Every year I vow to be done earlier than the year before....but, usually am NOT. This year, I already have 3 people DONE. One has even been mailed off. I only have 4 more to go.

I'm so relieved.....I usually stress a lot during this time of year.

How is your shopping going??

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

I plan and buy all year long. I do not depend on the bf ads/sales because those have so much hype and only have infrequent actual bargains.

My family laughs at me because I am done early, and also for other events, especially birthdays and weddings, the same. I can't stand to have to do last minute anything.

dl

I'm done--may end up buying a few stocking stuffers.
I end up receiving some unexpected money--not enough to save the house, but enough to get a little ahead on bills, and to take care of Christmas. At least I feel little less stress with Christmas bought (and some is even wrapped)

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Haven't even started yet....have not bought one...haven't really even started thinking about it yet...

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

I should be more than half way, I have been buying all year. The biggest problem will be sorting it all out and remembering who the stuff was all bought for. I don't even want to think about the headache of locating boxes.

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Sam

Not even started. I read this to my daughter last night and asked her if she had.....of course, she has started! lol Trying to think of ways to "enjoy" the holidays with the new make up of our family. In a sad way it helps that we have not all been together for the holidays in a few years.

I think we will definitely want to find another family to help. hhmmm. Suppose I'll get on that!

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Melissa

I haven't done much because I have no clue what to get anyone this year. My birthday is in October, daughters is in November, two wedding anniversaries in November. So that sort of keeps things busy in the gift department before I can even start to think about Christmas. Grandson, age 11, wants ferrets. Too son to buy those. Everyone else is driving me crazy.

I have been done since mid summer. No stress for me!

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

That is exactly what I was going to write. I do know that after this latest setback we are going through, there are going to be a lot of people off our list. I found it funny that those family members that we help all the time, no questions asked, and never asked to be paid back, were the first ones to give us all sorts of excuses as to why they couldn't help us out temporarily but yet made sure to send the e-mails and when talking to us, made sure to tell us what we could do for them for the holidays.

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~~~~**Maryann**~~~~

I just got a firm grip on reality....
Now I can strangle it

The past 3 years (08, 09 10) have been extremely lean financial times. The past 4 months are much better, however, that certainly doesn't mean there's going to be a lot of gifts for Christmas. DH and I are setting a certain dollar amount to spend on each of the kids. There will also be gifts bought for each other that we haven't been able to do during the lean times. That being said...I have bought DD's one large gift and already started on stocking stuff. It amazes me that some people spend as much on stocking stuffers as I do on gifts. Since my kids are older teens now I buy some fantastic imported chocolate at Aldi's and will buy some gift cards and maybe another small something for their stockings. DS has decided on his big gift and I need to get that ordered. Yes, this holiday season is much better than past years and certainly not nearly as stressful as past years.

I'm definitely behind this year. I have 1 person done and that's it. We have to buy for 7 people on my DH's side, including a big gift for his son, and we have to buy for 14 people on my side, not including the two generic gifts for the Christmas exchange. That's actually down from last year, thank goodness. As a group, my side of the family decided to stop buying for the adults (except for our parents). I only have my sister's toddler done. Yikes! I have a lot of shopping to do and no real idea of what to get anyone. I'm definitely starting to stress about it!

I'm really hoping that DH will agree with me that we don't need to buy for each other because that man is hard to buy for...

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Kim

HAHA - I have purchased exactly 2 gifts. I got two large illuminated presents from Kirkland's for my mother to decorate her front porch. Today I grabbed one of those Fijit things that are supposed to be a hot toy this Christmas - just in case my niece wants one - before they are hard to find.

DH and I have decided not to exchange gifts this year. We pretty much buy whatever we want throughout the year and there is nothing either of us really covets. I still need to buy for the 4 kids, my nephew, my father, father-in-law, mothers-in-law.

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Add me to the list of "done"! But, in my defense, I really don't have many to buy for; my 2 teenage boys, 3 nieces and 1 nephew. And, we'll be on vacation for a week in December and I didn't want to feel overwhelmed.

I think this is the earliest I've ever been done! Usually, I try to finish up by the first or 2nd week of December.

We decided when my DD got married and built their house 4 years ago that we would no longer exchange gifts since we had spent all our money on the wedding and the house

We got the rest of the family to agree not to exchange gifts either since none of us needs a single thing, but to take a big chunk of the money we would have spent on each other and buy toys to donate instead. IT HAS BEEN SOOOO MUCH FUN!!!! We shop AFTER Christmas for the next year so we can buy about four times as much stuff because everything is on sale.

It is still a little hard to not buy Christmas presents for each other but it has taken all the pressure away from the holidays because we don't have to shop. We all gather at my DD's house for Christmas dinner and really enjoy each other's company. My in-laws are 87 so we don't know how many more Christmases we have with them so this arrangement has worked out beautifully.

When times are good financially for me I do my shopping early. These last two years have not been good financially. I haven't started yet and not even sure if we can afford gifts for everyone this year. I don't feel too bad about it I know life goes in cycles. Right now I'm happy to be able to pay the bills and buy groceries and gas. I'm not too worried about it.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

I have my MIL to get for,usually a gift card. We don't have too many more to buy for but they are done. I just have my kids to get for now. I have picked up a few little things as I see them. I don't start too soon because I know I will just end up getting more as the month goes on. They are older now so it will be mostly gift cards.