Christmas 2017

I used to buy my kids new headphones all the time. like 5 or so a year then when they were like 11 I spent the money and bought them the beats solos they wanted as there big gift. they were corded but you could replace the cord if you had to. 8 years later ive still not bought them new ones. it was way worth the money. I have bought wireless ones for my iphone and would use them more if i find them. lol they were worth the money and i did buy them on black friday. and would not regreat spending the money one bit.
Great to know! Every year one of the stocking stuffers for my boys is about 5-10 of the cheap apple earbuds. They never last. They each have a nice pair of gaming headphones that have lasted a few years already. But, I think I want to get them some nice, not gaming, headphones. Ideally the kind that sit on their necks so they don't have headphone hair all the time.
 
Going one day this week to grab my Goddaughter's dress and junk jewelry to wrap up her birthday gift (bday is at Christmas). I have a $10 JCpenney coupon, a $5 Gymboree rewards, and I believe some sort of Kohl's coupon so between those I should be able to get her gift for almost nothing OOP. My mom is coming to visit next week and offered to take all of our presents for family back with her since she is driving. We normally spend close to $70 mailing gifts to our family states away on years we can't visit near the holidays (hopefully this year will be the last year we won't be able to!) so this will save us a good bit- feels weird wrapping gifts in September though!
 
I am glad I am not the only one who has started shopping. We buy for our kids (3), nieces and nephews (7), parents (4), grand parents (2), and siblings (4) that aren't married. We also have 2 of our kids' birthdays on Dec 24th and Dec 30th. So far below is what I have bought or items I plan to buy. Thanks to this thread I am going to look into a hammock swing and Alex Pet Rocks for DD. She is always hard to buy for.

DD 13:
Puzzle Box - bought
Cell phone
Curtains for her room
Starbucks Gift Card
Xmas Eve PJs

DS16:
North Face Jacket - bought when Gander Mtn closed
Tool box
Sperry shoes
Gift card for gas and car wash
Xmas Eve PJs
Cars that rock book by Brian Johnson

DS:18:
North Face Jacket - bought at Gander Mtn as well
Xmas Eve PJ's
Clothes

Mom: She is teacher and specifically asked for these items.
Scotch Lamination Machine and refills - Bought
Wireless Printer and Ink Jet Refill Program
Pictures of kids

In Laws: Gift cards and pictures of kids

Step Mom: Picture of kids, we are doing Disney trip in Dec so will buy her an ornament

I have no ideas for nieces and nephews.

Sister is going to Disney in Dec with DD and myself and step mom so she is going to get something from there.

Brothers and a fiance will most likely just get giftcards/cash
 
Hi guys while browsing the clearance isle today at Toys r Us, there was a group waiting for some boxes to be opened they were Fingerlings, I had no clue they were that popular I was able to pick up 2 Fingerlings a single and one with a cage:)
 


DS10 is a huge Harry Potter fan and wants his sports themed bedroom to become HP themed. So Christmas will be mainly a bedroom redo. My nephew works at Universal so hoping to make it down in Dec to pick up lots of HP stuff. Our new tradition is to spend the holiday in the tropics so trying to decide where. It's either Punta Cana, Aruba or Cancun. Last year was Punta Cana and we loved being in the pool on Christmas Day. DS got his stocking and a couple of small Lego but he didn't miss not having presents to open at all. Heck, he still has some huge Lego sets from last Christmas that haven't been opened. (Maybe I'll wrap them to remind him :))
 
My daughter wants a powerwheel. We also want to get her a trampoline since she is in gymnastics now and need to replace the iPad with a new one since her cousin accidentally dropped it and cracked the corner. Does that sound like too much for a 4 year old? All I see here are little trinkets that will end up in the trash in my house.

My nephews and nieces are getting Amex gift cards, brother and sister in laws we usually get gift card to nice restaurant and movie passes to ipic. Parents are difficult so will have to think about that

I think it just depends on your child. My kids are the same way and I would much rather spend more on quality things they will use then stuff that will be broken and in the trash in a week.
 
I've cut down on so many gifts. I used to give to cousins, aunts, friends (many long distance), siblings, etc.

I still exchange lots of little gifts with my sister and her BFF (ex college roommate who has no parents or siblings). It's fun finding great little gifts for them.

I have added my DH's 4 siblings and have kept my 2 BFFs (a couple). I got a great deal on LL Bean tote bags with a monogrammed name (free because I have an LL Bean charge) for about $11 each.

I've also crossed off my adult stepson and his GF because they are worthless people who have crossed a line that should never be crossed.
 


I don't stress over Christmas anymore. I buy for my 2 adult children (college students), my DH, my father, and my MIL (my mother and FIL are deceased). We used to exchange gifts with siblings and buy for nieces and nephews, but that went away several years ago because it just got to be too much for all involved. Here's what DH and I do now:

My father: a large gc to his favorite restaurant(s)
MIL: a large gc to WM
DH: I ask him for a list and buy off that (kids use that also to buy their gifts for him) or he just shows me what he wants when we are at Home Depot :D
Me: DH hates to shop for me, so I buy my own gift. Works out great! :flower:
DD and DS: I give them a set $ amount to work from and they get what they want. The only stipulation is they cannot have it until Christmas day. So I usually order some things online and some things I buy in stores (usually Thanksgiving weekend- it's a fun tradition we have, even DH goes!). They both will seek out the best deals to make the $ stretch, even though they get a substantial amount. I usually get them one surprise gift outside of their budget amount and fill a stocking for each of them. This will be the fifth year I've done this and it works well for us. I know what they want, I don't worry if the size, color, style, etc. is the right one, and I rarely have to make a return. They are happy and I am happy.

To answer the OP's question, yes I have started buying the stocking stuffers (mostly gc's) and DS's surprise gift. The bulk of my shopping will be done Thanksgiving day/Black Friday.
 
I used to buy my kids new headphones all the time. like 5 or so a year then when they were like 11 I spent the money and bought them the beats solos they wanted as there big gift. they were corded but you could replace the cord if you had to. 8 years later ive still not bought them new ones. it was way worth the money. I have bought wireless ones for my iphone and would use them more if i find them. lol they were worth the money and i did buy them on black friday. and would not regreat spending the money one bit.
I know people on here don't like to buy Walmart stuff but it's the only place in our town to shop, anyway I try to buy this kind of stuff at Walmart on Black Friday. I always get the ins for the extra $5 for 3 extra years it has gotten used a few times and so worth it.
 
DD and DS: I give them a set $ amount to work from and they get what they want. The only stipulation is they cannot have it until Christmas day. So I usually order some things online and some things I buy in stores (usually Thanksgiving weekend- it's a fun tradition we have, even DH goes!). They both will seek out the best deals to make the $ stretch, even though they get a substantial amount. I usually get them one surprise gift outside of their budget amount and fill a stocking for each of them. This will be the fifth year I've done this and it works well for us. I know what they want, I don't worry if the size, color, style, etc. is the right one, and I rarely have to make a return. They are happy and I am happy.

This is very similar to what my mom does for us and it's wonderful! We have a tradition that my mom, my sister, and I go out on Black Friday (sometimes early, sometimes not... but it's the time closer to the holidays that we can get together). My mom has an envelope inside for me, my DH, my daughter, and then my sister, her DH, and her two boys. We pay cash and shop till either we are too exhausted or the envelopes are empty. My mom truly LOVES watching us seek out bargains, what we buy, etc. And like the previous poster said, no returns. On Christmas, our gifts are all wrapped and she will throw one surprise gift in for me and my sister that she picks out herself. We are grown adults and don't mind the lack of surprises that day.

As for me and my shopping, we have cut way back over the years. When DH and I got married (and broke!) we had like 51 people to buy for, technically, if you went by tradition. We gave out lots of junk those first couple of years and I hate swapping junk honestly. Thankfully we are now down to about 19 or so I think and it's much much more manageable. I used to shop throughout the year but now that I have a school aged daughter and work full time, I'm just honestly not out and about to find the deals like I used to be. I will still order occasionally on Amazon or something if I see a deal. I keep an Excel spreadsheet with my ideas, then what I purchased, and I cross people off as they are done. I also now do a Christmas savings account with $10 a week contributed, and as well all my rebates from Ibotta, Checkout 51, etc. And this year I've successfully maintained a 52 week challenge account as well. So since I can't shop as much throughout the year, I have at least made some provisions financially that will hopefully cover everything!

Thanks to this thread I now know what Fingerlings are, and my DD is almost 7 so even though she hasn't mentioned it, I figure it will cross our radar so I went ahead and ordered one! I figure if it doesn't show up on her list, I can probably sell it closer to Christmas and make my money back or I can donate it on a Angel Tree type program. I have bought some other small things for my DD, but sadly that is about the only start I have.
 
Hi guys, my DD12 has hinted she would like a Pandora bracelet, I checked they are not very cheap do they ever have sales?
 
Hi guys, my DD12 has hinted she would like a Pandora bracelet, I checked they are not very cheap do they ever have sales?

According to an email I received from Pandora earlier this week, they are having a sale right now until September 17. Buy $150, save 20%. Buy $300, save 25%. Buy $600, save 35%. Offer good in store and online.
 
I just bought fingerlings for the nieces.

My teen daughter favorite gift last year was the Simple Human lighted make-up mirror. She didn't even ask for it but I saw it posted here last year and bought her one. She uses it daily.

My daughter also has one of these and it's really expensive but so worth the price! So ditto on that suggestion!
 
Went out to Target the other night and was able to grab my Goddaughter (5) a mini glittery backpack and a pack of bracelets for her Christmastime birthday, so now she's done. My mom came to visit and kindly offered to take many of the gifts we would normally have to mail back with her, so that saved us significant money of shipping costs!
 
I just bought fingerlings for the nieces.

My teen daughter favorite gift last year was the Simple Human lighted make-up mirror. She didn't even ask for it but I saw it posted here last year and bought her one. She uses it daily.

Just curious how this is different from a regular makeup mirror. My daughter is really into makeup. Thanks.
 
Got a couple things for DD.

Blanket throw, Something she wants for her college dorm next year, coupon and sale. Couldn't pass it up.
Bracelet she's been wanting.
 

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