Christmas shopping

[me-barbie]

Oh I get Christmas distress. We both loved and dreaded Christmas Eve. Loved cause it meant treat food and a present....dreaded because any day but a sunday and one family member was done at noon and then drank til 6. Lots of Xmas Eves ruined that way....

[havanaholly]

Barbara, alcoholics in families can and do ruin a number of holidays and other memories. I work very hard at NOT remembering a lot of things from my childhood and youth.

[rackey]

I'm not religious, but I like Christmas. After Halloween, it's my favorite holiday. Or would be, if I didn't have to send cards. Thankfully, I'm down to about 5 people who I think deserve a card. Unfortunately, the boxes seem to come with 16 cards in them, so I've practically been handing them out in the street. I tried sending them out again the next year to the family, but my mom caught on. How does a woman who can't remember what she saw on TV the night before or remember what book she read last week, remember the card I sent her last year?

Thanks for the laugh, Kelly. I hope those in your presence this holiday season appreciate your sense of humor as much as I appreciated your post.

[rackey]

I finished my shopping, but I no longer wrap my gifts, as I was once attacked by a killer role of scotch tape one December when I was wrapping gifts for my family. Thank God someone invented gift bags. All I have to do is put the gifts in the bags with some tissue paper, but even that took some time this year, which is surprising as I really didn't think I bought all that much.

I came to the conclusion that Christmas traditions stay with us either out of a sense of obligation or an overwhelming desire to re-create a part of our past when everything seemed wonderful. It is a time to revisit lost love ones in our heart and/or re-connect to our childhood. In a way, it is like going home to a place and time where everything seemed safe and happy. But some of us never fully get to experience that, and those who do are often aided by "selective" memories.

After my childhood ended and I was a young adult, I kept wanting Christmas to feel the way it did when I was a kid. I wanted everyone happy and healthy, and I wanted everything to run smoothly. In other words, I wanted everything to be perfect, which of course, nothing is. Then in later years, I stopped expecting much and just took the holiday as it came. As a result, I found more to be grateful for than if I aimed for perfection.

Now that I have a remodeled dollhouse, I can take pleasure in seeing that my little family has the idyllic Christmas of my dreams. This helps me to feel the Christmas spirit and express it in the imperfect real world where it is very much needed.

Kelly, Deb, MK, and anyone else who either does not have overly-pleasant holiday memories or is stressed out or feeling left out, start your own traditions (even if your tradition is to be non-traditional) and/or take time during the end of the year to do something special for yourself. Weather you are celebrating or not, I wish all the best to my Greenleaf family.

[Deb]

. It is a time to revisit lost love ones in our heart and/or re-connect to our childhood. In a way, it is like going home to a place and time where everything seemed safe and happy.

This is why I love hearing about the childhood memories and traditions that other families share. I fully admit to living vicariously. Since I don't have children or grandkids of my own and I don't have my school kids and the traditions I used to do there, I like to hear about the fun things that other people are doing. Lynette (Nutti) has been really throwing herself into making this a special Christmas for her grandkids and I hang on her every word as she describes tree decorating and cookie baking and craft making that they've been doing. Sometimes it's nice to know that normal existed.....not perfection; just normal. It's comforting to me.

But then I embrace the crazy way we do the holidays and know that this is what's right for me and Bruce. We start with Halloween (which is also our anniversary) and keep rolling all the way thru New Years. If it's fun and light hearted and makes someone smile, we'll celebrate it! This year was probably the most "traditional" Yule that we've done but that alone made it non-traditional for us so in a weird way, that worked out.

One of my very favorite Thanksgivings was the year that one of my girlfriends and I spent the day drinking cheap strawberry wine and watching chick flicks. Dinner was nachos at 7-11 and it was good.

[havanaholly]

DH & I have been working on some new (for us) holiday traditions. After our first Thanksgiving in our new house we discovered that one of our friends performs at a jazz brunch on Thanksgiving, so I no longer cook and any family that happens to visit goes with us. This year we're spending Christmas evening with Malaysian friends helping serve Christmas dinner at the USO.

[chesterfieldzoo]

Christmas as a kid was great. Huge family thing with tons of food and gifts.

My husbnd and I always used to go overboard for the holidays. All of them. Major decorating, parties.

Now things are very subdued. I only put up 2 trees, not 26. Immediate family, not huge family. We don't do gifts. I prefer to gift items during the year as the need comes up. It's about to become even smaller as I have decided to no longer do dinner with family - we will eat and then go visit. I was very angered by a situation that has come up before, so I have decided my own happiness is more important than putting up with bs.

On a side note, I am not religious at all, however I love to participate in other people's religious celebrations because it is important to them. Quite like being excited for a friends new dress or puppy. You don't have to want one to enjoy with them their thrill with it.

[KathieB]

I love to participate in other people's religious celebrations because it is important to them. Quite like being excited for a friends new dress or puppy. You don't have to want one to enjoy with them their thrill with it.

Me, too.

[grazhina]

I dislike Christmas shopping in December with the crowds and long lines, so I'd usually try and get as much done in November as I could.

My ancestors were the last people in Europe to become Christians, and the old pagan religion has been making a comeback in the old country. Me, I'm an atheist, but I like Christmas trees and Christmas songs, cards and all that. I once stood in the front of the Books a Million book store and wished everyone a Merry Christmas from an atheist and got a round of applause. That felt good.

My sister called me once at Christmas with a dilemma. She had invited a Jewish couple over for Christmas and was concerned if they might be offended by her Christmas tree. I said I didn't think they'd mind, after all, my sisters husband was a Muslim, and he didn't mind having a Christmas tree in his living room.

i added that Jewish songwriters wrote most of our beloved Christmas songs like White Christmas, Sleigh Ride, Winter Wonderland, I'll be Home for Christmas, and the Christmas Song (chestnuts roasting on an open fire), etc, etc.

BTW, her second husband was a Muslim too. One year he invited all his employees over to their house for a Christmas dinner. He didn't want to offend anyone though, so while he and the men had dinner in the family room in the basement, my sister and my mom had dinner separately in the dining room. Mom said the guys all seemed to enjoy the food and decorations. She thought it was all a hoot.

This year a politically correct Christmas greeting popped into my head that shouldn't offend anybody who's prickly about such things. Personally, I think all this pc bull is crazy. ------ Happy Christmastime everybody!

[Deb]

On a side note, I am not religious at all, however I love to participate in other people's religious celebrations because it is important to them. Quite like being excited for a friends new dress or puppy. You don't have to want one to enjoy with them their thrill with it.

Exactly!! If someone wants to celebrate something, I'm the first one to ask how and join in. One should never turn down the chance to share some happiness!

[havanaholly]

I thought the messages of peace, love, universal tolerance and good will transcended religious convictions, differences or lack thereof'; therefore I wish all my Greenleaf family all the blessings of the season.

[me-barbie]

While I had finished shopping, it seems I forgot to pack the required 10 of a certian item of clothing....and Mommy had forgot stocking stuffers for my niece.

Oops.

Just got back, lol.

[CheckMouse]

I thought the messages of peace, love, universal tolerance and good will transcended religious convictions, differences or lack thereof'; therefore I wish all my Greenleaf family all the blessings of the season.

Well said, Holly. Ditto

DH and I quit exchanging gifts at Christmas several years ago - as the grandchildren increased to four, it was more fun to shop for them. And if we need anything we just get it. And since our kids and grandkids are out of state, their stuff has to be mailed early - no last-minute shopping for them! My job takes me to two major Christmas Shows in October and in early December so that's when most of the shopping is done for the grandkids. The only reason I go to the Mall is to take a shift at gift-wrapping, which is a fundraiser for our BPW (Business and Professional Women). We give 2 scholarships per year - one to a high school student heading to college, and one to a mature woman returning to college. Our gift-wrap table is just inside the Barnes & Noble Bookstore (which is how I found my delightful mouse box) and we wrap for their customers and anyone else coming through the store. It's kind of funny to see the harried last-minute shoppers, so grateful for someone to wrap things for them! The closer to Christmas it gets, the bigger the donations get.

[L Swearengin]

I said before I used to decorate the big house to the 9's. now just my little houses. AND..... I don't have to take the decorations down anymore.

[sparklepuppies]

^{I did about 90% of my shopping the week of Thanksgiving. But I am always one to shop all the way til. In fact, although I was "done" last week, I still went yesterday and today and bought something. If tomorrow wasn't Christmas, I'd probably go buy something else!}

^{Also, everything is all.wrapped (first for me, I sometimes am still wrapping Christmas day), and all the candy making is done. All baking but one item is done too, which also is a big accomplishment.}

^{I'm planning on tomorrow being stress free!}

[nsmar4211]

This year many of the things I gave out were handmade or utility. One receiver got a dozen dyed tshirts (tie dyed, bleached, markered, and fabric painted....tried out several things I hadn't) and one got a roombox I built for them (thread on here somewhere that I need to update once I find the card reader haha). One elderly relative got a case of Ensure...half as a joke and half serious (he does use it and demanded I not get him anything this year so I compromised). I will also do funny things....like hide the $10 publix gift card inside a single pair of fluffy socks pretending the socks were the gift. Almost fell over when the receiver gushed over the socks because she needed more and had to point out the card LOL. Next year I'm getting her a whole pile of those socks haha. Another relative only wanted hugs and I think we're up to a dozen .

To those with no money but still want to give, here's a hint. What I will do is throughout the year I keep an eye on clearance aisles and pick up small affordable useful gifts. I have a cardboard box labeled "gifts for others" that I put things in throughout the year. If i was even more organized I'd put names on it and cross off when I found something for them. Then I get creative with the wrapping. The kids in my life are getting a cardboard box taped with duct tape (bwahahah) with some small stuff in it buried in between tons of recycled tissue paper. It'll take them an hour to find the things, and they'll love it. The box of stuff comes in handy for birthdays and other events. I find that kids love crafty stuff and have often made up a box of things out of my supplies for them, little "kits" and they love it.

Also keep an eye on the "buy/get" offers. Keep those "free" gift cards as gifts....set the free whatever thing in the box of stuff. Regifting works too when you get those work gifts you may not use...just watch out who you regift too.

To me the whole seasons (whichever one you do) theme is about giving and love no matter the divide. And I've made my own version of a family up .

Love to all!

[havanaholly]

We have begun regifting with our neighbors next door and across the street; we're all very up front about it, as DH & I are on medical diets for our cholesterol, blood pressure and weight, and the folks across the street have health issues that require some dietary control and the next door neighbors are young folks with four children; so it all works out!

[rackey]

Now things are very subdued. I only put up 2 trees, not 26.

Only two trees? Well what a Scrooge you turned out to be. - Only kidding. Thanks for your post.

[rackey]

We have begun regifting with our neighbors next door and across the street; we're all very up front about it, as DH & I are on medical diets for our cholesterol, blood pressure and weight, and the folks across the street have health issues that require some dietary control and the next door neighbors are young folks with four children; so it all works out!

I love a happy ending, and if you have to regift something to create that outcome, then I am all for it.

[CheckMouse]

Speaking of regifting - at our company's Christmas Party we had a White Elephant gift exchange and I ended up with a 2000 piece, yes two.thou.sand piece, jigsaw puzzle. No one would take it off my hands so it came home with us. I left it on the coffee table, wondering if I could still unload it before Christmas, and then my mother saw it. She got all excited and is now set up with a card table in front of her living room chair. She loves it! It's a picture of Times Square in New York City, so at least there is a lot of pattern to it, which helps a little bit.

I can work for hours on a miniature build, focus on the details of a 1:144 scale house, carefully paint, sand, cut, glue, whatever - but I cannot stand jigsaw puzzles! Throughout my childhood one aunt used to give me a jigsaw puzzle every year for my birthday. I loved her, so I kept the puzzles - never opened the boxes, never worked the puzzles.

[Selkie]

Oh we love puzzles here. Most of the winter and then again on summer vacation we have a table set up with the biggies on it. I made a felt pad, like one I saw on a website, to go under the puzzle. That way you can use an old wrapping paper tube and roll it up if you to move for some unexpected reason. It rolls right back out again nicely. We glue and frame some as well.

[Deb]

CJ, that's awesome that it's something your mom will enjoy doing! There's something very zen about working puzzles and it will make her happy to watch it come together. Walmart carries a nice selection of jigsaw puzzles in varying degrees of difficulty and there are some truly beautiful ones that wouldn't frustrate her. It makes me smile to hear that she got excited about it!

Selkie, I love working jigsaw puzzles too. I use the felt mat because my furry children are little hoodlums and will run away with pieces if they can get their kitty lips on them. LOL!! Doing jigsaw puzzles makes me feel as if I'm putting a part of my life in order. It's very satisfying to my OCD side.

[havanaholly]

We are jigsaw puzzle fans at our house, too. One reason for building the workshop to get all the tools and dh stuff out of the garage was to turn said garage into a play room. We have an old dining table that we presently use for puzzles, but when DH finally gets around to getting his trains set up we'll put the leaf in it and let him have it for his trains and buildings, and get a new card table for the puzzles. We find a lot of really neat puzzles at thrift stores, and after we work them, if all the pieces are there I put them into ziplock bags and we recycle them back to different thrift stores. If they're missing pieces they go into the circular file.

[chesterfieldzoo]

Oh gosh I LOVE jigsaw puzzles! I have dozens of them. It takes me 3 days to do a 1000 piece puzzle. Too bad we all don't live closer and I could trade for new ones. I am starting to do them all again (some for the third time - boring).

[L Swearengin]

glue them, then hang them on the wall