How's your Christmas shopping going?

Doc

Administrator
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
We are cutting back this year ...at least that is our intentions. Not sure if it will work.
Both DW and I have done a huge portion of our shopping online. I love it. True if it has to be returned that is extra hassel, but the majority of the items should not need to be returned (famous last words) :D
I would say we are 80 to 90% done.
Usually I'm one of the guys aimlessly wandering the malls trying to find something good to get for DW ... I actually kinda liked doing that for some stupid reason. Not this year. I'll be able to sip on an egg nog or a glass of wine and not worry about shopping at all on xmas eve.

Hows it going for you?
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I have cut back to 0 for Christmas for all of my family. We aren't putting up a tree, don't want them here trying to get a free Christmas dinner, bah hum bug to it all. Last year almost put us in the poor house as the wife went nuts on gifts. 3 grown kids, their spouses or significant others, 17 grand kids and 3 great grand kids in 3 states. It won't happen this year especially when I didn't get a card much less a gift from several of them. My wife and I are remodeling the kitchen, new appliances so that will be our Christmas gift to each other. :wink:
 

Mama

Queen of Cornbread
Site Supporter
Now that DW is married, we won't be spending as much this Christmas. We have decided on a $50 limit per person for DW and her DH, stepdaughter and her DH, step-granddaughter and her DH, other step-granddaughter and about $20 each on the three great grandkids. We're about halfway done...should be able to finish up this weekend. DH is off from the 11th through the 8th so he and I will be also be doing some home improvments for our Christmas to each other.
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
This time of year is the only time I ever thought about joining a religion. If so it would have to be Jehovah Witness, they don't do gifts. :yum:
 

Deelady

New member
This year is going to be pretty slim for us as well....I'm trying to just focus only on the little ones but even for them I'm trying to figure out how to cut corners! :(
Now that I found out Percy will NOT be coming home for Christmas I decided to no longer do Christmas dinner, but I will still bake treats for everyone.
 

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
The kids and grands are getting gifts and that's it.
A few years ago, I bought for everyone and their cousin.. ouch.
Like you Doc, some of it is done online, other than that --gift cards.
 

Miniman

Mini man - maxi food
Gold Site Supporter
I have hardly started we do both sets of parents, our siblings and their families and some of DW's relatives but not a huge amount. We usually go to Yorkshire for Christmas - so not a lot of money spent on food etc.
 

High Cheese

Saucier
Just about done.

However, we are having Christmas dinner at our house. We had one a couple years ago and I cooked a whole rib roast. The thing barely fit in my oven.

This year I'm thinking: Grilled mustard crusted quail, filet mignon, roasted root veggies, haricot vert and a field green salad. Some sort of red wine sauce to compliment the quail and beef, herb, nut and cranberry garnishes.

Cooking for 8, can't wait.
 

phreak

New member
Do you have room for 2.5 more high cheese? That sounds way better than dry turkey, flavorless ham, and the same old sides.
 

High Cheese

Saucier
Do you have room for 2.5 more high cheese? That sounds way better than dry turkey, flavorless ham, and the same old sides.

I actually make it my Mission NOT to serve turkey or ham for Thanksgiving or Christmas. So boring.....not "boring" but....there's so many other things to make. A nice big salmon would be tasty too.

Oh, and I'm tired of catering to people. My dinner "is what it is", if you want to hit up BK, be my guest. :chef:
 

Doc

Administrator
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
It sounds AWESOME Cheese!!!!! :thumb: What a table that will be. Please take time to take some pics to share with your buddies here. :D
 

FooD

New member
My two grandkids are getting gifts, wife gets cash, grandkids give me Starbucks cards, wife gets me a jacket, that's it, easy, no hassle, at least on my part. Gosh I hate the Holidays, except New Year's.... :D
 

JoeV

Dough Boy
Site Supporter
I hate the commercialization of Christmas. If I say any more I'll have my arse handed to me by my DW who isn't happy until she has bought somekind of useless crapolla for everyone she knows or is related to. Nuff said about that.

We are having DW's peeps (12 of them) for dinner Christmas Eve, then my family (16 of them) for dinner on Christmas Day. This only happens every third year. I will be a cooking and baking machine, so hopefully I won't have to interact with any of the drunks that show up (her peeps, the Irish mix. My peeps don't drink.). I figure to drop about $300 on food & beverages, so that's my gift to all of them. Still refining the menus.
 

VeraBlue

Head Mistress
Gold Site Supporter
I'm about 90% done.....and did 75% of that shopping on line.

Now, I'll wait for the packages to arrive....buy some stocking stuffers and then wrap...easy peasy.
 

PieSusan

Tortes Are Us
Super Site Supporter
I am just about done as well. I have some candymaking to do but that is all. I am pretty well organized and have been shopping and having fun all along. When I see something for someone, I put it aside. That way, I do not feel the pinch around the holiday time. It is easier, too. My mom and I shall have a lovely holiday and I am looking forward to Shabbat services on Friday--the first night of Hannukkah.
 

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
I am just about done as well. I have some candymaking to do but that is all. I am pretty well organized and have been shopping and having fun all along. When I see something for someone, I put it aside. That way, I do not feel the pinch around the holiday time. It is easier, too. My mom and I shall have a lovely holiday and I am looking forward to Shabbat services on Friday--the first night of Hannukkah.
Susan, I hope you have a nice Hannukkah season.
My good friend Eric was Jewish, I sent him a dreidel last week and he laughed when he got it.
His family were Jewish, as he was raised in Brooklyn, NY.
He's since turned Baptist and his friends at his church there call him a 'completed Jew'.. which I think is funny, however, he still holds on to his Jewish roots and has a celebration for his son Ben (who goes to Temple), and they have a Christmas tree as well.
Kind of a mix, but it all seems to work out just fine.:wink:
 
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Fisher's Mom

Mother Superior
Super Site Supporter
I'm pretty much done with mine, too. Most of the kids are grown so they only get one gift. DH and I don't gift each other usually and my mom is the only relative I have left. My friends and I agreed long ago to be low-maintenance friends - no gifts exchanged at Christmas or on birthdays.
 

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
I am still working on Barb's Christmas package too haha!
Do a few friends count when you can't help spending a little x-tra? lol

Other than Barb, Eric and a good friend Pauline in Newport, RI, it's come down to just family (as in MY kids and Kasey, Justin, Devon and Paulette).
If I bought for all the nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles, I'd be flat broke.
You must draw the line somewhere, especially in the times we are in.
CC debt sucks ass, and takes away from the joy of the season.
 
K

Kimchee

Guest
It's just me and my wife, so we don't have to worry about a lot of other people, thank goodness.
We tend to do a lot of little gifts... so far she has 3 WootShirt T Shirts, and 3 other giftlets.. all bought online.
I usually make a cheesy gift of some sort with pet pictures on it. This year she gets 5 lab notebooks, each with a pet picture on them.
She'll get me a 6 pack of assorted microbrews, tasty munchies from strange places (tin of smoked oysters, cheeses, that kind of stuff...), and clothes. I LOVE getting shirts and socks and such.. because I HATE buying them! (Hoping for a magnetic knife strip, but dunno if it's gonna happen)

The best gift of the year will be the one I give to my high school buddy. He's my Brother From Another Mother! Years ago while he was stationed in England he found a liqueur called Stag's Breath. Good stuff from Scotland, mellow stuff with honey and herbs. Fell in love with it, finished his last bottle about 4 years ago....
I found a place to order it from England, woo hoo! Wasn't cheap after shipping and the exchange rate, but he might just cry when he opens the package. I'm gonna get a bottle of Wild Turkey honey liqueur and add some spices to it, tape a label on it "Hog's Breath Likker" and put the real bottle somewhere where he will find it later, heh heh heh:yum:
 

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
There's only me and DW, and Mom & Jim. Haven't started yet, but it won't take long.....although Cricket is "supposedly" DW's Christmas! :biggrin:
 

Fisher's Mom

Mother Superior
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LOL! Yep, you better make sure there's something besides Cricket in DW's stocking or you'll spend some long nights on the couch making up a proper gift list for next Christmas, Keltin.
 

Keltin

New member
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LOL! Yep, you better make sure there's something besides Cricket in DW's stocking or you'll spend some long nights on the couch making up a proper gift list for next Christmas, Keltin.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking as well!! :yum:

Believe it or not, all she really wants at this point is one of those large designer shoulder bags designed to carry a small dog (Cricket) around with her where ever she goes!

Well.....that and some steps so that Cricket can get on the bed by himself.

And some new sweater/clothes for Cricket.

And a heated wool bed for the couch when Cricket sits there.

And a car seat for Cricket.

And.....HOLY CARP! Do we see a trend here?!?!?! :lol:
 

Fisher's Mom

Mother Superior
Super Site Supporter
The steps are a good idea - I use a small ottoman so Junior can get on and off the bed. Of course, he's about 10 lbs. heavier (and bigger) than Cricket. And the sweater is a necessity, too, cuz those little guys get cold. And the car seat is just a good safety precaution. And........aw, hell, just give her the credit card. LOL
 

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
The steps are a good idea - I use a small ottoman so Junior can get on and off the bed. Of course, he's about 10 lbs. heavier (and bigger) than Cricket. And the sweater is a necessity, too, cuz those little guys get cold. And the car seat is just a good safety precaution. And........aw, hell, just give her the credit card. LOL

Jeez Terry!!! I thought you were MY friend!!!! :yum: :yum: :yum:
 

Fisher's Mom

Mother Superior
Super Site Supporter
Here are my 2 dogs that sleep in my bed - Bella and Junior. (I think Junior and Cricket may be distant cousins.)
 

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Cooksie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
Today I found the perfect gift for my hubby. It's an All Clad, Stainless, Copper Core, 3 qt frying pan with a lid. I saw it but didn't buy it because I wanted to check the prices on-line. It's a deal, and I'm going back tomorrow. He will be delighted :biggrin:. I love TJMaxx!
 

luvs

'lil Chef
Gold Site Supporter
i've gotten 2 gifts -seasalted cashews & a chocolate-covered brownie pop for my Mom. she loves the foods i bring her, so i'll bring her those & probably sarris pretzels. she also wants perfume. yet to get presents for jake, my brother, his woman, & thier kiddos. my Dad can split my Mom's goodies with her since i don't often give him gifts. although, last gift my brother & i gave him, he cried. aww.....
 
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