I am trying to find ways to have the same kind of Christmas that dh and I have always provided for our family. I don't need to tell any of you that prices are WAY high on just about everything.
How does everyone see this Christmas as opposed to past Christmases... and who has got a few ideas they may want to share??

BTW, I'm very aware that Christmas is about more than buying gifts....but you can't deny that is a BIG part of it.

One thing that I did was hold on to a flyer from AT&T that was offering U-verse TV, they have some special price for it and a credit on your first bill which will be due around Dec.1st -PLUS ( 2 )$100.00 Visa gift cards. I timed this so that the gift cards will, hopefully be here just in time for black Friday
I also am a huge fan of layaway. I know just what is due and I can budget for it. Too bad Walmart did away with it but there is always Kmart which is great because both my kids want bikes.
On a sad note, this will be the first year that I don't have a child in the house whom still believes in Santa..but Santa will still always come and bring gifts and be part of our family traditions!

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Love, J.

I'm not sure how old your kids are but holiday baking is always a big part of our Christmas. The kids (and even mom & dad) love baking and decorating cookies and gingerbread houses.

I have a hunch that lots of stores are going to be offering loss leaders this holiday season, just to lure in customers so be on the watch for those deals.

Last year was a very skimpy Christmas for our kids (we basically just did stocking stuffers, seriously) but they didn't seem to mind.

This year we are focusing on experiences like going to the snow, and hosting white elephant gift exchange parties with friends. (we play the game where everyone picks a number and you can steal each others gift, always a hoot)

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Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward glancing of an eye
When none but God is near."

This is going to be a very different Christmas for me this year. My son is buying an iPhone this weekend, and he asked if I would pay the monthly charge as his Christmas and birthday (Jan 10th) present. I told him that this is all he would get then, so I have to stick to that and not get him any other gifts (which really sucks because I already had things!) I have always really enjoyed buying gifts for him throughout the year, and since I only have one child he gets more than most kids do. But I guess I would rather give him something he really wants and will be happy with.

The only other people I buy for are my co-workers (and I give them gift baskets filled with stuff I got free with coupons), my parents, and my son's other grandparents. Christmas seems kind of empty when you don't have kids to buy neat stuff for. I guess it will be more calm going to church Christmas Eve knowing we aren't going to come home to a wrapping paper fest.

mitcham, I'm sad to hear you think Christmas is empty because you don't have kids to buy neat stuff for.

Why can't you buy neat stuff for adults?

There are no little kids in our family either but that sure doesn't stop us from buying fun stuff for each other. One year we got my mom a Nintendo DS, another year sis/bil got a playstation, I got coloring books and crayons last year, etc.

Our family has considered buying a few fun toys we'd love to play with for old times sake and then donate the gently used toys to a homeless shelter/some other charity in Feb or so. Things like play-doh sets and board games can be really fun for adults to play with then just pass them along, it's not like adults are going to ruin toys with rough play(we would replace the played with play-doh in the sets before passing them on).

Whoever thinks Christmas is just for kids needs to find their inner child. I bet that inner child wants to color.

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Jesus SAVES by shopping smartly and using double coupons!

Do you live anywhere near a Five Below? They have AWESOME stuff that my kids (and me & dh) are always drooling over and nothing in the store is over $5. Makes for great bday and xmas gifts.

Five Below

Also, do as many pharmacy gc's as you can, and if you have a CVS near you, maybe save up the EC bucks and use them for gifts from there - make up, lip gloss, smelly lotions, etc.

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"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God? " ~Epicurus

Do what I do my son is grown and so are my neices. I buy gifts for my neighbor's children and for the Toys for Tots and Tree of Joy. This makes me happier than you could imagine. You can go crazy or just get one thing.

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

I'm not familiar with this store, I'm on my way to check out the site!
CVS I have, good idea about saving up the bucks.
Thanks!!

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Love, J.

Yes for us we bake & we make a paper chain for the tree & we go to xmas gatherings like the church has & the kids xmas program at church & we usually go to at least one xmas party last years was awesome it was free buffett & each child got a gift my kids loved it dd 4 got a cabbage patch doll that walked she still clings to it/

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mom of 3 greats girls

This Christmas will be a special one since DS1 is away at college now and will be home for a month over the holidays. I can't wait just to have him here...that will be my present! Gosh, I miss that boy! With the kids older, the holidays have been less and less about piles of gifts under the tree. We have the things we need and most of what we want, so gift giving has gotten more difficult. I have a lot of pre-bought things though, so I could probably make a decent Christmas w/o spending a penny.

For the OP, I think there will be bargains out there. I'm guessing that the stores will throw out some pretty good loss leaders just to get you in their store. The trick will be to get your hands on those loss leaders before they run out!

Mitcham - I'd give him the stuff you'd already bought anyways! What else ya gonna do with it? But I'm an old softie....

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

I checked their store locater and there is no store within 100 miles of my locaton.

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Barb


My GOD Bless our Country and our Troops, and rid the World of terroists.

I have never heard of Five Below. It turns out there is one not too far from me. It looks like a place my kids will love! Thanks Jaded.

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Cecilia

"We must love them both--those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject. For both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in the finding of it."
Saint Thomas Aquinas

unless you already have had your uverse installed, I wouldn't count on the rebates for christmas money. We had ours installed mid august and they stagger when you can redeem the gift cards. I have sent in for the first 2, but haven't received them yet and I still have a few more weeks before I can apply to redeem the last one. They did credit me the first month for our september bill.

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MyCoupons is #1 for holiday shopping!

DON'T take the kids! You'll never get out w/o them begging for something.

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"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God? " ~Epicurus

In our house our preChristmas traditions are just as important as the gifts we recieve. We bake all our favorite goodies in the weeks leading up until the big day. We watch Christmas movies together every weekend in December. You can check out movies at the library and of course plenty will be played on tv. Last year we put together a winter puzzle. The advent calander is always something my kids look forward too. This year we will decorate a birthday cake for Jesus. As for gifts I will admit my kids will be recieving some very nice ones this year but in the past when money was tight we found plenty of cute things at Big lots and the dollar store to wrap up and put under the tree.

NOOOO-O-O! (scream)

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Love, J.