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Do you stockpile holiday gifts for future years?

Dee*Jay

Dee*Jay

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Mar 26, 2006
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I am in day three of this year's gift wrapping. Aside from all the stuff purchased throughout the year specifically for designated people (which I log onto the ongoing list in outlook), in the giant green tub in the closet I have dozen of things I have bought in past years... William Sonoma 12 days of x-mas dish towel sets... Waterford ornaments... murano glass wine stoppers... snowman nightlights... hand printed raw silk scarves... dog toys galore (squeaky squirrels in reindeer antlers!), the list goes on. And on. And don't get me started on cards! I've got enough cards to open my own Hallmark store.

My goal this year is to give away as much as I can and NOT refill the big green tub again with more stuff!

Does anyone else do this, or am I alone in my holiday hoarding craziness...?
 
You are my hero.

I wish I were prepared as you for the holidays. I am still in shock that Thanksgiving is just a few days away. I might buy my turkey soon.
 
I do this too. I have three little kids and I pick up things throughout the year and throw them into baskets in the top of my closet. This has saved my butt more than once when I had to raid it for birthday presents for my kids numerous friends.
 
I can't shop early. I really enjoy shopping during the Christmas season. So, if I shop early, I still feel the need to buy a bunch of stuff and then end up over buying/spending.
 
I'm kinda the opposite.
I do the absolute minimum for year-end holidays, and even then it's only because my SO cares about it.

He's the only one I give a gift to.
If he holds a gun to my head we'll get a tree and decorate.

But it's nice.
I have nearly zero holiday-related stress. :appl: ... well, besides worrying about getting shot.
 
My problem is that when I purchase something early I forget where I stored it!!! I now have a word document on my computer that I pull up and it tells me what the item is and where I stashed it. I have many cabinets! Hopefully I or my housekeeper doesn't move it during the year, then I'm in big trouble. I do like getting those bargains when they become available, especially if it's something I know will be a big hit.
 
I'm glad I'm not (a) the only one who does this, and (b) the only one who has a hard time remembering where everything is! I spent a hour last night and this morning looking for a bracelet I bought someone back in May. It was in my sock drawer. Not to be confused with my own jewelry, which is in my underwear drawer. :rolleyes:

When I moved out of my townhouse I was forced to clean out the garage and I found a RIDICULOUS amount of stuff that I had accumulated over the years and never gave out. The garage was pretty big so the gifts went pretty much unnoticed since they weren't taking up otherwise needed space, and come holiday season when I should have gone in there to look round it was COLD, so I avoided that as much as possible! :cheeky: Now though, I only have two big closets, a coat closet and a utility room, and all of those spaces are plenty warm, so no more excuses for not at least looking through the stuff.
 
I usually try to keep a bunch of gifts on hand (hostess gifts, birthday gifts Christmas gifts). I don't really stockpile Christmas gifts, but I do start shopping pretty early (usually before Halloween)), so that I can relax and enjoy the Holidays. I don't mind Holiday shopping, but it's the crowds I loathe - no parking, crowded stores, long check out lines.... it really makes me cranky and that's not how I want to feel during the Holidays.
 
Nope! I only buy a few gifts and they're always very last-minute, usually purchased online or at 'Total Wines &More'. I do buy a case of champagne early in the season and a roll of festive ribbon to give to people as hostess gifts for holiday parties or people like my hair stylist, a coworker or two, etc. That's the extent of my 'planning'.
 
HI Dee Jay;

Nope. But I love your fortitude! :wavey:

cheers--Sharon
 
No, I really don't. Outside of immediate family, we don't really buy for many except for Angel Tree gifts. The immediate family is enough though! What they might want in July has either been bought or forgotten about by December. I have managed to extract the large items they all want (grandkids included!) and have already purchased them. I do go out to the malls though even if I don't need a lot of gifts from the stores (things I just can't buy online) because I love the crowds and the high energy spirit of Christmas! Call me crazy but I love to bump a few elbows or buy a yummy coffee and people watch!
 
Well I do have to admit my fortitude is waning... currently bolstered by a lovely bourbon manhattan and a rather large piece of chocolate cake...

I stopped at Costco today and bought $65 worth of batteries (I think the batteries cost more than the gifts in some instances). The only things left to wrap are four kids' gifts, three dogs' gifts, ten waterford ornaments, a calendar, and some (yet be delivered) BBQ rubs. Then I'm done for the season. I would love to box it all up and ship it tomorrow too but I find that people call and give me death threats if boxes of x-mas gifts arrive before Thanksgiving, so I've stopped doing that.

As for those of you who *enjoy* going to the mall during the holiday shopping season -- more power to ya! I would rather slam my left tit in the car door than go into a store between now and mid-January.
 
YES! YES! YES! I stockpile. Sometimes items are bought with certain people in mind and other times general gifts- for teachers, staff, hostess gifts etc. I keep them in a chest as well as in my office at work. I forget what I buy and what I have given away. No one at home sneaks peaks but I do keep family gifts hidden in bins in the basement. I hate crowds and last minute purchases. I shop sales and clearance. I have a diamond initial pendant for each of my girls when they turn 16 which I bought years ago. The pendant sells for about 30% more now. .
 
Kinda...I redeem my discover rewards for GCs. Pottery barn for brother in laws'S family, red door spa for MIL, Sears for FIL, Banana Republic and Macy's and Bed Bath and Beyond for just in case of emergency gift giving lololol! So I'm slowly accumulating and redeeming year round!

The holiday season is tough because of the lead in. November I have FIL, DH and his twi n's bdays, then early December is SIL's birthday, then Christmas, then my birthday early January lolol. The GCs are such a great money saver for us. Most of the time we get away with giving them out for special occasions, except for the rare occasion where someone would like something specific.

I don't share with anyone IRL that the GCs are redeemed from my discover card, so shhh... Our little secret!
 
Yep, kids = stockpiling......
 
Dee*Jay|1448076036|3952352 said:
Well I do have to admit my fortitude is waning... currently bolstered by a lovely bourbon manhattan and a rather large piece of chocolate cake...

I stopped at Costco today and bought $65 worth of batteries (I think the batteries cost more than the gifts in some instances). The only things left to wrap are four kids' gifts, three dogs' gifts, ten waterford ornaments, a calendar, and some (yet be delivered) BBQ rubs. Then I'm done for the season. I would love to box it all up and ship it tomorrow too but I find that people call and give me death threats if boxes of x-mas gifts arrive before Thanksgiving, so I've stopped doing that.

As for those of you who *enjoy* going to the mall during the holiday shopping season -- more power to ya! I would rather slam my left tit in the car door than go into a store between now and mid-January.
Click to expand...


I used to do this. Stockpile but by the time the holidays rolled around (or birthdays or anniversaries) well let's just say I am not the most organized person and often forgot I even got that specific gift(s) for my friend/family. So I no longer do that. Usually.

Now Dee Jay, I love a good Manhattan and I can think of nothing better than a big piece of chocolate cake to go with a lovely Manhattan. Oh I wish it wasn't so early here because now I feel like having a delicious Manhattan with some sweet vermouth. :lickout:
 
No, I don't have the space for that. I also don't buy a ton of gifts. I try to get smaller things and buy "experiences", especially for kids.
 
The closest I ever got to stock piling was shopping the Nordstrom sale in July and putting those items away for Christmas gifts. There were many times wnen my nieces and nephews were younger that I would pick something up with the intention of saving the gift for Christmas. it never worked out that way and I always gave them the gift early.

My MIL stockpiled often and every Christmas would announce that she forgot where a few presents were hidden. She would usually find them a few months after the holiday. We found a few Christmas gifts when she passed.

I'm with you DeeJay and hate going to malls on the weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thank goodness for online shopping!
 
When we used to exchange gifts with both of our families I was shopping year round so I could avoid shopping between Black Friday (aka there isn't anything I want that bad day) to those last minute shopping days. Our previous house had only one place to stash things so I always knew what I had in there. Our new house has multiple stash places and I forget I have them or where I put them. Anymore I tend to buy GC for people; easy shopping and wrapping.

If I could make a living wrapping gifts; I'd do it. I love to wrap and decorate packages.

I have never tried a Manhattan but I'm willing and I'd definitely have some chocolate cake. That always helps when gift wrapping.
 
No, I don't have the space and I'm not organized enough to have a spreadsheet. I like Christmas shopping, but I tend to start in September and avoid malls from mid-October onward if possible. I do the majority of shopping online. I have to stick to a rough budget, which I overshot AGAIN this year. I don't think we'll be able to retire at this rate! :cheeky:
 
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