When do you start holiday gift shopping?

[princessplease]

I was just wondering. Also, how long does it take you to finish?

I typically start in October. Although I don't actively seek out gifts, I buy if I see a good deal on something that I know someone will like. I actively start seeking things out Black Friday.

 

[Luckyeshe]

I am a hoarder...I have gifts at all times for anyone and everyone. So my shopping is kinda all throughout the year. I definitely am done by Thanksgiving though. I don''t necessarily shop during Black Friday. It stresses me out too much. I''d rather go and hang out with the family preparing the Christmas tree than go to the malls. Technically, I guess you can say I start shopping in January and end right about now.

 

[bebe]

I started in Sept. and I''m still shopping and buying. And wrapping.
I''m pretty much finished with several people and still waiting for additional
ideas from my son. I need to be finished by early Dec. or it drives me nuts!

And while we are discussing gifts, tonight I was wrapping and opened a new
package of tissue paper - ya know the kind you use inside the gift box.
Anyway, the smell of the paper almost knocked me out. It was reeking
of chemicals. The paper was different colors and some had pretty holiday
designs. I''m guessing it was the dyes to color the paper. It''s going out, I''d
hate to wrap a clothing gift in this stuff and have it smell to high heaven!!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 11/1/2009 9:35:18 PM
Author: bebe
t was reeking
of chemicals. The paper was different colors and some had pretty holiday
designs. I''m guessing it was the dyes to color the paper. It''s going out, I''d
hate to wrap a clothing gift in this stuff and have it smell to high heaven!!

The chemical smell was on paper I bought too. It was the foil/metalic finish and I had purchased it at Target and was so grossed out by it that I returned it. The gift was to be a wedding shower gift. . .cannot imagine giving out BAKING supplies that smelled.

 

[soocool]

I actually started yesterday. Bought 2 gifts for DH. For DD I have her list and will be buying on-line probably in the next few weeks. For other family we give "goody packages", wine from a local vineyard, coffee, tea, crackers, cookies. This year for the grown up women ( 4 of them) I am going to a local lavender farm and am going to make a spa basket for them. No more little kids so no more toys to buy. I like to find local stuff to give as gifts.

 

[D&T]

I usually start in about October, and I just finished buying for 22 family members (usually buy almost everything online) and have just spent four hours of wrapping time

my back hurts now, but yay! I''m done.

 

[geckodani]

I start mid-October. I''ve got most of my family members figured out. It''s the in-laws that get creative, LOL.

 

[princesss]

I like stretching out my buying over several paychecks, so I started in October this year! I''ve got my brother''s Bday gift, my sister''s Christmas gift, and half of my dad''s Christmas gift. I''ve still got to figure out what to get mom, my brother, and BF. It''s so much less stressful doing it this way! My goal is to be done by Black Friday. I need to have a little bit of time to buy things for myself to wear for my trip next month, so if I''m done with gift shopping early I can take advantage of plenty of shopping time when winter clothes come out.

 

[Smurfysmiles]

i start whenever the funds are available lol
last year there were a lot of homemade gifts

 

[jcrow]

as soon as possible! i try to think about christmas gifts year round. that way if i see something i can pick it up. i keep a running list of ideas + a list of things i''ve ready bought.

 

[NakedFinger]

I started early October and finished last week except for my FF who seems to be the hardest to buy for!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Since I only buy for my kids and DH, usually I shop during Dec. None of the family exchanges gifts with *DH and me* only with each other. . .weird. . .but, anyway, I guess I''ve lucked out as I don''t have to stress over figuring out what they all want. (A few of them do give the kids gifts. The other adults don''t.)

 

[Bia]

The week before Christmas

end up spending way too much money because I don''t plan ahead...I just never learn!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 11/2/2009 12:13:48 PM
Author: Bia
The week before Christmas

end up spending way too much money because I don''t plan ahead...I just never learn!

I try to plan when it comes to stocking stuffers. The cost of all the stuff adds up SO fast and I hate when I buy toys (instead of candy) for my kids and they only play with them a few days. Need to come up with new ideas.

 

[janinegirly]

around 2nd week of december..with a few purchases last minute. Just like the masses..I guess I never learn!

 

[geckodani]

Date: 11/2/2009 12:17:43 PM
Author: MC

Date: 11/2/2009 12:13:48 PM
Author: Bia
The week before Christmas

end up spending way too much money because I don''t plan ahead...I just never learn!

I try to plan when it comes to stocking stuffers. The cost of all the stuff adds up SO fast and I hate when I buy toys (instead of candy) for my kids and they only play with them a few days. Need to come up with new ideas.

How old are your kids?

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 11/2/2009 12:28:31 PM
Author: geckodani

Date: 11/2/2009 12:17:43 PM
Author: MC

I try to plan when it comes to stocking stuffers. The cost of all the stuff adds up SO fast and I hate when I buy toys (instead of candy) for my kids and they only play with them a few days. Need to come up with new ideas.

How old are your kids?

They''re boys, now 7 and 9. I need fun new ideas. Do you have any? lol Normally, I go to World Market and buy their little toys and a few stuffed animals . . .Strangely, my boys WILL play with stuffed animals at times. They do weird things with them, though, like wrap them up in halloween bags as "outfits," and then wrap cloth around them and make them into "mummies." Then they throw them at each other.

My younger son threw a fit yesterday when he couldn''t find his favorite one.

 

[diamondringlover]

I started a couple of weeks ago, I always wait till my husband gets his quarterly bonus checks, I am about 1/3 of the way done. I will probably finish the first of Decemeber

 

[monarch64]

I''m a total last-minute shopper. I also like to make stuff, and typically don''t finish up until the 11th hour. HOWEVER, I get my Christmas cards in the mail before Dec. 1st without fail. Last year I made those as well and they turned out so nice I think I''ll do it again this year.

 

[geckodani]

Date: 11/2/2009 4:36:08 PM
Author: MC

Date: 11/2/2009 12:28:31 PM
Author: geckodani

Date: 11/2/2009 12:17:43 PM
Author: MC

I try to plan when it comes to stocking stuffers. The cost of all the stuff adds up SO fast and I hate when I buy toys (instead of candy) for my kids and they only play with them a few days. Need to come up with new ideas.

How old are your kids?

They're boys, now 7 and 9. I need fun new ideas. Do you have any? lol Normally, I go to World Market and buy their little toys and a few stuffed animals . . .Strangely, my boys WILL play with stuffed animals at times. They do weird things with them, though, like wrap them up in halloween bags as 'outfits,' and then wrap cloth around them and make them into 'mummies.' Then they throw them at each other.

My younger son threw a fit yesterday when he couldn't find his favorite one.

Lemme see what I can think up.

My Mom always stocked our stockings with books and toys and candy etc. Hmmm.

ETA: DH's suggestion was, "Anything that shoots!!!"

 

[makemepretty]

I bought my first Christmas present in July, it was Repo The Genetic Opera on blu ray. Underneath my bed there are lots of boxes of toys, etc. for nieces, nephews, and things for my boys. I hit the day after Halloween clearance at Target because I have two older boys who really love skull things. Every year I also get them the Guinness World Records book, it''s a tradition.

 

[cindygenit]

I started today.

I feel like I''m leaving it a bit late, but oh well... People in my family are not really fussed about Christmas gifts and such.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Early september.

The holidays sneak up so fast, I just get started asap!

 

[iheartscience]

I do it pretty much all in the few weeks before Christmas. It''s more fun for me that way!

 

[Haven]

I try to make everything homemade, so I start thinking about what I want to do right about now, after Halloween. So, I start right after Halloween and I finish pretty much right before the holidays.

We don''t exchange big gifts with adults in our families, just little ones, so I''m baking cookies this year and making felted slippers out of old wool sweaters for the ladies.

The kids are more complicated. I''m going to make big classic sock monkeys and some smaller felted stuffed animals for my little 4 year old cousins, and beaded jewelry for my 7 yr old cousin and our 10 year old niece. I have no idea what to do for the boys, yet. I love making gifts, it''s so much fun!

 

[MagsyMay]

I usually don''t start until about 4-5 days before Christmas. I am horrible! I usually know what I want to get by then, it''s just a matter of dragging myself to do it! I don''t really like giving or receiving gifts. Both ends make me anxious!

 

[radiantquest]

I start in December. Whenever I buy things early it seems like the person who wanted that is over it by now or has already got it. DH and I are the people that you see at the mall on Christmas Eve. We kind of like it this way. We arent rushed or frantic we mosey through watching the people that are frantic. I give my sister money as she is 14 and she wouldnt like anything I picked out. His mom and his dad. They are easy. His sister and her husband are easy too. At thanksgiving we discuss what we as a couple. So when it comes to buying we only have to buy them one thing that have already told us they want. Two nephews are so young that you just buy trucks/cars/tools something like that DH daughter is easy too because its clothes. She is one of those trend followers so no matter what we see she will like because the stores follow the trends and lastly we have each other. We decide what we want and just go buy it together.

The thoughest part for me is deciding whether to buy DH more stuff. Every year we say this is what we are getting together and thats it, but he has been known to get me stuff anway so I don''t want to feel crappy that I didn''t get anything extra for him so I have to get him stuff anyway. Maybe this year he will stick to it. I will get him stuff and hide it. That way if he doesn''t I can use them for his bday in March and if he does then I am prepared.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 11/2/2009 9:34:06 PM
Author: geckodani

Date: 11/2/2009 4:36:08 PM
Author: MC


They''re boys, now 7 and 9. I need fun new ideas. Do you have any? lol Normally, I go to World Market and buy their little toys and a few stuffed animals . . .Strangely, my boys WILL play with stuffed animals at times. They do weird things with them, though, like wrap them up in halloween bags as ''outfits,'' and then wrap cloth around them and make them into ''mummies.'' Then they throw them at each other.

My younger son threw a fit yesterday when he couldn''t find his favorite one.

Lemme see what I can think up.

My Mom always stocked our stockings with books and toys and candy etc. Hmmm.

ETA: DH''s suggestion was, ''Anything that shoots!!!''

Yep, they''d go for the guns. Years back, we tried the no toy guns in the house. We also gave them whole grain, flourless organic wheat bread. One day I walked into the dining room to find they had ripped away pieces of the bread to form them into guns. Ahhhh. Yes, now we have the nerf blasters and all that stuff. We always run out of the foam ammo though because our cat chews on them.

 

[geckodani]

Date: 11/3/2009 12:42:14 PM
Author: MC

Date: 11/2/2009 9:34:06 PM
Author: geckodani

Lemme see what I can think up.

My Mom always stocked our stockings with books and toys and candy etc. Hmmm.

ETA: DH''s suggestion was, ''Anything that shoots!!!''

Yep, they''d go for the guns. Years back, we tried the no toy guns in the house. We also gave them whole grain, flourless organic wheat bread. One day I walked into the dining room to find they had ripped away pieces of the bread to form them into guns. Ahhhh. Yes, now we have the nerf blasters and all that stuff. We always run out of the foam ammo though because our cat chews on them.

Too funny! I thought about it, and my mom also used to put a gift that might normally have been wrapped into the stocking as well, to take up space. Not sure if that''s an option, but I feel like we sometimes get caught up in the stocking stuffers must be small and silly thought process. Hmm.