Miscellaneous Forum

I don't know about all of you, but I find the Christmas Holiday Season has just suddenly crept up on me. I think it's because we have had such mild weather. The stores are already pushing their sales flyers and have some real good deals out there. Actually, I'm starting my Christmas shopping today. I will probably spend the same amount as I did last year.
My question to you is this. With all the uncertainty and gloom & doom in the economy at the moment, will you be spending less, the same or more on Christmas gifts this year?

You're right, Lori. It's snuck up on me, too. I will be spending less this year, since I simply don't have as much as I did last year. Plus I'll be paying for gifts from my parents to everyone as well. But, I'll just get more inventive with my gifts. I think it's time to indulge my crafty side again.

I'm actually looking forward to Christmas this year. I'm planning on having a lot of family gatherings instead giving a lot of gifts. And I want to be able to invite my parents' friends over a couple of times. They'll really enjoy that.

As of next week I will be on a 3 day week, what a bummer.
Going to Gillybob's Christmas Market VT meet next Saturday but probably won't be spending much.
I think I will hav to go and do some more web site building.

Christmas might be cancelled this year for us, we have to wait and see what happens.

This year I will have almost the same budget but I have a shorter list this year due to divorce ;) <I save by dis-associating with a long list of in-laws>

So, bigger gifts for my long time close friends & family

My situation is different because I do not have real kids of my own, my budget will be more flexible.

I ususally buy gift cards from the christmas fund raising from one of my friend's associated organization. Hopefully they can use these GCs before the store file Bankruptcy - I guess I have to really remind them this year when I gift with GC

I'll be spending around the same as last year but I'm good about Christmas. Things are acquired during the course of the year and put aside - time to clear out the Christmas cupboard and see what I can give to whom and then what I'm left to buy.

I was good and did some Christmas shopping during my recent Stateside trip too!

My family doesn't really do Christmas presents. We are all grown-up and have houses full of unwanted crap already.

This year will be the first Christmas in many years that my parents and all of my brothers and sisters will be together. I will be sure to arrive for Christmas lunch with several bottles of sparkling shiraz, an Australian specialty...
And then, we start the remembering.."..but what about..?" "and then the other time..?" "what about when you set the kitchen on fire..?"

I love a family Christmas...!!

Brenda - Love the idea of hand-made gifts

Ricky - 3 Days - that is a bummer. Hope Things will get better for you next year.

Pam - I don't have many to buy for either. I always get a gift card for the Golf Store for my son-in-law. He's always looking for bigger, better golf clubs.

Good morning everyone .
Wow that LoriPori is a busy lady in the morning eh .
Christmas ,what's that HOHOHO ,I don't get exited about it because I Hohoho have to gogogogo out there and deliver all the goodies HOHO.

But seriously I already got my Christmas presents which is a 1 Terrabite external hard drive and I an gonna try hard to fill it up haha .

But but but I would like some Cookiesssss ands candiesss etc etc Pls Pls LoriPori
Pretty please .
Ciaoooo

Hansi

I've already spent too much on my nieces and haven't any ideas for anyone else yet! I am hoping to spend less though.

Twin will be off surfing as always and Big sis and my two nieces won't be coming over this year so I'm not really looking forward to it to be honest.
No kids to be a big kid with. :(

Still. Mum, Doggy and me will be together and I'll try to get her something special and I'm sure we'll have some fun.

I like what Fiona wrote about the family getting together .

I do miss that ,I do have 6 siblings still but we don't often get all together anymore like we did when Mum was still alive .

My mother was quite in charge (we called her the '''General'',) and she sure did get us all together and I do miss that .

That LoriPori is something eh, she starts a forum and then she goes out shopping ,duhhhh.

Oh well at least I don't have to go shopping ,it's poring rain out there .

Hansi

It's nice and Christmassy up here in Tromsų today - finally got some snow, and no clouds at the moment so will probably get a nice northern lights show tonight :o)

I'll be spending about the same, I suppose (haven't really started on the gifts yet!) - I also tend to knit a couple of things (but haven't this year - yet)

I wish I was in Tromsų!

But it's cold in Tromso brrrr
How cold is it anyways ???

Hansi

Interesting question Lori.

I've been dreading Christmas becaue last one was terribly difficult in our house and the closer it's coming the stronger the memories get. But you can't avoid it can you? So, I've decided the only way to get round this is to meet it head on and decide that 'It's going to be great' and different.

So, I'm going to try and do some of the things we've done since time immemorial , a little bit diffferently. Maybe even change the Christmas dinner menu. Like Brenda, I'm also planning on asking more peope round and trying to think of some fun activities.

But to go back to your original question, I will definitely be spending less on gifts but probably more on entertaining.

It's not that cold here :o) It's around -3C at the moment - Tromsų is an island, and being by the sea means that it doesn't get as cold here as you might expect (Tromsų is, after all, situated on about 70 degrees north) It's *much* colder in the inland this far north in Norway!

Thanks Mette ,well it is about + 3 here so I better not complain eh .

Hansi

I am sorry to hear about your shortened work week. I hope that you and Sheila are well. You don't have to cancel Christmas. Just put on some nice Christmas music and buy each other a very small gift and a nice card. Christmas shouldn't be about "stuff" anyway.

Witout reading previous posts...

I would shop as I did last year. If I find something special for someone that is somewhat more expensiver than planned I would buy it (not if it is 60% or more expensive).

Economy is (hard) hit here too. More expensive/designer shops are closing down - not so bad for me as I have for years had my eyes set on a few items (saved money) and would now get it for less ;o)
Intrest have doubled since spring time, so most people don't have as much to spend now. Hopefully they will think before buying gifts.

I'm back from shopping! It's puring rain out. If it was any colder we would have had a ton of snow.
Gillian - did you pick up some Obama souvenirs while Stateside. Heard that they're a hot item.

FionaSydney - Definitely Holiday get-togethers are fun and a wonderful time to get nostalgic.

Hansi - Yes, you will get your chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk. After all you are Santa's helper. HoHoHo!

RozVan - I agree. Christmas really is all about children.

FletteMette - Northern Lights Show! How cool is that!!

Katherine - Love your answer! Yes, start new traditions. Being surrounded by people you love, really is what Christmas is all about.

A friend just gave me a suggestion for my parents for Christmas. They really don't need anything at all. And I'm already planning on having family around a few times, a lot of my aunts and uncles and great-aunts and uncles, because they all love to visit and talk about the old times. But that's a bit difficult to wrap and put under the tree.

They love to go places and do things. But with their alzheimers they really can't go on their own. So my friend suggested that I give them day trip certificates promising them my time to take them places. I could print a bit of info from the internet on different places and give them a certificate for an entire Saturday of my time. There are a lot of places around here that can be interesting to go to for a day. And they would love a day of attention from me when I'm NOT lecturing about diet, chores, doctor appointments, money, etc. And they love to go places and see new things. They don't care what things, just new things.

What do you think? Does it seem kinda cheap or not?

Brenda, that's a wonderful suggestion. Time is a precious thing to give. There must be tons of cool things to do with your parents on their "special" day.

No, Brenda. It sounds personal and thoughtful - exactly what a gift should be.

Thanks, Lori. Especially with them feeling safe and secure knowing someone else will take care of all the details and they don't have to worry about anything. They tend to get very insecure in new situations when they're on their own.

Hmmm.....looks like I have some research and planning to do.

Thanks, Gilly. I'll have to thank my friend for the great idea as well.

Indeed, a great suggestion Brenda.

I'm trying to come up with some variations on it as well because shopping, fun though it is, is frequently such a waste of money.

Diane, so right about the Christmas music. Carols and tradtional songs is one of the best parts of Christmas for me. I try to hold off until the last week in November but after that the house is flooded with choirs, halleluias and tra-la-la-la(s).

About the same time Mince pies and mulled wine start appearing and the favourite Christmas movies.

There is so much that's great about Christmas that needs only minimal expenditure.

Thanks for posting this thread Lori, it's nice to get the festive spirit rolling and read everyone's tips and suggestions.

Brenda, that is a perfect gift :)

My dad have everything too, and if he needs something he would get it without blincking.
He joked about not seeing any gift when I phoned him at fathersday. When I told him I had something for him he said firmly that he did not want anything, but when I said it was something he could use and I stumbled over it he was ok. He is happier if he get a "cheapish" gift that he can use - either use physically or (best) to consume.

I have a few tumbs to knit - 3 pair of mittens for those 3 kids I am aunt/good parent to. BUT non of their parents are on the "have to buy the most expensive gift" carousell! Luckily! (even we all can afford more expensiver)

This weekend I am going to order books from Amazon uk. Mostly books for myselfe, but also some drawing books I stumbled upon and some english-spanish dvd/cd/books for the kids too. They are reasonable prised when getting them from uk - even with the pound increasing.

My cousin and I still give pressies to eachother BUT we have always had a limit on the cost! It is much harder to find something but also gives more "thought" for the gift choosen. Our price is roughly £10, max £12.

I think everyone on VT, being so into photography, should definitely print their own unique Christmas cards. From now until Christmas home pages will be flooded with lovely seasonal photos. Any of them would make perfect cards.

Hi Lori - good topic! I'll probably spend a little less. My grandchildren are older, and I usually get them things they can use. I also have a *surge* of holiday birthdays, with two of my husband's caregivers having birthdays the second week of December, and one of their little ones just having had a birthday - party tonight! Plus I hate to admit I spent a bit too much in my last couple of trips. The economy is also in there, I think I am mainly looking at things that end up in a pile some place versus things that are really used, even if used just a little. And when grandkids get into the cool electronic stuff, their Dad is the expert (which gives me an idea ...)

I am also going shopping in a bit ... I dread getting any closer to Thanksgiving.

As far as Christmas itself, I think it will be what I make of it really. Our grandkids are not coming this year. (Notice I have this way of mentioning grandkids ... I don't really slight my son - or do I?). My husband's condition is pretty sad. I am going to San Jose the first week of December, and to Spain for a couple of days - I am taking one of the caregivers. There has not been one day that someone has not been here to care for my husband, and there's no price on that.

I think for many people Christmas is not a good time, no matter how hard you try to have it otherwise. Right now I don't want to worry wether it will be sad or not.

That reminds me. It's time to dig out the Christmas CD's. My favourite is Celine Dion's "These are Special Times" which includes O Holy Night, Ave Maria and The Prayer - the Duet with Andrea Bocelli.
Can't wait until fruit cake is available at the supermarket.

Most of my friends think I'm odd because of it, but I actually LIKE fruitcake.

Oh no! Fruit cake rocks! Especially with a nice bit of cheese.