH and I have a sitter all set for a Saturday evening in mid-Dec and we're going to go to the mall, have dinner, pick up the 2 presents we need to get for his mom and sister, go to the Lego store so he can pick out Billy's big set and then out for dessert and drive around to see some lights. We're actually both really excited about it :)

vonfirmath

11-19-2009, 02:54 PM

All done.
But I can't say that means I won't buy anything else. But nothing else is needed.

AnnieW625

11-19-2009, 02:56 PM

No I haven't even really started yet. In my immediate family we have a $20 limit per person. I did get a set of placemats/napkins from TJ Maxx as my parents combined $20 gift. Dad is getting the Pixar Shorts movie, and my mom is getting a 500 or 1000 piece puzzle with quilts in the picture. My brother will most likely get a gift card to a local food store or Costco, and my sister is getting a tire pressure gauge (claims she doesn't know how to check her tires, she's 22 yrs. old for goodness sakes :shake:) and some nice little sewing scissors.

For DH he is getting the Futurama Complete Collection. DD is getting the classic Fisher Price Clock, a ballet bag (already bought), a small collection of Cars Mega Blocks (Mater, already bought), more Duplo blocks, and probably a play kitchen for her new room.

My in laws are getting gift cards because they either buy what they want for themselves or not letting us know what they want so the BIL will get either Macys, Nordstroms, or Restoration Hardware, and the ILs will get Wal Mart.

I also had photos taken of Elisa last month so those will be gifts too.

My immediate family always does a wish list, but we don't get mad if people buy us other stuff.

citymama

11-19-2009, 02:57 PM

I'm in the not even started category except for DD's "big" present. Still need to buy all the smaller stuff for her, DH's present, and my niece and nephew's presents. (We don't buy for anyone else really - I send Godiva boxes to a couple of my co-workers!) And get started on our holiday cards.

OK, it's like I've lost track of what time of year it is. :bag

kedss

11-19-2009, 03:01 PM

sarahsthreads

11-19-2009, 03:06 PM

Snort.

Done?

I have vague ideas for the kids and DH. I have *zero* ideas for anybody else on our list. And now I'm somehow in charge of figuring out what my grandmother can buy for her 15 great grandchildren, ranging in age from not-even-born-yet to 12. How on earth did that happen??

Sarah :)

citymama

11-19-2009, 03:12 PM

Probably a squirrel puppet for my dd, as she is very into squirrels. :)

The Folkmanis squirrel puppet is my DD's absolute favorite possession. It is adorable. I bought it for about $6 at a toystore.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006NGVL8/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000IJGULG&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=08XPVMSFP5AX32FP1Z06

bluestar2

11-19-2009, 03:31 PM

Almost done.

pinkmomagain

11-19-2009, 03:41 PM

I have started. I like to avoid the stores if I can after thanksgiving, but I never get completely finished by then.

My problem is figuring out what to get for my 4yo. She of course wants everything she sees on commercials. But she has inherited so much, and despite my constant pruning, we have more toys & books & art supplies than we know what to do with. I'm thinking maybe decorative stuff for her room (since we are redoing it) or lessons of some sort...unfortunately these things do not have the impact that say a Dora doll will!

I am trying to do as much online shopping I can --- only free shipping, of course!

AJP

11-19-2009, 03:42 PM

Partly done & pretty much know what we're getting for the remaining people. The girls being sick has kept me home this last week, and I was hoping to have gotten a big chunk done by this w/e.

SnuggleBuggles

11-19-2009, 03:43 PM

I'm in the thinking, shopping, not done yet part. I want to get lots of little gifts for friends, and one medium gift for each member of the immediate family. Already got DH's, and I'm thinking of getting art classes for my soon to be 6 year old. :) Probably a squirrel puppet for my dd, as she is very into squirrels. :)

The book "Scaredy Squirrel" is absolutely fantastic!
http://www.amazon.com/Scaredy-Squirrel-Melanie-Watt/dp/1554530237/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258659804&sr=8-1

Beth

pb&j

11-19-2009, 03:48 PM

For the kids, yes, mostly. Just stocking stuffers to pick up.

For my parents/the ILs, I know what I'm getting them, just have to order it.

For DH, he is impossible to shop for, I always wait till the last minute hoping for inspiration.

Both kids have bdays not too far from the holidays (late Nov/early Jan) and I'm done with birthday shopping, too.

We made it easier this year by deciding to do one big present per kid per event. So, DS is getting a bike for Xmas, DD is getting a play kitchen. They both have stocking stuffers, and books, but that's it.

ETA: We don't have a lot of extended family to shop for - just my sister, and DH's bro. My sister and I have stopped exchanging gifts at Xmas, b/c we were always getting each other gift cards (sometimes to the same place, lol!!) so we decided it was silly to trade gift cards, and we'd just go shopping together sometime after the holidays.

Momof3Labs

11-19-2009, 04:43 PM

Mostly done, and I know what I still need to get. Lots of online shopping this year, especially amazon and etsy!!

hbridge

11-19-2009, 05:51 PM

Done, thank goodness! Now it's time to get organized, wrap, make homemade gifts, bake, do cards, ect. I HATE to shop so I always try to be done by Thanksgiving at the latest.

bubbaray

11-19-2009, 05:57 PM

Melaine

11-19-2009, 07:46 PM

Stop. Just S.T.O.P.

No, I'm not done. Usually, I am. This year, not so much. I have a joint toy for the girls (crazyforts), 1 toy each and 2 Santa Pez's for their stockings. That is IT. I have no idea for DH, nor for the ILs, who will be with us.

Then there the "others": 2 ballet teachers, Kindergarten teacher, DD#1's daycare teachers (6?), DD#2's daycare teachers (4). My secretary. Our babysitter. Possibly Sunday School teacher, though I might skip that (we haven't gone at all this fall due to H1N1).

Sigh.

Bubbaray, I have seen you mention crazyforts several times. I just want you to know that I am consciously refraining from googling it. I just know that I would decide it is something we need. Crazyforts just sounds SOOOO fun.

bubbaray

11-19-2009, 07:48 PM

Bubbaray, I have seen you mention crazyforts several times. I just want you to know that I am consciously refraining from googling it. I just know that I would decide it is something we need. Crazyforts just sounds SOOOO fun.

http://www.crazyforts.com/

Click it. You know you wanna.... ;)

alien_host

11-19-2009, 07:50 PM

I've made very good progress...as evidenced by the 6-7 Amazon boxes in my dining room! DD is nearly done, even stocking stuffers.

2 of 4 kids that we buy for are done.

I need two gifts for DH's side but that should be fairly easy.

I need stocking stuffers for family but have made a decent dent on that.

Something small for my parents (they requested no gifts).

Need my sis' wishlist and her b'day is in Dec.

DH....not sure but I'll find something.

Wait I guess I'm not as far along as I thought! I still will shop Black Friday and shop until Christmas because "you can always find something else!"

Bottom line, I love to shop (and wrap).

MoJo

11-20-2009, 10:21 AM

Thought I was almost done (I've got a lot of stuff on the gift shelves in my basement anyway), but now that I'm starting to get wishlists from my family, I'm thinking I ought to buy at least one thing they are asking for.

I generally like to be in the stores without NEEDING to buy anything during the Christmas season. But I'm so sick this year, I'm thinking Amazon is the way to go.

I really need to figure out exactly what I have and what I need to get, because I've learned the hard way that you don't want to wait on an Amazon order.

Melaine

11-20-2009, 10:25 AM

http://www.crazyforts.com/

Click it. You know you wanna.... ;)

I knew they would be cool....very smart invention.

egoldber

11-20-2009, 10:29 AM

Oh my. I should NOT have clicked on that crazyforts link!

Melaine

11-20-2009, 10:31 AM

Oh my. I should NOT have clicked on that crazyforts link!

:ROTFLMAO:I decided mine are too young to really enjoy. That's what I decided anyway. Will definitely file away for future gifting though.

bubbaray

11-20-2009, 11:02 AM

:ROTFLMAO:I decided mine are too young to really enjoy. That's what I decided anyway. Will definitely file away for future gifting though.

Really? My DD#2 is our "builder" here. She already moves furniture around in our family room to create forts. I'm really getting it more for her -- she builds and then DD#1 plays with her in the fort....